Three for the older crowd, and one that I'm reading

The Return of Death Eric by Sam Llewellyn
This tale of two quirky teens who attempt to revive their father's career as a head-banging rocker after his manager runs off with a fortune is, by all accounts, wacky good fun. With the popularity of reality shows based on the lives of former rockers, the subject matter is bound to be popular. And I like the title--it catches the eye.



Runaway by Wendelin Van Draanen
After living on the streets for years, Holly's mother has died of an overdose and left Holly trapped in the foster care system. After running away from her fifth foster home, she decides to travel across the country, writing about her experiences in a journal. Chock full of deliciously gritty details of life on the street, this will appeal to that overly-dramatic and misery-loving part of teen patrons. Considering the fact that it's written in the wildly popular journal format, and contains both poetry and prose, this book should fly off the shelves.


Chance Fortune and the Outlaws by Shane Berryhill
Just in case there was ever any question . . . I'm a big old nerd who gets weirdly excited about books like this. Joshua has always wanted to be a superhero, but unfortunately has no super powers. Thankfully, he does have a superhero ally, who helps him forge documents and enter the superhero academy under false pretenses. I can relate--I still haven't discovered my super power, yet I would love to be a superhero. And the cover on this is great!


Manny Files by Christian Burch
I'm about halfway through this tale of a modern-day Mario Poppins and I'm loving it!!! Yeah, the manny sounds like he would be fun to have around, and the secondary characters are quirky and amusing. But the real treasure in this book is Keats, our young narrator. His voice is spot-on and wicked funny. It's his kid's-eye view of the people and events that make this one of my new favorites.

Dreary Days

Is it just me, or does this fall seem even more dismal and gray than usual? We haven't really had those days that make me want to throw on a sweater and take a walk through the woods, just days that make me want to curl up under an afghan with a cup of cocoa and a good book. Here are some new books perfect for days that make you want to snuggle up and read.

Courage of the Blue Boy by Robert Neubecker
Blue and his cow, Polly, are tired of living in a land where everything (including themselves) is blue. So, they set off to find some other colors, learning how to live in a multi-hued world along the way. I'm sure that this book has a good message about inclusiveness and acceptance, but I'm just drawn in by the picture of Blue and Polly on the cover. Their bright, wide eyes contrast delightfully with the blue of their skin, making them seem courageous indeed--and hopeful and happy and adventurous.


Love From Woolly by Nina Michaels
Okay . . . it's a lift-the-flap book, which I know makes people cranky, but how can you resist? Woolly, the chubby, woolly sheep with hilariously short legs has knitted gifts for all her friends, and kids can lift the flap to reveal these gifts. According to the description, it also teaches about numbers and etiquette. And did I mention that the sheep is chubby and woolly?


Melrose and Croc: A Christmas to Remember by Emma Chichester Clark
You really can't go wrong with a Christmas book, particularly one with a lonely golden retriever and a visiting crocodile painting the big city (Santa Claus-y) red. There's a lot to like about this book, like the fact that the dog is considerably bigger than the crocodile to reduce the reptilian threat, and the cover illustration of the two friends ice skating.


Where is Baby's Pumpkin by Karen Katz
You know that I'm a sucker for all things fuzzy and sparkly, but this new board book goes above and beyond all my expectations. Yeah . . . it's got flaps to lift, sparkly foil and glittery flocking!!!!!! Who knew you could even combine the sparkly and the fuzzy into one thing?!?!?! And it's holiday-themed, which means it will fly off the shelves before it even comes in. I can't wait!


I was reading some sneak peeks of the spring season books, and it was mentioned that Mo Willems will debut his first easy reader in the first half of 2007. How exciting is that?!?? It's always a thrill when someone who gets kids as much as Willems obviously does (Knuffle Bunny? Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus?) turns their talents to easy readers, which isn't as easy a genre to write for as one would think. I'm expecting good things . . .

When I was a kid, we had to read with our eyes closed!

I swear that there weren't this many cool picture books when I was a kid! And I had to walk to school uphill in the snow with no shoes and a hot lump of coal in my pocket for lunch. Yep . . . we knew what suffering was back then!

Dizzy by Jonah Winter
Speaking of difficult childhoods, this book introduces kids to jazz great Dizzy Gillespie, who found fame and satisfaction in spite of his rocky beginning. I heard the author read this one aloud at ALA, and his rendition blew me away. Like great jazz, his hippety crazy prose captures feelings, making conversation out of sounds that aren't words. Channel your inner hepcat, break out those scatting skills and read this one at storytime.


Who is Melvin Bubble? by Nick Bruel
When a cast of characters--including the tooth fairy and a bedroom-dwelling monster--are asked to describe the title character, confusion reigns. Each describes Melvin as he is seen through their own personal filters, raising topics about point of view and self-image. This one sounds very clever and funny.



Wolves by Emily Gravett
Another book that is getting great reviews. When a young rabbit borrows a book on wolves from the library, he is far too engrossed by what he's reading to notice that a wolf has stepped from the book and is stalking him. Will he realize what is happening before it's too late? All the reviews talk about the clever design and the wonderfully expressive illustrations . . . all of which means I'm looking forward to seeing this one.


Mouse's First Fall by Lauren Thompson
Mouse and his sister, Minka, enjoy a glorious fall day. Autumn seems to be a popular topic for back-to-school lessons, and this story will fit into this them quite nicely. And the mouse on the cover is the fattest, roundest mouse I've ever seen, which makes him quite irresistible.

It's enough to make you swear off grown-up books!

There are SO MANY awesome picture books coming out this fall, I can hardly stand it!!! Sometimes I fall into this weird, never-reading-picture-books trap where, because they are so short and easy to read, I put them off in favor of more pressing things. Then some time has passed and I realize I haven't read a one. But I think these will tempt me . . .

Beware of Tigers by Dave Horowitz
Two little birds have been warned about the danger of tigers, but how can they resist a charming, singing, dancing tiger? Sometimes, the charm is just irresistible! And I love the cover on this one.



Augustine by Melanie Watt
When a shy penguin moves from the South Pole to the North, her love of art provides a way for her to get to know her new classmates. Because this book references a number of famous artists and their work, it should be a relatively painless way to introduce young ones to art history. Plus, the illustrations have a deliciously fat, fuzzy, super-saturated look to them that I find irresistible.


Please Don't Upset P. U. Zorilla by Lynn Rowe Reed
Why do I find it so funny when storybook characters can't quite control how they react to their environments? Am I really that immature? At any rate, this book is about a capable skunk who needs a job but can't keep himself from spraying some stink when he gets upset. Hee hee hee! The Kirkus review mentions a catchy repeated phrase that should make this a good read-aloud. And the skunk's name is P.U. Zorilla! And he sprays people! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha!


Elfis: A Christmas Tale by Alan Katz and Pete Fornatale
How many holiday tales about underdog elves on the North Pole do we need? As many as we can get! When Melfin is fired from Santa's workshop for being too slow, he's despondent--until a snowman turns him into a rock icon (and inspiration to elves everywhere). We can all use another Christmas book, and this one has the Elvis kitsch factor going for it. I hope it's as clever as it seems it will be!


Burger Boy by Alan Durant
Last week I waxed poetic about the humor of hot dogs, so I figured I should give equal time to their patty-riffic counterparts. This tale of a picky eater who turns into the only thing he consumes looks fun, and I'm sure it will strike a chord with parents everywhere.


Dear Little Lamb by Christa Kempter
A cautionary tale for the new generation of computer-users, Kempter's tale is a welcome addition to our collections. Mama Sheep is concerned when her offspring plans to visit his new pen pal . . . the suspiciously named Wolfgang. A little investigation proves she is right to worry, and she saves her little lamb from a sad fate.

I'm giddy!

Sometimes things just make me happy for no apparent reason. Here are some new chapter books that have just that effect:


Hot Dog and Bob and the Seriously Scary Attack of the Evil Alien Pizza Person by L. Bob Rovetch
First in a series, this book is about an average boy and a talking superhero hot dog from outer space. Already drawing comparisons to Captain Underpants, it's full of drawings and super-silly fun. And, I'd like to add, hot dogs are just plain funny! Oscar Mayer weinermobile? Funny! Man dressed in a hot dog costume? Funny! Superhero hot dog? Funny!


Manga Claus by Nathaniel Marunis
Hee hee! In this J-level graphic novel, an angry elf puts a spell on a batch of ninja teddy bears, forcing Santa to morph into his "butt-kicking" alter ego, Manga Claus, and . . . well . . . kick some butt. Am I the only one who thinks that this muscle-bound Santa with a ninja sword is hysterically funny?




Headlock by Joyce Sweeney
Kyle is well on the road to a professional wrestling career until his long-gone mother comes back into his life. Boys of all ages still love the world of professional wrestling, and this book may be just the thing for them to read. Besides, it has an awesome cover!




Last Days by Scott Westerfeld
Ooooooh! Ooooooh! A sequel to Peeps! A sequel to Peeps! Westerfeld is hot, hot, hot . . . and this book promises to be hot, too.