August 1, 2011: Volume LXXIX, No 15

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REVIEWS

t h e nat i o n ’s p r e m i e r b o o k r e v i e w j o u r na l f o r mo r e t h a n 7 5 y e a rs

fiction

nonfiction

children & teens

★ Childhood playmates can’t put their past behind them in Laura Lippman’s assured tale p. 1291

★ Mark Yarm offers an essential look at the highs and lows of the Seattle music scene p. 1340

★ Tracy Barrett takes on an old story—Theseus & the Minotaur—and makes it new again p. 1343

★ Jodi Compton delivers an addictive novel about a woman who finds herself on the run p. 1287

★ The life of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy is entertainingly presented by Rosamund Bartlett p. 1309

★ A big sister deals with an unusual little brother in Marie-Louise Gay’s effervescent book p. 1348

★ A New England veterinarian faces uncertainty in Yannick Murphy’s powerful novel p. 1293

★ Debra Weyermann investigates the actions of Warren Jeffs and his polygamous sect p. 1339

★ A trickster of Islamic folklore comes to the U.S. via Shakrukh Husain & Micha Archer p. 1354

Spencer Quinn goes to the dogs; Jackie Collins follows the life of a social goddess; M.J. McGrath turns up the heat; Jeffrey Eugenides talks about marriage; Leah Hager Cohen analyses grief; Kjell Eriksson offers a hand; Christopher Bollen lights up; and more v i s i t k i rku sre vi e ws. com f or f ull versions of f eatures, q & as and thou sa n ds of archived reviews

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interactive e-books p. 1281 fiction p. 1285 mystery p. 1299

science fiction & fantasy p. 1305 nonfiction p. 1307

children & teens p. 1341 kirkus indie p. 1391

Chairman H E R B E RT S I M O N # President & Publisher M A RC W I N K E L M A N Editor E L A I N E S Z E WC Z Y K eszewczyk@kirkusreviews.com Managing/Nonfiction Editor E R I C L I E B E T R AU eliebetrau@kirkusreviews.com Features Editor M O L LY B RO W N molly.brown@kirkusreviews.com

V.S. Naipaul vs. Jane Austen

BY G RE G O RY McNA M EE

Children’s & YA Books VICKY SMITH vicky.smith@kirkusreviews.com Kirkus Indie Editor P E R RY C RO W E perry.crowe@kirkusreviews.com Mysteries Editor THOMAS LEITCH Editorial Coordinator REBECCA CRAMER rebecca.cramer@kirkusreviews.com

Is there a woman writer, alive or dead, who can craft a sentence, a paragraph, a book better than the novelist V.S. Naipaul?

Naipaul doesn’t think so. He recently remarked to an interviewer, “I read a piece of writing and within a paragraph or two I know whether it is by a woman or not. I think [it is] unequal to me.” According to The Guardian, he added that women were susceptible to sentimentality and held a “narrow view of the world,” hinting that women’s historic inequality played out in fiction as in life. He cited Jane Austen as an example of all that is wrong with women who work with pen or keyboard.

Granted, Austen is a touch difficult for many modern readers, unused to the leisures of the late Georgian sentence and perhaps not able to discern the irony in observations such as this one: “A woman, especially, if she have the misfortune of knowing anything, should conceal it as well as she can.” For all that, Austen endures, read in school and watched on the big and small screen (think Alicia Silverstone in Clueless, that fine adaptation of Emma). She is pop-culture-hip enough, even, to have inspired the goofy Regencynovel-meets-splatter-fest Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

It’s a parlor game of sorts to retort to Naipaul by offering up women writers who give him a run for his money, but I’d like to suggest a few. There’s no comparing Jane Austen to him, really—but what of his contemporaries? For sturdiness of stories, there are few writers who can approach Margaret Atwood and Ursula LeGuin. Andrea Levy has been exploring postcolonialism in Naipaul’s adopted Britain, territory that Zadie Smith has worked brilliantly. And nothing Naipaul has written in many years—and his last inarguably great book was A Bend in the River, published in 1979—has spoken to our condition as meaningfully as P(hyllis) D(orothy) James’s Children of Men. Stretching farther into the past, I’d bet long odds on Willa Cather in any storytelling match with Naipaul, and give Flannery O’Connor even money. Ask which book has been more influential, To Kill a Mockingbird (or even Gone with the Wind) or A House for Mr. Biswas, and Naipaul’s claim shades off into ridiculousness.

Not long ago, Naipaul shook hands with Paul Theroux at a book festival in England, ending a long feud.

Perhaps, ever the controversialist, he found need to kindle a new firestorm to keep his name in the news. He succeeded. But it was a hollow victory, and one that will serve his memory poorly in years to come.

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Lifestyles Editor KAREN CALABRIA kcalabria@kirkusreviews.com Contributing Editor G REG ORY Mc NAME E # for customer service or subscription questions, please call 877-441-3010 Kirkus Reviews Online www.kirkusreviews.com Print indexes: www.kirkusreviews.com/ book-reviews/print-indexes Kirkus Blog: www.kirkusreviews.com/blog Advertising Opportunities: www.kirkusreviews.com/about/ advertising-opportunities Submission Guidelines: www.kirkusreviews.com/about/ submission-guidlines Subscriptions: www.kirkusreviews.com/ subscription Newsletters: www.kirkusreviews.com/ subscription/newsletter/add This Issue’s Contributors

Maude Adjarian • Mark Athitakis • Amy Boaz • Julie BuffaloeYoder • Gary Buiso • Christina Cintron • Marnie Colton • Kelli Daley • Michelle Daugherty • Dave DeChristopher • Gregory F. DeLaurier • David Delman • Kathleen Devereaux • Ryan Donovan • Daniel Dyer • Lisa Elliott • Faith Giordano • Alan Goldsher • Christine Goodman • Michael Griffith • Peter Heck • Jeff Hoffman • BJ Hollars • Erica Lamar • Paul Lamey • Rebecca Schumejda • Judith Leitch • Peter Lewis • Elsbeth Lindner • Raina Lipsitz • Joe Maniscalco • Don McLeese • Gregory McNamee • Carole Moore • Gabriella M. Cebada Mora • Chris Morris • Liza Nelson • Mike Newirth • John Noffsinger • Mike Oppenheim • Jim Piechota • William E. Pike • Gary Presley • John T. Rather • Karah Rempe • Karen Rigby • Lloyd Sachs • Rebecca Shapiro • Melissa Shaw • William Shumaker • William P. Shumaker • Arthur Smith • Wendy Smith • Margot E. Spangenberg • Andria Spencer • Kristin Thiel • Mark Tursi • Steve Weinberg • Carol White • Chris White • Joan Wilentz • Laura H. Wimberley • Alex Zimmerman

interactive e-books interactive e-books for children ROBO BUDDY

Arnold, Jayn Illustrator: Steck, Jim Developer: Skyreader Media $2.99 | Version: 1.3 | May 27, 2011 A lot of design creativity is wasted on a sub-sitcom-level story that never reaches for the stars, despite its Jetsons-meets– Marvel Comics approach.

This three-chapter digital comic tells the story of a boy who loses his robotic companion, Robo Buddy, one distant-future morning. Visually, the app appeals with its popart sci-fi backgrounds and its cartoon characters. The panel compositions are sophisticated and lovely to look at, with bright colors and sharp, inviting character art. But by the third chapter, when readers realize the action has never left the home of Robo Buddy’s owner Dexter, it becomes clear there’s no storytelling here. Robo Buddy took the family space cruiser out to get some cereal, which explains his disappearance (but which doesn’t explain tremendous lengths the app goes to tell such a mundane tale). Background music is spacey and fun, but much of the voiceover narration (primarily from Dexter) is loud and grating. It’s a feast for the eyes that disappears from memory almost as soon as the last page is turned.

Given the artistry of its interactive elements and the overall design, its shortcomings make it an even bigger disappointment than less-ambitious efforts. (iPad storybook app. 4-6)

THE CRANKAMACALLIT

Cross, Mimi Illustrator: Berkessel, Juergen Developer: Polymash $4.99 | Version: 1.0 May 27, 2011 A brawny antidote to the fairy-tale adaptations and cutesy cartoon-character apps that overstuff the App Store, this ear-catchingly titled story is all about power tools and building. |

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Promising to help the reader build a Crankamacallit, “With buttons and levers and yes, of course—CRANKS!”, the app fills its pages with red and green buttons, a toolbox full of building instruments and, later, an orchestra pit built into what looks like a birthday-party-balloon–powered zeppelin. There are blueprints, a silly notepad filled with illustrated engineering notes and the occasional flight of fancy. (Literally, in one case: an inspirational flying goose.) The visual style is a curious mix of near-photorealistic artwork and polished computer animation. Near the end, running a finger along the screen generates a thrilling rotating view of the finished flying vehicle. The sound effects and narration are energetic and satisfying. But many of the elements, including some of the buttons and schematics, are difficult to interact with because the app reads many taps as page turns. It’s far too sensitive, and unnecessary to boot, given the page-turning arrows on the bottom corners of each page. In fact, navigation in general is overdone and fussy given the subject matter. There are four different ways to navigate, and that’s probably two too many for an app with only 20 pages total.

Nevertheless, it’s got a formidable array of virtual mechanics that’ll wow any kid who’s starting to look beyond LEGOs for bigger building blocks. (iPad storybook app. 4-8)

PAGPAGAYUK

Reteller: Evasco, Eugene Illustrator: Constantino, Piya Developer: Vibal Publishing House $1.99 | Version: 1.7b210 May 15, 2011 A Filipino folktale seems less than striking at first glance, but subtle visual effects in the app make it worth a second glance.

“In the boondocks of Bukidnon,” a province of the Philippines, a datu, a storyteller and singer, loses his abilities. A jealous giant has stolen the datu’s talent to give himself a melodious voice.

When the loss of their artist sends the village into a depression, the datu’s three sons go on missions to recover the amulet that gave the datu and the giant the power of song. The evocative illustrations, hand drawn with sharp strokes and an emphasis on faces, subtly change when the iPad is rotated to fit the page orientation. They change again when readers change the text and narration on the page from English to Filipino, bringing characters closer to the fore or making the scene move slightly. The optional narration is well paced and the text is direct, but colorful. “Agyu’s only companion for an army was a limping horse,” one line reads, next to an illustration of a bony, downtrodden |

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“A poignant, potent ode to books (the paper kind) that combines top-notch animation, just the right amount of interactivity and a tear-jerking story.” from the fantastic flying books of mr. morris lessmore

creature. The app promises more interactivity than it delivers, however. It’s mostly a straightforward text-and-illustrations piece in its “Let me read” form and little more than an 8 1/2–minute animated short (albeit a striking one) in auto mode.

Still, the story of the evil giant, the desperate storyteller and a thieving bird (the title character) is unusual enough in its storytelling and design to stand out in the app crowd. (iPad storybook app. 6-12)

OLIVIA ACTS OUT

Falconer, Ian Illustrator: Falconer, Ian Developer: Polin8 Media $4.99 | Version: 1.01 June 20, 2011 Series: Olivia Olivia’s roots in theater shine through with her usual panache as she makes her debut onto the iPad stage.

Shocked to find herself NOT chosen as the lead in the school play, Olivia must come to terms with her role as Cow Number Two. The story is packed with over 30 interactive animations that range from the educational (kids can practice numbers and shapes from cues on the classroom wall) to the irreverently hilarious (they can swing Olivia back and forth over the stage). In one of the dramatic daydream sequences triggered by tapping the cloud over Olivia’s head, the screen becomes wavy and they are transported to a grand theater packed with an adoring (and 3D!) audience as she imagines herself in the lead role. Professionally narrated with written text and options to read to oneself or just listen, it does not offer the option to “play” it through, and page turns are difficult as the touch zone seems to be too small for younger readers; otherwise the animations respond well. The musical loop in the background can be turned off for children who need less distraction.

Speedy response to crash difficulties demonstrates that the developers really care about quality; Olivia fans will hope for more adventures from this group. (iPad storybook app. 4-8)

THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE

Joyce, William Illustrator: Joyce, William Developer: MoonBot Studios $4.99 | Version: 1.0.1 May 31, 2011 A poignant, potent ode to books (the paper kind) that combines top-notch animation, just the right amount of interactivity and a tear-jerking story.

Based on a 15-minute animated short (which can be 1282

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downloaded from iTunes via a link in the app’s main menu), this pitch-perfect adaptation captures much of the nuance and emotion of the source material without trying too hard to capture every beat. Morris Lessmore, who appears to be modeled after silent film–era comics like Buster Keaton, is a writer whose obsession with the written word is evident by the precariously stacked books around him. After a storm flings him from his balcony and literally blows the words off the pages of all the town’s tomes, Morris finds himself wandering until he spots a woman flying through the air, carried by bird-like books.

An anthropomorphic version of “Humpty Dumpty” befriends Morris and leads him to a magical library, where he’ll write his own story and care for the residents there. Though the app’s text is all original (the short film features no dialogue or voice over, only music), it sparkles. In the library, “The tragedies needed to be cheered up and would visit with the comedies. The Encyclopedias, weary of facts would relax with the comic books and fictions. All in all, it was an agreeable jumble.” Merely adapting the story well from the film might legitimately have been enough.

But the interactive elements, including a playable piano, books that speak in distinct book quotes when touches and small games, don’t feel at all tacked on; they enrich the experience without detracting from the main story or disrupting its flow.

The story of Morris Lessmore and his beloved books ends with an unexpected emotional punch, a satisfying, lovely finish for an altogether winning app. (iPad storybook app. 4-12)

THE JUNGLE BOOK The Story of Mowgli & Shere Khan

Kipling, Rudyard Adaptor: Dolby, Tom Adaptor: Frist, Drew Illustrator: Buchanan, Nigel Developer: Electric Type $5.99 | Version: 1.1 May 26, 2011

Set to Buchanan’s lush, luminous illustrations, this adaptation of the adventures of Mowgli introduces the classic to a new generation.

Infused with both humor and drama, the animated and interactive features maintain an organic flow with the text throughout. Following the adventures of a human baby rescued and raised in the Indian jungle by a wolf family (with plenty of help from a bear, a panther and a python, of course!), the view pans through the jungle as the reader begins. Kids can ride with the buffalo herd in a mad chase, help the python save Mowgli and tickle the mischievous, flatulent monkeys just as the tension might get too high. Jungle sounds and background music can be turned off but add to the ambience without ever intruding. In addition to the usual book-bar options, a hint button offers interactive tips and facts about the jungle on each page.

And if it’s time for bed just as the monkeys are stealing young Mowgli away, readers can bookmark any page for a quick return kirkusreviews.com

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later. With wonderful production values, this app is enjoyable both for the narrative and the effects. Readers accustomed to Kipling’s sonorous original language, complete with formal “thee” and “thou,” will find it missing, though this adaptation is far more faithful than the Disney movie’s.

The story is divided into seven chapters, suitable for short dips or to read all in one rainy afternoon. (iPad storybook app. 4-8)

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD’S HOODS

Ros, Esperança Illustrator: Martínez, Emi Developer: La Tortuga Casiopea $1.99 | Version: 1.0 May 27, 2011

In this iteration of the classic fairy tale, Little Riding Hood (no Red) accumulates hoods from various family members—in a variety of colors.

The “educational” value of the app is that it helps youngsters learn colors, numbers, the days of the week and pronouns for assorted family members. On Monday, her grandmother gives her a red hood; now she has one hood (and—according to the story—“is very happy”). On Tuesday, her grandfather gives her a yellow hood, but this time she is only quite happy.

By the end of the week she has six different hoods and—here’s the perplexing thing—she’s fuming about it. (The beautiful artwork shows her progressive transformation from smiling to scowling. Perhaps an illogical lesson about emotions?) Later she goes to visit cousins, gives each of them a hood, and— voilà—she’s happy again. Another befuddling feature of this app is the menu, which is a puzzle in and of itself. Rather than aiding in navigation, the menu simply allows the reader to skip to a certain page, or find all of the pages that correspond to certain colors. Interactive features are plentiful and function well, but there is no audio—only a choice to read the story in English, Spanish, Portuguese or Catalán.

A visually rich, technologically sound app that could be a homerun with a bit of storytelling help. (iPad storybook app. 3-5)

A SONG FOR MILES

Russell, Tiffany Simpkins Illustrator: Scarborough, Raheli Developer: Diverse Mobile $4.99 | Version: 1.0 June 1, 2011 A young boy discovers that there’s more to music than instruments, lyrics and notes.

Much like his daddy, young Miles loves music. When his father observes him singing and dancing, he decides it’s time for a lesson in music appreciation. Miles learns that music |

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can help people do things like express their feelings, appreciate their heritage (in this case, African-American) and count their blessings. Throughout the story, father and son consider compositions by Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Al Green and Nina Simone, among others. The story is illustrated by Raheli Scarborough, who used “digital inks and acrylics” to create lush images that take full advantage of iPad screen resolution. Background music can be turned on or off, and the app offers both “Read to Myself ” and “Read to Me” options (the latter of which is nicely articulated but sets a pace that feels quite rushed). Animation is minimal, and there are no interactive elements, but the graphic beauty and the unique subject matter warrant readers’ rapt attention. The author even provides a gateway to the iTunes catalog for each artist that is mentioned in the story.

This app may not deliver the “wow” factor some kids and parents have come to expect (especially given the $4.99 price tag), but it’s a creative and distinctive effort that will help youngsters consider the multi-faceted purposes of music. (iPad storybook app. 4-10)

FRIENDS

Tsitas, Makis Illustrator: Kapatsoulia, Natalia Developer: Psichogios Publications $1.99 | Version: 1.0.0 May 11, 2011 Based on the printed version of Tsitas’ book with the same title, this app chronicles the advantages and hazards of companionship.

Friends, says the narrator, will always do certain things.

They’ll give you half of their snack. They’ll share their secrets.

They’ll lend you their favorite belongings and help you clean your room—and the list goes on. (The number of things a friend always does may leave readers wondering if the narrator is describing a child or a genie. Can any kid live up to it all?)

Regardless, friendships aren’t always so rosy. Sometimes friends have disagreements and get angry with each another. Is that the end of the world? As we all know, it can sure feel like it when you’re a child. But the author does a splendid job conveying the idea that sometimes disagreements blow over without the necessity of a courtroom trial. The app is visually interesting and beautifully illustrated. English is the sole language option, and the narration is lively and pleasantly inflective. There’s a generous amount of animation and motion but very little interactivity. That’s not necessarily a bad thing—storybook apps don’t have to be a digital circus to be good. This one strikes a nice balance.

Aside from the overuse of absolute adverbs, this is a worthwhile add to any iPad bookshelf. (iPad storybook app. 3-6)

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THE GINGERBREAD MAN

excess and will likely offer parents a few “teachable” moments.

Ironically, it’s also a good example of how less (animation, interaction, words and ideas) really can be more.

A cute storybook app that has what it takes to entertain and enlighten. (iPad storybook app. 2-7)

Developer: Zubadoo Media $0.99 | Version: 1.0 June 3, 2011 A bit under-baked, this animated take on the old story of a baked good come to feisty life could have used

a little more time in the oven.

After a little old woman bakes a gingerbread man (with “currants for eyes and a cherry for a nose”), the sneaky treat escapes through an open window. The old woman and a cow, horse and fox end up following until the gingerbread man is backed up against a rushing river. The sly fox agrees to take the cookie across but ends up gobbling up the gingerbread man instead.

Kids weaned on the Shrek version of the gingerbread man’s tale may be shocked by the abrupt ending. The old woman’s grumbly, “You should be more careful whom you trust,” isn’t much consolation (or much of an ending, really, as it lacks the original’s spooky death throes). The app features clear navigation arrows, ho-hum text—much of the zing of the gingerbread man’s traditional taunts has gone stale—and minimal, non-interactive animations. But the illustrations are cute in their layered-feltcutout style, and the optional narration is more than adequate.

Given that foodie culture has permeated even the school-cafeteria scene, it’s a shame the app seems so flavorless. More ginger, less flour in the mix, please. (iPad storybook app. 3-6)

THE GREEDY SQUIRREL

Developer: Zubadoo Media $1.99 | Version: 1.2 June 1, 2011 A gluttonous squirrel gets “outfoxed” and goes from having dinner to being dinner.

The greedy little squirrel spends all day sitting in a tree, eating nuts. A fox wanders by and notices the plump, bushy-tailed rodent. “Why don’t you come down and share your nuts with me?” says the fox. But the squirrel knows a predator when he sees one and declines. Not to be deterred, the fox hatches a plan to fatten up the squirrel so the branches of the tree will no longer hold him. He continually encourages the squirrel to keep eating, and eventually the branch breaks, the squirrel falls to the ground, and the fox gobbles him up (there are no graphic depictions; the carnivorous meal happens offstage). An amicable British chap narrates the story, though it’s possible to silence him in favor of reading it oneself. Auto play is also an option. Illustrations are simple and uncluttered with marginal animation, leaving plenty of room for a lovely color scheme that truly adds to the app’s appeal.

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interactive e-books f o r a d u lt s JACK KEROUAC’S ON THE ROAD A Penguin Books Amplified Edition Kerouac, Jack Penguin $16.99 | June 18, 2011

The Beat Generation’s enduring classic dons new high-tech clothes in this excellent digital treatment.

The story of the making of On the Road, first published in 1957, is much told and much embellished, and the business of Kerouac’s banging out a draft in a sitting on a 120-foot-long teletype roll is a bit more complex than all that. (That’s what occasioned Truman Capote’s famous remark, “That’s not writing. That’s typing.”) Literary sc holar Howard Cunnell does a solid job, in a long and circumstantial essay presented in the section called “Publication,” of recounting Kerouac’s years-long project of writing On the Road, in which, in some instances, he worked in “a large, pleasant room in Chelsea” rather than in the more fraught demimondes of the novel. Still, there was indeed a scroll, portions of which are presented here, and it’s fascinating to see the differences between it—the draft therein written in 1951—and Kerouac’s 1957 edition. In fact, this redlined version is worth the price of admission, and literary scholars ought to be clamoring for the whole scroll done in this way. The most important thing about the book is, of course, the book, and one wishes it had been given grander treatment, with abundant photos and hyperlinks and vignettes of Kerouac reading his work viva voce—the stuff, one might imagine, of a deluxe edition down the road. As it is, the text is easily navigated and bookmarked, and it’s nicely designed: It looks like a real book, rather than an afterthought. Other features of this digital edition include too-brief biographies of the players in the book (there is much more to say about such figures as Herbert Huncke and Alan Harrington, for instance).

An impressive framework for the full-tilt multimedia treatment that, one hopes, will surely follow. Gadget freak and tinkerer Neal Cassady would have dug it.

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fiction THE ACCIDENT

LIGHTNING PEOPLE

Barclay, Linwood Bantam (400 pp.) $25.00 | e-book: $25.00 August 9, 2011 978-0-553-80718-9 e-book 978-0-553-90806-0

Bollen, Christopher Soft Skull Press (368 pp.)

September 1, 2011 978-1-59376-419-7

Barclay’s latest novel follows his staple formula of taking an ordinary guy and catching him up in something that turns out to be much bigger than it first appears.

In this case the ordinary guy is Glen Garber, whose wife, Sheila, is involved in a terrible car accident that kick-starts a series of bizarre events. The accident happened on a night when Sheila was supposed to be taking notes in a college class in a nearby town; instead she ended up dead, along with two others. The police tell Glen that Sheila was drunk and parked on a freeway access ramp when the other car hit her vehicle. Glen and his 8-year-old daughter, Kelly, take the news of her death predictably hard, but even harder for Glen is the idea that his wife, who was a social drinker at best, could have been so drunk.

He also has other problems to compound his grief: His contracting business, already struggling in the economic downturn, is barely making its payroll, and Glen’s worried about a house fire in a place he had under construction. As he puzzles through his emotions and confusion, a frantic Kelly calls him, asking him to pick her up from a sleepover at her best friend’s house.

While playing a game with her friend, Kelly has taped the girl’s mom having a private conversation on her cell phone. Although the conversation means nothing to Glen at the time, the call becomes more significant when the woman turns up dead. Soon, bodies and crimes begin piling up like recently harvested timber, and Glen realizes not all is right in his world. The Canadianbased journalist twists and turns the plot with believability and spices it with plenty of suspects and suspense. In some places, his homework does seem a bit lacking, but the book remains consistently interesting and ready to please thriller fans with both its action and pacing.

Barclay has turned in a home run with plenty of edgeof-the-seat moments. (Agent: Hellen Heller)

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A quartet of isolated personalities drift the streets of post-9/11 New York in Bollen’s debut literary novel.

Joseph Giteau graduated high school in Cincinnati, immediately left his reclusive, conspiracy-obsessed mother and moved to New York. Delphine Kousavos left a tiny Greek island and entered Columbia University. Madi and Raj Singh left a fractured biracial Florida home and found success in the Big Apple.

The four characters’ stories intertwine in this postmodern tale, seemingly random and chaotic on the surface but layered with existential malaise and good intentions gone wrong. Joseph found success as an actor, mostly in commercials, and mostly because of his good looks. But Joseph believes, though he admits his fear to no one, that he will die this year, his 35th, of heart failure, as did his father and grandfathers. Del drifted into a job as a reptile curator at the Bronx Zoo, a profession she dislikes enough to persuade Joseph, her lover of 10 months, to marry her so that she might stay in the country without a work visa. Madi, Del’s closest friend from college, is the most successful of the four, a vice-president of a company outsourcing jobs to India. Raj, a talented photographer and Del’s former lover, has fallen into an unidentifiable depression. Circling the group is William Asternathy, also an actor. William’s looks are fading, and his career has been derailed by drugs and the party scene sparked by “that fast live-wire current circulating through the city.” Another narrative opens when Joseph meets Aleksandra Andrews, widow of a suicide, a man embroiled in utility-deregulation fraud. Told in third person, there is symbolism to be contemplated, internal dialogue to define character and flashbacks that make Joseph the most sympathetic of the four. Nevertheless, in this realistic tale of love and loss, love and ambivalence, angst and anger, death deliberate and accidental, there are no heroes.

A dark character study rife with paradox and indirection.

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“A short but penetrating novel about coexisting in the material world and the world of thought.” from my two worlds

MY TWO WORLDS

Chejfec, Sergio Translator: Carsom, Margaret B. Open Letter (102 pp.)

Paper: $12.95 August 16, 2011 978-1-934824-28-3 During long walks through an unfamiliar Brazilian city, where he is attending a literary conference, an Argentine novelist free-associates on the nature of writing, memory, surroundings and human interaction.

This first novel by New York–based Argentine native Chejfec to be translated into English is a slim, gracefully discursive work. The unnamed 49-year-old writer, who we assume is very much like Chejfec, is determined to find his way to a park without the benefit of a map—an intuitive, improvisational approach that reflects his thought process. For the narrator, consciousness works like the Internet, one observance or reference point linking to another. But though his walks all begin with a sense of adventure and possibility, they quickly leave him in a state of uselessness and boredom, leading him not to revelations but a “nostalgic anxiety.” Word that his new novel is getting poor reviews doesn’t help his mood. For all that, the novel never hits a dull patch in reflecting on the duality of writers who exist with one foot in reality and the other in imagination.

Chejfec is especially good in analyzing our relationships with simple passed-on objects such as cigarette lighters and watches, which have a penchant for “concealing the history they have witnessed, in complete silence.” It’s up to writers like him to make them speak. Combining the documentary insight of W.G. Sebald with the fanciful flights of Italo Calvino, the book allows us to enter the thoughts of a restless intellectual whose streams of thought involve the reader in his quest to find meaning in everything he sees and does.

A short but penetrating novel about coexisting in the material world and the world of thought.

THE GRIEF OF OTHERS

Cohen, Leah Hager Riverhead (384 pp.) $26.95 | September 8, 2011 978-1-59448-805-4

A mother faces the heartbreaking loss of an infant son, which inevitably changes the family dynamics.

Ricky Ryrie and her husband John react to the death of their child in different ways. First, Ricky knows that the child was prenatally diagnosed with a serious brain defect and probably would not live long, but she keeps this diagnosis from her husband, who fully expects the birth of a healthy son.

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Ricky’s keeping this a secret than by the medical complication of his son. But John has also had a secret past, for before he met Ricky he fathered a child, Jess, in a youthful fling. Ten years before the birth of the doomed child, his daughter Jess has gone on a camping trip with her father, Ricky, and the two younger Ryrie children, Paul and Biscuit. Shortly after the birth and death of the Ryries’ baby, Jess, now 23 and pregnant, shows up again on their doorstep. Jess is unconventional and free-spirited, and Paul, now an awkward adolescent, is both tongue-tied and half in love with her. Biscuit knows that there’s sadness in the household and tries to act out her grief in various ways, including spreading ashes in a river. The death of the child also brings back unsavory events from Ricky’s life—for example, a brief affair from three months before her marriage to John.

With gorgeous prose, Cohen skillfully takes us from past to present and back again as she explores the ramifications of family loss, grief and longing.

GODDESS OF VENGEANCE

endowed with raven hair, silken skin and an unflagging libido) than major player. Still, when Lucky’s precious Keys is threatened, her street-fighter instincts resurface, sparking the novel’s over-the-top but enjoyable climax.

Unapologetic thrills with oodles of flash. (First printing of 300,000)

THIEVES GET RICH, SAINTS GET SHOT

Compton, Jodi Crown (304 pp.) $23.00 | July 26, 2011 978-0-307-58808-1 e-book 878-0-307-58810-4

This time out, Hailey Cain—the woman who doesn’t know fear because, well, she can’t—finds herself framed and on the run.

Hailey, 24, has a brain tumor. It’s degenerative, inoperable and will kill her before she’s 30, doctors have told her. Can there possibly be an upside to this Job-like litany? Yes, in a way, though it zig-zags. The fact is Hailey’s been rendered fearless.

Symptom-free otherwise, it’s in the pathology of her rare and terrible disease that she is, as she puts it, “simply never afraid.”

An enviable thing, some might say, except that it got her tossed out of the United States Military Academy, where in her fourth year she’d stood close to the top of her class. Understandably, West Point brass viewed with alarm the idea of a commander whose need for caution as a tactical element is nonexistent.

So there’s unhappy Hailey with a barracks bag full of sharply honed military skills and no place to use them. Enter cherished high-school friend Serena, who happens also to be chieftain of a major L.A. street gang; somehow, it seems in the natural order of things for Hailey to become her second in command. But now, suddenly, up north in San Francisco another Hailey flashes, fake of course, engaged in behavior that could have truly unpleasant consequences for the real one. Spurious Hailey is wanted in a double homicide: an heiress and a cop, too, which goes to the

Collins, Jackie St. Martin’s (528 pp.) $26.99 | September 13, 2011 978-0-312-56746-0

All plotlines lead to Vegas in this latest installment of Collins’ saga of the irrepressible and seemingly immortal Lucky Santangelo.

Lucky is convening her family at The Keys, her lavish hotel/casino/condo empire in Las Vegas. The occasion is the 18th birthday of Max, her daughter with latest husband (and soul mate) Lennie. Son Bobby, wildly successful as a nightclub impresario and heir to the fortune of his late father, a Greek shipping magnate, frets about introducing his girlfriend Denver, a prosecuting attorney, to his family for the first time. The family reunion, however glitzy, is only a setup for Collins’ trademark seamy subplots. The author excels at portraying villains her fans love to hate, and in this outing she does not disappoint. Billionaire Armand Jordan, son of King Emir of the fictitious Gulf state Akramshar, is not merely a misogynist but a rapist. Although he has a wife and family back in Akramshar, he prefers to hire elite call girls and debase them in the vilest ways possible. Armand’s most recent obsession is his drive to possess Las Vegas’ most opulent real estate: The Keys. Undeterred by Lucky’s outraged refusal to sell, Armand goes to Vegas determined to change her mind, but his ex-showgirl mother Peggy, whom he detests, insists on tagging along. Before joining King Emir’s harem, Peggy had an unforgettable one-night stand with Gino, Lucky’s father, in his mafia kingpin days. Could Gino, now in his 90s, actually be Armand’s father? Max eagerly sheds her virginity with movie star Billy Melina. Max and Billy may be star-crossed lovers, but will Lucky approve? Especially since Billy is embroiled in a messy divorce battle with Lucky’s best friend? All of the thrills swirl around Lucky, now more matriarchal figurehead (albeit one still

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“A stunning novel—erudite, compassionate and penetrating in its analysis of love relationships.” from the marriage plot

heart of why the SFPD is hell-bent on bringing her to justice.

But where is she? And perhaps even more to the point as far as Hailey is concerned, who is she?

Addictive. Though Compton (Hailey’s War, 2010, etc.) veers closer here than a good writer should to a kind of Rambo-ized chick lit, Hailey’s comet continues to shine.

(Agent: Barney Karpfinger)

REIGN OF MADNESS

Cullen, Lynn Putnam (448 pp.) $25.95 | August 4, 2011 978-0-399-15709

Cullen’s second historical novel about Renaissance-era Spanish royals, this time concerning the “Mad Queen,” Juana La Loca.

Cullen’s challenge is considerable: find a viable story in the life of Juana, daughter of Isabel and Ferdinand, who is known chiefly for having spent 46 years imprisoned by her family as a madwoman.

And find it she does, although it only covers Juana’s brief preimprisonment life. Ranging from 1493, when Juana, a teenager, first spots the flaws in her parent’s supposedly idyllic marriage, to 1509, when all the shoes of fate finally drop, this is primarily a tale of a woman’s futile struggle against the entrenched patriarchy of her time. As Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus) returns in triumph to her parents’ court, Juana is entranced by his son, Diego Colón. Soon, though, she is married off to Philippe the Handsome, a Burgundian archduke (and Habsburg heir) who rules Flanders. Far from home, she is at first infatuated with her Habsburg husband. However, as the licentiousness of Philippe’s court compared to the relative austerity of Queen Isabel’s continues to shock, her Spanish ladies desert her, except for scholarly and chaste Beatriz. Philippe’s infidelities bring an end to the extended honeymoon, as does Juana’s delay in producing a male child. Their son Charles is born, but his deformed jaw (a Habsburg trait) impedes both nutrition and speech; however, Charles will continue the Habsburg dynasty as Holy Roman Emperor. A number of premature deaths has made Juana the heir apparent to the Spanish throne. But Philippe, by spreading rumors of her mental instability (due, he self-servingly claims, to excessive love for him, despite the fact that their marital relations are now mostly forced), manages to impugn Juana’s competence enough to elevate his own rank from King-consort to King. Juana’s ingrained ineptitude at both overt confrontation, and the more acceptable female route of subversive sabotage, will lead to her downfall, as will her passion for the commoner Diego.

Although the outcome is known, the suspense never waivers.

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THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS

Diffenbaugh, Vanessa Ballantine (336 pp.) $25.00 | August 23, 2011 978-0-345-52554-3 Cleverly combining tender and tough, Diffenbaugh’s highly anticipated debut creates a place in the world for a social misfit with floral insight.

After more than 32 homes, 18-yearold Victoria Jones, abandoned as a baby, has given up on the idea of love or family. Scarred, suspicious and defiant, she has nothing: no friends, no money, just an attitude, an instinct for flowers and an education in their meaning from Elizabeth, the one kind foster parent who persevered with her. Now graduating out of state care, Victoria must make her own way and starts out by sleeping rough in a local San Francisco park. But a florist gives her casual work and then, at a flower market, she meets Grant, Elizabeth’s nephew, another awkward soul who speaks the language of flowers. Diffenbaugh narrates Victoria and Grant’s present-day involvement, over which the cloud of the past hangs heavy, in parallel with the history of Elizabeth’s foster care, which we know ended badly. After a strong, selfdestructive start, Victoria’s long road to redemption takes some dips including an unconvincing, drawn-out subplot involving Elizabeth’s sister, arson and postnatal depression. While true to the logic of its perverse psychology, the story can be exasperating before finally swerving toward the light.

An unusual, overextended romance, fairy tale in parts but with a sprinkling of grit. (Author tour to San Francisco and Boston)

THE WILD ROSE

Donnelly, Jennifer Hyperion (640 pp.) $25.99 | August 2, 2011 978-1-4013-0104-0 Want to end the war to end all wars?

Put a mountaineer—and a woman mountaineer—to the task.

Willa Alden isn’t just any mountaineer, at least not by genre novelist Donnelly’s account. In a thick, overly long narrative peopled by a few returnees from The Winter Rose (2008, etc.), Willa is a standout, admirable in her many strengths. But then, just about everyone in this story is strong in his or her own métier, from Winston Churchill to charm-the-pants-off-anyone Kaiserian spy Max von Brandt. Heck, even the Dalai Lama is a brick—and a pal of Willa’s, natch, who “on occasion…would drink with her, sing Tibetan songs with her, and swap bawdy stories.” But all these are wimps next to Willa’s true amour, Seamus Finnegan, fearless polar explorer and breathless lover, who has gotten himself into countless scrapes with her and left

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her wanting only once, and then by way of something in a limb.

(You’ll have to read the book for the details.) “You’re a very dashing figure, you know,” says one admirer of Seamie’s. “You’ve achieved so much, done so many amazing things.” Seamie knows, yet the one thing he wants eludes him. Meanwhile, old Max is up to no good, for these, after all, are the stirring years of World War I, and his job is to embarrass smarty-pants Britons and exalt Teutons everywhere. By the end of this endless exercise in historical fiction, one that gets all the details right except the way people spoke to each other a century ago, Max, Seamie and Willa have been replaying the Perils of Pauline in the company of Lawrence of Arabia, a perplexing and improbable turn of events that at least moves the plot along. Thank goodness Willa has picked up conversational Arabic and Turkish along the way. “Jamal Pasha is coming! Jamal Pasha is coming!”

But is Max that much a rotter, and Seamie that much a hero? Read this aspirational potboiler and find out. Or not.

(Agents: Simon Lipksar and Maja Nikolic)

THE BETRAYAL

Dunmore, Helen Black Cat/Grove (336 pp.) paper $14.95 | September 1, 2011 978-0-8021-7088-0 In her sequel to The Siege (2002, etc.), Dunmore returns to Leningrad in 1952, compressing the anxiety and terror of the postwar Stalinist years into the intimate details of one family’s crisis.

A sense of doom takes over from the first page when pediatrician Andrei is approached by a nervously sweating colleague who twists his arm to consult on a case they both know will bring trouble. Volkov, the head of State Security, has brought in his 10-year-old son Gorya with a badly swollen leg.

X-rays show a cancerous tumor; Gorya’s leg must be amputated.

Andrei, whose specialty is arthritis, has no expertise in oncology, but Volkov demands he take charge of the case because Gorya likes him. Anti-Semitic Volkov even agrees to Andrei’s recommendation of a Jewish surgeon. Although the amputation is successful and Gorya appears on the road to recovery, the surgeon immediately transfers out of Leningrad and recommends Andrei do the same to lower his visibility. Instead, he and his wife Anna, who fell in love during the Nazi’s siege on the city, take a fatalistic approach, barely altering their routine. Since the wartime death of Anna’s father, they have concentrated on raising Anna’s little brother Kolya, now 16, like their own son in the relatively comfortable apartment they inherited from Anna’s father, a politically unpublishable writer. In this relentlessly dark novel, Anna’s petty battle with a neighbor who complains about Kolya’s piano playing passes for comic relief.

When one of the characters is arrested, history goes on to create an ironic deus ex machina par none—the arrest occurs in 1952; Stalin dies in 1953 and the iron glove relaxes.

Fictional drama blends seamlessly, if painfully, with factual history in this historical fiction of the highest order.

(Agent: Caradoc King) |

THE MARRIAGE PLOT

Eugenides, Jeffrey Farrar, Straus and Giroux (416 pp.) $28.00 | October 11, 2011 978-0-374-20305-4

A stunning novel—erudite, compassionate and penetrating in its analysis of love relationships.

Eugenides focuses primarily on three characters, who all graduate from Brown in 1982. One of the pieces of this triangle is Madeleine Hanna, who finds herself somewhat embarrassed to have emerged from a “normal” household in New Jersey (though we later find out the normality of her upbringing is only relative). She becomes enamored with Leonard, a brilliant but moody student, in their Semiotics course, one of the texts being, ironically, Roland Barthes’ A Lover’s Discourse, which Madeleine finds disturbingly problematic in helping her figure out her own love relationship.

We discover that Leonard had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder during his first year at Brown, and his struggle with mood swings throughout the novel is both titanic and tender.

The third major player is Mitchell, a Religious Studies major who is also attracted to Madeleine but whose reticence she finds both disturbing and incomprehensible. On graduation day, Leonard has a breakdown and is hospitalized in a mentalhealth ward, and Madeleine shows her commitment by skipping the festivities and seeking him out. After graduation, Leonard and Madeleine live together when Leonard gets an internship at a biology lab on Cape Cod, and the spring after graduation they marry, when Leonard is able to get his mood swings under temporary control. Meanwhile Mitchell, who takes his major seriously, travels to India seeking a path—and briefly finds one when he volunteers to work with the dying in Calcutta. But Mitchell’s road to self-discovery eventually returns him to the States—and opens another opportunity for love that complicates Madeleine’s life.

Dazzling work—Eugenides continues to show that he is one of the finest of contemporary novelists.

CROSSBONES

Farah, Nuruddin Riverhead (400 pp.) $27.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-59448-816-0 A freelance journalist and his brother get caught up in a geopolitical hornet’s nest when they travel to their ancestral land of Somalia.

A seasoned war correspondent based in New York City, Malik knows a thing or two about global hot spots. But even with stints in the Congo and Afghanistan under his belt, nothing prepares him for the surreal experience of landing in Mogadiscio, home to human

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traffickers and pirates alike. Fortunately, he is not alone. His Somali-born father-in-law, Jeebleh, has accompanied him, hoping to smooth the younger man’s way, and introduce him to some locals who will help him find sources for his stories, and keep him safe. Through Jeeblah he meets Bile, an ailing physician who, like Jeeblah, served time in jail as a political dissident.

Bile lives with his much younger lover, Cambara, a situation that has not gone unnoticed by the ostensibly pious Union of Islamic Courts. Meanwhile, Malik’s bother Ahl has flown to the autonomous Somali state of Puntland to track down his teenage stepson Taxliil, who ran away from his Minnesota home with some other boys to join the Shabaab group of Islamic fighters.

Desperate to bring the kid home before he martyrs himself, Ahl pleads with Malik to interview a dangerous local kingpin in hopes of gleaning info on Taxliil’s whereabouts. Risking his life, and those of the people around him, Malik discovers the symbiotic relationship between pirates and Islamic extremists, as well as the surprising origins of the piracy epidemic. Things get riskier still when U.S.-backed Ethiopian forces invade in an attempt to drive out the Islamist leadership. Harrowing without resorting to sensationalism, this highly topical final volume in Farah’s Past Imperfect trilogy (Knots, 2007, etc.) should burnish his well-deserved reputation. It is dense, complex stuff, but his brave and imperfect characters are a pleasure to follow.

Gripping but utterly humane thriller set in one of the least-understood regions on earth.

THE DAYS OF THE KING

Florian, Filip Translator: Blyth, Alistair Ian Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (208 pp.) $22.00 | August 16, 2011 978-0-547-38835-9 A dentist and a prince—along with a remarkably articulate cat—navigate the complex politics of late-19th-century Romania.

It says something about the complexity of central European statecraft that the latest novel by Florian (Little Fingers, 2009, etc.) has a 10-page appendix explaining the Austro-Prussian War, the decline of the Ottoman Empire and other historical details relevant to the book’s setting. But though Bucharest endured plenty of turmoil between 1866 and 1881, this book concentrates on more intimate concerns.

Central to the story are Karl, a Prussian lieutenant who’s been granted the throne of Romania, and his dentist, Joseph, a free spirit who quickly settles into an ad hoc German community in the new city. Florian writes in a fablelike style, and many of his observations deal with the unstable melting pot of the new world Karl and Joseph enter: Early on the dentist is bemused that he’s on “an Austro-Hungarian vessel, with a Czech captain, between the Romanian and Bulgarian banks of the Danube, both buffeted by winds from Istanbul.” So unlikely connections become a running theme in the novel, as Joseph falls for and later marries a nanny and Karl consorts with a blind prostitute.

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Florian’s style can be demanding: He writes dense, lengthy paragraphs that sometimes shift in and out of dream states, and dialogue is practically absent. Indeed, the closest the book gets to being conversational are the messages Joseph’s cat leaves on the furniture—they’re just scratches to mere mortals, but they turn out to be high-styled epistles praising human kindness. Such moments lighten the mood considerably, and would have been more welcome in the closing pages; as Bucharest destabilizes, the story becomes ploddingly descriptive about legislative and diplomatic parrying.

A genial tale about fate and romance that sometimes gets overly tangled in political history.

THE IDEAL MAN

Garwood, Julie Dutton (352 pp.) $26.95 | August 9, 2011 978-0-525-95225-1 A paint-by-numbers thriller by bestselling romance writer Garwood.

Dr. Ellie Sullivan has had her fair share of trouble: At 11, an older boy stalked and nearly killed her, sending her into hiding. Now that she’s finished her medical residency at a St. Louis hospital (she’s a brilliant surgeon) and her stalker Evan Patterson has been released from an institution, she’s not sure where to turn. To make matters worse, while jogging she is witness to the attempted murder of an FBI agent and is soon involved in the case. The Landrys are husband-and-wife weapons dealers (as well as murderers and kidnappers) that the FBI has been trying to nail for years. Unfortunately, their witnesses keep disappearing. Ellie witnesses the failed sting and is soon being guarded by Agent Max Daniels. Happily, both feel an immediate, uncontrollable passion. Max is ruggedly handsome, forthright and a little bit controlling. Ellie is any man’s dream come true: gorgeous but laid back, brilliant, but a little insecure, and the kind of girl who wants to end the evening watching SportsCenter with a cold beer. And absolutely no post-coital snuggling. Amid the danger, they begin to fall in love, even though neither is up for a commitment. When Ellie needs to go home to South Carolina for her sister’s wedding, Max soon follows; it seems one of the witnesses to the shooting has disappeared. And it is just as well— psychotic stalker Evan Patterson has been sighted in town at the local gun shop. With the Landry’s hit man driving to South Carolina and Evan Patterson on the loose, the question is who will to try to kill Ellie first.

Undoubtedly Garwood is a pro—the pacing is taut, the characters are swiftly drawn and she even throws in a few surprises before the obligatory happy ending. But everything is too formulaic to be truly suspenseful, too clichéd to be truly romantic.

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KINGS OF VICE

Ice-T Radcliff, Mal Forge (336 pp.) $24.99 | paper $14.99 September 1, 2011 978-0-7653-2513-6 978-0-7653-3098-7 Ice-T, rapper and one of the stars of Law and Order: SVU, tries his hand at crime fiction, with the help of co-writer Radcliff.

Marcus “Crush” Casey is paroled from Attica after serving 20 years on charges related to his leading the Vicetown Kings, a New York City gang. Gulliver Rono, his chief lieutenant, betrayed him to the authorities to take over leadership of the Kings. Now Crush wants revenge, but he’s been “schooled” in prison by the legendary “Mack D,” an autodidact intellectual.

From Mack, he has soaked up the wisdom of nearly every deep thinker from Aristotle to Sun Tzu. Now Crush has contrived an elaborate plot to take vengeance on Rono and regain leadership of the Kings. Crush also wants to make the gang into something more than a rough bunch of dope “slangers.” Crush is intelligent and ruthless, but not a particularly likable protagonist, and the authors never make clear whether Crush intends to move the Kings into legitimate activities. Most of the action spins around the revenge quest against Rono and the co-opting of both the city’s prominent Hispanic gang, the Blood Devils, and its remorseless Asian gang, the Black Lotuses, a group involved in the sex-slave business. Crush may be down with supplying drugs, but he cannot stomach the brutal abuse of young girls.

As Crush’s campaign moves toward its conclusion, readers learn there is more than one “playa” seeking his own brand of justice and more than one schemer pulling stings. While this vengeance tale is sometimes plagued by overly clichéd writing, the use of gangster slang lends an air of believability. It is, however, a relatively slow-moving crime caper, with much rationalization and philosophical musings apparently meant to add gravitas.

The open-ended conclusion suggests Crush may appear again. The snipers, flash grenades and car chases suggest Ice-T is readying a screen treatment.

AFTER THE PARTY

Jewell, Lisa Atria Books (368 pp.) paper $15.00 | August 16, 2011 paper 978-1-4516-0910-3 e-book 978-1-4516-0912-7 Twelve years after their romance inspired the chick-lit bestseller Ralph’s Party, a London couple is driven apart by misunderstanding and miscommunication.

New readers won’t have much difficulty catching up with Ralph and Jem’s history thanks to Jewell’s (Roommates Wanted, 2008, etc.) |

capable interweaving of older events into the contemporary narrative recording the ebbing of intimacy. So what drained the passion away from this perfectly matched pair? Nothing more exceptional than domesticity, kids and slow, silent withdrawal.

Ralph still paints pictures in the attic and Jem works part-time as a celebrity agent, but, despite their enduring love, this couple doesn’t talk. He’s never confessed his unwillingness to have a second child, and she’s filled with unspoken resentment at his lack of support. Plus, she’s gone off sex. Ralph takes a surprise holiday in Santa Monica and comes home strangely different.

Jem, meanwhile, has befriended a local single father whose behavior arouses Ralph’s suspicions. It’s a long way round the houses back to reconciliation, and the route can seem frustratingly obstacle-strewn, but Jewell’s easy prose and storytelling ability make for a pleasant enough trip.

The not-so-happily-ever-after is neatly dissected in an engaging if ephemeral sequel. (Agent: Jonny Geller)

THE MOST DANGEROUS THING

Lippman, Laura Morrow/HarperCollins (384 pp.) $25.99 | August 23, 2011 978-0-06-170651-6 e-book 978-0-06-209258-8 Childhood playmates can’t quite put their past behind them in Lippman’s tale of growing up too fast but not at all.

Like the five points of the star Go-Go Halloran can’t get the knack of drawing, Go-Go, his brothers Tim and Sean, Gwen and Mickey seem joined even though each points in a different direction. Tomboy Mickey hates school, loves the outdoors and is neglected by her mother, a waitress with a taste for the wrong men. Pudgy Gwen worries that she’ll never be attractive, and once she is, worries even more that she’ll turn into her beautiful, sad mother Tally. Tim is a bit of a lout, Sean is the perfect gentleman, but neither gets much attention because their hyperkinetic younger brother Gordon, known to everyone in Dickeyville as Go-Go, snatches up every bit of the family’s limited resources.

Still, the five travel in unprecedented freedom throughout nearby Leakin Park, even though grown-up Gwen would never let her daughter Annabelle spend hours on end out of the sight of any adult. They hike, catch tadpoles and discover a strange man living in a ramshackle cabin in the heart of the park. But their greatest adventure is being together until disaster tears them apart. Years later, Go-Go’s funeral reunites them briefly. Mickey has reinvented herself as McKey, a fearless flight attendant. Sean lives in Florida with his quietly domineering wife Vivian. Tim lives nearby with affectionate Arlene and takes care of his widowed mother Doris. But it’s Gwen, the journalist, teetering on the brink of her second divorce, who forces them to reexamine their assumptions about their shared and broken bond.

No one explores the delicate interplay between children and the adults they grow into better than Lippman (I’d Know You Anywhere, 2010, etc.).

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“A country wife is ensnared by court intrigue and sexual imbroglios in 17th-century Mexico.” from josefina’s sin

JOSEFINA’S SIN

Long, Claudia H. Atria Books (336 pp.) paper $16.00 | August 9, 2011 paper 978-1-4516-1067-3 e-book 978-1-4516-1068-0

A country wife is ensnared by court intrigue and sexual imbroglios in 17thcentury Mexico.

When Josefina, wife of prosperous landowner Manuel, is called to the court of the Marquesa and Marqués of Condera, the cream of Mexico’s colonial ruling class, at first she welcomes the chance to sate her intellectual curiosity in the Marquesa’s capacious library, studying with famed poetess-nun Sor Juana. However, upon arrival at court with her beautiful and wealthy friend Angélica, Josefina, who has just learned she is pregnant, is almost immediately targeted by the Marqués, an ill-favored rake who owes his title to his aristocratic wife, as his next conquest. When Josefina resists his lewd advances, his determination increases. Meanwhile, her childhood tutor, Father Alonso, a priest whom she’s always loved from afar, is now, as Bishop of Puebla, an honored guest of the Marquesa. The attraction between matron and priest immediately flames into forbidden lust, which both hasten to indulge without, technically speaking, violating Alonso’s vow of celibacy. When the Marqués’ threats drive her away, she returns to Manuel’s hacienda; however after Josefina suffers a mild stroke, brought on by Manuel’s over-exuberant overtures, their child is stillborn. Angélica, temporarily banished by the Marquesa, satisfies Manuel’s conjugal needs while Josefina is laid up.

Improbably, Josefina returns to court—apparently the lure of the Bishop outweighs the menace of the Marqués. Once again, she becomes pregnant, this time by Alonso. If she is not to incur ruin, she must somehow entice her husband back into her bed.

The Marqués, with the help of Inquisition thugs, puts Josefina in an even more compromising position, as she attempts to hide Sor Juana’s heretical writings. Although portrayed as a spunky and intelligent woman, Josefina’s dispassionate internal commentary on her own perils at the hands of lechers, whether holy and not, borders on prurient.

Although inspired by the historical Sor Juana, whose crusade for the education of women antagonized the Church, this novel has less lofty aspirations. (Agent: April Eberhardt)

WHITE HEAT

McGrath, M.J. Viking (320 pp.) $25.95 | August 8, 2011 978-0-670-02248-9 In her first fiction work, McGrath brings qalunaat (white man) to the silver white cold of Canada’s great empty north, there to contrast modern greed and ambition with the ancient wisdom of the Inuit.

The setting is Ellesmere Island, Unmingmak Nuna, a far-north outpost of Canadian sovereignty.

Intuit peoples were lured there decades ago by Canadian politicians fearful of America’s Greenland presence. The story follows Edie Kiglatuk, half-white but also a descendant of the great guide Welatok, who accompanied Sir James Fairfax on his arctic explorations. Edie is a guide for hunters and fishermen, a part-time schoolteacher and a fierce protector of her stepson, Joe, a settlement youngster with ambitions other than video games and alcohol. Early one spring, Edie and Joe guide two qalunaat across the ice of Jones Sound to Craig Island. There one qalunaat is shot dead.

Edie and Joe believe it’s murder or manslaughter, but the Council of Elders fears the loss of tourist trade. The council declares the shooting was a self-inflicted wound, a ricochet from an accidental shot. Edie, facing discrimination in a patriarchal society, goes along, but Joe is troubled. Enter Derek Palliser, a mixed-race Northern Communities police sergeant and an amateur naturalist who studies lemmings. The narrative broadens to include meteorites, iridium, missing pages from Fairfax’s diaries, Texas and Russian energy companies, NASA researchers, corruption in Edie’s village, drugs and more murders. McGrath has written a mystery, but one reminiscent of Tony Hillerman’s culture-clash novels. The language is beautiful, especially the descriptions of the Inuit people, living in “a place littered with bones, with spirits, with reminders of the past… surrounded by our stories.” Detailed in her knowledge of setting, McGrath vividly invokes the frozen land, and her portrayals of the rugged people who cherish its beauty and bounty, especially Edie and Derek, ring true.

A promising first installment in an upcoming series of arctic adventures. (Agent: Peter Robinson)

THE END OF THE WASP SEASON

Mina, Denise Little, Brown (352 pp.) $25.99 | September 26, 2011 978-0-316-06933-5

DS Alexandra Morrow’s second murder investigation—it’s far too lumpy to call a case—is even more death-haunted than her first (Still Midnight, 2010, etc.).

Three recent deaths, none of them suspicious, cast a long shadow over the Strathclyde Police Department. One is that of demented old Joy Erroll, whose 1292

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daughter Sarah is kicked to death only days later in the home she shared with her mother. The second is the hanging of Sir Lars Anderson, an obvious suicide after the spectacular bursting of his bank’s bubble. The third is the death of Alex’s father, an unloved man whose passing severs the last link between Alex and her delinquent teen nephew John McGrath. Five months pregnant and chafing under the obtuse supervision of DCI Grant Bannerman, the colleague whose promotion has vaulted him ahead of her, Alex is in anything but the mood to look into the callous murder of Sarah Erroll, dead at the hands (and feet) of a pair of home invaders who somehow managed to overlook the £650,000 she had stashed away. She’d be even less enthusiastic if she knew that the investigation would bring her up against Kay Murray, the most prominent of the endless parade of cleaners and caretakers who saw Sarah’s mother through her last days; Nadia, the dry-eyed party girl who explains how she showed Sarah how she could bump up her wages dramatically; and Sir Lars’ son Thomas, a precocious 15-year-old whose life is immeasurably complicated by a phone call from a woman identifying herself as “Lars Anderson’s other wife.”

Not exactly a model of plot construction, but that’s not why you read Mina, who takes you so deep inside her troubled characters that long after you turn the last page, you wonder if you’ll ever get out again. (Author tour to New York, San Francisco, Houston, Seattle, Phoenix)

THE CALL

Murphy, Yannick Perennial/ HarperCollins (224 pp.) paper $14.99 | August 2, 2011 978-0-06-202314-8 As Murphy’s sixth book for adults (Signed, Mata Hari, 2007, etc.) gets started, a large-animal veterinarian in rural New England faces various small uncertainties: an iffy economy, weird recurrent lights in the night sky, a marriage in which there are minor flare-ups.

He has unspecified medical issues, too; his “levels” are volatile and worrying, and he resists going to the doctor. Murphy tells the tale mostly through the vet’s reports—alternately nononsense and taciturn (“Call,” “Action,” “Result”) or expansive and playful (“Who Walked Into the Hospital Room While I Was Moving My Hand Like the Spaceship”)—of the calls he receives from animal owners, and the innovative form is perfectly suited to the doctor’s voice: calm, cheerful, attentive, reliable, but also naggingly worried and prone to withhold or diminish the sources of his anxieties. One may be tempted at first to see him as a worrywart whose sense of foreboding is exaggerated, maybe an effect of the gathering chill of fall, which augurs another long, cold, mostly idle winter. Then, while he’s hunting on his property with his 12-year-old son, the boy is accidentally shot in the shoulder and topples from a stand, lands on his head and lapses into a coma. The vet and |

his family try gamely to hold things together, but the strain is awful, and everyone in the small community seems to him a suspect. But is this a mystery worth pursuing, or merely a distraction from his real duty? He’s never quite sure. Eventually a familiar-looking stranger—whom the vet takes to calling “the spaceman”—arrives in a whirring electric car and asks a favor that will have enormous implications for the entire family. Murphy is a subtle, psychologically perceptive writer, and the book has a wry humor that’s laconic and surreal and shot through with the tender mysteries of family life.

A marvelous book: sweet and poignant without ever succumbing to easy sentiment, formally inventive and dexterous without ever seeming showy. A triumph. (Author events in New York, Boston, Vermont)

MICE

Reece, Gordon Viking (336 pp.) $24.95 | August 22, 2011 978-0-670-02284-7 Victims, pushed to their limits, turn aggressors in a starkly polarized debut thriller.

There’s no mistaking the villains in Australia-based Reece’s black-and-white story of cold-eyed, remorseless schoolgirl bullies; suave, vindictive, philandering husbands; and greasy, smelly, drug-pushing burglars. Nor the heroes either: Clever English schoolgirl Shelley and her equally smart mother Elizabeth are the endlessly meek “mice” who have lived through a chapter of horrors and recently moved into a remote new home to start afresh. Elizabeth’s divorce has stripped her of money and forced her into a job where she is overworked and underpaid. Shelley, bright but innocent, has seen her friends turn violently against her, their final attack landing her in the hospital, burned and scarred. Rebuilding their lives in Honeysuckle Cottage, the women begin to rediscover contentment until a thief breaks in and unleashes their repressed anger, setting off an escalating sequence of bloodshed. Reece has a strong visual sense and does a neat job of ratcheting the tension, but a shortage of subtlety and Shelley’s histrionic adolescent narration create an overall mood of near-comic caricature.

Mice roar and worms turn in a bare-bones moral fable that, despite visceral episodes, creates little impact.

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“A fast-paced thriller that rings true to the real story behind the political posturing over the drug war, illegal immigration and border security.”

k i r ku s q & a w i t h l i s a u n g e r In her latest, Darkness, My Old Friend, Lisa Unger returns to The Hollows, the small town hiding dark secrets that she introduced in Fragile. Former police detective Jones Cooper, restive and unhappy in his retirement, initially discounts psychic Eloise Montgomery’s warning that he will endanger his life in an attempt to save someone.

But as he helps a woman search for her controlling husband’s mysteriously vanished first wife and revisits a long-cold case that he investigated as a young cop, his skepticism begins to crumble.

DARKNESS, MY OLD FRIEND

Lisa Unger Crown $24.00 (368 pp.)

Aug. 9, 2011 9780307464996

A: There was no conscious decision on my part to shift from a larger to a smaller scale; it was really about the stories of these particular characters. This small town was where they lived, these domestic concerns were at the heart of their stories. Meanwhile, I’m not sure matters of the heart, questions about faith, family, acceptance of the past and hope for the future are small-scale issues.

They’re human issues, things we all struggle with on a daily basis. Sometimes the big themes have to be played out on a small scale.

Q: Why do you think the psychic is such a powerful character in fiction?

A: I can’t really speak for other authors or why psychics hold a place in our cultural imagination. For me in this novel, it wasn’t really about “a psychic” per se. It was about Eloise Montgomery and what her particular story was, and what her pain was, and what challenges she was facing. She happened to be a psychic; she had a role to play in Jones’ life. I found her incredibly fascinating. There’s such a mundane quality to her abilities, something so ho-hum, another-day-at-the-office about her “work.” And I like the idea that the ordinary and the extraordinary dwell side by side in her life. I liked that there was an event, a moment that caused her to tap into that part of herself. Everyone in this novel is wrestling with his or her own special brand of darkness. Eloise’s psychic abilities happen to be hers.

Q: Fragile was inspired by an incident in your hometown—a missing schoolmate. Was there any similar inspiration for Darkness, My Old Friend?

Q: Will you return to The Hollows in future books?

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–By Amy Goldschlager

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P HOTO BY TA N YA S HA RK E Y

A: I’m definitely not done with The Hollows. Or perhaps better said, it’s not done with me.

A: All fiction is autobiographical—and not at all.

There wasn’t a particular event that inspired Darkness, My Old Friend. It was really about this very strong and important connection I felt to Jones.

When I first began Fragile, I had no idea what a significant role he would play in that story and how his journey would come to occupy my imagination.

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Shea, Christina Black Cat/Grove (304 pp.) paper $14.00 | July 1, 2011 978-0-8021-7086-6

In his fiction debut, Rotella (Twilight on the Line: Underworlds and Politics at the Mexican Border, 1998) draws a crime novel from the chaotic cauldron of the U.S.-Mexican border.

Valentine Pescatore, “boiling with youth and nerves and aggression,” left a Chicago hotel security job under a cloud. His uncle, a Chicago police lieutenant, called in a favor, and Valentine entered the Border Patrol Academy. The story begins with Valentine assigned as a probationary agent on “The Line,” the U.S.-Mexican border at San Diego.

But he’s also in trouble, caught up in the capers of his supervising officer, Garrison, a former Special Forces soldier. Garrison’s shenanigans catch the attention of Isabel Puente, an Inspector General investigator. She turns Pescatore into an undercover agent. Garrison gets wind of his impending arrest and forces Pescatore to flee with him to Tijuana. Garrison is killed during the crossing, and Pescatore, because of his association with the rogue agent, is adopted into the Mexican narco-guerrilla family controlling the border city. Rotella, a former international correspondent and Pulitzer finalist, knows the territory.

His characterizations of the players, bad and good, are solid.

There’s Junior Ruiz Caballero, the local boss for his corrupt uncle, a prominent Mexico City politician; Buffalo, a stateside gangbanger, an incoherent blend of loyalty and barbarity, selfdiscipline and mercilessness; good guys like Leobardo Méndez, a former political activist and reporter, head of the Diogenes Group, a task force appointed by the Mexican national government to root out corruption in the federal, state and local police. Pescatore deals with the Mexican mafioso, and Méndez and Puente deal with back-stabbing and corrupt political interests as the action shifts from San Diego to Tijuana and then to the “Triple Border,” where Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil come together, a Wild West–like milieu replete with Arab terrorists, assorted drug runners, Asian immigrant smugglers and other bad actors.

A fast-paced thriller that rings true to the real story behind the political posturing over the drug war, illegal immigration and border security. (Agent: Bonnie Nadell)

A: I strongly relate to Willow. Again, her experience was not totally dissimilar to mine growing up a kind of creative, gothic girl in a small town. And high school is generally not the happiest place for people who have their own thing going on. Put it this way: I wasn’t exactly cheerleader or homecoming queen.

But of course I am not Willow, any more than I am any of my characters. I heard her voice, had a lot of empathy for her experience and told her story to the best of my ability. Most writers understand what it means to be a little bit of a misfit.

And maybe all of my characters are misfits in one way or another, even though on the surface they might not appear to be so. I have a lot of compassion for all of them.

Q: The Hollows books play out on a somewhat smaller scale than many of your previous books—more domestic drama, a move from NYC to a small town. Why the switch?

SMUGGLED

Rotella, Sebastian Mulholland Books/Little, Brown (416 pp.) $27.99 | August 10, 2011 978-0-316-10530-9

Q: Your characterizations of the young Maggie and of Willow suggest a certain sympathy for the intelligent, creative young woman who can’t quite fit into the prevailing culture. Was that what high school was like for you?

A: No, I don’t think so. I’m not sure The Hollows has a “dark underbelly.” It’s just that there’s often more to people and places than is immediately apparent. Everyone has a public, private and intimate self. The public face is for everyone. The private face is for our close friends and family. The intimate self is known only to us. And if a town is a construct of the human psyche, the place we build in which to live our lives, then it makes sense that there is more going on than we might, walking though it’s streets and looking at its houses, suspect. I have always been fascinated by what goes on behind the closed door. And The Hollows has been a perfect place for me to indulge that curiosity.

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TRIPLE CROSSING

At the end of the last book, I left him a little lost.

And I had a difficult time moving on. When that happens, I generally have no choice but to stay with a character.

Q: Does a small town have to have a dark underbelly?

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A novel about identity set over the course of four decades, from the author of Moira’s Crossing (2000).

In 1943, on a train in Hungary, 5-yearold Éva, daughter of Eszter and György, slips into a flour sack. She steps out in Romania as Anca, her parents now Auntie Kati and Uncle Ilie.

Had she stayed in Hungary, she surely would have died during World War II; Eszter dies on her way to Auschwitz and György by his own hand, of a broken heart. Shea does an excellent job of capturing the individuality at the heart of a war that most readers know only from textbook summaries. Kati handles her new charge with a combination of distance and nurturing. The scenes with Miss Pharmacist, Anca’s first friend and her first real betrayer in Romania, add complexity to the adult world without compromising the novel’s focus on young Anca. In her new home in Romania, she pushes back against her name change, “such an ugly name—like glass breaking,” but we also see her start to mature. Anca goes on to lead an intense life, maintaining her secret identity for half a century while meeting others who also carry secrets sprung from the changing times: another secret Jew, a closeted homosexual, a back-alley abortion doctor, a fetishist, a power-abusing coach in the burgeoning European table tennis world. Her favorite childhood story is about a prideful princess and a resourceful, self-aware swineherd. Throughout these pages, she becomes both.

A satisfying read. (Agent: Vicky Bijur)

BRIGHT AND DISTANT SHORES

Smith, Dominic Washington Square/Pocket (480 pp.) paper $15.00 | September 13, 2011 978-1-4391-9886-5 e-book 978-1-439-19888-9 Written with extraordinary literary grace, Smith’s (The Beautiful Miscellaneous, 2007, etc.) third novel gleams as a gem of evocative historical fiction.

Owen Graves, orphaned at 13, is the son of a Chicago demolition expert, a youngster enthralled by the artifacts gleaned from wreckage as he worked alongside his father. As the 20th century nears, young Owen is freed from an orphanage but unsure of his future. His love for relics of the past inspires a voyage to Melanesia, where he trades for primitive art and weapons. His success brings him to the attention of Hale Gray, president of an insurance company. Having constructed the tallest skyscraper in Chicago, Gray is ready to underwrite a trading voyage. He wants to decorate the headquarters with South Sea treasures, as

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a sales tool and as a comeuppance to his neighbor, the retailer Marshall Field, sponsor of the new Field Museum. Owen sees the expedition as a way to secure his future, but there are problems.

Owen has fallen in love with Adelaide Cummings, daughter of a wealthy Bostonian, and Gray wants Owen to return with natives to be exhibited. This troubles Owen’s instinctual ethics, and he knows importing natives for exhibit will fracture his relationship with Adelaide, a woman deeply involved with charity work at Hull House. Another complication is Gray’s insistence that his unstable son Jethro, a dilettante naturalist, accompany the trader.

Smith expands the narrative to include Argus Niu and his sister, Malini, siblings from an island near New Guinea. Argus failed as a warrior and was sent to work as a houseboy for a Presbyterian missionary. Malini married into another tribe but was widowed.

Smith’s dexterity in limning out Argus and Malini is masterful, and that skill extends to the expedition ship’s captain, its sailors and the milieu of sailing life, island culture abraded by modernity and bustling streets of 1890s Chicago.

Beautifully researched and ripe with symbolism—an enthralling narrative peopled by characters both exotic and real.

CITY OF PROMISE

Swerling, Beverly Simon & Schuster (432 pp.) $26.00 | August 9, 2011 978-1-4391-3694-2 Swerling (City of Dreams, 2001, etc.) continues her series of “city of ” novels celebrating the history of New York.

This installment finds an unhappy young man named Joshua Turner freshly returned to Manhattan from service in the Civil War, during which he’s lost a leg along the way and now sports a peg in its place. (Smoking gun warning: The peg comes into its own at a critical point in the story.) Joshua isn’t one to be inconvenienced by such trifles: He’s single-minded in the same way that his mogul successor Donald Trump is abrasive, though, admittedly, he’s much less entertaining than The Donald. Alas, the war follows him home, first in the person of a pal’s brotherin-law, a rebel spy caught in the act of a spectacular arson, and over whom Josh expresses regrets that he wasn’t on hand to save the day. Writes said secessionist, “My dear brother-in-law and friend…Much as I hope for the success of our mission to burn New York to the ground, I also pray God that you and yours will somehow survive whatever turmoil we unleash.” That “we” is an operative word, for Johnny Reb isn’t alone in wanting to see bad things happen to Gotham, and Joshua is caught up in an intrigue that unfolds above and below the streets of the city over the years to come. Fortunately, he doesn’t have to fight the battle alone; he’s since won the heart of a former brothel inmate. The novel is competent enough, though the dialogue is a touch flat, the scenes sometimes too contrived and the yokels too yokely: “He’s always walking around the city drawing things,” says one.

“Illustrations he calls ‘em.” Right.

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Swerling doesn’t promise more than she delivers, but this is still a rather ordinary novel. For a stronger thriller set in the same time and place, see Frederick Busch’s The Night Inspector.

HABIBI

Thompson, Craig Pantheon (672 pp.) $35.00 | September 1, 2011 978-0-375-42414-4 Thompson (Good-Bye, Chunky Rice, 2006, etc.) returns after a five-year absence with a graphic novel that is sure to attract attention—and perhaps even controversy.

Slavery exists in the modern world as much as in the ancient.

As Thompson’s long, carefully drawn narrative opens, we are in a time that seems faraway, even mythical: A 9-year-old girl is married off to a scribe who introduces her not just to sex but also to the mysteries of Arabic letters, which seem to take life on the page. “When God created the letters,” Thompson writes, “He kept their secrets for Himself ”—though he shared them with Adam while keeping them from the angels, a source of considerable friction in the Muslim heaven. The scribe is killed, the young girl kidnapped, and from there the story opens into a world that might well have come from the Tales of a Thousand and One Nights, if, that is, industrial machinery and the teeming ports of the Arabian peninsula are introduced into the backdrop. Dodola and Zam are two children, one Semitic, one black African, who brave a hostile world, taking up residence in a ship marooned in the desert sands, selling what they have and can in order to survive. As they grow older, they find themselves feeling things that are not quite appropriate for the siblings they seem to have become, and now their paths part, destined to cross again as sure as the letters loop over one another. Thompson draws on elements of classical Arabic mythology and, a touch dangerously, Islamic belief; he also takes the opportunity to address modern issues of ethnic tension, racism, the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the clash of civilizations, sexism and other modern concerns. Though in the form of a comic book, Thompson’s story is decidedly not for youngsters: Rape and murder figure in these pages, as does sex between minors.

A mature—in all its meanings—glimpse into a world few Westerners are at home with, and Thompson is respectful throughout. (Author tour to Boston, Chicago, Iowa City, New York, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C.)

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WE THE ANIMALS

Torres, Justin Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (144 pp.) $21.00 | September 2, 2011 978-0-547-57672-5 An exquisitely crafted debut novel— subtle, shimmering and emotionally devastating.

Those whose memories of contemporary literature extend a quarter century might be tempted to compare this with Susan Minot’s Monkeys (1986), another short, elliptical debut novel about family dynamics that received rapturous reviews upon publication. Yet this is a different novel, and a better one, about a different sort of family and a narrator’s discovery of how he is both a part of them and apart from them. The dedication—“For my mother, my brothers and my father and for Owen”—suggests that the narrator’s rites of passage reflect the author’s own, that this is a novel that probes deep, even painful truths no matter how factual it may be. The narrator is the youngest of three sons of a white, Brooklyn mother and a Puerto Rican father, who became parents in their teens. Like the title suggests, the first-person narration initially might as well be plural, for the narrator and his older brothers Manny and Leon resemble “a three-torsoed beast,” scrounging for sustenance and meaning amid the tumultuous relationship of their parents, one that the boys can barely understand (though sometimes they intuit more than the narrator can articulate). Their bond provides what little defense they have against their mother’s emotional instability and their father’s unsteady employment and fidelity. They are, like some of the most exhilarating writing, “wild and loose and free.” Yet the narrative voice is a marvel of control—one that reflects the perceptions and limitations of a 7-year-old in language that suggests someone older is channeling his younger perspective. In short chapters that stand alone yet ultimately achieve momentum, the narrator comes to terms with his brothers, his family and his sexuality, separating the “I” from the “we” and suffering the consequences. Ultimately, the novel has a redemptive resonance—for the narrator, for the rest of the fictional family and for the reader as well.

Upon finishing, readers might be tempted to start again, not wanting to let it go.

SANCTUS

Toyne, Simon Morrow/HarperCollins (496 pp.) $25.99 | September 6, 2011 978-0-06-203830-2 A cliffhanger—literally—that aspires to towering heights but doesn’t quite get there.

Why would a proper monk go climbing out of a mountain lair and then shoot

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gospel-gang signs at an eager public watching his every move before the face of God? (“The sign he’s making is the Tau,” says one knowing fellow.) Suffice it to say that said monk has a secret involving, of course, a secret library (think Umberto Eco), a heretical gloss on the Bible (think Dan Brown), a tough detective named Arkadian (think Martin Cruz Smith) and a militant order of religious guardians (think Indiana Jones). A few loose phrases of Greek and Aramaic waft through the pages of this debut by Toyne, a Briton resident in France, who packs a lot of well-researched information into this aspirational thriller. If you’re looking to survive a siege, Toyne provides helpful instructions. The timing is off, though; it takes much too long to get to the meat of the story—understandably, perhaps, since it takes our monk a good while to ease himself across the sheer rock face, his progress marked by clerics of sinister demeanor (“Even if by some miracle he does manage to make it to the lower slopes, our brethren on the outside will apprehend him”). Toyne has a realistic bent, however, and the derring-do and scriptural intrigue never get too unwieldy or too unworldly. His characters, too, are well-rounded and credible; what’s not to like about a monk who reads Nietzsche? A bonus: Toyne’s battery of good guys include strong women characters, with no condescension; too many books of this kind treat women as afterthoughts, if not mere love interests. And there’s some nice elaboration of the plot, keeping the reader guessing whether the heretics are good guys or bad, and just when the seventh seal is going to crack.

A promising debut. One hopes for a more tightly structured narrative next time around, but the right ingredients are all here.

ZONE ONE

Whitehead, Colson Doubleday (272 pp.) $25.95 | October 18, 2011 978-0-385-52807-8 The zombie genre provides unlikely inspiration for the author’s creative renewal.

Whitehead (Sag Harbor, 2009, etc.) never writes the same book twice, though his eclectic output had fallen short of the promise he flashed in his early novels (The Intuitionist, 1998, etc.).

Yet here he sinks his teeth into a popular format and emerges with a literary feast, producing his most compulsively readable work to date. Though there’s enough chomp-and-spurt gorefest to satiate fans of the format, Whitehead transforms the zombie novel into an allegory of contemporary Manhattan (and, by extension, America), where “it was the business of the plague to reveal our family members, friends, and neighbors as the creatures they had always been” and the never-explained apocalypse “sentenced you to observe the world through the sad aperture of the dead, suffer the gross parody of your existence.” The reader’s guide through this particular circle of hell is a cleanup/extermination operative called Mark Spitz (for reasons that aren’t worth the elaborate explanation the novel eventually

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“Vivid but not quite magical enough.” from the echo chamber

gives). He was formerly employed as a social-network functionary for a Starbucks-style coffee chain, an occupation that seems even more ludicrous in the wake of a society transformed by hordes of organ-eating zombies. (A colleague’s former occupation was “a sommelier at a high-end eatery in Cambridge that specialized in offal.”) With its savage sense of humor and thematic ambitions, the narrative is to contemporary zombie novels what the movies of George Romero are to other zombie flicks. As survivors of the “Last Night” struggle through “PASD, or Post-Apocalyptic Stress Disorder,” the government (located in Buffalo) peddles hope in the form of its “American Phoenix Rising” campaign, with its own power-ballad anthem: “Stop!

Can You Hear the Eagle Roar? (Theme from Reconstruction).”

When the protagonist was a child, he asked his father the meaning of the word “apocalypse.” His father replied, “It means that in the future, things will be even worse than they are now.” And, sure enough, they are.

The latest from a generation of literary novelists who are erasing the distinction between art and pulp. (Author tour to New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Raleigh, Oxford, St. Louis, Minneapolis, Iowa City, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles)

THE ECHO CHAMBER

Williams, Luke Viking (384 pp.) $25.95 | August 8, 2011 978-0-670-02283-0

In a discursive first novel with horrific undertones, empires crumble, a madman makes his wife a mechanical heart and a child emerges late and fatally from the womb.

Magical episodes, curious objects and violent scenes dot the long, impressionistic story narrated

by British writer Williams’ heroine Evie Steppman, born in Lagos, Nigeria, in 1946. With her prodigiously acute hearing, Evie is happy in the womb; when she does emerge, two months late, she causes the death of her mother. In her restless, meandering literary reminiscence, written in an attic in Scotland at age 64, Evie explores her own story and offers glimpses of her parents, other relatives, friends and lovers, which meld into an atmospheric if plot-free web of sounds, paper documents and above all stories. Evie’s childhood in Nigeria concludes with the country on the edge of independence and showing signs of the violent unrest which will lead to the bloodshed witnessed later in visceral scenes of massacre narrated by a childhood friend.

Evie’s subsequent life in Scotland includes madness, a lesbian love affair and withdrawal into a reclusive state of decay. This ambitious, rambling synthesis of individual and world history, stylistically akin to work by Salman Rushdie and Günter Grass, nevertheless lacks their vigor and originality.

Vivid but not quite magical enough. (Agent: Tracy Bohan)

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SON OF STONE

Woods, Stuart Putnam (320 pp.) $26.95 | September 20, 2011 978-0-399-15765-3 New York super-lawyer Stone Barrington’s teenaged son comes to live with him. Wait, there’s less, much less.

Naturally, the kid is a genius: handsome, charming, courteous, already at 15 a precocious filmmaker who graduated from high school early because they’d run out of things to teach him. How could he miss, with parents like Stone (Bel-Air Dead, 2011, etc.) and Arrington Calder, the movie actress Stone impregnated shortly before she was swept off her feet and to the nuptial bed by legendary star Vance Calder? Swiftly recovering from his initial jitters about parenthood, Stone buys Peter new clothes, lays some fatherly advice on him and takes him to a board meeting of Centurion Studios, where Peter passes a rough cut of his amateur movie on to CEO Leo Goldman Jr., who’s eager to buy it outright.

With a little help from his friends, Stone helps Peter change his name to Barrington, backdates his birth certificate two years, helps him get into exclusive Knickerbocker Hall and greases the path to the Yale Drama School. While he’s at it, he proposes marriage to Arrington, who’s traveled to New York to help Peter get settled, warm Stone’s bed and incidentally escape from Prof. Timothy Rutledge, the jealous architect who designed her house in Virginia and warmed her own bed. So many scenes pass without casting a shadow over the new family’s happiness, as in a Care Bears story, that you just know something bad must be looming, and finally, in Chapter 50, it arrives. Fortunately, the characters pull themselves together manfully with the help of some philosophical reflections, a convenient .45 and a fresh infusion of cash.

Further proof, if the series needed it, that there’s no lifecycle trauma that won’t yield to the power of money, contacts and bling. (Agent: Anna Sibbald)

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m ys t e r y SENIOR MOMENTS ARE MURDER

Befeler, Mike Five Star (268 pp.) $25.95 | August 17, 2011 978-1-4328-2509-6

A gentle tale in which that venerable subgenre, the amnesiac whodunit, is freshened by a geriatric hero whose short-term memory loss is all too believable.

Paul Jacobson wakes up to find himself in a place he doesn’t recognize next to a beautiful woman he’s never seen before.

The last thing he remembers is living with his wife Rhonda in Hawaii. Now he appears to be in Venice Beach doing who knows what. For Paul, however, this is just another day in the life. The octogenarian has a memory span that’s just a day long, so that everything’s erased each night when he falls asleep. For most people, this amnesia would be a challenge, but for Paul it’s even more of a disaster because the poor guy keeps getting wrapped up in murder mysteries—at least according to his family. In his latest adventure, Paul is under investigation by bulldog Detective Quintana for deaths involving both the art world and the homeless population. He’s eager to clear his name, if only so that he can leave town to honeymoon with his bride Marion, the new acquaintance from his bed. Though he can’t remember any details of the past few days, Paul remains fairly certain he’s not a killer. With the help of his granddaughter Jennifer, who knows about something called “the internet,” and Marion’s grandson Austin, the old man struggles to get to the truth in a world he has to start over every day.

Befeler’s third installment (Living with Your Kids is Murder, 2009, etc.) won’t ruffle any feathers. It’s the sort of cozy your grandparents would love.

ROBERT B. PARKER’S KILLING THE BLUES

Brandman, Michael Putnam (288 pp.) $25.95 | September 13, 2011 978-0-399-15784-4

Now that summer’s here, the advent of the tourist season brings the same old crime-based problems to idyllic Paradise, Mass., but now at the hands of a different author.

Has anything changed since the death last year of series creator Robert B. Parker? Not really. Police chief Jesse Stone still misses his girlfriend Sunny Randall (Split Image, 2010, etc.), off |

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in Europe on a job. Dispatcher/receptionist Molly Crane still gives him a hard time over his requests for coffee and monosyllabic responses to her questions. When somebody starts stealing cars from the streets of Paradise, Jesse’s take-charge reaction is still the same. He shows the same omni-sensitive side when 14-year-old Lisa Barry holds her school principal hostage at gunpoint to protest her bullying by the Lincoln Village girls, and the same reliable intuition when he hears that Rollo Nurse, whose skull he fractured while arresting him in L.A. years ago, is out of prison and may be looking for him. He’s still catnip to women like Alexis Richardson, who got the job of organizing and publicizing summer events through her uncle, selectman Carter Hansen. He still wrestles with the bottle, shares confidences with his therapist and cleans up his town with his usual laconic aplomb. The only differences are his new rental place right on the bay; Mildred Memory, a cat who finds him equally irresistible; and the unconvincing voices that bid the worst of the bad guys to do the bad things he does.

Film and TV producer Brandman, who collaborated on several of Jesse’s TV adaptations, obviously believes that no news is good news. Series fans will probably agree.

MURDER UNLEASHED

Brown, Rita Mae Ballantine (288 pp.) $25.00 | October 4, 2011 978-0-345-51183-6

The mortgage crisis meets murder in Reno, Nev. When Mags Rogers’ Wall Street career crashed and burned, she and her wire-haired dachshund Baxter moved in with her aunt Jeep Reed. Now that their friend, real-estate broker Babs Gallagher, has discovered a number of desperate families living in foreclosed homes with no heat or water, the friends mount a campaign to do something about it. That means taking on the banks and utility companies.

Meanwhile, another friend, police officer Pete, and his partner Lonnie, find a murdered man in an abandoned house taken over by drug dealers. The whole mess is grist for the mill of politician Patrick Wentworth, who, oblivious to the plight of his constituents, has eyes only for sin. Jeep, who owns a big ranch, must also contend with the problems of her neighbor Howie, who gets shot and wounded, presumably by the miscreants who are rustling has cattle. Too bad Jeep and Howie can’t consult more closely with Baxter, Jeep’s German shepherd mix King and Howie’s Zippy, who know a lot about rustlers and an unidentified man who’s discovered the treasure long rumored to be buried on Howie’s ranch. Mired in her merely human abilities, Jeep must call in a lot of favors before there’s any sign of success.

Fans of Brown’s long string of popular series featuring animal sleuths (A Nose for Justice, 2010, etc.) will note that her latest is less mystery than political polemic. (Agent: Wendy Weil)

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“This long-running series (26 titles and counting) combines charm with chaos at a consistently polished level.” from all the pretty hearses

THE CALLING

Bruce, Alison Soho Constable (352 pp.) $25.00 | August 16, 2011 978-1-56947-964-3 An insurance agent with a penchant for blondes offers a peculiar puzzle for DC Gary Goodhew (The Siren, 2010, etc.).

The Cambridge CID has its problems. DC Michael Kincaide is jealous of Gary Goodhew, who enjoys both unexplained wealth and the favor of their boss, DI Marks. Kincaide would love to undermine his rival’s search for the missing Kaye Whiting, who never showed up at her grandmother’s birthday party. But arresting her uncle, Andrew Burrows, for her murder when Kaye inevitably turns up dead is a nonstarter. Goodhew has his own theory, based on an anonymous call advising the police to look at Peter Walsh, who works for Dunwold Insurance. What to look at is the question. Walsh seems to have had a string of unsuccessful relationships with women, including needy Paulette, receptionist Donna and real estate agent Fiona, all of whom look just a little bit like slender, blonde Kaye. The bond between the dead woman and Walsh’s live lovers eludes Goodhew until WPC Sue Gully helps him link the crime to a string of bodies found, like Kaye’s, bound and gagged in the open air—and until he connects a waiflike figure he sees outside Walsh’s house to a mysterious blonde who drinks coffee day after day at The Flying Pig. The third of Goodhew’s adventures to be published was actually written first, and bears all the false starts and loose ends of a trial run.

SKATING OVER THE LINE

Charbonneau, Joelle Minotaur Books (288 pp.) $25.99 | October 4, 2011 978-0-312-60662-6 e-book 978-1-4299-8392-1

A small-town girl who yearns to go back to Chicago is saddled with a reputation as a crime fighter.

Great news for Rebecca Robbins: There may be a buyer for her roller rink.

Despite her loving relationship with her grandfather, an Elvis impersonator, and a hot romance with veterinarian Lionel Franklin, she still dreams of returning to the city. When a friend of her grandfather’s has his car stolen, Rebecca is enlisted to find it. But she’s thrown off her stride by the arrival of the supersalesman father who had walked out on her and her mother years before. Soon after Rebecca discovers the stolen car afire in a field with a dummy in the driver’s seat, her father’s car is stolen and burned, and this time the body at the wheel is a real one.

Her high-school classmate, now a policeman, is vehemently against Rebecca’s investigations. In addition, she has her hands 1300

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full dealing with her father, a newly hired roller-rink manager who’d rather be making movies, and Lionel, who wants to take their relationship further than Rebecca wants to go. The final insult comes when she and her father are harassed by some angry Spanish-speaking men, providing yet another puzzle for the intrepid sleuth to solve.

Rebecca’s second (Skating Around the Law, 2010) features the Midwest’s laid-back answer to Stephanie Plum in another funny, spunky romp.

KILLED AT THE WHIM OF A HAT

Cotterill, Colin Minotaur Books (320 pp.) $24.99 | July 19, 2011 978-0-312-56453-7 Stuck in the boondocks, a former crime reporter finds salvation by getting back into that gritty game.

In Thailand’s rural Chumphon province, farmer Old Mel discovers a Volkswagen van buried on his oil plantation. Even more unusual, inside are two corpses. It’s just the kind of crime that Jimm Juree would have covered in her previous life as a reporter in the bustling city of Chiang Mai, but the decision by her eccentric mother Mair to give up the family business—”a sort of rustic 7-Eleven” near Chiang Mai University—has thrown the whole family into chaos. Jimm, her bodybuilder brother Arny and their Granddad Jah have grimly followed Mair to southern Chumphon. After a year, Jimm’s favorite activity has become grousing about her situation; she even makes a list of her complaints. When she reads of the corpses, she seizes on the story like a lifeline, rushing to quiz Old Mel, lying to police about her experience and even turning on the flamboyant charm with a gay cop who has special access. Her appetite whetted, Jimm begins to poke into other crimes. Some are as loopy as her family, like the bloody murder of a visiting abbot who’s investigating sexual shenanigans between nuns and monks at a monastery. Cotterill devotes equal time to the comic antics of Jimm’s relatives.

An ebullient series kickoff by the author of the Dr. Siri series (Love Songs From a Shallow Grave, 2010, etc.). Character and quirky comedy trump mystery, and lay a great foundation for further involving adventures.

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ALL THE PRETTY HEARSES

Daheim, Mary Morrow/HarperCollins (320 pp.) $23.99 | August 9, 2011 978-0-06-613-5158-7 A night of calamities befalls an inn.

First an Irish wolfhound beds down in a communal bathtub. Then a set of twins stables a horse in the inn’s garage.

Then the horse disappears, a guest registers under a stolen ID, a married couple leave by an upstairs window rather than paying the room rate and the Paine family reunion, which was supposed to reunite family members in harmony, is so uncivil that the relatives check out right after dinner, every last one of them, including the wife with a wandering eye, the husband who may be a confidential snitch for the feds and the pouting vegan who had planned to sell that horse to a pair of wealthy Arabs. As if this isn’t enough trauma to send innkeeper Judith Flynn (Loco Motive, 2010, etc.) for restorative slugs of scotch, her husband Joe, a retired policeman now working as a private eye, is accused of murder when his gun, missing from the house safe, is used to kill a handicapped insurance scammer. In addition, Judith’s Uncle Al goes missing at the track, her mother kvetches relentlessly about the lack of attention she’s getting, and a passel of school children come down with food poisoning from tainted meat. Would that be horse meat? Perhaps. With an assist from a lonely reporter and her cousin Renie, Judith is on the verge of settling matters when, ever the gracious hostess, she invites the killer into the inn.

This long-running series (26 titles and counting) combines charm with chaos at a consistently polished level.

DEATH AND THE MAIDEN

Elias, Gerald Minotaur Books (304 pp.) $25.99 | August 16, 2011 978-0-312-67834-0 Discordance threatens a chamber music quartet.

Now that it’s being sued by its former second violinist the New Magini String Quartet is trying to tamp down the negative publicity by agreeing to a Carnegie Hall presentation of Schubert’s “Death and the Maiden” that will feature film animation, artwork, live dance and enough special effects for a rock band. Daniel Jacobus (Danse Macabre, 2010, etc.) plans on attending, although he fears the production will denigrate the music as well as the playing of his student and quartet member Yumi Shinagawa. Problems arise at rehearsal, when Kortovsky, the first violinist, never arrives from Lima, Peru, where the quartet played its most recent paying engagement. What may be a part of him, a severed finger, appears on the rehearsal stage in one of |

the musicians’ instrument cases, to be joined later by three other dismembered fingers. Meanwhile, the quartet’s manager tries to arrange a replacement for him. Her choices are quickly narrowed down to the fired musician who is suing and the man Yumi beat out for inclusion in the quartet. With help from his pal Nathaniel, some gossip among émigrés from Russian and a Lima detective, Jacobus unravels a complicated tangle of relationships that includes an illicit liaison, a castrato’s revenge and as many onstage deaths as a Shakespearean tragedy.

Blind Jacobus, a curmudgeon to the nth degree, redeems himself when he steps in to take the lead in “Death and the Maiden” and performs with such emotional commitment that you’ll want to race right out and buy the CD. (Author tour to New York, Michigan, Colorado, Utah)

THE HAND THAT TREMBLES

Eriksson, Kjell Minotaur Books (320 pp.) $24.99 | August 2, 2011 978-0-312-60505-6 The disappearance of a small-town politician masks dark secrets and triggers a series of further crimes.

Sven-Arne and his stern uncle Ante have a complicated relationship. Ante, whose shrouded past involves some important role in World War II, has controlled his nephew with an iron fist since boyhood. Many observers find Sven-Arne’s devotion, which also contains a streak of defiance, inexplicable. One day Sven-Arne, a county commissioner who lives near Uppsala, walks away with no explanation from his job, his wife Elsa and his life. Over a decade later, Swedish businessman Jan Svensk spots SvenArne in, of all places, Bangalore. Under the name John Mailer, Sven-Arne has worked extensively as a volunteer teacher and gardener, endearing himself to locals, who reflexively close ranks against the new interloper. Taking Sven-Arne’s rebuff as a challenge, Svensk becomes obsessed with exposing him, both in India and back home in Sweden. Meanwhile, there’s much suspicious activity in Sven-Arne’s hometown. Elsa lies in hospital after being hit by a truck, and Inspector Ann Lindell (The Demon of Dakar, 2008, etc.), along with local policeman Bosse Marksson, is investigating the discovery of a female foot in the woods. All narrative strands eventually intertwine in Eriksson’s intricate thriller, which moves fluidly back and forth in time and place.

Though particulars of local history and culture might baffle some readers, the depth of character and a narrative tapestry that becomes clear in small, disconnected pieces make for a challenging and rewarding mystery.

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DICK FRANCIS’S GAMBLE

Francis, Felix Putnam (368 pp.) $26.95 | July 1, 2011 978-0-399-15747-9

Nonpareil jockey/suspense writer Dick Francis’s son Felix, who coauthored his late father’s last four novels (Crossfire, 2010, etc.), turns in a solo performance fully worthy of the family name.

There’s nothing like having a colleague murdered in front of you to turn an inoffensive financial advisor into a freelance investigator. Nicholas Foxton has both a more pressing incentive than most self-made heroes, since his friendship with Herb Kovak, of Lyall & Black, was just beginning to deepen when Herb was executed by three shots minutes before the Grand National was to be run, and better qualifications, since he has both the computer skills to follow the money and the physique of a former jockey sidelined when he broke his neck seven years ago. Doctors have forbidden Nick from riding again, but they can’t stop him in his unexpected capacity as Herb’s executor and sole heir from looking into his estate, and it’s one unholy mess. Herb, a transplanted American, owed thousands of pounds on a dozen credit cards and had only a nominal savings account. With some help from Herb’s twin sister Sherri, however, Nick realizes that Herb also had a large income stream he kept carefully off the books. Meantime, Col. Jolyon Roberts, a client at Lyall & Black, has asked Nick to look into a hospital the Roberts Family Trust had supposedly built in Bulgaria—a hospital the Colonel’s nephew Ben claims doesn’t exist. And Nick’s artist girlfriend Claudia, who’s been suspiciously distant lately, thoroughly alarms him when she tells him the reason why. As the plot unfolds, Nick will fall into the hands of his enemies, come to terms with a dark family secret and get one more chance to climb on a horse and ride him to glory.

If all this sounds familiar, Francis fans can be assured that, like Nick’s climactic mount, they’re in reassuringly expert hands.

THUNDER MOON

Helms, Richard Five Star (412 pp.) $25.95 | June 15, 2011 978-1-43282-533-1

Police Chief Judd Wheeler (Six Mile Creek, 2010, etc.) finds more big trouble in little Prosperity, N.C. Begin with the savage murder of Steve Samples, a high draft pick for whom most NFL insiders predicted a brilliant future until someone very angry took a butcher’s cleaver to it, leaving a dead cornerback in its glittering wake.

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Chief Wheeler while checking it out nonetheless. As a onetime big-city cop, he’s learned that the unlikely, often as not, is only what takes a bit longer to happen. And in that context, there’s the matter of newly arrived Carl Sussman. Is it possible that a registered sex offender has redeemed himself sufficiently during a medium-sized stretch in the slammer to become a valued member of Prosperity society? Clearly, revivalist preacher Alvin Cross doesn’t think so. A sinner is forever a sinner, he inveighs from his pulpit, consigned to a permanent place among the pitchforks, and if a member of the flock chooses to hurry him along, Reverend Cross has only praise for the deed. But is the ranting, haranguing Cross, despite his name, all that likely a suspect? For a paradise so small, thinks Wheeler ruefully, there certainly are plenty of snakes.

A highly satisfying addition to the list of small-town procedurals.

DEAD MAN’S SWITCH

Kaehler, Tammy G. Poisoned Pen (290 pp.) $24.95 | paper $14.95 Lg. Prt. $22.95 | August 1, 2011 978-1-59058-881-9 paper 978-1-59058-883-3 Lg. Prt. 978-1-59058-882-6 A driver earns her place on an American Le Mans team the hard way: by finding the body of a rival under the wheel of her Jeep Cherokee.

Left motherless at an early age, Kate Reilly started racing go-karts at age 12 under the watchful eye of her Gramps, an expert mechanic. Now 26, she’s already been third driver in extra-long Petit Le Mans races at Sebring, and she’s looking for a full-time ride. When Sandham Swift driver Wade Becker turns up dead at Lime Rock Park two days before the finale of the New England Grand Prix, Jack Sandham asks Kate to take Wade’s place in Sandham Swift’s number 28 car, alternating with experienced racer Mike Munroe. Kate already knows how to play nice with tool guys like brake specialist Alex Hanley and talented amateurs like Lars Pierson and Seth Donohue, who pay for the privilege of driving Sandham’s number 29 car. But handling media types like SPEED Channel’s Zeke Andrews and Sandham publicist Tom Albright strains Kate’s people skills.

So does charming sponsors like Charles and Susanah Purley of Racegear.com, True Color’s Paul Trimble and his drop-deadgorgeous son Marcus, who’d rather handle racecars than paint chips. Kate’s greatest challenge, though, is dealing with rumors that she bashed Becker for his ride—rumors that lead her to question everyone about everything that might help her find the real killer.

Kaehler’s debut wraps the reader in layers of racing detail and, like Kate’s fire-retardant Nomex long johns, smothers any spark the mystery plot might have ignited.

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A MURDER IN TUSCANY

Kent, Christobel Minotaur Books (320 pp.) $24.99 | August 2, 2011 978-0-312-62102-5

Despite his personal problems, melancholy private investigator Sandro Cellini is determined to ferret out a cunning killer who hides in plain sight among the rich and famous.

Castle Orfeo, built in the 15th century and overlooking the city of Florence, currently attracts artists from all over the world as an idyllic retreat. Though its director, Loni Meadows, has the face of a Madonna, she runs the castle with an iron hand, earning the enmity of virtually all the staff—senior assistants Luca and Mauro, veteran cook Ginevra and her niece Nicki, maid Anna-Maria and even Cate Giottone (from whose perspective readers see much of the novel), the newest member of the staff and the only one who lives offsite. Little aware of these dynamics, P.I. Sandro Cellini (The Drowning River, 2010, etc.) has been hired to shadow teenager Carlotta Bellagamba, whose parents fear that she’s getting into drugs. Recently dismissed from the police force and perpetually insecure about his relationship with his wife Luisa, he reflects as often on his love life as on the details of his assignment. On the same day that Carlotta fails to come home from school, Loni goes missing from Castle Orfeo. The crossing paths of searchers bring Sandro into the Castle’s unique society.

Carlotta returns, Loni does not. After a few days, her body is found in a river, and Sandro finds himself at the center of a tantalizing murder puzzle.

Sandro’s third case is a murky psychological thriller packed with complex, secretive characters and lush prose to match.

MURDER MOST PERSUASIVE

Kiely, Tracy Minotaur Books (304 pp.) $24.99 | September 6, 2011 978-0-312-69941-3

Plucky amateur detective Elizabeth Parker investigates her third case of murder (Murder on the Bride’s Side, 2010, etc.).

Elizabeth and her colorful Aunt Winnie reunite to exchange Jane Austen quotations at the funeral of Elizabeth’s great uncle Martin. Martin’s three daughters—practical Ann, stuffy Frances and glamorous Regina—are at peace with his death after a long illness, while Martin’s widowed trophy wife Bonnie is histrionic. No sooner has Martin been laid to rest than the family receives a nasty shock: a dead body has been found at their former vacation home. The victim, buried eight years ago, is Michael Barrow, Regina’s ex-fiancé and the heir apparent to Martin’s business until a week after his disappearance, when |

his embezzlement was revealed. Bonnie decamps to a spa to recover, leaving Ann to sort through Martin’s bequests. Elizabeth volunteers to help Ann, thereby extricating herself from her irritating sister’s company and putting herself on the spot for the police investigation. The police work is complicated by Ann’s old romance with the lead detective and by Michael’s bad deeds, which gave far too many people motive to kill him. While Elizabeth’s asking questions and drawing connections, the killer strikes again. No matter how annoying her family members can be, Elizabeth is determined to show that they’re innocent, even if she has to risk her own life to do it.

Serviceable plot, stilted dialogue, one-dimensional characters—the lightest of beach reads.

LASSITER

Levine, Paul Bantam (304 pp.) $25.00 | September 13, 2011 978-0-553-80674-8 Eighteen years after he tossed a lost girl back to the wolves, Miami lawyer Jake Lassiter gets a second chance at redemption.

If she hadn’t been underaged and more than a little stubborn, Krista Larkin would have been just another one of the strippers Jake’s buddy Rusty MacLean hired for his birthday party. But when she refused to get into the car that would return her where she came from, Jake took her back to his place and into his bed. Next morning, when her boyfriend and pimp, porn prince Charlie Ziegler, spotted them together, Jake released her to Charlie, and she promptly disappeared. Now her sister Amy, a Toledo insurance investigator, is looking for her, and she’s convinced that Jake, the last person on record as seeing her alive, knows more than he’s saying. She’s right, of course, and that’s mainly why Jake, who frets, “I could have helped her,” agrees to help Amy look on a pro bono basis. But it’s hard to search through a present-day landscape that so little resembles the past. Charlie Ziegler, long since gone legit, is now a cable millionaire and major philanthropist. His ancient business partner, Max Perlow, has close if murky links to Florida State Attorney Alejandro Castiel. Nobody knows anything about what happened to Krista, even though everyone in South Florida seems to have been present at the last party she attended after Jake dropped her off. A prologue warns that Amy ends up in jail on suspicion of murdering an unnamed man, but it’s not till after her trial ends that rough justice will finally be done.

Highly competent work by Levine (Illegal, 2009, etc.), with the usual cascade of surprises at the end.

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“Human cunning and canine smarts triumph once again.” from the dog who knew too much

THE DOG WHO KNEW TOO MUCH

Quinn, Spencer Atria Books (320 pp.) $25.00 | September 6, 2011 978-1-4391-5709-1 Backcountry hiking turns out to be no walk in the park for the indomitable Chet and his human partner Bernie.

Because he’s chronically short of cash, there aren’t too many gigs Bernie Little (To Fetch a Thief, 2010, etc.) won’t take a shot at. But giving the keynote at the Great Western Private Eye Convention turns out to be a bad deal, since the offer is only a pretext for its president, Georgie Malhouf, to make a bid for Chet. No sale, says Bernie. Instead, he takes what looks like a real stinker of a case: pretending to be Anya Vereen’s new guy so that her old guy, Guy Wenders, won’t make a play for reconciliation during Parents Weekend at Big Bear Wilderness Camp. Chet loves this trip; after all, the mountains are filled with wonderful, strange smells. Bernie, not so much, especially after he learns that Anya’s son Devin went missing on his cabin’s overnight. When Bernie takes Chet and wilderness guide Turk Rendell back where the boy was last seen, Chet follows Devin’s scent into an abandoned mine, raising the searchers’ hopes. But then Turk gets killed, and Bernie runs afoul of Big Bear’s so-called law-enforcement community, most of whom share the name Laidlaw. Once Bernie gets arrested for Turk’s murder, Chet is on his own. Chet knows plenty, but how can he share his wisdom with reporter Suzie Sanchez, who’s almost as smart as Bernie, not to mention smelling almost as good and being a really great patter?

Human cunning and canine smarts triumph once again.

THE VESTAL VANISHES

Rowe, Rosemary Severn House (240 pp.) $28.95 | August 1, 2011 978-0-7278-8029-1

The disappearance of a Vestal Virgin is cause for alarm.

The Vestal Virgin Audelia has retired with a large dowry and the announcement of her wedding is to be a feature of a lavish celebration of the Emperor’s birthday in Glevum. When her carriage arrives empty, freeman sleuth Libertus, who has ventured to town for the celebration, is called upon by his patron Marcus to find out what happened to her. Her wealthy bridegroom Publius has come all the way from Rome to claim her and her uncle by marriage, Lavinius, is beside himself with rage. Libertus soon discovers that he must also look into the disappearance of Audelia’s cousin Lavinia, who was on her way to become a novice Vestal Virgin. The two met at a private home that takes in guests and somewhere on their journey they both vanished.

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It is suspected they may have been taken by Druids as revenge or for ransom until the vestals body is found minus head and hands crammed into a trunk in her carriage. As Libertus roams the country looking for answers, he becomes involved in a dangerous cover-up that will require all his skills to escape with a whole skin.

Rowe’s Roman Britain mysteries (Requiem for a Slave, 2010, etc.) feature complex puzzles intertwined with historical detail; her latest offers some clever twists sure to please.

A DOUBLE DEATH ON THE BLACK ISLE

Scott, A.D. Atria Books (384 pp.) paper $15.00 | September 27, 2011 978-1-4391-5494-6 Prejudice, class differences and murder meet on the Black Isle.

Typist and budding reporter Joanne Ross is that rara avis of 1950s Scotland, a single mother working to support her two girls after leaving her abusive husband. At least she’s not pregnant, which is more (or less) than can be said for her upper-crust boarding-school friend Patricia Ord Mackenzie. Perhaps to spite her wealthy, domineering mother, Patricia marries the father, a fisherman with an eye for advancement. Despite their years of friendship, Joanne has somehow always felt used by Patricia. Now she wonders what to make of it when Patricia’s husband is killed in a fall on the same day Fraser Munro, the reviled son of Patricia’s farm manager, is found dead in a ditch near the home farm. Two Tinker lads who were involved in a brawl with him stand accused of manslaughter. Patricia, by contrast, is cleared of any suspicion and quite happy to be rid of her husband. Joanne and her fellow staff of the Highland Gazette are always on the lookout for a scoop, but two unexpected deaths in one day are an embarrassment of riches. Ambitious reporter Rob is especially suspicious of the death of Patricia’s husband. Working together like members of a family, the newspaper staff investigate the two deaths as shocking new evidence is revealed.

Set against the bleak beauty of the Highlands, Scott’s second (A Small Death In a Great Glenn, 2010) continues to explore the slow transformation of Scotland from a highly ordered society while presenting a fine mystery with engaging characters.

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GOOD TO THE LAST KISS

Tierney, Ronald Severn House (224 pp.) $28.95 | August 1, 2011 978-0-7278-8030-7 Tierney (Bullet Beach, 2011, etc.) serves up a dark, twisty little gem in which a pair of embittered detectives and a not-quitedead victim combine irresistibly.

Inspectors Gratelli and McClellan are grizzled, rumpled and, often enough, despairing members of SFPD Homicide. This is truer of pot-bellied, nicotine-stained McClellan than it is of quieter, tougher-grained Gratelli, who has somehow managed to craft a coping mechanism. Not so his partner, whose world view has grown almost insupportably bleak. “It’s the survival of the sickest,” he insists, commenting on their daily work product. Moreover, both are depressingly aware that their colleagues—those smartly dressed, brainy new men—think of them as has-beens.

So when they’re shunted aside, relegated to what seems a minor piece of a major investigation, they don’t like it, but they’re hardly surprised. A serial killer has been battening on the city’s young women, beating, raping and murdering them, then marking each with his signature, a roughly carved flower. Julia Bateman, too, has been beaten, raped and marked, but not quite murdered. Comatose, she clings to life. Will she prove to be the serial killer’s downfall? Certainly they don’t come much braver than Julia. Or more dogged than Gratelli.

Every year the genre has its Goliaths, bigger and better ballyhooed than this modest entry. Come Edgar time, however, Tierney’s well-written, tidily plotted, characterdriven David of a book deserves to be remembered.

THE STRANGER YOU SEEK

Williams, Amanda Kyle Bantam (304 pp.) $25.00 | August 30, 2011 978-0-553-80807-0 A suspenseful tale of a clever crimesolver who gets a little too close to the action.

Lt. Aaron Rauser needs help catching what seems to be a new serial killer in his Atlanta stomping ground. He knows that the woman for the job is his old friend and crime-solving compatriot Keye Street. Keye’s not the kind of woman you mess around with, and while the folks on the force don’t like that she’s freelancing in their department, there’s not much they can do about it.

Keye was on track to be a well-respected FBI profiler before an inconvenient addiction to booze got in the way. Now that she’s back on her feet, this tough and whip-smart investigator has opened her own small-time business. Although |

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chasing bail jumpers keeps Keye and her hacker sidekick Neil in modest money, hunting down the deranged psychopath the Atlanta papers have dubbed the Wishbone Killer is just Keye’s piece of pie. The trouble is that the closer Keye seems to get to Wishbone, the more the killer seems to know about her: her thoughts, her feelings and even a few things she’s barely admitted to herself. As the action shifts from seemingly random events to targeted, graphic and brutal acts of violence, Keye is thrust from the role of hunter to hunted.

Williams (Club Twelve, 1994, etc.) creates a frightening and occasionally witty novel, perfect for those who can sleep with one eye open. Think Mary Higgins Clark with an edge.

science fiction and fantasy THE HUM AND THE SHIVER

Bledsoe, Alex Tor (304 pp.) paper $15.99 | October 1, 2011 978-0-7653-2744-4 Distinctive variation on the elvesamong-us theme, from the author of Dark Jenny (2011, etc.).

In Cloud County, in the mountains of east Tennessee, dwell the Tufa, a darkhaired, dark-skinned folk already in residence when the first Europeans arrived. Consummate musicians, with songs passed from generation to generation, they are also rumored to have unearthly powers. Private Bronwyn Hyatt, “the Bronwynator,” a war hero and First Daughter of the Tufa, was shipped back from Iraq with a smashed leg and shoulder, although she knows these will rapidly heal. Unfortunately her injuries have cost her the ability to play or sing. An eerie “haint,” the ghost of a fellowsoldier, followed her home from the war with a particular message to impart, while horrid omens of death swirl around her mother, Chloe—who must pass to Bronwyn a particular song before she dies. Then again, arrogant, brutal ex-boyfriend Dwayne Gitterman, a Tufa who rejected his roots and partly was the cause of her fleeing to join the army, is, most unwelcomingly, still hanging around. For some reason she’s powerfully attracted to young nonTufa preacher Craig Chess, who vainly attempts to induce the politely indifferent Tufa to visit his church. Reporter Don Swayback, having lost all interest in his job but tasked with interviewing Bronwyn, learns he’s part Tufa. Lurking on the back roads to snare the innocent and unwary is thuggish state trooper Robert Pafford. And what of Rockhouse Hicks, a supremely nasty old man who seems to do nothing except hang around outside the

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“An absorbing finale to a series that has grown richer with every installment.” from with fate conspire

post office? This powerful, character-driven drama, set forth in superbly lucid prose, occurs against an utterly convincing backdrop and owns complications enough to keep everybody compulsively turning the pages.

A sheer delight.

WITH FATE CONSPIRE

UNCOVERING RACE A Black Journalist’s Story of Reporting and Reinvention

Brennan, Marie Tor (528 pp.) $27.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7653-2537-2 e-book 978-1-4299-8203-0

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Allyn, Pam Avery (240 pp.) paper $16.00 978-1-58333-439-3

A consideration of how the mainstream media has grappled with race over

ria’s London.

Few humans believe in fairies, and fewer still know the Onyx Court even exists. And with a technological revolution in full swing, London is threaded with iron: paved-over rivers, pipes, bridges, the tracks of the underground railways. The presence of so much iron is destroying the fairy realm; what remains holds together only by the magic and indomitable willpower of its queen, Lune. Her bewildered experts are researching, by scientific, alchemical and magical means, ways to preserve the court, although most others are resigned to fleeing. Meanwhile, Nadrett, the fiendish gangster lord of the Goblin Market, pursues his own nefarious plans, while, in a connected development, certain prominent citizens, both fae and human, find odd chunks of their memories have inexplicably gone missing. On the streets of London above, Eliza O’Malley searches grimly for her sweetheart, who vanished seven years ago, stolen away by the faeries of the Goblin Market. Of course, nobody believes her when she insists he was stolen by fairies.

Only Eliza’s unshakeable determination keeps her quest alive.

Eventually she will cross paths with Dead Rick, Nadrett’s tortured, shape-shifting slave, held in thrall by the memories Nadrett stole from him. This time, Brennan’s grasp of period detail is sure, as the Dickensian squalor of most mortal sections of the city has its mirror in the teeming desperation of the Goblin Market. Despite the cast of thousands, many of the characters have real presence, and after a slow start the plot coheres and swirls forward into a series of tense and surprising conclusions.

An absorbing finale to a series that has grown richer with every installment.

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YOUR CHILD’S WRITING LIFE How to Inspire Confidence, Creativity, and Skill at Every Age

Alexander, Amy Beacon (240 pp.) $27.95 | October 11, 2011 978-0-8070-6100-8 e-book 978-0-8070-6101-5

Final entry in Brennan’s historical fantasy series (A Star Shall Fall, 2010, etc.) wherein the Onyx Court, realm of the fae, lies hidden below Queen Victo-

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Veteran journalist Alexander (Fifty Black Women Who Changed America, 1999, etc.) uses her own career as a lens for critically examining the industry’s efforts toward diversity, and how those efforts are faring through the Internet-era upheaval of newspapers and print media. She fears that the middling gains made by people of color in journalism since the 1990s have been eroded: “financial challenges in the news business are diminishing the numbers of talented, experienced reporters and editors of color.” Alexander sees many ominous trends, noting, for instance, that even though more reporters of color cover the White House, suggesting a more diverse era, “the Obama administration’s arrival coincided with the downward spiral of legacy news organizations.” She combines this argument with a look back at her own experiences in print, radio and online journalism. The author is most engaging when she provides incisive overviews of insider topics such as the Boston Globe plagiarism scandal involving Patricia Smith and Mike Barnicle, which seemingly represented a racial double standard, and the media mergers which she argues have made equitable minority representation even more difficult to attain. In wrestling with two difficult subjects—the challenges faced historically by people of color in the American news media, and the recent usurpation of traditional journalism by the Internet—Alexander writes with a clearly felt sense of passion and urgency, and she thoughtfully discusses key events of the last few decades, such as the Rodney King incident and its aftermath and the questionable role of media stars during traumatic events such as Hurricane Katrina and the Haiti earthquake. However, because long sections are devoted to her CV and personal travails, the author’s return to these central themes becomes unwieldy, creating a book that’s neither true memoir nor social polemic.

Perceptive regarding the fractures within the journalism industry, but at times pedantic.

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A refreshingly novel parenting method for teaching children not just to read but to write well and love doing it.

Helicopter parents take note: Mother and author Allyn (Pam Allyn’s Best Books for Boys, 2011, etc.), executive director of LitLife and LitWorld, sets forth a rigorous and, she argues, foolproof strategy for giving a child priceless gifts based on the stage-bystage cultivation of top-level writing skills. These gifts include a reverence for words, a higher probability of academic success and a leg up negotiating adulthood. For parents, all it takes is time in abundance and years of highly focused effort. Start with plenty of storytelling and songs for newborns to 2-year-olds before moving on to shape-and-bake alphabet pretzels. Later, there’s a designated “writer’s corner” to which the young author can withdraw to muse privately or find his or her writing voice. Fifty remedies for writer’s block help make the words flow. Age-appropriate book lists (don’t look for classics) inspire children and parents along the way. Allyn argues convincingly that to make it all work, parents must be tireless writing advocates intent on forging a writing bond with their children—and the sooner, the better. She exhorts parents to understand that being well read and able to express opinions and feelings in writing is the bedrock of a good education, and is essential to self-discovery.

All highly laudatory, but it’s debatable whether parents will have the time and the will to execute the myriad steps in the program.

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CHILDHOOD UNDER SIEGE How Big Business Targets Children Bakan, Joel Free Press (256 pp.) $26.00 | August 9, 2011 9781439121207

Bakan (Law/Univ. of British Columbia; The Corporation, 2005) argues that corporations “resemble human psychopaths in their essential natures,” and he |

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calls for government regulation of big business, citing examples sure to make parents take notice.

Children are bombarded with images of sex and violence, and the advent of new media makes it increasingly difficult for parents to control what children view. According to Bakan, two popular Internet games that contain murder and misogyny— “Whack Your Soulmate” and “Boneless Girl”—attract children with addictive qualities and are brought to us by a flagship site for Nickelodeon. The author even goes as far as blaming the fastfood industry for childhood obesity; though parents make the ultimate dietary decisions, he writes, they are heavily influenced by the “nagging” of children. Bakan discusses several crimes of the Western corporate world, including the proliferation of harmful chemicals (phthalates and lead) in Dora the Explorer activity totes and Wal-Mart’s child-labor--law violations. Most shocking is the author’s example of hundreds of thousands of U.S. migrant children working in fields for hours with few breaks, exploited by big farms. The author notes that governments “are alone in being able, through the enactment of laws and regulations, to change, for the better, the conditions in which parents make choices for their children.” Bakan provides many disturbing statistics and examples, but little in the way of solutions.

A provocative argument heavy on emotion but light on economic ramifications.

TERRORISTS IN LOVE The Real Lives of Islamic Radicals Ballen, Ken Free Press (288 pp.) $25.00 | October 4, 2011 978-1-4516-0921-9

Those who still believe terrorists are mindless fanatics will find little evidence in these revealing, often touching interviews with six young Islamic men.

In despair when his lover was forced to marry another man, a young Arab enlisted in the Iraqi insurgency, found it tedious and returned home only to learn that she had run off to become a suicide bomber. She never returned. Another Saudi, an aimless dropout, galvanized by TV images of American guards humiliating Abu Ghraib prisoners (a priceless recruiting bonanza for terrorists), joined and became the first suicide bomber to survive his attack. Two subjects, one gay, both deeply religious, flirted with terrorism without signing up, but their stories cast a revealing light on an exotic, unfamiliar culture. Although a former prosecutor and experienced interrogator, Ballen fictionalizes these interviews with invented dialogue which detracts partly but not completely from their impact. The only exception is a verbatim transcript from a retired midlevel Pakistani terrorist. Wildly cynical and boastful, he drips contempt for America—by aiding Pakistan, we are financing and fighting terrorism simultaneously—but gives equal time to denouncing former comrades, Pakistani officers and even Taliban fighters and high officials for heartlessness, greed, corruption and an 1308

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un-Islamic lack of humility. These stories clearly represent the cream of more than 100 interviews.

Ballen admits that they cannot reveal the motivation of all Islamic radicals, but few readers will deny that they illuminate the frustrations of young Islamic men living in repressive societies, alternatively fascinated and horrified

by America. (Agents: Jim Levine and Victoria Skurnick)

BLUE REVOLUTION Unmaking America’s Water Crisis

Barnett, Cynthia Beacon (272 pp.) $26.95 | September 20, 2011 978-0-8070-0317-6

Water, water everywhere. Or not.

“Somehow, America’s green craze has missed the blue,” writes environmental journalist Barnett (Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S., 2007). A good citizen of Sacramento wouldn’t dream of throwing a plastic bottle in the trash, and yet, California’s capital, which calls itself “Sustainable Sacramento,” uses 300 gallons of water per person per day, 8.5 times the consumption of watery Holland, and about four times the consumption of similarly dry Perth, Australia. Small wonder that reservoirs such as Lake Mead, on which Las Vegas depends, are rapidly being drawn down to the sand—though, admittedly, drought and climate change have as much to do with it as careless drinkers. The problem is endemic, writes the author. It’s not just the arid West that is suffering, since even moist places such as Florida are rapidly using up their groundwater supplies. As with so much else, it all comes down to human actions: Conserving water and changing how we manage it would do a great deal to relieve the ever-accelerating crisis. Yet “using water ethically” in this way, as she puts it, faces formidable challenges, among them the “water-industrial complex” and its powerful lobby, aimed at preserving the huge profits that come with the control of one of the few things that humans actually need to live. Other enemies of progress, writes Barnett, are the squabbles over water fought by “lawyers billing by the hour rather than by communities drawn together in a shared ethic”; agricultural subsidies seemingly designed to encourage major users of water to be profligate; and politicians who resist the notion that Americans should have to curb their appetites at all. The subject is ripe for moralizing, but Barnett generally keeps the conversation at a practical level, noting, helpfully, that no American set out deliberately to exhaust the nation’s water supply any more than the Soviets “set out to create the disaster of the Aral Sea.” Thorough and packed with data but a touch dry. General readers will find much of the same information in Brian Fagan’s more engaging book Elixir (2011).

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TOLSTOY A Russian Life

Bartlett, Rosamund Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (544 pp.) $35.00 | November 9, 2011 978-0-15-101438-5

Cultural historian and translator Bartlett (Chekhov: Scenes from a Life, 2004, etc.) unravels the ornate and complicated tapestry of the life of the great Russian writer.

Count Tolstoy (a title he later eschewed) lived more than several lives, and Bartlett explores them all with understanding and a sympathetic but also critical eye. Born into a privileged class, Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy (1828–1910) did not distinguish himself early on and seemed determined to investigate all the sordid alternatives available to a young man of property—alcohol, gambling (he had to sell entire villages to pay his considerable debts), lassitude and lust. At university, he neglected the curriculum and pursued his own interests—he was smitten with Pushkin, Dickens, Trollope, Rousseau and, significantly, Diogenes). For some of his early years, Bartlett can offer only speculations (few records exist), but when he went off to war in the early 1850s, the narrative accelerates. Tolstoy was a fine soldier, though he later renounced violence of all sorts (he became a vegan, quit hunting and took up bicycling). While in the military, he continued writing, and the flow of words surged ever more thickly for the next half-century. Bartlett does not linger overlong on any of his most celebrated works, though she does point out that he used family members in War and Peace and employed an actual case of suicide under a train to inform Anna Karenina. The author is most attentive to the growing celebrity of Tolstoy—and the emergence of groups of devoted followers, especially when he began to embrace his own form of Christianity, dress like a peasant, advocate education for the masses and assail violence, the government and the Orthodox church. Bartlett also highlights the great difficulties faced by his wife and attends fully to his postmortem status.

A rich, complex life told in rich, complex prose. (16-page photo insert; map; family tree)

THE PENGUIN AND THE LEVIATHAN How Cooperation Triumphs Over Self-Interest

Benkler, Yochai Crown Business (272 pp.) $25.00 | August 9, 2011 978-0-385-52576-3

A Harvard professor offers an alternative to the dog-eat-dog, winner-takeall system of governance that dominates

American culture.

Successfully employed organizational models eschewing “carrot and stick” incentives for more cooperative efforts have succeeded in everything from resuscitating failed automobile |

plants to putting President Barack Obama in the White House.

Benkler (The Wealth of Networks: How Social Production Transforms Markets and Freedom, 2007, etc.) even argues—much like an evolutionary psychologist—that cooperation is hardwired into human DNA. The author closely examines the very nature of cooperation in a clearly enthusiastic yet scholarly tone. Far from a panacea, cooperation does entail risks, and Benkler doesn’t shy away from any of them. That demonstration of intellectual honesty gives weight to his argument: There is something better than the outdated, top-down system of governance to which so many still cling. Readers hopscotch through Zipcar, Magnatune, Southwest Airlines, the NUMMI automobile plant in California and other boardrooms where the changeover from compliance to cooperation has translated into cash. The “triumph” indicated by the book’s subtitle is somewhat muted, however, because readers are never left in any one place long enough to gain a palpable sense of the cooperative philosophy in action. Nonetheless, Benkler provides a solid swipe at blind adherence to “free market” dogma.

Comprehensive and provocative.

THIS IS NOT THE IVY LEAGUE A Memoir

Blew, Mary Clearman Univ. of Nebraska (224 pp.) $24.95 | September 1, 2011 978-0-8032-3011-8

In this quietly probing memoir, Blew (English/Univ. of Idaho; Jackalope Dreams, 2008, etc.) chronicles how she tried to escape her rural Montana roots as a young adult, only to be unexpectedly “called home” by an academic job that would both liberate and entrap her.

The great granddaughter of “one of the earliest homesteaders in central Montana,” the author had toughness in her blood.

However, she was determined to leave ranch country and make something of herself. Education was her way out, but as a young married woman in the 1950s, social expectations forced her to walk a thin line between family and personal ambition. Nevertheless, with two babies and a husband in tow, she earned a doctorate in English. While n ot the simple teaching certificate demanded by the maternal side of her family, her degrees promised a self-sufficiency that aligned, albeit uneasily, with her mother and grandmother’s vision for her. Blew eventually found work at a small Montana college where, as a young assistant professor, she came face-to-face with the reality of just how hard she would have to fight to fulfill her ambitions. Not only did she find herself at violent odds with a husband unable to cope with having a professional wife; she also got caught in a sexually charged game of cat and mouse with the college president that cost the unyielding Blew her job. The author eventually found much-deserved success as a scholar and writer at Idaho.

A fierce and unsentimental book that stands eloquent testament to the high price that women of a certain generation had to pay to pursue their dreams.

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GREENBACK PLANET How the Dollar Conquered the World and Threatened Civilization As We Know It

Brands, H.W. Univ. of Texas (142 pp.) $25.00 | October 1, 2011 978-0-292-72341-2

In this succinct overview, two-time Pulitzer finalist Brands (History/Univ. of Texas; The Murder of Jim Fisk for the Love of Josie Mansfield: A Tragedy of the Gilded Age, 2011, etc.) traces the role of the dollar in shaping America’s rise to global preeminence.

The author looks at historical benchmarks beginning with two signal events: the issuance of greenbacks as legal tender in 1862 and the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. The establishment of the Federal Reserve System 50 years later formalized the second pole in the pendulum swings of U.S. financial policy—between emphasis on a balanced budget and tight credit and the liquidity needed to support industrial growth and high employment, both of which are at the forefront of today’s political controversies. Following World War I, the increasingly important international role of the United States led to the establishment of the gold-backed dollar as a global currency, and its replacement by the greenback in 1971 when Richard Nixon decoupled the dollar from gold. Along with an overview of the past 150 years, Brands examines fascinating little-known sidelights. While William Jennings Bryan’s famous pro-silver speech attacked the gold-backed dollar, in the 1870s silver was the scarcer metal and silver dollars a rarity. Contrary to the prevailing opinion that America’s international dominance rests on the country’s military, Brands ascribes it to the “dollar’s power” which enabled the nation to “insist on market-opening measures.” The author suggests that in the 21st century, American financial hegemony will be replaced, leaving America’s international role in the new post-dollar world an open question.

A welcome, balanced look at this hotly debated issue, written with the author’s usual flair.

is not the dominant player on the global scene, and in fact is lagging drastically behind most developed nations. Graduation rates are dropping and, even more disturbingly, students that are graduating are often not proficient in basic skills. Which much of this has been blamed on factors such as poverty and lack of community motivation, most reformers agree that it can be almost directly tied to teacher performance. The problem is clear, but the solution is anything but, as teachers are represented by one of the country’s fiercest and tightest unions. Public school teachers are locked into lengthy contracts protecting them but, many argue, often neglecting the students. A bevy of passionate individuals, organizations, philanthropists and even politicians have cropped up with innovative solutions to these problems, and Brill (Journalism/Yale Univ.; After: How America Confronted the September 12 Era, 2003, etc.) follows their efforts closely. From his account, patient zero in the reform movement seems to be Teach for America (TFA), founded in 1990 by Princeton senior Wendy Kopp, which sends outstanding recent college graduates to needy school districts for a two-year stint.

Not only has TFA grown exponentially, but it has also produced several other leaders of the reform movement, such as Michelle Rhee, the former controversial Washington, D.C., school superintendent, and David Levin, founder of the massive network of KIPP charter schools. With Obama’s election, the reform movement saw a major boost, as the president championed a plan called Race to the Top, which awarded states with unprecedented funding in exchange for reform. The problem with all this reform, however, is determining whether it actually works.

Brill appears to be pro-reform and anti-union, though he concedes in the final pages that real change has to come not from band-aids like TFA and charters, but from the regular teachers that reach the vast majority of students across the country.

The author tackles this beast of a topic admirably, creating a lucid, often riveting history that will be invaluable to the next generation of reformers.

JAMES MADISON

Brookhiser, Richard Basic (304 pp.) $28.00 | October 4, 2011 978-0-465-01983-0

CLASS WARFARE Inside the Fight to Fix America’s Schools

Brookhiser (Right Time, Right Place: Coming of Age with William F. Buckley Jr. and the Conservative Movement, 2009, etc.) explores America’s tangled twoparty political system and the man instrumental in creating it, James Madi-

Brill, Steven Simon & Schuster (496 pp.) $28.00 | August 16, 2011 978-1-4516-1199-1

An in-depth, impeccably researched examination of the education-reform movements that have swept America over the last several decades, as well as the obstacles they’ve faced.

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son (1751–1836).

The author investigates Madison’s transition from ideological framer of the Constitution to a fervent party man who fought against the Federalist party for decades and led his Republican party during its first military foray, the War of 1812. Though he came of age under the influence and tutelage of luminaries like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, Brookhiser’s portrayal of Madison grounds him in the backbiting, often

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inglorious machinations of his contemporary political system; this approach is both significant and refreshing in presenting Madison as a flawed man, rather than a godlike “founding father.” The author focuses exclusively on Madison the politician, and thereby exposes some of Madison’s less respectable motives for tackling his political enemies—one favored strategy was to enlist vocal, if not always reliable, journalists to spearhead political attacks in the rough-and-tumble world of early American periodicals. This practice, coupled with Madison’s lifelong faith in the power of public opinion and his commitment to protect the freedom of the presses, opens an interesting avenue into this early usage of public opinion and blustering journalism to shape public policy. This is a slim volume, noticeably so in a biography of an instrumental man like Madison; as such, there are episodes of both personal and political moment that would greatly benefit from additional context and analysis.

How, for example, could two such close allies, Madison and the fiery Alexander Hamilton, find themselves at opposite ends of a bitter political feud over the role of central government? What was at stake, other than a rather parochial land lust, for Madison and Jefferson as they pursued western expansion? How did Dolley Madison, historically recognized as the first “political wife,” contribute to his politics and his personal life?

A useful introduction to a man who is often outshone by his presidential predecessors but who nevertheless was instrumental in creating our modern political system.

(Author tour to New York, Washington, D.C., Boston, Philadelphia.

Agent: Michael Carlisle)

KINK A Straight Girl’s Investigation

Clifford-Smith, Stephanie Allen & Unwin (296 pp.) paper $16.95 | August 1, 2011 9781741759129 Funny, intriguing personal accounts of the kinkier side of sex.

Whether readers are into bondage, submission, people dressed up in furry animal costumes or just vanilla sex, the four-year research project undertaken by Aussie Clifford-Smith (A Marvellous Party: The Life of Bernard King, 2004) will evoke pleasure. Interested in the dirty details of the goings-on in other people’s bedrooms, the author placed an ad in a newspaper, trolled Internet fetish chat rooms and attended swinger parties to learn more about what drove people to their personal kinks and how it took shape in their lives. Each chapter introduces a new person and their kink, with the author providing space for them to explain the intricacies of their urges. Fleshing out each anecdote are CliffordSmith’s own thoughts, sometimes heightened by comparisons to artwork or great novels or injected with humorous asides or statistics. The author, a self-proclaimed vanilla-sex enthusiast, was unable to remain entirely on the sidelines, and was eventually pulled into the action by one of her subjects. “That was |

undoubtedly the biggest surprise of them all and, while it was useful, I’m glad it didn’t last,” she writes. Prostitution, bestiality, water sports, scat play, amputees—it’s all here. Clifford-Smith’s first-person observations, blended with the subjects’ various sexual proclivities, results in an intriguing collection of kinks.

Beware though—even the author confides, “Who was I kidding when I thought I was unshockable?”

Not for the faint of heart, but certainly the inquisitive mind—or libido.

TEACHING AND ITS PREDICAMENTS

Cohen, David K. Harvard Univ. (240 pp.) $26.95 | August 1, 2011 978-0-674-05110-2

An examination of the quandaries surrounding the teaching profession from various angles.

Cohen (The Ordeal of Equality: Did Federal Regulation Fix the Schools?, 2009, etc.) discusses the complexity of teaching, and in starting with the task of defining the profession, he illustrates the byzantine nature of the American education system. He explains some underlying problems that are often neglected, such as how teachers “do not play a central part in setting standards of occupational quality,” and he touches upon conflicts concerning testing and controversies surrounding what the results mean.

Cohen emphasizes how educators are not practicing in isolation, which further complicates the matter. If there are limited connections between school and real-world experiences, he writes, then students’ investment in the system is compromised.

“Teaching in such circumstances is the human improver’s version of unrequited love: the prospect of success is appealing, but its costs can be enormous when students’ and teachers’ work is not framed by contracts to work hard together. The responsibility for improvement is one-sided,” he writes. The author mentions societal influences such as the emergence of “welleducated and engaged young teachers in Teach For America” and charter schools as a positive response to the issues, but he does not explain how or why. Cohen’s focus seems to drift in his exploration of types of instructional discourse. He does not offer solutions to the predicaments of the book’s title, but he does prove that “US public education is not organized to help teachers manage the predicaments of their occupation.”

Uneven but ultimately useful for educators and reformers.

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SEEING EZRA A Mother’s Story of Autism, Unconditional Love, and the Meaning of Normal Cohen, Kerry Seal Press (256 pp.) $25.00 | October 1, 2011 978-1-58005-369-3

Cohen (Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity, 2008, etc.) wants her readers to understand the process of raising an autistic child. Despite her good intentions, she has trouble adhering to her topic and including relevant details.

The author relates the many challenges unique to parenting a child with autism, but most readers will be less interested in the Cohen’s mundanely unraveling marriage, her exhaustively catalogued emotional needs (which she feels freer to share with readers than with her husband) or the various kinds of “energy” other people put out that she picks up on. The book reads more like a series of confessional journal entries than a wellstructured memoir. Presumably because she is a trained psychotherapist, as well as a longtime recipient of psychotherapy, Cohen’s writing often assumes an irritatingly clinical tone. The author is at her best when she ponders crucial questions related to the diagnosis and treatment of her son’s condition—What is autism? Should autistic children be forced to behave in more “normal” ways? What is “normal”?—but she strains readers’ patience with constant diatribes directed at well-meaning therapists, doctors, teachers, babysitters, “ex” friends and strangers she believes wronged her son, as well as gratuitous descriptions of her own parents’ flaws and her not-quite-an-affair with a married friend. Cohen could have written a compelling essay about her son’s autism for a parenting magazine; she does not have enough cohesive, original material to sustain an entire book.

Repetitive, strained and gratingly self-righteous.

NOW YOU SEE IT How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn

Davidson, Cathy N. Viking (352 pp.) $27.95 | August 18, 2011 978-0-670-02282-3

A preview of the future from an educational innovator.

Davidson (The Future of Thinking, 2010, etc.), who codirects the annual HASTAC/MacArthur Foundation Digital Media and Learning competitions, describes an experiment where most of a group told to count passes between basketball players in a short film fails to spot a person who walks through the scene in a gorilla suit. Too-focused attention can miss 1312

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something unexpected. The author takes this insight as a key to examine the nature of attention, which she believes has deep roots in the educational system created to fill jobs where workers arrive at a given time and perform a specific task in tight coordination with other workers. As Davidson notes, students who don’t respond well to these expectations are pigeonholed as misfits, slow learners, troublemakers or worse. But brain research indicates that the educational establishment is out of step; it is becoming clear that our minds are capable of multitasking to a degree far beyond what the 20th-century assemblyline worker or middle manager was trained to do. After a brief introductory chapter, Davidson offers several examples of how the schools and workplaces of the future might look. Duke University’s 2003 experiment of giving the entire freshman class free iPods drew widespread scorn, but the experiment justified itself as students found innovative ways to use the devices in the classroom and lab. The administration grasped the iPod’s capability to connect the students’ work for group projects, such as a podcasting conference that distributed a lecture on Shakespeare worldwide. Elementary-school children are learning by using computer games, and other schools are abandoning traditional class structure to reach children who might be left behind in conventional schools. The revolution is reaching the workplace, as well—notably at IBM, where a significant portion of the workforce now telecommutes and many workgroups are spread out over three continents, connecting by teleconferencing. Further, the military is making heavy use of video games in training soldiers to use new weapons systems.

Davidson may oversell the revolution in thinking— there’s a lot of cheerleading here—but her points are worth pondering.

INTO THE SILENCE The Great War, Mallory, and the Conquest of Everest

Davis, Wade Knopf (672 pp.) $35.00 | October 20, 2011 978-0-375-40889-2 e-book 978-0-307-70056-8

Anthropologist and National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Davis (The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World, 2009, etc.) exhaustively charts the first epic assaults on Mount Everest by determined Englishmen after the devastation of World War I. Britain had resolved to be the first to scale the as-yet-unexplored reaches of the highest mountains in the world since the empire’s first surveying forays into India and Tibet in the mid 19th century. Then, the discovery of Everest’s actual height was first established and named after a geographer responsible for the Great Trigonometrical Survey of 1829, Sir George Everest. In this ambitious study, Davis eventually arrives at the first expedition of 1921, sponsored by the Royal Geographical

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Society but delayed by the war, which had traumatized and practically eliminated an entire generation of young people in England and Europe. For shell-shocked veterans, Everest signified “a sentinel in the sky, a place and destination of hope and redemption, a symbol of continuity in a world gone mad.”

Enter George Mallory (1886–1924), a graduate of Cambridge, young husband and father, veteran and accomplished climber, who was chosen to head the first exploratory mission up the North Col in 1921, only to be driven back by the summer monsoon. The reconnaissance mission was followed by two others shortly after, organized again by the Alpine Club. The expedition of 1922 was filmed by John Noel and employed oxygen for the first time, controversially; it ended with the highest climb

by George Finch but the death of seven Tibetan assistants in an avalanche. Yet again, in 1924, the familiar team attacked Everest, and with Mallory claiming he was “the strongest of the lot, the most likely to get to the top,” he set off with the much younger, inexperienced climber Sandy Irvine, and apparently fell to their deaths very near the summit on June 8 or 9. Davis explores every facet of these single-minded expeditions and the deeply committed, bold, hubristic men who made it possible.

More detail-bludgeoning than riveting tale of mettle against mountain. (16 pages of photographs and maps. Author tour to Denver, New York, Portland, Ore., San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, D.C. Agent: Peter Matson)

HOW THE DOG BECAME THE DOG From Wolves to Our Best Friends

Derr, Mark Overlook (288 pp.) $26.95 | October 13, 2011 978-1-59020-700-0 Derr (A Dog’s History of America, 2004, etc.) explores various scenarios on the road to the long, fruitful relationship between dogs and humans.

“Among the broader population of Pleistocene wolves and human were individuals who by virtue of extreme sociability and curiosity, or both, became best friends and compatriots after encountering each other on the trail,” writes the author in this rangy, critically stimulating and warm book. Derr begins with an overview of behavioral and biological experiments and models and theories, which becomes a dirge-like march, perhaps because readers know that he is going to pick many of them apart. So much new information comes in daily regarding dog studies that the ground is always shaky. But there are a number of ideas, backed by research and evidence, which Derr unfolds in a quietly stirring manner. The first is that wolves and humans were drawn together by their mutual sociability and curiosity, and that they stayed together thanks to mutual utility.

All evidence places the first dogs at the camps of hunters, so the old notion that humans and dogwolves first made acquaintance around the local dumpster can be laid to rest. “Rather it was an |

animal capable of forming an active friendship with a creature from another species,” and, absent proof otherwise, likely consensual, in response to the needs and desires of both. Indeed, being able to manage anger and fear, control assertiveness and restraint and moderate one’s appetite is more wolf than primate behavior. Derr also provides a striking geographical analysis of mixing grounds (“a biological and a cultural process involving two highly mobile species”) and enjoyable illustrative scenarios as he imagines specific events taking place.

A transporting slice of dog/wolf thinking that will pique the interest of anyone with a dog in their orbit. (15 black-and-white photos)

GHOSTS BY DAYLIGHT Love, War, and Redemption

di Giovanni, Janine Knopf (320 pp.) $27.95 | September 26, 2011 978-0-307-26558-6 e-book 978-0-307-70136-7

A war correspondent’s struggle to leave the battles behind and embark on a life of motherhood.

In this sweeping memoir, di Giovanni (The Place at the End of the World, 2006, etc.) offers a portrait of a love story abloom in wartime. While covering the Bosnian War in 1993, she became smitten with a French cameraman named Bruno, whose charm and charisma would forever alter her life. “Everything about falling in love during wartime, perhaps because our exterior world was so chaotic, was so effortless,” writes the author. “It was almost adolescent in its lack of complication.” Yet complications soon emerged, and after the pair endured one too many life-threatening assignments, they eventually married, di Giovanni giving birth to her son, Luca, soon after. While Luca’s birth provided a momentary glimpse of normalcy in their lives, when Bruno returned to the war zones, he and the author’s love story began to wilt. The once indefatigable cameraman began struggling with an array of physical and mental ailments, including a descent into alcoholism that took a dramatic toll on the family. As di Giovanni reflected on her decision to become a foreign reporter, she writes, “I had chosen to leave my home and my family and go as far away as possible, but I had no idea how desperately I would miss them.” While her role as wife and mother provided a temporary fix, Bruno proved not enough family to make the world whole again.

A plainly told, occasionally exotic tale of love gone awry.

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STREET FREAK Money and Madness at Lehman Brothers

Dillian, Jared Touchstone/Simon & Schuster (368 pp.) $26.00 | September 13, 2011 978-1-4391-8126-3 A firsthand account of the highspeed, merciless world of the modernday trader.

In Dillian’s debut memoir, the author recounts his time as a Lehman Brothers’ associate in the firm’s final years. His experiences betting big with other people’s money—as well as the psychological toll he incurred as a result— provides a scathing critique of selfish, scrambling men so driven to earn a buck that they lose all sight of the world beyond the tickers. Dillian’s portrait of the mid-level Wall Street employee confirms all of the industry’s clichés—that the stock market is, in fact, run by “men and boys,” many of whom understand little more than a single mantra: “Make money, good. Lose money, bad.” This simplistic approach causes Dillian to view Wall Street as a land of squandered talent, in which money-grubbing citizenry sacrificed their potential to play the numbers. “And here we all were,” Dillian recounted,” with our Ivy League educations and our social class and our pedigrees and our friends, and we were all in one big room on a daily basis pissing into the wind.” Yet as a nontraditional student from the University of San Francisco, Dillian hardly fit the mold of the rich, Northeastern prep-schooler, and his outsider status served as a great attribute, offering him a clearer view of an industry both morally and economically bankrupt. However, the author often fails to bring readers fully into his colorful milieu.

A dramatic rendering of the financial crisis in which readers are often left on the outside of an insider’s world.

(Agent: Stephen Barr)

BECOMING DICKENS The Invention of a Novelist Douglas-Fairhurst, Robert Belknap/Harvard Univ. (360 pp.) $29.95 | October 17, 2011 978-0-674-05003-7

A literary biography of Charles Dickens focused on his life and work during the 1830s.

Douglas-Fairhurst (English/Magdalen Coll., Oxford; Victorian Afterlives: The Shaping of Influence in Nineteenth-Century Literature, 2002) writes that reviewers of the great author’s early work in the Monthly Magazine found his stories to be “a choice bit of humour, somewhat exaggerated” and “clever,” which was a backhanded compliment from the British press. These comments apply to Becoming Dickens as well. Douglas-Fairhurst frequently makes clever connections of dubious significance to his overall argument. In his 1314

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otherwise useful examination of “A Dinner at Poplar Walk,” Dickens’ first published story, he pauses on the line “an appalling creaking of boots,” which he admits “has nothing to do with the main thrust of the story.” But he insists the word “boots” is important: “The notion that somebody’s personality resides in his boots is closely connected to Dickens’s interest in theater, where an actor trying to establish a character might decide to work from the bottom up but not get much further than choosing the right kind of footwear.” This kind of close reading permeates the book, often slowing the narrative momentum, but the author’s central argument, about the ways in which events in Dickens’ life shaped his fiction, is a worthy one. While writing later in life about a near-brush with acting, Dickens remarked, “See how near I may have been to another sort of life.” Douglas-Fairhurst shows demonstrates how the idea that a person could have just as easily ended up a clerk or a thief as a writer preoccupied Dickens and found its way into his fiction.

The biographical concerns connect strongly and effectively to the literary material.

An insightful argument occasionally marred by somewhat tangential and glib analysis.

LIFE ITSELF A Memoir

Ebert, Roger Grand Central Publishing (352 pp.) $27.99 | Lg. Prt. $29.99 CD $34.98 | September 13, 2011 978-0-446-58497-5 Lg. Prt. 978-1-455-50412-1 CD 978-1-609-41035-3

The Pulitzer Prize–winning film critic reviews his life and career, finding much to be grateful for.

Ebert (The Great Movies III, 2010, etc.) presents a disjunctive, impressionistic, episodic but often moving memoir. Throughout, he alludes to his current medical difficulties (cancer, several failed surgeries, the inability to speak or eat), though he focuses on them more sharply in the final chapters. He seems to have achieved a kind of peace, referring to himself as the Phantom of the Opera and, later, “an exhibit in the Texas Chainsaw Museum.”

He begins in fairly conventional fashion, revisiting moments from his childhood and adolescence, but it’s not long before he abandons chronology. After his assumption of the film-critic gig at the Chicago Sun-Times (1967), he adopts a new strategy, offering stand-alone chapters about influential individuals in his life.

Here we find the expected (Studs Terkel, Martin Scorsese), the unexpected (Russ Meyer, Lee Marvin) and the necessary (Gene Siskel). Ebert has a separate chapter devoted to his late critic partner from TV days, noting that he felt they were brothers, but competitive ones. Siskel then appears continually the rest of the way, a sort of touchstone to measure the value of some of Ebert’s experiences. The author deals candidly with his alcoholism (on the wagon since 1979, and he credits AA), his weight and his early-career arrogance. He also celebrates his wife, Chaz

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INSIDEOUT COACHING How Sports Can Transform Lives

(he dedicates the volume to her), and in his chapter about her he praises her in about every possible way for every possible reason.

He also examines his new career as a blogger.

Two thumbs sideways.

ROCK AND ROLL ALWAYS FORGETS A Quarter Century of Music Criticism

Eddy, Chuck Duke Univ. (368 pp.) paper $24.95 | October 1, 2011 978-0-8223-4996-9

An idiosyncratic rock critic curates his alleged greatest hits.

Eddy (The Accidental Evolution of Rock ’n’ Roll, 2007, etc.) has acquired a curious rep through work for almost every music rag of repute over the course of his career. He honed his chops at traditional journalistic outposts, and he shines brightest in his reportorial work. The most distinguished pieces here are either straight shoe-leather journalism (e.g., a dazzling look at Eminem’s music through the prism of the rapper’s tangled family life or a deft portrait of the aging Ramones) or hopped-up band profiles (e.g., his hilarious give-and-take with AC/DC or his bemused sit-down with U.K. dance-pop heroes Pet Shop Boys).

However, the majority of the collection comprises Eddy’s criticism for the Village Voice (where he served as music editor for several years) and various rock-centric magazines. In the last of the chapter introductions that hold the book together, he declares defensively, and stridently, that he is not the “contrarian” that his detractors have long accused him of being. (Nonetheless, in his foreword, Chuck Klosterman defines Eddy’s credo as “most thoughts about music are backwards,” without irony.) If not a contrarian, then he is either a wry observer who takes joy in dismantling rock-crit orthodoxy or a tiresome guy with an enormous record collection and very little taste. While he often proves he knows a jive band when he sees one (e.g., his reviews of Live and the Mentors), he raves over marginalia like metallurgists White Wizzard or pre-fab junk like the Spice Girls while kicking the stuffing out of Radiohead and Nirvana.

His championing of jingoistic pinheads Montgomery Gentry and Toby Keith is simply inexplicable, and unconvincing to boot. Eddy’s opinions induce both head-scratching and headaches, while his hyperventilating style and his can-you-top-this tendency to incessantly scatter indiscriminate comparisons wear out his welcome.

Despite some gems, addled aesthetics and gale-force gusts of critical wind torpedo this collection. (32 black-andwhite illustrations)

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Ehrmann, Joe Ehrmann, Paula Jordan, Gregory Simon & Schuster (256 pp.) $24.00 | August 2, 2011 978-1-4391-8298-7

A retired football player makes the case for a kinder, gentler approach to coaching.

Who would have thought that Ehrmann (co-founder, Coach for America), the bruising defensive tackle who once played for the Baltimore Colts, would decades later offer a heartfelt template for coaches to be more compassionate leaders? After all, it was the author, an admitted drug abuser while he played, who once said he wanted to knock Jets quarterback Joe Namath’s head clear off his shoulder pads. “I...was not trying to be entertaining. I meant it. I thought that way and I played that way,” he writes. But inside the brute beat a heart of gold waiting to be psychoanalyzed. After his brother died of cancer, Ehrmann began to unlock his own narrative, understanding his motivations, and in turn those of so-called “transactional” coaches, who engage with players solely to win games or secure inflated contracts for themselves. That approach is antithetical to the author’s “InSideOut” paradigm. “Being an InSideOut coach,” he writes, “means turning my struggles, errors, and misfortunes into lessons that will make me a coach who instills a sense of community; is a better classroom leader; is a clearer and more empathetic communicator; is an advocate of healthy and constructive competition; and is a mentor who turns sports into a ceremony of celebration for young people.”

In the age celebrity coaches and a revolving door for “student athletes” who never graduate but bring in millions to their universities, it’s a downright revolutionary message. Ehrmann delivers it with candor and courage.

STEVE MCQUEEN A Biography

Eliot, Marc Crown Archetype (384 pp.) $26.00 | October 25, 2011 978-0-307-45321-1 e-book 978-0-307-45323-5

On-screen and off with the “King of Cool.”

Veteran celebrity biographer Eliot’s (Paul Simon: A Life, 2010, etc.) portrait of film star Steve McQueen (1930–1980) is a curiously sour reading experience. The subject emerges as a singularly petty and unpleasant personality, a minor talent who left a meager cinematic legacy completely out of proportion with his enduring status as an icon of mid-20th-century “cool.” In this telling, McQueen’s less-than-impressive filmography is the result of the

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star’s persistent small-mindedness, as he habitually gravitated toward working with directors he could dominate and turned down promising roles—he could have been the Sundance Kid, but walked when he couldn’t get top billing over rival Paul Newman—out of spite, laziness and easily injured ego. A hardscrabble childhood led to a period of small-time criminality and military service before McQueen drifted into acting, attracted to the profession for its many opportunities to smoke dope and sleep with pretty young actresses. He made a hit with the TV series Wanted: Dead or Alive, in which he perfected a sullen, wary, catlike screen presence that radiated charisma and danger, and he would keep sounding those same few notes throughout his career. Eliot praises McQueen’s iconic impact in such films as The Magnificent Seven, Bullitt and The Getaway, but these successes come off as lucky intersections of good timing and congenial material rather than the expression of a significant artistic talent. Eliot’s matter-of-fact recounting of McQueen’s gluttonous appetite for drugs, compulsive womanizing, sickening instances of wife-beating and petulant bullying are difficult to stomach, as they seem less like the torments of a complicated artist than the sordid habits of a profoundly spoiled, selfish, bitter man. The author writes of McQueen poring over the script of The Towering Inferno, counting his lines to make sure that co-star Paul Newman didn’t have more to do and childishly insisting on delivering the last line of the film. That about sums it up.

A dispiriting account of a great star and not-so-great human being. (16-page black-and-white insert; 6 black-and-white photos. Agent: Alan Nevins)

LOOSE DIAMONDS ...and Other Things I’ve Lost (and Found) Along the Way Ephron, Amy Morrow/HarperCollins (176 pp.) $19.99 | September 6, 2011 978-0-06-195874-8 e-book 978-0-06-210074-0

Sex and the City meets Erma Bombeck in this gossamer gathering of recollections from novelist Ephron (One Sunday Morning, 2005, etc.).

True to its title, the book flaunts the glimmers of memory that the author haphazardly crafts into vignettes detailing her bohemian-chic adventures in Los Angeles and New York—with an emphasis on the chic. Starting off as a wild child in the 1970s, she recounts swilling champagne with glamorous friends, buying couture from Saks Fifth Avenue and interviewing Manson Family member Squeaky Fromme at the Spahn Ranch. Ephron’s most entertaining anecdotes date from this era, as she namedrops celebrity friends and shines a light on the inner workings of the Harvard Lampoon during its heady countercultural years.

Less sparkling are her attempts to frame her contemporary life with her second husband and five children as a Beverly Hills version of Cheaper by the Dozen. Readers may find it difficult to conjure much empathy for a woman who disparages Elizabeth Taylor’s gigantic diamond ring as extravagant, but laments 1316

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the theft of her own baubles fashioned by the likes of Tiffany, Cartier and Elsa Peretti. This theft, one of several that hit the Los Angeles area, understandably shook up the author, and the event functions as a sort of connecting thread for the collection.

However, even when commenting on the serial burglar’s habit of creating a different persona for each house, she fails to delve further. Accounts of the hostile mothers at her son’s private school similarly fail to engage. While Ephron has enough of a sense of humor to keep these pieces from completely lacking in self-awareness, her writing too often skims the surface, even for comic musings. Likewise, the more somber essays addressing her mother’s depression and Ephron’s own experience with date rape are meandering and unfocused.

These bagatelles offer glittering diversion but little of lasting worth. (Author appearances in Los Angeles and New York)

NAKED WINE Letting Grapes Do What Comes Naturally

Feiring, Alice Da Capo/Perseus (240 pp.) $24.00 | September 1, 2011 978-0-306-81953-7

Wine journalist and blogger Feiring (The Battle for Wine and Love, 2008) returns with accounts of her interviews with winemakers and with her own endeavor to make a “naked” wine (no additives or other extrinsic evils).

The author’s self-regard fluctuates. She recognizes—and enjoys—her controversial position (her blog blasts those who sully the grape), noting that she sets “forest fires of controversy.”

But she can also feel frustrated, petulant and nervous; in the more self-effacing sections, both she and her text become more savory.

Feiring begins with her attempt to produce a California wine that is as natural/naked as can be (she’s annoyed when exigencies force some modest compromises)—and, much later, we learn that the bottles will retail for $75-$100 apiece. In the interim, the author flies around (California, France, Spain) to interview those engaged in the quest for a more natural wine. (In an appendix, she provides a long list of common wine additives and processes.) She writes about the godfather of the movement—Jules Chauvet— and recognizes that it’s the use of sulfur (some? little? none?) that divides the wineries. Although she sometimes soars into a vinous lyricism (“There’s an emotional truth in natural wine that I can’t ignore”) or uses tasting terms that only connoisseurs can appreciate (“The Syrah had no fruit jam, but had horse sweat and muscle, zippy acidity and mint, structure and less than 12 percent alcohol”), for the most part she writes for general readers—all of whom should learn plenty. It’s sulfur that causes hangovers; there is no such thing as a perfect wine; thermovinification speeds the process; wine critic Robert Parker is annoying (an opinion she notes throughout).

A text that will appeal principally to wine-lovers but will give other readers a pleasant buzz, too.

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UNPRECEDENTED POWER Jesse Jones, Capitalism, and the Common Good Fenberg, Steven Texas A&M Univ. (616 pp.) $35.00 | October 6, 2011 978-1-60344-434-7

Although his monumental contribution to the national welfare is largely forgotten today, Jesse Jones (1874–1956) was widely considered to be one of the most powerful men in America—second only to FDR—during the years of the Great Depression and World War II. Fenberg—an officer for the Houston Endowment and the producer and writer of the Emmy Award–winning documentary “Brother Can You Spare a Billion: The Story of Jesse H. Jones”— chronicles how Jones played a central role in the development of Houston into a major commercial and financial center, before moving to Washington D.C. to head the Reconstruction Finance Corporation and its many spinoff agencies. The author locates his work on the national scene within the broader context of what he views as the successes of the New Deal. As a leading Texas Democrat, Jones came to the attention of Woodrow Wilson and was given an important role in coordinating international-relief efforts along with Herbert Hoover. Upon assuming office, Roosevelt chose Jones to head the RFC, which rapidly morphed into a leading institution of the New Deal, with chief responsibility for getting the economy back on track. By 1934, Jones faced problems similar to issues today. Despite the massive infusion of capital into failing banks to increase their liquidity, credit to industry remained largely frozen. Jones then sought and received authority to make loans directly to creditworthy businesses, both large and small, and began financing national infrastructure development. Jones warned against balancing the budget by cutting back on New Deal stimulus and relief efforts, and his views were borne out in the 1937 recession.

During WWII, the RFC, under his direction, played a major role in the reconversion of American factories, the development of synthetics such as rubber and the maintenance of an international supply line where possible.

A somewhat-forgotten page of U.S. history that holds enormous relevance today. (60 photos)

PRIME TIME

Fonda, Jane Random (448 pp.) $27.00 | August 9, 2011 978-1-4000-6697-1 Now in her early 70s, celebrity icon Fonda (My Life So Far, 2006, etc.) is embracing what she refers to as Stage Three of life.

The author assures readers that aging is an enlightening experience when approached with a positive perspective. She invites us to visualize life not as an arch, “taking us from childhood to a middle peak of maturity, followed by a decline into infirmity,” but rather as a staircase that symbolizes “our potential for upward progression toward wisdom, spiritual growth, learning, toward… consciousness and soul.” Interweaving heartfelt personal anecdotes about her struggles and successes in life, and those of others close to her, with cited research conducted by a variety of specialists, Fonda offers a comprehensive guide to living life to the fullest, particularly beyond middle age. She thoroughly addresses all the essential components that contribute to one’s physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, such as fitness, nutrition, meditation, romantic love and sex, friendship and financial planning. With a sincere determination to redefine society’s perception of life beyond middle age, Fonda advocates for a group whose contributions to society are often underestimated and undervalued. Although geared toward those 60 years of age and over, the author’s wealth of wisdom can benefit readers of any age who want to proactively prepare for their future.

An inspirational and highly informative guide to living the second half of life with enthusiasm and buoyancy.

THE JOURNALS OF SPALDING GRAY

Gray, Spalding Editor: Casey, Nell Knopf (336 pp.) $28.95 | October 19, 2011 978-0-307-27345-1 e-book 978-0-307-70052-0 The troubled ruminations of the celebrated actor and writer, entries that darken as they approach his death by sui-

cide in 2004.

An undoubtedly talented performer, Gray (Life Interrupted: The Unfinished Monologue, 2005, etc.) comes across as profoundly insecure and self-absorbed in these erratic passages generously annotated by editor Casey (An Uncertain Inheritance: Writers on Caring for Family, 2007, etc.)—and Gray’s journals certainly require annotation. He did not write every day; he used abbreviations; he alluded to things that only he and a handful of others could comprehend. Casey divides the text into decades, each of which she introduces with a long summary of Gray’s activities. |

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The entries begin in the 1960s, when Gray (born in 1941) was beginning to launch his career. The suicide of his mother in 1967 darkened the decade—and remained on Gray’s mind the rest of his life. At the time it happened, he wrote “I MUST keep the outside me alive!” Given the tortured testimony in these pages, it’s remarkable that he did so until 2004. His sexuality remained an issue throughout. Although he did not consider himself gay, he did have same-sex experiences, and he wrote often and graphically about sex, recording his myriad betrayals of his partners. According to his journals, when he wasn’t having sex, he was thinking about it, planning it and remembering it. He had alcohol-abuse issues as well, spent years in therapy, underwent electroshock treatments and lived in mental institutions. Yet he somehow found time to write, to perfect his celebrated monologue format and to find men and women—and audiences—who supported him, even during his times of personal implosion.

Negative reviews bothered him, and he rarely felt entirely happy about his performances, or about anything else.

A journey into a darkness too deep for hope to brighten.

(16 pages of photographs)

GUANTÁNAMO An American History Hansen, Jonathan M. Hill and Wang/Farrar, Straus and Giroux (448 pp.) $30.00 | October 19, 2011 978-0-8090-5341-4

A relentlessly critical history of America’s oldest naval base and the only one in a hostile country.

Hansen (Social Studies/Harvard Univ.; The Lost Promise of Patriotism: Debating American Identity, 1890–1920, 2003) reminds us that Cuban rebels had been holding their own for three years before Americans arrived in 1898, ostensibly to save them from Spanish tyranny. After an easy victory, American forces excluded rebels from surrender ceremonies and peace talks and demanded that their new constitution include the right to intervene in Cuban affairs, plus a lease on Guantánamo. As a result, ambitious leaders routinely declared that opponents were endangering American lives, and Marines from Guantánamo obligingly came to their aid. Under Franklin Roosevelt, the U.S. government stopped intervening but continued to support leaders who promised order and, after 1945, anticommunism. Even before Fidel Castro’s arrival in 1959, Guantánamo was no longer an important base; since the ’60s, it has served mostly as a holding area for refugees and prisoners.

Hansen devotes an angry chapter to American treatment of Haitian arrivals (almost all returned) compared to Cubans (almost all admitted to the United States), and a final, equally angry chapter covers events after 9/11. The Bush administration sent suspected terrorists to Guantánamo because it seemed beyond the reach of journalists and, according to advisors, American legal protections. Officials proclaimed that such fanatics were immune to traditional interrogation, but enhanced techniques 1318

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would reveal information vital to save American lives. The only result has been a persistent public-relations disaster.

Strategically irrelevant and expensive, Guantánamo has become a political icon, so suggestions that U.S. officials leave—common during past administrations—are no longer heard, but Hansen’s distressing history may revive the idea. (16 pages of black-and-white illustrations; map)

FROM BILLY GRAHAM TO SARAH PALIN Evangelicals and the Betrayal of American Conservatism

Hart, D. G. Eerdmans (245 pp.) $25.00 | August 15, 2011 978-0-8028-6628-8

A critique of the claim that American evangelicals are “conservative.”

Exploring a variety of writings, personalities and movements over the past several decades, Hart (Church History/ Westminster Seminary California) explodes the conventional wisdom that evangelical Protestant Christians are by and large politically conservative. The author begins with an explanation of the emergence of evangelicalism out of early-20th-century fundamentalism, and the political viewpoints (and lack thereof) of mid-century evangelicals. Battered by the cultural upheavals of the 1960s, evangelicals found 1976 to be a pivotal year as they received impetus through the Bicentennial to re-enter the American political landscape in force, while also producing the first avowedly born-again president, Jimmy Carter.

Carter’s political leanings provided evangelical Protestants and the larger populace with the first realization that not all evangelicals are right-leaning. Indeed, after the evangelical heyday of the ’80s, there has been a continual growth in the number and visibility of liberal evangelicals such as Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo. Such left-leaning evangelicals aside, Hart’s main point is that “conservative” Christians rarely understand the tenets of true conservatism, and often subvert conservatism for evangelical purposes. Despite the title, Graham and Palin are hardly mentioned, with far more attention given to evangelical thinkers, kingmakers and established figures such as Pat Robertson and Francis Schaeffer. Erudite and well-researched, Hart’s style is also approachable and often witty. Students of political theory will not be surprised by the author’s work, but many general readers will be taken aback to learn that evangelical Protestantism isn’t always—and perhaps is only rarely—conservative in nature.

Recommended for those interested in the intersection of faith and politics.

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TAKING LIBERTIES The War on Terror and the Erosion of Democracy Herman, Susan N. Oxford Univ. (304 pp.) $24.95 | October 2, 2011 978-0-19-978254-3

A focused, thorough account of the federal government’s panicked response to 9/11 and the consequent rollback of our civil liberties.

President of the American Civil Liberties Union since 2008, Brooklyn Law School professor Herman (Terrorism, Government, and Law, 2008, etc.) provides a well-organized look at government incursions on Americans’ constitutional rights in the decade following 9/11. Divided into three major sections— “Dragnets and Watchlists,” “Surveillance and Secrecy” and “American Democracy”—the book offers a compelling case that the basic constitutional protections most Americans take for granted, including the rights to free speech, a fair trial and due process, as well as freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures, were seriously compromised after 9/11 as a result of the government’s well-meaning but ill-conceived efforts to safeguard the country against another attack. Herman’s restrained approach to her numerous outrageous examples of governmental intrusiveness serves her well; her prose style is persuasively fair and reasonable. Despite her role as president of one of the country’s best-known liberal-leaning advocacy groups, the author is no rigid ideologue. Even after documenting their routine disregard for our civil liberties, she remains eager to credit governmental agencies like the FBI and leaders like President Obama with the best of motives. In Herman’s view, the rapid erosion of our most basic rights has less to do with federal agents’ hubris and lust for power than it does with their righteous yet misguided desire to keep America safe. Rather than dismissing it as irrelevant, she carefully examines the question of whether any of these problematic measures are actually making us safer (it seems the answer is no).

A valuable contribution to the growing body of literature regarding the War on Terror’s impact on our constitutional rights. (8 black-and-white halftones; 4 line drawings. Agent: Sydelle Kramer)

THE NEW DEAL A Modern History

Hiltzik, Michael Free Press (448 pp.) $30.00 | September 13, 2011 978-1-4391-5448-9

A sweeping, lively survey of the Roosevelt administration’s efforts to restart the American economy nearly 80 years ago.

With panache and skill, Pulitzer Prize–winning Los Angeles Times journalist Hiltzik (Colossus: |

Hoover Dam and the Making of the American Century, 2010, etc.) chronicles the rise and decline of the New Deal, from the desperate improvisation of the Hundred Days through the more carefully considered passage of such landmark legislation as the Securities Exchange Act and the Social Security Act. The author concludes with judicial and legislative reaction against some elements of the program. In addition to the obvious high points, he makes room for coverage of “Federal One,” the relief program for workers in the arts, and of the deplorable condition of black urban and agricultural workers. The New Deal was a huge enterprise driven by a large cast of characters who held widely differing views on how to cure the nation’s ills, including the thundering Gen. Hugh Johnson at the National Recovery Administration, the prickly Harold Ickes at the Interior Department and the long-suffering Frances Perkins at the Labor Department. These and many of the other colorful personalities this history; while FDR was “the glue holding these disparate pieces together,” he does not appear here as the heroic figure of political legend. Hiltzik presents him instead in more humanized form, sympathetically but with many faults clearly on display, including indecisiveness, aversion to conflict and a measure of hubris that brought him into an ill-fated collision with the Supreme Court in the “court-packing” fiasco of 1937.

The author suggests that it was FDR’s ebullient confidence more than his economic competence that sustained the nation through this devastating period. Though he disagrees with the revisionist school of historians who argue that the New Deal prolonged the Depression, Hiltzik writes with no obvious agenda in mind.

A timely, well-executed overview of the program that laid the foundation for the modern progressive state.

(Agent: Sandra Dijkstra)

HAROLD The Boy Who Became Mark Twain

Holbrook, Hal Farrar, Straus and Giroux (480 pp.) $30.00 | September 20, 2011 978-0-374-28101-4

Noted actor Holbrook serves up a charming but unsentimental memoir of his early life.

The author is well known for oneman shows depicting Mark Twain in all his white-suited, cigarchomping, brilliant finery. It may come as a surprise to some readers that Holbrook was scarcely out of childhood when the role was thrust on him, along with Shakespeare and Wilde and all the other stuff of a traveling theatrical troupe. His childhood was anything but easy. He opens with an incident in a principal’s office that would turn anyone from school, one of many acts of unrestrained evil that pop up from time to time in the narrative—besides, at his next school, he was filled with foreboding at the sight of “massive brick buildings resembling fortresses with openings on the roof for people to shoot at you.”

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The 13 Can’t-Miss Graphic Books of 2011 (So Far) B Y C L AY T ON

“Comics were no longer some lastchance hotel for fantasy-prone mavericks who found other entertainment outlets too tame or too restrictive for their visions. They were now a respectable stepping-stone to Hollywood and big money. Cleaned up, hair cut, prepped for a settled life in the suburbs.

No more noise, no more corrupting the kids or making them think about stuff they shouldn’t. At least for now.”

That may be true, especially in this ultimate summer of superhero movies.

But that doesn’t mean there’s no more room left for the dangerous, the mad, the iconoclasts and the groundbreaking revolutionaries who broke through walls that we’re only beginning to understand today. These graphic novels represent some of the best of that DIY spirit, telling tales that still inspire shock, delight and awe in even the most jaded of comicbook aficionados.

LIFE WITH MR. DANGEROUS

Paul Hornschemeier Villard (160 pp.) $22.00 | May 9780345494412

Underrated writer and illustrator Paul Hornschemeier (The Three Paradoxes, 2006, etc.) does his best work ever in relating this lonesome, caustically funny story of a young woman |

from the astounding, the amazing, the unknown

MOORE

These are strange days for graphic literature. In his new meditation on the state of the comic book, Supergods, creator Grant Morrison makes this observation:

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“While Paul Malmont’s new novel sticks to the medium of traditional prose, its knockout scenario packs as hard a punch as the new Doc Savage comics the author has been penning for DC Comics.”

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suffering through her wilderness years in the Midwest. “The first ideas for the story came about while I was sitting Central Park in New York in November 2001,” says the author. “I was in my mid-20s and I had just moved to Chicago, where I knew no one. I was in New York visiting a past girlfriend with whom I was still occasionally romantically involved. All of those things acting in concert bred this overall sense of uneasiness and uncertainty. I think wanting to cling on to your current state of being, even if it’s really rocky, is something that’s endemic of being in your mid-20s, and it felt like my environment, the entire country, was in a state of uncertainty.”

His protagonist, Amy, suffers through miserable jobs and worse relationships while punctuating her humdrum life with episodes of a surrealistic TV show.

“The extent to which you’re willing to look at yourself and be honest with what you really want, that’s the big challenge,” Hornschemeier says. “I think that’s what Amy’s staring into, and running from at various points, in the book.”

FEYNMAN

Jim Ottaviani and Leland Myrick First Second (272 pp.) $29.99 | August 9781596432598 There has never been a scientist quite like this freewheeling, acerbic, iconoclastic American physicist who has reached that pinnacle of notoriety. He’s one of those few people instantly identifiable by his last name: Feynman. Creators Jim Ottaviani (T:Minus: The Race to the Moon, 2009, etc.) and Leland Myrick (Missouri Boy, 2006, etc.) delve into Feynman’s brilliance, his involvement in projects ranging from the development of the A-bomb to the Challenger investigation, all while capturing his unique sense of humor.

“Most people, when handed the Menu For Life, choose only a single entrée,”

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Ottaviani says. “Maybe they’ll pick a side dish, too, and try to save a little room for dessert, but that’s about it. Richard Feynman looked at the Menu and said ‘I’ll have one of everything!’ And then he went back for seconds.” Meanwhile, artist Myrick faced his own challenges.

“Feynman was like nothing else I’ve ever worked on,” he says. “It was an adventure from the very first page to the last, trying to convey in pictures this amazing life he led. It was also incredibly challenging. When I read the script, and I realized a typical panel description from Jim read something like, ‘It’s 1940 and Feynman goes down the stairs to the Princeton basement and enters the room to find two guys working on an early version of the cyclotron,’ I knew I was in deep, and I loved it!”

“That’s the way life was for my friends and me,” Cruse says. “We were constantly under attack and had to keep our wits about us without losing our senses of humor.” Or as he puts it in his book’s preface, “we learned how to cry foul loudly and in large numbers. Then, after the crowds had dispersed, we trudged home to the mildew that waited to be scrubbed from our bathroom tiles.”

THE COMPLETE WENDEL

The book opens in the fall of 1943, as a secret military lab housed at the Philadelphia Naval Yard sweats to combat a Nazi technical triumph. This “Kamakaze Group” includes such luminaries as Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov and L. Ron Hubbard, and is tasked to co-opt the most fantastic technology to win this incredible race.

“As much as it’s a great WWII adventure that develops into the mysteries of Tesla and the Philadelphia Experiment, it’s also an account of the genre of science fiction from its humble beginnings in the pulps, and how one man, L. Ron Hubbard, began to see there was something more powerful in that movement to create a future that he could exploit,” Malmont says. “The book was incredibly fun to write because the era is so rich in adventure and the states were so high for every man, woman and child.”

THE LIVES OF SACCO AND VANZETTI

Howard Cruse Universe (288 pp.) $24.95 | April 9780789322166

During much of the 1980s, Howard Cruse’s comic strip Wendel had a regular home in the biweekly gay newsmagazine The Advocate. Now compiled in its entirety in The Complete Wendel, Cruse’s feature was an episodic chronicle of life as experienced by young Wendel Trupstock, his lover Ollie and their friends, who collectively represented a particular slice of the American LGBT demographic during a particularly stressful period in recent history, when the afterglow of gay liberation collided with the AIDS epidemic and the ascendancy of Moral Majority–fueled homophobia.

Simultaneously a mirror of the days’ new events and a comedic portrayal of everyday queer life, drawing Wendel required, to put it mildly, what the cartoonist calls an “elasticity of tone,” balancing lightheartedness with pain, erotic mischief with mundane follies.

Rick Geary NBM (80 pp.) $15.99 | June 9781561636051

THE ASTOUNDING, THE AMAZING, AND THE UNKNOWN

Paul Malmont Simon and Schuster (432 pp.) $30.00 | July 9781439168936 Sometimes it’s worth looking at the great science fiction creators from a different angle. While Paul Malmont’s (Jack London in Paradise, 2009, etc.) new novel sticks to the medium of traditional prose, its knockout scenario packs as hard a punch as the new Doc Savage comics the author has been penning for DC Comics.

After getting into the viscera of Jack the Ripper and Lizzie Borden for his treasury of Victorian Murder, the legendary Rick Geary (The Terrible Axe-Man of New Orleans, 2010, etc.) continues his modern streak for his Treasury of 20th Century Murder series with the story of America’s most famous anarchists, Ferdinando Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti.

“The story of Sacco and Vanzetti seemed like a natural progression, since their case was a huge controversy during the early decades of the century, but is largely forgotten today,” Geary says.

“The two were Italian immigrants and ardent anarchists who were accused of a cold-blooded robbery and murder in South Braintree, Mass., in 1920. They |

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were convicted and, seven years later, put to death. But their trial, colored by the ‘Red Scare’ hysteria of the day, was thought by many to be a miscarriage of justice. My book examines all of the evidence and puts it in the context of the era.” Chalk one more up for the history books, and another great contribution to the country’s wealth of graphic lit.

THE CANTERBURY TALES

Seymour Chwast Bloomsbury (144 pp.) $20.00 | August 9781608194872 Award-winning illustrator, graphic designer and even type designer Seymour Chwast (Dante’s Divine Comedy: A Graphic Adaptation, 2010, etc.) has influenced generations of artists with his left-handed style, earning praise both for his commercial design at the NYC-based Pushpin Group and for his unique excursions into children’s literature. Next, readers will get to see Chwast apply his pen-and-ink mastery to the bawdy satire of one Geoffrey Chaucer, covering the pilgrims’ progress from “The Knight’s Tale,” all the way to “The Parson’s Tale,” and ending with Chaucer’s famously unfathomable retraction.

“I loved doing The Canterbury Tales because the plot brought together every possible medieval type,” laughs the artist. “They proved that people haven’t changed in 400 years. They are a collection of lovers, saints and rascals in allegories and broad comedy with a special emphasis on the corruption of the church.” Of course, that doesn’t mean that readers should take Chwast’s take with any more seriousness than Chaucer intended in the first place. “I had these pilgrims travel to Canterbury Cathedral on motorcycles rather than horses for esthetic reasons,” he says. “Besides, my drawings of the former are better than those of the latter.”

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“Make no mistake about multimillion-selling novelist Khaled Hosseini’s first foray into the world of graphic literature. This version is both boldly and delicately illustrated by Italian illustrator [Fabio] Celoni.” from the kite runner

THE KITE RUNNER

Khaled Hosseini Illustrated by Fabio Celoni and Mirka Andolfo Riverhead (136 pp.) $19.00 | September 9781594485473

Make no mistake about multimillionselling novelist Khaled Hosseini’s (A Thousand Splendid Suns, 2007, etc.) first foray into the world of graphic literature. This version is both boldly and delicately illustrated by Italian illustrator Celoni, famous for his work with Walt Disney’s Italian comics, and colorist Andolfo. Although Hosseini’s beloved first novel has been adapted for film in 2007 by director Marc Forster and for the stage by playwright Matthew Spangler, the author feels that his tale of Amir and Hassan, two boys growing up amid violence and strife in Afghanistan, translates beautifully into the artistic wonderland of graphic art.

“First and foremost, I am a comic book fan,” Hosseini says. “I grew up reading Marvel and DC comics. When the idea was brought to me to adapt The Kite Runner into a graphic novel, I was intrigued, because I believed The Kite Runner, as an inherently dramatic and visual story, would lend itself well to a graphic novel adaptation. Indeed, having seen Fabio Celoni’s beautiful work, I can say that his pen vividly brings to life not only the mountains, the bazaars, the city of Kabul and its kite-dotted skies, but also the many struggles, conflicts and emotional highs and lows of Amir’s journey.”

DEMO VOLUME 2

Brian Wood and Becky Cloonan Vertigo (160 pp.) $17.99 | March 9781401229955

Gary Spencer Millidge Universe (320 pp.) $45.00 | July 9780789322296 Writer. Mage. Musician. Pornographer. Publisher. Anarchist.

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from independently animated

These labels and more have all been applied to legendary writer Alan Moore (League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Omnibus, 2011, etc.)

But behind the hair, the incredible work and the reputation, there remains the man. No slouch in the comics world himself, Strangehaven creator Gary Spencer Millidge edited other creators’ thoughts on Moore in Portrait of an Extraordinary Gentleman. His latest gains extraordinary insight into Moore’s work and character from the ultimate source.

“Obviously, there’s been a fair few books written on Moore, or partly on Moore, but I don’t believe any are competition for Storyteller’s depth, breadth and accuracy,” Millidge says. “Thanks to the generosity of some of Alan’s collaborators and most specifically Alan himself, the book features an absolute treasure trove of rare and unseen materials, including his earliest fanzine work, intimate family photographs, reproduction of working notes and thumbnails from Alan’s personal notebooks, the fabled Big Numbers chart, an unseen V-for-Vendetta script and much more.”

The 320-page glossy hardcover even includes a CD with 19 rare tracks from Moore’s audio projects. And of Moore’s memorable opinions about the industry? “Alan is invariably a warm, friendly, affable interviewee,” Millidge says. “Of course he has strong, idiosyncratic opinions of the comics industry and some personalities within it. I think a lot of his dry ironic wit can be misinterpreted in cold text but he certainly doesn’t hold back when he has a grievance. For what he’s given the comics industry, he’s earned the occasional rant against it.”

ALAN MOORE: STORYTELLER

There is magic to be made when comics |

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“This mind-blowing collection of the work of one of America’s most creative animators starts with the story of Plympton and Disney—a match, for those familiar with Plympton’s bizarre and innovative drawings and cartoons, that might seem to be made in hell.”

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creators Brian Wood (DMZ) and Becky Cloonan (American Virgin) collide. Their first collaboration on an episode of Wood’s series Channel Zero put them on the map, while their 12-issue miniseries Demo was nominated for two Eisner Awards. Fans were overjoyed when the duo returned to these powerful blackand-white stories of alienation, empowerment, and relationships.

Fans will hopefully see another collaboration between Wood and Cloonan on the recently finished three-arc story, “The Girl in the Ice,” in Wood’s recently cancelled Vikings series Northlanders. After that, we’ll see what happens when the creators come up for air. But some of the most powerful creators in the business are keeping their eye on their eye-catching work. “If you’re not already paying attention to the work of Becky Cloonan, you should be,” says no less than Warren Ellis (Crooked Little Vein, 2007, etc.).

VIETNAMERICA: A FAMILY’S JOURNEY

GB Tran Villard (288 pp.) $30.00 | January 9780345508720

For those who share a homeland they no longer occupy, the sense of belonging can often seem so very far away. Whether it’s the fiction of Ha Jin or Amy Tan or even bolder experiments like this ambitious, artful graphic novel, these stories often help to understand people universally as much as they help us understand A People. “I think every kid reaches an age when better understanding themselves means better understanding their parents—for better or worse,” says author Gia-Bao, or “GB,” Tran. “Vietnamerica is me getting to that point before it was too late. It’s an exploration of family legacy as I discover my future by preserving my family’s past.”

For this well-respected Brooklyn cartoonist, the medium was nearly as important as the message. “Having been entertained, educated, and enriched by comics since I was a kid, I really wanted to tell a story that respects and takes advantage of the medium’s unique narrative, structural and formal potential,” Tran says. “The fact that I was able to do so with a project preserving my family’s journey of sacrifices and triumphs is a dream come true.”

one sequence advises), the fear of constant monitoring, and the confusion that arises in the wake of the spectacular fall of a century-old, but failing doctrine. Now 32, and living in Paris with her creative partner Savoia, Sowa captures both the enthusiasm of youth and the devastation of history with her beautifully crafted and unique personal history.

SWEET TOOTH VOL. 3: ANIMAL ARMIES

INDEPENDENTLY ANIMATED: Bill Plympton: The Life and Art of the King of Indie Animation

Bill Plympton and David B. Levy Universe (264 pp.) $39.95 | March 9780789322098

This mind-blowing collection of the work of one of America’s most creative animators starts with the story of Plympton and Disney—a match, for those familiar with Plympton’s bizarre and innovative drawings and cartoons, that might seem to be made in hell. But the collection reveals that when Plympton was a boy, he actually wrote to Walt Disney Studios in Burbank and mailed off his best drawings of mice and men to the factory.

Decades later, it was inevitable, Plympton says, that the Disney Co. came to the animator in the wake of his Oscarnominated film The Tune and offered him a gig. Bill turned them down. To find out why Plympton is his own man, readers could do far worse than delve into the massive, career-spanning collection of Independently Animated. Featuring sketches, stories, anecdotes and advice to young filmmakers, the book is a mindexpanding exposure to a creator who puts the “graphic” back in graphic arts.

Jeff Lemire Vertigo / 144 pp. $14.99 | June 9781401231705

MARZI: A MEMOIR

Marzena Sowa with Sylvain Savoia Vertigo (256 pp.) $17.99 | September 9781401229597

“If someone asked me what my specialty was, a while ago, I would have said that I’m a burner of bridges. Marzi is the first bridge I haven’t destroyed,” writes Polish émigré Marzena Sowa of her rich and fascinating autobiographical graphic novel. The book captures the sea change of the fall of communism through the eyes of a little girl, Marzi, born 10 years before the end of communism in her native Poland.

“At first, it was only for me, for Sylvain, maybe one day for our children and we even joked that maybe also for our grandchildren to whom I’d read my writings one day: ‘and that is how granny Marzi tried to feed the poor carp swimming in the bathtub.’ ” Sowa says. Marzi captures the harshness of the Russian empire (“Communism doesn’t kill your appetite,” |

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Coming off the success of Essex County, one might expect Canadian creator Jeff Lemire to take on something a little less out there. Guess again. He’s already on the third volume of his post-apocalyptic parable, and this Vertigo Comics series is as unusual as ever.

Starring an antler-equipped hybrid named Gus, the story plays out in the wastelands of Nebraska. “I wanted to take tropes of the format and play with them a bit,” Lemire says. “The first year of the book was really me figuring out how to tell stories in those 22-page chunks, but as I enter the third year of Sweet Tooth, it’s now become much more about twisting those things around and really experimenting with format, and storytelling, and hopefully pushing myself and my readers into new territory each month.”

Initially planned for 20 or 30 issues, the series’ success largely depends on trade sales and the continuing inspiration of its creator. “I think the thing that makes it all possible is the constant focus on character over plot,” Lemire says. “As long as I don’t lose sight of the core concept of the book, and as long as Gus and Jepperd’s character’s continue to grow and evolve, I think I can continue to experiment and play with expectations of the book a bit.”

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Yet acts of kindness, it seems, came along more often enough that Holbrook did not despair. He reconnected with his mentally ill, absent father, whom he came to understand and forgive; he found encouragement among fellow actors in training, and particularly by an acting teacher in college. Holbrook set his sights low—he was elated when he learned of his first acting job that “they were going to pay me $15 a week”—but he quickly discovered that he excelled at his chosen work, which didn’t necessarily make the school of hard knocks any easier. Without boasting, Holbrook recounts being recognized early on as both a serious worker and a leader—during his Army years, the brass were constantly trying to make him an officer. But mostly his memoir is a matter of living out of a trunk, traveling dusty roads from town to town and enduring bad turns of fate, not least of them the blacklist of the McCarthy era.

The events in this book end in 1958—meaning, one hopes, that a sequel will appear in short order. (16 pages of black-and-white illustrations)

PUBLIC PARTS How Sharing in the Digital Age Improves the Way We Work and Live

Jarvis, Jeff Simon & Schuster (256 pp.) $26.99 | September 27, 2011 978-1-4516-3600-0

In which we learn the meaning and use of the word “publicness.”

Tech blogger Jarvis (Entrepreneurial Journalism/CUNY Graduate School of Journalism; What Would Google Do?, 2009) came to social media later in life, so he has an appealing, wide-eyed view of the online world. His writing has an intellectual, professorial tone, but with a sense of populism that makes it intriguing—plus he has enough juice to land interviews with both Mark Zuckerberg and Twitter founder Evan Williams. As such, readers may assume that a book filled with his take on the plusses and minuses of the publicness of social media would be at least somewhat vital. While the author provides interesting, often fun reading, he is not enough of a futurist to make it resonant beyond the next few months. The primary problem with writing about the Internet’s speedy effect on culture is that the material is time-sensitive to the point that much of what Jarvis explores has already been examined to death, an inherent problem with blog-centric books. That isn’t to say that the author isn’t an engaging writer—his relationship with his techno-savvy son is enjoyable in a young-dude-showing-hisold-man-the-tricks-of-the-computer-trade sort of way, and he is clever with his use of old-school philosophers and authors to support his new-school theories—but his material already feels outdated. Ultimately, the book is an enjoyable, occasionally insightful 200-page magazine article.

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GOD, NO! Signs You May Already Be an Atheist and Other Magical Tales

Jillette, Penn Simon & Schuster (256 pp.) $24.99 | August 16, 2011 978-1-4516-1036-9

Admittedly digressive, tangential collection of random thoughts and observations about life from the perspective of a

wise-cracking atheist.

Critically acclaimed magician and comedian Jillette (The Bible of Unspeakable Truths, 2010, etc.) organizes his latest into chapters that replace each of the Ten Commandments with an atheistic suggestion on how to live life. As such, the author creates his own atheist-libertarian manifesto aimed to disgust and enrage any God-loving churchgoer who dares to peruse even a few pages. Many of his stories, however, do not directly preach atheism or criticize organized religion but instead illustrate “how one goofy atheist lives his life in turn-of-the-century America.”

Jillette delivers provocative commentary on a variety of controversial topics, such as global warming, 9/11 and airline security.

These thoughts are interspersed with personal anecdotes about his outrageous adventures and escapades before and after becoming a celebrity, including sex while scuba-diving, relationships with strippers and a mishap involving a hair dryer and scorched genitals. While Jillette writes with a witty finesse that certainly adds humor to his stories, it is usually masked underneath layers of unbridled profanity and vulgarity. Favoring shock value, the author gives the impression that he would be extremely disappointed if his audience did not find him offensive.

Fans of Jillette’s outspoken sarcasm and indecency will not be disappointed.

CREDIBILITY How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It

Kouzes, James M. Posner, Barry Z. Jossey-Bass/Wiley (272 pp.) $27.95 | August 2, 2011 978-0-470-65171-1 The landmark meditation on true leadership, updated and streamlined for a troubled 21st-century world.

Few things could be as imperative right now or more elusive than effective leadership. Kouzes and Posner (The Truth About Leadership: The No-Fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need To Know, 2010, etc.) update the 1993 edition of their essential guide to maintaining control and credibility in positions of power. Their well-paced, economically crafted and always thought-provoking exercise explores all the vital components of real leadership.

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These strictly defined and carefully categorized aspects of management are then further dissected and scrutinized for ready implementation. According to the authors, yes, leaders can be cultivated and created. Select case studies from the international community drive this point home. But those looking for a simple shortcut to success should take note: This isn’t some formula for appearing more credible before the masses; it is a prescription for actually becoming more credible. This alone makes it an indispensable resource for anyone presuming to lead any group of people—be it a Cub Scout pack or a Fortune 500 company. Armed with the information contained here, toiling subordinates and wary constituents alike will instantly become better at recognizing bad leadership qualities and, as a consequence, more demanding of those of a higher caliber.

A profound exploration of credible leadership presented in a thoroughly engaging, accessible format.

RELIGION IN AMERICA A Political History Lacorne, Denis Columbia Univ. (256 pp.) $29.50 | August 2, 2011 978-0-231-15100-9

French political scientist Lacorne offers rigorous insight from a continental European perspective on the often fraught and intimate relationship between religion and politics in the United States.

The author works from the premise that while “the American Revolution and its constitutional climax” created a new political framework, it did nothing to define a national identity.

This left the field wide open for different identity narratives to emerge. The two that interest Lacorne stand in radical opposition to each other. The first, which he associates with Enlightenment philosophy and the Founding Fathers, speaks to the necessity of separating church and state so as to liberate the fledgling American nation from the burdens of history and religion. The second, which was first articulated by 19th-century Whig politicians and Romantic historians, sees American identity as “Neopuritan,” the unchanging product of “a unique combination of Protestant and republican values.” Lacorne looks at the evolution of these rival narratives by examining the writings of prominent French and American intellectuals past and present, such as Tocqueville, Lévy, Jefferson and Huntington.

What emerges is a story of an American identity that is essentially Protestant and Christian but also riven to the core by contradictory and competing ideals. Over the course of more than 200 years, America has transformed God into a utilitarian entity that inheres uneasily in everything from its social fabric to capitalism to the global spread of American democracy. In so doing, the fabled “land of the free” clearly reveals itself as a complex product of world history rather than a lone, divinely sanctioned “city on a hill.”

Forceful and intelligent.

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OUT OF THE DEPTHS The Story of a Child of Buchenwald Who Returned Home At Last

Lau, Israel Meir Translator: Setbon, Jessica Translator: Schmidt, Shira Leibowitz Sterling (368 pp.) $24.95 | October 4, 2011 978-1-4027-8631-0

The Chief Rabbi of Israel recounts a harrowing journey from child prisoner in Buchenwald to champion of Holocaust survivors.

The son of successive generations of rabbis from Poland, Lau was just five years old when he and his family were separated during the Nazi roundups of Jews in of 1942. His father was sent to Treblinka, never to be heard from again; the author and his mother and oldest brother, Nephtali (who had already escaped from Auschwitz and returned) were first interned in a Polish ghetto, then sent by train in 1944 to Buchenwald. On a split-second decision by his mother during the selections, Lau was cast toward his brother in the men’s cars, as if she had understood that the women and the children were killed first.

A baffling presence to the Nazis, the child was sheltered and protected by various prisoners—may of whom Lau later tried to find. His relegation to “block number eight” seemed to have saved him, and he was checked on by his brother, who was remarkably resilient and persevering. American troops liberated Buchenwald in April 1945; Nephtali and Lau, despite battling postwar illnesses such as typhoid fever and measles, finally made their way to Israel, where an uncle welcomed them and Lau began his long, rewarding journey to becoming educated and ordained as a rabbi. Alternating his Holocaust memories with more recent events such as visits back to the camps with dignitaries and heads of state, Lau inserts poignant details, such as first learning about the fate of their mother, while administering wedding services in the 1970s, by a woman who had known her in Ravensbrück. Lau addresses frankly the postwar silence about the Holocaust and the issue of Jewish submission.

His deep knowledge of biblical scripture informs every page of this finely tuned work.

Uplifting story of peace, reconciliation and an incredible life’s journey. (Two 8-page photographic inserts)

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POWERING THE FUTURE How We Will (Eventually) Solve the Energy Crisis and Fuel the Civilization of Tomorrow

Laughlin, Robert B. Basic (304 pp.) $26.99 | October 3, 2011 978-0-465-02219-9

Nobel Prize winner Laughlin (Physics/ Stanford Univ.; The Crime of Reason: And the Closing of the Scientific Mind, 2008, etc.) invites readers on an “armchair journey” to a future devoid of petroleum, coal and natural gas, proposing alternative resources.

Beginning with a 23rd-century scenario, the author explains how several concerns, including climate change and fossil-fuel dependency, are important yet not as critical as they seem when viewed in geologic time. The earth, with its capacity for renewal and patterned routines, will continue on its course long after the energy crisis has peaked. Instead of panicking and engaging in political debates over the hot-button issues of today, it is a more useful starter for change to consider the logical ramifications of particular decisions. What could happen if society converted to synthetic fuels, biofuels, hydropumping as an energy-storing technology, fast-breeder nuclear reactors, manure power, algae farming, trash as a carbon source, solar power and deep-sea exploitation, among other ideas? Laughlin presents hypothetical cases, supplementing them with clear, personable analogies as well as explanations of quantum mechanics. The result is a work of moderately accessible science that strikes a cautionary note. For all that the future may hold in regards to innovations or improvements on current technologies, an essential, increasing greed for cheap energy and a focus on economic and governmental factors will determine which solutions take precedence. The book should not be seen as a speculative exercise, which Laughlin considers “foolish,” since “how history will play out thousands of years from now is anyone’s guess”; the value of the book rests in the author’s thought-provoking assessment and his relentless faith in the earth.

Humans may be resourceful, but the planet itself is more so.

A work of intricate research free of hype, offering serious pros and cons with a sometimes whimsical flourish.

(Events in San Francisco)

A YEAR IN THE VILLAGE OF ETERNITY The Lifestyle of Longevity in Campodimele, Italy Lawson, Tracey Bloomsbury (416 pp.) $30.00 | August 16, 2011 978-1-59691-502-2

A small Italian village’s secret to the Fountain of Youth.

Deep in the heart of the Aurunci range on the shores of 1326

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central Italy lies a village where the average life expectancy for both men and women is 95, earning it the sobriquet Il Paese dell’Eterna Giovinezza (The Village of Eternal Youth). This fact caught the attention of British journalist Lawson, who traveled to Campodimele to investigate the phenomenon. “I came to Campodimele hoping I might learn how to live longer, but discovered something much more important—how to live well,” she writes. The author’s lighthearted mix of recipes and anecdotes are written with delicate prose that pays homage to the area’s lifestyle and emphasizes the value of subtleties attributed to the residents’ longevity. Lawson divides the sections by month, focusing on what the seasonal harvest brings—snails, wild boar, asparagus and more. Lawson observes that Italians don’t “need an official call to celebrate. A new crop is a chance to invite your neighbors for lunch and enjoy the first fava beans of the year; a sunny day is an excuse for a walk in the mountains and meat grilled over an open wood fire; the start of the hunting season is the moment to gather friends for dinner to share your first kill of the year.” It’s an ideology she soon embraced. The author’s account of a year in Campodimele doesn’t burden readers with scientific information involving genetics, environment and diet. Rather, it captures the essence of everyday life.

Delightfully transports readers into the kitchens and the spirits of the villagers’ longstanding customs.

MYRNA LOY The Only Good Girl in Hollywood

Leider, Emily W. Univ. of California (384 pp.) $34.95 | October 1, 2011 978-0-520-25320-9

The author makes her case that Myrna Loy (1905–1993) could inspire a fascinating biography, but she doesn’t really deliver one.

Though Loy was once one of Hollywood’s leading female stars, Leider (Dark Lover: The Life and Death of Rudolph Valentino, 2003, etc.) maintains that she was underappreciated, partly because of the subtlety of her craft. She was too much the complementary role player—most memorably as Nora to William Powell’s Nick Charles in The Thin Man and sequels—rarely the spotlight diva whose dark passions might pique the curiosity of the public. In this comprehensive and cliché-ridden biography, the author shows that irony, complexity and contradiction provided tension between Loy’s public image(s) and her private life.

Initially known for the exotic features that inspired the Asian screen surname that the former Myrna Williams adopted, she was in fact an all-American, freckle-faced ranch girl from Montana. Later dubbed “the Perfect Wife” for the roles for which she was typecast, she had four broken marriages to men who were unfaithful to her and/or unsuitable for her. She was even the target of some McCarthy-era red-baiting, though the lifelong liberal Democrat was an outspoken anti-communist. Other than Loy’s autobiography, written toward the end of her long life, this

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is the first biography of the actress, and it draws heavily from Loy’s book. Leider offers a summary of every career step and (it seems) every one of the “staggering 124 films” she made. Yet either there wasn’t much psychological depth to Loy, or Leider was unable or unwilling to probe it. For all of the encyclopedic detail devoted to the life, the book mainly illuminates the art of “an enormously subtle actress, whose minimalism belied her mysterious powerhouse capabilities.” Such subtlety accounts for the fact that even when the Oscars paid considerable attention to her hits such as The Thin Man and The Best Years of Our Lives, they didn’t even bestow nominations on Loy. Only for fans of a golden era of Hollywood stardom, as long as they’re not looking for much gossip or personal revelation. (49 black-and-white images. Agent: Jin Auh)

THE TIGRESS OF FORLÌ The Life of Renaissance Italy’s Most Courageous and Notorious Countess, Caterina Riario Sforza de Medici

Lev, Elizabeth Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (320 pp.) $27.00 | October 20, 2011 978-0-15-101299-2

An engrossing biography of one of Renaissance Italy’s most accomplished powerbrokers.

Few people were better able to navigate the sea of shifting alliances and internecine squabbles that characterized 15th-century Italy than Caterina Sforza (1463–1509). All the more remarkable is that she was able to do it in an era when all of her rivals were men. Widowed by three husbands—two of them assassinated before her eyes—Sforza ruled over the province of Forlì as regent for her young son Ottaviano, and was reviled, admired and feared in equal measure by popes, foreign powers and her own subjects alike. Lev (Art History/Duquesne Univ.) deftly explores the psychological strains endured by the Countess, from her first marriage to a diffident and cowardly nephew of Pope Sixtus IV, to the murder of her beloved second husband and the merciless vengeance she took upon the conspirators, to her heroic and singlehanded defense of her city from the Venetians and her ultimate imprisonment in the dungeons of Cesare Borgia. The author writes with a light touch and an eye for the pageantry and drama of the time—her subject was known as one of the best-dressed women in Italy—while colorfully recounting weighty affairs of state. In one memorable scene, Sforza gains the upper hand negotiating a military alliance with a young Machiavelli: “While Machiavelli had thought the seduction of Catarina was complete, she made it clear that the courtship was only beginning. Stung by his misreading of the situation, he showed his shock and hurt through both his words and gestures, betraying his inexperience.

Only later would Machiavelli learn to conceal his true thoughts behind a mask of wit and irony.”

An inspiring tale of the courage and fortitude of an enigmatic and indomitable woman. |

MEET ME AT MIKE’S 26 Crafty Projects and Things to Make

Lincolne, Pip Hardie Grant Books (144 pp.) paper $24.95 | August 1, 2011 978-1-74066-630-5 The owner of a popular Australian craft store lends her creative talents to a one-of-a-kind craft book full of variety for novice do-it-yourselfers.

Twenty-six projects—from the whimsical “Yoga pants for happy babies” to the practical “Super-cute tote” to the tasty “Pink lamingtons”—comprise this approachable, cheerful guide. With thoughtfully detailed instructions, Lincolne banishes monotony through her cheerful writing and diverse collection of inspired and unusual crafting projects. Geared to newbies, suitability levels playfully vary from “beginner” to “careful, patient beginner” to “confident beginner” with doable project times that run from 30 minutes to several hours. A front folder holds easy-to-copy patterns and step-by-step guides to the basics of knitting, crocheting and stitching. Artfully crafted illustrations lend a vintage feel and provide creative inspiration for scrapbooking ideas, which should be added as crafty project number 27. If a particular project captures one’s imagination, a helpful index is provided at the end of the book listing similar suggestions and further reading.

From skirts to brooches, stuffed toys to vintage clutches, there’s a craft here for every disposition.

First-time crafters will find a trove of quirky and fun homespun projects that create unique keepsakes.

DEATH AND OIL A True Story of the Piper Alpha Disaster on the North Sea Matsen, Brad Pantheon (224 pp.) $25.95 | October 18, 2011 978-0-307-37881-1

A detailed, up-close account of a 1988 oil-rig explosion in the North Sea off the coast pf Scotland coast that killed more than 150 men.

Matsen (Jacques Cousteau: The Sea King, 2009, etc.) began researching the Piper Alpha oil rig, operated by Occidental Petroleum Corporation, during 2008, two years before the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Naturally, last year’s tragedy makes the author’s research especially relevant. Matsen’s thorough reporting is fueled by outrage, as he makes the case that our addiction to oil as an energy source almost guarantees further fatalities because exploration, capture, refining and transportation are inherently dangerous. The narrative opens with the depression of Piper Alpha survivor Bill Barron, who reappears throughout the text. Dozens of other crew members appear as well, creating a challenge for Matsen to keep the narrative under control. At appropriate junctures, the author breaks away from

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the occurrences on the massive oil rig to explore what North Sea drilling did to life in Scotland, with the heaviest impact on the coastal city of Aberdeen. After chronicling the horrific multistage explosions that consumed so many lives, the author on those manning nearby seaworthy vessels who tried to rescue the Piper Alpha crew. The aftermath of the disaster, including capping the drilling apparatus and extinguishing the fires, receives minute attention as well. The investigation by UK authorities did little to satisfy public outcry, and certainly did little to enhance oil-rig safety around the globe. There are plenty of villains in the narrative, though Matsen concentrates on Armand Hammer, who came to the oil industry during advanced middle age, aggressively built Occidental Petroleum from a tiny California-based company to a worldwide behemoth during the 1960s and ’70s and staked so much capital on the North Sea drilling that safety concerns did not receive adequate attention.

A searing indictment of human greed mixed with memorable sagas of death and survival. (8 pages of black-and-white illustrations. Agent: Richard Abate)

JOHN HUSTON Courage and Art

Meyers, Jeffrey Crown Archetype (496 pp.) $30.00 | September 27, 2011 978-0-307-59067-1 A richly flavorful biography of John Huston, great director and bona fide man’s man.

Highly prolific biography Meyers (Orwell: Life and Art, 2010, etc.) presents a comprehensive life of Huston, a filmmaker of unusual range and power and a protean figure in real life, a renaissance man whose passions ran toward beautiful women, hunting, art and literature, gambling and general derring-do. The son of celebrated actor Walter Huston, John pursued painting and writing in his youth, accumulating a Hemingway-esque aura living rough in Mexico and London before embarking on his wildly successful Hollywood career. Huston was in fact a close friend of Hemingway’s, and Meyers goes to some length explicating the similarities of the men; both were passionate individualists, obsessed with macho notions of masculinity.

The author is at least as interested in Huston’s persona—grandiloquent, casually cruel or generous, prone to boredom and constitutionally unable to practice monogamy—as he is in the man’s work. This pays dividends in descriptions of his friendly, competitive relationships with tough guys like Humphrey Bogart and Robert Mitchum, and in Meyer’s accounts of the appalling bullying suffered by meeker collaborators such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Ray Bradbury. However, the copious cataloging of his many complicated love affairs and marriages becomes tediously repetitive and ultimately depressing. Meyers is informative and insightful about Huston’s film triumphs (including The Maltese Falcon and The African Queen) and flops (Annie), providing fresh anecdotes about their production and 1328

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astute analysis of Huston’s laissez-faire directorial style (he believed in honoring the text and leaving the actors alone), making a strong case for Huston as one of cinema’s most accomplished and significant creators.

The author is perhaps a bit overly enamored with his magnificent monster of a subject (and indulges a weakness for strained puns and clumsy humor), but this biography is a serious, intelligent, highly readable reckoning with Huston’s outsize legacy. (8-page insert. Agent: Ellen Levine)

BELIEVING IS SEEING Observations on the Mysteries of Photography

Morris, Errol Penguin Press (320 pp.) $40.00 | September 5, 2011 978-1-59420-301-5

Master documentarian Morris serves up an erudite, sometimes recondite examination of the power of photographs to conceal as much as they reveal.

The author, known for films such as The Thin Blue Line and The Fog of War, is a truth-teller, skilled at using filmic and photographic evidence to reveal truth and innocence. Here he interrogates the truth—or not—of images iconic and scarcely known, beginning with a long and sometimes dauntingly technical disquisition on a brace of photographs taken in the Crimean War following the vaunted Charge of the Light Brigade. In one image, cannonballs lie neatly arranged along the side of the road along which the attack occurred; in another, the cannonballs are strewn about as if they had fallen there. Did the British photographer move the cannonballs to heighten the drama of the image, or did British engineers clean up the road so that equipment could pass? In other words, which image came first? Doggedly, Morris traveled to Crimea to find the site and puzzle over the position of the sun to answer those questions. The crossexamination is leisurely, methodical, sometimes even plodding, but there’s a purpose to the slow establishment of forensic fact, since Morris then moves on to more recent—and certainly controversial—photographs taken at Iraq’s notorious Abu Ghraib prison. Readers will remember the smiling thumbs-up over corpses, the damaged fellow standing wired as if ready to be crucified. So does Morris, who insists, “The photographs are the start of a trail of evidence, but not the end…We shouldn’t allow what happened at Abu Ghraib to disappear except for a smile.” Along the way, the author gets in a few digs at theoreticians of photography, taking genteel issue with the arid Susan Sontag/Roland Barthes school of interpretation. But mostly he sticks to what he sees before him, and not on what others have seen and said.

Students of photography—and fans of CSI—will find this a provocative, memorable book.

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THE SECRET LIFE OF PRONOUNS What Our Words Say About Us

LIFEBLOOD How to Change the World One Mosquito at a Time

Perry, Alex PublicAffairs (256 pp.) $25.99 | September 6, 2011 978-1-61039-086-6

Pennebaker, James W. Bloomsbury (368 pp.) $28.00 | August 16, 2011 978-1-60819-480-3 A comprehensive investigation of how our words—what we say and how we say it—reveal important insights about our behavior, emotions and personalities.

Pennebaker (Psychology/Univ. of Texas; Writing to Heal, 2004, etc.) is well-known in psychotherapy circles for his work in the way language and mental health correspond. Here, the author continues exploring this connection between emotion, behavior, perception, cognition and language with a specific focus on what he calls “stealth words,” or the small function words in our lexicon, like prepositions and pronouns, that are seemingly invisible in day-to-day speech. Pennebaker’s own research and analysis of other linguistic and psychological studies is exhaustive and includes an immense amount of computational data via analytical programs like Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (or LIWC) and methods like LSM or language style matching detection. However, the author balances his data analysis with interesting and entertaining anecdotes, examples, narratives and dialogue, and his research sampling is vast: tweets by Paris Hilton and Oprah Winfrey, online dating profiles, King Lear, love letters between Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning vs. the language of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes, samples of instant messaging, scenes from The Godfather, presidential press conferences and more.

The author successfully demonstrates that seemingly innocuous function words—I, me, you, he, can, for, it, of, this—play a crucial role in understanding identity, detecting emotions and realizing intention; they also provide important clues about social and cultural cohesion. In addition to these varied language samples, Pennebaker investigates a wide range of situations and topics including trauma from war or abuse, social and gender inequity and relationships of power, as well as daily self-perception or self-deception. Some assertions that seem like hasty generalizations—i.e., that couples who use parallel function words are more likely to have a happy marriage—are supported with such a preponderance of evidence that they become convincing and compelling.

Essential reading for psychotherapists and readers interested in the connection between language and human behavior, emotion and perception.

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The near-success story of one man’s fight to control malaria in Africa, related

by Time Africa bureau chief Perry (Falling Off the Edge: Travels Through the Dark Heart of Globalization, 2008).

That man is Ray Chambers, a self-made millionaire for whom money was distinctly not everything, but who discovered that helping the poor, especially children dying of malaria in Africa, would be the most satisfying thing he could do. Thus was born the idea of distributing insecticide-treated bed nets in sub-Saharan Africa. Though it wasn’t a new idea, Chambers adopted the business model that had worked for him on Wall Street, leveraging funding from multiple sources and specifying targets and timelines. A major key was Chambers’ ability to sweet-talk transnational corporations into becoming funders, noting that it was in their own self-interest to support bed nets, thus reducing absenteeism and improving workers’ health and morale. Starting in 2009, Chambers’ target was 300 million nets, reaching 600 million people by the end of 2010. He came close, but the target grew; however, he succeeded in getting the goods, just not in time. The Chambers story must be told, Perry writes, especially in light of the gloom-and-doom saying of so many NGOs and government agencies who were often critical—and whom the author takes to task for inertia, if not downright lying in their fundraising efforts). Perry bookends the text with before and after visits to Apac, Uganda, a hopeless malarial hell before the Chambers campaign. The author cites impressive data on disease reduction, clinic-building, etc., but there are still questions: How do you sustain disease control, teach proper net use and replace nets when they wear out. What happens when insecticide resistance develops?

How do you coordinate control programs with vaccine and drug development in a continent beset by corruption, scandal, poverty, tribal war and massive refugee movements?

In that light, Chambers’ story is the most upbeat to date—almost emblematic of the old adage, “where there’s a will there’s a way.”

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NEWSPAPERMAN Inside the News Business at The Wall Street Journal

Phillips, Warren H. McGraw-Hill $30.00 | September 16, 2011 978-0-07-177690-5 e-book 978-0-07-177691-2

A memoir from a man who helped transform the Wall Street Journal from a local newspaper to a global operation.

When executive editor Bill Kerby and managing editor Buren McCormack hired the 21-year-old Phillips (China Behind the Mask, 1973, etc.) as a $40-per-week proofreader in 1947, daily circulation stood at 100,000. By 1991, when the author retired after serving as the publisher and CEO of Dow Jones & Co., the paper was the largest daily in the country with a circulation of around 2 million. Phillips provides insight into how one of the nation’s most prominent newspapers evolved. The author was personally involved with much of the growth, after his transfer to London and then Germany to build the paper’s operations in Europe, and he was integral to the development of the Wall Street Journal Asia and the paper’s partnership with Japan’s Nikkei index. Under his leadership in the ’70s and ’80s, the paper became a technological leader through its deployment of satellite communications and its embrace of digitization. Throughout then book, Phillips looks at his part in shaping the Journal’s news and editorial coverage, and these sections provide insight into his highly successful methods. The author includes many anecdotes culled from his diaries, some very funny, which illustrate the variegated aspects of his life and the people who shared in it. In a short epilogue, Phillips discusses Rupert Murdoch’s takeover of the Journal and its incorporation into News Corp.

A well-rounded autobiography about the journalism industry and the people who shaped the news over the past 50 years. (Agent: Michele Rubin)

DEVIL SENT THE RAIN Music and Writing in Desperate America

Piazza, Tom Perennial/HarperCollins (304 pp.) paper $14.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-06-200822-0 Diverse work about roots and catastrophe by the gifted essayist and novelist.

This collection of short pieces by Piazza (City of Refuge, 2008, etc.) doesn’t entirely hang together, but still mirrors the versatile author’s many great strengths. The first of the three sections contains his writing about music, much of it drawn from his tenure as Southern Music columnist for the Oxford American. It is highlighted by his unforgettable, wildly colorful profile of the idiosyncratic bluegrass musician Jimmy Martin, published in book 1330

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form as True Adventures with the King of Bluegrass (1999). Piazza also provides thoughtful considerations of prewar bluesman Charley Patton (one of whose songs supplies the tome’s title), country pioneer Jimmie Rodgers and pathfinding New Orleans jazzman Jelly Roll Morton; some smart (mostly commissioned) pieces about Bob Dylan; the Grammy-winning notes for a boxed set overview of the blues; and sensitive profiles of rockabilly great Carl Perkins and gospel singer Rev. Willie Morganfield, cousin of bluesman Muddy Waters. The second section is less focused and hence less satisfying. Piazza is a longtime New Orleans resident, and several of the pieces focus on his reactions to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, which he dealt with at full length in both the novel City of Refuge and the nonfiction work Why New Orleans Matters (2005). Coruscating with outrage, these entries—which include an edited online chat from the Washington Post and an exchange of private letters—read like adjuncts to those books; the best of them weighs the disaster through the unlikely prism of several old Charlie Chan films.

Also included are homages to Norman Mailer, Piazza’s friend and literary model, which sit uneasily next to the other chapters.

A brief third section wraps the book with a meditation on the moral core (or lack thereof) of Gustave Flaubert’s fiction and a lovely report about shopping for 78s at a New Orleans flea market after the deluge.

A grab bag, but a devil of a good one for the most part.

(Author events in New Orleans and New York. Agent: Amy Williams)

BOOMERANG KIDS A Revealing Look at Why So Many Children Are Failing on Their Own, and How Parents Can Help Pickhardt, Carl Sourcebooks (336 pp.) paper $14.99 | August 1, 2011 978-1-4022-4858-0

Parenting expert and therapist Pickhardt (Why Good Kids Act Cruel: The Hidden Truth About the Pre-Teen Years, 2010, etc.) tackles the issue of recently graduated students failing in the “real world” and provides suggestions on how concerned parents can help.

The author, who writes the parenting blog “Surviving (Your Child’s) Adolescence” for Psychology Today, begins by defining the concept of adolescence in all its stages before investigating the concept of delayed maturity (what he terms “trial independence”) and what that means for your child. Pickhardt offers a practical guide for understanding and supporting early adults as individuals while still respecting their nascent freedom.

Children who fail on their own often find themselves returning to their original state—back under their parents’ roof. The author candidly discusses how parenting styles must evolve to create sustainable relationships as children first enter adulthood. Each chapter provides fictitious examples of a challenge a late-stage adolescent will face while entering into a living and working situation that is entirely self-supported. The strength

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WHO’S AFRAID OF FRANCES FOX PIVEN? The Essential Writings of the Professor Glenn Beck Loves to Hate

of the book is its thoroughness—the author draws from his experiences counseling parents and children alike in order to provide realistic solutions to problems both will face during this transitional period.

A must-read for any parent frustrated or heartbroken over their child’s difficulties striking out on their own.

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF FORBES The Inside Story of the Collapse of a Media Empire Pinkerton, Stewart St. Martin’s (320 pp.) $25.99 | October 1, 2011 978-0-312-65859-5

A Forbes magazine insider explores the decline of the Forbes media brand and the family’s wealth.

Pinkerton, former Wall Street Journal deputy managing editor and Forbes managing editor, arrived at the shortly after the death in 1990 of celebrity publisher/bon vivant Malcolm Forbes, son of the founder, B.C. Forbes. After an early chapter that focuses on the apparent bisexuality of Malcolm, the author spends the remainder of the combination memoir/family biography/commentary about journalism examining the rise and fall of the Forbes brand. Structured oddly, the narrative is often difficult to follow. Because Pinkerton relies so heavily on anonymous sourcing to supplement his firsthand observations as an editor, the strongest portion of the book is the Forbes family history, based heavily in Scotland. Bertie Forbes, the patriarch, set sail for America in 1903, an unlikely prospect for magazine ownership and accumulation of great family wealth. But, in a variation of rags-to-riches sagas, he achieved success and passed it along to his children. The family saga told by Pinkerton gains momentum as he explains the succession after Malcolm’s death, during which Steve, the eldest of the four sons, emerged as the seeming favorite. The author’s chronicle of the disagreements among the four sons makes for alternately tedious and interesting reading. None of them possessed a crystal ball, so the Forbes media properties, like so many others, began to suffer because of the Internet’s influence on print publications. The empire has not quite collapsed, as the book’s subtitle suggests, but it has been forever altered.

A sometimes insightful book that is too poorly organized and breezily written to live up to its potential. (8-page black-and-white insert)

Piven, Frances Fox New Press (304 pp.) paper $17.95 | October 1, 2011 978-1-59558-719-0

A selection of scholarly and polemical writing by the co-author of Poor People’s Movements (1977), occasioned by her elevation to Queen of Darkness by Glenn Beck and other hard-line conservatives.

Perhaps most alarming is the epilogue, a reprint of an editorial from early 2011 that quotes some of the murderous e-mail (and some even more threatening posts on Beck’s website) addressed to Piven (Political Science and Sociology/CUNY; Challenging Authority: How Ordinary People Change America, 2006, etc.), messages occasioned by Beck’s demonization of her on his defunct TV show. In reply, Piven offers a chronological series of essays and excerpts that outline her principal positions since 1963.

(There is also an afterword, an amiable interview with Cornel West about Piven’s life and beliefs.) It’s safe to say—given the academic tenor and diction of these selections—that many (most?) of Piven’s enemies have not read her. Her long professional and personal mission has been to study and advance the rights and the political power of the poor and otherwise disenfranchised.

The research she and her husband conducted established some fundamental principles that appear throughout: The poor have what she calls “disruptive” power, the power to reverse, though usually only temporarily, the normal hierarchy of social relations.

The status quo has a numbing effect on the lower levels of society, often inhibiting organization and action. Most newly registered voters (as many as 80 percent) do not vote; the domination of one party in an area suppresses voter turnout. At times, Piven is very prescient: In a 1983 piece, she predicted the very process that brought about the destruction of ACORN in recent months.

She also maintains a cool, realistic eye, writing, for example, that Barack Obama “is not a visionary or even a movement leader.”

Scholarly, committed and tendentious—but hardly insurrectional or satanic.

WHAT I WORE Four Seasons, One Closet, Endless Recipes for Personal Style

Quirk, Jessica Ballantine (144 pp.) paper $18.00 | August 9, 2011 978-0-345-52610-6

A guide to the complete wardrobe for any season and occasion.

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in whipping up a complete wardrobe in cookbook format.

Starting with a checklist for the essential ingredients in every woman’s closet, the author sprinkles tips and techniques for integrating the latest trends with basic pieces—a useful tool for anyone who has ever been overwhelmed by racks of garments and endless choices. Seasonal choices for spring call for a classic trench coat, a dark turtleneck and dark jeans or trousers, among other essentials, which can be paired and garnished in a variety of ways for myriad outfits. Quirk, who also serves as the book’s illustrator, incorporates her step-by-step guide to building the perfect outfit with drawings and photographs that bring her design concepts to life. Organized by season and broken down by week, these ideas will spice up any closet. Her language is concise, much like the instruction she offers. While trying on every outfit in your arsenal before packing a suitcase or cleaning out your closet might not be realistic to those with a hectic schedule, Quirk’s passion for apparel is apparent. She’s created a go-to fashion manual that won’t expire with the latest trends.

A great read for those in need of a crash course in style.

LENNON The Man, the Myth, the Music—The Definitive Life

Riley, Tim Hyperion (784 pp.) $35.00 | September 20, 2011 978-1-4013-2452-0

After hundreds of books on the former Beatle, is there anything left to say?

Surprisingly, yes, and music journalist Riley (Fever: How Rock ’n’ Roll Transformed Gender in America, 2004, etc.) delivers intriguing news and commentary in this incisive biography.

The news comes mostly in the form of fresh insights, some closely argued, some merely observed in passing. On the latter score, the author briefly considers Lennon’s role in what might be thought of as a virtual British Empire. The Windsors may have lost the real one, but thanks to the Beatles and kindred acts, Britain “lay claim to a new cultural empire, with significance far beyond its borders.” Despite recent boneheaded claims that Lennon was a closet Reaganite, Riley shows that Lennon was no deliberate imperialist—Paul McCartney, maybe, who has had to live under the long heroic shadow cast on Lennon after his murder, and who now has to “endorse his sainthood, lest he be disrespectful of the dead.” The author finds true significance in the partnership of Lennon and McCartney, which, for all their protestations, was a true two-way street. Moreover, he is quick to observe the little accidents out of which history is made—for instance, the Mellotron keyboard, the toy-loving Lennon’s “latest gadget,” too big to fit inside his apartment, on which McCartney casually tinkled notes that would shape one of Lennon’s best-known songs, “Strawberry Fields Forever.”

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or work with. He is also attentive to others of great but sometimes unsung influence in Lennon’s life—not just Mimi and Julia, but also George Harrison, who helped shape the Beatles’ sound more profoundly than he’s often given credit for. Lennon had what Riley characterizes as “another kind of mind,” and his book is a careful exploration of the man’s musical genius, as well as his many shortcomings in the realm of personal relations.

Essential for Lennon fans, and one of the most thorough yet accessible rock biographies to appear in recent years.

THE MAID’S DAUGHTER Living Inside and Outside the American Dream Romero, Mary New York Univ. (266 pp.) $27.95 | September 1, 2011 978-0-8147-7642-1

In this penetrating case study, Romero (Justice and Social Inquiry/Arizona State Univ.; Maid in the U.S.A., 1992, etc.) examines the life history of Olivia Salazar, a successful public relations professional who grew up in a wealthy Anglo household where her mother worked as a domestic servant.

The author followed her subject for more than 20 years, gathering data through a series of in-depth interviews that began in 1986. She organizes her analysis around actual interview segments, which she explicates with a rare combination of rigor and sensitivity. Olivia was the American-born daughter of a Mexican woman named Carmen who had originally come to the United States to find work that would allow her to support family members that lived south of the border. When Olivia was three, Carmen located a job in an exclusive Los Angeles gated community. It was here that Olivia would spend most of the next 15 years growing up as a “member” of the Smiths, wealthy family that employed Carmen. While her mother worked within the defined—and frequently exploitative—parameters of domestic servitude, Olivia occupied an uneasy interpersonal, cultural and economic middle ground. As Romero writes, “the social boundaries between ‘being like one of the family’ and ‘the maid’s daughter’ [were] blurred and in constant flux.” Olivia’s association with the Smiths gave her access to the schooling and social connections that allowed her to eventually enter the ranks of the professional middle class. At the same time, it put her at odds with a mother unable to provide complete nurture while forcing her into anguished questioning of who she was and where she ultimately belonged.

A moving work that deconstructs the American Dream at the fraught intersection of race, class and gender.

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GHOST ON THE THRONE The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire

THE CUBAN KITCHEN 500 Simple, Stylish, and Flavorful Recipes Celebrating the Caribbean’s Best Cuisine

Romm, James Knopf (368 pp.) $28.95 | October 12, 2011 978-0-307-27164-8 e-book 978-0-307-70150-3

Roque, Raquel Rabade Knopf (448 pp.) paper $19.95 | August 31, 2011 978-0-375-71196-1

Scholarly but colorful account of the toxic fallout from the untimely demise of a continent-striding conqueror.

Alexander the Great dreamed of “a single world-state stretching from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean,” but died of a mysterious fever (possibly poisoned) on the eve of his campaign against the Arabs in 323 BCE. His inner circle of trusted military men were soon dividing the empire among them; Perdiccas, the senior officer to whom Alexander had passed his signet ring, hoped that he could maintain an equilibrium by giving grizzled veterans Craterus and Antipater control of Europe, while he oversaw Asia from Babylon, sidelining his main rival Ptolemy in Egypt (to which Ptolemy deftly hijacked Alexander’s legacy-imprinting corpse). Alas, writes Romm (Classics/ Bard Coll.; Herodotus, 1998, etc.), “Alexander had…nurtured in his staff an endless appetite for command and conquest.” Allegiances changed rapidly, and the leaders’ fortunes depended largely on the erratic loyalty of Alexander’s soldiers, in particular the famed Silver Shields, who were capable of fighting a battle on one side, then abandoning their general to join the victor. To this volatile mix were added several strong-minded women: Alexander’s mother Olympias, scheming to marrying his sister Cleopatra to a general who could protect them, and his niece Adea, wife of his mentally deficient half brother Philip.

As soon as word of Alexander’s death got out, Greek city-states led by Athens revolted, war-weary troops in Bactria (northern Afghanistan) mutinied and chaos threatened everywhere. The names can be as hard to keep straight as the marital and military maneuvers, but Romm paints a vivid portrait of ancient politics, which were highly personal and extremely deadly. The murders of Olympias, Cleopatra, Philip and Adea, as well as Alexander’s Bactrian widow and their son, put an end to Macedonia’s Argead dynasty and signaled the arrival of “a multipolar world marked by rivalry, shifting alliances, and long-running smallscale conflicts—in many ways, a world like our own.”

Best appreciated by readers with some grounding in ancient history, but lively enough to engage newbies as well.

(24 illustrations)

Turn your kitchen into an authentic Cuban cocina with these flavorful tropi-

cal recipes.

“This book is meant to preserve for future generations the rich culinary tradition of a people, and to reflect the best of my two worlds: the Cuba of the 1950s, when I was a child, and our Hispanic presence in today’s America,” writes Roque in the introduction. Mission accomplished. With recipes ranging from the traditional (croquettes and empanadas) to the exotic (homemade baby food with tropical ingredients and Cuban candies), the author’s guide to all things Cuban also features family favorites and long-kept kitchen secrets. Not just a step-by-step guide, Roque’s book is full of warm, cozy kitchen lore, both personal and historical. When offering the recipe for Cuban American Hamburgers, the author writes, “We all had to speak English at the table when my mom had cooked American hamburgers.” When instructing readers in the fine art of tamale making, the author traces tamales through the ages—from their origins among the native Ciboney people to their modern incarnation as popular street food. The author begins with lists of equipment and pantry essentials and also provides a list of resources for home cooks in search of ingredients or tools. Helpful tips for a variety of kitchen quandaries, such as how to use leftovers, debone fish or store a suckling pig overnight, can be found throughout Roque’s spirited guide to Cuban cuisine and culture.

A spicy mélange of Cuban and Cuban-American cuisine.

JOINT CUSTODY WITH A JERK Raising a Child with an Uncooperative Ex

Ross, Julie A. Corcoran, Judy St. Martin’s Griffin (320 pp.) paper $15.99 August 1, 2011 978-0-312-58420-7

In a revised edition of their 1995 bestseller, parenting experts Ross (How to Hug a Porcupine, 2008, etc.) and Corcoran (The Concise Guide to Magazine Marketing, 2008, etc.) give practical, psychology-based communication strategies for successful co-parenting after divorce, including a new chapter on technology applications.

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familiar scenarios here—e.g., an ex who belittles, constantly changes schedules or doesn’t pick up kids when expected. Helpful tools are paramount for communication, such as a “problem pyramid” that defines issues and determines responsibility for peaceful resolutions. While situations can’t always be changed, individuals can change their actions by using “I”-focused positive assertions, curbing sarcasm or moderating body language.

The authors suggest imagining an ex-spouse as a business client who may be unlovable but is also a partner in the childrearing process. Despite best efforts, people can still be nasty, so a four-step communication “dance” or negotiation diffuses potentially explosive arguments. Tips for dealing with new technology include the how-tos of texting, Facebooking and e-mailing, such as the sage advice, “Your phone has an off button. You are allowed to use it in places other than at the movies” and “No matter what, don’t read your ex’s email.” The ultimate goal here is not to win emotional battles, but to raise healthy, well-adjusted children.

Great counsel for happily-ever-after a divorce.

OUR DYING PLANET An Ecologist’s View of the Crisis We Face Sale, Peter F. Univ. of California (346 pp.) $34.95 | September 1, 2011 978-0-520-26756-5

A marine biologist warns that at “our ecological bank account is in overdraft.”

Sale, the assistant director of the Institute for Water, Environment, and Health at United Nations University, (Coral Reef Fishes, 2002, etc.), believes that we are facing an impending ecological catastrophe that can only be averted if a number of steps are taken simultaneously to reduce our ecological footprint. In his opinion, many well-meaning conservationists are unduly optimistic about what is required to prevent the occurrence of a catastrophic chain of events because they rely on an outdated model developed in the early 20th century. They are unaware of evidence that the earth is far less resilient and capable of self-regulation and repair than had been previously assumed—e.g., the exponentially increasing rate at which species are becoming extinct. Sale offers a number of examples of how piecemeal solutions sometimes do not work—e.g., the expectation that environmental regulations to protect species on the brink of extinction will be sufficient to guarantee their survival. Chronic overfishing of marine systems can dramatically affect the balance of an entire marine ecology, rendering it uninhabitable for the target fish, especially under conditions of pollution and climate change. The author believes that it is possible to save the planet while maintaining a high standard of living for the entire world’s population, but only if specific measures are agreed to and implemented by all governments.

His first—and likely most controversial—is a one-child-perfamily policy implemented by a variety of incentives including 1334

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free access to contraception and abortion and tax deductions for a first child only. He also proposes an expanded use of nuclear technology while we are transitioning to alternate energy, as well as the rapid integration of solar energy in the design and retrofitting of homes and highways.

Sale provides much food for thought in this provocative look at a hotly debated subject. (12 black-and-white photographs; 8 line illustrations)

SOMEONE ELSE’S TWIN The True Stories of Babies Switched at Birth Segal, Nancy L. Prometheus Books (250 pp.) $25.00 | August 1, 2011 978-1-61614-437-1

Noted twin-study expert Segal (Psychology/California State Univ., Fullerton; Indivisible by Two, 2007, etc.) doubles the fascination with switchedat-birth twin research.

The author’s latest study took her to Spain’s Canary Islands to interview identical twins Alicia and Blanca, and Blanca’s biologically unrelated sister Carla. All three women were born in the same hospital in 1973, but hospital officials mistakenly sent Carla home as Blanca’s “identical twin.”

Alicia, the real twin, was released to a different family and raised as a single child. Over the years, things seemed odd— Carla didn’t really look or act like her twin, for one—but the switch was only revealed after a coincidental encounter in a shopping mall when the women were 28. The shocking discovery had many effects, including emotional trauma and a lawsuit that dragged on for years. Both families were thrust into the media spotlight. Segal’s study of switched-at-birth twins reveals much insight into the nature-vs.-nurture paradigm. Identical twins Alicia and Blanca had the same walk and gestures, but Alicia also had similarities to her biological mother, whom she had never met—they even wore the same lipstick. Segal, a fraternal twin, spearheaded the study of virtual twins—i.e., “same age unrelated children reared together since infancy.” The author references other cases as well, like that of Brent and George, identical twins who met for the first time while at college.

An expert glimpse into the many-faceted world of genetics, family culture and identity.

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THE BEST AMERICAN SCIENCE WRITING 2011

Editor: Skloot, Rebecca Editor: Skloot, Floyd Ecco/HarperCollins (352 pp.) paper $14.99 | September 13, 2011 978-0-06-209124-6 A diverse collection of 20 articles reprinted from the popular press that tackle a wide range of scientific issues of the day, from health and aging to computer viruses and terrorism.

The list of impressive guest editors over the years—including Oliver Sacks, James Gleick, Atul Gawande and Jerome Groopman—is joined this year by a father and daughter. Popular Science contributing editor Rebecca Skloot (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, 2010, etc.) teams with her father Floyd, a past contributor to the series (The Wink of the Zenith: The Shaping of a Writers Life, 2008, etc.). In “Mother Courage,” New Yorker staff writer John Colapinto chronicles the inspiring 20-year battle by Pat Furlong—first to get a medical diagnosis and treatment for her two sons, both stricken with Duchenne, a rare, fatal form of muscular dystrophy, and then to advocate for the funding of research to find a cure. She eventually succeeded in winning passage of the Muscular Dystrophy CARE Act in 2001. In another piece, Charles Homans looks at the disturbing phenomenon of a majority of TV weatherman—trained in meteorology but not in climate science— who have assumed the mantle of experts on climate change and dispute the truth of global warming. Mother Jones environmental correspondent Julia Whitty examines the potential ecological consequences of the 2010 Gulf oil spill, and Cynthia Gorney provides a highly personal account of the options facing women suffering severe menopausal symptoms who weigh the benefits of using an estrogen patch against the heightened risks of cancers and stroke. Other contributors include John Brenkus, Burkhard Bilger, Charles Siebert and Mark Bowden.

Literate, nontechnical popular science.

METAMAUS A Look Inside a Modern Classic, Maus Spiegelman, Art Illustrator: Spiegelman, Art Pantheon (300 pp.) $35.00 | October 4, 2011 978-0-375-42394-9

Everything you ever wanted to know about the creation, impact and afteref-

fects of Maus.

The cultural significance of the Pulitzer Prize–winning work by Spiegelman (In the Shadow of No Towers, 2004) is beyond dispute. Not only did it establish the critical respectability and mainstream market for what have come to be called “graphic novels,” but its unsentimental account of family |

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tragedy and dynamics showed a way that art could deal with death-camp genocide without descending into what the author terms “Holokitsch.” On the 25th anniversary of the publication of Maus I, this volume serves as the publishing industry’s version what the music industry markets as a box set—with extended bonus material, contextual analyses and previously unreleased cuts (some 7,500 drawings and sketches are but a small fraction of the offerings on the accompanying DVD). Included within the book are an exhaustive interview with the author by English professor Harriet Chute, shorter (but not short) interviews with his wife and their offspring on the artist and his art, plenty of illustrations from sketchbooks and inspirations, family photos, family trees, rejection letters (from major publishers), the sourcematerial transcript of the author’s discussions with his father about the latter’s experiences in Auschwitz and Dachau and the original three-page version of “Maus” from 1972 that spawned the two-volume masterpiece. For Spiegelman, the key questions to address (at length) provide chapter titles: “Why the Holocaust?”; “Why Mice?”; “Why Comics?” The answers are intermittently fascinating and often provocative, though only an obsessive or an academic is likely to need a two-page response to the question: “You kept lots of pictures of mice and other animals around while you were working. Which ones were especially significant?” Yet the accompanying DVD will satisfy the insatiable appetite, with “a digital reference copy of The Complete Maus” (with audio and visual links) plus “MetaMeta” supplements that make the printed volume seem like an appetizer.

The power of Maus doesn’t require such exhaustive explanation and annotation, but those with a taste for it will find their appreciation enhanced.

YOU ARE AN IRONMAN How Six Weekend Warriors Chased Their Dream of Finishing the World’s Toughest Triathlon

Steinberg, Jacques Viking (288 pp.) $27.95 | September 19, 2011 978-0-670-02302-8

New York Times reporter Steinberg (The Gatekeepers: Inside the Admissions Process of a Premier College, 2002) tells the stories of six ordinary people’s attempts to complete an Ironman triathlon.

For most people, the idea of the triathlon—a 2.4-mile open-water swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride and a 26-mile run—probably seems insane. For others, doing all three of those things within a 17-hour span is a challenge to be met. In his second book, which takes its title from the finish-line greeting given to those who succeed, Steinberg attempts to show the day-to-day struggles of several individuals trying to achieve this goal by completing the Ironman Arizona 2009 race. In addition to the strenuous requirements of the race, several of the subjects faced additional challenges, including high blood pressure, recovery from cancer and, most incredibly, a double lung

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transplant due to cystic fibrosis. The altruism of the participants is of particular note. Many are conflicted about the selfish nature of their pursuit and the time their rigorous training takes them away from their families, but nearly all are raising money or awareness for a worthy cause. The narrative, written in a breezy journalistic style, jumps from character to character as they navigate the ups and downs of their training, competing in shorter races and juggling their other responsibilities.

Steinberg lightens his authorial load by liberally quoting from the athletes’ blog postings. Though the goal for which they are striving, described by one race official as a “poor man’s Everest,” may be remarkable, the majority of their experiences on the way to the finish line are more mundane, and none of their personalities come through strongly enough to provide readers more than a casual rooting interest.

The author does not provide deeper insight into the nature of human endurance, but anyone dreaming of completing a triathlon or just seeking to get off the couch and into better shape will find inspiration here. (Agent: Kris Dahl)

CAN INTERVENTION WORK?

Stewart, Rory Knaus, Gerald Norton (272 pp.) $23.95 | August 15, 2011 978-0-393-08120-6

A sober assessment of what “intervention” can and cannot accomplish.

British Parliament member Stewart (The Places In Between, 2006, etc.) and Knaus, the founding chairman of the European Stability Initiative, are not opposed to intervention per se, but they argue that many of its premises, and certainly the implementation, are faulty. Stewart takes up failures in execution of intervention especially in Afghanistan, and Knaus shows that the Bosnian precedent, often considered a model for success, was anything but. In Afghanistan, there is a mismatch between means and ends—the spending of $14 billion per year just on training the military and police cannot be sustained by a government with a budget of just $1 billion per year. Knaus deconstructs a succession of untruths or exaggerations about the Balkans War, where the so-called Brcko model was based on giving plenipotentiary or almost vice-regal powers to an administrator. After becoming generalized there, the program was transferred to Iraq, along with personnel, under the Coalition Provisional Authority. Knaus shows that the successes attributed to the model are largely mythical and that what was accomplished by the CPA was based largely on models other than those implemented in Bosnia.

Stewart and Knaus stress that lip service to rhetorical or administrative formulas and standards and exaggeration of threat and achievement are no substitutes for truthfulness.

Two experienced authors effectively identify what those who decide to make such interventions require for success, that what is required often does not exist and that brute force is not a viable alternative.

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FENWAY 1912 The Birth of a Ballpark, a Championship Season, and Fenway’s Remarkable First Year

Stout, Glenn Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (416 pp.) $28.00 | October 13, 2011 978-0-547-19562-9

A comprehensive look at the first season played by the Boston Red Sox in their new home, the legendary Fenway Park.

To many fans, Fenway is the Mecca of baseball, a symbol of everything the game represents and aspires to be. But in 1912, it was just one of four new baseball stadiums utilizing newly developed concrete-and-steel construction methods—evidence, writes Best American Sports Writing series editor Stout (Young Woman and the Sea: How Trudy Ederle Conquered the English Channel and Inspired the World, 2009, etc.) “of just how deeply the game of baseball had become ingrained into the fabric of American life.” The Sox’ 1912 season was a remarkable one, and the author takes the reader inside the locker room, management offices and the field. The team featured such luminaries as Hall-of-Famer Tris Speaker, pitching ace “Smoky” Joe Wood, player/manager Jake Stahl and a supporting cast of characters including Duffy Lewis, “Hick” Cady, “Heinie” Wagner, Buck O’Brien and the Sox’ famous booster club the Royal Rooters. But the book’s most important character is Fenway itself, and Stout spares no detail of its design, construction and effect on the game. The author’s meticulous approach makes the book a valuable addition to baseball history, but the level of detail occasionally bogs down the narrative. Things pick up during the recounting of the World Series, an eight-game marathon (including one tie) ending with the Sox’ triumph over the vaunted New York Giants. The author does an excellent job of portraying the differences in the game between that era—when “the owners were the kings and the players lowly serfs”—and today. Throughout, Fenway Park, “a ballpark for the heart and soul,” shines as a beacon for America’s game.

Baseball diehards and historians, and of course Red Sox fans, will find much of interest in this paean to one of sport’s most famous venues. (Author appearances in New England. Agents: John Taylor Williams and Hope Denekamp)

PART WILD One Woman’s Extraordinary Love for a Creature Caught Between the Worlds of Wolves and Dogs

Terrill, Ceiridwin Scribner (288 pp.) $25.00 | October 11, 2011 978-1-4516-3481-5

wolf-dog hybrid.

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A lifetime dog-lover experiences the pleasures and pitfalls of domesticating a

In order to claim her from a breeder, Terrill (Science Writing and Environmental Journalism/Concordia Univ.; Unnatural Landscapes: Tracking Invasive Species, 2007) frantically drove through the night to claim her newly born female “wolfdog” from a local breeder. “Inyo” became a welcomed distraction after narrowly escaping an abusive relationship. The breeder was quick to educate Terrill on owner-specific etiquette and common misperceptions of wolfdog ownership. However, as the author details in her richly descriptive narrative, upon moving to Reno, Nev., with financially challenged new husband Ryan, she learned these lessons personally after much time spent grappling with precocious Inyo’s unwieldy behavior and the intensive training and domestication rituals involved in establishing herself as the “alpha.” Terrill knows her territory extremely well (she’s formerly a Northern California Forest Service wilderness ranger), and she peppers the narrative with interesting knowledge about the nature of wolves, their interspecies behavioral traits, diet and the serious consequences challenging this type of unorthodox pet ownership. In the good-natured attempt at making Inyo suitable for human companionship, the author adopted two more dogs, and things worsened uncontrollably. Vicious, unprovoked attacks on neighborhood animals, coupled with evictions, irate neighbors and serious bodily injuries, finally necessitated drastic measures against a breed who “neither need nor want a bond with humans.” Complimenting each chapter—and, at times, surpassing the main narrative for its sheer factual noteworthiness—are the informational asides found in the author’s generous 18-page Notes section, which includes expanded research material on the Canis species, observations from other wolfdog owners and breeders and the statutory regulations concerning the care and protection of the breed.

Readable, cautionary and dependably informative for staunch animal enthusiasts.

THE 8 SECOND SECRET The Scientifically Proven Method for Lasting Weight Loss

Trapp, Gail Allen & Unwin (228 pp.) paper $24.95 | August 1, 2011 9781741756876

An Australia-based exercise physiologist with a background in aerobics instruction provides insight into the ways that weight loss, relaxation and fitness goals can be achieved simultaneously— and in a jiffy.

Trapp reveals how individuals seeking to show off a slimmer and more toned physique can do so by devoting mere minutes out of their day to exercise and by altering their eating habits.

Using colorful language and situational humor, the author illustrates how the incorporation of daily exercise, nourishing and balanced meals and limiting the amount of time spent noshing on goodies in front of the TV will lead to weight loss, weight management and a fit lifestyle. Though hardly revolutionary, |

Trapp’s toolkit is well-adapted for modern women with little time to spare. The strongest component is the author’s LifeSprints exercise program, which she developed in contrast to fitness regimes relying upon moderate-intensity workouts. She opted instead for shorter, high-intensity workouts—think spinning without the bike. In addition to clearly illustrated fitness and strength-training routines, Trapp’s volume is chockfull of wholesome Med-Asian recipes sure to have mouths watering by the end of the chapter.

Speedy and efficient weight-loss tips for readers on the go.

THE GOOD SCHOOL How Smart Parents Get Their Kids the Education They Deserve

Tyre, Peg Henry Holt (288 pp.) $26.00 | August 1, 2011 978-0-8050-9353-7

Award-winning journalist Tyre (Journalism/Columbia Univ.; The Trouble With Boys, 2009, etc.) adds new perspective to the depressing state of American education with real-world lessons for parents.

Many parents assume that affluent schools and small class size provide the best education for children. This is not necessarily true, writes the author. Interspersed with dreary anecdotes and myth-busting studies, the author’s latest focuses on early education (preschool through junior high) to help parents make good school choices. Dismal facts include the National Center for Education Statistics’ finding that “about a third of children in our public schools fail to become proficient readers.” Thankfully, Tyre offers solutions. With a splash of history, the author discusses pedagogies, as well as what to look for in a good preschool teacher (highly verbal teachers are most effective). In addition, parents should not be afraid to ask about a teacher’s degree or a school’s number of first-year instructors.

Tyre outlines many red flags, such as the derogatory “widget” mentality—i.e. administrators who view teachers as interchangeable cogs with identical skill sets. She cautions against using standardized test scores as accurate indicators of school performance. Scores broken down by subgroups and long-term trends offer more information. Not everyone has the luxury of choice, but the author provides respectful ways for approaching—or changing—the system. She also emphasizes working with children at home for a greater educational experience.

This is not an indictment of teachers, but rather an eyeopening tool for parental involvement.

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CABIN Two Brothers, a Dream, and Five Acres in Maine

Ureneck, Lou Viking (256 pp.) $25.95 | September 19, 2011 978-0-670-02294-6

A modern-day Walden with a midlife twist.

“I had been city-bound for nearly a decade, dealing with the usual knockdowns and disappointments of middle-age,” writes Ureneck (Journalism/ Boston Univ.; Backcast: Fatherhood, Fly-fishing, and a River Journey Through the Heart of Alaska, 2007). “The notion of building a cabin— a boy’s dream really—seemed a way to get a purchase on life’s next turn.” The author was not consciously attempting a Thoreauvian experiment in self-sufficiency. Rather, he was trying to save himself from the wreckage—a painful divorce, the loss of his mother and uncles to death and disease and a major career change—of a life gone awry. Loneliness and despair threatened to engulf him; the only family members who remained were his two grown children, both of whom lived apart from him and his younger brother Paul, a man absorbed by his own trials. Heartsick and confused, he bought a piece of land in the woods of western Maine. There, Ureneck, along with his brother and his brother’s sons, spent the latter part of 2008 and all of 2009 constructing the cabin, “employing, as much as possible, old-fashioned wood joinery rather than nails.” At first, this “experiment in mental health” was the author’s way to enjoy the two things that had been constants in an otherwise fragmented life: Paul’s company and a love of the natural world. But as the project evolved, Ureneck realized that the cabin-building process—selecting the timber to use in construction; digging and laying in the foundations; assembling the wood pieces together; securing the final structure both inside and out—was allowing him to not only confront and resolve issues from his past, but also giving him the opportunity to build a mature relationship with a beloved brother he felt he had let down in youth.

Ureneck’s story is simple, but it rewards abundantly by affirming the unexpected possibilities for renewal that life offers. (Author events in Boston and Maine. Agent: Jill Kneerim)

THE KIMCHI CHRONICLES Korean Cooking for an American Kitchen

Vongerichten, Marja Turshen, Julia Photographer: Baranowski, Andre Rodale (272 pp.) $32.50 | August 2, 2011 978-1-60961-127-9

Vongerichten spices up the kitchen with this colorfully photographed companion piece to the new PBS series in which the author shares her Korean roots and easy-to-prepare culinary delights.

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The author may be the wife of three-star Michelin chef JeanGeorges, but when it comes to Korean cooking she is the master.

Recipes include an assortment of flavors for all tastes, ranging from sauces and salads, meat for the barbecue, seafood, staple dishes of rice and noodles and, of course, the robust Ultimate Cabbage Kimchi. While she doesn’t attempt to Americanize the dishes, many ingredients, such as Kraft single cheese slices, can already be found in readers’ kitchens: “A lot of [American] foods found their way into pantries in Korea after American GIs rationed them to Koreans during the war,” she writes. Other more exotic ingredients can be readily sourced through the author’s recommended resources, including the affordable Koa Mart (kgrocer.com), and she also provides lists ofv pantry staples and required cooking tools. It’s not just about food for Vongerichten, who attempts to shed light on Korean culture as well.

Readers are encouraged to introduce a series of small side dishes (Banchan) for communal eating, and reminded that drinking in Korea is accompanied by much good food cooked on sizzling camp stoves in tents. Along with recipes for several cocktails, the author offers hangover cures and preventatives, like Budae Jjigae (Army stew), which by itself is well worth the book’s price.

Excellent recipes for all skill levels.

THE ORCHARD A Memoir

Weir, Theresa Grand Central Publishing (240 pp.) $23.99 | September 21, 2011 978-0-446-58469-2 A foreboding memoir of the author’s early marriage into an agricultural family, and her emotional navigation between rootlessness and heritage.

In a key passage, novelist Weir (as Anne Frasier: Garden of Darkness, 2007, etc.) writes that “in that moment I understood that I’d stepped into a world I could never be a part of.” How could a citified woman, whose mother struggled with revolving-door relationships and an itinerant lifestyle, forge an enduring bond with a man whose apple-farming family was governed by appearances? The author dances around questions of belonging and trust as she compresses her outsider beginnings on her husband’s land with the years preceding his death, all while alternating between memories of a 1960s childhood. Threaded with abandonments and “[v]ery bad things that I will never talk about,” the jagged pastiche reveals a woman whose impetuous decision to marry a man she barely knew led to love, children and the tough realization that generations of pesticide-spraying would destroy her newly reconciled peace. Weir ably captures the stasis of rural life and the pain of difference with acuity, though the impact is diluted when in-laws and other characters emerge as archetypal rather than fully fleshed figures. The author frankly admits to deeply subjective interpretation, however, acknowledging that “[s] ometimes there are people you must forget because of the damage they cause—blood ties or not.” Recurrent hints of environmentally dangerous activity never quite develop into a parallel theme,

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remaining instead as touchstones for a narrative that reaches a crescendo with cancer diagnosis.

The strongest feature of the book is the determined loyalty that allows Weir to discover beauty amid strife, as well as the touching conclusion.

ANSWER THEM NOTHING Bringing Down the Polygamous Empire of Warren Jeffs

Weyermann, Debra Chicago Review (400 pp.) $24.95 | August 1, 2011 978-1-56976-531-9

Award-winning journalist Weyermann (The Gang They Couldn’t Catch: The Story of America’s Greatest Modern-Day Bank Robbers—And How They Got Away With It, 1993) throws open the curtains on the deplorable actions of Warren Jeffs and his polygamous sect.

The Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) has been portrayed as a persecuted religion with women and children forcefully handled by armed soldiers as the government ran roughshod over their rights to religious freedom. There is another side to the story, writes the author, who tells it through the brave voices of the lawyers, police and brutalized FLDS victims who have all fought to bring down this powerful offshoot of the Mormon church. FLDS established its own prophets and continued to practice polygamy— requiring men to take at least three wives if they wanted to achieve salvation—long after their Mormon brethren abolished it. Mathematically, however, this posed a problem of too many men and not enough women, leading to the systemic rape of young girls through forced marriage to significantly older men and the expulsion of possible rivals, teen-aged “lost boys.” All this was brought to a maniacal pitch by Jeffs, who, after declaring himself prophet, siphoned off taxpayer dollars from lobbyists who kowtowed to the powerful FLDS lobby. Weyermann’s powerful exposé on the FLDS’ origins, it’s subsequent rise to power and how it held court over the U.S. political system is essential reading as the struggle for justice continues today.

A masterful exploration of one of America’s most shameful secrets.

GUNFIGHT The Battle Over the Right to Bear Arms in America

Winkler, Adam Norton (320 pp.) $27.95 | September 19, 2011 978-0-393-07741-4

In his first book, Daily Beast columnist Winkler (Constitutional Law/ UCLA) takes on the contentious issue of gun control in the United States. |

There have always been plenty of guns in America, but also plenty of gun control. For the author, there remains a need for both, yet extremist positions have emerged on both sides. “Gun nuts” argue for the absolute right of individuals to arm themselves, “gun grabbers” for a complete ban on all privately owned guns. The Second Amendment to the Constitution has been of little help, as it is not clear if the Amendment meant simply to ensure the formation of state militias or indeed gave the individual the right to bear arms. In 2008, a Washington, D.C., law banning all handguns was challenged before the U.S. Supreme Court, thus putting to the test the meaning of the Second Amendment. The unifying thread of the book is Winkler’s Grisham-like story of the personalities and issues surrounding this case. He also places the current debate within an often surprising historical context. Yes, the Founding Fathers expected white men to have guns for service in the militia, but they also surrounded such gun possession with rules and regulations.

The Wild West was not so wild after all. Places like Tombstone and Dodge City had some of the strongest gun laws ever devised in America. Race has played a large part in gun control, as before and after the Civil War black Americans were often terrorized by armed whites, with little legal recourse to arming themselves for self-defense. In 1967, Gov. Ronald Reagan signed into law strict prohibitions on the carrying of arms after the Black Panthers marched into the California Capitol Building armed to the teeth. In the end, the Supreme Court struck down the D.C. law but also noted there remained the right of government to regulate gun ownership. Winkler writes that this decision may open the way for action to truly reduce gun violence, yet unfortunately offers few suggestions for what these actions might be.

Detailed, balanced and engrossing—sure to displease both sides of the gun-control debate. (20 illustrations. Author tour to Los Angeles, New York, Denver/Boulder, Washington, D.C., Boston, Chicago. Agent: Lynn Nesbit)

POLITICAL EVIL What It Is and How to Combat It

Wolfe, Alan Knopf (352 pp.) $27.95 | September 29, 2011 978-0-307-27185-3 e-book 978-0-307-70147-3 Noted political scientist Wolfe (The Future of Liberalism, 2009, etc.) brings the theological problem of evil to bear on politics and political wrongdoers from Hitler to Dick Cheney.

“Political evil is all around us,” writes the author, and the headlines would certainly seem to bear him out. That evil comes in four flavors: terrorism, ethnic cleansing, genocide and what Wolfe calls counterevil, which he defines as “the determination to inflict uncalled-for suffering on those presumed or known to have inflicted the same upon you.” This is likely to be the most controversial plank in his platform, but nonetheless Wolfe considers George W. Bush’s response to Saddam Hussein to be a hallmark example. Political evil has a cause, he writes, and that cause

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would seem almost always to be the accumulation and retention of power. This is distinct from the “apolitical evil” that dominates the headlines: the Columbines and murderous mothers and Beltway snipers that haunt our dreams. Such evil is often characterized by a sort of glee in a madman’s gleaming eye. In the instance of political evil, it is possible to see that glint—as Wolfe writes, “However much they differ from each other, Eric Harris, Adolf Hitler, and Osama bin Laden all took unseemly pleasure in the harm they caused others”—but the process is often anonymous and bureaucratic. Cheney, apologist for and practitioner of evil, comes in for a particular drubbing on that score; Wolfe asserts that his devotion to waterboarding and invasion was meant to scare “civil libertarians and Democrats” as much as the nation’s external enemies. Replacing Cheney’s theory of government as nemesis, Wolfe writes, is necessary “if the United States is to come to terms with its experience of counterevil.”

Abstract and sometimes arid, but always with an eye to what’s happening on the ground.

EVERYBODY LOVES OUR TOWN An Oral History of Grunge

Yarm, Mark Crown Archetype (592 pp.) $25.00 | September 6, 2011 978-0-307-46443-9 e-book 978-0-307-46445-3

A harsh, harrowing, gritty examination of Seattle’s finest rockers.

When most music fans think “grunge,” they justifiably think Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, not necessarily in that order. With this massive oral history, former Blender senior editor Yarm also hips readers to such bands as the U-Men, Cat Butt and TAD. Because the bands’ respective members are so engaging and insightful during their interviews, readers will probably fire up their iTunes to find out what these groups were about— which, we discover, was fearlessness. Their music was punksoaked, angry and defiantly off-kilter, and they weren’t afraid to set a stage on fire, incite a crowd or imbibe everything that could be imbibed. Readers will also learn about the semi-rises and painful falls of groups like Mother Love Bone, the Melvins and Screaming Trees through the voices of Mark Lanegan and Buzz Osborne, among many others who tell one hell of a story.

The book is at once celebratory and heartbreaking, but what takes it to the next level are its underlying themes, specifically those of jealousy and self-abuse. At the beginning of the grunge movement—important note: Everybody in Seattle hated the word “grunge”—there was a familial, supportive atmosphere that went out the window once certain bands experienced what their rivals/brethren believed to be undeserved success. (Suffice it to say that it’s probably best not to mention Candlebox to any Seattle-ite music nerd.) The number of drug-related deaths in the scene was such that one would assume lessons would have been learned. Unfortunately, that hasn’t been the case: Alice in 1340

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Chains bassist Mike Starr—one of the narrative’s most memorable voices—died of an overdose soon after the book was completed, a sad coda to a book that pays homage the beauty and horror of modern rock.

Yarm’s affectionate, gossipy, detailed look at the highs and lows of the contemporary Seattle music scene is one of the most essential rock books of recent years. (8-page blackand-white insert. Author events in New York. Agent: PJ Mark)

I’M JUST SAYIN’!

Three Deaths, Seven Husbands, and a Clone!

My Life as a Daytime Diva Zimmer, Kim Morton, Laura NAL/Berkley (320 pp.) $26.95 | August 2, 2011 978-0-451-23343-1

Four-time Emmy winner Zimmer, best known as Reva “The Slut of Springfield” Shayne on Guiding Light, chronicles her career and shares behind-the-scenes gossip from the daytime drama.

Achieving longevity on a soap opera is no mean feat, and the author can’t help but brag about surviving daytime TV as a manic-depressive, cancer-surviving, time-traveling vixen for close to three decades. Weaving between her own life and that of her character, the author lets it all loose as she revisits her career both on and off the screen. “I had it made,” she writes. “I got to have affairs and live out almost every fantasy possible through the characters I played on TV.” Zimmer shares the laughs and tears she experienced with fellow cast and crewmembers, her real-life struggle with alcohol and subsequent DUI arrest and a look at the zany scripts that led to her character being thriceresuscitated from the beyond. That all came to a screeching halt in 2009 when the network pulled the plug on Guiding Light after a 72-year run (it began life as a radio serial in 1937). Ratings were down, core characters were pushing retirement age and a new writer and producer couldn’t manage to turn things around. But Zimmer’s here to relive it all as both herself and Reva. As one fan recently moaned to the actress-turned-author, “You’re my family. What are we supposed to do now?”

Die-hard Guiding Light fans should enjoy the book.

Others? Not so much.

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children & teens HOW THE LEOPARD GOT HIS CLAWS

Authors: Achebe, Chinua; Iroaganachi, John Illustrator: GrandPré, Mary Candlewick (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7636-4805-3 When the dog’s coup deposed King Leopard, the former ruler of the animal world exiled himself, returning with claws and sharp teeth of his own to govern by terror instead of with his previous gentle kindness.

This literary fable by the internationally eminent Achebe (based on a story by Iroaganachi and including a poem by Christopher Okigbo), killed in Nigeria’s civil war, reflects the secession and return of Biafra in the late 1960s. First published here in 1972, it has been beautifully re-illustrated by GrandPré, famed for her Harry Potter covers. These lush acrylic paintings have both texture and depth. Presented full-bleed across two pages or in rough rectangles set on white space, with bits extending beyond the edges, they tend to be dark and crowded with animals, whose expressive faces and bodies support the action. Each spread includes a decorative band of sharp triangles, a tooth-and-claw motif. Halfway through the story, the dog and not-yet-armed King fight fiercely, each glowing with orange battle heat. The conclusion explains the harshness of the jungle and the bond between dog and man, a satisfying ending for young readers unlikely to know or be ready for the political background.

Whether read as a fable with African roots or as an allegory, this is a handsome treatment of a memorable tale.

(Picture book. 7-14)

QUEENS OF THE ICE

Adams, Carly Lorimer Press (136 pp.) $16.95 | paper $9.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-55277-721-3 paper 978-1-55277-720-6 In the 1930s, the Canadian female icehockey team called the Rivulettes dominated the ice.

During the Great Depression, women’s ice-hockey teams across Canada fought an uphill battle to scrape together enough money to play. From 1931-1940, the Preston Rivulettes, led by Hilda Ranscome, overwhelmed all other teams, capturing the national title in the four years that they could afford to travel far enough

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to compete for it. With the pressure of the war, and because they were no longer capturing fan enthusiasm since they always won, the Rivulettes disbanded in 1942. After the war, the culture had changed, and women’s ice hockey nearly disappeared until a recent rebirth. This effort describes in detail many of the key games the team played over that decade and the way that their remarkable record has been largely ignored by the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Though the book effectively captures the scrappy nature of the games (with numerous penalties in each for high sticking and fighting), disappointingly, it lacks any significant biographical information on team members. Only a couple are very briefly sketched. Readers will wonder what made this team so great; more information about the players might have provided key insights.

Those with an interest in ice hockey or sports history will enjoy the account, even for though it falls short of excellence. (Nonfiction. 10-14)

I CAN SAY PLEASE

Ainslie, Tamsin Illustrator: Ainslie, Tamsin Kane/Miller (26 pp.) $9.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-61067-037-1 An Australian import tackles manners for the very young.

A little girl takes her stuffed cat and rabbit, along with her pet hedgehog, on an idyllic picnic. Each double-page spread sets up a statement or question (“Would you like to hold my hand?”) that advances the day’s events with an accompanied, expected answer (“Yes, please!”). Brief phrases in direct, appropriate language serve each natural page turn. Though the “Yes, please!” response never changes, the toys and youngster take turns directing and accepting requests. A soft sweetness— there’s no hint of saccharine—nurtures the child’s maturing independence as she organizes the festivities with absolutely no adult involvement (or any conflict to be seen). Respectful conversations between the preschooler and her friends appear fresh and unforced. The playthings’ full-force involvement sets the creative stage; her dressed pals rifle through the basket, nibble on sandwiches and dip their toes in the water. Minimal backgrounds and pastel borders keep the focus on the action at hand. Slight alterations to facial expressions highlight a quiet reflection. A companion piece, I Can Say Thank You, follows a similar route as the friends explore their surroundings.

A wholesome, pleasant demonstration of politeness for toddlers just discovering the joys of imaginative play.

(Picture book. 1-3)

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“ [Tobia’s] illustrations emphasize the warmth and love in her family, as described in the simple, dialogue-rich text.” from anna hibiscus’ song

ACOUSTIC ROOSTER AND HIS BARNYARD BAND

glossary is not required. Believable details about the individual children’s lives bring further depth to the plot, while themes of xenophobia, blended families and acceptance make the novel relevant to Latino, immigrant and general audiences. The book’s touching final chapter references the first three books in the series as well as the magic of libraries and reading.

A fitting farewell to a memorable character. (Fiction. 8-12)

Alexander, Kwame Illustrator: Bowers, Tim Sleeping Bear Press (32 pp.) $15.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58536-688-0

Winning actually isn’t everything, as jazz-happy Rooster learns when he goes up against the legendary likes of Mules Davis and Ella Finchgerald at the barnyard talent show.

Having put together a band with renowned cousin Duck Ellington and singer “Bee” Holiday, Rooster’s chances sure look good—particularly after his “ ‘Hen from Ipanema’ [makes] / the barnyard chickies swoon.”—but in the end the competition is just too stiff. No matter: A compliment from cool Mules and the conviction that he still has the world’s best band soon puts the strut back in his stride. Alexander’s versifying isn’t always in tune (“So, he went to see his cousin, / a pianist of great fame…”), and despite his moniker Rooster plays an electric bass in Bower’s canted country scenes. Children are unlikely to get most of the jokes liberally sprinkled through the text, of course, so the adults sharing it with them should be ready to consult the backmatter, which consists of closing notes on jazz’s instruments, history and best-known musicians.

In all, a high-stepping riff on the pleasures of live music in general and the history of jazz in particular. (Picture book. 7-9)

HOW TÍA LOLA ENDED UP STARTING OVER

Author: Alvarez, Julia Knopf (160 pp.) $15.99 | PLB $18.99 e-book $15.99 | September 13, 2011 978-0-375-86914-3 PLB 978-0-375-96914-0 e-book 978-0-375-89995-9 Series: Tía Lola Stories, 4 Alvarez’s series of Tía Lola Stories ends with a mystery sure to please fans and attract new readers.

The new school year is underway, as the action picks up shortly after the end of How Tía Lola Saved the Summer (2011).

Victor Espada and his daughters, Victoria, Essie and Cari, have now moved to Vermont, where they share a large house with the crotchety but lovable Colonel Charlebois. Linda, Miguel and Juanita Guzman are still living out in the country with Tía Lola, but all five children get together with Tía Lola to find a way to help the unemployed Victor. Soon, the group has convinced the others that the solution is turning the Colonel’s house into a weekend bed and breakfast. Unfortunately, someone in town isn’t thrilled with their plan, and strange things start happening around the house. Sleuthing, party planning and other shenanigans ensue. Once again, the author manages to weave Spanish words and phrases throughout the text in such a way that a 1342

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ANNA HIBISCUS’ SONG

Atinuke Illustrator: Tobia, Lauren Kane/Miller (32 pp.) $15.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-61067-040-1

In amazing Africa, Anna Hibiscus discovers her own special way to show her happiness after trying out what other family members do.

From her perch in a mango tree, Anna Hibiscus observes the activities of her extended family in the compound where she lives. Her grandparents relax, her aunties pound yam, cousins scatter corn. Atinuke (Anna Hibiscus, 2010, and its sequels) brings Anna to a picture-book audience in this gentle evocation of modern West African life. Tobia illustrated the Anna Hibiscus chapter books with gray scale drawings, but here she presents Anna in full color. Digitally tinted drawings begin with endpaper s revealing Anna’s home, which is set between a shoreline and a bustling city, by day and by night. Varying from vignettes accompanying the text to full-bleed full-page and double-page spreads, these illustrations emphasize the warmth and love in her family, as described in the simple, dialogue-rich text.

Though unmentioned in this story, they reveal what readers of the earlier books know: Anna is comparatively light-skinned; her mother is white. All the adults dress in a Nigerian style; the girls wear simple dresses. The large figures and rich colors against the white backgrounds show well to a group.

Anna’s arms are always up; she’s ready to embrace the world. Young readers and listeners will surely embrace her as enthusiastically as chapter-book readers already have.

(Picture book. 3-7)

THE NO. 1 CAR SPOTTER

Atinuke Illustrator: Cadwell, Warwick Johnson Kane/Miller (112 pp.) paper $5.99 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-1-61067-051-7 Oluwalase Babatunde Benson, otherwise known as No. 1, is not only the best car-spotter in his African village, his electric ideas improve village life.

Nigerian-born Atinuke (Anna Hibiscus, 2010, etc.) introduces an energetic new character and an unusual setting in her latest title. While Anna’s suburban life

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resembles that of American children in many ways, No. 1 lives in a tiny village with “few compounds and many goats and several cows.” The men, and even many of the women, have gone off to the city to make money, leaving single-parent families and elderly grandparents. No. 1 helps his family in the fields, runs errands and goes to market, but his favorite activity is carspotting—identifying the cars that pass on the road by sound and sight, as his grandfather did before him. As in Anna and her sequels, these four interconnected short stories revel in the language and rhythms of oral storytelling. In one story, No. 1 convinces a cousin to chop up a dead Toyota, turning it into a Cow-rolla. In another, his father makes an unintended use of wheelbarrows given to the village by the NGO man. The gentle humor is reflected in Cadwell’s gray-scale cartoon drawings on every page.

First published in England in 2010, this promises another engaging chapter-book series, a treat for lively middle-grade boys. (Fiction. 7-11)

ABARAT: ABSOLUTE MIDNIGHT

Barker, Clive Illustrator: Barker, Clive Joanna Cotler/HarperCollins (592 pp.) $24.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-06-029171-6 Series: Abarat, 3 The long-awaited third book of Barker’s series has finally arrived.

This middle volume has the strengths and flaws of its predecessors. Heroine Candy Quackenbush and evil Mater Motley continue to take center stage, and both continue to be vehicles rather than fully fleshed characters. Mater Motley furthermore turns out to be a pawn for the Nephauree, a Lovecraftian race of tentacled creatures from elsewhere who have in mind the utter destruction of the Abarat. Candy gets a love-at-first-sight subplot devoid of emotional resonance, based as it is in neither conversation nor interaction. The sometimes lovely, often purple prose is peppered with corny dialogue (declarations of love while facing death; “comic” bickering between John Mischief and his brothers, who are heads on his antlers). True moments of terror (Candy’s alcoholic father as the preacher of a church powered by Abaratian evil) vie for attention with the flora and fauna of Abarat and the adventures of a chosen one who conveniently always has the right spell, in what is either an homage to fantasy tropes or a glaring example of the stereotype. Barker’s powerful, often unpleasant illustrations continue to play off the text, sometimes confusingly—captions and more careful placement of images would help readers make the connections.

All in all, fans will revel and newcomers will be baffled.

(Fantasy. 13 & up)

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DARK OF THE MOON

Barrett, Tracy Harcourt (320 pp.) $16.99 | September 19, 2011 978-0-547-58132-3 Ariadne weaves a new tale in a historically rich reworking of Theseus and the Minotaur.

Fifteen-year-old Ariadne leads a sheltered life in the Minos’ palace on Krete (“Minos” is title, not name). Per tradition, she trains to succeed her mother and become the Goddess incarnate responsible for continuing the family line and ensuring the island’s harvest. Saddled with obligations— and the unwieldy name of She-Who-Will-Be-Goddess—Ariadne soon encounters a boy who questions her beliefs and way of life. Trading off chapters with Ariadne, Theseus offers a glimpse of a wider but equally harsh world. Part of the Athenians’ tribute, Theseus has recently discovered his royal parentage, only to be sent to Krete as fodder for the fabled “Minotauros,” Ariadne’s simple-minded, deformed and bullishly strong brother, Asterion. Theseus’ fellow tribute, the beautiful and manipulative Prokris, also threatens to subvert the Goddess-led system and install a male monarch. Bucking the trend of torrid retellings, Barrett (King of Ithaka, 2010) focuses more on history than romance. Food, politics and clothing are described in ornate detail, and the formal language—if a bit stilted—lends the tale gravitas. While mythological characters appear in abundance—Medea makes a surprising cameo and gets an unexpected redemption—the gods are presented as religion rather than reality.

A world and story both excitingly alien and pleasingly familiar. (Historical fiction. 12 & up)

DRUMMER GIRL

Bass, Karen Coteau Books (240 pp.) paper $14.95 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-1-55050-462-0

A girl obsessed with music must deal with sexual harassment as she struggles to fit in with a band.

Sixteen-year-old Sidney wants only one thing: to become the new drummer for her area’s hottest rock band.

The band doesn’t want a girl drummer no matter how well she can play, though, because they think she might cause dissension among their group. Given a chance to audition for them, Sid proves she’s the best drummer, but still the band hesitates. They tell Sid she needs to ditch her tomboy appearance and look more attractive. Desperate, Sid calls on her clothes-horse cousin to help her buy a new wardrobe—only to face ridicule at school, especially from a rival drummer, when she appears with her radically new, rather sexy image.

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“With its focus on color, Brocket’s second in her Clever Concepts series is as much a visual and adjectival feast as her first was…” from ruby, violet, lime

Sid finds a nice romance with a “math geek” but still faces discomfort at school. However, when the band members lure her into a compromising position and then circulate a video of their attack on her, she finally begins to rely on the school counselor who’s trying to help her. Bass’ portrayal of the harassment is relatively mild, but she doesn’t downplay its seriousness, either. She keeps her characters real and demonstrates just how sexual harassment can damage the lives of everyone involved.

Fast paced and insightful, a good choice for teen readers, especially those interested in music. (Fiction. 14 & up)

SPEAKING OUT

Editor: Berman, Steve Bold Strokes Books (264 pp.) paper $13.95 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-1-60282-566-6

A mixed bag of stories about LGBTQ teens with a few serious omissions and misrepresentations.

Ambitiously, the editor believes this book will stop LGBTQ teens from feeling alone, and in the anthology’s short introduction, he encourages queer teens to speak out and straight teens to listen. To this end, most of the stories in the collection show LGBTQ teens who are proud of their gender or sexual orientation and stand up for themselves or for something they believe in. In Alex Jeffers’ standout “Captain of the World,” a gay, Turkish Muslim goalie fights back against both racial and sexual harassment on the soccer field. In Berman’s fantastical “Only Lost Boys Are Found,” an unnamed hero quests his way through a half-cartoon, half-dream sequence to rescue the boy he loves. Other stories, however, fall flatter, including the well-intentioned but poorly executed “All Gender U,” whose trans protagonist (the only one in the collection) reads more as a hodgepodge of outsider assumptions about trans people than as a person in her own right. While some diversity is represented among the stories—hometowns small and large, a variety of faiths—the majority of protagonists are still white and male.

LGBTQ teens do need to see themselves represented positively; it’s a shame more of them won’t here. (Short stories. 12 & up)

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DINOSAURS DON’T, DINOSAURS DO

Björkman, Steve Illustrator: Björkman, Steve Holiday House (24 pp.) $14.95 | September 15, 2011 978-0-8234-2355-2 Series: I Like to Read Straightforward behavior modeling for newly fledged independent readers.

Illustrating his points with pairs of bright, informally drawn and colored cartoons featuring recognizable dinos in modern playgrounds and other familiar settings, Björkman contrasts bad manners with better ones. “Dinosaurs don’t eat like this.

Dinosaurs eat like this.” (A marmalade T. Rex tosses syrupy pancakes into his mouth, spattering goo everywhere, while at the other end of the table, a hadrosaur politely offers the syrup to a pterodactyl; both have bite-sized pieces of pancake poised on forks.) “Dinosaurs don’t hit or bite. When they are mad, dinosaurs use words.” (That troublesome T. Rex pounds a purple, horned dinosaur, having already bitten off its tail; meanwhile, a green Dimetrodon mildly points out to an apologetic, brown Ankylosaurus that the latter broke his toy.) Summing up his message with a version of the Golden Rule (“Dinosaurs treat others as they want to be treated. That is why everyone loves dinosaurs!”) and steering clear of any direct or indirect reference to the possibility of punishment, the author leaves it to readers to make their choices on a moral or ethical basis.

Though unlikely on its own to spark any revolutionary changes in behavior, this approach does at least provide a starting point for reflection or discussion.

Likely little more than an exercise in wishful thinking, but well meant and philosophically solid. (Early reader. 4-6)

ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD

Blake, Kendare Tor (324 pp.) $17.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7653-2865-6 Life can get tough for a boy who kills ghosts.

Teeth-chattering suspense and suppressed chuckles might attack readers in this superior black comedy/adventure. Theseus Cassio Lowood has inherited his father’s athame, a magical knife that can slice and dice ghosts to bits.

He only kills ghosts who kill humans, but plenty of those lurk everywhere, forcing Cas and his white-witch mother to move constantly. When he answers a call to dispatch Anna, a ghost that’s brutally dismembered dozens of ill-fated folks who stepped into her house, for the first time Cas makes some friends. These help him until one steals the athame, an unfortunate choice. Meanwhile, Cas learns that Anna won’t

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kill him, so he enlists her aid in tracking down the voodoo spirit that literally ate his father. Blake populates the story with a nice mixture of personalities, including Anna, and spices it with plenty of gallows humor, all the while keeping the suspense pounding. The comedy works even better when juxtaposed against serious suspense, as Cas quips such lines as “I hate it when they don’t have eyes.” Matter-of-fact Anna leavens the comedy even as the suspense boils into terror.

(Don’t go in the basement.)

Abundantly original, marvelously inventive and enormous fun, this can stand alongside the best horror fiction out there. We demand sequels. (Paranormal adventure. 12 & up)

NAUGHTY TOES

Bonwill, Ann Illustrator: Murfin, Teresa Tiger Tales (32 pp.) $15.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58925-103-8 Chloe knows how hard it can be to follow the beat of your own dancing drum.

Her graceful sister Belinda perfectly meets all requirements of Madame Mina’s ballet class. Chloe, however, is the constant misfit; she chooses a multi-hued ensemble, her pigtails fizz out and she crashes into a fellow dancer, the lone boy in her class.

Madame’s descriptive instructions successfully encourage almost all her young pupils to emulate a classic ballerina. “Sway like flowers!… Flutter like butterflies!” But instead, Chloe moves like a “cloud with gusto.” Her teacher’s sharp reprimands (“naughty toes!”) point to Chloe’s role in their final performance (her sister stars as the fairy princess, but Chloe is a rock). The initially rigid instructor and piano accompanist demonstrate a more receptive demeanor by recital’s end; their gift to Chloe reflects a growing appreciation for her toe-tapping spirit. Chloe’s deadpan narration is efficient. “My sister, Belinda, is a ballerina. I, Chloe, am not.” Pitch-perfect body language reflects Chloe’s embarrassment and her battle to express herself. Light graph-paper backgrounds try to exert order, while soft colors accentuate each contrasting behavior. Chloe’s family shines, supporting their daughter’s individuality without restricting her style.

A refreshing take on the need to follow one’s own heart—or feet. (Picture book. 4-8)

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HELLO, BICYCLE

Boyd, Ella Illustrator: Griffo, Daniel Marshall Cavendish (24 pp.) $12.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7614-5964-4 A young girl says goodbye to her tricycle and learns to ride a two-wheeler in this rather misleading debut from Boyd.

Togged out in a pink helmet and riding an ultra-cool red bike complete with wicker basket, handlebar streamers and a seat with a backrest, this little girl is ready to go. “Climb the seat. / Twist the bars. / Helmet’s on. / Check for cars. // Pedal’s up. / Dad’s in view. / Ready, start—coming through!” The rollicking rhythms match the bounce of a bike ride, while the rhymes are spot-on. But unfortunately, the text glosses over reality and matches the experience of only a tiny minority of children. Dad does not accompany her, just sees her off. There are no crashes, no skinned knees, no wobbles and no walking the bike up the long, steep hill. From the artwork, it appears that she is riding in a brick-pathed park with nary a car in sight, and based on the reactions of the people she passes, she is almost out of control. Griffo’s digital illustrations are a textural delight if a representational miss. The animals and much of the clothing have fabric-like patterns, while his beautiful blustery fall day is perfect for bike riding.

Give this one a pass in favor of a book that doesn’t give kids a false sense of confidence that will be severely scratched (along with some knees) with their first real exposure to a two-wheeler. (Picture book. 4-7)

RUBY, VIOLET, LIME Looking for Color

Brocket, Jane Photographer: Brocket, Jane Millbrook/Lerner (32 pp.) $25.26 | e-book $18.95 September 1, 2011 978-0-7613-4612-8 e-book 978-0-7613-8044-3 Series: Jane Brocket’s Clever Concepts With its focus on color, Brocket’s second in her Clever Concepts series is as much a visual and adjectival feast as her first was (Spiky, Slimy, Smooth: What Is Texture?, 2011).

Addressing readers directly, Brocket makes kids feel as if they are going on an adventure along with her—a search for colors. While brief, the text accomplishes much: It links colors with emotions and adjectives, introduces primary and secondary colors and shades, names the items found in the photos and gives children some synonyms for the common colors. “Green is crisp and lively. Lime frosting, mint-green striped socks, emerald lettuces, and jade gardens are fresh and zingy.” Going beyond Roy G. Biv, brown, black and white, gray and pink as well as the metallic colors of silver and gold are also included.

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“Funny, sad, haunting and original, Cottrell Boyce’s story leaves important elements unexpressed.

As with lace, these holes are part of the design…” from the unforgotten coat

But it is the photographs that steal the show. Isolating each featured color in snapshots (often close-ups) of everyday objects, the spreads are completely filled with a grid of three to five photos that prove to readers that colors can be found anywhere and everywhere. From food and flowers to clothing and buildings, everything has a color, and readers may never look at the world around them in quite the same way.

Worthy of even the most overflowing of colorful collections, this is sure to be the beginning of many a color adventure, both in school and out. (Concept book. 4-8)

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS

Carson, Rae Greenwillow/HarperCollins (432 pp.) $17.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-06-202648-4 Adventure drags our heroine all over the map of fantasyland while giving her the opportunity to use her smarts.

Elisa—Princess Lucero-Elisa de Riqueza of Orovalle—has been chosen for Service since the day she was born, when a beam of holy light put a Godstone in her navel. She’s a devout reader of holy books and is well-versed in the military strategy text Belleza Guerra, but she has been kept in ignorance of world affairs. With no warning, this fat, self-loathing princess is married off to a distant king and is embroiled in political and spiritual intrigue.

War is coming, and perhaps only Elisa’s Godstone—and knowledge from the Belleza Guerra—can save them. Elisa uses her untried strategic knowledge to always-good effect. With a character so smart that she doesn’t have much to learn, body size is stereotypically substituted for character development. Elisa’s “mountainous” body shrivels away when she spends a month on forced march eating rat, and thus she is a better person. Still, it’s wonderfully refreshing to see a heroine using her brain to win a war rather than strapping on a sword and charging into battle.

Despite the stale fat-to-curvy pattern, compelling world building with a Southern European, pseudo-Christian feel, reminiscent of Naomi Kritzer’s Fires of the Faithful (2002), keeps this entry fresh. (Fantasy. 12-14)

OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOOD The New England Boy’s Song About Thanksgiving Day Child, Lydia Maria Illustrator: Tavares, Matt Candlewick (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7636-2790-4

Wintry new illustrations recall the forgotten landscape of Child’s traditional Thanksgiving travel song.

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A horse-drawn sleigh carries a boy, his parents and sister through his New England hometown. They pass a toy store, cross over a frozen river where townspeople skate and travel through a gentle snowfall into the countryside to his grandparents’ home, where cousins play snowball and grandmother waits with pie. Each verse is set on a full-bleed, double-page painting done in watercolor, ink and pencil, sentimental evocations of the early 19th century. Tavares (Henry Aaron’s Dream, 2010, etc.) shows the original farmhouse Child would have visited rather than the much enlarged version to be seen in Medford, Mass., today. Careful readers will enjoy tiny details in the illustrations.

Early on, the boy’s cap blows off. The dog captures it and trots alongside, only dropping it after their safe arrival. From broad landscapes to family close-ups, the illustrator varies his subjects and perspectives. The sleigh moves steadily forward until it arrives, turns and stops. The page turn reveals the extended family at dinner. Readers who think they know the song will be surprised to see unfamiliar verses; not all of them scan well as the familiar ones, but they also extend the story.

A note about the author and her poem concludes this celebration, an ideal grandparent gift. (Picture book. 3-6)

THE UNFORGOTTEN COAT

Cottrell Boyce, Frank Photographers: Hunter, Carl; Heney, Clare Candlewick (112 pp.) $15.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7636-5729-1 Treading water in her last term of elementary school, Julie figures she’s learned all there is to learn, when two Mongolian brothers in fur-lined coats (it’s summer) arrive: Chingis and Nergui.

Chingis explains to their teacher that little Nergui’s hat must stay on, like a hunting eagle’s hood. Such casual references to wonders far from their Liverpool suburb, documented in the text with eerie Polaroid snapshots, enthrall the children, especially Julie. She’s elated when Chingis appoints her the brothers’ “good guide.” Despite her title, Julie can’t discover where they live; street-smart Chingis foils her attempts to follow them, taking a different route each day. Thwarted curiosity prompts her to research Mongolia online, succumbing to the mystery and fascination of far-off places and people. As her persistence pays off, she awakens to the fear the brothers carry. Funny, sad, haunting and original, Cottrell Boyce’s story leaves important elements unexpressed. As with lace, these holes are part of the design, echoed in the unadorned photos: a path through a dark forest; wagon tracks across a field that meet the lowering sky; shadows on a yurt wall. To complete the narrative, readers must actively participate. They’ll find myriad paths to follow—immigration, demons, social networking, the mystery of cultural difference and the nature of enchantment.

A tricky, magical delight. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)

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JOAN OF ARC

Demi Illustrator: Demi Marshall Cavendish (56 pp.) $19.99 | e-book $19.99 September 1, 2011 978-0-7614-5953-8 e-book 978-0-7614-5999-6

Joan of Arc’s story told in the ravishing line and color of Demi’s art.

Demi says in a note that she studied illuminated manuscripts and stained glass, and read “all” the children’s books on St. Joan. The pictures are intricately framed in a style to reflect medieval French illumination, and the pictures within use pattern, repetition, sinuous line and jewel-like color that recall cathedral windows and illuminated manuscripts. The text unequivocally treats the 15th-century Joan as a saint, casting the craven King Charles VII as the villain he was.

Joan’s life is recounted with a strong emphasis on prayer and the will of God, from her beginnings as a devout peasant girl who heeded angelic and saintly voices through her victories and defeats to her imprisonment, trial and martyrdom at the stake. There is dialogue, including Joan’s initial conversation with the Archangel Michael, but these quotes are not sourced or authenticated in any way. Joan always appears in the images within a nimbus of gold rays; gold is used lavishly to brilliant effect. The text is cast squarely as a battle between the will of God and the lack of will of the king and the French; the pictures allow readers to see Joan’s choices and to comprehend and relate to them.

A young female hero par excellence. (Picture book/ biography. 8-12)

NOTES FROM AN ACCIDENTAL BAND GEEK

Author: Dionne, Erin Dial (288 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-8037-3564-4 Can a serious French horn player ever find happiness in marching band?

Thirteen-year-old Elsie starts out determined not to like her high-school marching band. She’s only joined because she needs some ensemble experience before auditioning for the prestigious Shining Birches musical summer camp. One humiliation follows another, many caused by her absolute inability to empathize with those around her, all leaving her frustrated and ashamed. Her problem is understandable: She’s pretty convinced that her future hangs solely on the quality of her musical ability, so she’s never focused on other people, just practice and more practice. But the transcendent joys of marching band—the intense camaraderie of hours and hours of |

marching in the hot sun, learning how to stay in straight lines, play clearly, follow drill formations and myriad other details that will ring perfectly true for marching-band geeks—gradually change Elsie’s mind. At the same time, she learns, through some trial and mostly error, more effective ways to deal with her controlling parents, manage the stress of adjusting to high school and, most importantly, make friends. At times, Elsie’s introspection is painful, as she overanalyzes the nuances of every relationship, but it is simultaneously realistic.

Marching-band kids everywhere will enjoy this believable celebration of a life-changing, musical rite of passage.

(Fiction. 11 & up)

YOU AGAINST ME

Downham, Jenny David Fickling/ Random (416 pp.) $16.99 | PLB $19.99 e-book $16.99 | September 13, 2011 978-0-385-75160-5 PLB 978-0-385-75161-2 e-book 978-0-375-98938-4 A tender, complex character study from the author of Before I Die (2007).

Mikey is a boy from the housing projects, working as a dishwasher in a pub to try and keep his fatherless family together. Ellie is a daughter from a privileged family whose biggest worry is passing her final exams. When Mikey’s sister Karyn claims she was raped by Ellie’s brother Tom at a party, Mikey cruelly plans to use Ellie to get close to Tom in order to exact revenge. Instead, the impossible happens: Mikey and Ellie fall in love. Now each feels that to swear allegiance to the other will tear their families apart. And when Ellie decides to change her statement about what she witnessed that fateful night, each family must come to terms with the inevitable consequences. In Dowham’s capable hands, what could be the sordid topic of a daytime talk show instead becomes a graceful catalyst that tempers and transforms Ellie and Mikey, who only want to do what’s right but aren’t sure how. The secondary characters are equally vivid, especially Mikey’s overwhelmed alcoholic Mum and Ellie’s tormenting and tormented brother Tom. Crisp, revealing dialogue, measured pacing and candid, unaffected prose round out this illuminating novel in which any reader can find someone to root for or relate to.

Unforgettable. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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“Funny, sad, haunting and original, Cottrell Boyce’s story leaves important elements unexpressed.

As with lace, these holes are part of the design…” from the unforgotten coat

THE MEPHISTO COVENANT

Faegen, Trinity Egmont USA (448 pp.) $17.99 | e-book $17.99 September 27, 2011 978-0-60684-170-9 e-book 978-1-60684-271-3

Debut author Faegen’s paranormal romance impels a celestial girl toward a dark paramour who embodies a purpose and a partner for all eternity.

Seeking her father’s killer, Sasha entertains the notion of joining a cultish secret society that mysteriously grants the wishes of initiates. It turns out renouncing God and pledging fealty to Eryx, a relation of the devil, is not in store for Sasha.

In some inventive takes on the eternal good-versus-evil dichotomy, Sasha is part-angel, and Eryx has a troupe of brothers who nobly seek to thwart him, though they are also sons of Hell.

Big, strong, long-haired and immortal, Jax is the brother who is fated to shack up with Sasha, should she forsake her mortality and enlist with the brothers in their mission. Much of what drives the story comes across as just plain arbitrary. Early on, Sasha’s mother is deported to Russia, and Sasha has to move to Colorado, where Jax lives, to reside with evil relations. It turns out Sasha is an adopted child with no clue who her real parents are, and by the time she agrees to sacrifice normalcy to join Jax forever, she has nothing to lose and no one to fall back on anyway. The dialogue partakes of an aggressively teen vernacular—”… major bummer that her aunt isn’t just a lost soul, but a crazy-bitch lost soul”—but the narration seems to have a hard time finding its rhythm.

The back story may not sink in, but the romantic tension captivates. (Paranormal romance. 14 & up)

A DRAGON MOVES IN

Falkenstern, Lisa Illustrator: Falkenstern, Lisa Marshall Cavendish (33 pp.) $16.99 | e-book $16.99 September 1, 2011 978-0-7614-5947-7 e-book 978-0-7614-5995-8

It takes a lot of love—and imagination—to raise a dragon.

Rabbit and Hedgehog enjoy a nice spring picnic on a hillside below their house, while two mice and a frog patiently sit nearby, waiting for crumbs. Suddenly, the rock that Rabbit is sitting on begins to rumble ominously. It’s not an earthquake, it’s an egg about to hatch. Out comes a baby dragon! The picnic’s definitely over; Hedgehog and Rabbit take the tiny beast home. While he’s small, the trio has a lot of fun, at tea parties, fairs and campouts and in the pumpkin patch. But as the little dragon begins to grow bigger and bigger, so do the problems of his adoptive parents in raising him. Dragon’s appetite is enormous, and so is his body, literally busting out of Rabbit 1348

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and Hedgehog’s home at one point. There’s only one thing to do. Working together, the three of them build a big castle, all gray stone with several red-roofed turrets, for them to live in.

And their dragon ward shows his appreciation by breathing a sky full of fireworks into the air. Falkerstern’s oils have depth and warmth, and, though her animals are anthropomorphized, they’re closer in authenticity to nature photos than cartoons.

Gentle country concoction, two parts Beatrix Potter and one part Cressida Cowell. (Picture book. 3-6)

CARAMBA AND HENRY

Gay, Marie-Louise Illustrator: Gay, Marie-Louise Groundwood (40 pp.) $17.95 | August 1, 2011 978-1-55498-097-0 Little brothers can be soooo bothersome.

Kitten Caramba had wished for a brother for a long time, but not one like Henry. Henry squishes Caramba’s favorite caterpillars, throws his cheese omelets out the window and screams all the time. Caramba’s best friend, a pig named Portia, suggests that Caramba teach Henry how to purr, but Caramba rejects this plan; only contended cats purr. And then Henry starts flying! Caramba wanted to teach him to swim, but why would he want to swim when he can fly? As Henry is flying all around, mother puts Caramba in charge. Henry keeps getting tangled in clotheslines and scarves and suchlike. Neither butterfly net nor shopping bag is a good carrier. Then Caramba gets a brilliant idea (even Portia thinks so): She pulls Henry along like a balloon. This works well, until Henry wriggles free and flies away. Caramba and Portia search into the dark night and find him clinging to a small branch at the top of a tall tree. Caramba talks him down, and Henry utters his very first word: “Car-r-r-amba.” Gay puts many delightful quirks into a highly recognizable tale of sibling rivalry, and her singular illustrations—a delicate mix of watercolor, pencil, pastels and acrylics—are unique and captivating. Her matter-of-fact text charms: “He whirled his tail like a tiny egg beater.”

A gem. (Picture book. 3-7)

BUTTERFLIES

Gervay, Susanne Kane/Miller (256 pp.) paper $6.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-61067-043-2 This Australian import powerfully depicts the lasting damage of thirddegree burns.

Katherine, almost 18, suffers from the many aftereffects of the severe burns she sustained as a toddler. She lives with her loving older sister, Rachel, and her slightly controlling

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“This taut thriller showcases the award-winning Canadian author’s gift for creating memorable teen characters who confront tough issues alone…” from born ugly

Italian mother. Her father, who abandoned the family shortly after Katherine’s accident, is now trying to reestablish a relationship with them, one of many issues Katherine faces. As she contrasts her life to that of her lovely best friend, Jessie, she deals with bullying by a classmate, the clumsy, ambiguous romantic advances of William, the willingness of some adults to classify her as disabled while she strives for normalcy—by relentlessly driving herself on a swim team, for example—and, primarily, her quest to improve the appearance of her scars. Her italicized inner monologues, contrasting with the present-tense, third-person narration, gradually move from angry and self-pitying toward a more mature self-acceptance, but they fail to ring true given the extremely spirited actions she’s taken. “I’m sick of it. Unfair.

Unfair. Just leave me, that’s right,” she thinks when she arrives home to discover her mother and sister are still out. This relentless negativity diminishes Katherine’s appeal as a character.

While vividly documenting the devastating aftereffects of severe burns, this effort never fully captures the protagonist’s spirit, making for a frustrating, emotionally draining read. (Fiction. 11 & up)

THE LAST MUSKETEER

Gibbs, Stuart Harper/HarperCollins (256 pp.) $16.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-06-204838-7 From the gripping first sentence— “Clinging to the prison wall, Greg Rich realized how much he hated time travel”— the excitement never flags in this newly imagined Musketeer adventure.

Greg is none too pleased to be in Paris with his folks as they sell off family heirlooms. Among their belongings is a magical crystal that, when nabbed by a villainous thief, whisks them into the distant past. Suddenly in 17th-century Paris, Greg’s parents are imprisoned in the La Mort Triste and sentenced to die. Greg has only a few days to save them. He elicits the help of three teenage boys: Aramis, Porthos and Athos, each keen for the adventure. As the boys wend their way through the fetid streets of medieval Paris with the king’s guards always on their heels, they endure deathdefying battles and swordfights on horseback, chandeliers and ledges. With the past and the present entwining in dizzying tangles of who’s who and what’s what, Gibbs weaves in historical facts about Paris as well as atmospheric tidbits about rats, bed bugs and the lack of toilets and pockets in pants. Greg, now referred to as D’Artagnon, eventually deduces his role in this group, but it’s going to take more than wishful thinking to get him and his parents back home—or is Paris home?

Using Alexandre Dumas’ stories as a jumping-off point, Gibbs mixes fact, fantasy and thrills to create a galloping swashbuckler. (Adventure. 8-12)

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BORN UGLY

Goobie, Beth Red Deer Press (308 pp.) paper $12.95 | September 15, 2011 paper 978-0-88995-457-1 This taut thriller showcases the award-winning Canadian author’s gift for creating memorable teen characters who confront tough issues alone—in this case, teen bullying, portrayed in gritty, claustrophobic detail by its victim.

High-school junior Shirley Rutz knows she’s ugly—she sees it in the mirror, her mother and pretty sister reinforce the message and her classmates hammer it home. Their weapons of choice run from cruel jeers and physical intimidation to sophisticated cyberbullying. To endure the pain, Shir takes refuge in her hideaway above the river, anesthetizing herself with alcohol. To pay the exorbitant price her adult suppliers charge for beer, she makes deliveries for a grocer whose appreciation for her work is the only praise she hears. The crutches Shir relies on are fragile though, and they soon begin to fail her.

The relentless abuse at school escalates, a strange boy invades her sanctuary and she makes the horrifying discovery that she’s been delivering more than groceries. If Shir’s crutches are what’s kept her going, giving them up is the price of survival. Goobie’s third-person voice relentlessly puts readers directly in Shir’s head, pulling no punches in creating a memorable, believable character.

Working-class, alcoholic Shir is no swan in ugly-duckling disguise, but despite the rotten hand life’s dealt her, she’s got heart and courage and a stubborn refusal to give up that will keep readers rooting for her. (Fiction. 14 & up)

SHHH!

Gorbachev, Valeri Illustrator: Gorbachev, Valeri Philomel (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-399-25429-1 Gorbachev charms in this salute to naptime.

“When my baby brother sleeps, I am very quiet.” But the young narrator also does his brotherly best to quiet other noisemakers. There is that clown whooping it up and the knights fighting and the plane buzzing and the train clanking and the pirates firing their cannons.

“Shhh!” says the boy to each. But when baby brother wakes— drawn here by Gorbachev with a wonderful, round head and gaping maw, much in tune with the knight’s potato nose, the pirates’ bristly cheeks and the conductor’s walrus of a mustache—all the various characters can get back to business, only this time as the young boy’s toys. Gorbachev recreates the powerfully evocative atmosphere around naptime—the sepulchral hush, the strange amplification of the most minor

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“Storytelling in a book for newly independent readers can seem stiff, but Greene doesn’t miss a step.” from princess posey and the next-door dog

PRINCESS POSEY AND THE NEXTDOOR DOG

sounds; readers can almost taste the afternoon’s doldrums.

His drawings are both delicate and taut: The lines are fine, and the colors are like a blush, while the various characters have been caught in mid-act, now frozen but ready to move when the word is given.

A lovely incarnation of snoozetime. (Picture book. 3-5)

Greene, Stephanie Illustrator: Sisson, Stephanie Roth Putnam (96 pp.) $12.99 | paper $4.99 September 15, 2011 978-0-399-25463-5 paper 978-0-14-241939-7 Series: Princess Posey, 3

HEAVEN God’s Promise for Me

Graham Lotz, Anne Illustrator: Bryant, Laura J. Zonderkidz (40 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-310-71601-3

A little girl and her younger brother learn to accept their grandmother’s death in this rhyming story that explains the concepts of God, Jesus and Heaven in simplified terms for younger children.

The unnamed girl narrates the story, noting their sadness at their grandma’s death and searching for answers by reading the Bible to her brother. She reads from the Book of John, paraphrasing the familiar text that promises that “there are many mansions in my Father’s house.” The realistic setting of the two children in the boy’s bedroom segues into an interpretation of Heaven as a magical, fanciful place filled with smiling children and dancing animals. The sweet, sometimes sing-song verse describes Heaven as a place where no one is old or sick and where children can safely swim with sharks or fly with eagles.

Bryant’s cheerful watercolor illustrations imagine Heaven as a sort of pleasant amusement park with Jesus as the headmaster and where children ride on the backs of flying sheep and climb trees with pigs and frogs. The final pages present a conservative Christian philosophy of confession and acceptance of Jesus as one’s personal savior, with the concluding pages offering a prayer for children and the relevant verses from the Book of John. Additional materials include an explanatory letter to parents and other adults, questions for adults to use with children, Bible verse references incorporated into the text and an “RSVP to Jesus” for use by the child reader.

Though the text is on the saccharine side and the heavenly interpretation is a bit far-fetched, this effort does serve as an accessible introduction to difficult concepts.

(Picture book/religion. 4-7)

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Posey, now a first grader, wants to be a big kid but she is still a little girl.

When everyone starts talking about Luca’s new pet dog, Posey longs for a live pet, but her mother insists that little brother Danny is enough of a challenge at the moment. Also, Posey nervously remembers the time a big dog knocked her down at the park. When a very big dog moves in next door, Posey must face her fears. Armed with the wise words of her chili-cooking grandfather, Posey sets out to meet the new dog and learns that she is braver than she thinks. This Posey book is an especially winning tale. The illustrations show up at just the right moment, reflecting the honest emotions of this lovable little girl. When the older boys tease her, her fists ball up as she stomps away, and when she and her friends share a deliciously scary story, their eyes widen in fear. The sentence length and word choice are perfect for the transitioning reader—any unfamiliar word will be easy to decode in context or by using the phonetic clues.

Storytelling in a book for newly independent readers can seem stiff, but Greene doesn’t miss a step. Posey is the perfect fictional friend for any first-grade girl. (Chapter book. 5-8)

LOON

Griek, Susan Vande Illustrator: Reczuch, Karen Groundwood (48 pp.) $18.95 | August 1, 2011 978-1-55498-077-2 The life cycles of two baby loons are presented in this lyrical picture book.

One late June day, a gray chick pecks and pecks her way out of her large greenand-brown spotted egg. A short time later, she has a little brother.

They stay in the nest for about a month, then are ready to test the waters, literally. Sometimes they can ride on a parent’s back to rest and dry off. In summer, there are dangers on the water, such as people; the offspring learn to dive deep for fish like their parents. As fall turns to winter, the parents fly away, leaving the young to fend for themselves. They grow strong and take flight just before the lake water freezes, finding a new home on the ocean with a loose flock of others. It takes a few years, but eventually the gray feathers molt an are replaced by “checkered, striped, spotted / white and black.” Now they are ready to become parents themselves and

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begin to listen for that distinct mating call. The book concludes with an informative essay about the loon, illustrated with depictions of five varieties, and suggestions for further reading. Reczuch’s beautiful acrylic on-canvas paintings, 19 two-page spreads in all, themselves tell the story eloquently. Vande Griek’s text is deft and minimal, yet, despite its free-verse form, still feels too prosaic, given the drama of the pictures.

Though the book’s two components coexist uneasily, each is notable, and children in loon country will be fascinated by such a thorough exploration. (Informational picture book. 4-7)

STAY WITH ME

Griffin, Paul Dial (304 pp.) $16.99 | September 8, 2011 978-0-8037-3448-7 Their relationship is doomed from the start.

For 15-year-olds Céce and Mack, it’s nearly love at first sight—not an easy feat, since they’re so remarkably different. He’s a dyslexic dropout with a police record. She’s an excellent student, studying for an entrance exam to a gifted-and-talented program. Each comes from a harddrinking, single-parent family, although Céce’s mother exudes heartfelt affection while Mack’s father is a misanthropic hatemonger. When provoked, Mack’s anger is nearly uncontrollable, yet his transcendent sensitivity toward Céce and the pit bulls he rescues and cares for is extraordinary. Pushed together by Céce’s brother, the heartbreaking depth of their relationship is vividly depicted through affecting prose and believable dialogue. After Mack gets into serious trouble, their resulting separation marks the end; each of them has to find a way to continue on, horribly damaged, but not destroyed. Remarkable characters abound: Vic, the wily fellow who employs them both in his quirky restaurant; Anthony, Céce’s brave older brother; Wash, a compassionate prison guard; Mr. Thompkins, an impatient, drill-sergeant on a mission; and, notably, a pair of slobbering, devoted pit bulls. Even a too-convenient climax doesn’t detract but rather gives readers and characters the relief they need.

Achingly, authentically emotionally resonant, this sad, neversaccharine tale related in alternating voices will have absorbed readers reaching for the Kleenex.

An outstanding love story peopled by a wealth of memorable characters. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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PLANET MIDDLE SCHOOL

Grimes, Nikki Bloomsbury (160 pp.) $15.99 | September 13, 2011 978-1-59990-284-5

A young tomboy comes of age on and off the basketball court.

In free-flowing free-verse poems, multi–award-winning author and poet Grimes (A Girl Named Mister, 2010, etc.) here explores the riot of hormones and expected gender roles that can make negotiating the preteen years such a challenge. Twelve-year-old Joylin “Jockette” Johnson prefers jeans, T-shirts and one-on-one basketball games with her father or friend Jake to conforming to the more demure, feminine image her mother has of her. Sassy, self-assured Joy enjoys the simple math of her life—“friends / plus family / plus sports”—until she begins to notice “two weird mounds ruining / the perfect flatness / of [her] chest” and gets her first period, which she deems, “the end of life / as I know it.” Beset by physical changes, Joy also finds herself witness and prey to unfamiliar behavior; Jake begins to show interest in her friend KeeLee, and Joy herself tries to adopt a more feminine persona to attract the attention of Santiago, a fellow basketballer with “sweet brown curls / bouncing above killer green eyes.” Though Grimes’ plot development is rather predictable—a life-threatening accident leads Joy to reassess her priorities—her accessible verse and clear themes of self-acceptance and open-mindedness ring true.

A work that should help adolescent readers find the courage and humor to grow into the individuals they already are. (Verse fiction. 9-14)

ME AND MEOW

Gudeon, Adam Illustrator: Gudeon, Adam Harper/HarperCollins (32 pp.) $12.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-06-199821-8 Gudeon’s picture-book debut is high on style and charm as it introduces Me and Meow, a little girl and her cat, in a beginning-reader–friendly tale.

Childlike, boldly colored illustrations follow the characters through their daily routine. Minimal backgrounds include just a few items rendered in naïve style: A cheery sun establishes the initial morning setting; a window with the sunrise outside indicates an interior breakfast scene; then a house and tree show that they are playing outside. This echoes the text’s control and repetition, inviting new readers to decode the story with support from pictorial cues. Me and Meow engage in “Stump jumping. / Leaf leaping. / Slip sliding. / Hide hiding,” and then the sneaky kitty stays hidden and Me goes off to find it. In her haste, she has a tricycle accident, and a brilliant use of facing pages has her saying “I will find my Me… / …ow!” across the gutter; the “ow!” illustration depicts the tearful little girl, her trike

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“…Healey… seamlessly integrates noir and fantasy tropes to explore issues of suicide, trust, sexuality, race, insecurity and free will in a way that feels fresh.” from the shattering

upside down beside her. Meow emerges to comfort her, and the two carry on with their day of play until it’s time for “Dream Dreaming. / Night night, Me. / Night night, Meow.”

More, Me and Meow. More. (Picture book/early reader. 2-6)

WAGONS HO!

Authors: Hallowell, George; Holub, Joan Illustrator: Avril, Lynne Whitman (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-8075-8612-9 This spry outing contrasts parallel westward journeys of two families—one traveling by covered wagon in 1846, the other by car, trailer and moving van in a modern-day relocation.

Each travelogue is narrated by a big sister, a device that deftly reveals the striking differences—and similarities— between children in the two eras. Jenny says, “Our trip will take five months, from May to September. I’ve heard that some people die on the trail. I hope we survive the journey.”

Katie journals, “Our trip will take five days, from Monday to Friday….All that driving—not to mention my brother driving me crazy the whole way. How will I survive?” The pioneering Johnsons must sell livestock and leave behind heavy furniture. Jenny and her brother Ned walk most of the way, leaving the jouncing wagon’s 4x10-foot interior for provisions.

The Millers ship or stow most possessions and utilize hotels en route. Children will respond to the emotions linking the children across time—Jenny must give away her beloved cat, while Katie observes “All I do is say goodbye.” Avril’s appealing illustrations combine cartoonish, kid-friendly sequencing and engaging details. Design elements that include split panels and contrasting typography highlight the dual experiences, while speech bubbles and chatty details unite them.

Vibrantly enlivening pioneer migration for primary readers, this is a fine addition for both home and classroom. (preface) (Informational picture book. 6-9)

THE MONSTROUS BOOK OF MONSTERS

Hamilton, Libby Illustrators: Duddle, Jonny; Bitskoff, Aleksei Templar/Candlewick (20 pp.) $17.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7636-5756-7 Go for the gross! Even hard-core fans may be tempted to give away their lunches after sampling this banquet of bogles.

Advising readers who don’t wish to become entrées themselves to flee at the first sign of monsters, “expert” Dr. Thomas Jelly presents a menagerie of menaces from giant closet worms, the aptly named Dentadontis and snot pets that “just love to hang out,” to the Lesser-Spotted Pooter, the Fartsquid and (tossing in something for the ‘rents) Crate 1352

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Moss “the world’s most beautiful monster.” Flushed with references to poop and other bodily excrescences, the narrative covers monster types, household habitats (like your toothpaste tube—guess what comes out when you squeeze) and recipes (“Live Eyes On Sticks,” “Thing On Toast”). Also discussed are monster escape, capture and disposal strategies.

Enhanced by dozens of flaps and sliding tabs, plus die cuts, minibooks and popups, the cartoon art portrays its luridly hued subjects in properly nauseating detail.

A giant googly eye embedded in a bite-marked cover beckons invitingly to stronger-stomached monster lovers.

(Novelty browsing item. 7-10)

THE EMPEROR’S COOL CLOTHES

Harper, Lee Illustrator: Harper, Lee Marshall Cavendish (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7614-5948-4 Andersen’s classic tale gets a humorously “cool” update in an imaginary land in which emperor penguins, polar bears, seals, walruses and albatross coexist.

The emperor, fighting childhood memories of being teased, decides that once he becomes ruler he will achieve total coolness. His wardrobe is the means to his end, but coolness is deeper than fabric. Dissatisfied with the offerings in the local clothing shops (Cold Navy, Albatross & Fish), it is no surprise when a new shop, Two Rogues Cool Clothes, catches his eye. The two rogues promise clothing invisible to anyone not as cool as the emperor, setting in motion the lies that lead to his naked parade. As in the original, the ending is a bit abrupt. Harper’s version also adds a bit of ambiguity as to what the emperor may have learned from this experience.

But while the ending may leave readers with a less-than-cool impression, the illustrations just may make up for it. Humorous details are scattered throughout, some seemingly for the benefit of adult audiences. He uses bright colors in his watercolor-and-pencil artwork and ably conveys the sad fact that the emperor’s clothes, no matter how nice, cannot mask his lack of cool.

The visual humor makes this a winner, and adults will appreciate the easy segue into conversations about honesty and what defines “cool” that are sure to follow. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)

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WARDUFF AND THE CORNCOB CAPER

Head, Mat Illustrator: Head, Mat Andersen Press USA (32 pp.) $16.95 | e-book $12.71 September 1, 2011 978-0-7613-8095-5 e-book 978-0-7613-8096-2 A group of anthropomorphized farm animals threatened by a fox turn to a clever cat to protect them.

A straightforward plot propels this British import briskly through an eventful evening. Warduff, a fat black cat whose torn ear suggests a violent past, wakes to a call from Fefferflap the goose. A fox has been seen slinking around. Somewhat unexpectedly, Warduff uses brains, not brawn, to come up with a plan to scare away the fox and keep the animals safe. Much of the humor and nuance come from Head’s digitally created illustrations. Warduff ’s phone, for example, is of the simple can-and-string variety (the can’s label reads “Fatty Cat Mouse Morsels in Fish Jelly”), while the receiver clutched by Fefferflap appears to be a miniature pink pig with a very long curly tail.

Head employs simple silhouettes and stylized shapes to create his animal characters and pastoral landscape. All of the animals have wide, staring eyes, which convey a surprising range of emotions. Unfortunately, the illustration of the clever trick that convinces Snipe the fox to hightail it out of town may not work quite as well for readers, but they’ll still be tickled by the elaborate planning of “Operation Corncob.”

Funny names and fanciful language are bolstered by droll drawings to create a generally pleasing if not especially memorable rustic escapade. (Picture book. 4-9)

THE SHATTERING

Author: Healey, Karen Little, Brown (320 pp.) $17.99 | September 5, 2011 978-0-316-12572-7 A motley crew of teens band together to catch a serial killer and break the perverse spell that keeps their New Zealand resort town so idyllic.

The older brothers of Summerton’s residents and vacationers are killing themselves—one boy each year—and prepared-for-anything Keri, sexy would-be rocker Janna and dreamy, insecure Sione, who’ve all lost their older brothers, figure it’s no coincidence.

Working the case with a tenacity and creativity that would do Sam Spade proud, the three discover that otherwisetrustworthy adults are members of a coven using dark magic to force a teen boy to kill himself each year. The suicides are a sacrifice, renewing a protective spell the coven placed on Summerton to protect it from the economic hardships that have befallen neighboring resort towns. The stakes escalate |

when they discover that the coven has chosen a Japanese tourist very much taken with Janna to be the next victim, putting the young detective team in a race against time. A teen noir hinging on the discovery of witchcraft could easily fall into self-conscious cutesiness or collapse under the weight of its own self-seriousness, but Healey (Guardian of the Dead, 2010) seamlessly integrates noir and fantasy tropes to explore issues of suicide, trust, sexuality, race, insecurity and free will in a way that feels fresh.

Less a whodunit than a “how do we stop it!?”, this fantasysteeped mystery should appeal to fans of Franny Billingsley’s Chime (2011) and Holly Black’s Curse Workers series. (Paranormal suspense. 14 & up)

WHEN ANJU LOVED BEING AN ELEPHANT

Henrichs, Wendy Illustrator: Butler, John Sleeping Bear Press (32 pp.) $16.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58536-533-3

An elephant’s lifelong journey from the island of Sumatra to an American traveling circus, a zoo and finally a sanctuary is recounted in this graceful and poignant story.

Anju’s early idyll in her natural habitat is abruptly halted when, at the age of five, she is taken from her family and forced into the demanding life of a circus elephant, then placed within the confinement of a zoo. Now, 50 years later, Anju is being led and coaxed on another journey, one that her mahout Vincent promises will help her retire with dignity and safety. Butler’s realistic paintings in acrylic and colored pencil deliver a soft, hazy muted quality that provides balance to the gentle and often lyrical narration, which highlights Anju’s flashback memories of her childhood life with fellow young elephant Lali. “The rhythmic, lapping waters of the surrounding Indian Ocean and South China Sea were their island lullaby. Closing their long-lashed eyelids and lying together with their families, Anju and Lali slept in the tall, ticklish grasses, heartbeat-to-heartbeat.” Anju enters her new home with trepidation yet is welcomed by a kind mahout and new elephant companion who greet her with encouraging tenderness. An elephant Q&A and information on helping elephants provides background and a means to action for engaged readers.

This heartfelt, humane vignette provides just the right details to appeal to animal-loving children. (Picture book. 5-9)

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“Hodkin writes strong prose that engages readers and creates some unusual, attractive characters.” from the unbecoming of mara dyer

THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER

Hodkin, Michelle Simon & Schuster (464 pp.) $16.99 | September 27, 2011 978-1-4424-2176-9 A girl tries to cope with her own survival after the deaths of her friends in this psychological—or is it paranormal?— debut suspense tale.

Mara understands that she’s suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after having survived the collapse of a building that killed her best friend, her boyfriend and his sister. To escape constant memories, the family moves from Rhode Island to Miami, and Mara enrolls in a pricey private school populated by spoiled rich kids. She falls for Noah, ultra-wealthy, British, handsome and perhaps untrustworthy girl-magnet. Her relationship with Noah comprises much of the story, even as Mara keeps seeing her dead friends in the mirror. Meanwhile, Mara tries to cope with a nasty student couple bent on destroying her and with a teacher who hates her for no discernible reason. Add to that her defense-lawyer father, who’s taken on the high-profile trial of the day and the book has one too many subplots, which, along with a bit too much description, leads to its excessive length. Hodkin writes strong prose that engages readers and creates some unusual, attractive characters. She designs an absorbing story that appears to be heading toward an interesting sequel. By the end, readers may be wondering if this is a psychological, paranormal or crime story, adding to the intrigue.

Even without advisable cuts, a strong, inventive tale.

(Suspense. 12 & up)

THE WISE FOOL Fables from the Islamic World

Reteller: Husain, Shahrukh Illustrator: Archer, Micha Barefoot (64 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-84686-226-7 Twenty-two short, entertaining and instructive tales, selected from many told about Mulla Nasruddin, introduce this wise fool known across the Islamic world from the Middle East to western China.

Known also as Khoja (or a variant of that respectful title), Nasruddin is sometimes judge, sometimes trickster and sometimes figure of fun who may once have been real, a 13th-century Turkish mystic. He’s here brought to a Western audience by an author who remembers these tales from her childhood in India and Pakistan and an illustrator whose collage work recalls the colors, patterns and perspectives of Persian and Indian miniatures. The stories are short, most no more than a page or two; the morals are unstated. They’re set on full-bleed double-page 1354

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spreads or opposite framed pictures in vibrant colors—blues, reds, yellow-golds and greens. Among the geometrical designs and patterns, flat perspectives and frames from which some details escape, Mulla is easily recognizable with his beard, hooked nose and turban. Readers and storytellers looking for a particular one will find this compilation easy to use, with its numbered pages and a table of contents. This handsome retelling concludes with a glossary and list of the author’s sources.

Most of these tales will be unfamiliar to American children, making this most welcome, as well as necessary for any folklore collection. (Folklore. 7 & up)

JULIET IMMORTAL

Jay, Stacey Delacorte (320 pp.) $17.99 | PLB $20.99 e-book $17.99 | September 13, 2011 978-0-385-74016-6 PLB 978-0-385-90826-9 e-book 978-0-375-89893-8 Shakespeare’s famous teenage lovers are re-imagined as immortal enemies in this convoluted and occasionally gruesome update of Romeo and Juliet.

As an agent for the ill-defined Ambassadors of Light— angels? gods? vampires? It’s never clear—Juliet Capulet finds and protects new soul mates; serving the Mercenaries of the Apocalypse, Romeo Montague tries to convince one lover to kill the other and gain immortality. The fact that Juliet is also immortal—as evidenced by the title—remains unaddressed, as do the clear downsides of Romeo’s demonic afterlife. Rather than reincarnation, the two temporarily possess humans—Juliet occupies the scarred and scared Ariel Dragland, while Romeo re-animates the fresh corpse of sociopath Dylan Stroud. Their host bodies come with an abundance of emotional baggage, bad friendships and dysfunctional families, all of which they must sort through as they attend high school, search for the soul mates and perform in West Side Story. Though the characters are flat—particularly secondary ones like spoiled Gemma and brooding but noble Ben—readers seeking melodrama may be pleased by the ever-changing couplings and life-or-death situations. Jay (The Locket, 2011, etc.) celebrates the giddy rush of teenage love, but the violence—often bordering on sexual sadism—far outstrips the original tale.

An uneven combination of Shakespeare and the supernatural. (Fiction. 14 & up)

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WEREWORLD Rise of the Wolf

Jobling, Curtis Viking (464 pp.) $16.99 | September 20, 2011 978-0-670-01330-2 Series: Wereworld, 1 When a monster breaks into his house and kills his mother, and his father accuses him of the murder, 16-year-old Drew Ferran must leave home and find his own way in the world.

Drew lives in the wilds, and it turns out that not only does he not know where home is any longer, he doesn’t really know who he is, though he has long suspected there’s more to him than he had imagined. For Drew is a therianthrope, a lycanthrope, the last of the Werewolves, and in his land of Lyssia, there are many kinds of Werelords heading noble households— the Werestag, the Wereboar, the Werebadger, even the Wererat.

But it’s a kingdom ruled by King Leopold the Lion, who is ever eager to kill Drew and end the line of wolves. Jobling’s debut initiates a sure-to-be-long series of Wereworld tales, pure fantasy adventure with plenty of horror in the mix. Though the writing is sloppy, with no shortage of wordy and awkward sentences, readers will no doubt be zipping along too quickly to notice.

Familiar themes of home, identity, destiny, friendship, loyalty and taming the beast within will satisfy lovers of fantasy.

Pitched to an audience younger than Twilight’s, this will find broad appeal among lovers of adventure fantasy, especially those mourning the end of John Flanagan’s Ranger’s Apprentice. (Fantasy. 10 & up)

DOG PARADE

Joosse, Barbara Illustrator: Yelchin, Eugene Harcourt (40 pp.) $16.99 | September 5, 2011 978-0-15-206690-1 Dogs of diverse descriptions are coerced by their owners into participating in a costume parade in this less-thanengaging story that tries too hard to be funny.

Each dog is introduced by name and characteristics on two facing pages with a portrait of the dog and a few lines of text from each dog’s perspective. Key words and approximations of the dogs’ barks and howls are set in varying typefaces and special treatments, interspersed with spot illustrations that delineate each dog’s character. The introduction of each dog is followed by a double-page spread of the costumed canine, with one descriptive word set in huge type related to the choice of costume. A pug named Gracie-Pants is happy to put on her ruffled dress and beribboned hat (Charmin’!”), and an obliging dachshund wears a hotdog outfit (“Weenie!”), but some of the other dogs are reluctant to try on their costumes. Eight dogs in all are costumed for |

the parade, and in the final pages, they are joined by other furry friends with floating balloons and sprinkles of confetti. Yelchin’s amusing gouache illustrations provide plenty of personality and clever humor for the pooches, but the overly cheery text, exaggerated canine noise approximations and a glut of exclamation marks don’t add up to a noteworthy story. (And the bathroom jokes surrounding the dog named Tinkles get old fast.)

Let this parade pass you by. (Picture book. 3-5)

VANISH A Firelight Novel

Jordan, Sophie Harper/HarperCollins (304 pp.) $17.99 | September 6, 2011 978-0-06-193510-7 Series: Firelight, 2

What’s a dragon-girl to do when she’s in love with a boy who hunts dragons?

In this first sequel to Jordon’s Firelight (2010), Jacinda and her family return to the hidden mountain home of the draki “pride.” Her twin sister, Tamra, finally manifests into a draki that can cloud humans’ minds, making her as valuable to the pride as Jacinda with her fire-breathing ability. However, their mother and, especially, Jacinda face punishment for the infractions they’ve committed. Jacinda decides to take her lumps, try to fit in again and forget her heartthrob Will—until Will shows up in town (you knew they’d meet again somehow). Meanwhile, Jacinda also finds herself reluctantly attracted to Cassian, the young draki prince Tamra loves. Although the romantic entanglements fit the usual romance-novel pattern, the author manages to keep suspense high with thrilling fights and several escapes.

Additionally, she touches on a theme of freedom versus authoritarianism within the essentially dictatorial draki society. Despite the fact that it’s the second in a series, this installment stands on its own quite well. The author manages to explain the essentials from the previous plot without taking up too much space. Staple genre plot points abound, such as the impossibly handsome love interest and star-crossing impediments to love. Characterizations work well despite this.

Overall, predictable but still imaginative, formulaic but still suspenseful. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

PIRATES AND PRINCESSES

Authors: Kargman, Jill; Kargman, Sadie Illustrator: Davenier, Christine Dutton (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-525-42229-7 When the pink and blue rules of kindergarten threaten best friends, they have to make a choice.

Five-year-olds Ivy and Fletch have been friends their whole lives. They have always been best pals, even holding hands

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“Cynical on wry.” from i want my hat back

during naptime together at preschool. But kindergarten is different. At the beginning, Fletch and Ivy swing together at recess, but soon the lines are drawn. The boys are on the pirate team, and the girls quickly form the princess team. The pink and blue war is on, with one lifelong friendship its first casualty.

The mother-and-daughter team tells the story, but it’s Davenier’s energetic pencil-and-watercolor illustrations that give the story its heart. She captures all the action and emotion of the playground with a few deft pencil lines. Fletch and Ivy rarely lose sight of each other, but their friendship is appropriately platonic. Though the story ends as expected, it’s nice to see that they figure out things for themselves, with no adult intervention, giving young readers some good ideas for when gender roles exert themselves in school.

Teachers especially will turn to this good-natured story; it will help open up a discussion about friendship that many children will profit from. (Picture book. 4-8)

EVEN AN OCTOPUS NEEDS A HOME

Kelly, Irene Illustrator: Kelly, Irene Holiday House (32 pp.) $16.95 | September 15, 2011 978-0-8234-2235-7 Building on her successful Even an Ostrich Needs a Nest (2009), Kelly expands the concept to describe how others in the animal world make and find safe places for rest, safety and rearing their young.

From chimpanzees building temporary sleeping platforms each night to male Siamese fighting fish hiding eggs in a mass of bubbles, the author-illustrator offers a wide variety of examples.

These are loosely organized by type: A tree house, tower, lodge, cave, burrow or bubble can serve as a temporary or permanent home. It might even be floating or mobile. Illustrations done in watercolor, gouache, pen and ink surround an informal narrative set in wavy lines on each page. There are a few missteps: The bee’s comb has both honey and larvae, although brood combs are usually separate from honey combs. Text about bats sleeping in caves is illustrated with flying fox bats hanging from trees.

Careful reading reveals that the nests, cells, tunnels and dens the author describes are used for nightly beds, places for hatching eggs and raising families or protective hideaways, but not always all three. The conclusion, calling these places where animals “live,” supports a common misunderstanding of animal behavior.

Animals do not have “homes” as humans do. For the intended audience that cozy connection is an unfortunate oversimplification in an otherwise appealing title. (Informational picture book. 5-9)

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WILMA TENDERFOOT The Case of the Frozen Hearts Kennedy, Emma Dial (352 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-8037-3540-8 Series: Wilma Tenderfoot, 1

Ten-year-old Wilma Tenderfoot, whose life’s ambition is to be a great detective, finds an opportunity when the Katzin Stone is stolen and several people are murdered on tiny Cooper Island.

Sold from the Institute for Woeful Children to cantankerous Mrs. Waldock, foundling Wilma gets her chance when she discovers that Theodore P. Goodman, the island’s greatest detective, lives next door. Ignoring her assigned tasks—muddying windows and scraping scabs—the determined child-investigator introduces herself, makes deductions, creeps after suspects, escapes circuitously and takes careful notes. She’s joined in these activities by her new best friend, Pickle, a remarkably talented beagle who can fetch and carry messages and even make good detecting suggestions. This British import, the first of four already published in the UK, is full of hints about dire occurrences to come. At one point the author directly suggests that readers might want a hanky. The melodrama, outlandish invention and exaggerated humor will appeal to fans of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events. Wilma is an appealing character, ever-hopeful that Goodman will take her on as an apprentice and help her find out more about her origins. The fast-paced plot twists and turns, but the conflict between good and evil is clear.

With plenty of loose ends for further installments, this is a promising beginning for a mystery series. (Mystery. 8-12)

WILMA TENDERFOOT The Case of the Putrid Poison Kennedy, Emma Dial (336 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-8037-3541-5 Series: Wilma Tenderfoot, 2

Now a proper apprentice with a badge, 10-year-old Wilma enrolls in the Cooper Academy of Detection and Espionage and helps Detective Theodore P. Goodman find the perpetrator of a series of murders at the Valiant Vaudeville Theater.

When Wilma goes undercover posing as a performer during the investigation, she nearly becomes a victim herself. This would certainly break one of the five Apprentice Detective Golden Rules: “Avoid mucking things up spectacularly.” This second in a series starring the detective wannabe and her beagle Pickles offers both another murder mystery with plenty of twists and turns and some steps along the

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way toward solving the series’ fundamental question: Who and where are the foundling’s missing relatives? The humor ranges from third-grade snickers at Pickles’ “involuntary smells” and digs at arch-villain Barbu D’Anvers’ shortness to quite sophisticated puns. An over-the-top review of Wilma and Pickles’ dance performance will make even adult readers smile. The writing is straightforward, but Kennedy includes language that may challenge younger readers, irresistible new words like “irascible,” “wafting,” “sordid” and “maniacally.” A couple of pages of summary of the events of the first book will bring newcomers into the long-term story, but this title stands on its own.

Both familiar and fresh, this English import is likely to appeal to American readers as well. (Mystery. 8-12)

I WANT MY HAT BACK

Klassen, Jon Illustrator: Klassen, Jon Candlewick (40 pp.) $15.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-7636-5598-3

Klassen’s coy effort combines spare illustration, simple, repetitive text and a “payback’s a bear” plot.

A somber, sepia-toned bear longs for his missing hat and questions a series of forest animals about its whereabouts. While everyone denies seeing it, a rabbit (sporting, readers will note, a pointy red chapeau) protests a bit too indignantly. Ten pages on, as the bear describes his hat for a solicitous deer, realization hits: “I HAVE SEEN MY HAT.” The accompanying illustration shows the indignant bear suffused in the page’s angry red. There’s the subsequent dash and confrontation, followed by bear in hat and rabbit—well, nowhere to be seen. Klassen’s ink-and-digital creatures, similarly almond-eyed and mouth-less, appear stiff and minimalist against creamy white space. Foliage is suggested with a few ink strokes (though it’s quite bashedup after rabbit goes missing). The text type, New Century Schoolbook, intentionally evokes the visually comfy, eminently readable design of 1960s children’s primers. Font colors correlate with the animals’ dialogue as well as the illustrations’ muted color palette, and the four-sentence denials (first rabbit’s, then bear’s) structurally echo each other. Indubitably hip, this will find plenty of admirers. Others might react to a certain moral vapidity. And the littlest ones will demand to know where the heck that rabbit went.

Cynical on wry. (Picture book. 4-7)

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MOSQUITO

Kroll, Virginia Illustrator: LePlatt, Betsy Pelican (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 30, 2011 978-1-58980-883-6 Almost as annoying at the eponymous insect, this pointless picture book seems unlikely to find an appreciative audience.

Prolific author Kroll rolls out rhymed verses in an abab pattern. The first and third lines are the same: “ ‘Buzz,’ said Mosquito.” The second and fourth feature inexplicably oldfashioned language as each animal that Mosquito approaches responds. The verbs Kroll chooses suit the animals well. Bear growls, Hare thumps, Dog barks, Drake quacks. But the words and phrases they use won’t resonate with young listeners. “Gee whiz!” “Dagnabbit!” “Fiddlesticks!” “Alack!” Alack? After what feels like an interminable series of encounters, including animals both wild and domestic as well as a little girl, the mosquito meets an unfortunate end at the hands—or rather in the mouth—of a bat. The uninspired text gets no help from the bland illustrations. The animals are represented realistically, though they are occasionally awkwardly drawn, but the mosquito is overlarge and oddly anthropomorphized. And in contrast to the strong, active verbs, overall the paintings are decidedly static. A final page featuring facts about mosquitoes seems aimed at a considerably older audience; it feels tacked on and not particularly useful.

Better books about bugs or by this author are plentiful, so skip this one with a clear conscience. (Picture book. 3-5)

THE YO-YO PROPHET

Krossing, Karen Orca (248 pp.) paper $12.95 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-1-55469-827-1

A lonely, shy boy with an unusual talent breaks out of his shell with the unwanted help of an aggressive girl manager.

Calvin lives with his ailing grandmother over their dry-cleaning shop, relying on his love of yo-yos to relieve stress. He decides he might be able to make some money as a street performer with his yo-yo tricks, but he can’t avoid the highly unwanted attention of Rozelle, who demands to become his manager and grabs half his earnings. Worse, Rozelle markets him as a prophet, who can make accurate predictions during his performances. Her shenanigans net him local television attention, but the now overconfident Calvin begins to believe his own publicity and predicts that he can beat a world-champion yo-yo master. Meanwhile, his grandmother fails further and sells her business to a man Calvin doesn’t trust. As the deadline looms for finding a new apartment, Calvin relies on his yo-yo,

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“Three orphans with nothing to lose embark on a road trip that reaches epic proportions.” from all the earth, thrown to the sky

teaching himself dazzling new tricks. Krossing paints vivid and believable portraits of her main characters and keeps the action flowing, especially in her descriptions of Calvin’s performances.

She manages to convey the intricacies of the tricks and Calvin’s joy in mastering them while moving the narrative briskly along.

It all adds up to a captivating and believable portrait of a young boy coming of age. (Fiction. 12 & up)

IT’S ALMOST TIME

LaCroix, Debbie Bernstein Illustrator: Chalek, Sarah Kane/Miller (36 pp.) $14.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-935279-85-3 The chiming, booming, cuckooing and ticking noises of various clocks are celebrated in this enthusiastic, though flawed and poorly titled outing.

A gently anthropomorphized horse and blue jay eagerly await the stroke of 12, killing time by listening to the various sounds of the clocks that surround them: “Thump, thump, thump, thump, / a giant clock ticks. / Tickety-tockety, / Ticketytockety, / a smaller clock clicks.” Once the clocks read noon, LaCroix drops the rhyming verses to describe in detail the sound of each clock’s chiming, using excellent verb and adverb choices to “play” the sound for readers: “Bum, bum, bum, bummmm, serenades the anniversary clock sweetly.” Chalek’s paintings provide vital clues to readers, who may not be familiar with the wide variety of clocks presented in the text. Unfortunately, she makes one large misstep, as she matches the text “one minute to cuckoo” with an image of a clock whose hands point to 11:48. Otherwise, the horse and blue jay display quite a bit of enthusiasm for their collection of clocks, reacting appropriately to each of their sounds—annoyed at the alarm clocks, soothed by the baby’s clock, which plays a tune.

Clock lovers may appreciate this, but others may simply want back the time they spent reading it. (Picture book. 3-7)

ALL THE EARTH, THROWN TO THE SKY

Lansdale, Joe R. Delacorte (240 pp.) $16.99 | PLB $19.99 e-book $16.99 | September 13, 2011 978-0-385-73931-3 PLB 978-0-385-90782-8 e-book 978-0-375-89748-1

first, learn a little about life” before becoming a journalist. So why not set out on a real quest? Together they steal a car from a dead man but are soon kidnapped by bank-robbing gangsters. After overhearing the men’s intention to kill an accomplice named Strangler, Jane convinces the boys that warning him would be the noble thing to do. Jack and Tony go along on the strength of Jane’s prowess as a storyteller—or liar, as some would have it.

This “Jack tale” is really Jane’s story; Jack is little more than the chronicler of an episodic adventure that stretches credulity as the trio heads across East Texas. Jane’s stories get them in and out of jams as they ride the rails with hoboes, are befriended by the likes of Pretty Boy Floyd and are hoodwinked into forced labor by a corrupt sheriff, before reaching a carnival, where the action culminates in a scene of comic violence.

A solid yarn with just a hint of romance. (Fiction. 11-14)

COUNT ME IN

Leach, Sara Orca (176 pp.) paper $9.95 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-1-55469-404-4

When 12-year-old Tabitha is forced by her parents to go backpacking with her two cousins and recently widowed Aunt Tess, she ends up with more of an adventure than any of them planned.

Both of Tabitha’s somewhat older cousins, Cedar and Ashley, are confident, experienced hikers, but nothing can fully prepare them for the series of misadventures that occurs after they climb to a mountaintop hut in British Columbia. Rain falls relentlessly. The dog, Max, wanders off when Tabitha is walking him. Ashley, even after she’s badly injured in a careless fall, uses every opportunity to express her hatred—never fully explained—for Tabitha, including deceitfully blaming her for the accident. After their attempt to hike out is thwarted by a flooded river, they begin to have problems with a very persistent bear, leading to many more issues. As the problems mount, Tabitha bravely responds, believably moving from her earlier self-pity to more appropriate responses, even coming to recognize that what she’s learning may help her with bullying problems she’s been having at school. The setting is well realized, and the authentic action sustains interest. If some of the dynamics between the characters are insufficiently developed, and a somewhat improbable conclusion seems forced, the suspense helps mitigate the issues.

A taut adventure tale that features plenty of action and some troubled relationships. (Adventure. 10-14)

Three orphans with nothing to lose embark on a road trip that reaches epic

proportions.

Initially, readers find Jack grappling with the loss of his parents, who have succumbed to the ravages of the Dust Bowl. Lansdale quickly shifts to a light, folksy tone as Jack meets up with Jane and her younger brother, Tony. Jane wants to “look around 1358

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MARIO & BABY GIA

Lopez, Mario Illustrator: Roos, Maryn Celebra/Penguin (32 pp.) $17.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-451-23417-9 Returning with his second picture book, Lopez (Mud Tacos, 2009) stresses the importance of family.

Preoccupied with his approaching birthday, Mario cannot find anyone to play with. His sister Marissa and cousin Rosie are having a girls-only tea party in the backyard, while his cousin Chico has baseball practice. Mario is not exactly happy when Nana suggests that he help out by watching his baby cousin, Gia. He begrudgingly agrees, as “[h]e knew he should be responsible.”

The exasperation that comes with entertaining a toddler quickly becomes clear in various scenes. Gia keeps calling him “Marigold.”

Playing ball in the backyard ends in chaos, and during snacktime, Gia is more interested in playing with her bowl than she is with actually eating. When Mario tries to read Gia a book, she tears a page, leaving Mario frustrated. His anger swiftly melts when Gia asks for a story, and he tells her all about his adventures with his sister and the other cousins. “You’ll see. You’re a part of our family. We’ll teach you everything you need to know.” The book concludes with a joint surprise birthday party for both Gia and Mario. Roos continues the commercial-looking cartoon-style illustrations from the earlier Mario book, which work well with the story, particularly during Mario’s stories.

A good choice for children with younger siblings and cousins, especially Latinos. (Picture book. 3-7)

CARRYING MASON

Magnin, Joyce Zonderkidz (160 pp.) $14.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-310-72681-4 Initially, all 13-year-old Luna asks is that she be allowed to be a pall bearer for her best friend, Mason.

But it quickly becomes clear that more will be needed if she is to truly serve her friend’s memory. Mason’s mother, Ruby Day, is variously called “feebleminded” and a “retard,” harsh words for a woman who was able to successfully raise her son and who works every day bagging groceries. Unfortunately, Ruby Day isn’t quite able to manage her own home, so Luna moves in with her to provide both companionship and a little supervision. Then a villainous woman, Aunt Sapphire, shows up in her chauffeur-driven limousine with plans to take Ruby back to the Mason Home for the Feebleminded, a place she doesn’t want to go. Luna is just one girl trying to fight for rights that Ruby doesn’t seem to have—unless she can get the townspeople to rally behind their cause. Gently, deliberately paced, Luna’s first-person tale provides a fresh look at mental disabilities and |

the additional burden of negative attitudes. While Ruby’s disability is apparent, this effort also celebrates her capabilities.

Although the primary focus is Luna, her quirky father, supportive mother and boy-crazy older sister are also sufficiently developed to provide additional depth.

A quiet coming-of-age tale with heart offers a fresh look at mentally disabled adults. (Fiction. 10-15)

BUTTERFLY TREE

Markle, Sandra Illustrator: Wu, Leslie Peachtree (32 pp.) $16.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-56145-539-3 A black rain that becomes a mysterious orange cloud over Lake Erie is the beginning for of a magical encounter with monarch butterflies for Jilly, her dog, Fudge, and her mother.

Veteran nature-writer Markle, who has written recently of places as disparate as Nova Scotia, Australia and China, here offers a gentle free-verse narrative based on a never-to-beforgotten experience from her own Ohio childhood. The slow pace of her account is appropriate: “When you’re making a memory, / you want it to last as long as possible.” At first, Jilly is worried, hesitant about following the cloud into the woods with her mother, wanting to turn back. Wu’s hazy pastel paintings on full-bleed double-page spreads emphasize the mystery, the woodland dimness and puzzling spots of orange they see. When the monarchs explode from the tree where they were resting and Jilly realizes what they are, they suddenly become clear to the reader as well. What looks dark and indistinct close-up shows surprisingly well at a distance; the text reads aloud smoothly, suiting this especially well for use with a group. Author’s notes, a map showing monarch migration and a list of books and websites for further exploration add helpful information.

Even collections with many monarch titles will want to add this one for its masterful evocation of a child’s sense of wonder at the natural world. (Picture book. 4-8)

ENTHRALLED Paranormal Diversions

Editors: Marr, Melissa; Armstrong, Kelley Harper/HarperCollins (464 pp.) $17.99 | paper $9.99 September 20, 2011 978-0-06-201579-2 paper 978-0-06-201578-5 A solid collection of stories that prove that all any supernatural creature wants to do is date or eat teenage protagonists.

These short stories are loosely connected by a very openly interpreted journey motif. Psychics, genies, angels and gargoyles join fairies and vampires to terrorize and romance their fellow characters. The diversity in authors allows for the

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“Formatted in a larger trim than the usual early reader, this imaginary rumpus is just right for beginners to successfully read and reread.” from see me run

sometimes-neglected horror implied in paranormal stories to be spotlighted, as in Carrie Ryan’s zombie thriller, “Scenic Route,” and Jennifer Lynn Barnes’s “The Third Kind,” about sisters with unavoidable compulsions. Many of the authors base their stories in the existing worlds of their other novels—luckily, most of these standalones work, though not all shake off that teaser taste. Sarah Rees Brennan’s “Let’s Get This Undead Show on the Road” follows a vampire in a boy-band and stands out with its perfect blend of snark and sincerity. It’s followed in a one-two punch by Jeri Smith-Ready’s intense and earnest “Bridge.” While not every story’s as strong as those (some are downright forgettable), in a buffet of so many flavors readers can always skip to the next story with a good chance of finding something more to their liking.

This collection is ideal as a sampler tray for paranormal readers looking to pick up new authors to follow or to further explore the fictional worlds they already know. (about the authors) (Paranormal. 13-18)

STARFIELDS

Marsden, Carolyn Candlewick (224 pp.) $15.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7636-4820-6 In Marsden’s latest tale of crosscultural friendship, a modern Mayan girl fights to protect her rural Mexican village from encroaching development.

Nine-year-old Rosalba Nicho lives a peaceful life with her parents and siblings in San Martín. Everything changes when she becomes friends with 8-year-old Alicia, a light-haired, green-eyed ladina from Mexico City. Camping nearby while her father works to preserve the local frog population, Alicia dominates most conversations and the friendship in general, establishing a problematic colonizer motif that runs throughout the novel. Soon, government workers inexplicability start bulldozing a road to San Martín, and more frogs begin to die. The author intersperses these third-person chapters with a mystical first-person narrative, following the life of a young male seer named Xunko in 600 C.E. The two narratives finally connect when Xunko begins visiting Rosalba’s dreams, showing her ways to save her village. Unfortunately, with the exception of Rosalba and Xunko, most of the Mayan characters appear petty, ignorant and/or violent. The importance of Mayan weaving and the use of the Popol Vuh add authenticity, yet the intended audience may be overwhelmed by the dual narratives, the environmental aspects, brief references to the Zapatistas and the (unfortunate) inclusion of the Mayan 2012 “apocalypse” prophecy.

While the concluding author’s note provides explication of some of these elements, some readers may not stick it out. (Spanish/Mayan glossary) (Fiction. 9-12)

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TOO MANY DINOSAURS

Mayer, Mercer Illustrator: Mayer, Mercer Holiday House (32 pp.) $16.95 | September 15, 2011 978-0-8234-2316-3

The plot doesn’t exactly make sense, but that hardly matters when the pictures show a suburban neighborhood suddenly overrun with humongous dinosaurs.

His mother’s steadfast refusal to let him get a dog only breaks down after a lad visits a yard sale to buy first a huge egg that hatches into a rambunctious baby triceratops and then a “dinosaur horn” that brings a towering T. Rex and more dinos thundering out of the trees. In some of his most finished, sharply detailed illustrations ever, Mayer shows casually dressed human figures and massive, exuberant prehistoric ones—all bearing comically exaggerated expressions—chasing one another through yards and down streets until the lad blows his horn again and the surprised-looking dinos fade away. Cut to a final scene in the pet shop, where boy and wriggly puppy bond as Mom takes her abrupt about face with good grace. The firstperson narration runs to just a line or so per page, but it might as well not be there at all, so expressive are the illustrations.

Eye candy for dinosaur fans, with piles of yard-sale goods and other junk on hand that will reward closer looks.

(Picture book. 4-6)

BENJAMIN FRANKLINSTEIN MEETS THE FRIGHT BROTHERS

Authors: McElligott, Matthew; Tuxbury, Larry Illustrator: McElligott, Matthew Putnam (160 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-399-25480-2 Series: Benjamin Franklinstein, 2 Renowned inventors square off in a battle for modern Philadelphia in this daffy sequel to Benjamin Franklinstein Lives! (2010).

Reanimated in the previous episode after centuries of suspended animation, genial Ben and his two young Karloff Street cohorts—serious minded Victor Godwin (son of Mary) and his deceptively idiotic buddy Scott—must swing back into action.

They find themselves johnnies on the spot when a wave of giantbat sightings is followed by one city official after another suddenly acquiring spots on their necks, glowing eyes and robotlike behavior. Checking out strange doings at the just-opened “Right Cycle Company,” the investigators find two likewise reanimated gents in antique clothing engaged in turning bicycle parts into a huge flying machine designed to finish the job and take over the city at the behest of a shadowy “Emperor.” Enhanced by frequent charts, diagrams, lists and other visual aids, a spirit of

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rational (if often reckless) scientific inquiry pervades the tale, as Ben and his allies translate coded messages, analyze evidence, get a lesson in meteorology and conduct experiments using both real and science-fictional gear on the way to a literally electrifying climax. The Emperor’s identity is revealed at the end but as he remains at large, expect further sequels.

The authors have way too much fun taking the opener’s premise and evil conspiracy to the next level. Readers will too. (Sci-fantasy. 10-12)

SKANK

McWhirter, Teresa Lorimer Press (160 pp.) $16.95 | paper $9.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-55277-716-9 paper 978-1-55277-715-2 This stark, convincing portrait of a girl struggling to live in a tough neighborhood should appeal to teens looking for realism.

Ariel, 16, finds herself living on government assistance in Vancouver’s roughest district because her mother’s severe arthritis prevents her from working. She misses her friends from her previous, far wealthier neighborhood and fears the new high school she has to attend. Ariel can’t hide in the shadows, however.

She developed a large bust very early and easily attracts the attention of boys. When the former boyfriend of an aggressively nasty girl flirts with her, Ariel finds herself the victim of a vicious smear campaign. Ariel doesn’t cope well. She conceals her troubles from her mom and begins acting almost as her enemies portray her. She drinks at parties and pulls off her top, then poses topless for a sleazy porn merchant. She makes one street-smart friend who tries to warn her, but Ariel’s rebellion against her situation continues to make matters worse. The characters seem real, and Ariel’s dilemmas ring true as well. McWhirter paints an uncompromising portrait of her characters and their neighborhood.

Readers will watch Ariel making bad choices, but they should understand why the frightened and confused girl acts as she does.

Sensitive and effective, this small, short book is explicitly aimed at reluctant readers; if they pick it up, they will find some fine writing within. (Fiction. 12 & up)

SEE ME RUN

Meisel, Paul Illustrator: Meisel, Paul Holiday House (32 pp.) $14.95 | September 15, 2011 978-0-8234-2349-1 Series: I Like to Read

repetitive “See me run. / I run and run.” Hearing the story from the dog’s point of view, newly minted readers will work through each page’s basic sentence structure with plenty of opportunity to decipher the story’s action through words and pictures. Several word-family patterns are incorporated as the star pooch of this canine adventure leads a group of romping dogs across a great lawn: “Will they get me? / No, no, no! / We go and go,” through a large mud puddle. Finally, they pursue some serious digging: “We dig and dig and dig and dig. // What is this? // It is big.” A large dinosaur skeleton rises and gives chase, resulting in dogs frantically running once again. Cartoon drawings done in acrylic ink, pen and colored pencils offer a variety of dog breeds; eyes are wide and tongues hang out in their expressive faces as they frolic through the pale green, grassy park.

Formatted in a larger trim than the usual early reader, this imaginary rumpus is just right for beginners to successfully read and reread. (Early reader. 5-7)

THE DANCING CLOCK

Metzger, Steve Illustrator: Nez, John Abbot Tiger Tales (32 pp.) $12.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58925-100-7

The fabulous musical Delacorte clock in Central Park in New York City is the subject of a snow monkey’s devotion, told in rhymed couplets.

Milo the snow monkey loves to watch and listen to the clock, on which two monkeys ring a bell and animals circle—the bear with a tambourine, the elephant with a squeezebox accordion, the hippo with the fiddle. He wants to join their dance. One day, the zookeeper leaves a gate unlocked, and Milo leaps out to sit on the bell with the monkeys and then dance with each animal figure in turn. The crowds cheer. But then Milo realizes it is cold up there, and there’s no food. Fortuitously, the zookeeper comes by, a well-placed nut toss attracts her attention and Milo is back with his buddies, “A clock can be special, but not like a friend!” It is clear from the falling russet leaves that this is autumn. Curiously, most of the brightly clad figures look more French than East Coast urban. There are hats on most of the adults and many of the children; there are scarves and hair ribbons galore on the big-eyed, sharp-nosed gentry in their plaids and polka-dots. The verse chugs along, thwacking its rhymes as it goes, which can be irritating or satisfying depending on readers’ tastes. A note “About the Dancing Clock” offers a bit more information.

Not nearly so engaging as its subject, alas. (Picture book. 3-5)

A dog set free to run and roam in a dog park uncovers an archeological surprise.

In a manner reminiscent of a Dick and Jane reader, Meisel begins his minimal, patterned text with the simple and |

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“This dark, thoughtful sequel to The Mark (2010) eventually subverts practically every paranormal-romance cliché.” from the vision

THE THREE BILLY GOATS FLUFF

Mortimer, Rachael Illustrator: Pichon, Liz Tiger Tales (36 pp.) $15.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58925-101-4 It’s clear a mother’s work is never done when her three Billy Goats “Fluff ” irk a notorious troll with sensitive hearing.

Annoyed by the bridge’s obnoxious vibrations, sleepdeprived Mr. Troll posts stern warnings above his abode (“TRIPTRAPPERS WILL BE EATEN!”) in a fruitless attempt to soften the prancing of noisy hooves. When the goats trip-trap along undeterred, he snarls a rhyming threat: “When I’m tired and feeling blue, / there’s nothing quite like little goat stew!”

Petrified, the nervous siblings run their little tails home to their mother, who sits, knitting adorable accessories for her boisterous trio. Mama sympathizes with the grumpy ogre (she understands the necessity of sleep first-hand) and sets forth a tantalizing truce. Mama’s hobby provides fuzzy booties to finally muffle her children’s clip-clopping. The rhyming verse is nothing to shout about, but most of the narrative is in a pleasingly deadpan prose. Sunny, bold spreads highlight the emeraldgreen troll (with stubby tufts of hair and long, manicured nails), and his outraged expressions convey each building annoyance.

Quirky elements amuse (the goats’ yard sign in sweater-form reads “fluffy stuff for sale”).

Overall, this solid British import keeps the fun (and loses the fearsome) in this spin on a traditional tale. (Picture book. 3-7)

THE VISION

Nadol, Jen Bloomsbury (240 pp.) $16.99 | September 27, 2011 978-1-59990-597-6 This dark, thoughtful sequel to The Mark (2010) eventually subverts practically every paranormal-romance cliché.

Seventeen-year-old Cassie has accepted her ability to see impending death; she is a descendent of the mythological Fates. Seeking guidance on this “gift,” she leaves her small-town home and friends to immerse herself in a study of death, working at a funeral home, researching different spiritual traditions and visiting a young woman committed to psychiatric care after seeing the “Angel of Death.” She also becomes involved with the supremely arrogant (and dangerously magnetic) Zander, who claims to have the answers about Cassie’s purpose and destiny. Cassie is both mature and sensitive, ever conscious of the feelings of others and agonizingly aware of the consequences of her own choices, while retaining all the foibles and yearnings of a realistic teenager. If her school life and the multicultural Chicago setting are given short shrift, and most of the secondary characters remain opaque, that’s because 1362

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so much depth is given to Cassie’s interior struggles. While it may frustrate some readers that her ethical quandary never receives a clear solution and so many plot threads remain dangling, others will respect her eventual acceptance of uncertainty.

For those willing to ponder difficult questions and appreciate the opportunity to come to their own conclusions, Cassie’s visions will resonate long after the last page is turned. (Fantasy. 14 & up)

LIGHTS ON THE NILE

Napoli, Donna Jo Harper/HarperCollins (288 pp.) $16.99 | PLB $17.89 September 20, 2011 978-0-06-166793-0 PLB 978-0-06-166794-7 Kepi’s name means “tempest,” and it suits, in this tale that purports to reveal the origins of fairies.

In 2530 B.C.E. Egypt, as the young daughter of a miller, her impetuousness lands her and her pet baboon captive on a boat sailing north on the Nile. As the journey progresses, plans to escape her kidnapper evolve into a quest to speak to the Pharaoh in the capital city, Ineb Hedj, to complain about his unfairness to his people. Kepi’s spiritedness only seems to grow as she gets farther from her family, and the narrative progression may strike readers as unusual as her character only intensifies, rather than showing signs of change. The final, brief climax fulfills the arc—or rather, arrow—as Kepi and the companions she’s gathered are transformed by the goddess Hathor into the world’s first fairies. Napoli’s text is full of detail of setting and culture that should enthrall young fans of historical fiction, though its resolution may leave them confounded.

Conversely, readers who come to the story expecting fairy fantasy will be disappointed.

Nevertheless, the story offers rich fare for those precocious younger readers who can’t get enough; with luck they will accommodate any confusion and may move onto some of Napoli’s more polished works, a little later on. (author’s note, glossary) (Historical fantasy. 8-11)

DOGS, DOGS!

Nelson-Schmidt, Michelle Illustrator: Nelson-Schmidt, Michelle Kane/Miller (32 pp.) paper $5.99 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-1-61067-041-8

enthusiasts. “Big dog, big dog, what a giant you are. / You’re almost as big as a little car!” A husky bulldog receives a portrayal that’s more stereotypical than original: “Fat dog, fat dog, just look at you eat / I think you’ve had too many treats!” Each puppy boldly dominates its page, while visual elements (such as a bone) extend to the facing page, where the text is placed.

The conclusion places a mirror in the center of a facial outline; the gushing voice encourages youngsters to imagine their similarities to the pups. Static expressions keep motions frozen in time. The uniform textual layout fails to provide enough variety to capture young children’s interest, but some examples cast a knowing wink to adult pet-owners, who may recall familiar experiences (as when the hound trembles when the vacuum cleaner approaches). The feline companion (Cats! Cats!) receives the same trite treatment.

Just doggone blah. (Picture book. 1-3)

PREGNANT PAUSE

Nolan, Han Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (362 pp.) $16.99 | September 19, 2011 978-0-15-206570-6 Sixteen-year-old Elly is pregnant.

Add a well-meaning but hopeless boyfriend, angry parents and a summer holed away in the backwoods of Maine playing camp counselor to a bunch of overweight kids, and having a baby becomes only one of her problems.

Determined to decide her own future, Elly refuses to return to Kenya with her missionary parents. Unfortunately her only other options are living with her self-righteous sister in California or getting married to Lam, the baby’s father. Soon Elly is not only seven months pregnant, but a newlywed. If she can survive working for her MIL (mother-in-law), keep her husband sober and figure out how to make a difference with the young campers she leads, she might make it to her due date. Her biggest problem is that she has no idea what to do once the baby arrives. As revealed in her first-person narration, Elly is passionate, smartmouthed, rebellious and completely endearing. Secondary characters are similarly well-crafted, refusing to fit into stereotypes.

Readers may feel like laughing, crying and grinding their teeth in frustration, but they will always feel like they are in the experienced hands of a master storyteller.

Nolan proves once again that she can take a familiar story to surprising new heights. (Fiction. 14 & up)

There’s neither bark nor bite to be found in this brief ode to a toddler favorite.

Uninspired rhymes describe individual dogs’ physical appearance (shaggy, little, etc.) or their character (including stubborn, lazy or sad). Awkward phrases are expressed with a forced exuberance, unlikely to inspire any potential canine

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NOWHERE GIRL

Paquette, A. J. Walker (256 pp.) $16.99 | September 13, 2011 978-0-8027-2297-3 Opening with a flash-forward teaser, this unpersuasive debut quickly fizzles.

The only home Luchi Ann, 13, has known is the women’s prison in northern Thailand where she was born to a jailed American mother who supervised her impressive education (history, philosophy, art, calculus and languages). After her mother dies, blonde Luchi Ann sets off alone, with the kindly warden’s blessing, to “search for answers” to the mystery of her mother’s incarceration. (Why she doesn’t just ask the warden is another mystery.) Carrying her mother’s ashes, money and a few phone numbers but little else, she accepts a ride to Bangkok with the warden’s nephew. Like the plot, Luchi Ann never achieves credibility. Puzzlingly, she neither confides in nor seeks help from sympathetic adults in Thailand. They, for their part, neither question her nor intervene to protect her. Luchi Ann’s sensibility and breathless present-tense narration, with pauses to rhapsodize about her future, belong more to an entitled girl of privilege than an orphan child adrift in an alien world. Reduced to generic, travel-brochure descriptions of countryside and city, vibrant Thailand feels drably insubstantial, the literary equivalent of an exotic background for a fashion-magazine spread. Equally generic are the Thai characters, enablers on Luchi Ann’s self-absorbed journey.

A culturally tone deaf exercise in narcissism. (Fiction. 10-14)

THE FEATHERED OGRE

Reteller: Parnell, Fran Illustrator: Fatus, Sophie Barefoot (48 pp.) paper $7.99 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-1-84686-562-6 Series: Monster Stories, 1 The first of four books that comprise a new series of folktales for emerging readers.

Readers familiar with The Barefoot Book of Monsters will know these stories, though the tales are off the beaten track for most casual readers. Abridged from the 2003 collection, these new paper back volumes are for newly independent readers, with simpler language, ample font, plenty of bright acrylic illustrations and even a very easy speech bubble here and there to help children along. In this inaugural volume, the ailing king learns that “[o]nly a magic feather from the ogre’s back can cure” him, so he offers a reward—his youngest daughter’s hand in marriage and half the kingdom—to whoever brings him the magic feather. In the great commoner-makesgood tradition, gardener Pirolo sets off on the quest (despite his distaste for the Princess). With a little assistance and some

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“Castelao’s illustrations have an ethereal, quirky quality that complements the story, and the details she includes help anchor its New Orleans setting.” from the hungry ghost of rue orleans

trickery, he succeeds, in an adventure that emphasizes laughs over chills. Other books in the series include The Mother of Monsters, The Abominable Snowman and The Terrible Chenoo. Because each story has the same style of illustration, it’s hard to visually differentiate the settings—the people all look the same except for their skin tone. Luckily, each monster is quite different from the others, and it’s the monsters that will captivate the attention. Though the copyright page holds some information about the origins of the particular stories, more complete backmatter would have helped place these lesser-known tales in better context for these new readers who will be meeting these beasts for the first time. A short bibliography of related stories would also have added much to this repackaging.

Still, for beginning readers yearning for fantastic alternatives in their reading fare, these will hit the spot. (Early reader/folktale. 5-8)

KIMONOS

Parot, Annelore Illustrator: Parot, Annelore Translator: Franceschelli, Christopher Chronicle (32 pp.) $17.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-4521-0493-5 Kokeshi, northern Japanese wooden folk dolls, are painted with differently designed kimonos that denote the area in which they are made and form the inspiration for this pretty novelty.

The kimonos in this title are shown on “creative” (non-traditional) Kokeshi that have evolved from their origins as stickers in France. (Their images are also produced on notecards and journals.) A stilted text, translated from French, accompanies these commercialized, cartoon-like images. The glossy, heavy stock, saturated with a sophisticated palette of black, brown, maroon, bluish-gray and green, teems with kawaii kokeshi— “super cute little wooden dolls”—who talk and act like contemporary little girls. Readers are invited to find the right sash, fan and hair bow to match Kimiyo’s outfit. They locate Yumi’s apartment by lifting the flap that matches her sash. A large gatefold page reveals Yumi’s family members and another game that involves matching designs to determine her maternal and paternal families. A schoolroom scene shows the days of the week, both in transliteration and in Japanese characters. There are more words to learn when a star (hoshi), a rabbit (usagi) and a pair of socks (tabi), among other objects, serve as inspiration for funny hairstyles that appear when a die-cut page turns.

Trite, but very attractively presented, this gift book will charm some little girls and easily teach them snippets of Japanese while engaging them in recognizing unusual patterns. (Picture book. 4-6)

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CONFEDERATE ALPHABET

Pittman, Rickey E. Illustrator: Ford, Stephanie Pelican (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 15, 2011 978-1-58980-760-0

Aimed less at children and more at Southern sympathizers, this alphabet book is an ill-conceived paean to the Confederacy.

Each letter of the alphabet is accompanied by an illustration and a short, often limping verse, most of which feature people and events that will be unfamiliar to today’s young readers (not to mention the general adult population, Civil War buffs notwithstanding). Unfortunately, the text lacks explanatory notes to give these items context and fails to provide an overarching narrative of the polemical version of the Civil War story it seems to take for granted. Take F, for example: “F is for the flags / Of the old Confederacy; / And for Nathan Bedford Forrest / A devil to every Yankee!” No further description of Forrest or his role in the war is forthcoming. Further, the narrator’s intense identification with the Confederate cause comes through clearly when he uses the first person (“D is for bright ‘Dixie,’ / A song we love to hear”) and in verses such as, “Y is for the Yankees, / The enemy in blue, / Invading beloved Dixie / To conquer and subdue.” Slavery is not mentioned in the text, yet the illustrations feature white and black soldiers fighting side by side for the Confederacy as well as a black woman comforting a white child as flames rage in the background. Absent historical context and competing perspectives, this far-from-center picture book lacks educational or entertainment value and is little more than propaganda designed to perpetuate “the South will rise again” mentality.

Entirely inappropriate for children. (song lyrics, timeline) (Nonfiction. 6-10)

STAR GAZER

Platt, Chris Peachtree (192 pp.) $14.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-56145-596-6 Unlikely child and abandoned equine persevere to show-ring success.

It’s hardly a new story. When 13-yearold Jordan McKenzie sees a beautiful but lame draft mare about to be sold for meat at an auction, she defies her mother and buys it. Jordan has next to no experience with horses, let alone lame ones or drafts trained to drive, but before the week is out she’s declared to the horse’s former owner that she and Star Gazer are going to be the pulling champions at the county fair in three months’ time. And, of course, they are, and their victory means that Jordan can keep Star forever. But knowing how the book will end before it properly begins doesn’t completely eradicate the charm of Platt’s latest. Draft horses are

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underrepresented in literature, and Jordan’s ignorance offers plenty of scope for educating readers too. The Mennonite characters who help Jordan are interesting, if drawn flat, and the story moves at a steady clip.

The result should please most horse-crazy middleschool girls, all of whom dream of the day when they attend a horse auction with money in their hands—but next time, please, can we have a different plot? (Fiction. 8-12)

DARK PASSAGE

Putney, Mary Jo St. Martin’s Griffin (320 pp.) paper $9.99 | September 13, 2011 paper 978-0-312-62285-5 Series: Dark Mirror, 2

The romance and the action keep zooming along in this first sequel to Putney’s Dark Mirror (2011).

Although all the elements of romance fiction remain, this sequel focuses more strongly on action than did the series opener. Most of the characters are magically inclined sons and daughters of an 1803-4 English aristocracy that aggressively excludes magic. Students at the aptly named Lackland Academy, they’re supposed to overcome their magical tendencies, but instead they secretly work together to learn magery and to protect Britain. Lady Victoria, known as “Tory,” remains the main character, but this time Putney often shifts focus to Lady Cynthia, Tory’s arrogant, snobbish roommate, and her reluctant romance with Jack, a local, low-born weather mage. Tory’s romance with a Duke’s handsome son, Allarde, runs into trouble, but love must wait for their next time-travel outing—behind enemy lines in World War II. There, they try to rescue a Jewish scientist and his family from the Nazis. Everything, of course, goes awry, but the action and the magic keep flowing to keep readers engaged and suspense high. The author nicely varies both characters and magic, and the story moves at a good pace.

The suspenseful story combined with paranormal romance works well, with the exciting history lesson as an added bonus; one of the better efforts in this overstuffed genre. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

THE HUNGRY GHOST OF RUE ORLEANS

Quattlebaum, Mary Illustrator: Castelao, Patricia Random (32 pp.) $15.99 | PLB $18.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-375-86207-6 PLB 978-0-375-96207-3 An enjoyable New Orleans tale featuring a most un-frightening ghost.

Fred has the perfect life, for a ghost. He putters around his dusty, dreary, dilapidated New Orleans home, happy with the |

company of one small cactus. But suddenly, two strangers—a man named Pierre and his daughter Marie—arrive and begin renovations in earnest. They turn the old house into a spic-andspan restaurant ready to serve up fine Cajun and Creole fare.

Once the first guests have arrived, Fred tries to drive them away, putting on his most terrible ghostly show, moaning, wailing and tossing food about. To his great disappointment, the diners are not scared off. In fact, they begin to cheer and proclaim the haunted restaurant a resounding success. Frustrated, Fred decides to give up and vacate his home, but Pierre and Marie think the house is big enough to share. Pierre whips up some Powdered Ghost Puffs, much like beignets, for Fred while Maria prepares a special room for him, complete with leaks, dust and squeaky floors. And they live—or at least exist—happily ever after. The interplay among the characters is great: When Marie spots Fred sadly leaving and asks if he is the ghost, he responds, “What did you expect?… A floating sheet?” Castelao’s illustrations have an ethereal, quirky quality that complements the story, and the details she includes help anchor its New Orleans setting.

Pair with Cambria Evans’ Bone Soup (2008) or Kazuno Kahora’s Ghosts in the House! (2008) for some fantastic, notso-scary ghostly fun. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)

JO MACDONALD SAW A POND

Quattlebaum, Mary Illustrator: Bryant, Laura J. Dawn Publications (32 pp.) $16.95 | paper $8.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58469-150-1 paper 978-1-58469-151-8 A sing-along inspired by the sights and sounds of a pond.

When Jo visits her grandfather’s farm, she observes the plants and animals she finds by the pond, sketching them so she can share them with Old MacDonald later. She first notices the reeds, and the sound they make: “Jo MacDonald saw a pond, / E-I-E-I-O. / And in that pond she saw some reeds, / E-I-E-I-O. / With a swish-swish here.…” The familiar tune starts on page one and never misses a beat, begging kids to participate. Indeed, the rollicking atmosphere during a sharing of this book will likely be in marked contrast to what is happening inside it. As Jo settles in to watch, her quietness and stillness pay off as some animals gradually emerge: fish, frogs, ducks, a bird, a few coons, some deer and a dragonfly. Backmatter includes Jo’s final sketch (delightfully childlike) as well a paragraph about each animal, a list of books about ponds and some activities that can help youngsters be a naturalist like Jo. Observant readers will notice the clever design of the illustrations that hides the last-mentioned animal and the next one within the spread. Bryant’s softly colored watercolor creatures echo Jo’s rosy-cheeked childhood innocence and have just a touch of expression in their faces.

Sure to inspire a rousing storytime, this is also likely to encourage readers to explore the world around them. (Picture book. 3-8)

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“Pooches large and small, common and rare abound in this glorious collection of haiku.” from the hound dog’s haiku: and other poems for dog lovers

THE SHIPWRECK

Riel, Jørn Illustrator: Cann, Helen Barefoot (112 pp.) paper $12.99 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-1-84686-335-6 Series: The Inuk Quartet, 1 When Leiv, a Viking boy, is shipwrecked near Greenland, two Inuit siblings, Apuluk and Narua, rescue him and eventually bring him to their community.

In 1,000 C.E., Norsemen traveled to Greenland, but there were few contacts with the Inuit community. At first, the Inuits want nothing to do with Leiv, but because he demonstrates that he knows some of their language and seems peaceful, they accept him. This is a harsh adventure tale: Leiv loses several toes due to frostbite, and Apuluk is attacked by a polar bear. From its opening scene of a blood feud started by Leiv’s father’s killing and the rigors of Arctic life, the characters act as adults despite their adolescent ages. The Inuit life is idealized, in comparison to the warlike, possession-hungry Norse culture. Narua is portrayed as a fearless young woman, but then she only wants a needle when the three young people find the Norse settlement near the end. Is Riel’s message a little heavy? Heavily illustrated with full-page bold, stylized watercolors, some double-page spreads and occasional vignettes, this transitional chapter book employs a large font and very generous white space.

Although the language is a bit stilted and the message far from subtle, this Danish translation, first in a fourpart series, will appeal to those seeking adventure, strong friendship and survival stories at a lower reading level than usual. (Adventure. 9-11)

BIRDIE’S BIG GIRL DRESS

Rim, Sujean Illustrator: Rim, Sujean Little, Brown (40 pp.) $16.99 | September 5, 2011 978-0-316-13287-9 A young fashionista finds the perfect fit.

Birdie steps away from trendy footwear (Birdie’s Big-Girl Shoes, 2009) when she realizes her too-snug party dress simply won’t do. This birthday girl models an array of choices at the nearby boutique (“fabulously frilly sundress,” “lacy sheath” and “gauzy gown” included) but none feel “just like her.” A return trip home and up the attic stairs reveals eclectic finery to suit the event—and her personality to boot. It’s refreshing that Birdie’s posh mom (her elongated figure emphasizes each sophisticated move) is far from rigid; this supportive parent encourages her daughter’s mismatched ensemble, a hodgepodge of her grandpa’s vest and bow-tie with flowing, boldly pattered skirt and whimsical, floral head-piece. As Birdie shimmies into each potentially restrictive outfit, Rim’s illustrations capture each 1366

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half-hearted shrug and sucked-in breath. Collage and watercolor accents lend a sensory feel to chromatic, textured design, though it’s a pity the narration does not match the illustrations’ or its subject’s exuberance. The inclusion of Birdie’s friends appears as an afterthought, but canine companion Monster remains a supportive secondary choice, dressed to the nines in his top hat to rave reviews (“Monster felt so… dapper!”).

A modest call to individuality. (Picture book. 3-5)

ALWAYS PLENTY TO DO Growing Up on a Farm in the Long Ago

Riney-Kehrberg, Pamela Texas Tech Univ. Press (144 pp.) $21.95 | September 1, 2011 978-0-89672-692-5 Things were very different for children growing up on farms in America’s heartland in the late 19th and early 20th centuries than they are today.

Basing her description on diaries and memoirs from people who experienced it, the author makes and repeats this point in chapters covering daily life, school, farm work and children’s play, each beginning with a summary of the experience of a specific child or family, from Rose Wilder Lane in Missouri to the Ise family in Kansas. Quotations appear sparingly. Plodding exposition that tells what children did rather than showing them doing it has the effect of distancing readers even further from that experience than they already are. There are occasional period photographs, but the format is small and the pictures smaller; it is hard to make out faces and details. The author has previously explored this subject in a book for adults (Childhood on the Farm, 2005). Middle-school readers who persist with this outing will certainly learn something new, but they are unlikely to come away with any sense of how it felt to live such a life.

A pedestrian package that has all the trappings and appeal of a history textbook; buy another copy of Andrea Warren’s Pioneer Girl (1998) instead. (endnotes, “questions worth considering,” vocabulary list) (Nonfiction. 12-16)

THE HOUND DOG’S HAIKU And Other Poems for Dog Lovers

Rosen, Michael J. Illustrator: Azarian, Mary Candlewick (56 pp.) $17.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7636-4499-4

Pooches large and small, common and rare abound in this glorious collection of haiku.

Rosen last employed this most concentrated of poetic forms to survey all things avian with illustrator Stan Fellows

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(The Cuckoo’s Haiku and Other Birding Poems, 2009, etc.). Here he joins forces with woodcut master and Caldecott winner Azarian (Snowflake Bentley, with Jacqueline Briggs Martin, 1999) with dazzling results. The well-honed verse captures at once the depth of this potent syllabic form and essence of canine behavior, whether playful or at rest. Combined with woodcuts so intricate they take on an almost-3-D vitality, these portraits depict not only what we love about dogs but what we envy. A telling example is the colorful Old English sheepdog: “dog day before noon: / cool sun warming your left side / dog day afternoon…”

Other snapshots, like the Parson Russell Terrier, “elbow-deep in dirt” with “nothing to bury but hours,” and Miniature Schnauzer, “the one hieroglyph / that appears on all windows: / your nose writing When?” get to the more philosophic character of the species. Throughout, Azarian’s supple illustrations, richly colorful and bursting with texture, draw in young and old, while Rosen’s concluding “Notes for Dog People and Haiku Lovers” includes a wealth of canine trivia.

Brilliant in every way: poetically, visually—the Tao of dogginess! (Picture books/poetry. 5 & up)

I WILL COME BACK FOR YOU A Family in Hiding During World War II

978-0-375-86695-1

Russo, Marisabina Illustrator: Russo, Marisabina Schwartz & Wade/Random (40 pp.) $17.99 | September 27, 2011

A fictionalized Holocaust account that may make readers wonder why the author didn’t trust her own story.

Nonna, the grandmother who narrates this story, has tiny charms on her bracelet: a donkey, a piglet, a spinning wheel, a boat. Each item reminds her of her escape from Italy during World War II. She and her brother hid in a basket full of pigs, on its way to a farm in the country. They sailed on a boat to America. Some children will think the charm bracelet is exactly right, the perfect storybook image to sum up her escape. More skeptical children will say: Wait, did the person who made the bracelet have a spinning-wheel charm just sitting around? Or did someone ask him to make a spinning wheel, even though the wheel was just a small part of Nonna’s story? Children who read all the way through the afterword will find out that there was no charm bracelet in real life, and, actually, Nonna was a boy.

Russo has turned their story into a little fable, a small, snapshot version of the war. The real history is moving its own right and full of miraculous escapes, but it isn’t a fable.

Some readers will love the little miracle of the charm bracelet. Others will want the whole truth, even if it isn’t a tidy story. (Picture book. 6-11)

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TANKBORN

Sandler, Karen Lee & Low (384 pp.) $17.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-60060-662-5 Advanced genetic engineering and upsettingly plausible caste oppression keep pages turning in this futuristic science fiction tale.

The planet Loka was originally settled by humans fleeing Earth, but now part of the population is made up of Genetically Engineered Nonhumans. GENs rank lowest socially, destined by the Infinite to serve trueborns. They’re vulnerable at any moment to painful uploads (via facial tech-tattoo) into their brain and nerves or, worse, resetting—erasure of their consciousness so their body can be recycled. Teenage Kayla awaits her service Assignment with trepidation; she could be sent across the continent and never see her nurture-family again. Surprisingly Assigned to care for an elderly high-status trueborn (aren’t Kayla’s genetically enhanced super-strong arms geared for heavy lifting?), Kayla stumbles into forbidden friendship and baffling information that threatens her basic beliefs. Sandler tinkers with race issues, making high-status trueborns “the perfect color, a rich medium brown,” with lower-status humans and GENs either paler or darker. None of the three third-person-limited narrators have particularly distinct voices, but that’s OK: The prose is clear, though sometimes unpolished, and two underground movements—one evil, one righteous—provide plenty of charge, as does the exposure of Loka’s corrupt back story. A late revelation somewhat undermines the everyone’s human message, more through textual clumsiness than intention.

A good option for science-fiction fans interested in genetic engineering, rebellion and class issues. (Science fiction. 13 & up)

BLUEFISH

Schmatz, Pat Candlewick (240 pp.) $15.99 | September 13, 2011 978-0-7636-5334-7 A young teen loner gradually learns to accept the friendship of an outspoken girl in this problem novel filled with likable, idiosyncratic characters.

Travis is filled with sullen resentment toward his recovering alcoholic grandfather, who moved them away from their old house despite Travis’s devastation having to leave behind his lost dog, Rosco. At his new school, Travis is surprised to land on the radar of confident, kind Velveeta, and he increasingly looks forward to her friendly overtures each day, even as he worries that she might discover a secret of which he’s deeply ashamed. In the meantime, Velveeta struggles with family trouble of her own and with the loss of a dear friend. A cast of richly developed characters

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“Dinosaur wins again!” from dinosaur vs. the library

peoples this work of contemporary fiction, told in the third person from Travis’ point of view, with first-person vignettes from Velveeta’s perspective peppered throughout. An ongoing reference to Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief (2006) serves the themes of this novel well. Both teens have adults outside of their families whom they are able to trust, but at times these adults feel a little too heart-of-gold idealized—sadly, it’s somehow hard to picture a public librarian actually giving a key to the building to a kid whose home isn’t a safe place. Fortunately, these clichéd moments are brief.

A story rife with unusual honesty and hope. (Fiction. 12-16)

WILDERNESS DISCOVERIES

Schriemer, Peter Zonderkidz (40 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-310-72142-0 Series: The Nature of God From Lake Michigan’s dunes through transition forests to the boreal forests and wetlands in the region’s north, a television host introduces inhabitants of three Great Lakes ecosystems from an intelligent-design perspective.

“Within every ecosystem, each plant and animal is designed to serve a specific purpose in God’s creation.” While this proposition is not accepted by the great majority of scientists, it is repeatedly put forth, through examples and Biblical quotations, in this appreciation of the Great Lakes’ natural world. Schriemer defines his terms, introduces “HOMES” as a mnemonic to remember the five lake names and provides a map showing Michigan at their heart. He then introduces each ecosystem, with examples of characteristic animals and a plant for each. Each creature has a page with an explanation of its name, a short description of its appearance and behavior, a “crazy cool fact” and several color photographs. The images are not large, and a few are difficult to see—as are the animals themselves—but most will give young readers a good idea of what to look for. A DVD (not seen) is packaged with books in this series, which also includes the less well-written Ocean Adventures, about habitats of Hawaii. There are no sources or index in either book.

Encouraging children’s sense of wonder, this will be welcomed by buyers seeking Creationist titles. (Nonfiction. 5-9)

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SPRINKLES AND SECRETS

Schroeder, Lisa Aladdin (224 pp.) $15.99 | September 20, 2011 978-1-4424-2263-6

Twelve-year-old Sophie faces a difficult dilemma; deciding between loyalty to her best friend and seizing the opportunity of a life time.

An aspiring actress, Sophie’s upcoming audition for a commercial may be the big break she has been waiting for. When she discovers the commercial is for the rival of her best friend’s faltering family business, Sophie experiences a crisis of conscience. In this sequel to It’s Raining Cupcakes (2010), Schroeder delves into the complexity of middle-school friendships. Sophie struggles with a confusing kaleidoscope of feelings, including her jealousy over Isabel’s chance to compete in a bake-off and her elation/guilt over the audition. Sophie and Isabel’s friendship is jeopardized when Sophie’s impulsive decision to lie is revealed. With the help of her new friend Dennis, Sophie may be able to achieve her dreams and salvage her friendship with Isabel. While there are the many references to A Bridge to Terabithia in a potentially intriguing subplot, its story line is not fully developed, and the connection may be too ambiguous for readers unfamiliar with the classic tale.

Schroeder skillfully evokes the turbulence of pre-adolescence as she explores the delicate balance of being a true friend while remaining true to yourself. (Fiction. 8-12)

MY BROTHER’S SHADOW

Schröder, Monika Frances Foster/Farrar, Straus & Giroux (224 pp.) $16.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-374-35122-9

Set in Berlin as World War I is nearing the ultimate, shameful defeat of Germany, the story 16-year-old Moritz narrates reveals the causes of the next great war.

By 1918, conditions in Germany, especially for civilians, were brutal: starvation, lack of essential goods, war-wounded on every street, dead soldiers from every family. Working-class Moritz is an apprentice printer taking the place of his father, who was killed at the front. His older brother, Hans, lost part of an arm and an eye fighting for his homeland and has become a morphine addict and street bully. In him, readers see the incipient Nazi as he and others attack an old Jewish man and he adopts of the creed of German vengeance. The slow unfolding of conditions and characters forces readers to see a full portrait of the then present and the soon future. Moritz meets Rebecca, daughter of a Jewish bookseller, and through her and her companions becomes involved in the politics of the Social

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Democrats. Here the book becomes somewhat preachy, as various political philosophies are presented. An author’s note at the end of the book fills in historical details and names; it would be wise to read this before starting this gripping, active novel.

“War gives meaning to some men’s lives. For other men, the experience of war extinguishes all meaning in life,” says a man who becomes Moritz’s mentor; Schröder makes this sad and ever-timely lesson all too clear. (Historical fiction. 12 & up)

DINOSAUR VS. THE LIBRARY

Shea, Bob Illustrator: Shea, Bob Disney Hyperion (40 pp.) $15.99 | September 27, 2011 978-1-4231-3338-4 Series: Dinosaur vs…, 3 Shea’s irrepressible hero returns— stubby, red and toothier than ever.

Dinosaur has faced tremendous obstacles in his first few years of growing up (Dinosaur vs. Bedtime, 2008; Dinosaur vs. the Potty, 2010). So far only two things have ever proven to be worthy opponents. Until now. On his way to one of his most favorite places—the library—Dinosaur meets new animal friends. He convinces each one, from a flock of tiny chicks to a shy turtle and a hopelessly sobbing owl, to loudly ROAR along with him.

Dinosaur wins every time! (He is no bully though; his opponents are clearly enjoying this roaring game.) But upon reaching the library, Dinosaur is met with an excruciating task. He must be quiet … for an entire story. Hands clamped tightly over his mouth and eyes popping with exertion, Dinosaur worries. Can he do it? The power of a story wins! Observant readers will spot familiar characters amid Shea’s bold, expressive scrawls, and everyone will cheer the library’s success. Story time may have conquered Dinosaur, but with boisterous noise and boundless energy, Shea’s Dinosaur titles will never fail to be read-aloud hits.

Dinosaur wins again! ( Just deny it if he ever asks.) (Picture book. 3-5)

GOOD LITTLE WOLF

Shireen, Nadia Illustrator: Shireen, Nadia Knopf (32 pp.) $16.99 | PLB $19.99 September 13, 2011 978-0-375-86904-4 PLB 978-0-375-96904-1

When Rolf, a good little wolf, encounters the archetypal big baddie, justice is nearly—but not quite—served.

Rolf ’s granny-ish best friend Mrs. Boggins praises his goodness but cautions him that some wolves are “downright bad.”

Promptly, he meets just such a specimen—enormous, jet-black, toothy and yellow-eyed. The Big Bad Wolf instructs Rolf in |

true wolfishness, and the pup unsuccessfully tries howling at the moon (“pheep!”) and blowing Little Pig’s house in. When a wild power does arise in him, Rolf uses it to entangle the large wolf in Mrs. Boggins’ knitting yarn. When the three sit then down amicably for “some tea and cake” Rolf asks if the wolf will stop eating people. “ ‘Oh, I suppose so,’ said the Big Bad Wolf… / ‘I’ll stop first thing tomorrow.’ ” Rolf and Mrs. Boggins are conspicuously absent from that next spread (perturbing, for younger preschoolers). The BBW, belly distended, muses over his cuppa in a green armchair. Shireen’s debut misses the mark by too casually fracturing folkloric elements. When Rolf asks to blow his house in, the Little Pig says “You can try, I suppose,” and even apologizes when Rolf ’s effort fails. While the graphically arresting layout features bold-hued, well-telegraphed interplay between childish innocence and lupine malevolence, the depiction of Mrs. Boggins as a frozen-faced, smiling South Park–esque twit further detracts.

Visually interesting, but flawed. (Picture book. 4-7)

MOVING HOUSE

Siegel, Mark Illustrator: Siegel, Mark Roaring Brook (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 27, 2011 978-1-59643-635-0 This contemporary eco-fable suffers from a lack of internal logic, but the positive message and attractive retro artwork may still find favor with progressive parents.

Joey and Chloe, two round-eyed, round-headed tykes, arrive home one day to find their parents packing. The fog in Foggytown, they say, has gotten too thick, and it’s time to move.

Unhappy at the prospect of leaving their beloved home, Chloe and Joey both wish that the house could come with them—and, in a surreal sequence, it does. The house’s friends, including the schoolhouse, library and a row of friendly streetlights come along. The animated house is a particularly appealing character with black arms and legs and bright-red paint that stands out well against the generally grey and blue backgrounds. Siegel’s artwork varies from smoky sepia-toned silhouettes to crisply drawn vignettes to cartoon-style full-color double-page spreads.

The text, while lengthy and occasionally didactic, has a pleasing flow and offers several lovely images, including “the warm spot on the kitchen floor where we drink our milks every morning” and the “long vrooming hallway.” What’s less effective is the characterization of the factory’s output as “fog” rather than smog, the family’s decision to move away from the problem not solve it and the arbitrariness of the house’s sudden mobility.

A stronger message and more coherent magic would have made this charming story even more appealing. (Picture book. 4-7)

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“Adults who grew up with Uncle Shelby will find themselves wiping their eyes by the time they get to the end of this collection…” from every thing on it

EVERY THING ON IT

Silverstein, Shel Illustrator: Silverstein, Shel Harper/HarperCollins (208 pp.) $19.99 | PLB $20.89 September 20, 2011 978-0-06-199816-4 PLB 978-0-06-199817-1 A second posthumous collection from the archives of the multitalented Silverstein is definitely a cause for celebration.

“Although I cannot see your face / As you flip these poems awhile, / Somewhere from some far-off place / I hear you laughing—and I smile.” This and 129 other poems chosen by Silverstein’s family see light here for the first time. Those vexed by the relentless spoonerisms of 2005’s Runny Babbit will delight that these buried gems are different each to each. There are tales of garlic breath and child-eating plants (and child-eating land sharks and a horse that’s pretty hungry). There are admonitions never to eat a snake (whole) or look up the chimney for Santa.

The poems vary in length as much as in subject matter, running from a line or two to several pages. Silverstein’s inspired word play and impish sense of humor are in abundant evidence. His signature line drawings accompany many of the poems and complete the jokes of some. If there are one or two that feel a bit flat, the hijinks or silly grossness of the next poem more than make up for them. “When I am gone what will you do? / Who will write and draw for you? / Someone smarter—someone new? / Someone better—maybe YOU!” Adults who grew up with Uncle Shelby will find themselves wiping their eyes by the time they get to the end of this collection; children new to the master will find themselves hooked. (Poetry. All ages)

MIGHTY MIKE BOUNCES BACK A Boy’s Life with Epilepsy

Authors: Skead, Robert; Simmel, Mike American Psychological Association/Magination (80 pp.) $14.95 | paper $9.95 September 15, 2011 978-1-4338-1043-5 paper 978-1-4338-1042-8 A teen with epilepsy has fantastic basketball skills, honed by years of relentless practice, but still struggles frequently with his condition.

Fourteen-year-old Mike is about to take what might become the winning shot for his travel basketball team when he reflects back on his 12 years of living with epilepsy. His path to success has veered around roadblocks: seizures that aren’t fully controlled by his medicines, bullying at school and prejudice on the part of his coach and a few other adults. With knowledgeable parents, a good doctor and a wise counselor, he’s doing well; this 1370

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aspect rings true, since one of the authors, Simmel, has had epilepsy since early childhood and is also a member of the Harlem Wizards, a performing basketball team. Stock characters and heavy-handed asides reinforce the helpful message to readers but often intrude on the storytelling unnecessarily: “His mom also reminded him that it’s normal to be embarrassed or upset if kids didn’t understand his epilepsy.” This weakness diminishes the novel’s potential to reach a broad audience. A lengthy afterward provides a wealth of accurate and useful information for patients and their families.

Thinly clad in the guise of a novel, this self-help book for kids with epilepsy offers a positive message but is unremarkable literarily. (Self-help fiction. 9-14)

STEPLINGS

Smith, C.W. Texas Christian University Press (272 pp.) $32.95 | September 2, 2011 978-0-87565-437-9 A shared road trip creates a bond between two step-siblings, but this inward-looking character study focuses at least as much on their parents.

Mapping a complex web of emotional ties and stress fractures, Smith constructs long paragraphs of rumination and painful flashbacks that move among all the major characters’ points of view (with one significant exception). Exercising a real knack for making poor decisions, 19-year-old dropout Sanborn impulsively sets out one night to hitch from his Dallas suburb to Austin to confront his longtime girlfriend Lisa, who has just sent a “Dear John” letter from college—and finds himself saddled with 11-year-old stepsister Emily, desperate to see her divorced (and philandering) father. Meanwhile, Sanborn’s widowed father Burl and Emily’s mother Lily, both recovering alcoholics, find their sincere efforts to forge a marriage sharply challenged by their children’s unexplained disappearance. The author tucks in complications and minor adventures for all (the young folk are never put into real danger), plus a realistic if poignant resolution, but these only form a backdrop for his exploration of each character’s constellation of strengths and flaws. Self-analytical teen readers who find plenty to ponder in the heads of Sanborn, Burl, Emily and Lisa may be disappointed, though, that the author never gives Emily a fair chance to have her say.

Slow, a little weak in the plot department, but rich in psychological insight and lit by occasional flashes of humor.

(Fiction. 15-19, adult)

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PIRATE NAP A Book of Colors

Smith, Danna Illustrator: Petrone, Valeria Clarion (40 pp.) $14.99 | September 5, 2011 978-0-547-57531-5

’Tis a cheerful afternoon on Spyglass Street, with swords flashing and pirates plundering—until Mom interrupts the fun.

“Time for a nap, rowdy crew. / Mighty pirates need sleep too.”

But the two little buccaneers don’t agree. A mutiny is staged (or temper tantrum—rebellion takes all forms), and the Captain defiantly cries, “’Tis a trap! / Pirates never, ever nap!” The two boys set off running through the house, searching for treasure along the way. Yellow coins are found buried in the couch, a brown wooden chest is discovered in the attic and sparkling orange beads are hidden in the closet. But avast, every adventure must come to an end. The tired pirates find their ship (the bed), stow their treasure, lift the anchor (a green boot) and sail off to sleep. Smith and Petrone pair once again (Two at the Zoo, 2009) for another lively concept-book creation. With staccato sentences and a snappy scansion that never wastes a syllable, it is impossible to deny the energy found in these two imaginative little boys. Petrone’s unmuddled palette and stretchy, looselimbed characters add even more bounce to the romp.

Arr—pirates may not surrender without a fight, but even the rowdiest readers will have to concede the inevitability of naptime. (Picture book. 2-6)

INSIDE VOLCANOES

Stewart, Melissa Illustrator: Shaw, Cynthia Sterling (48 pp.) $16.95 | paper $9.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-4027-5876-8 paper 978-1-4027-8164-3 Series: Inside...

Unidentified explosions on the cover and title page are the hook for this latest entry in the Inside... series.

With pages that fold out or flip up, well-reproduced photographs of volcanoes at rest and in action, diagrams, maps, charts, timelines and short explanations, there is much to look at and to learn. Stewart (Under the Snow, 2009) begins her text with an explanation of the Earth’s layers and moving plates. She goes on to describe three kinds of lava, four kinds of eruptions and five kinds of volcanoes. (Here, readers are challenged to classify pictures of some well-known examples.) There are clear images of volcanic rocks and landscapes. A chart of the 10 deadliest eruptions in recorded history accompanies an explanation of the Volcanic Explosivity Index. “I was there” quotations go along with descriptions of three past blasts (including Mt. St. Helens). There is brief mention of the work of volcano scientists, who hope to learn better methods for prediction, and |

some examples of volcanoes in the ocean and elsewhere in the solar system. Appropriately for a book that is clearly designed to stimulate interest, there are solid suggestions for both books and websites for further exploration.

A good starting-place for volcano explorations. (glossary, bibliography, source notes, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

10 TURKEYS IN THE ROAD

Sturgis, Brenda Reeves Illustrator: Slonim, David Marshall Cavendish (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7614-5847-0

Counting down with goofy gobblers—and a delightful final surprise.

One turkey carries a giant pole, another examines his clown nose in a mirror, others lug boxes and swing mallets. All are hard at work—”Ten turkeys blocked the road / one hot and hazy day.” A poker-faced farmer in a truck drives up—”A pickup screeched.

A farmer beeped. / One turkey flew away.” And so it goes, turkeys setting up for what looks like a circus and the frustrated farmer waiting for his chance to drive through. Big busy doublepage spreads add to the antic action; seven turkeys surround the truck and shoot it full of silly string—”The farmer shook his fist and yelled. / One turkey flew away.” Turkeys are also swinging on trapezes, being shot out of cannons, juggling bowling balls and bales of hay. With only one turkey to go, it looks like the farmer will finally be on his way, but then all 10 make off with his truck. Luckily, he catches a ride in a bright blue Volkswagen full of pigs, who take him to the big turkey circus. Ta-da! The turkey tableaux are deliriously silly, and, of course, more appropriate all around than 10 little Indians. Slonim’s bright acrylics amp the loopiness of Sturgis’ verses.

A cute combo sure to bring many smiles. (Picture book. 3-5)

ROAD WORK AHEAD

Suen, Anastasia Illustrator: Ho, Jannie Viking (32 pp.) $15.99 | September 15, 2011 978-0-670-01288-6 On the car ride to visit Grandma, a young boy is delighted to see many trucks and construction workers doing their jobs.

As they wind through towns, down country roads and along the highway, they see construction crews doing all sorts of jobs, from jackhammering roads and pruning trees to changing streetlamp bulbs and fixing water pipes. As his unflappable mother drives (smile pasted on her face), the lucky boy even gets to watch as they put up telephone poles: “Left lane closed / for drilling holes. // Watch out now, / they’re putting up poles.”

Ho’s brightly colored artwork is tailor-made for her audience.

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“Sometimes life can just wallop you in the head like the missile of the title.” from water balloon

While her scenes are visually packed with people, vehicles and activity, all are rendered with basic shapes and colors and lack the distracting details that would overwhelm young children.

Suen’s sparse rhyming verse leads readers through the busy scenes and uses simple vocabulary that suits both the youngest listeners and those just beginning to read. Throughout, kids can pick out funny things “hidden” within the pictures—people and animals that make repeated appearances. And while the focus may be on construction trucks, many community vehicles are in evidence as well.

Would that every car ride were as entertaining—truck lovers are sure to ask to drive this route again and again.

(Picture book. 3-5)

FISH FACTS

Swinney, Geoff Illustrator: Mason, Janeen Pelican (48 pp.) $17.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58980-908-6 This comprehensive collection of facts about fish is sure to educate as well as fascinate.

There is no doubt that readers will learn something new, whether they sit down and devour the entire offering or pick and choose from among the tremendous array of topics from the index (there is no table of contents). From fish that produce light and fish that are capable of powered flight, to fish that can change sex and fish that carry their offspring in their mouths, this is chock full of both the amazing and the weird. But the majority of the book is meant to inform readers about fish— their classes, movement, eating habits, adaptations, birth and sexual development and evolution. A “Food for Thought” section seems out of place among all the fish facts, but provides some history and information about the human impact on fish populations.

While the rather advanced vocabulary and biology that Swinney delves into mark this as a book for older readers, younger ones can certainly enjoy both the illustrations and the occasional factoid.

Mason’s artwork is both painstakingly detailed and realistically colored, even down to the muting effect that water has on colors. Few books come close to this one’s inclusiveness. A list of questions at the end serves cleverly as an index.

A delight for future ichthyologists and a thorough resource for research projects. (Nonfiction. 10 & up)

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CITY OF LIES

Tanner, Lian Delacorte (288 pp.) $17.99 | PLB $20.99 e-book $17.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-385-73906-1 PLB 978-0-385-90769-9 e-book 978-0-375-89696-5 Series: The Keepers Trilogy, 2 The second title in Tanner’s Keepers Trilogy delivers a fantasy as thickly plotted as but less successful than Museum of

Thieves (2010).

When Goldie and Toadspit witness the kidnapping of Toadspit’s sister Bonnie, the two stow away in pursuit on a boat bound for the city of Spoke. When Toadspit is likewise captured, it’s up to Goldie to find the siblings and bring them safely back to the city of Jewel. At times aided by two street urchins, Pounce and mute Mouse (whose dozen white mice play supporting roles), and accompanied by a mysterious cat and the Museum’s slaughterbird, Morg, Goldie tracks elusive villains during Spoke’s Festival of Lies. Everything’s back to front and upside down, and masked people talk in opposites. When Goldie captures one of the Big Lies—a maelstrom-like force in which one’s spoken question is enacted like a wild dream—she connects with her mythical warrior alter-ego, Princess Frisia.

By leveraging the Museum’s power and through their own wits, the children thwart their captors. Goldie vows to fight anew for Jewel, where a war fomented by the duplicitous Fugleman is about to begin. The chapters depicting powerful activity in the Big Lie and at the Museum aren’t fully integrated into the main plot—and the clunky Festival of Lies can’t hold a candle to the alluring tumult of the magical Museum.

Muddy, if often riveting. (Fantasy. 9-12)

THE CROWN ON YOUR HEAD

Tillman, Nancy Illustrator: Tillman, Nancy Feiwel & Friends (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-312-64521-2

Every child is unique and special and loved, and one is told so, over and over, in

this sentimental ode.

A little one is told that he wears a sparkling crown made of such esoteric materials as moonlight and fireflies. This crown will protect him and give him the ability to achieve anything he can dream and believe. Tillman employs couplets with a few tortured, but mostly accessible rhymes, some lovely imagery and lots of exclamation points. Full- and double-page spreads of super-bright, sharply colored illustrations convey the essence of the text as they depict the child with his crown glowing like a halo in endless fields of flowers or on an African plain with the most gentle elephants, zebra, antelopes and leopards in perfect

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sunny days and moonlit nights in the best of all possible worlds.

But it is all just too perfect. The hyperbole becomes cloying as the child is told he is “chosen,” “magnificent,” “born to shine” and a “twinkling, little star.” Before overweening self-esteem and elitism are carried too far, the child is reminded that all his friends have crowns of equal value. But, of course, his crown is his best friend. Parents and grandparents will love to read this aloud to their little ones, but it might be too much of a good thing.

An inspirational message that needs to be a little more earthbound. (Picture book. 4-8)

A HOCKEY STORY

Torrey, Richard Illustrator: Torrey, Richard Kane/Miller (32 pp.) $10.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-61067-053-1

When the pretty girl he’s noticed visiting the cemetery introduces herself, their mutual attraction helps him acknowledge his repressed feelings, rekindling his hope for a future. Vaught, a practicing psychiatrist, knows her territory and portrays the senselessly harsh consequences of criminalizing normal behavior in lucid, convincing detail. She weakens her case by making white, middle-class Del a paragon: thoughtful, smart, handsome, kind, mature and good with parrots—he has assets and support most teens in trouble can only dream of. This miscarriage of justice hasn’t changed him, just his interactions with the world. Teens lacking Del’s personal and material resources face more daunting obstacles.

A valuable look at the downside of prosecutorial discretion and its impact on teens, but Del’s privileged background and saintly character won’t reflect many readers’ experiences. (Fiction. 14 & up)

WATER BALLOON

Young Joey has a case of the belly butterflies on his first morning with his new

hockey team.

What if everybody else is better than him or the coach is mean or no one talks to him or he has to go to the bathroom?

“My stomach hurts.” But he starts to gather himself by getting suited up (the soothing presence of his parents helps, too). Sure, he puts his gloves on first, which doesn’t work, and he gets his skates on the wrong feet, which doesn’t work either, but the other kids are all nervous and fumbling, so he’s just part of the gang. Then he hits the ice, and things click: a nice pass, a goal, a high five. Though Torrey’s artwork is all delicate lines and generally light washes of color, it conveys the angst and the action with notable success. What he catches so well are the flutters and apprehensions, which are instantly recognizable for anyone who has ever experienced the joining a new team. And satisfying indeed is the message sent by the new coach: “He says if we always try our hardest, we’ll get better every time we play. But mostly he tells us to have fun.” No nutty hockey dads need apply.

A welcome, salutary message all around. (Picture book. 4-8)

GOING UNDERGROUND

Vaught, Susan Bloomsbury (324 pp.) $16.99 | September 13, 2011 978-1-59990-640-9

Del, 17, high-school senior, convicted felon and registered sex offender for three years, keeps his head down at school, digs graves part-time and stays numb with the help of his iPod playlists.

The only child of loving parents, Del has a therapist, probation officer, parrot, one friend, an unwelcome admirer and no prospects. Through flashbacks, Del unfolds the story surrounding his “crime,” the event that’s derailed his life (even community colleges won’t let him apply). |

Vernick, Audrey Clarion (320 pp.) $16.99 | September 5, 2011 978-0-547-59554-2 Sometimes life can just wallop you in the head like the missile of the title.

So 13-year-old Marley learns when her parents separate, her dad moves out and starts weeding his garden incessantly, the relationship with her two best girlfriends starts to unravel for good—and she meets Jack, a greatlooking, baseball-loving boy. Then, to top it all off, she has to spend the summer with her father in his new house and deal with the job he’s lined up for her—caring for two adorable but bratty, needy 5-year-old twins, daughters of a neighbor who may or may not be Dad’s new girlfriend. Readers have seen this all before, but Vernick makes a very auspicious fiction debut here with her breezy, briskly paced tale, well-portrayed characters, authentic relationships and keen ear for realistic dialogue. The sweet, swoony young romance doesn’t hurt either, and preteen female readers will eat this up and learn a wise and wistful thing or two about friendships, including when and how to walk away and start new ones. The author also handles the parents’ separation and Marley’s learning how to cope with it and life’s inevitable changes successfully and with sensitivity.

A nicely reassuring read with a satisfying ending; a harbinger of more good novels to come from this author. (Fiction. 10-13)

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“Based on an actual incident in Massena in 1928, the slim novel effectively mines layers of ignorance, fear, intolerance and manipulation…” from the blood lie

THE BLOOD LIE

Vernick, Shirley Reva Cinco Puntos (224 pp.) $15.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-933693-84-2 When little Daisy Durham disappears, an innocent Jewish boy is called a murderer.

In upstate New York in 1928, 16-yearold Jack Pool knows there’s no hope for a romance with beautiful Emaline Durham, Daisy’s older sister. They inhabit different worlds, and the gold crucifix she wears stands between them “like an electrified fence, all glittery and metallic.” Jack is Jewish, and Daisy’s disappearance sparks an ugly episode of prejudice and intolerance in the little town of Massena. Flames of prejudice are fanned by local bigot Gus Poulos, who spreads age-old tales of the blood lie and how Daisy was probably sacrificed, her blood used in mysterious Jewish rituals. But Gus has personal reasons for inflaming passions and involving the police, and things get out of hand when Jewish-owned businesses are searched, the temple is raided and someone kills all of the Pool family chickens. Based on an actual incident in Massena in 1928, the slim novel effectively mines layers of ignorance, fear, intolerance and manipulation, and it connects the incident to Henry Ford’s anti-Semitic writing and to the lynching of Jewish businessman Leo Frank in 1915.

A great match with Karen Hesse’s Witness (2001), also set in the 1920s, about a Vermont town that took a stand against prejudice. (author’s note) (Historical fiction. 10 & up)

THE GARDEN OF EMPRESS CASSIA

Wang, Gabrielle Illustrator: Wang, Gabrielle Kane/Miller (112 pp.) paper $4.99 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-1-61067-049-4 Using a box of enchanted pastels, 12-year-old Chinese-Australian Mimi Lu creates a fantasy garden with supernatural properties.

Mimi’s relationship with her parents is frustratingly superficial, until her father leaves to attend his dying brother.

Oblivious to the bullying she faces at school, he pressures her only to succeed. After her art teacher recognizes her talent and pain and gives her the ancient pastels of Chinese Empress Cassia, she immerses herself in drawing a beautiful garden on the sidewalk. Those in emotional pain can magically step into the garden and be healed. Working together, Mimi and her mother offer tea to the crowd that forms around the garden, shared work resolving their emotional distance. But Mimi’s worst bully steals the pastels, potentially deadly in the wrong hands, and she must try to get them back. Partly because of 1374

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this Australian import’s sheer brevity, only Mimi springs to life.

Other characters are nearly colorless, and often stereotypical.

While the bicultural issues Mimi faces offer a rich canvas for potential exploration—never fully developed—resolution of her problems comes too readily and predictably. Tiny, attractive pencil sketches begin each chapter, but don’t add measurably to the presentation.

Hinting of a spell of unearthly enchantment with its mystical healing garden and the good-hearted artist that creates it, this effort offers promise but ultimately is more charcoal sketch than pastel panorama. (Magical realism. 9-12)

THERE WAS AN ODD PRINCESS WHO SWALLOWED A PEA

Ward, Jennifer Illustrator: Caleron, Lee Marshall Cavendish (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7614-5822-7 The familiar song gets a princess makeover in this second of its like from Ward (There Was an Old Monkey Who Swallowed a Frog, 2010; illustrated by Steve Gray).

The exuberant princess in this tale begins her day by swallowing the titular pea, which had been under her mattress.

From there, the things she ingests get more farcical and less foodlike (as well as a lot bigger): a crown, a rose, a witch, a queen, the entire moat and a castle. Observant readers will pick out items and characters that belong in other fairy tales—Cinderella’s glass slipper, the Frog Prince and a prince who could be from Rapunzel’s tale. Spot-on rhymes and rhythms keep the pages turning: “There was an odd princess … // … who swallowed a moat. / Slurped it down her delicate throat.” Although princess fans may not care, Ward’s rendition of the traditional song lacks a story to glue it together—readers never learn why she swallows each thing, unlike in the original. A small scroll at the bottom of each spread depicts each item in the correct order, helping audiences correctly chime in. Calderon’s brightly colored digital illustrations match the silliness of the text. His characters sport droll expressions, and his princess is certainly a stand-out with her vibrant purple hair.

In the end, though, while princesses-in-training may enjoy this the first time round, it is ultimately forgettable.

(Picture book. 3-7)

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CHARLES DICKENS AND THE STREET CHILDREN OF LONDON

Warren, Andrea Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (160 pp.) $18.99 | September 26, 2011 978-0-547-39574-6 A well-researched biography explores how Charles Dickens used his stories to effect social change for London’s most destitute children.

Warren explores how Dickens’ personal experience with poverty and his astute observations of the poor informed his writing. He then used his stories to advocate for improvements in the lives of the most wretched of London’s street and institutionalized children. Dickens’ determination to overcome his family difficulties through perseverance and talent are on display. The author further develops the theme of artist as reformer/activist by including the stories of composer George Frederic Handel and painter William Hogarth and their support for the Foundling Hospital, a charity that years later would benefit from Dickens’ attention. Warren’s account is full of detail regarding the desperate plight of London’s children during the 19th century and makes clear how little help was available. She uses examples from Dickens’ work and the awareness created by his compelling storytelling as factors that opened the eyes of many and resulted in societal changes. In addition, she connects this history to current problems in many places in the world. “What Charles Dickens wrote 170 years ago remains true today: life is difficult for the poor—and is most difficult of all for poor children.”

A lively biography and an interesting lens through which to see a venerated author. (source notes, bibliography, author’s note, index) (Nonfiction 10-14)

DEFENDER OF FAITH The Mike Fisher Story

Washburn, Kim Zonderkidz (128 pp.) paper $6.99 | September 1, 2011 paper 978-0-310-72540-4 An otherwise unremarkable sports biography hammers home the values of determination and hard work with an unapologetic Christian slant.

NHL forward Mike Fisher’s professional and spiritual life reveals the physical and emotional battle scars he suffered on the ice. Each chapter addresses a separate season (even hockey aficionados may be shocked by the numerous times his playoff games resulted in defeat). Portrayed as a near-saint, this charity-supporting, gracious athlete received support from his religious mentors, though not with immunity from grief; the illness and then death of a beloved coach results in a cutting loss. Religious fervor is maintained in quotations and repeated references to Romans 12:12. Bubbly, |

fast-paced commentary hits on each score, while stats naturally blend within text. Words occasionally repeat in close proximity, disrupting the text’s fluidity. Overt enthusiasm for the sport lends it a tone akin to a high-drama broadcast, though statements can veer into ludicrous territory: “Like previous years, the unknowns and distractions make life a lot like balancing on Jell-O in a blizzard at midnight.” Small black-and-white action photographs fail to evoke the rink’s aggressive drama. A glossed-over review of the pro’s recent marriage to singing sensation Carrie Underwood will disappoint both country-music fans and romantic hopefuls.

Though the tone refrains (barely) from utter didacticism, the values-driven narrative just misses the goal. (Biography. 9-12)

MY UNCLE MARTIN’S WORDS FOR AMERICA

Watkins, Angela Farris Illustrator: Velasquez, Eric Abrams (40 pp.) $19.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-4197-0022-4

Following My Uncle Martin’s Big Heart (2010), this effort focuses more on King’s work to end segregation than his life as a family man.

Explaining Jim Crow laws and the Civil Rights movement to a very young audience is not easy, but Watkins and Velasquez rise to the challenge with grace and warmth. Using a childlike voice, Martin Luther King Jr.’s niece simply and clearly emphasizes themes of love, nonviolence, freedom and equality. The repetitive text instills the message “people listened, and things changed” and focuses on the positive. While the prejudice and violence of segregation is broached, such as when King’s home is bombed with his wife and baby daughter inside, the intensity and extent of that violence is omitted. The result is a condensed introduction to this moment in American history and to the man who made great changes using words, not violence.

Rich, expressive illustrations depict some scenes from the Civil Rights movement that many adults will find familiar. The artist gives the images his own style of realism lightened by warm colors and soft lines. Author’s and illustrator’s notes are followed by a chart outlining King’s work and the resulting outcomes.

Though picture books about Dr. King by his family members and others abound, this stands out for its graceful, age-appropriate treatment of the Movement. (glossary, bibliography, books for young readers, index) (Picture book/ biography. 5-9)

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“The colorful, briefly told stories… may well leave young readers with a hankering to find out more about Isis and Horus, Zoser, Hatshepsut, Tutankhamen and the rest.” from ancient egypt

LOVE WAVES

Wells, Rosemary Illustrator: Wells, Rosemary Candlewick (32 pp.) $15.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7636-4989-0 How does love keep us connected?

Brimming with affection and sweetness—and sparkly wavy accents—Wells’ depiction of the magically distance-spanning powers of love may sooth both parents and their young children feeling the stress of separation. “Mama goes to work” and “Daddy goes to work” provide the framing thoughts for two linked, simple stories told through full-page paintings in rich, velvety colors and a rhyming text. The parent bunnies are shown traveling to work and at work in clean, benign workplaces (daddy in an office, mama serving cookies and cakes in a café), thoughts turning to their child bunny contentedly busy at home and at play, or waiting at a window in expectation of a parent’s return. Wells’ familiar round, whiskered bunny faces have a comfortable kindness about them. Graceful lines stamped in teal-blue foil sweep enticingly across each page, and the extravagant packaging and honey-sweet message will lure parents and doting grandparents. Wells includes on the copyright page a whimsical definition of love waves (“The externalized product of affection so vibrant and ample that it cannot be contained by a single heart alone…”) and attributes this to The Dictionary of Science (though the actual term refers to one of the kinds of surface waves of an earthquake).

Nearly too sweet, but reassuring and affecting nonetheless. (Picture book. 2-6)

MEGAN’S YEAR An Irish Traveler’s Story

Whelan, Gloria Illustrator: Peck, Beth Sleeping Bear Press (32 pp.) $16.95 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58536-449-7

The road less traveled makes for a difficult path for an itinerant family.

Ten-year-old Megan and her relatives move their caravan as work demands. Options to feed their boisterous clan turn scarce with the end of summer, and these Irish Travelers sacrifice freedom for the restrictions—but opportunities—Dublin provides.

Those outside of their close-knit society (negatively referred to as “buffers,” who in turn refer to the Travelers as “tinkers”) bully Megan, though she receives compassion from her teacher, Sister Joseph. Conflict builds slightly as the older siblings question whether to embrace or reject their familiar way of life. The text varies in effectiveness; lengthy paragraphs at times plod through this tumultuous year. Striking reflections, however, yield startling insights into their lives: “If we’re hungry there’s a building where you ride an elevator to an office and they give you money for food.” Traditional slang scattered within the narration separates 1376

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Megan’s experience from those in mainstream culture. Peck’s lush, rural landscapes prove most effective. Too often, characters’ lids cover their eyes, and little is done to paint individual personalities. The brief author’s note and glossary hints at the historical strife surrounding this disenfranchised community.

This portrayal of a rarely visited group enjoys mixed success. (Picture book. 7-10)

BETSY ROSS

White, Becky Illustrator: Lloyd, Megan Holiday House (32 pp.) $16.95 | September 15, 2011 978-0-8234-1908-1 A historical fable, told in very few words, prettily illustrated and rather wonderful in its elegant brevity—except there is almost no evidence to support the Betsy Ross myth.

The text is minimal and often rhymes: “Betsy ripped. / Rip, rip. // Seven rich, / Crimson strips.” Betsy Ross is shown cutting and dyeing and pinning this country’s first flag, with its 13 alternating red and white stripes and its blue field behind a circle of 13 stars. Lloyd has used fabric appliqué sewn and fused, stamping and stitching to make the illustrations, lovely in their simple graphic shapes and clean design. Her illustrator’s note explains her fascinating process. An author’s note simply says, “According to legend,” and goes on to cite the stories of George Washington’s pencil sketch for the first flag and Betsy’s change of his six-pointed star for her five-pointed one but does not explain that there is no historical evidence for any of it. The Betsy Ross legend did not appear until late in the 19th century, nearly 100 years after the supposed events. Ross was, however, an upholsterer, and such folk did indeed make flags and other items. An appendix illustrates how to make a five-pointed “Betsy Ross Star” with one cut on a properly folded piece of fabric or paper .

A bit of bibliography and a stronger admission that this is not history (or herstory) but legend would make this a stronger book. (Picture book. 4-7)

SHIFTING

Wiggins, Bethany Walker (368 pp.) $17.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-8027-2280-5 A slow and derivative plot mars this already lackluster debut.

After more than 12 years in the foster program and 20 incidents of indecent exposure in just the past two years, orphan Maggie Mae Mortensen is sent from Albuquerque to small-town Silver City, N.M., to finish out the last few months of her senior year. While she may have a

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caring guardian and a date to prom with Bridger O’Connell (the town’s luckiest catch), the remote desert setting doesn’t stop her from shifting into the closest animal around her at the full moon or being followed by a pack of wild animals. The tension wears thin as the fear of a mysterious man looking for Maggie Mae is overshadowed by her controlling relationship with Bridger.

Despite being stood up at prom for no reason, told that he can’t date local girls after leading her on and a plethora of other abusive situations, Maggie Mae forgives Bridger each time because of his physical attractiveness. What should be a driving force of the novel—the conflict between Shifters and Skinwalkers (evildoers who use stolen skins to change into animals)—is not explained until the very end. More information or an author’s note about this Navajo legend and other Native American beliefs mentioned throughout would have been helpful.

Shift this to the bottom of the supernatural stack. (Paranormal romance. 12 & up)

BLOOD

Wignall, K. J. Egmont USA (272 pp.) $16.99 | September 27, 2011 978-1-60684-220-1 Series: Mercian Trilogy, 1 Will, a 750-year-old vampire and the heir to the Earl of Mercia, awakens in the 21st century and, with his first kill, finds himself caught up in a web of intrigue.

Determined to confront Lorcan Labraid, the “evil of the world,” Will must first find the vampire who cursed him with this undead existence long ago. With the help of 16-year-old runaway Eloise, Will prepares himself for the first battle, even as he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the girl. Wignall, an award-winning crime novelist, fails to deliver the well-rounded characters, compelling mystery and twisting action scenes that comprise his work for adults. Despite an interesting back story, Will is bland, with little emotion or motivation driving him forward in his centuries-long existence.

If there were not constant reminders of his undead status, he would be indistinguishable from any other love interest. Eloise suffers from the same boilerplate feel, and their connection is flimsy at best. There’s no sense of mystery in Will’s search for his creator, and the climactic battle sequence could have been lifted from many a generic vampire movie.

In his teen debut, Wignall adds an indistinguishable drop to the overflowing bucket of paranormal fiction. (Horror. 12 & up)

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ANCIENT EGYPT Tales of Gods and Pharaohs

Williams, Marcia Illustrator: Williams, Marcia Candlewick (48 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7636-5308-8 For her latest cartoon foray into ancient cultures, Williams concocts a brisk dash through Egyptian myth and history.

Drawing figures in traditional Egyptian style but with a more natural range of expressions and gestures, she constructs flat-planed scenes that range from small sequential strips to full-page images and even larger ones on double gatefolds. Her nine episodes begin with a creation myth, end with Cleopatra’s death and in between introduce a select set of major gods and Pharaohs. Large and small, each picture is decked with strings of hieroglyphic-like signs for atmosphere as well as side comments in dialogue balloons to go with the short, legible captions.

Though she freely mixes legend and fact without distinguishing one from the other in the main going, a smaller strip running below provides a cat’s-eye view of the subject. The patterns of Egyptian daily life (“Cats are Egypt’s greatest wonder, followed by the river Nile”), how mummies were made (“Yes, we do cats, too!”), early technological advances and general cultural values receive tongue-in-cheek glosses. The colorful, briefly told stories provide nothing like a systematic overview but are easily enjoyed for themselves, and they may well leave young readers with a hankering to find out more about Isis and Horus, Zoser, Hatshepsut, Tutankhamen and the rest.

A lighthearted recap of some of our oldest tales. (map) (Picture book/folklore. 7-10)

DOGLANDS

Willocks, Tim Random (320 pp.) $16.99 | PLB $19.99 e-book $16.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-375-86571-8 PLB 978-0-375-96571-5 e-book 978-0-375-89604-0 After his brutal owner tries to kill him, a half-breed greyhound escapes and embarks on a series of adventures.

Furgul learns from his mother, a racing greyhound, that he’s the son of Argal, a legendary wild dog who knows of Doglands, the mythical place where dogs roam free. When a brave escape ends badly for his litter mates, Furgul is adopted by a caring but controlling couple then flees just before he’s to be neutered. He is imprisoned in a kill-after-five-days pound, then befriended by a human who can speak “dog” fluently.

Finally, assisted by a brave old St. Bernard, a cowardly mutt named Skyver, the love of his life, Dervla, and a few others,

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“…this zany sequel offers another fast-moving middle-school puzzler, lots of pre- and early teen humor and one relentless sleuth who’s willing to admit when she’s wrong.” from the mystery of the missing everything

he takes on a dangerous mission to rescue his mother and all the other greyhounds imprisoned by the abusive Dedbone and his sidekick, the Gambler. When violence erupts, it’s graphically depicted: “a separate pack of hounds, driven crazy by the blood,… devoured him alive where he lay.” The dogs each have distinct personalities, and the mystic lore of the Doglands adds a secondary fantasy layer to the narrative. Humans are only sketched in, which is fitting, since the tale is told from the dog point of view.

A riveting dog tale with a healthy serving of savagery, not all on the part of the four-legged characters. (Fantasy. 11 & up)

THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING EVERYTHING

Winters, Ben H. Harper/HarperCollins (272 pp.) $16.99 | PLB $17.89 September 20, 2011 978-0-06-196544-9 PLB 978-0-06-196545-6 Series: Bethesda Fielding, 2 Now an eighth grader, aspiring detective Bethesda Fielding reprises her semisuccessful sleuthing in The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman (2010) to tackle Mary Todd Lincoln Middle School’s latest mystery.

A few weeks before the long-awaited eighth-grade trip to Camp Taproot, Pamela Preston’s gymnastics trophy mysteriously vanishes from the school Achievement Alcove, prompting diabolical Principal Van Vreeland to overreact by cancelling the trip, unless the culprit confesses to the theft of the school’s only trophy. Equipped with a new notebook to track the scanty clues (broken glass, empty trophy case, suspicious red specks and the initials IOM written on the wall), Bethesda’s instantly “on the case,” promising everyone she will solve the crime and save the class trip. Bethesda’s stymied as the trip approaches, though, and Principal Van Vreeland vindictively threatens students with a week of quizzes if the crime isn’t solved. Blaming Bethesda for letting them down, classmates orchestrate a desperate “Save Taproot Valley” video project, and she learns a painful lesson in not jumping to wrong conclusions. Featuring the same cast of eccentric teachers and eclectic students, this zany sequel offers another fast-moving middle-school puzzler, lots of pre- and early teen humor and one relentless sleuth who’s willing to admit when she’s wrong.

Fans will cheer more mystery and mayhem at Mary Todd Lincoln Middle School. (Mystery. 8-12)

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CHARLOTTE JANE BATTLES BEDTIME

Wolfe, Myra Illustrator: Monescillo, Maria Harcourt (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 5, 2011 978-0-15-206150-0 In a pirate/bedtime-story mash-up, a little girl resists sleeping until she realizes that some shut-eye will restore her “formidable oomph.”

Throughout the story, Monescillo’s digitally enhanced watercolors present a contemporary setting in which this family just happens to live a pirate’s life. Charlotte Jane relishes “swashbuckling sessions, treasure hunts, and Fantastic Feats of Daring.” Although she may be “finer than a ship full of jewels,” though, Charlotte Jane refuses to sleep. Her parents urge her to rest, but, curiously, they leave her to her own devices, and then “one dark night she didn’t go to bed at all.” The next spread shows her bleary-eyed and whispering “Victory!” at sunrise. Alas, the triumph is short lived once she realizes that exhaustion won’t let her go about her usual activities, and she announces, “Arr…My oomph’s weighed anchor.” She and her parents hunt for it as though searching for buried treasure, until Charlotte Jane spies her featherbed and acquiesces, waking rejuvenated from “hearty dreams” at book’s end.

While references to “juicy” living seem a bit cutesy and out of step with the pirate theme, the bedtime story is satisfying, and casting a little girl as a pirate is downright refreshing. (Picture book. 3-6)

FRANKLIN AND WINSTON A Christmas That Changed the World

Wood, Douglas Illustrator: Moser, Barry Candlewick (40 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-7636-3383-7 An engaging chronicle of the month that Roosevelt and Churchill spent together at the White House, forging an affectionate friendship as well as a world-changing alliance.

In the waning days of 1941, when prospects for victory in either Europe or the Pacific were dismal, the two leaders optimistically engaged in a marathon series of meetings to plan strategies that ultimately resulted in victory and transformed the world. Wood’s narrative effectively captures both the desperation of the times and how much Churchill and Roosevelt genuinely enjoyed each other’s company. Moser’s detailed watercolor illustrations likewise capture their robust personalities. Despite balanced attention to both men, the eccentric Churchill emerges as more memorable, in both text illustration; most entertaining of the latter is of Churchill, ever-present cigar in mouth, toweling off beside the bathtub. As interesting and insightful as this story is, it may have a hard time finding an

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audience. Younger readers will not have the background knowledge to understand the historical context of the story, and older readers are unlikely to find the picture-book format appealing.

Those older readers who buck the format, though, will find themselves in for a treat. (afterword, author’s note, bibliography) (Nonfiction. 7-10)

MONEY BOY

Yee, Paul Groundwood (192 pp.) $16.95 | September 13, 2011 978-1-55498-094-9 After four years in Canada, Ray Liu is stressed out. On top of his parents’ divorce in China, his father’s remarriage, learning English and struggling in high school, Ray faces another challenge: he’s gay.

Playing online war games is Ray’s safety valve, the one place he feels valued and successful. When his Chinese Army–vet father discovers Ray’s been visiting gay websites, he kicks Ray out of the house, tossing his clothes after him. Furious, Ray avoids seeking help from friends—none know of his sexual orientation—and heads to downtown Toronto. Within days he’ll be robbed, beaten, befriended, solicited and left with a decision to make: whether to become a “money boy,” joining the ranks of Toronto’s teen male prostitutes. Though not entirely sympathetic, Ray is compelling and believable; many of his frustrations are universal to adolescence: peer acceptance, family expectations. For Ray’s family and friends, contemporary immigrants who—thanks to cell phones and the Internet—remain closely connected to their first home, straddling cultures raises unique identity and assimilation issues. Yee effectively shows how Ray’s birth culture is unaccepting of homosexual identity and his acquired one, at best, is in transition. An ending that feels a tad unearned does not materially undermine the text.

Overall, this insightful and deeply felt novel makes a valuable contribution to an underexplored topic and is highly recommended. (Fiction. 14 & up)

BREAKING STALIN’S NOSE

Yelchin, Eugene Illustrator: Yelchin, Eugene Henry Holt (160 pp.) $15.99 | September 27, 2011 978-0-8050-9216-5

“There’s no place for the likes of you in our class,” Sasha Zaichik’s teacher tells him, and that seems to be the motto of the whole Stalinist nation.

Yelchin’s debut novel does a superb job of depicting the tyranny of the group, whether residents of a communal apartment, kids on the playground, students in the classroom or government officials. It’s the readiness of the group to create |

outsiders—bad ones, “unreliables,” “wreckers”—by instilling fear in everyone that chills. Not many books for such a young audience address the Stalinist era, when, between 1923 and 1953, leaving a legacy of fear for future generations. Joseph Stalin’s State Security was responsible for exiling, executing or imprisoning 20 million people. Sasha is 10 years old and is devoted to Stalin, even writing adoring letters to Comrade Stalin expressing his eagerness at becoming a Young Pioneer. But his mother has died mysteriously, his father has been imprisoned and Sasha finds he has important moral choices to make. Yelchin’s graphite illustrations are an effective complement to his prose, which unfurls in Sasha’s steady, first-person voice, and together they tell an important tale.

A story just as relevant in our world, “where innocent people face persecution and death for making a choice about what they believe to be right,” as that of Yelchin’s childhood. (author’s note) (Historical fiction. 9-12)

DRAGONS OF SILK

Yep, Laurence Harper/HarperCollins (352 pp.) $15.99 | September 13, 2011 978-0-06-027518-1 Series: Golden Mountain Chronicles Silk, an ancient legend and family history tie several generations of formidable females together over three centuries in this conclusion to Yep’s monumental Golden Mountain Chronicles.

Beginning in 1835 and ending in 2011, the novel artfully weaves a tapestry made up of threads of silk production, Chinese history and folklore and immigrants’ eventual success in America, the “Golden Mountain.” Yep traces girls and women through to their modern descendants, who bear the collective memories of ancestors, each of whom had to make a heartwrenching, life-changing sacrifice in her own time. Readers will learn about the lovely Chinese legend of the celestial “Weaving Maid” and her sisters (the star cluster Pleiades) and the annual festival held in their honor. They’ll also learn a great deal about silkworm cultivation and how the lustrous cloth was once produced by hand. Yep doesn’t shy away from some harsh historical truths: the pervasiveness of opium addiction, bloody battles erupting between silk-factory owners and independent weavers and severe exclusion laws. The earlier chapters, while slowly paced, are more interesting, as Yep deftly conjures the culture and spirit of long-ago China; the modern-day chapters fare less well, with rather clichéd characters. Overall, however, the author captures the world of women well, and lush silk is a prominent backdrop.

An interesting glimpse into a little-known aspect of Chinese history and culture and a fitting conclusion to an epic series that began in 1975 with the Newbery Honor– winning Dragonwings. (preface, afterword, bibliography) (Historical fiction. 10 & up)

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“Consider this a Halloween treat for children ready for longer, more visually complex picture-book fare.” from haunted house, haunted mouse

MY DOG THINKS I’M A GENIUS

k i r k u s r o u n d-u p continuing series

Ziefert, Harriet Illustrator: Barroux Blue Apple (40 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-60905-059-7 Boy and dog share the utter pleasure of creating art.

“I need to paint and draw every day,” explains a roundheaded kid with pencil-hatched hair in this sweet, carefully composed paean to creativity. When he paints a gray building, Barroux’s composition mimics that shape in the foreground as a table spotlighting art supplies. Swaths of textured paint and pencil lines feature throughout. Companion Louie, a white dog with a long body, long muzzle and tiny legs, insists upon being depicted in his owner’s work. After the boy leaves for school, Louie explodes from art subject to artist. In two consecutive full-bleed spreads, Louie dashes back and forth, racing through paint and leaving footprints, squeezing paint tubes and holding brushes in his mouth. He’s so busy that he appears four times on each exuberant spread, covered in splotches, streaking paint everywhere. Returning home, the boy stands atop a beige staircase and peers towards a black wall, where the studio door is propped open by a (now multi-hued) dog. The mostly unseen him background inside the studio glows with color. Louie’s chef-d’œuvre evokes Cézanne (explained in an author’s note).

Only a loose close-up of the Cézanne homage actually appears, but its freely casual vibe combines with the childlike skill level of the boy’s own paintings to prevent readers from feeling insecure in their own attempts. This is about enthusiastic process, not product.

Have the easels handy; inspiration is inevitable. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)

UP AND AWAY WITH THE LITTLE WITCH

Baeten, Lieve Illustrator: Baeten, Lieve NorthSouth (32 pp.) $16.95 | May 1, 2011 978-0-7358-4004-1 In a follow-up to The Curious Little Witch (2010), Lizzy, the titular Little Witch, continues her adventures with a new young friend, Trixie.

Inspired by a fairy-tale book, Trixie wants Lizzy to make her a Witch Princess and conjure up a flying magic carpet. Lizzy works her magic, and they are off. The softly hued illustrations lend sweet child appeal, but Baetan’s text rambles somewhat.

As with the earlier book, partial page turns provide changing views, here of the pair’s journey and various fantastical modes of transportation. A touch of hunger leads them to meet the Caravan Witch, whose well-intentioned performance for them goes awry. Off they fly until Trixie “needs to pee,” and they encounter the Boat Witch. She has “an especially pretty potty for a Witch Princess,” but a frog surprises Trixie, and she slips overboard.

Once dry, the duo takes to the air again only to realize they may be lost. From up above comes the welcome voice of the Balloon Witch, who is appropriately revealed in a vertical fold-out accommodating the fantastical aerial transport. Balloon Witch is honored to help them get back to their humble home “just in time, right before the sun rose”—which is, of course, “bedtime for little witches.”

Fans of the first book will cheer the return of its winsome protagonist, but they will miss its architectural unity; ultimately, there is little here to make it rise above the witchy multitude. (Picture book. 4-8)

HAMPIRE!

Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta Illustrator: Fine, Howard Harper/HarperCollins (32 pp.) $16.99 | July 26, 2011 978-0-06-114239-0 Bardhan-Quallen spins a yarn equally suitable for a campfire gathering or a fireplace cuddle.

The rhyming text’s ominous tone hooks readers right away: “On the farm, the critters knew / At night, while they were sleeping, / Past barn and pens, / Past lambs and hens, / a HAMPIRE went out creeping.” The animals at the farm know not to go out 1380

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at night for fear of becoming the scary beast’s prey. But when Duck cannot sleep due to a rumble in his tummy, “[h]e sat up with a quack. / ‘It’s risky, yes, / But I confess— / I need a midnight snack.’ ” Duck plods to the kitchen just as the Hampire wakes up. What follows is a great chase captured moment by exciting moment in Fine’s realistic depictions. Causing edge-ofthe-seat anxiety and giddy giggles, the hilarious action scenes show Duck making off with his overflowing platter of sweets, while super-oversized Hampire follows close on his tail. Soon Red Chicken and Pony get caught up in the adventure. Fine expertly conveys the panic and terror in the poor animals’ faces.

Screaming beaks gape wide, Pony frantically struggles to keep the barn door closed and Red folds wings in desperate prayer— all serve to convince readers that this is a most dire situation.

But there’s a surprise: Hampire proudly states that he’s “no barbarian / ...and when I dine, / I’m always vegetarian.”

Kids will feast on this deliciously scary tale over and over. (Picture book. 4-8)

THE PICKY LITTLE WITCH

Brokamp, Elizabeth Illustrator: Riti, Marsha Pelican (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58980-882-9

Most picky eaters would happily choose spinach or broccoli or even Brussels sprouts over the scary stew Mama Witch cooks up for Halloween.

Little Witch looks with despair at the concoction brewing just for her. “Eye of newt, toe of sock, heel of boot, salted rock.”

Each spread lists new gruesome or wacky ingredients, and Riti does an admirable job representing them as funny little icons within the illustrations. Young ones will have fun matching the images to the text. Lime greens, dusky purples and peachy tones make up the palette in this retro-styled title. After each addition to the recipe, Little Witch responds with a disgusted “yuck,” “gross” or “barf.” Mama Witch urges her daughter to just taste it. Little Witch gives a litany of outlandish excuses. Parents will relate to the melodrama, and kids will relish Little Witch’s over-the-top reactions. But Mama Witch persists, and Little Witch tries it: “It’s o-kaaaay.” The tables turn when they go trickor-treating. Little Witch enthusiastically gathers a bucketful of yummy sweets and wants her mother to try some. Mama Witch proclaims them “too sugary” and “too human,” but a nibble of chocolate makes her think it might be “not so terrible.”

Offer this up to the most discriminating eaters or readers; most likely they will dig right in. (soup recipe) (Picture book. 4-7)

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HAUNTED HOUSE, HAUNTED MOUSE

Cox, Judy Illustrator: Ebbeler, Jeffrey Holiday House (32 pp.) $16.95 978-0-8234-2315-6 Series: A Mouse Adventure, 3 Those charmed by Mouse’s previous adventures in One is a Feast for Mouse: A Thanksgiving Tale (2009) and Cinco de Mouse-O! (2010) should prepare for gasps and giggles as he struggles through a series of (somewhat) unfortunate events.

After peeking from his “hidey-hole,” Mouse ventures out to make the most of a trick-or-treater’s dropped bag.

He crawls into it, finding “more candy than Mouse had ever seen”—but he is whisked off while still inside. After being carried, swinging and swaying, around the neighborhood, the sack is dropped again, and disoriented Mouse finds himself caught in a serious downpour. Seeking shelter, he scampers into an abandoned house. Is it haunted? No, but he is lost, far from his home. In a sweet turn, candy literally saves the night. Mouse spies “a cherry lollipop shining in the moonlight,” one of many pieces of Halloween loot that make a trail he can follow all the way home. Cox keeps readers turning pages with fast-paced action in her descriptive text. Ebbeler contributes plenty for the eye to feast upon in his bountiful acrylic-on-paper scenes. Readers will delight in the cast of costumed characters populating the pages and get a true feel for Mouse’s perspective in both exciting and slightly dire situations.

Consider this a Halloween treat for children ready for longer, more visually complex picture-book fare.

(Picture book. 4-7)

THE HOUSE THAT WITCHY BUILT

de las Casas, Dianne Illustrator: Stone-Baker, Holly Pelican (32 pp.) $16.99 | September 1, 2011 978-1-58980-965-9 Can a picture book inspired by “The House that Jack Built” do anything new?

Storyteller de las Casas gives it her all in converting one of her favorite stories to the printed page.

Pairing sound effects or movements to each introduced line of text results in a lively, interactive experience that begs any audience to join the fun. Beginning with “This is the house (creak, creak) / That Witchy built (clap, clap, clap, clap),” it will soon have readers meowing with a cat, flapping with the bat, booing with a ghost and rattling like a skeleton. It all makes sense until the pumpkin rolls in and the parentheses prompt a “(yum, yum),” but readers will cruise right along anyway. A

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“Preschoolers may not be aware of the impeccable design in front of them but are sure to reap the reward of this winning, interactive bedtime story turned topsy-turvy.” from the sleepless little vampire

boy is introduced with “(yuck, yuck)” because he is picking his nose, poor mom wags her finger as she says “(no, no)” and dad plants a “(smooch, smooch)” on mom. The finale “…is the / witch (cackle, cackle) / That spooked / them all / (cackle, cackle).” The collage illustrations are truly impressive. StoneBarker manipulates various papers to create palpable textures for the house’s roof, swishy broom, furry cat and transparent ghost. One quibble—on several pages there are headstones with clever epitaphs, but the same ones are repeated, losing an opportunity to inject further humor into the romp. That aside, Witchy definitely rocks this house!

Use to get the (Halloween) party started. (Picture book. 3-6)

HALLOWEEN SURPRISE

Demas, Corinne Illustrator: Alley, R.W. Walker (32 pp.) $12.99 | July 1, 2011 978-0-8027-8612-8

Sweet little Lily’s quest to come up with just the right costume is characterized by quietly entertaining do-it-yourself determination.

Unsure what she should be for Halloween, Lily consults her attentive kitties, Fluff and Frisky, as she considers each potential costume. “ ‘How about a ghost?’ / Too scary!” But her imagination keeps on working. Readers see her try out being a pirate, pumpkin, ballerina, gypsy, princess and robot. Each is unsatisfactory and “too…” something: mean, clumsy, jangly, etc. Here Alley truly enhances the text with full-page pictures that burst with Lily’s exuberant musings. Young ones will have fun guessing and chiming in with the crafty little heroine as she deliberates each new idea. Of course, none of these costumes are good enough, and time is running out. Lily looks to her feline friends and “knew just what she wanted to be.” Soon she is decked out and ready to surprise Daddy—here the last spread unfolds— “Meow.” Cozy, muted colors in watercolor and gouache are given delicate detail with pencil.

As in Demas’ earlier Valentine Surprise (2008), Lily’s plucky dedication to solving her own dilemma reinforces the lesson to keep trying and do your best. (Picture book. 3-6)

ZOMBIE IN LOVE

DiPucchio, Kelly Illustrator: Campbell, Scott Atheneum (32 pp.) $12.99 | August 23, 2011 978-1-4424-0270-6 Zombies are all the rage with teens, and stories of lovelorn adolescent lads trying to find the perfect girl in time for the big dance abound. This quest for companionship, however, is aimed at a decidedly younger crowd.

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DiPucchio and Campbell pair their considerable talents to tell the tale of poor Mortimer, a zombie looking for love in all the wrong places. At the gym, others freak out when his arm breaks off while lifting weights. While taking dance lessons, his only partner is an uncooperative skeleton. But then he decides to place a personal ad in the newspaper: “If you like taking walks in the graveyard / and falling down in the rain. / If you’re not into cooking, / if you have half a brain. / …I’m dying to meet you!” Mortimer goes to the ball with high hopes, but the night drags on as his attentions are repeatedly spurned.

Just as he is about to leave he hears a crash. “There on the floor was a girl…and she was drop-dead gorgeous.” Text loaded with humorous understatement and Campbell’s skillfully detailed watercolors in a palette of decay (think watery reds, putrid grays and sickly greens) are both clever and delightfully gross.

When Mortimer offers his heart to a girl, the undead gent presents his actual organ.

Probably best suited for sharing with primary graders, who will squirm between fits of laughter. (Picture book. 6-8)

THE SLEEPLESS LITTLE VAMPIRE

Egielski, Richard Illustrator: Egielski, Richard Scholastic (32 pp._ $16.99 | June 1, 2011 978-0-545-14597-8 Egielski’s saturated watercolor-and-ink artwork takes center stage in this visually rich parade of spooky nighttime creatures.

Perched on his bed and holding a Frankenstein’s-monster doll, the young vampire opens the tale by gazing at readers from a small, framed picture surrounded by black. He questions, “Why can’t I sleep? What could it be?” Perhaps it is a spider spitting, bats flitting, cockroaches crawling or the werewolf bawling? As each creepy thing appears—all with delicious sound effects—the framed pictures progressively expand to reveal more and more of the fanged boy’s boisterous surroundings. Little Vampire, endowed with a large head and saucerlike eyes, glows in a cool white from each spread. After a few more of the usual suspects come on the scene, and the sky takes on a hint of pink, he realizes that it was just not his bedtime yet. On the only frameless, full-bleed spread, the menagerie of ghouls gathers to hear him proclaim, “GOOD MORNING, NIGHT CREATURES!” This signals the once-raucous group to go back from whence they came. The framing of the illustrations resumes, but they are now enclosed in white. With a bright sun high in the sky, the last focused frame is of Little Vampire fast asleep.

Preschoolers may not be aware of the impeccable design in front of them but are sure to reap the reward of this winning, interactive bedtime story turned topsyturvy. (Picture book. 2-5)

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TEN LITTLE BEASTIES

Emberley, Ed; Emberley, Rebecca Illustrators: Emberley, Ed; Emberley, Rebecca Neal Porter/Roaring Brook (32 pp.) $12.99 | August 2, 2011 978-1-59643-627-5 The Emberleys’ romp joins the heavily populated field of titles loosely based on common childhood rhymes.

Abstract monsters created in mostly black and white cavort against vibrant backgrounds. As the group gathers, the counting begins: “One little / two little / three little beasties..,” Once all 10 are assembled, they dance for one spread. Turn the page—surprise—one beastie gobbles up another. And so the carnivorous countdown commences. Counting up to 10 and back down again is nothing new. What grabs readers here are the primitive-looking beasties populating the pages.

Each beast has some unique identifiable shape or special additional colors: One has a striped horn, one flashes a blue zippered mouth and one sports an elaborate white spiral on its body. This helps in keeping track of the creatures for counting purposes, but that task is often challenging, as some spreads only show parts of a beastie. As most concept books are aimed squarely at preschoolers, this effort may suffer from audience confusion; it could be difficult finding readers who have the patience to puzzle it out. The cover urges readers to “download the song and read along!” At the time of this review, the link was not available.

Perhaps the audio addition will add some much-needed magic to this dizzying outing, but as a stand-alone book, this offers little appeal. (Picture book. 2-5)

HEEBIE-JEEBIE JAMBOREE

Fraser, Mary Ann Illustrator: Fraser, Mary Ann Boyds Mills (32 pp.) $15.95 | July 1, 2011 978-1-59078-857-8

What kid doesn’t want to be spooked on Halloween?

Daphne, dressed as a witch, and younger brother Sam, dressed as a ghost, magically get two tickets to the one-night Heebie-Jeebie Jamboree. The carnival of frights is filled with scary attractions: a rodeo of warlocks bustin’ brooms, a witch’s brew-off, a goblin pie contest and a Rolling Bones concert. When Sam gets lost in the “boo-haha,” the fortuneteller tells Daphne he’s in for a bumpy ride, sending her to the roller coaster. At event after ghoulish event, she just misses Sam, but keen-eyed readers will find him in each scene. She finally finds him in Lost & Found, an upright coffin, where Sam is munching on jelly eyes that he won at the pie contest.

Carnival-light–colored illustrations add plenty of icky and ugly details in the background: a merry-go-round of horse skeletons, a tombstone carved with “REST IN PIECES” and lurking black cats. There are never enough Halloween books, |

and this one has plenty of heebie-jeebies that are tame enough for a reassuring ending.

Anyone for eyes cream or barbecued bat wings? A rollerghoster of fun for younger trick-or-treaters. (Picture book. 4-7)

MADDIE’S MONSTER DAD

Gibala-Broxholm, Scott Illustrator: Gibala-Broxholm, Scott Marshall Cavendish (40 pp.) $16.99 | July 1, 2011 978-0-7614-5846-3

Maddie really loves monsters, a passion that likely stems from the fun she has with her dad, who coincidentally resembles Boris Karloff.

He swings her like a flying saucer and bakes cookies shaped like “the Glob from the Lake.” Most impressive is his ability to draw spooky pictures. But lately, Maddie, like many children, finds her dad too busy to spend time with her. After being put off once too often, she turns to her Build-a-Beast kit to “make a new dad.” Gibala-Broxholm augments his text with gouacheand-pencil pictures hinting at Maddie’s imaginative interpretations of events. She becomes “Maddie Scientist,” fiercely wielding scissors and tape while lightning flashes outside. Half of this double-page spread is in full color while the other is in shades of green and gray, reflecting her make-believe mode.

This color scheme persists while Maddie brings her creation to life, though he’s a bit disappointing compared to the real thing. The pictures come back to full color when Maddie and her monster go to frighten her dad. The door creaks open, and she finds him at work—“finishing up the illustrations for a new monster book.” Monster Dad has now shrunk back to a little toy. All ends a bit too well with Maddie and her dad in a “big MONSTER hug!”

While on the bland side, this may be just the right book for time-tapped families. (Picture book. 4-8)

LITTLE GOBLINS TEN

Jane, Pamela Illustrator: Manning, Jane Harper/HarperCollins (32 pp.) $16.99 | August 1, 2011 978-0-06-176798-2 Numerous titles interpreting “Over in the Meadow” have been published, but trust the team of Jane and Manning to conjure up an impressive new vision in time for Halloween.

Set in a fantastical land dominated by watery blues, greens and grays and punctuated by warm reds and yellows, Manning’s tale presents ethereal ghosts, country-bumpkin werewolves, parading mummies, screeching witches, happy bats and boogieing skeletons that readers will instantly want to have as friends. The preschool set should find comfort

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“Should readers tag along with an amiable bear into a haunted house? Absolutely!” from twelve haunted rooms of halloween

in seeing how loving and attentive the ghoulish moms and dads are with their offspring. Parents may see a bit of themselves here as well. (Mothers, especially, may chuckle at the staring zombie mom pictured in disheveled attire with her tongue hanging out.) Even though this is essentially a counting rhyme, the author elevates the reading and listening experience with interactive rhyming text that is rich with alliteration and strong action words: The monster “scared and he scampered,” ghosts “hid and they haunted,” witches “crowed and they cackled” and bats “swooped in the shadows.”

The story begins and ends with the green-horned monster mommy and her little monster one—“ ‘Trick or treat?’ asked the mommy; / ‘Treat!’ cried the one. / So they skipped off together / For some Halloween fun!”

Truly satisfying. (Picture book. 3-6)

THE HAUNTED HAMBURGER

LaRochelle, David Illustrator: Meisel, Paul Dutton (40 pp.) $16.99 | August 18, 2011 978-0-525-42272-3

Father Ghost tackles a nightly challenge for many parents—getting their kids to go to sleep.

He agrees to tell three stories, each more scary than the last. Readers will find, however, what is frightening to ghosts is just hilarious to mere mortals.

Tucked in their coffins and aglow in bright white, young Franny and Frankie stare wide-eyed at their dad as he begins the first story, “The Scary Baby.” Uncle Ned is eager to terrify somebody. The easiest to scare should be a baby. But he tangles with the wrong infant and his mama…and ends up on the baby’s bottom as a diaper! The second story features the Haunted Hamburger. By simply sitting on a tree stump and looking at boastful cousin Nell with “two round eyes as green as pickles,… a wide, squiggly mouth as yellow as mustard [and] wet bloody cheeks as red as ketchup,” it turns her into a humbler specter. The final story tells the tale of “The Big Bad Granny,” who truly horrifies with an onslaught of tickles, hugs and kisses. As fresh as LaRochelle’s text is, Meisel’s playfully rendered illustrations capture every ridiculous, giggle-inducing moment and amps it right up.

Share with the most sleep-resistant and squirmy kids for a surefire read-aloud romp. (Picture book. 6-8)

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WHAT AM I? HALLOWEEN

Author: Lewis, Anne Margaret Mills, Tom Whitman (24 pp.) $9.99 | September 1, 2011 978-0-8075-8959-5 Series: My Look-and-See Holiday Books When looking for a simple yet entertaining introduction to Halloween for the very youngest readers, search no further.

Lewis provides descriptive clues such as, “I can float through the air, and I like to shout, BOO!” on the left-hand page. Then, in a larger font on the right-hand page, she voices the refrain, “What am I? What could I be?” Mills reveals enough of the creature in question to ensure a successful guess as young ones open the sturdy fold to see the child-friendly image and confirm their answers: “I am a spooky ghost on Halloween. That’s me!”

A friendly witch, pumpkin to carve, funny bat, silly scarecrow, hooting owl, happy monster, black cat, dancing skeleton, busy spider and trick-or-treater are all included in this easy interactive guessing game. More adventuresome readers may find the pictures pedestrian or a bit saccharine, but this nonthreatening approach will surely satisfy those who wish to avoid the scary or creepy Halloween offerings that abound.

A solid introduction for toddlers. (Picture book. 2-4)

PUMPKIN CAT

Mortimer, Anne Illustrator: Mortimer, Anne Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins (24 pp.) $14.99 | PLB $15.89 | August 1, 2011 978-0-06-187485-7 PLB 978-0-06-187486-4 Cat wonders how pumpkins grow, and Mouse is happy to show him, in this seasonal offering for beginning readers.

A simple explanation of the seed-to-pumpkin process sets the animals to filling a pot with soil, planting seeds, watering the plant, waiting and watching it grow, making a scarecrow, picking the pumpkin and carving a jack-o’-lantern. A more thorough exploration can be found in Gail Gibbons’ Pumpkin Book (1999), with which beginning readers may already be familiar, so this brief story may be better suited to preschoolers just testing their green thumbs. In her signature style, Mortimer focuses on the cute, cuddly qualities of Cat and Mouse. Oval-framed close-ups and full-bleed spreads capture the unlikely animal friends working together. The final page is the most informative, presenting fleshed-out instructions for growing pumpkins, but ultimately there is little to harvest here.

Sweet but bland, this title could still find an audience in autumn. (Early reader. 3-5)

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GIBBUS MOONY WANTS TO BITE YOU!

Muir, Leslie Illustrator: Corace, Jen Atheneum (40 pp.) $15.99 | August 9, 2011 978-1-4169-7905-0

Incorrigible young vampire Gibbus Mooney cannot wait to try out his new grown-up fangs.

He really wants to sink his teeth into “…something big.

Something that moved. Something that…noticed.” As much as he wants to bite a person’s neck, though, his family condemns such bloodsucking behavior. They are proud, fruit-sucking “nectarians.” Gibbus has trouble digesting this fact and moodily slinks about the house. He bites into some silly and ultimately unsatisfying objects such as a stuffed gargoyle and a Stradivarius.

He tries to startle his grandfather and the gardener but fails to sufficiently scare them. He then sits “under his favorite thinking tree next door,” where he nods off until a three-toothed slobbery thing rudely awakens him. It is toddler Mandy— “Mandibles”—who chews on everything, the younger sister of non-vampire boy Moe who has just moved in next door. While Gibbus is first impressed with her, Moe claims with disgust, “Biting’s for babies.” Suddenly Gibb is more interested in literally hanging out with Moe and happy to be sinking his fangs into a “toothsome” apple. Muir works in quite a few lessons: Biting others is not okay, be open to other points of view and make a friend who is a bit different. And it all goes down well, coupled with Corace’s deft acrylic, watercolor and pen-and-ink images of Gibbus’ humorous process of figuring things out.

Get ready for many year-round requests for this “fangtastic” title. (Picture book. 4-7)

TWELVE HAUNTED ROOMS OF HALLOWEEN

experience that engages children and their grown-ups alike.

The hunt grows more challenging as the number of spooky critters increases, and the humorously detailed scenes become busier all the way to the final gatefold. For those who do not want the fun to end, turn the last page to discover even more hidden items “throughout the haunted house.”

This peek-and-find story is sure to please. (Picture book. 3-6)

THE I’M NOT SCARED BOOK

Parr, Todd Illustrator: Parr, Todd Little, Brown (32 pp.) $9.99 | August 3, 2011 978-0-316-08445-1 The latest from Parr, executed in his characteristic style that sets extremely bright colors off with a heavy black line, addresses common childhood fears.

The left side of the spread states a phobia: “Sometimes I’m scared of the dark.” The facing page offers a way to make the situation better: “I’m not scared if I have a night-light.” Worries run the gamut, from getting on an airplane, Halloween ghosts and monsters, something hiding under the bed, getting lost, families arguing, starting school and making a mistake. The message, although obviously well intentioned, verges on syrupy self-help for preschoolers. This will make for convenient bibliotherapy for young kids trying to overcome their fears, but offering just one coping strategy per dreadful situation is unlikely to give much comfort. The final page, in multi-colored text, may be the one worth remembering: “Sometimes we are scared of things because we don’t understand them. When you are afraid, tell someone why and maybe you won’t be scared anymore.”

Whether this is just a platitude or words of wisdom is up to readers to decide. (Picture book. 3-6)

Illustrator: Pamintuan, Macky Sterling (28 pp.) $14.95 | September 6, 2011 978-1-4027-7935-0

Should readers tag along with an amiable bear into a haunted house? Absolutely!

Closely following the sing-along structure of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” bear narrates his journey from one place in the house to another. “Through the first haunted doorway / I peeked right in to see… / A bat hanging from a bare tree.” Young ones will immediately respond to the challenge, hunting for the image(s) and counting to make sure they have found what the bear has spied. The usual Halloween characters are here: witches, black cats, skeletons, jack-o’-lanterns, ghosts and so on. Even though the illustrations do little to break new ground, Pamintuan knows his preschool and learning-to-read audience. As bear goes to each part of the house, all the creatures come with him, so readers need to sing and find them all again and again. The cumulative repetition creates a scavenger-hunt |

FRANGOLINE AND THE MIDNIGHT DREAM

Pearce, Clemency Illustrator: Elliott, Rebecca Scholastic (32 pp.) $16.99 | August 1, 2011 978-0-545-31426-8

Debut author Pearce introduces redhead Frangoline, who is “Pure as milk and good as gold” by day but turns into an impish minx at night.

She escapes cloaked in her cape and wreaks havoc, rudely awakening fearsome night creatures and recklessly dancing on tombstones. Poor moon worries from above and repeatedly warns, “Little ones should be in bed!” The naughty girl defiantly continues her nighttime fun—she’s Frangoline, after all. But the disturbed ghosts rise up and chase Frangoline to the steeple’s top, where she ends up trapped and petrified. “She gazed ’round with fear and dread. / She cried, ‘I think it’s time for bed!’

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“Sometimes scary, often funny and ultimately heartwarming, Rohmann’s tale successfully balances a tight text full of tough emotions with clear images of an everlasting friendship.” from bone dog

” Moon rescues a now-contrite Frangoline, who quickly finds herself “snug and warm in bed”—at least for now. Elliott ably portrays the young girl’s gleeful wickedness amid deep, dark backgrounds that contrast nicely with Frangoline’s fiery hair and white nightgown. Preschoolers and their parents will relate to the girl’s changeable nature and are likely to relish her willful adventure. The text unnecessarily changes typefaces and sizes and sprawls in a busy variety of curves, wobbly lines and slanted diagonals. This reflects the girl’s chaotic actions, but it feels overdesigned. Moreover, the rhyming text mostly flows, but the repeated, slightly altered refrain lacks a syllable and trips the tongue.

Still, despite imperfections, young readers will likely embrace the quirky, oddly endearing Frangoline. (Picture book. 3-6)

BONE DOG

Rohmann, Eric Illustrator: Rohmann, Eric Roaring Brook (32 pp.) $16.99 | July 19, 2011 978-1-59643-150-8 Caldecott Medalist Rohmann employs a similar artistic style to his award-winning My Friend Rabbit’s as he depicts a young boy’s journey through grief by way of a spooky graveyard on Halloween.

Beloved dog Ella tells Gus under a full moon, “I’m an old dog and won’t be around much longer. But no matter what happens, I’ll always be with you.” Once Ella is gone, Gus mopes.

On Halloween he reluctantly goes trick-or-treating, costumed as a skeleton. Heading back home he cuts through the graveyard. Here Rohmann’s hues darken, and Gus looks small and utterly alone. In a quietly dramatic page-turn, Gus is suddenly surrounded by a group of skeletons. Their goofy behavior and wisecracking taunts turn sinister, and soon they close in. The ghost of Ella comes to the rescue, yet she alone cannot save him.

“Together will all their might…, boy and dog howled into the night.” A pack of dogs arrives to vanquish the bony bullies in an offstage battle readers see only in hilarious denouement. Gus and Ella cuddle once again. He asks, “Will I see you again?” Ella answers, “A promise made under a full moon cannot be broken.”

Here the image of ghostly Ella and skeleton-clad Gus echoes the earlier picture of the two.

Sometimes scary, often funny and ultimately heartwarming, Rohmann’s tale successfully balances a tight text full of tough emotions with clear images of an everlasting friendship. (Picture book. 4-8)

NIGHT OF THE PUMPKINHEADS

Rosen, Michael J. Illustrator: McMahon, Hugh Dial (32 pp.) $16.99 | August 18, 2011 978-0-8037-3452-4 Rosen’s latest serves primarily as a vehicle for expert pumpkin-artist McMahon’s amazing carvings.

Digitally assembled with photographs of McMahon’s work and pencil drawings, the illustrations treat readers to spirited images of spunky pumpkins rising up to take an active part in trick-or-treating instead of remaining parked on porches. At the pumpkin patch, “ideas of creepy, chilling costumes filled the air above…” Their “costumes” are masterfully executed carvings meant to scare children on Halloween. A sabertoothed tiger and a cobra are most fearsome. But other pumpkins choose to resemble prehistoric beasts, while some settle for common choices of spiders and skeletons. Young readers will be inspired by the rarely encountered white pumpkins balanced to create a teetering zombie or the green ones put together into Frankenstein’s monster and the “Lock” [sic] Ness Monster. A mob of radishes, turnips, leeks and rutabagas begs to be part of the fun, but the pumpkinheads answer, “No way!” They want the thrill of terrifying the kids all to themselves. Predictably, the trick-or-treaters only giggle at them.

What causes fearful mayhem is the arrival of—you guessed it—the dreaded vegetables! How-to notes and photos about carving a cat pumpkin as well as a recipe for roasted pumpkin seeds complete the title.

A solid addition to the Halloween shelf, especially for those who have graduated from safer, sweeter stories. (Picture book. 5-8)

WHAT’S IN THE WITCH’S KITCHEN?

Sharratt, Nick Illustrator: Sharratt, Nick Candlewick (20 pp.) $12.99 | July 12, 2011 978-0-7636-5224-1

The title beckons readers into the dark house pictured on the cover. What will be found?

Each double page-spread shows a typical household item on the left, for example a refrigerator, and asks: “What’s in the fridge in the witch’s kitchen? Open it left or right. Will you like what you see? Or will it give you a fright?” Curious readers can open the sturdy flap one way to find “BATS WITH FLEAS!” Gross! Opening the other way, they’ll get “TASTY CHEESE!” Yum! Six similar spreads follow, with most of the answers rhyming: “Nasty! Goblin’s pee! / Nice! Strawberry tea!” and “Rabbit plops! / Lollipops!” This silly humor will elicit many giggles while reinforcing the learning of directional

concepts of left and right and up and down. Pictures pop in bright, saturated colors defined by thick black line. In addition, young readers will find Halloween images—snakes, bats, spiders, frogs, witch’s brooms, ghosts, moons and stars—in the patterns used to create many of the illustrations. The final spread holds a special surprise: “If your frazzled nerves can’t take any more, make your escape through the witch’s back door!” “BOO!” screams the witch leaping out from the page in her Halloween finery.

Share dramatically with a group (“Which way should this open first?”) or enjoy Sharratt’s interactive rhyming fun one-on-one. (Picture book. 3-5)

NEVER KICK A GHOST AND OTHER SILLY CHILLERS

Sierra, Judy Illustrator: Constantin, Pascale Harper/HarperCollins (32 pp.) $16.99 | $3.99 paper | August 1, 2011 978-0-06-143519-5 978-0-06-143521-8 paper Sierra adapts a few spooky tales for the early-reader set with lackluster results.

Most books with this format form a cohesive whole, but the chapters here stand alone for the most part. Three chapters are reworkings of familiar tales. “The Skeleton Bride” is a tale of woe about Blackbeard the Pirate’s wife, South Sea Sue. She meets a sad end as the ship sinks—until a diver 100 years later gets a scary surprise. “Never Kick a Ghost” is about mean man Sam Sniff ’s comeuppance after he repeatedly kicks suspicious white apparitions during a walk through the graveyard. “The Big Slobbery Monster” taunts a child, “Look what I can do / with my long green fingers / and my floppy purple lips.” After the boy fails to escape the goofy monster, the creature shows what he can do as he strums his fingers over his mouth: “Blubblub-a!” One chapter is a quick playground rhyme about witches, and another is a double page-spread with funny epitaphs that are difficult to decipher because the dark-gray text is displayed in varying typefaces on medium-gray headstones. Constantin’s mass-market–looking illustrations fail to add any oomph to this disappointing title.

Pass. (Early reader. 4-8)

HOW TO DRAW A HAPPY WITCH AND 99 THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT

Authors: Sikorski, Joy; Sunday, Nick Illustrators: Sikorski, Joy; Sunday, Nick Sterling (96 pp.) $9.95 | September 6, 2011 978-1-4027-5708-2 This book tries to be so many things, but they add up to very little.

Sikorski and Sunday create a thin story about feline Little Man who likes to wander about the wetlands. Interspersed are step-by-step instructions for drawing the creatures and objects the cat encounters (or not) during his nocturnal rambles. The format is terribly confusing. The first page shows Little Man returning home at dawn, walking through a pumpkin patch, past a scarecrow with a small bird singing on his shoulder. Brief instructions follow for drawing a Common Yellowthroat (the small bird), the cat standing and sitting, the cat napping and jaunting about, a scarecrow and a crow. But readers have not seen a crow, nor has the cat been shown in these various positions, which will puzzle them. The instructions themselves are odd. Instead of breaking down drawing into easy-to-grasp elements such as shape, line and shading, the authors seem to assume readers will only want to replicate their simple style. If the constant back-and-forth format were not jarring enough, the author/illustrators often add sound effects to the how-todraw parts. There is even a recipe for escargot—a fave for Little Man but not for many children—provided on the page giving four steps to recreate the cat licking his paws.

Those looking for helpful drawing lessons will be better served by instructional volumes from Ed Emberley or Ralph Masiello. (Informational picture book. 5-8)

HALLOWEEN HOWLERS Frightfully Funny Knock-Knock Jokes

Teitelbaum, Michael Illustrator: Ho, Jannie HarperFestival (16 pp.) $6.99 paper | August 1, 2011 paper 978-0-06-180891-3

“Knock, knock! / Who’s there? / Ghouls! / Ghouls who? / Ghouls and boys both love Halloween!” And many kids love knock-knock jokes and cannot get enough of them.

Teitelbaum comes through with this holiday collection of 28 jokes utilizing classic knock-knock form with wordplay and puns. Ho chooses to cast this series of jokes into a loose story of a girl and boy first preparing for Halloween and then having various adventures during Halloween night. As the two go from one activity and joke to the next, the format remains fairly consistent, with four jokes per double-page spread. A repeated |

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“This brief lullaby-story provides just-right toddler-sized chills.” from creepy monsters, sleepy monsters

lift-the-flap feature dedicated to a couple of the jokes on each spread as an interactive element as well as a chance for independent readers to guess the answer. Each flap has a unique shape and location on the page, and readers’ eyes automatically jump to those parts of the book. This helps to create an enjoyable apprehension as readers turn the page. What is hidden there?

Ho takes full advantage of the flaps, creating visual sleights of hand. The top of the flap leads readers to anticipate one answer to the joke, but often unexpected punch lines lurk below.

Have this at the ready for a quick dose of gentle Halloween humor. (Early reader. 5-8)

PUMPKIN TROUBLE

Thomas, Jan Illustrator: Thomas, Jan Harper/HarperCollins (40 pp.) $9.99 | PLB $12.99 | August 1, 2011 978-0-06-169284-0 PLB 978-0-06-169285-7 Thomas is back with another slapstick adventure featuring Duck, Mouse and Pig (The Doghouse, 2008; A Birthday for Cow, 2008).

Duck finds a pumpkin and begins turning it into a jack-o’lantern. In the process, Duck tumbles inside and ends up with the pumpkin stuck on his head. Duck tries to get help from Pig and Mouse, but they mistake him for a “PUMPKIN MONSTER!” Now Duck thinks there is a Pumpkin Monster and begins running. Mouse and Pig in turn believe the monster is chasing them, and they “Quick! Hide behind the barn!” Duck cannot see where he is going and runs into the barn, smashing the pumpkin to pieces. Mouse and Pig emerge from their hiding place and proclaim, “LOOK! Duck battled the Pumpkin Monster and WON!” Duck is confused but pleased with himself and decides to celebrate by making a jack-o’-lantern. The last page shows poor Duck—can you guess?—stuck inside his carved pumpkin with Mouse and Pig wondering where Duck is. Bright cartoon illustrations coupled with white speech balloons effectively tell this slight, silly tale of one mishap leading to another and another, but this lacks the manic energy of Thomas’ other outings.

In the crowded field of Halloween picture books, this unfortunately falls flat. (Picture book. 2-4)

THE 13 NIGHTS OF HALLOWEEN

Vasilovich, Guy Illustrator: Vasilovich, Guy Harper/HarperCollins (40 pp.) $16.99 | PLB $17.89 | August 1, 2011 978-0-06-180445-8 PLB 978-0-06-180446-5 “The 12 Days of Christmas” inspires a creepy countdown to Halloween night.

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Before any text appears, a spunky little witch girl flies into the body of the book clutching her crooked broom and imploring with oversize manga-bright eyes for readers to come, too.

“On the first night of Halloween / my mummy gave to me: / a bright, / shiny / Skeleton Key.” The following nights bring a 2-headed snake, 3 Baseball Bats, 4 Icky Eyeballs and so on. (All cardinal numbers are rendered as numerals, while the ordinal numbers are spelled out.) Some days are less successful than others. Ghosts a-Ghosting and Witches Witching—huh? But Vasilovich is one to watch: His extensive experience in television animation and comics illustration is evident. Any page looks like a still from a scary cartoon movie. He achieves a Tim Burton–esque mood with settings full of sharp angles and zigzagging lines. Backgrounds of deep greens and purples and glowing oranges and yellows set off the dark action on each spread. Even though the creatures seem more sinister as each night goes by (the eyes are particularly chilling), the witch seems positively charmed. The big day finally arrives, and the text spirals with the key at the center of the page. It unlocks a room where all the characters come together for a most haunting Halloween celebration.

More shivery than stunning; for slightly older readers.

(Picture book. 5-8)

MOUSE AND MOLE, A PERFECT HALLOWEEN

Yee, Wong Herbert Illustrator: Yee, Wong Herbert Publisher:Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (48 pp.) $14.99 | September 5, 2011 978-0-547-55152-4 Series: Mouse & Mole, 6

about how two scared friends can be brave when they are together. This story within the story truly shows how sharing a good book with a friend can work wonders.

Superb! (Early reader. 5-8)

CREEPY MONSTERS, SLEEPY MONSTERS

Yolen, Jane Illustrator: Murphy, Kelly Candlewick (32 pp.) $14.99 | July 12, 2011 978-0-7636-4201-3

This brief lullaby-story provides just-right toddler-sized chills.

The action begins at 3:00 as school lets out. Yolen describes it all in rhyme with spare sentences and phrases: “Monsters creep, / Monsters crawl // Over the meadow / And up the wall.”

Murphy chooses a muted palette to illustrate the motley bunch of innocuous creatures sporting a horn or two, various numbers of eyes, an occasional tail or tufts of fur. Preschool monster fans are sure to pore over and giggle at Murphy’s droll, detailed paintings executed in a mix of oil, acrylic and gel. They will also easily relate to the depicted routine of coming home, eating dinner, taking a bath and getting into bed, and they will be charmed rather than spooked as the text’s gentle cadence begins to work a calming magic. But the monsters show a last burst of energy— of course—as they “toss and turn and bounce” before finally snuggling in for the night. Silly going-to-sleep sounds such as “Growl / Gurgle / Burp” gently bring this soon-to-be popular book to an end.

There’s plenty in this scary-sweet book to please children all year round. (Picture book. 2-4)

Mouse and Mole prepare for Halloween in the sixth book of Yee’s popular series.

In the first chapter, Mouse excitedly decorates for the holiday. Mole is not sure he likes Halloween—too scary. The next chapter finds the two hunting for the perfect pumpkin.

Mole and Mouse go about the search differently. Mouse cannot believe how many pumpkins there are: “Eeny, meeny, miny mumpkin / Which of you will be my pumpkin…? / You’re it!”

Mole is more careful. After tapping, turning and tugging them, he finds one he likes. Then it is time for the Pumpkin Carving Contest. Mouse’s has mismatched eyes, an “itty-bitty” nose, “crooked teeth” and a leafy hairdo. She wins “for the silliest jack-o’-lantern!” Mole makes his pumpkin early and keeps it hidden. When the judges look, it is “…sunken / and lumpy and smelly. / The once perfect eyes / were now squinty slits. / The smile had turned into a frown.” Mole wins “for the sc-scariest j-jack-o’lantern!” Newly independent readers will find much humor and some challenging words, but Yee’s small gouacheand–litho pencil illustrations cue perfectly. The final chapter focuses on how the duo overcomes Mole’s fear of trick-ortreating. Mouse, ever the problem-solver, reads Mole a story

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This Issue’s Contributors # Kim Becnel • Marcie Bovetz • Kimberly Brubaker Bradley • Sophie Brookover • Louise Brueggemann • Timothy Capehart • Ann Childs • Julie Cummins • GraceAnne A. DeCandido • Dave DeChristopher • Elise DeGuiseppi • Lisa Dennis • Robin Elliott • L. • Brooke Faulkner • Omar Gallaga • Judith Gire • Carol Goldman • Ruth I. Gordon • Melinda Greenblatt • Heather L. Hepler • Megan Honig • Jennifer Hubert • Kathleen T. Isaacs • Laura Jenkins • Betsy Judkins • Deborah Kaplan • K. Lesley Knieriem • Robin Fogle Kurz • Megan Lambert • Angela Leeper • Peter Lewis • Nina Lindsay • Joan Malewitz • April Mazza • Kathie Meizner • Daniel Meyer • Rachel Moore • R. Moore • John Edward Peters • Rebecca Rabinowitz • Kristy Raffensberger • Shana Raphaeli • Nancy Thalia Reynolds • Erika Rohrbach • Leslie L. Rounds • Ann Marie Sammataro • Dean Schneider • Chris Shoemaker • Karyn N. Silverman • Meg Smith • Robin Smith • Rita Soltan • Edward T. Sullivan • Deborah D. Taylor • Bette Wendell-Branco • Monica D. Wyatt • Melissa Yurechko

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kirkus indie Kirkus has been keeping an eye on selfpublishing for years, and we’ve never seen anything like the current boom. With the number of self-published titles now pushing 1 million per year, and independent authors utilizing new technologies to sell tens of thousands of copies of their work, the age of indie has truly arrived. Kirkus Indie brings readers the best works by independent authors, and we bring independent authors the crucial tools to get the word out about their books like no one else. We’ll give your book an unbiased, professional review, and then we’ll push that review into the world via our social-media properties, newsletters, website and expanding content. To learn more about Kirkus Indie and start promoting your title, please visit us online at kirkusreviews.com/indie/about.

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PROPHETS OF THE GHOST ANTS

Carlton, Clark Thomas CreateSpace (399 pp.) $14.95 paperback | May 5, 2011 978-1460949047 In this postapocalyptic science-fiction allegory, diminutive tribal humans share the world, and a deeply intertwined society, with hordes of insects.

Anand, the despised young lower-caste protagonist of Carlton’s innovative novel, knows perfectly well how his life will unfold. He slaves in the filthy middens of his human colony, marked by skin color, scent and even body posture as inferior to the higher classes of humans who run the colony and serve the queen. In this postapocalyptic version of human society, where humans have evolved to the size of insects in response to the planet’s diminshing resources, someone like Anand has no hope of rising above his station or changing his life. His only hope is to grow old working in peace rather than be killed by the myriad insectoid menaces that stalk his world. (The author expertly shifts his narrative pacing for violent scenes that crop up frequently in the novel and are intensely memorable.) But when word comes that his colony is splitting up, sending a queen and a host of workers to found a new colony, fate offers Anand a chance to become more than he’s ever dreamed. “The history of our land is always written in blood,” one character tells him, but in addition to blood there’s doctrine here—Carlton has a surprising amount to say about organized religion and its heresies (the so-called Loose Doctrine of Dranveria plays a major role in the book), and approaches his commentary with drama and intelligence. Anand becomes something of a firebrand, insisting “No idol, book, word, place or relic should ever be held sacred…

Only human life is sacred.” The complications he faces in his rise to power make for a gripping read.

The wobbly science of its premise notwithstanding, this is a fascinating, enjoyable sci-fi yarn.

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“In Ezpeleta’s touching young adult novel, 11-year-old Emily finds that the best therapy comes on four legs.” from lucky dog

THE PHYSICS OF BEING: Science, the Soul, and the Source of Creation Chambers, John CreateSpace (137 pp.) $10.95 paperback | June 7, 2011 978-1453763537

An attempt to situate the soul in the subatomic realm, and a consideration of what may happen to it after the death of the body.

The science of physics may just be the tool to locate the soul, says physicist Chambers in this enjoyable, sometimes mindbending and sometimes vexing inquiry. He starts with a brief overview of developments in physics during the last few centuries, displaying his talent for communicating the gist of complex topics to his intended lay audience. But sometimes “including only the salient points while leaving out the extra fluff ” can be counterproductive, if some of that “fluff ” leads to clarification. To say that “a black hole stores all its information on its outside surface” isn’t enough—some meaningful explanation is required, or lay readers won’t follow the thread. The author later tenders some pretty fantastic stuff that a willed suspension of disbelief won’t accommodate. Chambers asks readers to appreciate that physicists have increasingly come to view information as conceptual, and that matter and energy arise from it, rather than vice versa. Hence, thanks to the law of the conservation of energy, information cannot be destroyed—“Everything that ever was will always be a part of this world.” He states that the same applies to one’s soul, which is the information that comprises our capacity to be mortal beings. That information is “defined by the states of individual electrons, but also by their relationship with each other,” which allows for ghost electrons of the quantum potential to drive themselves to self-referential experience upon brain death. Near this point, readers may be lost trying to understand how electrons coupled with the spin lattices of loop quantum gravity “could associate themselves with the physical electrons of a newborn,” resulting in reincarnation. It is also difficult to square that the Higgs boson “makes your soul possible,” but that it’s still unclear whether the particle actually exists. Then again, the author’s reflections on singularity, consciousness, solving the clone problem, time travel and the breathtaking capacity of holographic physics positively shimmer as alternative understandings.

Notes toward a breaching of the science/spirituality divide, told with freethinking verve and scientific skepticism.

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LUCKY DOG

Ezpeleta, Laurie Illus. by Melissa Glenn CreateSpace (168 pp.) $8.99 paperback | May 22, 2011 978-1456589172 In Ezpeleta’s touching young adult novel, 11-year-old Emily finds that the best therapy comes on four legs.

It’s 1998 and Emily, beautifully illustrated by Glenn, is struggling with her father’s death. A forest ranger brightens her life by giving her a dog, but mom Diana forces Emily to return the pooch. Diana also wants to punish Emily for lying to the ranger about her family’s willingness to accept the dog, but the ranger saves Emily by suggesting her “punishment” be working for him. The dog, Lucky, proves her loyalty by running away from her next home and back to Emily. And later Lucky protects Emily from various animals, including an upset skunk. Emily takes Lucky to the vet to get the stench washed off, but she doesn’t have enough money to pay for the procedure, so she takes a job working for the vet as well. These new jobs give Emily joy and friends. One day, Emily falls and badly injures herself while walking in the woods and sends Lucky to get help. Ezpeleta paces this part of the narrative well, effectively building tension and drawing her characters together. She is also skilled at showing how difficult loss can be, as illustrated by Emily’s casual hope that a car will run her down. The strongest example of the toll the father’s death has taken, however, is Diana’s alcoholism. Diana has the potential to be a great, complex character, but unfortunately she’s not fleshed out enough; her role is largely either to fight with or apologize to Emily. There’s an obvious sympathy for a widow, but it’s hard for readers to feel it when Diana is so cruel, telling Emily that she dresses like an orphan. Another problem comes from another Diana; Emily’s father loved the late Princess of Wales and she figures prominently in the story, but she will probably not mean much to the book’s audience, who were either not alive or just born the year Diana died. In general, the Diana connection feels overdone; Emily’s parents are named Charles and Diana and Diana watches over Emily when she is in trouble. Thankfully, Emily makes up for the novel’s flaws. She’s smart, passionate, quirky and caring—a kid’s ideal best friend.

A fast-paced adventure with a protagonist that youngsters will feel lucky to have found.

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k i r ku s q & a w i t h c o l i n h a s k i n FERRET GIRL

Colin Haskin Illustrated by Gerry Brophy DBR Publishing (180 pp.) $12.99 July 22, 2011 978-0986919909

THE SACRED CITY

Colin Haskin’s young-adult novel Ferret Girl tells the story of smart, sarcastic Ontario teenager Fiona Forrest, whose family life is so darkened by her reticent father and absent mother that at times she envies the peace and stability of Bandit, her pet ferret. When she suddenly finds herself shrunk to ferret-sized and able to talk with Bandit, she and her former pet embark on a series of fascinating conversations and exciting adventures in the suburban wilderness. We talked with the author about fantasy novels, the craft of writing and, inevitably, ferrets.

The second installment of Lawrence’s Guardians series—following his debut novel The Guardians of Time (2011)—is equal parts epic science-fiction, timetravel adventure, historical-fiction drama and apocalyptic thriller.

With nothing short of the future of civilization at stake, agents from a time-traveling anti-terrorism group must go back into the past to stop an enemy organization determined to alter history—and thus the future—for its nefarious purposes. With dual story lines set largely in 2074 Monemvasia, Greece, “the Gibraltar of the East,” and early 19th-century Greece during the country’s war for independence against the Ottoman Empire, the high octane narrative is powered by an ensemble cast of well-developed, emotionally compelling characters such as Rashid Ibn Taleb Al-Noury, a young Moroccan who has joined the ranks of the Guardians as a Paladin to try and uncover what the Trustees are plotting in 1825 Greece; John Crowe, a ruthless, charismatic Trustee operative and former Paladin; and Mark Lawson, the time traveler from the future who brought with him that which could save humanity—and potentially destroy it. Although the sciencefiction element is an obviously integral part of the storyline, much of the time it takes a backseat to the saga’s historicalfiction aspect. Lawrence excels at immersing the reader in 1825 Greece through vivid, thorough description and a clear knowledge of the area, its history and culture. Fans of elite alternate history sagas like S.M. Stirling’s Island in the Sea of Time trilogy, Robert Silverberg’s Roma Eterna and Eric Flint and David Drake’s Belisarius sequence will be more than satisfied with the meticulous historical detail, adept characterization and intricate plotlines of the Guardians saga.

Blending grand-scale storytelling with deeply provocative social and spiritual themes, Lawrence could very well be the next coming of Harry Turtledove.

Q: The most obvious question first: Have you yourself ever owned a pet ferret?

A: Nope, it never worked out. My home situation never lent itself to ferret-keeping. I often worked long, long hours and ferrets require—and deserve—a good deal of attention. And now, even though I spend long periods at home, I’m often absent for a week at a time.

Q: The family situation in Ferret Girl—the deep sadness Fiona’s mother and father are trying to live get through—is handled with great sensitivity. Quite a few YA writers would have left it at that. What prompted you to add an element of fantasy?

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Q: Fiona shows herself to be remarkably resourceful and quick-witted in her new world. Do you predict a happy future for her, back in her old one?

A: Fiona will always be resourceful. Just as when she was a teen, Fiona will grow up to be a competent, goal-oriented achiever with boundless compassion and a bright future. She will have a perfect life. Then she will fall in love and choose to compromise that perfect life. After that, anything can happen. |

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Q: How did the idea for this book come about?

A: The idea for Ferret Girl occurred when my elder daughter Dashiele was about four—she’s now closing on 34. At the time, she had a hamster that would sit up and rapidly open and shut his mouth.

Dash was convinced the creature was talking to her, and longed to know what he was saying. She decided that would only happen if she could somehow be his size. He was very small, so he had a very small voice. When I finally got down to the writing of it years and years later, I found that hamsters were boring, dull and unintelligent. Ferrets, I discovered, were quite the opposite.

Most of the book was written after my children grew up, or were in their late teens, and I was on my own. I enjoyed long vacations from my job, so I used the time to write. When I couldn’t keep my hands off the thing, I would sometimes do it at work. Ferret Girl has been rewritten many times.

For several years, I made a long daily commute by bus. It was my practice after each rewrite, to print out the manuscript and edit it while riding back and forth. When I came to the last page, I entered the changes on my computer, rewrote here and there as I went, and started the process all over again.

Toward the end, I resolved that each rewrite must be 10% shorter than its predecessor. Less is better.

Velástegui, Cecilia AtlasBooks (328 pp.) $24.95 | $15.00 paperback September 27, 2011 978-0983745808 paper 978-0983745815 A coveted painting of the Immaculate Conception connects the lives of women past and present in Velástegui’s ambitious debut novel.

Widowed art collector and wealthy socialite Paloma Zubiondo is ensconced in her Laguna Beach, Calif., home when she receives a mysterious call from a woman claiming to be held captive and begging for the return of a stolen painting of the Immaculate Conception. The caller triggers memories of Paloma’s childhood in Quito, Ecuador, and sends Paloma on a quest to discover whether or not she possesses this stolen painting by the artist Isabel Santiago. This meticulously researched historical novel alternates between Paloma’s art investigations and the lives of historical figures from centuries past, all connected by paintings of the Virgin Mary. One such chapter follows 17th-century Ecuadorian artist Isabel Santiago as she struggles to overcome the shadow of her father, the celebrated painter Miguel de Santiago. The novel includes many charming minor characters, such as Isabel’s devoted servant Shining Star, who struggles with the inequities of a class-based society that labels her a “little mongrel.” In another engaging chapter, a proud widow tries to keep up appearances while her printing press flounders in 18th-century Mexico City. There are several potentially fruitful story lines—colonial tensions and class divisions, art forgery and human trafficking—but Velástegui does not fully flesh them out. Too much of the drama takes place offstage or via summary, leaving the narrative bogged down in exposition. While intriguing at the outset, the central mystery of Paloma’s Immaculate Conception painting becomes tangled in dangling plotlines and long passages on Spanish Colonial art.

Nevertheless, the author shows a talent for period detail, sparkling dialogue and vivid characters that bring her story to life.

This richly rendered but unfocused novel needs more action and less art history to keep readers intrigued.

Q: Did you set aside a block of writing-time each day? A page goal each week?

A: I’m not one for writing 10 pages a day, or the like. I tend to withdraw from everything and everyone and write in long bursts of a month or two. Occasionally, days after I’ve run out of food, I will show up at a grocery store looking, and babbling, like a madman. It generally takes me a day or two to properly rejoin the rest of the world.

–By Steve Donoghue |

P HOTO C O URT E SY OF C O L IN HA S K IN

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A: To be honest, I’m not enthusiastic about fantasy as a genre. Nobody pigeon holes Lewis Carroll as a writer of fantasy, and yet his work is full of it. He used fantasy to get at other things. To a much lesser extent, it was the same for me. I wanted to write a story with little adult involvement, rather in the tradition of British children’s literature where mother, father and the nanny are left entirely out of the picture and the protagonists must make all the decisions and, in the process, transition toward adulthood.

I set out to do a tight story with fairly fast pacing, a narrow timeline and few characters. I had meant to confine all the action to within the four walls of Fiona’s home, but Bandit had other ideas. I also wanted to attempt a book that both adults and teens would enjoy. My inspiration was the likes of Huckleberry Finn and To Kill a Mockingbird. Neither are true children’s books.

GATHERING THE INDIGO MAIDENS

Lawrence, Damian Pentelicus (371 pp.) $19.95 paperback | $9.99 e-book May 29, 2011 978-0983172116

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