Kid's Book Reviews:
 Mama, Is It Summer Yet? by Nikki McClure $17.95
Following the success of New York Times best-selling All in a Day, Nikki McClure once again uses her unique paper cutouts to showcase wonderful images of nature and the joys of family and the outdoors, creating a book that is both timeless and fresh: Mama, Is It Summer Yet?
A little boy who can't wait for summer keeps asking his mama, Is it summer yet? Mama says, Not yet, little one, then points to the signs that spring is turning to summer—the softening of the earth, the nest-building of squirrels, the singing of birds—and encourages her son to savor the beauty of spring. Young children see the passage of time through the seasonal changes to the world around them in this charming book, illustrated with Nikki McClure's extraordinary cut-paper art.
"As in her previous book, Cynthia Rylant's All in a Day, McClure's cut-paper scenes do more than just support the story; they form its heart...The substantial yet delicate lines...possess a visual rhythm, creating forms that repeat or echo (a ball of twine recalls a tree branch, swallows' heavily stylized tails mimic ripples in a pond)...idyllic scenes unfold as summer approaches: mother and son gather sticks for a shelter...craft a wind sock, and put on rubber boots and go canoeing....McClure's deceptively simple work carries unexpected visual force and real pleasure. Ages 4-up." — Publishers Weekly
 Buy Mama, Is It Summer Yet? by Nikki McClure - $17.95
 Mommy Is a Soft, Warm Kiss By Rhonda Gowle Greene $14.99
The seasons change, but through them all, Mommy is a soft, warm kiss. In this lovely book, a girl expresses her love for her mother through child-hearted metaphor. Whether making sand castles during summer, sewing Halloween costumes in the fall, or splashing in puddles on a rainy spring day, the fun never stops. The bond between mother and daughter is captured in lovely, rhyming text with rich, colorful illustrations—and with a special greeting card inside, kids can show their mommies just how much they love spending time together. The perfect book for Mother's Day.
"A towheaded girl uses metaphors to express what her mother is to her. On the beach, she's 'a buried treasure' ... on Thanksgiving, 'Mommy is a yummy smell / of pumpkin pie, so sweet' ...Smith's sunny acrylic and watercolor illustrations are sweetly affectionate" — Publishers Weekly
 Buy Mommy Is a Soft, Warm Kiss by Rhonda Gowle Greene - $14.99
 If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge
by Aronson, Marc and Mike Parker-Pearson $17.95
A National Geographic Young Adult non-fiction book
Released March 2010
What are the secrets of the ancient stone circle? Were the carefully placed stones a burial site, an ancient calendar, a place of Druid worship...or even a site of sacrifice? World-renowned archaeologist Mike Parker-Pearson has spent the last seven years on a quest to answer these and many other questions.
In If Stones Could Speak, award-winning author Marc Aronson joins the research crew and records their efforts to crack Stonehenge's secrets. National Geographic helped sponsor the Riverside archeological team's mission, and now young readers can journey behind the scenes to experience this groundbreaking story first-hand, through the eyes of the experts.
Mike and his team have revolutionized our understanding of Stonehenge by exploring the surrounding landscape for clues about the stones - an idea first suggested by a visitor from Madagascar. The results have been breathtaking: The team recently unearthed the largest Neolithic village ever found in England. Marc Aronson had total access to the site, the team, and their work over two seasons of digging and brings the inspirational story of the discoveries taking place at this World Historical Site to young readers. The informative and drama-driven text includes tales of dead bodies, cremations, feasting, and ancient rituals, as well as insights into the science of uncovering the ancient past.
The expert text, stunning photography, and explanatory maps and illustrations will all help young readers see this ancient monument in totally new ways, and inspire future generations of archaeological explorers.
Buy If Stones Could Speak: Unlocking the Secrets of Stonehenge by Aronson, Marc and Mike Parker-Pearson - $17.95
 Timekeeper's Moon by Joni Sensel $16.99
Recommended for ages 8 and up
Joni Sensel is a Cybils Award Finalist, and recipient of the Gold Star of Excellence for her vivid, action-driven, lyrical young-adult fantasies.
Just released in March 2010, Timekeeper's Moon is the sequel to the adventures begun in Farwalker's Quest. Discovering a baffling map under the eye of a sinister moon, Ariel sets off on a dangerous journey, accompanied by the surly Scarl, the beautiful Flame-Mage Sienna, the mute boy Nace, Ariel sets off on a dangerous journey. Inexplicable things begin to happen — fragments of Ariel's past appear in the present, so that it seems that time itself is coming undone. Now Ariel must discover the source of her telling dart before an ingenious trap set in the past can erase Ariel's future.
"Sensel excels in her vivid descriptions of the setting, the characters, and the adventures they experience. The theme of finding and accepting one's true calling resonates in this second book as much as it did in the first." — School Library Journal
"Vivid world building and tight pacing mark this sequel, further distinguished by rich characters with believable relationships." — Booklist
"Good and satisfying, just like the first. Joni Sensel knows how to tell a good story." - Becky's Book Reviews
Buy Timekeeper's Moon by Joni Sensel - $16.99
 The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy $16.99
Scheduled for release April 13, 2010
Recommended for 12 and up.
Sixteen-year-old Jess Parker survives by staying invisible. After nine schools in ten years, she's come to terms with life as a perpetual new girl. Then, at Mt. Sterling High, Jess gets the chance of a lifetime: an invitation to join The Cinderella Society, a secret club of the most popular girls in school, where makeovers are the first order of official business. But there's more to being a Cindy than just reinventing yourself from the outside, a concept lost on Jess as she dives tiara-first into creating a hot new look.
With a date with her popular crush and a chance to finally fit in, Jess's life seems to be a perfect fairy tale. That is until the Wickeds—led by Jess's archenemy—begin targeting innocent girls in their war against the Cindys, and Jess discovers her new sisterhood is about much more than who rules Mt. Sterling High School. It's a centuries-old battle of good vs. evil, and the Cindys need Jess on special assignment. When the mission threatens to destroy her new dream life, Jess must choose between daydreams and honor. What's a girl to do when the glass slipper fits, but she doesn't want to wear it anymore?
Buy The Cinderella Society by Kay Cassidy - $16.99
 Gold Dragon Codex by R.D. Henham $9.95
The Latest, Jan 2010 release in the Dragon Codices series; a series inspired by The New York Times best-seller A Practical Guide to Dragons
Recommended for 8 and up.
Unlock the secret of the gold dragon...
When Lazuli, the blue dragon, threatens to destroy Sandon's village of Hartfall, Sandon vows to locate the legendary gold dragon, once Hartfall's sworn protector, and convince it to return. Sandon finds the gold dragon's lair—only to stumble on a secret that throws everything he thought he knew about his home and his family into question.
Filled with power, action, and intrigue—and everything readers love about dragons—this tale shows what one boy can accomplish when he looks for the strength of a dragon within himself.
Buy Gold Dragon Codex by R.D. Henham - $9.95
 The Time Pirate: A Nick McIver Time Adventure by Ted Bell $17.99
From the Nick McIver Adventures Through Time Series
Recommended for Ages 9 and up.
Scheduled for release April 13, 2010 Time Pirate is the most recent release in the New York Times bestselling series Nick McIver Advertures through Time. Young time traveler Nick McIver must prove his courage once more. It's 1940 and the Nazis are invading England. So Nick takes to the skies: He has discovered an old World War One fighter plane in an abandoned barn. He is soon risking his life to photograph German minelayers and patrol boats, and execute perilous bombing raids over Nazi airfields.
Meanwhile, back in the year 1781, pirate captain Billy Blood is still desperate to acquire Nick's time machine. The pirates kidnap Nick's sister, leaving Nick a message that if he wants to see her alive again, he must come to Jamaica and swap his time machine for her life. Nick returns to 1781 disguised as a cabin boy, and meets his old enemy in the Carribean, taking on the world's largest pirate armada. Here Nick discovers a plot that might change the outcome of the American Revolution. Soon Nick finds himself on the battlefields of the American Revolution, shoulder to shoulder with General George Washington.
In The Time Pirate, Nick McIver is fighting once again to defend his country. This time the outcome of two wars rests on his young shoulders.
Buy The Time Pirate: A Nick McIver Time Adventure by Ted Bell - $17.99
 Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I Don't) by Barbara Bottner $17.99
Released March 2010
Recommended for ages 5-8.
"I'll never love a book the way you do," Missy tells Miss Brooks. Book Week is looming, but every book in the library strikes Missy as mild-mannered mush — too flowery, too furry, too clickety, too yippity. As for Miss Brooks herself, Missy thinks the librarian is a hippy-dippy literary cheerleader, willing to don a series of ridiculous costumes, including a hilarious, and Very Hungry Caterpillar.
But Miss Brooks remains undaunted. Missy's classmates have all found books they love—books about fairies and dogs and trains and cowboys. Miss Brooks is determined to find a book Missy will love if they have to empty the entire library to do it!
Barbara Bottner and Michael Emberley pay playful homage to the diverse tastes of child readers and the valiant librarians who are determined to put just the right book in each child's hands.
With laugh-out-loud funny full color illustrations!
Buy Miss Brooks Loves Books (and I Don't) by Barbara Bottner - $17.99
 Oh, the Places You'll Go - Pop-Up by Dr. Seuss $28.99
Dr. Seuss' Oh, the Places You'll Go is a wonderfully wise and joyous ode to finding one's path through the maze of life. Now, on its 20th anniversary, this classic bestseller has been transformed into a popup book by master paper engineer David A. Carter. Filled with glorious pop-ups, detailed pop-up booklets, special effects, and the complete original text, this classic bursts with vibrant new energy. It's the perfect diploma for graduates of all ages, and an ideal gift for anyone starting out on a new adventure.
Buy Oh, the Places You'll Go - Pop-Up by Dr. Seuss - $28.99
Splish Splash!
What are Leavenworth's kayaker's reading?
Eric Link, kayaker, videographer, orchardist, lamb-grower, cheesemaker, and now a Thursday Farmer's Market kahuna, is the kind of guy who will break his back at his work - literally! Stop by the Thursday Market to ask him the story sometime, and to compare favorite books.
The Deltora Quest has Eric and his son Otto hooked right now. In fact, when Otto fell asleep, Eric stayed up reading to the end of the book — it was such a page-turner, he just had to find out what happened next! With over fifteen books in three series, Emily Rodda's award-winning Deltora adventures are widely praised for their intriguing riddles and codes, fast pace, and epic setting. In a society where leisure and lethargy allowed a corrupt few to seize power, three very different children — the son of a valiant king, the son of a grayguard (the villian's henchmen), and Jasmine, a wild child from the Forests of Silence — work together to recover scattered jewels from a magical belt to restore their homeland. What more could you want, says Eric, than something so fun to read you're almost pulling it out of your child's hand ... while it also raises realistic, compelling, ethical dilemmas?
The Forests of Silence, Book one of The Deltora Quest Series - $5.99
The Deltora Quest Series I - the first eight books in one hardbound volume - $19.99
BECAUSE EARTH DAY IS ONE YEAR LONG
 My name is Jalen. I am six years old. I can read. Grandma Pat has a new grandson now, my new cousin. That's good. But he sleeps a lot. And I will always be older than him.
I am going to tell you about green books. That means books about loving the Earth.
I like the book All in A Day. It says "A day is all you have to be, it's all you get to keep..." I like my Mom to read me this book because it sounds like a poem and it makes me feel happy. I like the page where it says "You can make a wish, and start again..." On that page the little boy is blowing dandelion seeds all over and I like to do that too. Stephen says the pictures were from making lots of little cuts in one piece of paper. The pictures are super nice. Stephen says the author has a Newberry Honor and a Newberry Medal.
Buy All in A Day by Cynthia Rylant - $17.95
 Stephen, he is one of my Dads, he made a whole section of green books in our bookstore. He gets to do whatever he wants to in the bookstore. He likes to play guitar, and I play the drums.
Stephen and my Mom like a book called Change the World for Ten Bucks. There was one page they wouldn't show me. My Mom and Dad say even though we know some of it, we can learn from this book. It is fun and funny and has a lot of good ideas in it. It is like a teacher who makes you laugh instead of yelling at you. I like the pictures. We all like this book.
Buy Change the World for Ten Bucks: small actions x lots of people = big change by "We Are What We Do" - $10.00
Karol Ramos reviews Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
Suite Scarlett is a fascinating story about Scarlett Martin. Scarlett's family owns the Art Deco Hotel. When Scarlett turns fifteen, she is expected to take over the care of a special suite in the hotel. When a guest comes to stay in Scarlett's suite for the whole summer, Scarlett becomes her personal assistant. Find out what happens when she has to deal with her nineteen year old brother's acting career, her eighteen year old sister's love life and her eleven year old cancer surviving sister. Will her summer be what she expected it to be? You'll have to read the book to find out.
Buy Suite Scarlett - 16.99
Jennifer Brown reviews
The Gardener by Sarah Stewart
The Gardener is set during the depression adding color and optimism to an otherwise difficult time. The story is told through letters a little girl named Lydia Grace Finch writes. First written to her Uncle Jim and later her family after she is sent to live in the city with her Uncle Jim while her papa looks for work. She tries to spread happiness with a flower garden for her Uncle and others in the city. This book has beautiful watercolor and ink pictures that express the emotions of the characters in a very real way. Also a Caldecott honor Award winner.
Buy The Gardener - $6.99
Wyatt Brown reviews
The 13th Reality, Book 1: The Journal of Curious Letters by James Dashner
The 13th Reality by James Dashner is an amazing book that will capture the imagination.
It has great characters like the mysterious master George who keeps you guessing till the end with 12 clues on how to meet master George and if he is worthy of the mighty task of bringing down the evil mistress Jane. I would recommend this book to anyone who has a passion for reading.
Buy The 13th Reality - $17.95
Karol Ramos reviews
Little (Grrl) Lost by Charles De Ling
A terrific tale of a little and big friendship between two different girls, who are really alike. Read about their adventure as they search for an author and some other fairytale characters.
Buy Little (Grrl) Lost - $17.99
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