Bookbug Staff Picks Summer '09

Charley Harper ABC’s
by Charley Harper
There’s no reason why infants and toddlers shouldn’t be thought of sophisticated art critics and appreciative audiences. That’s why we love American artist, Charley Harper’s enthusiasm for making his stunning work in a format just for them. This ABC board book (along with a number book also by Harper) is one that babes and moms will both love and that makes a unique gift for newborns and infants. Recommended for ages 0-2.

In My Pond
by Sara Gillingham, illustrated by Lorena Siminovich
Whether the parents are nature lovers or the baby likes touch and feel fun, this new board book from Chronicle Books is among the very best we’ve seen. Turn the pages to see how the pond changes and let babies rub, pull on, and grab the fish as much as they want. This book is another great choice as a unique gift or meaningful addition to any baby/toddler library. Recommended for ages 0-3.

The Secret Circus
by Johanna Wright
There isn’t a whole lot that gets preschoolers more excited than imaginative play and magical secrets. Author and artist Johanna Wright applies this truth with brilliant affect in her story of a secret circus set in the City of Light. The book is a magical read-aloud for lovers of Paris, pretend play, and beautiful art.  Every page is a masterpiece. Recommended for ages 2-5.

Lines that Wiggle
by Candace Whitman, illustrated by Steve Wilson 
What’s more fun than letting a playful line carry you through the pages of book? Make that line sparkle and jump and set simple/modern characters and scenes as the backdrop and you’ve got a book that pleases both a sophisticated kid and parent. Come in to see this one in person. The wonderful “line” cannot be fairly seen and appreciated online!  Recommended for ages 3-7.

One Small Step
by Jerry Stone
This celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing is a collection of keepsakes and memories that bring that historic moment of pride an accomplishment to life for a new generation. This mock scrapbook penned by a 12 year-old space enthusiast is a keepsake gem for any history or space nut, or any kid (or adult) that may like to be turned into one upon flipping through! Recommended for ages 7-14.

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
If you’ve read anything by Kate DiCamillo, you won’t need to be convinced that Edward’s story is in able hands. A precious porcelain rabbit who gets lost and found several times over, Edward is an unloving and unlikely hero, but his story and his eventual understanding is one that will stick with kids—and with you—for years to come. Pick this one up if your kids liked The Tale of Despereaux, or if you want to get them excited about DiCamillo’s much anticipated upcoming release: The Magical Elephant.

Peace Locomotion 
by Jacqueline Woodson
Favorite author Jacqueline Woodson puts her keen historical, social, and emotional intellect to work in this latest book told in the voice of Lonnie, a 12 year-old foster kid and loving brother to his little sis. She doesn’t live with him, but he talks to her daily in his diary. The poetic result is a beautifully poignant story of family. Recommended for ages 8-13.

Also Known as Harper
by Ann Haywood Leal
Harper Lee Morgan loves nothing more than the tingle of a new poem working itself out in her head. And all she wants is to win the poetry contest at school. However, after her father abandons the family, Harper, her mother and her younger brother, Hemingway, get evicted from their apartment and must finally settle themselves in an abandoned drive-in movie projector house. Harper, charged with taking care of Hem while her mother works, cannot make it back to school in time for the contest. Luckily, she and Hem find some friends who help guide them through their transition to homelessness and who ultimately help them into a new, albeit temporary, home. Meanwhile, Harper learns some important lessons on the meaning of home and family, and she comes to know that, when her poetry is concerned, the right audience trumps a big crowd every time. Occasionally sentimental, but the likable characters, their misfortunes and especially their self-reliance will keep readers, particularly fans of the Boxcar Children and other such fare, enthralled. A poignant debut. Recommended for ages 10-14.

Swim the Fly
by Don Calame
Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time — quite a challenge, given that none of the guys has the nerve to even ask a girl out on a date. But catching a girl in the buff starts to look easy compared to Matt's other summertime aspiration: to swim the 100-yard butterfly (the hardest stroke known to God or man) as a way to impress Kelly West, the sizzling new star of the swim team. In the spirit of Hollywood’s blockbuster comedies, screenwriter-turned-YA-novelist Don Calame unleashes a true ode to the adolescent male: characters who are side-splittingly funny, sometimes crude, yet always full of heart. Recommended for ages 13 and up.

If I Stay
by Gayle Forman
The last normal moment that Mia, a talented cellist, can remember is being in the car with her family. Then she is standing outside her body beside their mangled Buick and her parents' corpses, watching herself and her little brother being tended by paramedics. As she ponders her state ("Am I dead? I actually have to ask myself this"), Mia is whisked away to a hospital, where, her body in a coma, she reflects on the past and tries to decide whether to fight to live. Via Mia's thoughts and flashbacks, Forman (Sisters in Sanity) expertly explores the teenager's life, her passion for classical music and her strong relationships with her family, friends and boyfriend, Adam. Mia's singular perspective (which will recall Alice Sebold's adult novel, The Lovely Bones) also allows for powerful portraits of her friends and family as they cope: "Please don't die. If you die, there's going to be one of those cheesy Princess Diana memorials at school," prays Mia's friend Kim. "I know you'd hate that kind of thing." Intensely moving, the novel will force readers to take stock of their lives and the people and things that make them worth living. Ages 14-up.