Summer 2009 Kids' Indie Next List - Top 10
Radiant Darkness
Emily Whitman (Greenwillow)
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“Emily Whitman has written an inventive retelling of the myth of Persephone's kidnapping by Hades and her stay in the Underworld. In this version, she is a willing participant in the seduction, but then has to establish herself as an equal in her relationship with Hades. Are there modern overtones? Yes, and they help make Radiant Darkness a very good story.”
— Nicola Rooney, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI
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“When Auden suddenly decides to spend the summer before college with her father, stepmother, and new baby stepsister, her whole life starts changing. When she meets Eli, a fellow insomniac/loner, it changes even more, as Auden starts questioning who she really is -- and who she wants to be. Sarah Dessen tells a great story, with characters that you cheer for.”
— Carol Schneck, Schuler Books & Music, Okemos, MI
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“Angus finds himself the only survivor of Clan Macnab in this new fantasy series. Helped by a goshawk, pine marten, and luna moth, Angus begins an exciting journey through 16th-century Scotland to end the rampage of his homeland. I was hooked from beginning to end.”
— Mary McHale, Fox Tale Books, New Durham, NH
By Mac Barnett, Adam Rex (illus.)
Hyperion Books for Children
“When Billy doesn't clean his room yet again, his mom finally makes good on her threat and buys him a pet ... whale! With laugh-out-loud moments on every page, kids are sure to want to read this one again and again.”
— Shannon Grant, Books Inc., San Francisco, CA
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“Beka Cooper returns as a full member of the Provost's Guard in this thrilling follow-up to Terrier. This time, Beka and Goodwin are headed to Port Caynn, where a counterfeiter is endangering the entire realm. And Kel finds that her heart is in as much danger as her country, as her new beau may well be part of the gang she is seeking.”
— Sara Glassman, Little Professor Book Center, Homewood, AL
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“Carol Lynch Williams has written the suspenseful, realistic story of a 13-yearold girl in an isolated polygamous community whose enforced engagement to her 60-year-old uncle reveals the truth about the religious leadership's corrupt motives and controlling, misogynistic underpinnings. Williams has done an amazing job of bringing some ugly truths to light, while celebrating the resilience, love, and spirit of the young women who survive the experience.”
— Elizabeth Bluemle, Flying Pig Boooks, Shelburne, VT
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“This beautifully crafted novel in verse tells the story of 9th-grader Anke, whose brother and sister bear the brunt of their father's abuse while she is completely ignored. Thalia Chaltas deals with this difficult topic both delicately and honestly.”
— Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck, NY
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“When city boy Julian Carter-Li discovers that his uncle's corporation is planning to cut down an ancient redwood forest for lumber, he links up with Robin, whose conservation-minded family runs a small organic farm, to save the forest. The book is a rich source for discussion -- a worthy choice for school or pleasure reading.”
— Vicky Uminowicz, Titcomb's Bookshop, East Sandwich, MA
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“This achingly realistic and timely novel explores what happens when a family can't make ends meet. A fresh and original character, Harper Lee Morgan, keeps writing poems and taking care of her little brother while Mama works. This is a lovely story, guaranteed to evoke both smiles and tears.”
— Joanne R. Fritz, Chester County Book & Music Company, West Chester, PA
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“I love Duck! Rabbit! -- a great book about looking at things from different perspectives, both of them correct!”
— Susan Richmond, Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, WA
Summer 2009 Kids' Indie Next List - Ages 4 to 8
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“Animals Up Close is a very cool book, full of absolutely startling photographs of the world's cutest, creepiest, and most fascinating animals. It also offers interesting tidbits and statistics on creatures you've heard of, as well as those you haven't. A great way to acquaint yourself with the unseen world around you.”
— Amanda Hurley, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL
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“It would seem impossible to tell an entertaining story in only three or four words, but with the help of some very clever illustrations Feldman has written 13 easy-reading gems. These extremely short stories will be exciting for emerging readers, satisfying for struggling readers, and fun for everyone.”
— Ellen Davis, Dragonwings Bookstore, Waupaca, WI
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“Neil Gaiman has written a beautiful, multicultural celebration. Three wise women (a maiden, mother, and crone) watch as an infant becomes a girl who transforms into a woman of strength and character. Warm and wonderful illustrations perfectly capture the text.”
— Ellen Richmond, Children's Book Cellar, Waterville, ME
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“Dessert Schneider is lovable and believable little girl who is always getting into trouble, and learning how to accept the consequences of her actions. Dessert First is a sweet tale about learning lessons in life, especially how to wrong a right. Scrumptious!”
— Rebeka Leinberger, Blue Manatee Children's Bookstore, Cincinnati, OH
By George McClements
Beach Lane Books
“Clever torn-paper collages with found elements relay this sweet tale of friendship, teamwork, and endangered animals. Kids will roar for the clever ending.”
— Maureen Palacios, Once Upon a Time, Montrose, CA
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“Monster Gabe has gone fishing and his human, Ethan, doesn't know how he will fall asleep without his monster under his bed. This beautifully illustrated story will have youngsters and their parents laughing out loud.”
— Mary McHale, Fox Tale Books, New Durham, NH
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“A boy lists the many things he can do with a duck: use him as a hat, a nose, a whistle, or a straw. It's a sweet, funny, straightforward list ... until you flip the book over and discover that It's Useful to Have a Boy. Now, it's the duck's turn to report on everything the boy mentioned, but with a wonderful, ducky spin. This offbeat book, with funny illustrations by Argentine author/illustrator Isol, gets you thinking about seeing what seems to be the same thing from quite different points of view.”
— Jackie Lotsberg, Wild Rumpus, Minneapolis, MN
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“Ant is stopped short when he encounters a huge ball of string. As he starts to unravel the ball of string, he asks his friend Bird, 'Just how long can a long string be?' Wise Bird says 'it depends,' and proceeds to show Ant just how true that is. With colorful and cheerful illustrations, Baker illustrates a great lesson in taking a big problem and breaking it down to a manageable size.”
— Trish Brown, Hooray for Books!, Alexandria, VA
By Teruyuki Komiya
Seven Footer Press
“Imagine opening a book and coming face to face with a life-size panda head! Highlighting this book for animal lovers of all ages are breathtaking pictures of endangered -- and exotic -- animals, along with many familiar species. Each photo is accompanied by facts about habitat, habits, and other distinguishing traits.”
— Bev Denor, LaDeDa Books, Manitowoc, WI
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“It's Little Llama's first day at school. What could be harder than feeling all alone and missing your mama? As always, Dewdney's rhymes flow effortlessly, with a pacing and repetition that are sure to capture the attention of little llamas everywhere. This is my favorite new read-aloud title.”
— Lauren, Kepler's Books & Magazine, Menlo Park, CA
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“For every mother who worries that her child might not pass the Emily Post test, Martha is the perfect little otter. Perfect except when she won't say 'I'm sorry.' The delightful illustrations enhance the enjoyment that everyone will share by reading this over and over again.”
— Valerie Koehler, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX
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“Brian Floca skillfully tells the historic story of Apollo 11 with details in word and watercolor that will capture the imaginations of the youngest readers. A stand-out!”
— Carol Moyer, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC
By Kate Feiffer, Diane Goode (illus.)
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
“This mother seems perfect to everyone -- she bakes, she's thoughtful, she smells nice -- but to her daughter she's too helpful and involved. She's trying to ruin her life! Feiffer and Goode do a great job of conveying the friction (and love!) between children and parents in this funny, imaginative book.”
— Caitlin Doggart, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Chatham, MA
By Bill Cochran, Steve Bjorkman (illus.)
HarperCollins
“This is the best book for kids about the subject of divorce I have seen in some time. Relayed in a matter-of-fact yet funny tone, it's a story told from a kid's perspective. Lot's of things may make him 'weird' (say, that he has named his elbows), but his parents' divorce is not one of them.”
— Cinda Meister, Booksmart, Morgan Hill, CA
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“Barbara Kerley's One World, One Day is full of gorgeous photographs, which make clear to our children that we are a global family.”
— Katherine Fergason, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore, Vineyard Haven, MA
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“Another great collection of humorous poetry from Jeff Foxworthy, with illustrations by Steve Bjorkman. This one is fun and hilarious, and kids will love it.”
— Kelly Peroni, High Sierra Books, Portola, CA
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“A delightful book that uses simple metaphors and lovely illustrations to bring out the uniqueness and importance of every human being. Children -- and adults -- are sure to love and appreciate it!”
— Gayle Wingerter, Inklings Bookshop, Yakima, WA
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“Peter Brown gives us the story of a boy who sets out to brighten his dingy bit of the world through the magical, transformative act of gardening. Beautiful and offbeat, readers will certainly fall in love with this irresistibly curious corner of the world.”
— Meghan Dietsche Goel, Book People, Austin, TX
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“Do you see the two holes in the ground? Do you see the two soldiers in these holes? Do you see the manuals they've been given about The Enemy? What happens when one soldier discovers that he is also The Enemy? The soldiers have been told that there is only one way to end the war, but is that true?”
— Katie Capaldi, McLean & Eakin Booksellers, Petoskey, MI
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“A hermit crab makes his home in a broken action figure and learns that even a shy animal can become a hero in the right situation.”
— Katherine Fergason, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore, Vineyard Haven, MA
Summer 2009 Kids' Indie Next List - Ages 9 to 12
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“Anything But Typical is the story of a 6th-grade autistic boy's life, as told from inside his own head. While writing stories on the Web, Jason begins to interact online with a 'neurotypical' girl. All is fine until he wins a writing contest and a scholarship to a writing camp, where his friend is waiting to meet him, face to face. I loved seeing the world as it appears from Jason's perspective.”
— Rene Kirkpatrick, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA
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“Dodger (and his Bottomless Well of Treats) is back for another hilarious adventure! His quest to get Willie elected as 5th-grade class president includes posters, speeches, junk food, and ... a flying carpet! This one is laugh-out-loud funny. Long live Dodger!”
— Christopher Rose, Andover Bookstore, Andover, MA
By Kate Klise, M. Sarah Klise (illus.)
Harcourt Children's Books
“When washed-up children's book writer I.B. Grumply rents out an old haunted house to finish his very overdue last book, he's shocked to discover he's not the only inhabitant. Told completely in letters, newspaper clippings, drawings, and other forms of correspondence, this is a wholly original and thoroughly enjoyable tale.”
— Shannon Grant, Books Inc., San Francisco, CA
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“Ivy June has spent her entire life in an isolated area of the Appalachian Mountains, while Catherine has never known anything but her life in the city. When the two girls are brought together by a student exchange program, their worlds are changed forever. From Newbery Award-winning author Phyllis Reynolds Naylor comes a beautiful, captivating story of an unlikely friendship.”
— Megan Graves, Hooray for Books!, Alexandria, VA
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“The narrator, a barefoot street urchin, might be telling the truth about why he has a black mare to sell, but he gives us plenty of reasons to wonder. Did he once live in a house, have shoes, and eat regular meals? Did a mysterious horseman ride up one day, dismount, hand him the reins and offer to pay him to watch the horse awhile? Did soldiers come looking for the famous highwayman Dick Turpin, and why were they so certain that the horse was Dick Turpin's famous mare, Black Bess? The book will make a great discussion vehicle as readers consider the truth of the matter.”
— Carol B. Chittenden, Eight Cousins, Falmouth, MA
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“Taking cues from his adult adventure novels, James Rollins has created a must-read. Action fans especially will love this adventure-packed book, which includes time travel, dinosaurs, lost tribes, and one very smart budding archeologist.”
— Laura Lucy, White Birch Books, North Conway, NH
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“Toby has a secret dream, to be a chef; so, he gets his first job at Killer Pizza. However, he comes to discover that pizza making is a front for an elite group of monster hunters, and they want Toby to join their ranks. A great story of friendship (with really scary monsters).”
— Cinda Meister, Booksmart, Morgan Hill, CA
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“Just as she's about to turn 11, Lucky finds a new best friend in out-of-towner Paloma and gets into all sorts of trouble (as usual!). Patron's quiet elegance is great for readers who care more about character than action, in this beautiful follow-up to The Higher Power of Lucky.”
— Suzanna Hermans, Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck, NY
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“With shades of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings, Oracles of Delphi Keep features two orphans who must stop a prophecy before darkness engulfs the world. Set in pre-World War II England, Laurie weaves in the rise of Hitler with the orphans' adventures. I had to stay up all night to finish it!”
— Laura Lucy, White Birch Books, North Conway, NH
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“When Ella's beagle howls whenever the musically talented girl sings, she has to learn to cope with the challenge with the help of new friends. This is a great dog/girl story in a series that also includes Pet Trouble: Runaway Retriever (Scholastic Paperbacks, $5.99 paper, 9780545102414 / 0545102413). Both books are wonderful summer reads.”
— Candace Moreno, San Marino Toy & Book Shoppe, San Marino, CA
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“In the third installment of this popular series, Amy and Dan Cahill have been located once again, and they seem to be tracking the life of one of the most powerful fighters the world has ever known.”
— Laura, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL
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“I eagerly anticipated Michelle Knudsen's first middle-grade work of fiction, and this story of a mage apprentice and a princess includes a dragon, magic, murder, friendship, romance, and humor. This one will appeal to those young readers who enjoy a bit of fantasy but who also like their characters to have realistic strengths and weaknesses.”
— Roni K Devlin, Literary Life Bookstore & More, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI
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“Intrigued by the different grasshoppers in her backyard, 11-year-old Calpurnia Virginia Tate finds herself suddenly enthralled by the natural world -- a fascination that unexpectedly leads to a new bond with her famously reclusive grandfather. Voracious in her newfound love of science, Callie launches herself on a summer of exploration, which leads to many new discoveries, not least of which is what it means to be a girl in love with science in Texas in 1899.”
— Meghan Dietsche Goel, Book People, Austin, TX
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“Sophie and her friends must use cunning, luck, and an awful lot of math to figure out the puzzles that will lead them to the next clue in a decades-old scavenger hunt and enable them to find a priceless artifact -- before anyone else does, of course. This is, I hope, the start of many adventures with The Red Blazer Girls.”
— Melissa Posten, Children's Book World, Haverford, PA
By Jack Prelutsky, Jimmy Pickering (illus.)
Knopf Books for Young Readers
“This collection is an exploration of outer space that is not for the faint of heart. There are many imaginative ways to perish in these darkly comic, cautionary verses about unexplored worlds far beyond the solar system. The book also includes anagrams for those who love word puzzles!”
— Jennifer Wills Geraedts, Beagle Books, Park Rapids, MN
Summer 2009 Kids' Indie Next List - Teen Readers
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“Set in the sumptuous Elizabethan court, A Sweet Disorder tells the story of Miranda, who must learn how to navigate the back-stabbing politics of court and avoid the machinations of her guardian. As complex as some of the gowns Queen Elizabeth wore, this novel has a thread of romance and layers upon layers of description, plot, intrigue, and humor -- all woven together in a perfect confection.”
— Liesl Freudenstein, The Boulder Book Store, Boulder, CO
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“I read this book in one night. Being Nikki is Meg Cabot's exciting sequel to Airhead (in which 16-year-old Em's brain was transplanted into supermodel Nikki's body), and it features romance, dangerous villains, and drama -- all a little over the top, but in a good way.”
— Larissa Genschaw, Children's Bookshop, Kent, WA
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“This teen novel follows high school runner David as he comes to grips with his attraction to other guys. His confusion pulls him between old friendships and a new relationship that's exciting but lacking honesty and respect. David's dilemma is note-perfect, and Bantle's writing will appeal to readers of Brian Malloy's The Year of Ice, Bill Konigsberg's Out of the Pocket, and Brent Hartinger's Geography Club.”
— Mark David Bradshaw, Watermark Books, Wichita, KS
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“Melissa Marr takes us back to her beautifully defined world, where we find Aislinn torn and feeling guilty as summer draws her closer and closer to Keenan, and Seth so jealous that Ash is spending so much time with Keenan and saddened that he is so easily hurt by both Ash and his best friend, Niall. Can they stay friends? Can their relationship survive? Will old allegiances hold as the courts jostle for power? Fragile Eternity reminds you of the events and people you fell in love with in Wicked Lovely and makes you pine for the concluding volume because this world simply won't get out of your head.”
— Angela Mann, Kepler's Books & Magazine, Menlo Park, CA
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“Good-looking Josh Geller is a great dresser and full of charm, all qualities learned since early childhood accompanying his mother around the world before she retired as a famous model in deference to her husband, a successful businessman, who sees Josh as a failure in high school. When he's shipped off for his senior year, Josh is given a crash course in self-worth and character building by his gay, cross-dressing uncle, Aunt Pete, and he learns that being popular is only the tip of the iceberg in gaining self-confidence and establishing supportive and trusting friendships.”
— Jack Blanchard, Fairy Godmother, Washington, DC
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“Madison Avery's prom night killed her -- literally. So, now she's dead, sort of. Because she snatched the amulet of power away from the dark reaper who killed her, stole her body, and tried to collect her soul, she has the illusion of life and a body, but she has absolutely no idea what is going on. Kim Harrison's witty paranormal thriller has that perfect balance of humor, danger, and romance.”
— Karen Keyte, Books Etc., Falmouth, ME
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“In a dark world of zombies and vampires, tough yet emotionally fragile Dru Anderson fights to survive in a small Dakota town. Nonstop action and suspense will have fans eager for the second in this new series.”
— Linda Goodman, Nicola's Books, Ann Arbor, MI
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“There's nothing romantic or dashing about vampires in Catherine Jinks' The Reformed Vampire Support Group. Imagine being 15 -- forever -- and living with your aging mother. Nina envisions boredom, nausea, and attending support group meetings until the end of time. But when one of their number is killed, this puny band of guinea pig-suckers (don't ask) has to solve the mystery of their attacker or die (for good). Clever, thrilling, and, yes, very funny.”
— Rosemary Pugliese, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC
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“Something has happened to 9th-grader Maisie Willard in the back of the school bus, but readers won't know whose story is true until the novel's end. Francine Prose truly has a knack for keeping the reader in suspense throughout the entire book. I couldn't put it down and can't wait to see what she writes next.”
— Athena Silver, Spellbound Children's Bookshop, Asheville, NC
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“Anna and Frankie are looking for a summer fling in California -- but they are still grieving for Matt, who was Frankie's brother and Anna's secret boyfriend. As Anna tries to shoulder Frankie's grief, and her own, the secret of her romance with Matt threatens to destroy their friendship. This book has all the things you want in YA fiction: a secret, a romance, a friendship, and great writing.”
— Jake Hallman, A Great Good Place for Books, Oakland, CA
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“Susane Colasanti delivers a great young adult read for any teen who is struggling with the drama of early high school years. High school sophomore Marisa is smart and charming as she navigates the battlefield that is teen dating. In the end, though, she finds the person that she knew she was waiting for, and he was waiting for her, too.”
— Darcie Lochinski, Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord, MI
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