TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE SCIENCE (NONFICTION)

NONFICTION
THE BOOK OF TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE SCIENCE by Sean Connolly (Workman)
Perform first aid on a carrot. See the real iron in a bowl of cereal. Step up your slime by giving it an electrical charge. Make a hovercraft out of an old CD. Stand inside a soap bubble. Hold a Viking funeral. Put a marshmallow on steroids. Cook up a batch of homemade lightning, or make a hot-air balloon out of a teabag, or build your own bottomless pit. Totally science? Oh, yes. Irresponsible? Maybe not, thanks to clear directions and helpful "Take Care" hints noted at the bottom of every experiment, as well as helpful "time factors" to consider (between two minutes to more than a day) and "scientific excuses," also known as explanation. Most of the experiments would probably be better served with a little help from an eagle-eyed adult (I don't think I'd let a kid cook the bacon for a Bacon Smokescreen), but this should be no problemo for a classroom teacher trying to engage a roomful of future scientists. It includes my all-time favorite experiment, "Egg in a Bottle," but generally goes waaAAAaaay beyond the "static balloon" and "floating pin on water" grade-school standbys (even the "Backyard Vesuvius" takes the exploding volcano to a new level). These wacked-out experiments put the mad in science and put to rest the "b" word, "bored." Wouldn't it be nice to never hear that one again? (9 and up, with adult supervision)

Also of interest:

EXPLORATOPIA by The Exploratorium (Little, Brown) Perhaps some of you have been fortunate enough to visit the Exploratorium in San Francisco, the "museum of science, art and human perception," and a mecca of learning and understanding. It's hard to visit that space with all of its hands-on fun and clear explanations and not want to bring it into every classroom in the country. This book can help you try! Just like the museum, you come away with the "why" as much as the "wow." Rich with background information, eye-popping photos are accentuated with colorful drawings to clarify steps and concepts even more fully. Worthy of a whole curriculum and a boon to homeschoolers, this is also a great book for shared science exploration as a family (hey, maybe replace "board game night" once in a while). (9 and up)

BLOOD AND GOO AND BOOGERS TOO! by Steve Alton, Nick Sharratt and Jo Moore (Dial) Subtitled "A heart-pounding pop-up guide to the circulatory and respiratory systems," this book gets off on the gross-out from the outset with some plastic lipid nasal discharge on the cover, and keeps readers gently gagging throughout with the photographic "guess the gross close up" feature throughout (cilia, damaged lung tissue, weakened bacterium). Booger gwee notwithstanding, the exposition on the human body has a steady flow, using appropriate scientific vocabulary without being overwhelming for the intended audience, and the illustrations throughout are brightly colored, cheerful and funny. When I showed a second grade teacher this book, I guess she was used to nasal discharge because she wasn't the least bit thrown. Instead, she used her respiratory system to breathe deeply and sigh, "Wow, this would have been perfect for teaching my unit on the human body." Once you find this has made your science-lover's heart beat faster, you can continue to satifsy their appetite for learning with CHEWY, GOOEY, RUMBLE, PLOP, the companion guide to the digestive system. (7 and up)

Speaking of science over-the-top, I'm hoping everyone is familiar with the Frannie K. Stein series. Sugar and spice and all things nice she's not, but Bunsen burners are a-popping to celebrate the arrival of this nonconformist who may well provide the female counterpart to Dav Pilkey's CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS. While Franny's mother might have hoped for one of the Ashley twins, she's got more of a Wednesday Addams on her hands, re-doing her bedroom's frou-frou decor to resemble a laboratory. As we meet her in the first installment, LUNCH WALKS AMONG US, Franny likes science a lot, but she likes making friends even more, and is troubled by the reticence of her peers to gather 'round. When her concerned teacher suggests Franny think of making friends as an experiment, she's talking Franny's language. After collecting the necessary data, Franny undergoes a dramatic transformation (brought to life courtesy of some mix-and-match pages in the book that will make your children laugh out loud), and finds the popularity she's been craving. But when her teacher is abducted by The Giant Monsterous Fiend, she makes a difficult decision and returns to her more craven self in order to create the lunch meat monster that can perform the rescue. While Benton may be accused of a certain amount of copy-catting and potty humor, there is definitely a method to the madness. The story has real conflict that both boys and girls will recognize, low-level vocabulary and page-turning suspense to ensure success for reluctant or emergent readers, and the cartoon illustrations are cool enough to compete with Saturday morning television. I hypothesize that this little girl who uses a snake to skip rope, builds a Barbie clone that can chomp the heads off of other dolls and has a green thumb for Venus flytraps has the potential to ooze her way into the hearts of many. (7 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

MOON RABBIT (PICTURE BOOK)

PICTURE BOOK
MOON RABBIT by Natalie Russell (Viking)

In this simply told, kinder-gentler version of "city mouse/country mouse," an urbane rabbit discovers a kindred spirit in the park and enjoys a stretch of days spent frolicking before her old lifestyle calls her back.

Back to her home, back to her favorite cafe, back to all the things she liked to see and do.
And she no longer gazed at the moon and wondered if there was someone out there.
Another little rabbit just like her.
Because she knew that there was.
And he was coming to visit the very next day.

The sweetness of the illustrations is a standout, from the attractive patchwork and silver foil moon on the cover, the muted, decorative tones and patterns, the ivy and blossoms and uniquely collaged foliage of the trees that blossom and twine from page to page, and most of all the loose and playful lines, the likes of which have not been seen since Robert Kraus's early work (namely, the RABBIT AND SKUNK series). The storyline is the antithesis of Shel Silverstein's controversial classic allegory THE GIVING TREE, in which a tree (or a woman?) gives and gives and gives until she ends up becoming a stump of her former self. Conversely, in this book, the decision to stay true to oneself and stay whole creates lives that are joyfully shared and ultimately broadened. No martyred bunnies here! It's funny how a book that is reminiscent of other great books can be so truly original. Happens once in a rabbit moon. (4 and up)

Also of interest:
Other darling new picture books in which less is more.

THE SECRET CIRCUS by Johanna Wright (Roaring Brook)
As a frustrated agent in my fantasy life, I am perpetually trolling etsy and the Renegade Craft Fair in search of future illustrators, and a couple of years ago I fell instantly in love with this artist and bought a lovely little print called "Ghost of Grandma" which hangs in my kitchen. She had gorgeous paintings featuring fortune tellers and treehouses and hot-air balloons so I asked her, "have you ever thought of doing children's book illustration?" and she said, " Funny you should say that! I have one, but I haven't found a publisher yet." So I waited and waited and waited and waited and at last we have the first foray from this delightful talent, which reads like looking through a kaleidoscope into an artist's dream. Shhhh, the young reader is privy to a secret show that only the mice know about, only the mice know what to wear, what to eat, how to get there and who they'll see, and most importantly, how to keep it all a secret. By the end of the book, one feels inducted into an exclusive, miniature club. A sketchy style in predominantly darker, autumnal tones is backlit by the sparkling of the recurrently appearing Tour Eiffel. A moody bedtime story that is tres bon. (3 and up)

PUZZLEHEAD by James Yang (Atheneum) Dedicated to "the genius who invented recess," oooh boy, what a charmer we've got here. Puzzlehead and his four friends go exploring for things to do, each finding a spot to fit in perfectly. When at long last Puzzlehead finds a place where all his angles fit, he still longs for his friends. Is there a way they all can play? A clever preschool surprise ending awaits to close this toy story in a satisfying way. Clean, angular and cheerful contemporary artwork, sponge-painted in spots against a white backdrop makes the best use of blocks in a book since Pat Hutchins' dramatic wordless adventure CHANGES, CHANGES. (3 and up)

On a personal note:
Chicago friends, are you-all going to the Celebration of Children's Books at 6:00 tonight at The Book Cellar, 4736 N. Lincoln? The invite reads: "Calling all teachers and parents! Join us for a very special evening celebrating children's authors. Discover new books, mingle with other parents and teachers, and receive special discounts on merchandise all evening!" There will be featuring an embarrassment of riches when it comes to authors and illustrators in attendance: Brenda Ferber, Adam Selzer, Ruth Spiro, Juanita Liepelt, Sean Callahan, Mary Jo Reinhart, Paula Nathan, James Kennedy, Renanah Lehner and Gina Bazer! WOW! You know you need your copy of HOW TO GET SUSPENDED AND INFUENCE PEOPLE autographed, don't you? Be there or be square (I in fact may be forced into being square tonight, but I'll try).

If they don't shut down the airlines because of swine flu, I'm looking forward to seeing old friends and people I admire at the New York Library Association conference this week, including (but not limited to!) Kyra Teis, illustrator of THE MAGIC FLUTE: AN OPERA BY MOZART, Nick Glass of TeachingBooks.net (if your school doesn't have this resource, you need it!), Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss, who wrote my favorite storytelling guide of all time, and Starr LaTronica and Sue Bartle, two of the most inspiring and gifted librarians I have ever met in my adult life. I'm also looking forward to meeting Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum, creators of the celebrated booklover's comic strip, Unshelved...yes, I'm lucky, and with any luck, I'll see you there, too!

Last but not least, kudos to friends at TeachingAuthors on their new blog, sure to be a boon for those aspiring to be published or who seek to hone their craft, and to Jen Robinson, a true children's book expert and one of the hardest working women in the kidlitosphere, for lending her blogging expertise to Booklights, the parenting component on-line at PBS. Great efforts, women, and much appreciated!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

A WHIFF OF PINE, A HINT OF SKUNK (POETRY)

POETRY
A WHIFF OF PINE, A HINT OF SKUNK, A FOREST OF POEMS by Deborah Ruddell, illustrated by Joan Rankin (McElderberry)

She snoozed away the winter
in the darkness, all alone.
There's grumbling in her stomach
and she's chilly to the bone.

Her fur is flat and crusty.
Her swollen eyelids sting.
She's starving for a salad
and a heaping plate of spring.

Perhaps you are like the waking woodchuck described above, ready for your heaping plate of spring, and this book delivers it via a walk in the woods just in time for National Poetry Month. Charming line drawings (look at that fretful froggie, the proud beaver gloating atop a finished dam, the robin so rounded with the joy of singing, you can nearly hear it on the page!) and fantastic poems give voice to a toad, tiger beetle, raccoon, chipmunks, a night owl, and even a wild turkey:

I find it most insulting/ that you traced around your hand
And colored all my feathers/ either plain old brown or tan...
Finally, I’m baffled/ that you’ve made me look so dumb.
My head is quite distinguished/ and it’s nothing like you’re thumb.

What sets this book apart is that it is natural, not only in terms of its content but also in its style. Each page emanates a kind of understated but undeniable talent; never precocious or cloying, there is something so genuinely fun here, it verges on the rare and is sure to be a revisited favorite in any poetry collection. Charming line drawings and poems play on all the senses, including the sense of humor. (6 and up)

Also of interest:
A FOOT IN THE MOUTH: POEMS TO SPEAK, SING AND SHOUT by Paul Janesczko, illustrated by Chris Raschka (Candlewick) All right. Admittedly, I have said that this author/illustrator team's invaluable guide to poetic forms, A KICK IN THE HEAD, belongs on every teacher's bookshelf. And yes, yes, I remember, I loved A POKE IN THE EYE: A COLLECTION OF CONCRETE POEMS in which readers can literally see poems take shape. But when this third volume landed on my desk, I thought these guys were pushing it. Another poetry anthology, great, we need that like, well, a poke in the eye or a kick in the head or a foot in the mouth! But no! This is different! These selections are really, really fresh, right out of the gate starting with contemporary author Tracie Vaughn Zimmer’s “The Poems I Like Best”:

The poems I like best/ wear classic black with vintage accessories/
And smell like a new book,/the spine just cracked.
The chitchat overheard on a city bus/or nonsense
volleyed between toddlers/on swings at the park.
My favorite poems/squeeze your hand/on a crowded street and say:
Look...

Other goodies like Edwin Morgan’s “The Loch Ness Monster’s Song” told entirely in onomatopoetic language gives Jabberwocky a run for its money, Bobbi Katz's "Pasta Parade" celebrates the language in the macaroni aisle of the grocery store, and Janet Wong offers a poem for two voices, one being Korean. There’s a ping-pong poem by Douglas Florian, a poem called “Good Hot dogs in both Spanish and English" by Sandra Cisneros, a haunted poem called “Where Lizzie Lived,” and it all ends on the high note of Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing.” If poems are a kind of song for the spirit, this contemporary collection will definitely help you and the children hit the high note. I put my foot in my mouth; when it comes to poetry anthologies, this team is three for three. (8 and up)

MY UNCLE EMILY by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Philomel) In the interest of reminding children that there are real people behind the books they read, we have a very personal portrait of poet Emily Dickinson, affectionately referred to as "uncle" by her nephew, with whom she has a special bond through nature and lots of inside jokes. When Emily sends him to school with a poem and a bumblebee for his teacher, the poet's idiosyncrasies lead to teasing and trouble, but if one of Uncle's poems got him into it, another can lead him out. This period piece from the nephew's point of view really puts Emily first as a member of the family, and is decorated with Carpenter's inimitably graceful and sensitive artwork with a touch of etching style as befitting of the era. A very lovely companion read to the great introductory collection POETRY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE: EMILY DICKINSON and a classroom exploration. "Uncle" Emily is a great poet for children to know, and one to which they viscerally respond; after all, what preteen hasn't at some time felt, "I'm nobody, who are you?" (8 and up)

More resources! Don't forget to celebrate Poem in Your Pocket Day on April 30th, perfect to pair with Bobbi Katz's POCKET POEMS and the conveniently just released and equally cheerful companion collection, MORE POCKET POEMS. The Kidlitosphere keeps verse a special on the reading menu all year long thanks to Poetry Fridays. Sadly, genius librarian Caroline Feller Bauer's resource THE POETRY BREAK: AN ANNOTATED ANTHOLOGY WITH IDEAS FOR INTRODUCING CHILDREN TO POETRY seems to be out of print, but it's worth getting used or borrowing from the library. Also, be sure to check out PlanetEsme's Poetry Power page for hints on presenting poems (and a recipe for Haiku Fortune Cookies with matching bibliography)...mmmm, almost time for another open mike at the Bookroom, I suppose!

On a personal note
Kudos to Ms. Makagon's hipster first grade class, who on an impromptu visit was all decked out in black berets and reciting cooool poetry to finger-snapping applause! It reminded me of one of my favorite books in the world growing up, Suzuki Beane by Sandra Scoppetone, about the little beatnik girl who lived in Greenwich Village and dug poetry. You cats really know how to live!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

YOU NEVER HEARD OF SANDY KOUFAX?! (NONFICTION)

NONFICTION
YOU NEVER HEARD OF SANDY KOUFAX?! by Jonah Winter and Andre Carrilho (Schwartz & Wade)

Have you ever heard of baseball’s greatest lefthanded pitcher, the man who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, who made the mighty Mickey Mantle cry, “what the heck was that?” and made home run king Willie Stargell comment that trying to hit a Koufax fastball was like trying to drink coffee with a fork? Well, Koufax wasn't always touted as one at the top of his game. He started out as an unpredictable, inconsistent player who kept to himself. This book also talks about the terrible anti-Semitism he suffered as one of the only Jewish players in baseball in his time, but how Koufax stayed true to himself and his faith, setting an example for youth and showing his Jewish pride; he missed the first game of the 1965 World Series because it fell on a high holy day when observant Jewish people aren’t supposed to work. Illustrations in a limited palette and tastefully gilded in bronze employ lines that are slick and sleek and long and genuinely stunning, with all the exciting tension of a rubber band being pulled to it's full tautness, almost humming with its own potential energy. This book underscores how rookies have to work to get to the top of their game. Both beautifully written and illustrated and with a fabulous, stop-in-your-tracks lenticular cover that allows Koufax to follow through on his pitch, this is a resonant work about persistence and comebacks that will be well appreciated by kids of any background who need to try, try again.

Also of interest:
A NEGRO LEAGUE SCRAPBOOK by Carole Boston Weatherford (Boyds Mills Press) Stunning archival photos are the highlight of this handsome, straightforward collection celebrating these amazing ball clubs who shone during the shameful period of segregation. Rhyming couplets serve as starters, introducing stats, superstars and insights into the timbre of the times. If you enjoyed Kadir Nelson's recent award-winning masterwork WE ARE THE SHIP: THE STORY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL, this offering should not be overlooked as a necessary companion for readers who want to go extra innings on the topic.

Also by the same author is CHAMPIONS ON THE BENCH: THE CANON STREET YMCA ALL-STARS illustrated by Leonard Jenkins (Dial), the unfortunately true story of a team that would not be engaged in play in the state championship because of their race. Told through the point of view of a little boy in the lineup who dreams of playing baseball like his heroes Willie Mays and Hank Aaron but doesn't even get his turn on the sandlot, the heartbreak is palpable, but so is the hope...a hope that might be easy to take for granted in hindsight, but ask the children to imagine how hard it must have been to be so brave not knowing for sure the direction in which history would turn, or spending an entire childhood in which that turn never came? Carole Boston Weatherford's treatments are a standout. She writes sensitively, but with a powerful swing; with both heart and hammer, her books are always a pleasure and an awakening. She does the brave and important work of keeping a piece of the past in the immediate present. Pair with TEAMMATES by Peter Golenbock, illustrated by Paul Bacon and BASEBALL SAVED US by Ken Mochizuki, illustrated by Dom Lee to put into perspective how the game correlates with the timeline of American history, and also to encourage children to be upstanders instead of bystanders, whatever time period they are living in. (7 and up)

SWING! by Rufus Butler Seder (Workman)

This gimmicky little gem sticks to the dream theme. Minimal text is accentuated with pictures that depict children riding bikes, running relays, swimming laps and of course giving their all with the ball. Using the funky-fresh and eye-popping Scanimotion technique last seen in the New York Times bestseller GALLOP (and also akin to the "Magic Moving Picture Books" published in the 1970's by Dover Books), objects actually are animated with every turn in of the page in an effect that needs to be seen to be believed. Sports fans young and old will eat it up like hot dogs and peanuts. (3 and up)

More books to take you out to the ballgame here.

On a personal note: busy with books!

Big thanks to my blog visitors for patience between posts; it's been a very busy spring! I had a wonderful time sharing the best reads with booklovers at the New York State Reading Association, where I learned about their cool and very child-friendly "Charlotte Award" (named for the spider, of course!), and also had the pleasure of hearing a moving keynote by educator, musician and great speaker Jerry Mills; I highly recommend that every teacher in America download his song "What You See" on iTunes lest we ever forget why we are in the classroom (warning: have tissue handy, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house).

I was also busy preparing to be the kick-off speaker for Chicago's Big Read, a really exciting and positive initiative supported by the National Endowment for the Arts that strives to build a national community of readers. In preparation, I read the NEA's report, "Reading on the Rise," and while I don't usually find agency reports to be page-turners I have to confess this was the exception to the rule! I encourage everyone to read it, hard as it is to come by good news these days! The report suggests, "For the first time in over a quarter-century, our survey shows that literary reading [novels, poetry, shorts stories, plays in print or on-line] has risen among adult Americans. After decades of declining trends, there has been a decisive and unambiguous increase among virtually every group measured in this comprehensive national survey...Best of all, the most significant growth has been among young adults, the group that had shown the largest declines in earlier surveys. The youngest group (ages 18-24) has undergone a particularly inspiring transformation from a 20 percent decline in 2002 to a 21 percent increase in 2008."

The focus of Chicago's Big Read was on Ray Bradbury's classic, FAHRENHEIT 451. Named for the temperature at which paper ignites, it is a visionary dystopian novel about a fireman whose job it is to burn books until he realizes how important and transformational they are. I was invited to speak about this book, intellectual freedom and the power and importance of reading starting from an early age, creating a context for a "reading life story." The well-organized event was held at Columbia College. I have to confess, even though I am not consistently much of an academic type, wooooo, I think I fell a little bit in love with Columbia, all of the cool, thoughtful students and the brilliant professors, both the sort that I believe really make a difference in the world. Speaking of, I had so much fun at the kickoff I decided to attend another Big Read event, a lecture by Ray Bradbury's biographer and Columbia professor Sam Weller who gave a presentation so engaging that I simply didn't want it to end (which is saying a lot, especially considering that there was brie cheese and chocolate cake at the reception afterward). Mr. Weller spoke very respectfully and lovingly of Bradbury and you could tell he was his biggest fan, and he also spoke of how powerful Bradbury books were especially for teenage boys crossing over from children’s literature into adult literature, which sounded true and seems all the more true as I have been reading THE ILLUSTRATED MAN (though for me as a teenage girl and a lover of realistic fiction, Betty Smith, Maxine Hong Kingston and Grace Paley filled the bill...oh well, the more the merrier). Weller also spoke of how Bradbury loved his Carnegie library growing up (do you have one near you? Visit this website that will inspire you to take road trips to visit all of them...what national treasures!) and by the end of the evening it was clear that Ray Bradbury was a great lover of life in general. As a present to yourself, please participate in The Big Read programming in your community for a surprising and joyful jump-start in your own reading, oh please oh please watch the long version of the video about Ray Bradbury, and rediscover why books and reading are so very important...and so beautiful. "Stand at the top of a cliff, jump off, and build your wings on the way down." "Imagination should be the center of your life." "Go into the library and discover yourself." Sigh.

This weekend I had the distinct pleasure and honor of reading the final round of questions at Chicago's Battle of the Books, the battle royale of elementary school bookworms that culminates in coveted medallions and trophies. (A nice description, albeit from last year, at Reading Mama.) Congrats to all the winners and participants for a great game! I also got to tell riddles to over a thousand kids, a class clown's chance of a lifetime.

Why did the librarian slip and fall on the library floor?
Because she was in the non-friction section.

Why didn't the burglar break into the library?
Because he was afraid he'd get a long sentence.

What's round and brown and lives in the forest?
Winnie the Poop.

The poop joke got a bigger laugh from the 8th graders than the 4th graders. Who knew? And who knew how many librarians it takes to screw in a light bulb? Or how hard it is to find reading riddles? (Thanks, Multnomah County Library and AlphaMom.)

One of my favorite quotes in the world is from a letter published in Sun Magazine, "live the life for which books have prepared you." Hey, I am trying! Again, thanks for your patience and support, and I hope books are preparing you and yours as well for many fine adventures.

Other news:

Speaking of living a life for which books have prepared us and also the themes of Fahrenheit 451, I'm very, very sad and sorry to report the passing of Judith Krug, Director of the American Library Association's Office of Intellectual Freedom and a true lioness of civil liberties. Her professional accomplishments and victories have had such a huge and resonating impact on readers, book creators, libraries, and the American culture at large. I know as the author of a challenged book and as an educator I was always very grateful for her presence in that position, and this loss will undoubtedly be felt very deeply and poignantly throughout the literary community in ways yet untold. I think the best way to honor her admirable commitment to her life's work is to continue it in her spirit, as each of us is able. Freedom to read!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.

PLANETESME PICKS: A 2008 INDEX

Well, well! One of the sure signs of Spring is not only the crack of the baseball bat, but the PlanetEsme round-up of the heavy-hitters of the prior publishing year! Especially in this economy (pah, how many sentences start this way lately?) we have to be especially thoughtful consumers, consistently investing in books that make a difference, which is why I'm proud of the quality contained this list. Whether adding to your shelves at home or developing a collection to be shared by many children in a library or classroom, you can trust that these titles are treasures, and will make any child rich with the joy of reading. And, rich we are; as in past years, the offerings through the months have been nothing short of bountiful. We have enjoyed another crop of outstanding biography, hilarious and poignant picture books, some unusually high quality in "bibliotherapy" this year as well as some really strong showings of presidential picks befitting an election year. I felt fussy about fiction, with trends that had some leanings toward more adult tastes, but found many titles that still were solid with a group and also resonated when reading alone by flashlight. Best of all, these books underscore possibility, laughter, an embracing of the past and of the wideness of the world, all connections that are a perfect prescription for children sickened by the trample-by-testing contagion...and offering a great prognosis for teachers, too, to remember that what we have to share is more than an answer that requires a number-two pencil. Again and again, authors and illustrators are a bottomless wellspring of fresh ideas, and the freshest idea to remember is that children's books remain our country's best hope for educational equality: a great book in the hands of a rich child is the same great book in the hands of a poor child, a great book in the city is great in the rural areas, too.

Even though every PlanetEsme Pick is a winner of sorts, chosen from literally thousands of books, as I proofread the list, a few seemed to jump out at me and fall naturally under headings of distinction:

Picture book must-haves that belong on every grade school teacher's shelf (hey, PTA's, how about a nice end-of-year book basket, hint-hint?):
ABE LINCOLN CROSSES A CREEK: A TALL, THIN TALE by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by John Hendrix (Schwartz & Wade)
BIG YELLOW SUNFLOWER by Frances Barry (Candlewick)
GO HOME, MRS. BEEKMAN! By Ann Redisch Stampler, illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington (Dutton)
GRACE FOR PRESIDENT by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Hyperion) by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Hyperion)
ONE by Kathryn Otoshi (KO Kids Books)

Books-The-Boys-Grab Award:
CHASING LINCOLN’S KILLER by James L. Swanson (Scholastic)
INTO THE VOLCANO by Don Wood (Scholastic)
KNUCKLEHEAD: TALL TALES AND ALMOST TRUE STORIES OF GROWING UP SCIESZKA by Jon Scieszka (Viking)

"Coulda Been a Contender" Award
For Caldecott:
SWORDS: AN ARTIST'S DEVOTION by Ben Boos (Candlewick)
TADPOLE REX by Kurt Cyrus (Harcourt)
WABI SABI by Mark Reibstein, illustrated by Ed Young (Little, Brown)
For Newbery:
ELVIS AND OLIVE by Stephanie Watson (Scholastic)
EVERY SOUL A STAR by Wendy Mass (Little, Brown)

Best bite for rabid booklovers:
BATS AT THE LIBRARY by Brian Lies (Houghton Mifflin)

Prettiest in pink:
FANNY by Hollie Hobbie (Little, Brown)
MINJI'S SALON by Eun-hee-Choung (Kane/Miller)

Read-Right-Out-Of-Utero Award:
TEN LITTLE FINGERS AND TEN LITTLE TOES by Mem Fox, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Harcourt)

Laugh-Until-Milk-Possibly-Comes-Out-Of-Your-Nose Award:
THOSE DARN SQUIRRELS! by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri (Clarion)
DOCTOR TED by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre (McElderberry Books)
VOSS by David Ives (Putnam)

Learn-Something-New-Every-Day Award:
SISTERS & BROTHERS: SIBING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE ANIMAL WORLD by Robin Page, illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin)
PRISCILLA AND THE HOLLYHOCKS by Anne Broyles, illustrated by Anna Alter (Charlesbridge)

Watch-'Em-Lean-In-While-You-Read-Aloud Award:
MANJIRO: THE BOY WHO RISKED HIS LIFE FOR TWO COUNTRIES by Emily Arnold McCully (Farrar, Straus Giroux)

Changes-What-You-Think-a-Book-Can-Be Award:
THE BLACK BOOK OF COLORS by Menena Cottin, illustrated by Rosana Faria (Groundwood)

Character Comeback Award:
BRAVA, STREGA NONA!: A HEARTWARMING POP-UP BOOK by Tomie de Paola, paper engineering by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart (Putnam)

Labor of Love Award for amazing research and heart:
THE WAY WE WORK by David Macaulay (Houghton Mifflin)
OUR WHITE HOUSE: LOOKING IN LOOKING OUT by 108 renowned Authors and Illustrators and the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance (Candlewick)
WE ARE THE SHIP: THE STORY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL by Kadir Nelson (Hyperion)

The Don't-Come-Crying-To-Me-When-You Can't-Sleep Award:
ALL THE LOVELY BAD ONES by Mary Downing Hahn (Clarion)

Artistic Soul Award:
THE FOOL AND THE VANISHER by by David and Ruth Ellwand (Candlewick)
THIS IS A POEM THAT HEALS FISH by Jeanne-Pierre Siméon, illustrated by Olivier Tallec (Enchanted Lion Books)
THE SEA SERPENT AND ME by Dashka Slater, illustrated by Catia Chien (Houghton Mifflin)

Hardboiled Book Award:
TILLIE LAYS AN EGG by Terry Golson, with photographs by Ben Fink (Scholastic)

Why should I have all the fun? In the comments section, pick your own favorites from the list below and commemorate them as you see fit, of course feeling free to add your own 2008 finds. Also welcome are your suggestions for this site in 2009...no time like the present! Books are linked to my reviews or to Amazon for informational purposes, but remember to support your independent booksellers!

PICTURE BOOK
ABE LINCOLN CROSSES A CREEK: A TALL, THIN TALE by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by John Hendrix (Schwartz & Wade)
ADELE & SIMON IN AMERICA by Barbara McClintock (Farrar Straus Giroux)
AMANDINA by Sergio Ruzzier (Roaring Brook)
THE APPLE-PIP PRINCESS by Jane Ray (Candlewick)
BATS AT THE LIBRARY by Brian Lies (Houghton Mifflin)
BEAR'S PICTURE by Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by D.B. Johnson (Houghton Mifflin)
BEE-WIGGED by Cece Bell (Candlewick)
THE BEST STORY by Eileen Spinelli, illustrated by Anne Wilsdorf (Dial)
BEWARE OF THE FROG by William Bee (Candlewick)*
BIG BAD BUNNY by Franny Billingsley, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Atheneum)
BIG LITTLE MONKEY by Carole Lexa Schaefer, illustrated by Pierre Pratt (Candlewick)
THE BLACK BOOK OF COLORS by Menena Cottin, illustrated by Rosana Faria (Groundwood)
BOOMING BELLA by Carol Ann Williams, illustrated by Tatiana Mai-Wyss (Putnam)
A BRAND NEW DAY WITH MOUSE AND MOLE by Wong Herbert Yee (Houghton Mifflin)
BRAVA, STREGA NONA!: A HEARTWARMING POP-UP BOOK by Tomie de Paola, paper engineering by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart (Putnam)
THE CHICKEN OF THE FAMILY by Mary Amato, illustrated by Delphine Durand (Putnam)
A COLD WINTER'S GOOD KNIGHT by Shelley Moore Thomas, illustrated by Jennifer Plecas (Dutton)
COOL DADDY RAT by Kristyn Crow, illustrated by Mike Lester (Putnam)
CORK AND FUZZ: THE COLLECTORS by Dori Chaconas, illustrated by Lisa McCue (Viking)
CRAZY LIKE A FOX: A SIMILE STORY by Loreen Leedy (Holiday House)
A CUP FOR EVERYONE by Yusuke Yonezu (Miniedition/Penguin)
A DAY WITH DAD by Bo R. Holmberg, illustrated by the truly brilliant Swedish artist Eva Eriksson (Candlewick)
DINOSAUR VS. BEDTIME by Bob Shea (Hyperion)
THE DINOSAURS' NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Anne Muecke, illustrated by Nathan Hale (Chronicle)
DOCTOR TED by Andrea Beaty, illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre (McElderberry Books)
THE DOG WHO BELONGED TO NO ONE by Amy Hest, illustrated by Amy Bates (Abrams)
THE DOG WHO SAVED SANTA by True Kelley (Holiday House)
THE DUCK WHO PLAYED THE KAZOO by Amy Sklansky, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke (Clarion)
DUCKS DON'T WEAR SOCKS by John Nedwidek, illustrated by Lee White (Viking)
FANNY by Hollie Hobbie (Little, Brown)
THE FOGGY, FOGGY FOREST by Nick Sharratt (Candlewick)
FRED STAYS WITH ME by Nancy Coffelt, illustrated by Tricia Tusa (Little, Brown)
GHOSTS IN THE HOUSE! by Kazuno Kohara (Roaring Brook)
THE GIRL IN THE CASTLE INSIDE THE MUSEUM by Kate Bernheimer, illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli (Schwartz & Wade)
GINGERBREAD FRIENDS by Jan Brett (Putnam)
GO HOME, MRS. BEEKMAN! By Ann Redisch Stampler, illustrated by Marsha Gray Carrington (Dutton)
GRACE FOR PRESIDENT by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Hyperion)
HAIR FOR MAMA by Kelly Tinkham (Dial)
HENRY AND THE VALENTINE SURPRISE by Nancy Carlson (Viking)
HOUDINI THE MAGIC CATERPILLAR by Janet Pedersen (Clarion)
THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT by Susan Marie Swanson, illustrated by Beth Krommes (Houghton Mifflin)
HUMPTY DUMPTY CLIMBS AGAIN by Dave Horowitz (Putnam)
I GET SO HUNGRY by Bebe Moore Campbell, illustrated by Amy Bates (Putnam)
THE IMPOSSIBLE PATRIOTISM PROJECT by Linda Skeers, illustrated by Ard Hoyt (Dial)
JUMPY JACK & GOOGILY by Meg Rosoff and Sophie Blackall (Holt)
A KITTEN TALE by Eric Rohmann (Knopf)
KNITTY KITTY by David Elliott, illustrated by Christopher Denise (Candlewick)
LADYBUG GIRL by Jacky Davis and David Soman (Dial)
LARUE FOR MAYOR: LETTERS FROM THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL by Mark Teague (Scholastic)
LESTER FIZZ, BUBBLE-GUM ARTIST by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Thor Wickstrom (Dutton)
LITTLE PANDA by Renata Liwska (Houghton Mifflin)
LOOK OUT, SUZY GOOSE by Petr Horacek (Candlewick)
MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMP by Jack Lechner, illustrated by Bob Staake (Bloomsbury)
MCFIG AND MCFLY: A TALE OF JEALOUSY, REVENGE AND DEATH (WITH A HAPPY ENDING) by Henrik Drescher (Candlewick)
ME HUNGRY! by Jeremy Tankard (Candlewick)
MERMAIDS ON PARADE by Melanie Hope Greenberg (Putnam)
MINJI'S SALON by Eun-hee-Choung (Kane/Miller)
MOLLY AND HER DAD by Jan Ormerod, illustrated by Carol Thompson (Roaring Brook)
THE MONSTER WHO ATE DARKNESS by Joyce Dunbar, illustrated by Jimmy Liao (Candlewick)
THE MOON OVER STAR by Dianna Aston, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (Dial)
MOTHERBRIDGE OF LOVE by Xinran, illustrated by Josée Masse (Barefoot)
NEVER TAKE A SHARK TO THE DENTIST (AND OTHER THINGS NOT TO DO) by Judi Barrett, illustrated by John Nickle (Atheneum)
NIGHT OF THE MOON by Hena Khan, illustrated by Julie Paschkis (Chronicle)
NO NO YES YES by Leslie Patricelli (Candlewick)
NO! THAT'S WRONG! By Zhaohua Ji and Cui Xu (Kane/Miller)
OLD BEAR by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow)
ONE by Kathryn Otoshi (KO Kids Books)
ONE IS A FEAST FOR MOUSE: A THANKSGIVING TALE by Judy Cox, illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler (Holiday House)
PEANUT by David Lucas (Candlewick)
A PIRATE'S NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS by Philip Yates, illustrated by Sebastia Serra (Sterling)
PRESIDENT PENNYBAKER by Kate Feiffer, illustrated by Diane Goode (Simon and Schuster)
THE PRINCESS GOWN by Linda Leopold Strauss, illustrated by Marlene Reynolds Laugesen (Houghton Mifflin)
THE POUT-POUT FISH by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Dan Hanna (Farrar Straus Giroux)
RAPUNZEL by Rachel Isadora (Putnam)
SANTA GOES GREEN by Anne Margaret Lewis, illustrated by Elisa Chavarri (Mackinac Island Press)
SANTA DUCK by David Milgrim (Putnam)
THE SEA SERPENT AND ME by Dashka Slater, illustrated by Catia Chien (Houghton Mifflin)
SNOW by Cynthia Rylant (Harcourt)
THE SNOW DAY by Komako Sakai (Scholastic)
SPARK THE FIREFIGHTER by Stephen Krensky, illustrated by Amanda Haley (Dutton)
SPLAT THE CAT by Rob Scotton (HarperCollins)
THE STORYTELLER’S CANDLE by Lucia Gonzales, illustrated by Lulu Delacre (Children’s Book Press)
TADPOLE REX by Kurt Cyrus (Harcourt)
TEN LITTLE FINGERS AND TEN LITTLE TOES by Mem Fox, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury (Harcourt)
TENTH AVENUE COWBOY by Linda Oatman High, illustrated by Bill Farnsworth (Eerdmans)
THERE ARE CATS IN THIS BOOK by Viviane Schwarz (Candlewick)
THERE’S NOTHING TO DO ON MARS by Chris Gall (Little, Brown)
THIS IS A POEM THAT HEALS FISH by Jeanne-Pierre Siméon, illustrated by Olivier Tallec (Enchanted Lion Books)
THOSE DARN SQUIRRELS! by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri (Clarion)
THE TICKLE MONSTER IS COMING! By James Otis Thach, illustrated by David Barneda (Bloomsbury)
TILLIE LAYS AN EGG by Terry Golson, with photographs by Ben Fink (Scholastic)
HELLO, TILLY and the TILLY AND FRIENDS, series by Polly Dunbar (Candlewick)
TOO MANY TOYS by David Shannon (Scholastic)
TRUCK STUCK by Sallie Wolf, illustrated by Andy Robert Davies (Charlesbridge)
A VISITOR FOR BEAR by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton (Candlewick)
VUNCE UPON A TIME by J. Otto Seibold and Siobhan Vivian (Chronicle)
WABI SABI by Mark Reibstein, illustrated by Ed Young (Little, Brown)
WE'RE OFF TO LOOK FOR ALIENS by Colin McNaughton (Candlewick)
WHERE'S MY MUMMY? by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by John Manders (Candlewick)
WILLY AND MAY: A CHRISTMAS STORY by Judy Schachner (Dutton)
WHO'S HIDING? by Satoru Onishi (Kane/Miller)
THE WORST BEST FRIEND by Alexis O'Neill, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith (Scholastic)
ZIP, ZIP...HOMEWORK by Nancy Poydar (Holiday House)

FICTION for MIDDLE GRADE READERS
11 BIRTHDAYS by Wendy Mass (Scholastic)
THE 39 CLUES: THE MAZE OF BONES (BOOK ONE) by Rick Riordan (Scholastic)
ALL THE LOVELY BAD ONES by Mary Downing Hahn (Clarion)
ALVIN HO: ALLERGIC TO GIRLS, SCHOOL AND OTHER SCARY THINGS by Lenore Look, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Schwartz & Wade)
ANDY SHANE AND THE QUEEN OF EGYPT by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, illustrated by Abby Carter (Candlewick)
BAD KITTY GETS A BATH by Nick Bruel (Roaring Brook)
A BEGINNING, A MUDDLE AND AN END by Avi (Harcourt)
THE BIG FIELD by Mike Lupica (Philomel)
BIRD by Zetta Elliott, illustrated by Shadra Strickland (Lee & Low Books)
BRONTE'S BOOK CLUB by Kristiana Gergory (Holiday House)
CABINET OF WONDERS: THE KRONOS CHRONICLES, BOOK I
CHAINS by Laurie Halse Anderson (Simon & Schuster)
CHESS! I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE IT! by Jamie Gilson, illustrated by Amy Wummer (Clarion)
CHICKEN FEATHERS by Joy Cowley, illustrated by David Elliot (Philomel)*
THE DEEP FREEZE OF BARTHOLOMEW TULLOCK by Alex Williams (Philomel)
DELTORA QUEST by Emily Rodda (Scholastic)
DON’T TALK TO ME ABOUT THE WAR by David Adler (Viking)
THE DRAGONFLY POOLby Eva Ibbotson (Dutton)
ELVIS AND OLIVE by Stephanie Watson (Scholastic)
EMMY AND THE HOME FOR TROUBLED GIRLS by Lynne Jonell (Holt)
EON: DRAGONEYE REBORN by Alison Goodman (Viking)
EVERY SOUL A STAR by Wendy Mass (Little, Brown)
THE FOOL AND THE VANISHER by by David and Ruth Ellwand (Candlewick)
THE GOLLYWHOPPER GAMESby Jody Feldman (HarperCollins)
THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by David McKean (HarperCollins)
GULLY’S TRAVELS by Tor Seidler, illustrated by Brock Cole (Scholastic)
HECK: WHERE THE BAD KIDS GO by Dale E. Basye (Random House)
INTO THE VOLCANO by Don Wood (Scholastic)
JUST GRACE WALKS THE DOG by Charise Myracle Harper (Houghton Mifflin)
KENNY AND THE DRAGON by Tony DiTerlizzi (Simon & Schuster)
KNUCKLEHEAD: TALL TALES AND ALMOST TRUE STORIES OF GROWING UP SCIESZKA by Jon Scieszka (Viking)
LITTLE AUDREY by Ruth White (Farrar Straus Giroux)
MADAME PAMLEMOUSSE AND HER INCREDIBLE EDIBLES by Rupert Kingfisher , illustrated by Sue Hellard (Bloomsbury)
THE MAGIC HALF by Annie Barrows (Bloomsbury)
MAGICAL KIDS series by Sally Gardner (Dial)
MASTERPIECE by Elise Borach, illustrated by Kelly Murphy (Henry Holt)
MERLIN'S DRAGON by T.A. Barron (Philomel)
MORIBOTO: GUARDIAN OF THE SPIRIT by Nahoko Uehashi (Scholastic)
THE MOSTLY TRUE ADVENTURES OF HOMER P. FIGG by Rodman Philbrick (Scholastic)
MY DAD’S A BIRDMAN by David Almond, illustrated by Polly Dunbar (Candlewick)
THE MYSTERY OF THE FOOL AND THE VANISHER by David and Ruth Ellwand (Candlewick)
NIGHTMARE AT THE BOOK FAIR by Dan Gutman (Simon and Schuster)
OBI, GERBIL ON THE LOOSE by Michael Delaney (Dutton)
OGGIE COODER by Sarah Weeks (Scholastic)
ONE VOICE, PLEASE: FAVORITE READ ALOUD STORIES by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Russell Ayto (Candlewick)
PENINA LEVINE IS A POTATO PANCAKE by Rebecca O'Connell, illustrated by Majella Lue Sue (Roaring Brook)
RAPUNZEL’S REVENGE by Shannon and Dean Hale, illustrated by Nathan Hale (Bloomsbury)
THE ROBE OF SKULLS by Vivian French, illustrated by Ross Collins (Candlewick)
RUBY’S IMAGINE by Kim Antieau (Houghton Mifflin)
SAMANTHA HANSEN HAS ROCKS IN HER HEAD by Nancy Viau (Amulet)
THE SKY VILLAGE: KAMIRA, BOOK I by Monk and Nigel Ashland, illustrated by Jeff Nentrup (Candlewick)
STINK AND THE GREAT GUINEA PIG EXPRESS by Megan McDonald, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds (Candlewick)
T4 by Ann Clare LeZotte (Houghton Mifflin)
TRACKING DADDY DOWN by Marybeth Kelsey (Greenwillow)
THE TWIN GIANTS by Dick King Smith, illustrated by Mini Grey (Candlewick)
VOSS by David Ives (Putnam)
WHEN THE SERGEANT CAME MARCHING HOME by Don Lemma (Holiday House)*
ZORGAMAZOO by Robert Paul Weston, illustrated by Victor Rivas (Candlewick)

NONFICTION
THE ABC BOOK OF AMERICAN HOMES by Michael Shoulders, illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen (Charlesbridge)
ALL ABOUT SLEEP FROM A TO ZZZZ by Elaine Scott, illustrated by John O’Brien (Viking)
ANIMALS CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS SAW: AN ADVENTURE IN THE NEW WORLD and ANIMALS ROBERT SCOTT SAW: AN ADVENTURE IN ANTARCTICA both by Sandra Markle, illustrations by Jamel Akib (Chronicle)
ARTHUR OF ALBION by John Matthews, illustrated by Favel Tatarnikov (Barefoot)
AS GOOD AS ANYBODY: MARTIN LUTHER KING AND ABRAHAM JOSHUA HESCHEL'S AMAZING MARCH TOWARD FREEDOM by Richard Michelson, illustrated by Raul Colon (Knopf)
ASHLEY BRYAN: WORDS TO MY LIFE'S SONG by Ashley Bryan (Atheneum)
ASTRONAUT HANDBOOK by Meghan McCarthy (Knopf)
BEFORE JOHN WAS A JAZZ GIANT: A SONG OF JOHN COLTRANE by Carole Boston Weatherford
BIG YELLOW SUNFLOWER by Frances Barry (Candlewick)
THE BOOK OF TIME OUTS: A MOSTLY TRUE HISTORY OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST TROUBLEMAKERS by Deb Lucke (Simon & Schuster)
THE BOOK OF TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS by Sean Connolly (Workman)
BOYS OF STEEL: THE CREATORS OF SUPERMAN by Marc Tyler Nobleman illustrated by Ross Macdonald (Knopf)
THE BILL MARTIN JR. BIG BOOK OF POETRY with Foreword by Eric Carle (Simon and Schuster)
BUFFALO MUSIC by Tracey E. Fern, illustrated by Lauren Castillo (Clarion)
CHARLES DARWIN by Alan Gibbons, illustrated by Lee Brown (Kingfisher)
CHASING LINCOLN’S KILLER by James L. Swanson (Scholastic)
CHILDREN OF THE USA by Maya Ajmera, Yvonne Wakim Dennis, Arlene Hirschfelder and Cynthia Pon (Charlesbridge)
DREAMS TAKING FLIGHT: HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Amy June Bates (Simon and Schuster)
THE DOGGY DUNG DISASTER & OTHER TRUE STORIES: REGULAR
KIDS DOING HEROIC THINGS AROUND THE WORLD by Garth Sundem (Free Spirit) (2006)
ELEPHANTS AND GOLDEN THRONES: INSIDE CHINA’S FORBIDDEN CITY by Trish Marx, illustrated by Ellen Senisi (Abrams)
ELIZABETH LEADS THE WAY by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon (Henry Holt)
ENCYCLOPEDIA MYTHOLOGICA: FAIRIES AND MAGICAL CREATURES by Matthew Reinhardt and Robert Sabuda (Walker Books)
FUN WITH ROMAN NUMERALS by David Adler, illustrated by Edward Miller III (Holiday House)
GREATER ESTIMATIONS by Bruce Goldstone (Holt)
HOME ON THE RANGE: JOHN A. LOMAX AND HIS COWBOY SONGS by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by S.D. Schindler (Putnam)
HOW I LEARNED GEOGRAPHY by Uri Shulevitz (Farrar Straus & Giroux)
HOW MANY WAYS CAN YOU CATCH A FLY? by Robin Press, illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin)
I'LL PASS FOR YOUR COMRADE: WOMEN SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR by Anita Silvey (Clarion)
INDEPENDENT DAMES: WHAT YOU NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE WOMEN AND GIRLS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner (Simon and Schuster)
KEEPERS: TREASURE HUNT POEMS by John Frank, illustrated by Ken Robbins (Roaring Brook)
LADY LIBERTY: A BIOGRAPHY by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Matt Tavares (Candlewick)
L IS FOR LOLLYGAG: QUIRKY WORDS FOR A CLEVER TONGUE illustrated by Melinda Beck (Chronicle)
THE MAGIC FLUTE: AN OPERA BY MOZART adapted by Kyra Teis (Star Bright)
MANFISH: A STORY OF JACQUES COUSTEAU by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by Éric Puybaret (Chronicle)
MANJIRO: THE BOY WHO RISKED HIS LIFE FOR TWO COUNTRIES by Emily Arnold McCully (Farrar, Straus Giroux)
MARGARET CHASE SMITH: A WOMAN FOR PRESIDENT by Lynn Plourde, illustrated by David McPhail (Charlesbridge)
THE MERMAID'S TREASURE by Stephanie True Peters (Dutton)
OH, THEODORE! GUINEA PIG POEMS by Susan Katz, illustrated by Stacey Schuett (Clarion)
OUR WHITE HOUSE: LOOKING IN LOOKING OUT by 108 renowned Authors and Illustrators and the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance (Candlewick)
PALE MALE: CITIZEN HAWK OF NEW YORK CITY by Janet Schulman, illustrated by Meilo So
PHILLIS'S BIG TEST by Catherine Clinton, illustrated by Sean Qualls (Houghton Mifflin)
PORTRAITS OF JEWISH-AMERICAN HEROES by Malka Drucker, illustrated by Elizabeth Rosen (Dutton)
PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DRAGONS by Lisa Trutkoff Trumbauer (Mirrorstone)
PRISCILLA AND THE HOLLYHOCKS by Anne Broyles, illustrated by Anna Alter (Charlesbridge)
RAINING CATS AND DOGS by Will Moses (Philomel)
THE RAUCOUS ROYALS by Carlyn Beccia (Houghton Mifflin)
A RIVER OF WORDS: THE STORY OF WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS by Jen Bryant, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (Eerdmans)
THE ROAD TO OZ: TWISTS, TURNS, BUMPS AND TRIUMPHS IN THE LIFE OF L.FRANK BAUM by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (Knopf)
ROCK AND ROLL CAMP FOR GIRLS edited by Marisa Anderson (Chronicle)
SANDY'S CIRCUS: A STORY ABOUT ALEXANDER CALDER by Tanya Lee Stone, illustrated by Boris Kulikov (Viking)
SHE TOUCHED THE WORLD: LAURA BRIDGMAN, DEAF-BLIND PIONEER by Sally Hobart Alexander and Robert Alexander (Clarion)
SILENT LETTERS LOUD AND CLEAR by Robin Pulver, illustrated by Lynne Rowe Reed (Holiday House)
SIMMS TABACK’S GREAT BIG BOOK OF SPACEY SNAKEY BUGGY RIDDLES by Katy Hall and Lisa Eisenberg, illustrated by Simms Taback (Viking)
SISTERS & BROTHERS: SIBING RELATIONSHIPS IN THE ANIMAL WORLD by Robin Page, illustrated by Steve Jenkins (Houghton Mifflin)
THE SNOW SHOW by Carolyn Fisher (Harcourt)
SOPHISTICATED LADIES: THE GREAT WOMEN OF JAZZ by Leslie Gourse, illustrated by Martin French (Dutton)
SPOT THE DIFFERENCES by Steven Rosen (Scholastic)
SWORDS: AN ARTIST'S DEVOTION by Ben Boos (Candlewick)
TAP DANCING ON THE ROOF: SIJO (POEMS) by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Istvan Banyai (Clarion)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE CYCLE WITH SPECIAL GUEST DAHLIA THE DRAGONFLY by Heather Lynn Miller, illustrated by Michael Chesworth (Clarion)
THE TRICK OF THE TALE by Tomislav Tomic (Candlewick)
TROUT ARE MADE OF TREES by April Pulley Sayre, illustrated by Kate Endle (Charlesbridge)
'TWAS THE DAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS: THE STORY OF CLEMENT MOORE'S BELOVED POEM by Brenda Seabrooke, illustrated by Delana Bettoli (Dutton)
TWENTY-ODD DUCKS: WHY, EVERY PUNCTUATION MARK COUNTS! By Lynne Truss, illustrated by Bonnie Timmons (Putnam)
TWO MISERABLE PRESIDENTS: EVERYTHING YOUR SCHOOLBOOKS DIDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT THE CIVIL WAR and KING GEORGE: WHAT WAS HIS PROBLEM? EVERYTHING YOUR SCHOOLBOOKS DIDN'T TELL YOU ABOUT THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by Steve Sheinkin, illustrated by Tim Robinson (Roaring Brook)
UNITED TWEETS OF AMERICA: 50 STATE BIRDS, THEIR STORIES, THEIR GLORIES by Hudson Talbott (Putnam)
UP AND DOWN THE ANDES: A PERUVIAN FESTIVAL TALE by Laurie Krebs and Aurélia Fronty (Barefoot)
VOICE FROM AFAR: POEMS OF PEACE by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Susan Guevara (Holiday House)
WANGARI’S TREE OF PEACE by Jeanette Winter (Harcourt)
WANDA GAG: THE GIRL WHO LIVED TO DRAW by Deobrah Kogan Ray (Viking)
THE WAY WE WORK by David Macaulay (Houghton Mifflin)
WE ARE THE SHIP: THE STORY OF NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL by Kadir Nelson (Hyperion)
WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE? by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham (Scholastic)
WHEN I GROW UP by Jessica Loy (Henry Holt)
WINGS by Sneed B. Collard III, illustrated by Robin Brickman (Charlesbridge)
WISH: WISHING TRADITIONS AROUND THE WORLD by Roseanne Thong, illustrated by Elisa Kleven (Chronicle)
WOE IS I JR.: THE YOUNG GRAMMARPHOBE’S GUIDE TO BETTER ENGLISH by Patricia T. O’Conner (Putnam)

2008 was great, and so far 2009 is proving better than ever! Happy reading, please keep reading, and thanks for your support!

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.
Beautiful "Snow White reading" scene byFriedericy Dolls. Rightsreserved by the artist.
More Esmé stuff at www.planetesme.com.