(3) YA "Writing is not mysterious. There are tools that I use to help me get to the end of a book." No sentimentalist, Myers advises young writers on how to get started and--even more difficult--how to keep going and finish. His approach is practical, encouraging extensive outlining and, for a novel, a "six-box model for fiction." Autobiographical anecdotes make the advice concrete. Bib.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Rod Brown. This collection begins with a man in a cotton field and ends with three newly free African Americans in Canada. Shange's poems are filled with a sense of urgency; most of the paintings are dark, and Brown effectively uses dabs of white to convey a sense of danger (moonlight reflected off the shirt of a runaway, making him visible to trackers, for example).

Reviewer: Kathleen T. Horning | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2012

(3) 4-6 Solo firmly states that "some things are more important than soccer"; the U.S. women's national team goalkeeper leaves everything on the field at the end of a game. Solo will touch her young readers' hearts as she recounts her rise through amateur athletics, the death of her troubled father, relationships with teammates, and the triumph of winning an Olympic gold medal.

Reviewer: Nancy Hull

(3) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Illustrated by Paul Meisel. A strong conservation message permeates this examination of garbage and the ways in which we get rid of it, from landfills and incinerators to recycling plants and composting. Ward includes practical steps young readers can take to reduce trash production. The cartoonlike illustrations portray friendly adults and children happily taking care of their waste.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(2) K-3 Simon begins his clear and friendly explanations with the monarch butterfly and its remarkable migration. He then moves to a more general discussion of moth and butterfly life cycles, structure and function, species similarities and variations, and importance to humans. The outstanding full-page color photographs are perfectly in sync with the text, with each focused sharply on the pertinent details. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2011

(3) YA Swanson adapts his adult work Bloody Crimes about Abraham Lincoln's funeral and the hunt for Jefferson Davis as the Civil War ended. The narrative uses alternating, parallel story lines to highlight events as the nation (mostly northerners) mourned one man and called for the other's head. Highly informative, with archival photographs and prints enhancing the work. Reading list. Glos.

Reviewer: Antonio Trujillo

(2) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Illustrated by Lucia Washburn. After a brief introduction, the book concentrates on the period from 330 million years ago to 65 million years ago, from the appearance of amniotes through the myriad dinosaur species that thrived in the Mesozoic Era. Zoehfeld is remarkably precise with language, providing outstanding explanations of key concepts. Washburn's illustrations include helpful anatomical details and imagined portrayals of dinosaurs in verdant habitats. Timeline. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2011

(4) K-3 Engelbreit's truncated tellings are as unsubtle as her prettified illustrations. These sanitized versions play up the stories' "enchanted" elements; there's nary a trace of traditional tellings' unseemliness (e.g., Cinderella's stepsisters' bloody toes, Rumpelstiltskin's violent demise). Fans of Engelbreit's artwork will be pleased by the presentation.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) YA Illustrated by Steven Salerno. High school students wondering who pays for a prom corsage or what to say in a graduation-gift thank-you note need look no further than this clear-cut etiquette guide. The cozy, idealized, old-fashioned style, embraced by occasional spot illustrations, sometimes extends to the scenarios (do deejays still cart around boxes of albums?); however, the basic principles of respect, consideration, and honesty are timeless. Ind.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 This engaging introduction to tropical rainforests features handsome photos and Simon's always readable text. Each double-page spread focuses on a particular subtopic and is accompanied by from one to four well-chosen photos. The lack of photo captions is confusing in a few instances where several subjects are discussed on the same page. Websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(2) K-3 With his outstandingly straightforward and logical prose, Simon leads novices through such tricky concepts as greenhouse gases and the differences between observable daily weather and long-term climate change. The book ends with the reassurance that we can help reverse the rate of change. Full-page photographs range from decorative enhancements to comparative evidence of the effects of a rise in global average temperature. Websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2010

(3) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Illustrated by Jason Chin. Life in the Arctic is seen through the eyes of a cub, with attention to the care provided by its mother as it grows. The friendly narrative is strictly factual and provides solid information; the illustrations incorporate a polar bear scientist, and the wild bears verge on being anthropomorphized. An author's note about global warming is appended.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Don Tate. Effa Manley was the first woman inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This book describes her work as an owner/manager of the Newark Eagles, a Negro League team, and her tireless fight on behalf of African Americans whenever she encountered injustice. Rich-hued paintings capture the times in addition to Manley's warmth and determination.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 "Barack's rock" is given an evenhanded treatment in this accessible biography of the First Lady. The text highlights Michelle's close-knit, working-class family; her staunch work ethic; and her unwavering dedication to her husband and daughters. Readers will come away with an appreciation of the woman herself above and beyond her official role.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Photographs by Tom Harvey & Keith Philpott. The Harveys, owners of a Kansas wildlife park, tell the story of three tiger pups nursed and cared for by golden retriever Isabella. The text, though accessible, is choppy ("The tiger pups play with each other. They play with a big blue ball. They play with Tom and Allie"). More impressive are vivid photographs of the animals interacting and exploring.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) 4-6 American Story series. Illustrated by Giulio Maestro. Betsy Maestro explains how the newly independent American states learned to work together, becoming a country able to govern and support itself while extending its territory; the text also makes note of the continuing discrimination against Native Americans. Smooth writing is complemented by Giulio Maestro's detailed illustrations, maps, and occasional full-page backgrounds. End matter includes relevant quotations. Timeline. Ind.

Reviewer: Kathleen Isaacs | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2009

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Frané Lessac. Melmed features twenty-six Texas locales, symbols, and historic events, one for each letter of the alphabet (e.g., G for Galveston Island, O for oil wells, V for Viva El Paso!). A singsongy rhyme introduces each topic; paragraphs of related information are presented in tiny type. Lessac's naive-style illustrations are lively without overcrowding the pages.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(2) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Illustrated by Steve Jenkins. Pfeffer takes readers to the Great Barrier Reef to explain the science of coral reefs and the coral life cycle. In just a few sentences per page, she covers such topics as diurnal and nocturnal inhabitants in addition to symbiotic and predator-prey relationships. Jenkins's tropical-hued cut-paper illustrations alternate between a habitat teeming with life and close-ups of individual specimens. Additional facts are appended.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Steve Björkman. This lucid how-to covers everything from politely eating soup to hosting a party. Few children will read the book voluntarily, though: while the language occasionally strives to be kid-friendly, the volume's fundamental fuddy-duddiness prevails (see especially a cringe-inducing section on how to make small talk). Comical black-and-white cartoon illustrations and the occasional "Question for Cindy & Peggy" add some verve. Ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) PS Photographs by Bob Carey. With Lynea Lattanzio. Animal sanctuary owner Lattanzio's refuge for hundreds of cats is described from the perspective of one "very lucky kitten" named Mittens. Vivid photographs depict the animals' daily activities: eating, playing, exploring, napping. The text is overly cutesy but does convey some information. A brief afterword provides more information about the author (a Today show correspondent), the photographer, and the sanctuary itself.

Reviewer: Pearl Higgins