(3) YA Emma discovers she has a strange power over sea creatures. Galen, a prince of the Syrena (mermen) has been sent to find such a girl to save his kingdom. With the sexual tension of Twilight, the forbidden love of Romeo and Juliet, and a splash of Harry Potter, this high-action, humorous novel leaves enough unanswered questions to hint at a sequel.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(3) 4-6 Photographs by Jeffrey L. Rotman. This well-organized picture book explores the diversity of the world’s oceans by concentrating on the busy, crowded tropical zones ("the city") and the temperate zones that have a slower rhythm of life ("the country"). Topics covered include "Living Space," "Working Together," and "Secrets of Survival." Close-up underwater photographs of fish and sea creatures are both delightful and haunting. Reading list. Glos.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(3) YA In the sequel to Red Kayak, Michael "Digger" Griswald, fourteen, breaks out of juvenile detention to go home and protect his family from his abusive father. Along the way, he survives a runaway truck, poison ivy, a fire, a brave water rescue, and his first kiss. He also learns what he's running from--and toward. An exciting read and a satisfying ending for a believable character.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Chad Wallace. This elegant picture book chronicles the life of a male sea horse, touching on growth, mating, "pregnancy" (male sea horses carry eggs), and birthing process. Though informative, the text is rife with lyrical language (e.g., of the mating ritual: "he waltzes around her to music only they can hear"). Soft-edged digital illustrations draw the reader into a dreamlike underwater world. Websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) YA The earth's resources have been depleted; Faye, sixteen, is sent to a strange, prisonlike boarding school. Faye and her fellow students awaken each morning exhausted, their hands stained a deep red, and with no memory of how they have spent the night. This sci-fi thriller features last-minute revelations and a passionate, if heavy-handed, environmental message. \

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) K-3 In a wordless story, Fazio's detailed illustrations document a dropped bottle's transformation into smooth sea glass found--a couple of generations later, we assume--by a young girl on a beach. The passage of time isn't clearly conveyed until the end, where readers will most likely guess the girl is supposed to be the granddaughter of the boy who originally lost the bottle.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(3) PS In this follow-up to I Spy with My Little Eye, die-cut pages with colorful art enable the reader to peek through a "porthole" and guess what marine animal is on the next page. Each animal provides a hint ("My arms are called tentacles"). The creatures count down from seven clownfish to one shark--ending the book with a toothy and thrilling (but not-too-scary), "I spy . . . YOU!"

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(3) 4-6 With missionary parents, twelve-year-old twins Penny and Percy have seen the world. But Uncle Stretch's "Horse Camp" (really, a farm) is the worst place they've lived. Problems abound: their family is falling apart, chores are difficult, and they're without electronic devices. Told in alternating wry voices, each twin affectingly speaks to the search for equilibrium, confidence, and a sense of belonging.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) YA Watersong series. Sixteen-year-old Gemma parties with three beautiful but mysterious girls one night in a cove and receives their powers; she's lured away with them, but protective older sister Harper senses something otherworldly and sinister and will stop at nothing to get Gemma back. Siren mythology is evoked decently in these two volumes, but the characters lack depth and underdeveloped backstories lessen tension. Review includes these Watersong titles: Lullaby and Wake.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) YA Watersong series. Sixteen-year-old Gemma parties with three beautiful but mysterious girls one night in a cove and receives their powers; she's lured away with them, but protective older sister Harper senses something otherworldly and sinister and will stop at nothing to get Gemma back. Siren mythology is evoked decently in these two volumes, but the characters lack depth and underdeveloped backstories lessen tension. Review includes these Watersong titles: Lullaby and Wake.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ann Jones. In following Granny, the one-hundred-year-old matriarch, through her travels, we learn about the intimate workings of a pod of killer whales. A baby is born, the whales hunt for salmon, and they join another pod for an "orca party." Soft pastel paintings illustrate the sometimes awkward text. Additional information about this real-life pod is appended. Reading list. Websites.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) 4-6 Six Crowns series. Illustrated by Gary Chalk. In this fourth fast-paced, lighthearted adventure, hedgehog Trundle, his companion Esmeralda, and their cohorts--including a new addition, loopy hare Ishmael--find themselves on the extraordinary island of Spyre, besting myriad animal foes in search of the Crown of Ice. The characterizations are over the top, but this sometimes illogical gallop contains lots of action and humor, as well as a nice twist.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) YA Orca Currents series. Though forbidden to do so, fourteen-year-old Maya sneaks out every day in her kayak to the nearby kelp beds to observe a family of sea otters. But Maya soon discovers that the otters--and her family--are in danger from poachers. It's a predictable read, but fast-paced seafaring action and tense plotting will satisfy the hi-lo set.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. Told by a jovial red lobster, this retelling takes place in the deep ocean where Santa is a walrus in a conch shell sleigh pulled by eight tiny seahorses. Andreasen's oil-paint and digital art is cheery but cutesy. The undersea setting is a tad gratuitous, though some children may find the aquatic re-imagining entertaining.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) YA Starling Saga series. Mason Starling, champion fencer at Gosforth Academy, thinks her biggest challenge is training for a spot on the national team. Then a sudden storm unleashes beasts from another world, as well as a mysterious swordsman who calls himself the Fennrys Wolf. The muddled use of different mythologies can be hard to follow, but vivid writing keeps things lively.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(3) K-3 This handsome guidebook provides "documentation" of the author's journey to a magical island paradise. Gorgeously detailed illustrations depict such wonders as the pasta tree, the Double-Cream Cow, the Screaming Night Moth, and doll-like, cloven-footed inhabitants. This visual treat may be a jumping-off point for kids to create their own worlds of wonder.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(3) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Pride Star and her two younger siblings are orphans living in remote Minnesota with their grandfather, Old Finn, whose radical political beliefs teach them not to trust anyone. When he's hospitalized, Pride must figure out how to care for the family--and when to ask for help. Against a richly political 1974 setting, O'Connor poignantly explores the indelible bond of siblings.

Reviewer: Betsy Thomas

(4) 4-6 Checkerboard Animal Library: Unique Pets series. These books offer general information on the natural habitats, appearance, and behaviors of out-of-the-ordinary animals that can be kept as pets, as well as the care they need when domesticated. The series suffers from a dull, repetitive design, though the information is straightforward and accessible, and compelling photographs will appeal to young exotic-animal enthusiasts. Glos., ind. Review covers these Checkerboard Animal Library titles: Chameleons, Iguanas, Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, and Potbellied Pigs.