Book Finder

When Frank’s (nee Francesca) backpack is tossed into nettles by a bunch of bullies, it is Nick Underbridge who retrieves it for her.  Nick is as unusual as his home where Frank finds friendship and solace until a secret upends not only their friendship but almost the entire world. Mysterious and otherworldly, this is an involving and satisfying fantasy.

James Castle was born deaf and mute in 1899 on a farm in Idaho. The story of this child who grew up to become an artist is told in his nephew’s voice and illustrated in dark-hued illustrations that evoke not only the artist’s work but also his difficult life. Allen Say’s appreciation of this artist and his work is sophisticated and memorable, presenting a unique and truly original artist.

Who was Arturo Alfonso Schomburg? He was an Afro-Puerto Rican man whose thirst for knowledge about his roots led him to collect and manage what would become a great library in New York City. Fluid language informs as handsome, realistic paintings illuminate the highlights of Schomburg’s life and contributions. A timeline and bibliography may inspire other young researchers and booklovers.

Tongues get ready to be twisted by Runny Babbit and lots of silly Spoonerisms! Fans of the original Runny Babbit (opens in a new window) won’t be disappointed in this collection of short poems about everyday topics with initial letters of familiar words reversed. Silverstein’s signature black/white line drawings illustrate the collection.

A fragment of an imaginative tale told by Mark Twain to his daughters has been completed and illustrated with all due respect to the original author. Readers will meet Johnny, a poor but worthy boy who helps rescue Prince Oleomargarine, communicate with animals, and find lasting friendships. Delicate illustrations combine with the Twain-esque narration for a memorable (and gorgeous) package.

“Let’s get one thing straight … this is not a how-to book. It’s a history book.” Using a conversational tone and a variety of graphics, the role of both naturally occurring and manufactured poison in world history is explored. The result is an engaging, fresh look at history albeit a bit of its darker side.

The Earth started long ago with a Big Bang and continues to evolve and change. Its history is presented humorously yet factually in a tour guided by a small, expressive, and charming groundhog. The collaboration between authors (one a university geology professor, the other an award-winning artist) has created an accessible and engaging look at Earth’s history.

Tales from the Norse are not for the fainthearted or youngest, evident in these straightforward retellings. Readers will meet “[s]ome men and women [who will] become great … [and] the gods and goddesses [who] are even stronger and greater” in these myths. Illustrations are ominous, dark, and perfectly fitting for the tone of these tales.

A bard tells the story of a lazy rabbit named Podkin, how he defeated the red-eyed Gorms to save his rabbit family in the first of a new fantasy series. Vivid storytelling includes several battles, including the one in which Podkin loses an ear as he and his allies defeat the Gorm and Scramakshank, the Gorm’s vicious leader.

Eleven-year old Fern lives near an old-growth forest which her family relies on to forage for food. The forest, however, is threatened by a company that wants to use hydraulic fracturing that will require a wastewater pond. How Fern finds friendship, family, and a resolution within a splintered town is plausible and heartwarming.

Whose bones are pictured in white on black pages? Turn the page to see the fleshed out creature in full color and learn more about it, where it lives, and its size. Comparisons are clever and familiar (e.g., the skeleton of a particular shrew is the size of a paperclip)  for a fun and informative examination of animals and their structures.

There were prehistoric predators and plant eaters, prehistoric sea creatures and creepy-crawlers. And there are modern beings that have similar characteristics. Meet the giant pacarana and its modern cousin, the capybara on land; compare leedsichthys and the whale shark and other beasts. Line drawings show the prehistoric critter while photos show the modern ones in a unique exploration.

Fourteen year old Gayle just can’t seem to stay out of trouble with her boyfriend. So Gayle and her baby are sent to Georgia to live with relatives. Especially her feisty, solitary great grandmother helps Gayle come to appreciate the importance of family, friendship and more in this gritty and memorable novel.

Joyce is 15-years old with all the recognizable ups and downs of adolescence. She finally comes to terms with herself and others when she finds expression through dance though not the ballet she thought she wanted.

Who is the Wild Waiyuuzee peeping out from the bush? Can she escape Shemama the Catcher? Readers will soon figure out that it is a child and her mother playing an imaginative game before the child’s hair is plaited. Rhythmic language and energetic illustrations create a warm book to be shared over and over.

With bottle caps on the bottom of their shoes, two brothers have a tap dancing contest on the sidewalk. Animated, rhythmic language, filled with onomatopoeia is complemented by cartoon illustrations showing New Orleans and the warm relationship between the boys.

Readjusting to life in Brooklyn is tough after One Crazy Summer with their mother in California. Delphine and her sisters not only have to deal with their strict grandmother, their uncle has just returned from Vietnam a changed man, and their father has a new love interest. The 1960s come alive in this memorable novel sure to be embraced by those who know Delphine and her family as well as those just meeting them for the first time.

Eleven year old Delphine and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, leave their native Brooklyn to visit their long-estranged mother in California. Cecile not warm towards her daughters, seemingly concentrating only on her poetry. Delphine narrates the first of three books which is set in Oakland, 1968. While on their own, the girls learn about the Black Panthers, how political movements impact individuals, and even how to reconnect with Cecile.

Clayton Byrd adores his grandfather, loves the jazz Cool Papa plays with the other bluesmen in the park; Clayton wants to be musician, too. But when Cool Papa Byrd dies suddenly, Clayton is overcome with grief. His mother who has never resolved her own childhood remains at arm’s length though his father attempts to reach the boy. Clayton tries to join the park bluesmen but instead finds a different kind of music with a gang of street kids in the New York subway. Likeable characters populate this fast-paced novel.

Photographs and factual information combine with comical illustrations and lighthearted (though accurate) asides about a range of creatures. Some are familiar, others are not, but all are fascinating and expand the concept of what makes a monster – including humans! 

Parallel stories of two girls who lived in different times converge at a place called Thornhill. One is told only in ominous black/white illustrations, the other in a text narrative. The result is an evocative, often downright spooky novel (likely to appeal to fans of Brian Selznick’s Hugo Cabret et al).

Atop a hill in an abandoned field was a dilapidated house near a haunted pomegranate tree guarded by a fierce witch. Attempts by village children to snitch a tasty fruit were unsuccessful until Halloween night when a kind old lady replaced the witch. This fast-paced story unfolds in rich, rhyming language accompanied by evocative illustrations.

Remember “the middle of Fall, when the leaves have already turned” and the air is chilly, apples and pumpkins are ready to pick. Soon, the leaves will be gone and the sky will change again, filled with snowflakes. Lyrical language and richly hued paintings evoke the season and the changes that accompany it.

Spooky, traditional tales retold are presented again with new and mysterious illustrations (reminiscent of Edward Gorey). These stories, drawn from folklore, successfully create a deliciously eerie feeling while remaining perfectly safe. Sources for the tales are included in an afterward by the reteller.