spring/summer 2011 recent releases — young & middle grade

SPRING/SUMMER 2011 RECENT RELEASES — YOUNG & MIDDLE GRADE
A TO Z MYSTERIES: BOOKS W-Z
by Ron Roy; read by David Pittu
Includes: The White Wolf, The X’ed Out X-Ray,
The Yellow Yacht, And The Zombie Zone.
Join Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose as they investigate
who took three white wolf cubs, figure out
who stole a diamond pendant, look for missing
gold, and unearth the secrets of the zombie zone.
“An appealing combination of intrigue, ingenuity,
and fun. A great recreational choice for newly
independent readers.”—School Library Journal
4 CDs • 978-0-3079-1565-8 • $25.00
Grade: RL: 3.7 • IL: Pre-K-3 • LL: 640 • 4 hrs. 2 mins.
See page 100 for more Ron Roy titles
ANIMAL RESCUE TEAM
COLLECTION: VOLUME 2
by Sue Stauffacher; read by Harlie Vaughn
Book #3: HIDE AND SEEK: A young deer
gets a plastic pumpkin stuck on his head and the
Carters must help him get free.
Book #4: SHOW TIME: While the Animal
Rescue Team is called in to work on a squirrel
problem, Keisha’s got a problem of her own: her
nerves! She’s so nervous, about her district jump
rope competition, she keeps messing up.
“Stauffacher’s story emphasizes responsible behavior when interacting with
animals in an urban setting…Fans of the series will be glad to follow the familiar
characters through another adventure, although this book stands alone easily,
too.”—Booklist
6 CDs • 978-0-3077-3842-4 • $34.00
Grade: RL: 4.6 • IL: 2-5 • LL: 740 • 5 hrs. 51 mins.
See pages 43 for ANIMAL RESCUE TEAM COLLECTION: VOLUME 1
AS SIMPLE AS IT SEEMS
by Sarah Weeks; read by Rachel Gray
Verbena knows she’s bad to the bone. How
could she not be, with a dad like hers? But she
doesn’t really want to be Verbena. When a new
boy moves in, Verbena takes the opportunity to
be someone else entirely. What starts out as a
game leads to a funny and heartwarming journey
of self-discovery.
“…there are many passages that could jump-start
a booktalk and get this into kids’ hands.”—School Library Journal
“Verbena is a character you will not want to leave.An endearing story, heartfelt
and buoyant.”—Pam Muñoz Ryan, author of Esperanza Rising
3 CDs • 978-0-3079-1529-0 • $38.00
Grade: RL: 5.3 • IL: 3-6 • LL: 910 • 3 hrs. 43 mins.
BIRD IN A BOX
by Andrea Davis Pinkney; read by Bahni Turpin
In 1937, Otis, Willie, and Hibernia are three
children with a lot in common: they’ve each lost
a loved one, they each have dreams, and they’re a
lot like their hero, famed boxer Joe Louis. Their
trials and triumphs echo those of Joe Louis as he
fights to become the first African American
heavyweight boxing champion.
“Despite the serious problems of poverty during
the Great Depression, a humorous tone ripples throughout this wellresearched
historical novel.”—The Horn Book
“Andrea Davis Pinkney instills a distinct narrative voice for each character…
[listeners] will be shown just how culturally significant Louis really was with
this stirring novel, which also scores high marks as a satisfying read for both
boys and girls.”—Booklist
“A powerful middle-grade novel…with tenderness and verve, it tells the stories
of three 12-year-old black children in Depression-era Elmira, N.Y.”
—The New York Times
3 CDs • 978-0-3079-1718-8 • $30.00
Grade: RL: NA • IL: 3-6 • LL: NA • 4 hrs. 55 mins.
8
BLESS THIS MOUSE
by Lois Lowry; read by Burnadette Dunne
A resilient and quirky colony of church mice
live under Mouse Mistress Hildegarde’s leadership
they save themselves from one danger after
another—sometimes just by the skin of their tails!
Can one ultimate act of bravery get Father
Murphy to bless these mice and keep them
safe forever?
“An impeccably constructed, good-humored
adventure filled with master plans, near disasters, and brave rescues, all gently
frightening for readers even younger than the target audience…Fun and lighthearted.”—Publishers
Weekly
“With touches of surprise and a satisfyingly predictable resolution, this is a
strong choice for both classroom sharing and independent reading.”—Booklist
2 CDs • 978-0-3079-1629-7 • $22.00
Grade: RL: 4.5 • IL: 1-4 • LL: 690 • 2 hrs. 20 mins.
See page 31 for more Lois Lowry titles
A BOY AND HIS BOT
by Daniel H. Wilson; read by David Ackroyd
While following a robotic insect, Code falls
down a hole and lands in Mekhos. Everything in
Mekhos is made from metal, including the citizens,
who happen to be robots. When Code
learns that an evil ruler plans to destroy Mekhos
and invade the human world above he must save
the robots and get back to Earth.
“The story gains depth from its mixed ending, in
which Code isn’t able to solve every problem. A good choice for science fiction
fans.”—Booklist
“With a goofy sense of humor and plenty of action, Wilson presents a coming-of-age
journey with shades of Alice in Wonderland and The Wonderful
Wizard of Oz.”—Publishers Weekly
4 CDs • 978-0-3079-1525-2 • $28.00
Grade: RL: 5.7 • IL: 3-7 • LL: NA • 4 hrs. 41 mins.
See page 83 for ROBOPOCALYPSE
CALENDAR MYSTERIES:
BOOKS 1-6
by Ron Roy; read by Jim Meskimen
From the beloved author of the A-Z Mysteries comes more advenures.
Includes: January Joker, February Friend, March
Mischief, April Adventure, May Magic, and June
Jam. Follow Bradley, Brian, Lucy, and Nate as they
track down a sick rabbit’s owner, locate a missing
statue, find out who stole the golden eggs, and
save a strawberry patch.
“The story is full of clever twists and turns and is an excellent choice for
reluctant readers.”—School Library Journal
4 CDs • 978-0-3079-1555-9 • $38.00
Grade: RL: 2.9 • IL: Pre-K-3 • LL: 380 • 5 hrs.
See page 100 for more Ron Roy titles
COSMIC
by Frank Cottrell Boyce;
read by Kirby Heyborne
Liam is too big for his boots and his school
blazer, but being super tall and having facial hair
has its advantages: he often gets mistaken for an
adult. Long-legged Liam makes a giant leap for
boy-kind by competing with a group of adults for
the chance to go into space.
“Kirby Heyborne enlivens the abundant humor
in Boyce’s work while offering many poignant moments as Liam gains insight
into what it means to be a dad. This production is funny, engaging, and
touching.”—AudioFile
★“A can’t-miss offering.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review
★“This superb humorous and inventive “cosmic” adventure celebrated space
travel, friendships, and dads.”—VOYA, starred review
6 CDs • 978-0-3079-1535-1 • $55.00
Grade: RL: 4.5 • IL: 3-6 • LL: 670 • 7 hrs. 38 mins.