Bandit, by Karen Rostoker-Gruber

Illustrated by Vincent Nguyen


Rating: Marginal


Marshall Cavendish, 2008, $15.99


ISBN: 978-0761453826


Age/Grade level: Ages 4-8

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Bandit the cat is distrubed from his sleep. Strangers are moving furniture. He doesn't understand why there are boxes everywhere and why Michelle put him in his cat carrier and then drives him away. It seems that Michelle isn't going to take him to see Vet, which is good. The bad thing is: Bandit finds himself in a strange house where he couldn't find anything comforting. Without a moment of hesitation, Bandit takes action--he is going back to the place he's familiar with. But the streets are far from friendly. Will Bandit and Michelle reunite?





The attraction of this book, to me, is the illustration. The main character, Bandit, is expressive and full of babbles of thoughts. The Pop Art illustration catches the reader's eyes. Suspense is building up through the story as readers follow the very territorial Bandit on his way to his old place. Alghough this simple story can serve as a conversation starter for families with young children that are going to move, the simplicity of the plot is not consistent with the sophisticated illustration style, which leads me to believe there is more to the story.





Reviewer: Zhen (Tracy) Li, Orange County Public Library, Laguna Niguel

The ABC Book of American Homes, by Michael Shoulders

Illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen
Rating: Additional
Charlesbridge, 2008, $17.95
ISBN: 978-1570915659
Reading level: Grades 3-5
Interest level: Grades K-5

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Each letter of the alphabet is defined by a certain kind of dwelling--with the exception of Z. Most of the letters have single-page spreads, but others have a double-page spread. The alphabet starts with Apartment and ends with the usual Zzzzzz. The text is factual and averages five sentences per letter. The 9.9 x 9.7-inch size of the book makes it great for sharing, and the variety of illustrations are in bright colors, except for dwellings that were popular in the past, such as Kilbourne and Log Cabin that are in black and white or sepia. The illustrations are exceptional and would be of interest to all ages. An additional purchase.





Reviewer: Pat Campbell, Orange County Public Library/La Palma

After Gandhi: One Hundred Years of Nonviolent Resistance, by Ann Sibley O'Brien and Perry Edmond O'Brien

Rating: Very Good

Charlesbridge, 2009, $24.95

ISBN: 9781580891295

Age/Grade level: Grades 3-5

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From Montgomery, Alabama, to Cape Town, South Africa, from Moree, Australia to Beijing, China, nonviolent resisters followed Mohandas Gandhi's lead to "take a stand without resorting to violence or hate."

Sixteen sections feature sixteen historical incidents around the world when ordinary but extraordinarily courageous people fought for their rights and against wars.

Each section features the historical event and the person (people) who influenced it. For example, the first section presents a snapshot of Gandhi's Passive Resistance Campaign in 1908, South Africa. It is followed by a compact biography of Gandhi. Further information explains how Gandhi was inspired and eventually started his first acts of nonviolent resistance. This illuminating column is called "More to the Story." Different fonts are used to distinguish these three features.

Although the theme of this book is solemn, the large white space and differentiated fonts encourage young readers to read on and start their critical thinking. This is a valuable read for the future historical movers and shakers.

Reviewer: Zhen (Tracy) Li, Orange County Public Library/Laguna Niguel

Birds, by Kevin Henkes

Illustrated by Laura Dronzek

Rating: Recommended

Greenwillow, 2009, $17.99

ISBN: 978-0061363047

Age/Grade level: Preschool-Kindergarten

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An enchanting picture book about birds that introduces concepts such as color, shape, size and the number seven, as well as very basic facts about birds. It is highly imaginative, with the child narrator wondering what the sky would look like if clouds were birds or birds left colors in the sky with their tail feathers. She also wonders what it would be like to be a bird and even though she can't fly, the final page tells you what she can do. Illustrations are acrylic paintings that are perfect for preschoolers with their bright colors and black outlines. Highly recommended.

Reviewer: Pat Campbell, Children's Librarian, Orange County Public Library/La Palma

Dragon Road (Golden Mountain Chronicles:1939), by Laurence Yep

Rating: Very Good

HarperCollins, 2008, $17.89

ISBN: 9780060275211
Age/Grade level: Grades 5-9

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Summary: In San Francisco, Chinatown, 1938, Cal just graduated from high school. Like millions of Americans, he couldn't find employment anywhere in the Great Depression. This adds to the frustration of everyday life. But he's not ready to give in, let alone allow sterotypical ridicule and racial insults to get to him.

Failing at job hunting but skillful on the basketball court, Cal and Barney plot to con people by playing basketball with them in different neighborhoods. With some bucks in their pockets, they are tempted to take more risks and venture into menacing areas until one day, they find themselves involved in a faceoff with a mob at Butchertown. Fortunately, they are rescued by two strangers who offer them a job, joining a professional basketball team, the Dragons, to tour the whole country. The promise was for steady income. The drawback was to leave Chinatown, where they were born and grew up.

Having to face challenges on the basketball courts as well as the non-stop traveling, could Cal persevere and find success?

Inspired by actual events, this is a wonderful historical teen fiction about Chinese Americans, their experience, their families, and their perspectives. Yep, a skillful storyteller, pictured convincing character like Cal, aka Flash. From a first person aspect, readers get to have a glimpse of the racial barriers directed at immigrant families historically. It's an intriguing story for sports fans.

Reviewer: Zhen (Tracy) Li, Orange County Public Library/Laguna Niguel

Vinnie and Abraham, by Dawn FitzGerald

Illustrated by Catherine Stock
Rating: Additional
Charlesbridge, 2007, $15.95
ISBN: 9781570916588
Age/Grade: 3rd grade and up

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This is a hard story to get across in a way to interest and inform children. The vocabulary is a bit over the head of most of the targeted audience. This would not hold their attention, and would bore them very easily. However, I liked the feel of the illustrations.

Reviewer: Cathy Gillette, Orange County Public Library/La Habra branch

Something Wickedly Weird: The Wooden Mile, by Chris Mould

Rating: Additional

Roaring Brook Press, 2008, $9.95

ISBN: 978-159673830

Age/Grade level: 4th grade and up

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Clever illustrations help this fantasy adventure, but it seemed a bit contrived and cliched. It does have werewolves though, and that should make it popular.

Reviewer: Cathy Gillette, Orange County Public Library/La Habra Branch

Sputter, Sputter, Sput! by Babs Bell

Illustrated by Bob Staake

Rating: Recommended

HarperCollins, 2008, $16.99

ISBN: 9780060562229

Age/Grade Level: Ages 2-5

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As a children's librarian, every new picture book I read, I evaluate it as to whether or not it would be a good storytime book. This one would be a good storytime book! It has lots of sounds the kids can make and lots of actions the kids can do with their hands. The illustrations are bright and unusual in a cute way.

Reviewer: Kim Christofferson, Orange County Public Library/Cypress Branch

Rumi: Whirling Dervish, by Demi

Rating: Very Good

Marshall Cavendish, 2009, $19.99

ISBN: 9780761455271

Age/Grade level: ages 9-12

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This little jewel of a book is another picture-book format biography written and illustrated by Demi. This time she introduces her readers to Rumi, a famous 13th century figure who was born in Afghanistan but settled in Turkey and was a highly respected scholar before becoming the great mystical poet who founded the order of the whirling dervishes. Demi condenses Rumi's life but adds many excerpts from his poems and writings. Her exquisite illustrations--reminiscent of Turkish miniatures, with many colored inks and gold overlay--will entrance even younger readers who may be attracted to the picture-book format but not always able to appreciate the lofty poetry.

Reviewer: B. Carswell, Orange County Public Library/West Garden Grove

Silent Music: A Story of Baghdad, by James Rumford

Rating: Very Good

Roaring Brook Press, 2008, $17.95

ISBN: 1596432764

Age/Grade level: 2nd and up

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This is a beautiful book, showing the importance of writing as an art, in communication, and as an instrument of knowledge. IN simple, elegant words and stunning illustrations incorporating Arabic calligraphy, the author takes the reader into his world. The reader gets a look into life in a different cultures and will find some ways in which it is very like his own.

Reviewer: Cathy Gilette, Orange County Public Library/La Habra

When Harriet Met Sojourner, by Catherine Clinton

Illustrated by Shane W. Evans

Rating: Very Good

HarperCollins, 2007, $16.95

ISBN: 0060504250

Age/Grade level: 3rd and up

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This book has wonderful illustrations. The text introduces two leading female civil rights leaders of the Civil War era in an interesting way. Basic info on their lives is presented to give a feel for the person, and then they are introduced to each other. The author is honest about not having any real information about the meeting, except that the two women did meet.

Reviewer: Cathy Gilette, Orange County Public Library/La Habra