Little Rooster's Diamond Button, by Margaret Read MacDonald

Illustrated by Will Terry
Rating: Recommended

Albert Whitman, 2007, $16.95

ISBN: 9780807546444

Grade Level: PreK-2nd grade

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This is a delightful retelling of a folktale especially popular in Poland, Russia, India, and Burma. In this story, a little rooster found a diamond button to take home to his mistress. As the king was riding by, he saw the button in the rooster's beak and took it to his treasure chamber. As the king tried to get rid of the indignant and tenacious rooster, the roosters magic stomach, as well as the rooster's ingenuity and resourcefulness cause the king to give up in the end. The loyal rooster comes home to his mistress with the diamond button and other treasures to live richly and happily ever after.

The acrylic on paper illustrations in Little Rooster's Diamond Button are bold and colorful, while the storyline and text is to the point, descriptive, and clear. The story and illustrations together make this title perfect for a preschool or young school-aged storytime.

Reviewer: Virginia Edwards, Orange County Public Library/Mesa Verde Branch

The Zombie Nite Cafe, by Merrily Kutner

Illustrated by Ethan Long

Rating: Very Good
Holiday House, 2007, $16.95
ISBN: 9780823419630

Age Level: 5-9 years
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The Zombie Nite Café is a great read aloud, that would give a storyteller much to work with. The words in this story-in-rhyme are very descriptive and visual, and the story has a rap-like beat to it. The story could easily stand alone, yet the illustrations make it more exciting.

Zombie Nite Café is not for the faint hearted. It is populated with Zombies, Ghouls, Trolls, etc., and brains and eyeballs are on the menu. However, it is scary, but not too scary and could be told to a young school-age audience.

Reviewer: Virginia Edwards, Orange County Public Library/Mesa Verde Branch

My Mother the Cheerleader, by Robert Sharenow

Rating: Very Good

Laura Geringer Books, 2007, $17.89

ISBN: 0061148970

Grade Level: 7th and up

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Louise Collins is a thirteen-year-old girl growing up in segregated New Orleans in 1960. She sees all kinds of prejudice, especially from her mother who is a member of the Cheerleaders; a group of women who protest integration. When a stranger comes to their rooming house, things get turned upside down. I would recommend this book as an older teenage read.

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

Hugo & Miles in I've Painted Everything, by Scott Magoon

Rating: Recommended
Marshall Cavendish, 2007, $16.00
ISBN: 0-618-6438-8
Age Level: 3-6 years
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Scott Magoon's illustrations are colorful and cute and the story he tells is well written. The story is about Hugo the elephant who is an artist that thinks he has painted everything. His friend Miles takes him on a business trip to Paris. There Hugo sees the world in different ways.

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

Patches and Scratches by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Simply Sarah series)

Rating: Recommended

Marshall Cavendish, 2007, $14.99

ISBN: 978-0-761453475

Age Level: 6-8 years

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This book would be an excellent one to give a child who has ever wanted a pet. The large text makes the book easy to read, and the illustrations are fun as well. A good transitional book for children who are ready for a chapter book. Sarah wants to help her friend Peter find a pet that he can keep in the apartment he and his Grandmother live in. The only problem is Peter wants a dog and there are no dogs allowed in the apartment complex they live in.

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

Lungs: Your Respiratory System by Seymour Simon

Rating: Recommended
Collins, 2007, $16.99
ISBN: 978-0060546540
Age Level: 4-8 years


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This tutorial on the human respitory system is very informative. Colorful pictures of the body's inner workings lend great visual explanations that mix well with the text. The text itself is large and reader friendly, helping the it to remain easy to follow. This is a great way for anyone to learn about lungs, and I believe it would succeed in keeping a young person's attention.



Reviewer: Monica Barrette, Orange Public Library

Had Gadya by Michael Strassfeld

Illustrated by Seymour Chwast
Rating: Additional

Roaring Brook, 2007, $15.99

ISBN: 978-0-7614-5353-6

Age Level: 4-8 years

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In his afterward, Rabbi Michael Strassfeld writes that Had Gadya was designed to provoke the interest of children. While this story may not circulate well in a public library, it certainly is interesting and educational, in a very simple way. Through light-hearted singing and childlike illustration, a symbolic tale of Jewish belief and survivial through the ages is told. The ending may turn some off, but it is the most impactful way to portray this Jewish folk song.

Reviewer: Monica Barrette, Orange Public Library

Wiggle and Waggle by Caroline Arnold

Illustrated by Mary Peterson

Rating: Not Recommended

Charlesbridge, 2007, $12.95

ISBN: 978-1596431362

Age Level: 4-8 years

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There seems to be neither a point nor a coherency to this book. The characters are flat and uninteresting, and there are too few lessons to be learned from their adventures. Because the main characters are worms, the illustrations are equally uninteresting. Also, the chapters do not seem to end at satisfactory points or flow well as an overall story. The only real positive thing that can be said for this book is the worm facts on the final page, which at least offer some education if not entertainment.

Reviewer: Monica Barrette, Orange Public Library

Alaska by Shelley Gill

Illustrated by Patrick J. Endres

Rating: Recommended
Charlesbridge, 2007, $6.95
ISBN: 978-0881062939

Age Level: 4-8 years
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This is a great book to learn not only about the beauty of Alaska, but also the importance of conservation. The latter is a subtle message that does not beat the reader about the head like other similar tales. I learned many new facts about Alaska, and have a whole new respect for the land. The gorgeous photographs and laugh-out-loud "Cheechako Tips" help make this book almost as fun as it is educational. The short poems that go with each new topic are another great bonus. This is a very good book for Alaska state reports or just casual learning.

Reviewer: Monica Barrette, Orange Public Library

Show Horses by Margaret Fetty

Rating: Recommended

Bearport, 2007, $25.27

ISBN: 978-1597163996
Age Level: 9-12 years

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It is clear in the book that the author is passionate about horses. Informative yet easy to follow, this is a lovely book that offers an inside look at the world of competitive horse racing. The corresponding photos, vocabulary words, and fast facts add icing to the cake. This is a great book that will both educate and intrigue readers.

Reviewer: Monica Barrette, Orange Public Library