Outstanding!

Every month, we post an annotated bibliography of books that were rated ‘Outstanding’ and nominated for our Distinguished List at our previous month’s meeting. Members can see full reviews of these books and many more in the March edition of BayViews.

Picture Books

Amelia Bedelia Fiftieth Anniversary Edition by Peggy Parrish; illustrated by Fritz Siebel
Greenwillow, 2013.
Still bringing on giggles, this fiftieth anniversary edition of the first Amelia Bedelia story also includes an enlightening biography of Parrish and information about Siebel, the illustrator of the earlier books. (Preschool – Grade 2)

Flora and the Flamingo written and illustrated by Molly Idle
Chronicle, 2013.
In this wordless book, adorable Flora and a graceful flamingo dance together with charming choreography. Interactive flaps and a dramatic gatefold finale make this beauty a joy to read. (Preschool – Grade 1)

Let’s Sing a Lullaby with the Brave Cowboy written and illustrated by Jan Thomas
Beach Lane, 2012.
The Brave Cowboy loves to sing lullabies for his friends, but finds it hard to be as brave as his name suggests. This picture book will appeal to a wide range of young readers, and makes a great storytime choice, offering a singalong opportunity in addition to its satisfyingly silly story. (Preschool – Kindergarten)

Fiction

Hold Fast by Blue Balliet
Scholastic, 2013.
Early Pearl’s dad Dash disappeared on his way home from his job as a library page. The family was extremely close-knit and loving, and spent their time reading together and enjoying the beauty of life, even though they didn’t have much.  The family is forced to go to a homeless shelter as Early tries to piece together what happened to her Dad. (Grades 4-7)

Jinx by Sage Blackwood
HarperCollins, 2013.
Playing with familiar elements from folklore and fantasy, Jinx is a fresh, lively story of an abandoned orphan taken up by a mysterious wizard. (Grades 5-8)

Orleans by Sherri L. Smith
Putnam, 2013.
Hurricane ravaged New Orleans is mostly deserted, decayed, and walled off from the remaining United States as a new primitive society struggles for survival amidst the ruins and the deadly Delta Fever. (Grades 7-12)

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz
Candlewick, 2013.
At the beginning of the summer, eleven-year-old Annie has three wishes.  Two are fulfilled in a way she could never have imagined in this tense, taut novel– part family story, part thriller. (Grades 5-8)

Zero Tolerance by Claudia Mills
Farrar, 2013.
When Sierra accidently takes her mom’s bag lunch to middle school, she realizes there is a small knife in the bag, which she turns into the office right away but finds she may be expelled.  This Kafkaesque tale is a gripping page-turner about school policies, ethical issues, and human foibles and sounds very true-to-life. This offers a great combination of thoughtful writing and a “ripped from the headlines” plot. (Grades 4-8)

Nonfiction

Courage Has No Color: The True story of the Triple Nickles, America’s First Black Paratroopers by Tanya Lee Stone
Candlewick, 2013.
Although focused on the “Triple Nickles,” the first black paratroop unit in the U.S. Army, this penetrating, moving account uses official records and personal interviews to examine the injustice and impact of segregation on the U.S. Military during World War II. (Grade 5-Adult)

Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg by Tanya Anderson
21^st Century/Lerner, 2013.
Imagine living in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the Civil War’s Battle of Gettysburg.  That’s where 15-year-old Tillie Pierce lived in 1863. Tillie saw the Battle happen before her eyes and quickly became a companion and nurse to many dying men.  The text is very interesting, and is accompanied by superior maps, sidebars, and primary-source photographs. (Grades 5-8)

– Hayley