Written by James Howe
Illustrated by Chris Raschka
Published by Candlewick, 2012
ISBN 9780763641740

Who—or what—you choose to love is the subject of another gem from author James Howe.

Otter and Odder describes a male otter who falls in love with a female fish.

“Impossible,” he said. “I am in love with my food source.”

Therein lies a mystery in Howe’s fable for our times. Is he creating a story of tolerance, or showing readers the possibilities of vegetarianism?

Either way, the book is a joy.

Shattering assumptions becomes the challenge of Howe’s main character.

Otter must face the whispers of his species. He must consider for himself what is “right” and “natural.” Again, tradition includes a traditional diet.

The “way of the otter” gets contrasted to “the way of the heart” when Otter seeks advice from wise neighbor beaver. The youngest reader will appreciate the difference between loving someone, as opposed to loving to EAT someone.

Both creatures learn to ignore peer pressure as they decide how to find true happiness.

Few authors in children’s literature today would earn the right to conclude their book with “And they lived happily ever after.” Howe’s conclusion is the perfect choice for the perfect narrative.

Two-time Caldecott medal winner Chris Raschka chose watercolor and pencil for the deceptively-simple illustrations in the book. Adult romantics yearning for a tale of star-crossed lovers might be wishing for more grandiose artwork. Nevertheless, Raschka excels with fun, fluid lines in this aquatic surprise.

Don’t be surprised if Otter and Odder becomes a crossover hit. Adults seeking a Valentine’s Day gift may flock to this title. This book would speak to any age.

Love is love. If anyone can make the case in such sweet, sincere terms, it’s author Howe.

—Tom Owens, author

Written by Susanna Reich
Illustrated by Amy Bates
Published by Abrams, 2012
ISBN 9781419701771

Susanna Reich writes like a cat. She describes the life of famous cook Julia Child in nimble feline terms. Her book Minette’s Feast doesn’t pussyfoot around. This Paris cat remained a member of the family for Child and her husband.

The author relied on Child’s own words to tell the tale of one beloved cat. The books Appetite for Life and My Life in France allow Reich to give young readers a true look at life unknown to many animals: roaming the family kitchen and tasting the fare. Beforehand, readers can relive daily Parisian life savored by Child and her husband. They dine at sidewalk cafes inhabited by dogs, cats and even pet birds.

The authentic touches will delight adult readers especially. Turning a Brussels sprout tied to a string into a toy for Minette? Vintage Child. Or, classic Reich.

Readers will be able to define French phrases presented in context, in cases like learning how to say, “A house without a cat is like life without sunshine!”  Illustrator Amy Bates shows equal talent in depicting animals and humans, a feat showcased in her 2008 picture book The Dog Who Belonged to No One. In Minette’s Feast, Bates rises to the occasion of representing an image seen often through thousands of PBS programs. Happily, many double-page spreads allow readers to see the cat being overshadowed by the oh-so-tall cook. Child’s size wasn’t always apparent in her TV appearances.

Minette the cat gets an epic double-page solo near book’s end. When Child cooks something that appears to be turkey or goose (but isn’t identified, perhaps to soothe vegetarian readers) Minette is given a bone. She rejoices and finds many ways to enjoy the morsel. Each happy gyration is described and depicted. Bates’ pencil-and-watercolor creations are the ideal ingredients for this tale.

Meanwhile, author Reich respected Child’s droll sense of humor. Not until the book’s glossary and pronunciation guide does a reader learn that Minette’s term of “poussiequette” is not true French. The author lets us decide that the Childs made their own phonetic French term to honor their cat.

Likewise, Reich reveals that Minette’s middle name of “Mimosa” came from an odd spontaneous dining choice.

The last page, in an author’s note, is the ultimate topping on the literary dish Reich creates. She tells that she met Child once. In fact, Reich made the official gift presented to Child during her 80th birthday party.

Minette’s Feast is a joyful remembrance of a beloved feline friend who inspired a culinary queen.

—Tom Owens, author

Written by Anne Frank
Edited by Otto H. Frank and Mirjam Pressler
Published by Everyman’s Library (reprint), 2012
ISBN 9780307594006

During World War II many Jews were sent to concentration camps. Many of them went into hiding so they would not be sent to the horrible camps. Anne Frank and her family are one of the most well-known families to go into hiding. While the Franks were in hiding, their youngest daughter Anne kept a diary of her experiences. She describes what it is like to be living in a strange place away from home, what it is like to hide from the government, what it is like to live with seven other people in a cramped space, and how restricted they were.

I really enjoyed The Diary of a Young Girl because of its truth and its great descriptions. Anne is writing to an imaginary person named “Kitty” and it seems as if she is writing to a good old friend. After reading this young girl’s journal you will have a different perspective on what it was like for Jews during that time.  I know I did.

—Megan Zamow, 7th Grader

Written by Marc Tyler Nobleman
Illustrated by Ty Templeton
Published by Charlesbridge, 2012
ISBN 9781580892896

Double-crossing a business partner. Plagiarism. Are those uplifting themes or storylines appealing to young readers?

Author Marc Tyler Nobleman defies the odds on both counts in his stellar, surprising Bill The Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman.

Bill Finger thought he was collaborating with artist Bob Kane on a new series for DC Comics in 1939. Kane sold the premise, taking all the credit. His contract allowed him to be recognized as sole Batman creator. Finger worked in frustrated anonymity, an angry ghostwriter.

Ironically, Nobleman discovered that Kane called the prolific Finger “the boy wonder” for all his input on the storylines. The nickname became the famed description for Robin, Batman’s youthful sidekick.

All comics need heroes. In this book, Nobleman details how Batman fans kept Finger’s little-known contributions preserved in comics history.

Nobleman’s writing style reflects comic book drama. He uses punchy puns, enjoying the names of Batman and comic writer Finger. At the same time, he infuses character into the picture book, recounting how Finger kept a “gimmick book” of facts and trivia bits for future comic books.  As a jaw-dropping complement to Nobleman‘s work, pair his super-heroic writing with the pitch-perfect illustrations of Ty Templeton. Templeton’s art looks worthy of a Batman comic book, complete with action-packed layouts. Ironically, Templeton’s extensive comic book credits include none other than Batman.

Nobleman distinguishes himself as a four-leveled talent with the book’s postscript. He sparkles as an author. Avid comic fans will agree that Nobleman is a solid historian, analyzing background art in a 1943 Batman issue for a surprising discovery. His detective work in finding sources to interview (Finger died in 1974) is an exciting as any crime-solving.

What’s left? One noble feat of activism. Nobleman finds out if Finger left any heir, and if there’d be a way that the comic co-creator’s possible offspring could receive some kind of compensation.

Be sure to read to the last page.  The revelation is a true-to-life happy ending that would make even the Caped Crusader smile.

Young readers will take new pride and ownership in their own creations after reading this book. Even more, they might wonder who some of the unsung heroes were as their favorite stories were born.

—Tom Owens, author

Written by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Illustrated by Cliff Nielsen
Published by Simon & Schuster, 2000
ISBN 9780689824753

Imagine a community where families can’t have more than two kids. Luke is the third kid in his family. Illegally. He is a shadow child. He has never been to school, never made friends or even talked to his neighbors. When Luke sees a girl’s face in the window of a new house where two kids already live, he makes a plan to find her. Will he become involved in Jen’s dangerous plan to come out of the shadows?

I really enjoyed Among The Hidden. It is a great start to the Shadow Children series. Anybody any age will keep turning the pages to this action-packed book, begging for more.

—Megan Zamow, 6th grader

Written by Lois Lowry
Published by Bantam, 2009
ISBN 9780385737166

Three books unravel in front of your eyes. The Giver and Gathering Blue come together to create the fascinating Messenger. Many twists take you throughout the amazing book. Lois Lowry allows readers to use their imaginations to guide themselves through Messenger.

Messenger takes place in a futuristic community called Village. Matty, Leader, Mentor, Jean, and Seer are the characters that are focused on most. Matty lives with Seer, a blind man, who has a daughter in another community. Matty starts noticing strange changes in Village and the people who live in it. Suddenly a huge change is made and Matty needs to find Seer’s daughter before it is too late. Lois Lowry makes it seem as if her theme is friendship and what you will do for those close to you.

I really enjoyed Messenger. It kept me interested and wanting to read more. It is that kind of book that many people would enjoy, child to adult. Lowry includes many turns in the plot and characters that many people could relate to.

Lois Lowry’s Messenger left me wondering and interested. Children and adults, boys and girls with an active imagination would like it. What will Matty find out about Village?

—Megan Zamow, 6th grader

Written by Lois Lowry
Published by Houghton Mifflin (redesigned 2012)
ISBN 9780618055814

Imagine a community where if you have even the littlest thing wrong with you, you are sent to die. That is the way it is in Kira’s community in the book Gathering Blue. It included the meaning of friendship, family, loss and injury in an entertaining plot line. Many interesting twists and turns appear in Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry.

In this companion to The Giver, Kira, a two-syllable girl loses her mother to disease and is taken to a court to see if she can live. Arguments arrive as soon as they see her useless twisted leg but stop dead in their tracks after discovering her amazing work with threads. She is sent to a wing to work on the Singer’s robe when she meets Thomas, a carpenter, Jo an orphan singer, and Matt who help her make her threads and find out what really happened to her family. She uncovers huge secrets about the community and the people who live there.

Lois Lowry created Gathering Blue in a way that kept me thinking and entertained. I would surely recommend it. My favorite part is when Kira met Jo because it made me wonder why the council was making her do the things she was and why she was doing them at such a young age.

If you are looking for a book to read, try Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry. It makes you wonder what will happen next and how people could be different than you think they are.

—Megan Zamow, 6th Grader

Written by Wendelin Van Draanen
Published by Ember (reprint), 2010
ISBN 9780375863479

Have you ever had a neighbor or classmate that just drove you completely insane? Try having both. Ever since Juli moved in on Bryce’s street Bryce hasn’t liked Juli. He looked at her yard, which was a mess, her brothers who formed a band with his sister and she raised chickens in her backyard! Juli seemed to try to annoy Bryce on purpose but really, she just wanted to be friends. Bryce treated her with absolutely no respect! Juli was a nice girl, but Bryce didn’t know that so he lost an amazing friendship!

In Van Draanen’s book Flipped all the descriptive details splatter on the page and lead up to a message that teaches not only to look beyond looks but also if there is someone who really annoys you, are they really trying to annoy you or are they trying to be your friend?

—Megan Zamow, 6th Grader