HOPPER AND WILSON FETCH A STAR

written/illus. by Maria van Lieshout, (Philomel Books, $16.99, ISBN 978-0-399-25772-8), 40p, Ages 3-6

Hopper and Wilson's second adventure finds them sitting on their dock contemplating the nighttime stars and deciding that one would make a great night-light or lantern. They fold their paper airplane, fill it with lemonade, pack their flag, take a snack, hug their pet cactus good-bye, and soar into the sky to fetch the perfect star. Deciding on a star proves difficult, as some are too dim, pointy, or sparkly. Arriving on the moon, Hopper takes a nap, while Wilson walks around to the dark side and becomes lost. "Wilson looked up. One star shone brighter and clearer than all the others did. Wilson swallowed his tears. 'That's our star!' His little legs darted across the dark side … to the bright side of the moon. And back to Hopper." Both decide that the stars should stay in the sky, and be enjoyed from home with their pet cactus. The gorgeous illustrations of the night sky will give children a sense of the wonder of creation.

E-I-E-I-O: How Old MacDonald Got His Farm (With a Little Help from a Hen)

written by Judy Sierra, illus. by Mathew Myers (Candlewick Press, $16.99, ISBN 978-0-7636-6043-7), 32p, Ages 4-7

Suburban homeowner, Old MacDonald tires of mowing the lawn and invests in grass-eating animals. "The goat just nibbled at the edges. / Then she ate MacDonald's hedges! / Soon the plot began to thicken: / Old MacDonald got a chicken." A smart Little Red Hen arrives with an agricultural diploma, a "Resume of Horticultural Fowlishness," and architectural plans for transforming the backyard into an organic farm. Layers of cardboard, paper, and mud are applied, which lead to protests from the neighbors about the smell. When manure for a worm farm and garbage are added, the protests escalate. Neighbors hold a protest rally with signs ("A LAWN IN EVERY YARD," "CHANGE IS BAD," "WATER LAWNS NOT DIRT!") Seeds are planted, vegetables grow, and eggs are collected, as well as honey from beehives. Soon Old MacDonald has a proper organic farm, and everyone reaps a harvest of good food. E-I-E-I-O! ("Enjoy It! Everything Is Organic!)" Underneath the humor, kids are shown the possibilities of organic suburban farming.

UNDER THE EGG

written by Laura Marx Fitzgerald, (Dial Books, $16.99, ISBN 978-0-8037-4001-3), 256p, Ages 9-13

When 13-year-old Theodora Tenpenny's grandfather dies in a freak accident on a busy New York City street, she inherits $463 and becomes responsible for the welfare of her unreliable mother and their ramshackle Greenwich Village townhouse. With her dying grandfather's message "to look under the egg" for a letter and treasure, Theo finds a painting above the fireplace mantel depicting an egg, but an accidental spill of rubbing alcohol reveals a hidden, perhaps valuable Raphael Renaissance masterpiece. Theo's search for its authenticity takes her to the New York Public Library, the fancy Upper East Side, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Center for Jewish History, and Holocaust survivors. Along the way, she discovers her grandfather's World War II military past involving stolen antiquities. With his past employment as security guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Theo worries that the painting may be stolen. Help comes from new and old friends, the daughter of famous actors, a punk-rock librarian, an Episcopalian priest, a street vendor, and many more. Secrets are unearthed, mysterious pasts are uncovered, and lost Holocaust children are revealed. Kids will learn about art history, renovation techniques, and research technology, encounter quirky characters, and root for an intrepid intelligent, self-reliant heroine to locate her family's treasure.

JUNGLE OF BONES

written by Ben Mikaelsen, (Scholastic Press, $16.99, ISBN 978-0-545-44287-9)224p, Ages 10-13

Sullen, rebellious, and angry over his father's death as a war correspondent in Dafur, seventh-grader Dylan Barstow crosses the line with his mom, when he steals a junkyard car and "cuts donuts" in a farmer's field. His ex-marine uncle steps in to teach Dylan respect and discipline by taking him to Papua New Guinea for the summer in search of the World War II B-17 bomber wreckage of the Second Ace that his grandfather flew and escaped as the only survivor. There, they join other members of the team and journey through humid, steamy, and dangerous jungles filled with malaria, headhunters, crocodiles, snakes, and leeches. When Dylan intentionally leaves the group, he loses his way, encounters a poisonous snake, suffers malaria, and incurs gangrene. He finally regrets throwing the malaria pills away, realizes the importance of listening to adult advice, and experiences a huge attitude adjustment. How Dylan discovers the wreckage, survives, confronts his past, and finally understands the value of freedom will connect with kids who enjoy fast-paced adventure and survival stories.

THE SHADOW PRINCE

written by Bree Despain, (Egmont, $18.99, ISBN 978-1-60684-247-8), 496p, Ages 14-18

This retelling of the Hades and Persephone mythological tale finds two teenagers wrestling with family issues, destinies, and a growing attraction to each other. Haden, a disgraced prince of the Underworld, is chosen to travel to the human world to lure Daphne, a strong-willed musical prodigy, into returning with him in order to restore immortality to his dying kingdom. Their destinies are bound together, but their personalities (overbearing versus fiercely independent) often clash. Finding themselves working together to fight evil from the Underworld, they discover a mutual talent for music, realize common family issues, and experience a growing and changing relationship. From car chases, family dynamics, near-death experiences, and lethal Underworld creatures, to war between the gods, and prophesies, Haden and Daphne struggle to rewrite their destinies and change the fate of two worlds. Readers, who enjoy heroes, quests, mythology, adventure, mystery, and cliff-hanging endings, will love this first book in a planned trilogy.