SHOE DOG

written by Megan McDonald, illus. by Katherine Tillotson, (Antheneum Books, $17.99, ISBN 978-1-4169-7932-6), 40p, Ages 3-7

"Dog wanted a home, a real home. A place full of hundreds of nose kisses, dozens of tummy rubs. A place as warm as soup and cozy as pie." The lovable puppy is adopted from the Animal Shelter by a new owner, "She, Herself", who is unaware of Dog's pesky habit. When he relentlessly searches out and chews every available shoe, punishment follows—no petting, no loving, and confinement in the basement ("The Land of Sad Puppies and Scratched-Up Cats and One-Eared Bunnies"). Undeterred, Dog continues to chew on flip-flops, sneakers, and boots, until he finds a new shoe, one that he will never chew, but love forever.

WILLIAM THE CURIOUS: Knight of the Water Lilies

written/illus. by Charles Santore, (Applesauce Press, $16.95, ISBN 978-1-60433-474-6), 40p, Ages 6-9

The Queen of the Land of Far and Wide decrees that every imperfect item in her castle is to be discarded and thrown in the moat. "William was a small green frog who lived in the moat with his brothers and sisters, and his fishy friends. William wasn't the handsomest frog in the moat, nor the largest, nor the strongest. He was, you might say, a pretty ordinary fellow." When furniture, books, garbage, and toys begin contaminating the moat, the brave little frog volunteers to confront the queen about the pollution problem. Determined in his quest, William puts on the clothes and armor of a discarded toy soldier, and carrying the moat's last surviving lily as a peace offering, fights his way past the castle guards to speak with the queen. William convinces her that little things should never be forgotten and neglected in pursuit of perfection. Realizing her mistake, the Queen promises to restore his home and knights him "Sir William, Knight of the Water Lilies, Protector of the Castle Moat." Underneath the clever tale are lessons about caring for our environment, perfection, and overcoming obstacles.

OPERATION FIREBALL: Fish Finelli

written by E. S. Farber, illus. by Jason Beene, (Chronicle Books, $15.99, ISBN 978-1-4521-1083-7), 176p, Ages 8-12

Norman (aka Fish) from Seagulls Don't Eat Pickles and cohorts, Roger, and T. J., fix up a 1970's whaler to compete in the Captain Kidd Classic boat race to beat the Viper, bully Bryce's 9.9 horsepower boat. With $9.23, the three kids dig for oysters in exchange for engine repairs, become stranded on an island with Bryce, and institute the first law in boating—help others in trouble. Fun chapter headings and informational sidebars (gravity, lightning, planing, etc.) round out this entertaining chapter book. Boys especially will enjoy this fun, entertaining, and humorous second adventure.

KNIGHTLEY & SON

written by Gavin Rohan, (Bloomsbury, $16.99, ISBN 978-1-61963-153-3), 272p, Ages 10-14

Alan Knightley, a brilliant, dedicated, but obsessive detective suddenly awakens from a four-year coma ready to take on the Combination, an ancient criminal organization responsible for his coma and all unexplained crime in the world. Escaping the hospital, Alan seeks out his 13-year-old son, Darkus, who holds the key to his stolen records. With the help of Darkus' deductive and observation skills, they unravel the mystery behind a self-help mystical book, THE CODE, tied to spontaneous criminal activity. When Alan is kidnapped, Darkus continues the investigation, narrowly avoiding death at the hands of his stepfather, who has been hypnotized by THE CODE to kill him. Conspiracy theories, high speed car chases, irrational criminal behavior, secret WW II underground railway stations, and blended family dynamics, make this Sherlock Holmes-like read a great page-turner for the start of a new father-son detective series.

THE DARK LIGHT

written by Sara Walsh, (Simon Pulse, 2012 HC $16.99, ISBN 978-1-4424-3455-4, 2013 PB $9.99, ISBN 978-1-4424-3458-5), 438p, Ages 14-18

17-year-old Mia Stone knows something strange is occurring in Crownsville where she and her brother, Jay, live with their eccentric uncle. Mysterious lights begin appearing in the sky and local boys begin to disappear. Mia is suspicious of Sol, a new student at Crownsville High School, who has a winged tattoo on his back, similar to her brother's ankle tattoo. When Jay disappears, Mia frantically tries to save him, but in the process loses her mother's antique necklace. Sol remains strangely aloof but watchful of Mia, until they are swept into the lights and cross a barrier into a parallel world of Bordertown. There, Mia discovers Sol's other life and a father she never knew. Realizing that the key to returning home revolves around the lost necklace, Mia joins Sol and his friends to search for the necklace, helps rescue the kidnapped boys, fights against the evil that threatens both worlds, and ultimately finds her destiny. Danger, romance, magic, and adventure await teens for an exciting read.