The Children's Hour - Children's Book Reviews - Middle Grades (10-12 YRS)

CHILDREN'S BOOK REVIEWS
MIDDLE GRADES (10-12 YRS)
NOTABLE BOOKS 2006

Middle Grades

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CHILDREN OF THE LAMP: THE BLUE DJINN OF BABYLON
written by P. B. Kerr, (Orchard Books, $16.99, ISBN 0-439-67021-7), 384p, Ages 9-12.
In this second book in the series, twelve-year-old twins, descended from a long line of magical genies, become more acquainted with the world of djinn culture. John and Philippa attempt to retrieve a stolen book of djinn magic, but Philippa is kidnapped by the Blue Djinn, the supreme arbiter of all djinn. With a mother who has renounced the djinn ways, it is up to their uncle, Nimrod, to rescue Philippa.

WHITE STAR: A DOG ON THE TITANIC
written by Marty Crisp, (Scholastic, Inc., $4.99, ISBN 0-439-71265-3), 112p, Ages 9-12.
A Titanic survival story about Sam Harris, a twelve-year-old traveling to reunite with his mother in America, and Star, the captain's dog. Both form a close friendship and manage to survive in the frigid waters after the ship sinks. Along with historical details, included is a map, a time line, a diagram of the ship, and brief accounts of real passengers. A great story, especially for dog lovers.

ULYSSES MOORE: THE DOOR TO TIME
written by Pierdomenico Baccalario, translated by Leah Janeczko, illus. by Iacopo Bruno, (Scholastic, Inc., $12.99, ISBN 0-439-77438-1), 240p, Ages 9-12.
An old mansion on the English coast becomes a new home to eleven-year-old twins Jason and Julia. Together with a friend, they discover Argo Manor's twisting tunnels, strange artifacts, and a mysterious locked door. The previous owner, Ulysses Moore, left behind clues and codes to unlock the ancient door, but they pull together to solve the secrets of the mansion and Ulysses strange disappearance.

ALL ABOARD! PASSENGER TRAINS AROUND THE WORLD
written/photographed by Karl Zimmermann, (Boyds Mills Press, $19.95, ISBN 1-59078-325-5), 48p, Ages 10+.
For those who love the thrill of train travel and those who should, this is a stunning pictorial adventure into the world of passenger trains. Children will discover how trains were developed, from the first horse-drawn trains in the 1830's to the comfortable and luxurious trains of today. Also presented are facts on various types of cars, the naming of trains, the ornate and simple depots, the history of Amtrak, and the great trains of Canada and Europe. How one travels makes all the difference in the world. It's also fun!

HEROES OF BASEBALL: THE MEN WHO MADE IT AMERICA'S FAVORITE GAME
written by Robert Lipsyte, (Atheneum Books, $19.95, ISBN 978-0-689-86741-5), 96p, Ages 9-12.
For those fans of the game, this is a comprehensive look at America's favorite pastime and the men who lived it. Men like Ty Cobb, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jackie Robinson, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and many more inspired generations to do their best and never quit. The endpapers feature a time line of events from 1819 to 2004 and a glossary explains various terms of the sport.

THE WRIGHT 3
written by Blue Balliett, illus. by Brett Helquist, (Scholastic Press, $16.99, ISBN 0-439-69367-5), 272p, Ages 9-12.
The two sleuths from "Chasing Vermeer" are back, this time with a friend to solve a mystery surrounding Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House in Chicago. Calder, Petra, and Tommy are sixth grade students at the University School in Hyde Park, which also owns the Robie House. When the deteriorating house is slated for renovation and ultimately destruction (cut up into pieces and sent to museums), the three detectives must piece together a puzzle, overcome opposition, and decipher the landmark's secrets. With strange sounds coming from the house, shadows behind the art-glass windows, and a moving roof, the restoration turns into a search for hidden treasure and coded messages left behind by Frank Lloyd Wright. Kids will even learn a little about history and a famous architect.

THE SECRET COUNTRY: THE EIDOLON CHRONICLES BOOK 1
written by Jane Johnson, illus. by Adam Stower, (Simon & Schuster, $14.95, ISBN 1-4169-0712-2), 256p, Ages 8-12.
At the Dodds's Pet Emporium, a talking cat persuades twelve-year-old Ben to purchase him instead of Mongolian Fighting Fish. Iggy then proceeds to tell Ben about the world of Eidolon where mythical animals are being stolen and sold as exotic pets in Ben's world. However, the imported dragons, wood sprites, unicorns, and saber-toothed tigers are becoming ill and Ben must return them to Eidolon and stop the thieves from destroying both worlds. Oh yes, it seems that Ben's very ill mother is the long-lost queen of Eidolon, which makes Ben and his sisters royalty.

THE RAVEN LEAGUE
written by Alexander Simmons/Bill McCay, (Sleuth, $10.99, ISBN 1-59514-072-7), 192p, Ages 9+.
Kicked out of the Baker Street Irregulars, a gang of urchins from the shabby East End of Victorian England, Archie Wiggins and three friends form the Raven League. They manage to uncover two murders, rescue the famous detective Sherlock Holmes, and foil a plot to kill Queen Victoria. A great introduction to Sherlock Holmes for kids who are not familiar with the famous detective.

GREGOR AND THE MARKS OF SECRET: BOOK FOUR IN THE UNDERLAND CHRONICLES
written by Suzanne Collins, (Scholastic Press, $16.99, ISBN 0-439-79145-6), 304p, Ages 9-12.
For fans of fantasy and especially the Underground Chronicles, this fourth installment draws readers deeper into an approaching war between the inhabitants of Underland. Twelve-year-old Gregor and his younger sister, Boots, return to Underland, beneath New York City, where giant talking cockroaches, bats, rats, and humans exist in an uneasy peace. It falls to Gregor, Princess Luxa, and Ripred, a renegade, cynical, but lovable rat to determine why the mice (nibblers) are disappearing. Awaiting Gregor is another prophesy that may secure the survival of the Underland civilization.

THE RUNAWAY PRINCESS
written by Kate Coombs, (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $17.00, ISBN 0-374-35546-0), 288p, Ages 10+.
King Stromgard offers his daughter's hand in marriage and half of his kingdom to any prince who can rid his land of an evil dragon, a wicked witch, and bandits (who steal from the rich and give to the poor.) The only problem is that Princess Margaret objects and has no intention of remaining sequestered in a tower until the contest is over. Instead, she decides to win the contest with the help of two good friends; a young wizard and a tough witch. This is a great tale of enchanted frogs, annoying princes, a baby dragon, a multi-eyed scarf, invisible potions, endearing bandits, and a princess who knows that she was meant for more than embroidery and frilly dresses.

GOLDEN & GREY: THE NIGHTMARES THAT GHOSTS HAVE
written by Louise Arnold, (Margaret K. McElderry Books, $15.95, ISBN 0-689-87586-X), 192p, Ages 9-12.
Tom Golden would have been a normal eleven-year-old, except that his best friend is a ghost. Grey Arthur's job, as an invisible friend, is to supply Tom with forgotten lunches and pens for class, and to keep bullies away. In this sequel to "Golden & Grey: An Unremarkable Boy and a Rather Remarkable Ghost", Grey starts a school for ghosts who are looking to begin new careers as companions to human children. Along with an assorted group of endearing and quirky ghosts, Tom and Grey must solve the mystery of why ghosts all over the world are disappearing at the hand of the collector.

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE BAKER STREET IRREGULARS: THE FALL OF THE AMAZING WALENDAS
written by Tracy Mack/Michael Citrin, (Orchard Books, $16.99, ISBN 0-439-82836-8), 192p, Ages 9-12.
For children not familiar with the world famous British detective, Sherlock Holmes, this is book one in a series of detective stories surrounding the Baker Street Irregulars, a group of orphaned streetwise urchins, who assist Mr. Holmes in solving mysteries. The Irregulars were Holmes' eyes and ears in the underworld of Victorian England. Optimistic Wiggins and compassionate Ozzie, along with their orphan friends and a gypsy girl, help Holmes probe the death of a circus troupe's tightrope walker and search for a missing jewel-encrusted book belonging to the Prince of Wales. The story is told by an unidentified source, and clues are spaced throughout the story as to the identity. This fun and action-packed mystery will please adults, even though it is written for children as an introduction to the world of Sherlock Holmes. The illustrations are excellent. Endpapers include a Cast of Characters, a Slang Glossary, instructions on Cockney Rhyming Slang, sections on "The Science of Deduction" from The Adventures of the Blue Carbuncle, and the Art of Disguise, Victorian Carriages, Coaches and Carts, and a preview of the next adventure.

FLIGHT OF THE SILVER TURTLE
written/illus. by John Fardell, (G. P. Putnam's Sons, $15.99, ISBN 0-399-24382-8), 212p, Ages 10-12.
The kids from The 7 Professors of the Far North look forward to a summer helping to build an experimental airplane in an old World War II hanger along the coast of Scotland. Little do they realize that their summer will be filled with danger, mystery, and suspense, as it involves learning to fly airplanes, scuba diving, breaking secret codes, and searching for an antigravity machine created in the 1940s. The kids and professors join an aging, eccentric inventor to defeat Noctarna, an international criminal organization intent on locating the antigravity machine, in order to rule the world. Wacky adventures, energetic characters, and fascinating inventions make this book a fun read for children and adults. Some of the intense scenes may not be appropriate for younger children.

MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH
written by Robert C. O'Brien, illus. by Zena Bernstein, (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, $18.00, ISBN 0-689-20651-8), 240p, Ages 9-12.
This beloved classic and Newbery Award winner has been reissued to celebrate its 35th anniversary. Mrs. Frisby is a widowed mouse who turns to the rats of NIMH, a breed of intelligent creatures with a high regard for morality, for help when one of her children becomes sick and she must move her family or face certain death. Mrs. Frisby finds herself flying on the back of a crow, slipping sleeping powder into a cat's dinner dish, and helping 108 unusual laboratory rats escape to a civilization of their own. Robert O'Brien has created a marvelous world in which a mother's concern for her children overpowers her fear of natural enemies. The appealing illustrations of Zena Bernstein help readers face the realization that they may never look at field mice or rats the same way.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL
written by Charles Dickens, illus. by P. J. Lynch, (Candlewick Press, $19.99, ISBN 0-7636-3120-5), 160p, Ages 10+.
This newly illustrated, unabridged edition of a classic holiday tale tells of love, goodwill, mercy, and redemption. On Christmas Eve in Victorian England, old, miserly Ebenezer Scrooge encounters three spirits: Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. Each spirit teaches him the meaning of Christmas by reviewing his past, disclosing his present, and foretelling his grim future. Can Scrooge reverse his miserable destiny and change his cold heart? Every Christmas we should try to read the timeless story that was first published in 1843. P. J. Lynch's lavish illustrations definitely enhance this spectacular edition.

WHEN SANTA FELL TO EARTH
written by Cornelia Funke, translated by Oliver G. Latsch, illus. by Paul Howard, (Chicken House, $15.99, ISBN 0-439-78204-X), 192p, Ages 9-12.
Niklas Goodfellow, the last real Santa, is the only one who stands between Gerold Geronimus Goblynch, the ruthless leader of the Great Christmas Council, and his plan to outlaw the old magical ways of Christmas. Snowmobiles have replaced reindeer, elves and angels are banned, and Santas who resist are turned into chocolate. When Niklas and his zany companions crash land in Charlotte and Ben's town, all must join forces to save Christmas. Originally published in German, children will love this story of the brave, young Santa and his friends who fight to save Christmas.

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