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The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy, written by Clive Cussler, (Philomel Books2010), 176p, Ages 8-11.
In their second adventure with a magical box that transforms small objects into life-size replicas, twins Casey and Lacey Nicefolk change a model boat into a sleek powerboat to enter a race from San Francisco Bay, up the Sacramento River to the state capitol and back. Kidnapped by villains from The Adventures of Vin Fiz, they escape with the help of Hotsy Totsy, only to encounter powerful boats and owners, who will stop at nothing to win the $100,000 first prize. With a mind of its own, Hotsy Totsy overcomes great odds to compete, thwarts criminals, protects the twins from unscrupulous contestants, and becomes a hero. Excitement, adventure, and magic combine to make this second novel a winner.

The Agency: The Body at the Tower, written by Y. S. Lee, (Candlewick Press, 2010), 352 p, Young Adult.
The Agency, a female secret detective agency operating out of Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls in Victorian England, is home to Mary Quinn. In Y. S. Lee's second adventure, Mary returns with a new assignment. Disguised as an errand boy, she attempts to infiltrate and investigate the work site at St. Stephen's Clock Tower at the House of Parliament, where a worker died under suspicious circumstances and progress has slowed. Complications arise when her old partner, James Easton, returns from India after contracting malaria and is appointed the safety inspector for the building site. Together they discover widespread corruption in the form of supply thefts, blackmail, and altered record keeping. Mary struggles with her fiery relationship with James, as well as the challenge of inadequate food, wretched living conditions, a violent foreman, and reminders of her difficult childhood, secret heritage, and culture. Fascinating characters, poverty, moral issues, romance, and clever storytelling will have readers anticipating the next installment.

The Agency: A Spy in the House, written by Y. S. Lee, (Candlewick Press, 2010), 352p, Young Adult.
In an 1850's Victorian London courtroom, twelve-year-old orphan and pickpocket, Mary Quinn, is sentenced to the gallows. "Mary lifted her chin and gazed steadily into the gallery, where the spectators looked uncomfortable in the late summer heat. Only one figure—a woman dressed in light mourning, her veil rolled back—met her eyes. And winked." Rescued and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls, Mary is given a first class education. The Academy also operates an undercover investigation unit, the Agency, which recruits Mary, at seventeen, into its ranks. She is assigned to work as a lady's companion to the daughter of a prominent merchant, who is under investigation by Scotland Yard for smuggling. Mary soon discovers that underneath the wealth and prominence in society, the Thorold home contains secrets, lies, and deceptions. Joining forces with a handsome young engineer, who is also investigating the Thorold family as future in-laws, they search the gritty back streets of London, mysterious warehouses, and Asian rescue houses to uncover secrets, treachery, and murder. Along the way, Mary also discovers secrets of her own heritage. For those who love suspense, intrigue, and romance, this action-packed first novel will not disappoint.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, written by Lewis Carroll, illus. by Robert Ingpen, (Sterling Publishing, 2009), 192p, Ages 10+.
Alice's nonsensical and curious adventures begin when she follows a frantic white rabbit down a hole into a magical world called Wonderland. There she meets a Cheshire Cat, the hookah-smoking Caterpillar, a Mad Hatter, the March Hare, a Doormouse, an absurd Dodo, a Dutchess, a Gryphon, and the bossy Queen of Hearts, with whom she plays a bizarre game of croquet. Through her adventures and predicaments, where the nonsensical become the norm, Alice retains her humor, reason, and sense of justice. Robert Ingpen's artwork is fascinating and memorable. As Alice states, "and what is the use of a bookŠwithout pictures or comments?" Told to a group of children in 1862, this unabridged edition will capture the heart, mind, and imagination of children everywhere.

Alice Through the Looking-Glass, written by Lewis Carroll, illus. by Helen Oxenbury, (Candlewick Press, 2009), 208p, Ages 10+.
In the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Alice climbs through a mirror on the family's mantel and into a giant chessboard world, where it takes walking backward to get anywhere. In order to become a queen, Alice must move through sequences on the chessboard to reach the other side and return home. On her way, she meets Tweedledee and Tweedledum, Humpty Dumpty, the Lion and the Unicorn, the White and Red Queens, the White Knight, and the oyster-loving Walrus and Carpenter. Throughout all her sideways, upside down, and backward adventures, Alice maintains her sensible and analytical ways. Lewis Carroll also uses clever wordplay, symbolism, and hidden messages for older readers to enjoy.

Dear Hound, written/illus. by Jill Murphy, (Walker Books, 2010), 192p, Ages 7-10.
A lovable and loyal young deerhound feels abandoned by his master, Charlie, when left with a dog-sitter. On an outing one day, Alfie painfully encounters an electric fence and runs away into a nearby forest, where two friendly foxes, Fixit and Sunset, help him adjust to life in the wild. Learning to live in the wild and eating from dumpsters, Alfie adapts to his new life, but he never forgets Charlie and constantly hunts for a way home. Desperately missing his dog, Charlie posts signs all over town and continues to search for Alfie, with several near misses. When caught by dognappers and forced to hunt at night for illegal purposes, Alfie remembers a vow that he made with the family cat about not chasing animals. Shot while running away, Alfie crawls back to the foxes, who finally locate Charlie. The charming black and white drawings and Deerhound Details ("GARDENING: They are great hole-diggers. Once they've started a hole, they don't stop till Australia") nicely complement this heartwarming, lost-and-found story of a boy and his dog.

Emily’s Fortune, written by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, illus. by Ross Collins, (Delacorte Press, 2010), 160p, Ages 7-10.
Unexpectedly orphaned at eight-year-old, Emily is advised by kindly neighbors, Mrs. Ready, Mrs. Aim, and Mrs. Fire, to travel by stagecoach to her Aunt Hilda’s. Emily decides to leave when the Catchum Child-Catching Services tries to detain her. It seems that they will collect a bonus for delivering Emily to her next of kin, conniving Uncle Victor, who only wants her inheritance (10 million dollars). With stops every 20 miles, the five-day journey is long and uncomfortable, but with determination and persistence, Emily overlooks the grumpy passengers and bumpy ride. At a way station a fellow orphan, Jackson, gives her pointers on avoiding adults, changes her appearance to resemble a boy, and protects her from falling into Uncle Victor’s clutches. In spite of difficult traveling companions, hardships, near drowning and bandits, Emily gains strength, courage, confidence, and new friends who help her to freedom and a new life. With villains and cliffhangers galore, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor presents a fun and wild adventure with hilarious comments ending each chapter—“What in pickin’ poppies could possibly happen next?” For a great summer read, discover Uncle Victor’s destiny and what the future holds for Emily and Jackson.

Emma's Turtle, written by Eve Bunting, illus. by Marsha Winborn, (Boyds Mills Press, 2007), 32p, Ages 4-7.
Listening to his mistress's tales of faraway lands (Africa, Australia, and China), turtle decides to explore those lands beyond his backyard pen. After digging under his pen, he discovers a giant elephant leg (a huge tree stump), a leaping Australian kangaroo (a hopping frog), an Indian tiger (an orange and white striped cat), and an Indian beetle, which suspiciously resembles a U.S. beetle. "It's exciting to have the whole world here in my backyard." Exciting as it might be, turtle begins to worry that he may be lost. When Emma locates him, turtle has only ventured a few yards, but it certainly was a great adventure.

The Eraserheads, written by Kate Banks, Illus. by Boris Kulikov, (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010), 40p, Ages 4-8.
“Once there were three eraserheads: an owl, a crocodile, and a pig. They lived with a boy in the land of pencils, paper, rulers, letters, numbers, and drawings. And they had an important job. They erased mistakes.” Residing atop of the colored pencils, crocodile erases numbers, owl likes backward letters and words, and pig erases everything, except animals larger than him. Adventure begins when the boy abandons his lessons to draw an imaginary world of wild animals (some with pointy teeth, which frightens pig), oceans, roads, and bridges. By mistake, Crocodile accidentally erases the entire road, the trio is nearly drowned by a tidal wave, and wild animals chase them. Crocodile devises a clever SOS for the boy, who sketches a boat to float them to safety. Messages of friendship and cooperation for younger children and persevering through mistakes for older kids will inspire them to create their own adventures.

The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester, written by Barbara O'Conner, (Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2010), 176p, Ages 9-12.
When Owen Jester and his family move across town to live with his grandfather, Owen's days are filled with mischief and avoiding Earlene, the grumpy, no-nonsense housekeeper. Having caught the biggest bullfrog in Carter, Georgia, Owen can't resist slipping Tooley Graham into Earlene's soup. "It swam gracefully under the potatoes, pushing its froggy legs through the pale yellow broth." Owen refuses to believe that Tooley is unhappy in his cage, as nosy neighbor, Viola, constantly points out. One summer night Owen's life radically changes after hearing an object fall from a passing train. For days he and two friends, Travis and Stumpy, search for it and discover a two-person submarine, the Water Wonder 4000. As they scheme to keep the sub secret from the authorities, they are unsuccessful in concealing it from know-it-all Viola. When she threatens to tell the authorities, the boys are forced to include her in their adventure. Viola proves useful when she interprets the instructional booklet and devises a way to move the sub to a nearby pond. There they have the time of their lives under water, until the authorities find them. This summertime adventure of friendship, family, enemies, and bullfrogs begs to be read all year around.

Flight of the Silver Turtle, written/illus. by John Fardell, (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 2006), 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.

Frozen in Time, written by Ali Sparkes, (Egmont, 2010), 320p, Ages 8-12.
Resigned to spending a rainy, boring summer with their scientist uncle in his British country home, Ben and Rachel Corder accidentally discover an underground vault at the back of the garden. Inside they find Freddy and Polly Emerson (relatives) asleep and frozen in cryonic suspension since 1956 by their scientist father, who is presumed to have murdered them. The four kids recruit Uncle Jerome to help find Freddy and Polly's missing father, while eluding Russian spies, discovering long-lost government secrets, dealing with frightening after effects of the cryonic freezing, and coping with life in 2010 with its internet, cell phones, strange food, microwaves, and pop culture. Kids will enjoy this fast-paced adventure/mystery with its secret passages, hidden bomb shelter, international spies, kidnappings, missing scientists, as well as a bit of 20th century history.

The Great Monster Hunt, written by Norbert Landa, illus. by Tom Warnes, (Good Books, 2010), 32p,Ages 4-7.
“Early one morning, a funny noise woke up Duck. It sounded like, pshh pshh! And it came from right under her bed.” Afraid to investigate, Duck enlists the help of Pig, who tells Bear about the frightening sound, and Bear passes along the information to wolf. By the time Wolf tells Owl, the noise has grown to pshh pshh, bang bang, wham wham, grrrrowl, and owooooooooo. Deciding that the monster needs trapping, they gather rope, net, and pokey things, and march to Duck’s house, only to discover that the monster is only a small mouse asleep under the bed. The expressions and sense of urgency in this humorous tale of friendship and loyalty will please all.

Hurricane, written/illus by David Wiesner, (Clarion Books, 2008 Pb/CD), 32p, Ages 4-8.
As the sky grows dark and the winds begin to blow ahead of a hurricane, two boys and their parents wait out the storm inside their house. The next day the boys discover a huge fallen elm in their yard, which, with a little imagination, becomes perfect for exploring jungles, sailing the seven seas, and journeying to other planets. "Sometimes they just sat and enjoyed the view. The tree was a private place, big enough for secret dreams, small enough for shared adventure." When the tree is cut up, the boys are heart broken, but begin dreaming about the next storm on it's way and the remaining elm in their yard. Storms can be disrupting for children, but when imagination takes over, the experience can be quite an adventure.

J. A. Teddy, written/illus. by John A. Rowe, (minedition, 2006), 32p, Ages 4-7.
"Once upon a time there was a fearless Pirate called Captain Scallywag, who lived at number 14 Smith Street with his Mom and Dad." Armed with his faithful sword and trusty bear, J. A. Teddy, the young dreamer sails around the world in search of adventure. When attacked by pirates, J. A. Teddy falls overboard. Hearing all the cries for help, the Queen of Fairies tells of a far away castle, where all lost teddy bears are guarded by a giant ogre. What they find is a room full of every lost teddy bear in the world, each with a tag marked "LOST". Of course, any self-respecting scallywag would set them free. The next morning, the young boy awakes to find a small tag attached to Teddy's leg.

Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas, written by Cary Fagan, illus. by Dušan Petrcic, (Tundra Books, 2009), 112p, Ages 8-11.
“He was called Jacob Two-Two because he was two plus two plus two years old. Also, because nobody in his family ever heard him the first time, so he had to say everything two times.” Continuing Jacob’s adventures by the late Mordecai Richler, Cary Fagan moves Jacob and his family from England to Canada via the SS Spring-a-Leak. Also on board are a strange collection of passengers and crew—the acrobat Bubov Brothers, a failed toy inventor, the clueless Captain Sparkletooth, a gentle engine room operator, a talking parrot, and a traitor among them. Along with a new friend, Cindy, they uncover troubling secrets that result in their capture by bumbling pirates, who believe that gold is on board (Cindy’s pet mouse named Treasure) and force Jacob to walk the plank. Kids will enjoy the suspense, rescue, and surprising conclusion of this humorous sea-worthy tale, highlighted by marvelous black and white drawings.

Jingle the Brass, written by Patricia Newman, illus. by Michael Chesworth, (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004), 32p, Ages 4-8.
For children who love trains, this book is a must. Set in the day of steam locomotion, an engineer teaches a young boy railroad language describing the cars, freight, and people.

LionBoy, written by Zizou Corder, (Dial Books, 2004), 305p, Ages 10+.
Young Charlie Ashanti returns home to find his parents missing. He sets out from London in search of them, and with the ability to speak the language of cats, Charlie finds himself aboard a circus ship learning to train lions. Unfortunately, he seems to be one step behind his parents. This is the first of three books filled with adventure and suspense.

Louise, the Adventures of a Chicken, written by Kate Di Camillo, illus. by Harry Bliss, (HarperCollins, 2008), 48p, Ages 4-8.
The lure of adventure is so tempting for a farm-raised chicken that Louise runs away and joins the crew of a sailing ship. Captured by pirates, she is destined for the dinner menu until a storm blows in. Washed overboard, she floats to safety and returns home. Wanderlust strikes again, and Louise joins a circus as a high wire walker. By accident she falls off but uses her wings to escape the mouth of a hungry lion. Louise's final adventure finds her in a foreign country where she decides to rescue chickens that are caged against their will. Louise's thirst for adventure is fun filled and farfetched, but this brave and fearless chicken learns that although adventure is alluring, there is no place like home. Louise now lives out her days telling adventure stories to the other chickens.

Max's ABC, written/illus. by Rosemary Wells, (Viking Children's Books, 2006 HC, Puffin Books 2008 PB), 32p, Ages 2+.
In this fun alphabet book, children will enjoy Max and Ruby's latest encounter with ants. As the story begins, "Max's Ants escaped from their Ant farm. They went looking for Max's birthday cake." As the ants devour the cake, they are drenched in the cranberry juice that Max accidentally spills. With sister Ruby, the siblings try various solutions to relieve Max's itchy bites, but "The ants Loved the bath. They Laughed and splashed." Ruby vacuums them up, but the ants keep munching away inside the bag. Nothing works, until the ants become weary, and Max returns them to the ant farm for some ZZZ's. Young children will enjoy the large, bold letters on each page, the bright colors throughout, and the cute story presenting the alphabet.

MVP*: *Magellan Voyage Project, written by Douglas Evans, (Front Street, 2008), 232p, Ages 8-10.
Adam Story, a twelve-year-old computer geek, loner, and palindrome-loving kid, is challenged to play in an international contest by circling the world in forty days, without an adult, to win four million dollars. Recruited by Prince Oh from the kingdom of Babababab and producer of the MVP, Adam discovers that he is one of twenty-four entrants competing to win the Great Global Game. Adam meets all the requirements. "The ideal candidate is someone who has excellent knowledge of the world, someone who is brave but not foolhardy, cunning but not cruel, and cuts a unique path without wandering too far." Adam accepts (mom thinks that he is at summer camp), is supplied with an unlimited credit card, a cell phone, and a Global Positioning System tracking unit. There are a number of rules, danger from capture by one of the twenty-three other teams, tranquilizer darts, and unscrupulous adults. Adam crosses paths with another contestant as well as several colorful adults who are not part of the game. Skypoke Crisp, a fisherman from Finland, takes Adam into Russia along with second-hand clothes for Moscow's homeless children. Pap, a ship's cook, allows Adam passage from Hong Kong to Seattle in return for galley duty. The dastardly Baron von Sheepsbottom is another ex-royal who cheats and breaks rules to win. Adam manages to cross all twenty-four times zones and return to San Francisco with only the clothes is wearing, but does he win? Part adventure, part intrigue, part fantasy, and geography lesson, this fast-paced story and quirky characters make Adam's journey most enjoyable.

Necks Out for Adventure!: The True Story of Edwin Wiggleskin, written/illus. by Timothy Basil Ering, (Candlewick Press, 2008), 48p, Ages 4-8.
Wiggleskins (clams) have always lived by a simple rule: "Necks out to eat and necks in to hide". Unlike the other wiggleskins, Edwin is eager for adventure. When the wiggleskins are scooped up by a mysterious two-footed creature, Edwin finds courage to squeeze out of his shell and float to shore. There he discovers that the captured clams are being prepared for the horny scratcher's dinner. When Edwin is captured, he uses his squirter to escape, free the captives, and catch the next wave home. There is a happy ending for the wiggleskins but not for the nasty creature that is left scratching his head at the empty clamshells. Cheers for Edwin and the brave souls everywhere who dare to stick out their necks to help others. The humorous words (wiggleskins, horny scratcher, red-spotted scrintalberry leaf), quirky illustrations, and clever story will entertain children again and again.

A Nest for Celeste: A Story About Art, Inspiration, and the Meaning of Home, written/illus. by Henry Cole, (Katherine Tegen Books, 2010), 352p, Ages 8-12.
Celeste wants a home. Preferably, one free from mean rats and the family cat. On a Louisiana plantation, Celeste encounters a visiting naturalist, John James Audubon, and his teenage assistant, Joseph, who becomes her friend and protector, as well as providing a home in his pocket. She, in turn, helps him with his artistic sketches, while rescuing birds that Audubon captures for his drawings. For a quiet, basket-weaving mouse, adventures abound for Celeste, including a wild ride down a rain-swollen river and a flight home in a quickly made basket, carried by a friendly osprey, Lafayette. Whether in a worn boot, Joseph’s pocket, or the attic dollhouse, Celeste decides that home is where friendship, loyalty, and trust abide. Beautiful illustrations fill most of the 352 pages, and they will touch children’s hearts and imaginations, as well as the story of courage, resourcefulness, and needless animal endangerment. The Afterword describes the life of John James Audubon (1785-1851) and the events surrounding his 4-month stay at the Oakley Plantation near New Orleans, Louisiana.

On the Blue Comet, written by Rosemary Wells, illus. by Bagram Ibatoulline, (Candlewick Press, 2010), 336p, Ages 10+.
In 1929 Cairo, Illinois, the stock market crash becomes a reality to 11-year-old Oscar Ogilive. When the Great Depression follows, Oscar's widowed father loses his job, their home, and their beloved Lionel train collection. Sent to live with his strict Aunt Carmen while his father seeks employment in California, Oscar befriends a mysterious drifter and former professor of mathematics, Harold Applegate, who introduces Oscar to great literature and the theory of negative velocity or time pockets. Working as a night watchman at the First National Bank, Harold allows the boy nightly visits to his trains, especially the Blue Comet, which now reside in the bank lobby. While visiting the trains on Christmas Eve, time travel becomes a reality to Oscar, when armed robbers break into the bank and Oscar jumps into the model train layout to avoid being shot. Finding himself traveling on actual trains, Oscar crisscrosses the country during different years in search of his father and a way back home. "The diner car was filled with people. Had they somehow jumped on this train as I apparently had? Or had they come from their homes and driven to the train station in Fords and Plymouths the way all normal travelers do?" On the Golden State Limited in the year 1941, Oscar meets a young Ronald Reagan, who understands his predicament and tries to help. In 1926 on a special prototype train Oscar befriends a young runaway and convinces her to return home to New York, where he meets her tycoon father and his friends, the Kennedys, J. P. Morgan, Nelson Rockefeller, Charles Merrill, and Edward Lynch, who disbelieve his predictions of the Crash. Discover how one young man's quest becomes a magical journey to find his father, correct wrongdoings, catch criminals, collect rewards, and perhaps find a future on a California orange ranch. Kids will enjoy this wild romp through time via trains, and adults will appreciate the lessons in economics, unemployment, homelessness, and hunger. This tall tale has the added appeal of Bagram Ibatoulline's stunning illustrations throughout, as well as Rudyard Kipling's famous poem "If."

Operation Red Jericho: The Guild of Specialists Book 1, written by Joshua Mowll, illus. by Joshua Mowll, Julek Heller, Niroot Puttapipat, Benjamin Mowll, (Candlewick Press, 2005), 288p, Ages 13+.
Full of mystery, adventure, intrigue, and science fiction, teenager Rebecca and her younger brother, Doug are sent to live with their uncle following the disappearance of their parents in the remote Sinkiang region of China in 1920. Their tale begins aboard their uncle's research ship, Expedient, and continues through the streets of Shanghai as they encounter Chinese mercenaries, a pirate warlord, a Texan heiress, and a stolen cache of explosives called zoridium. By the end, they have exposed a heinous plot involving their parents and uncovered a secret society hidden from the world for hundreds of years. With cloth binding and a journal-style elastic clasp, there are sidebars, graphics, photos, newspaper clippings, a Morse code chart, diagrams of inventions, and descriptions of vessels, a secret society, and ancient fighting order of the Sujing Quantou. A great adventure novel.

Operation Typhoon Shore: The Guild of Specialists Book 2, written by Joshua Mowll, illus. by Julek Heller, Niroot Puttapipat, (Candlewick Press, 2006), 288p, Ages 11+.
Set in 1920 and continuing their adventures from Operation Red Jericho, Becca, Doug, and their uncle, Captain MacKenzie, find themselves stranded by a typhoon on a volcanic island in the South Pacific. Along with friends, Becca and Doug concentrate on locating a missing gyrolabe, solving the mysteries of the Guild of Specialists, and locating their missing parents. The art, maps, photographs, and appendixes are remarkable in detail and certainly add to the story's appeal. This is a great page-turner for kids who love Jules Verne and Indiana Jones.

The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark, written by Deborah Diesen, illus. by Dan Hanna, (Farrar, Straus Giroux, 2010), 32p, Ages 3-7.
When Mrs. Clam yawns and loses her pearl, Pout-Pout offers to retrieve it. Thus begins his brave adventure down the ocean trench to help a friend as well as conquer his fear of the deep. As he travels deeper where the light grows darker, he nervously admits, "I'm FAST as a sailfish,/I'm STRONG as a shark,/I'm SMART as a dolphin. . . ,/But I'm scared of the dark." Journeying deeper, he discovers that assistance sometimes comes from unlikely friends. With the aid of Miss Shimmer and Mr. Lantern, brave Pout-Pout finds inner courage to locate and return the missing pearl. "The ocean is wide,/And the ocean is deep,/But friends help friends—/That's a promise we keep." The illustrations, along with an entertaining story of friendship and conquering fears, will be a definite hit anytime, especially at story time.

Red Ted and the Lost Things, written by Michael Rosen, illus. by Joel Stewart, (Candlewick Press, 2009). 40p, Ages 4-7.
Left at a train station by his owner, a small bear finds himself placed in the lost property office with hundreds of other lost belongings. A stuffed crocodile informs him that they reside in the Place for Lost Things where most things never leave. After crying a bit, the two devise a clever scheme to escape and locate Red Ted's owner, Stevie. "The next morning, when the Man in the Hat came in, Red Ted hopped down off the shelf. So Crocodile hopped down off the shelf too, and together they rushed out the door." The two are joined by a cheese-loving white cat, who tracks Stevie's smelly trail. Many obstacles await the trio, including a dachshund, which Crocodile frightens off with his sharp teeth. Upon reaching home, all three are accepted into Stevie's family and given plenty of love and cheese for the cat. Where there is purpose, persistence, and a cheese-sniffing cat, success is just a matter of time.

Regards to the Man in the Moon, written/illus. by Ezra Jack Keats, (Viking Children's Books, 2009), 40p, Ages 5+.
Friends tease Louis about his father "the junkman," but his father explains that imagination can transform junk into amazing adventures. With help from his parents, Louis transforms junk into a special spaceship called "Imagination I", which Louis and a friend magically fly into outer space. "They floated past strange and wondrous things . . . and on through worlds no one had ever seen before." While gliding through space, they discover two friends, who decide to follow in a converted bathtub. When the friends become frightened during a rock storm, they lose their imagination, and Louis tows them safely home. Reissued for the fortieth anniversary of the first lunar landing, children will learn about the power of dreams and imagination. The paint and collage illustration are marvelous.

Smells Like Dog, written by Suzanne Selfors, (Little, Brown & Co., 2010), 358p, Ages 9-12.
An ordinary farm boy, twelve-year-old Homer Winslow Pudding, dreams of hunting treasure with his beloved Uncle Drake, a famous treasure hunter. Upon his uncle's accidental death, Harold inherits a basset hound, Dog, with a gold coin marked L.O.S.T. hidden in his collar. When Harold's father becomes angry with his obsession for treasure hunting, Homer leaves the family's goat farm in Milkydale, and begins a journey into The City to determine the cause of his uncle's death, solve the mystery of the gold coin, and locate a missing treasure map. With the help of an Indian cloud copter pilot, a homeless pink-haired orphan, and Dog, who posses peculiar treasure hunting abilities, Harold battles an evil and ruthless museum director and discovers a secret society of treasure hunters. Using his wits and untapped courage, this shy misfit emerges into a brave young man, who even manages to repay the town for the library that he accidentally burned down. With over-the-top humor and eccentric characters, readers and listeners will be delightfully entertained and will eagerly look forward to the next tale in this trilogy.

Stick, written/illus. by Steve Breen, (Dial Books, 2007, 40p, Ages 4+.
When a hungry young frog with an extremely long tongue zaps a passing dragonfly, he gets more than lunch. With his tongue stuck to the insect, he is pulled over the Mississippi River into New Orleans, dropped on a horse's nose, flicked into the air, made contact with a passing balloon, and asked a passing heron for help in returning home. Back in the country and still hungry, he zaps a firefly instead of a mosquito and begins to glow. With few words, this fast-paced, comical story cautions children that innocent curiosity sometimes may lead to trouble.

Straight to the Pole, written & illus. by Kevin O'Malley, (Walker & Co., 20030),
32p, Ages 4-7.
In lovely melodramatic humor a small child bravely trudges through a snowstorm on his way to the bus stop sign, only to discover that school is closed for the day. It's much nicer to play in the snow anyway.

There's Nothing to Do On Mars, written/illus. by Chris Gall, (Little, Brown and Co., 2008), 32p, Ages 4-7.
When Davy Martin's family moves to Mars in a spaceship resembling an Airstream motor home, Davy complains about nothing to do on the red planet with its freezing nights, dust storms, and no water. One day Davy and his robot dog, Polaris, decide to seek adventure. "Don't bark at the moons and be careful what you sniff-you might overload your circuits." They explore the landscape (similar to the barren Southwest), build a huge fort, and stumble across Martians who smell terrible. Davy and Polaris accidentally find a source of water, which suddenly explodes and sends water gushing through canyons and riverbeds to the oceans, thus changing the planet forever. Everyone was happy to have water, especially the Martians. However, the planet becomes overpopulated as more people arrive, and Davy's parents decide to move to Saturn. This is a great book, especially for children whose families are moving. There is also the excitement and anticipation of unknown adventures in foreign places.

The Thief Lord, written/illus. by Cornelia Funke, (Chicken House, 2010), 376p, Ages 9-14.
An abandoned movie theater, a magical carousel, a soft-hearted disguise-obsessed detective, two orphaned run-away brothers, evil relatives, a greedy shop owner, a kind photographer, and street children under the care of a cocky young thief combine to make this tale one of the most fascinating in print. After their mother's death, twelve-year-old Prosper and five-year-old Bo run away to Venice and try to avoid their aunt, uncle, and a detective, hired to locate them. In Venice, they join street children, who live in an old abandoned theatre under the protection of a youth called the Thief Lord. When offered a job by a nasty shop owner on behalf of his mysterious client, the Thief Lord and kids search for a missing carousel lion's wing. According to legend, the wing belonged to a lion, one of four animals attached to a magical merry-go-round, donated to an orphanage by a wealthy Venice merchant 150 years earlier. "People said that a few turns on the merry-go-round of the Merciful Sisters made adults out of children and children out of adults." The missing wing now belongs to a Venice photographer, who joins the children in hunting for the magical carousel. Find out whose lives are altered by riding it, how the children find a permanent home, and if the young Thief Lord finds happiness. Now in paperback, endpapers contain interesting information and facts about the lovely city of Venice.

Tumtum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall, written by Emily Bearn, illus. by Nick Price, (Little, Brown & Co., 2009), 512p, Ages 6-9.
In the dilapidated British home of Arthur and Lucky Mildew and their father, reside a pair of non-adventurous mice, Tumtum and Nutmeg. Their residence, in a forgotten broom closet, is as magnificent as the Mildew's house if forlorn. Tumtum and Nutmeg live quietly, until they secretly help put Rose Cottage in order by rewiring heaters, darning socks, reworking Mr. Mildew's non-functioning inventions, patching shoes, and making the dollhouse livable. From then on adventures ensue. In each of the three stories, with the help of the mouse community, they rescue friends, defeat enemies, emerge victorious, and make their world a better place in which to live. On a visit to the Mildews, mouse-hating Aunt Ivy spots the mice, tries to poison even-tempered Tumtum, and a full-scale attack is lead by General Marchmouse and his mouse battalion. Miss Tiptoes and her pogo-bouncing ballerinas help rescue the General and his gerbil cage mates in Arthur's classroom. When greedy rat pirates kidnap Tumtum and Nutmeg, they consume liqueur-filled chocolates provided by Arthur and Lucy as a ransom, and the two escape on the rat's pirate ship. Children will enjoy the delightful details, realize that greed and selfishness has a consequence, appreciate the loyalty and friendship of the mouse community, and hopefully look forward to more adventures of two decidedly unadventurous mice.

The Valley of Secrets, written by Charmian Hussey, illus. by Christopher Crump, (Simon & Schuster, 2003 HC, 2006 PB), 400p, Ages 12+.
Teenager Stephen Lansbury, raised in a London orphanage, receives a letter informing him of an inheritance from his long-lost great-uncle, Theodore. Lansbury Hall, a vast estate in Cornwall, sparks Stephen's inquisitive and curious nature as he begins to explore and question the unusual greenery and seemingly empty mansion. A story within a story commences when the boy examines Theodore's journal of 1911 surrounding an exploration into the Amazon Jungle, friendship with a tribe of Indians, and the discovery of exotic plants and creatures, some of which returned with Theodore. Mixing fantasy, mystery, and ecological elements, this unique tale of finding one's place in the world, friendship, and environmental concerns is recommended for sophisticated and sensitive readers and listeners, but will be well worth the time invested, especially with a cast of bugwomps, tigerwomps, and Murra-yari, the old Amazon Indian caretaker.

We're Going on a Bear Hunt, written by Michael Rosen, illus. by Helen Oxenbury, (McElderry Books, 2009), 40p, Ages 4-8.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, this classic tells of a brave father, his four children, and pet dog, who find adventure in hunting a bear. "We're going on a bear hunt. /We are going to catch a big one. /What a beautiful day! /we're not scared." Whenever they experience an obstacle, they declare, "We can't go over it. /We cannot go under it. /Oh, no! / We've got to go through it!" Running, climbing, crawling, and trudging through grass (swishy swashy), cold water (splash splosh), mud (squelch squerch), and a snow storm (hoooo wooo), they stumble upon a dark cave, inhabited by an unfriendly bear. Quickly retracing their steps (followed by the bear), they hurry home, bare the door, and hide under the covers, exclaiming no more bear hunts. The final scene depicts the bear tromping home to his cave. Children will love the clever language and good-natured antics of a family determined to experience adventure.

White Star: A Dog on the Titanic, written by Marty Crisp, (Scholastic, Inc., 2006), 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.

The Wizard of Oz, written by L. Frank Baum, illus. by Charles Santore, (Sterling Publishing, 2009), 96p, Ages 7+.
Originally published in 1900, this enduring classic tells of a Kansas cyclone that transports a girl, her dog, and house to a magical land called Oz, where she begins an unforgettable journey to return home to Kansas. When her house lands on the Wicked Witch of the East, her sister, the Wicked Witch of the West, becomes a powerful enemy. Dorothy is advised to traverse the yellow brick road to the City of Emeralds and ask the Great Wizard for help. On her way, she meets three special friends, who also seek help: a stuffed Scarecrow in need of a brain, a rusty Tin Woodsman looking for a heart, and the cowardly Lion searching for courage. Through blue Munchkin land, over poisoned poppy fields, into the sparkling Emerald City, sidetracked by a Wicked Witch of the West and her winged monkeys, Dorothy and friends finally reach the Wizard, only to discover that he cannot help. The story is condensed, rather than adapted or retold, to accommodate Charles Santore's sixty stunning watercolor illustrations. However, the heart, brain, and courage of the story remain for children of another generation to enjoy. The Introduction, written by Michael Patrick Hearn, leading authority on L. Frank Baum, explains the making of this unforgettable classic, which should be an essential addition to all home libraries.

Yikes!!!, written & illus. by Robert Florczak, (The Blue Sky Press, 2003), 32p, Ages 4+.
An adventurous young boy meets some very dangerous but fascinating animals, insects, and spiders in a wide range of habitats. The back of the book contain interesting facts about these creatures.

Zoom, written by Tim Wynne-Jones, illus. by Eric Beddows, (Groundwood Books, 2009), 96p, Ages 3-7.
Three of the popular Zoom stories are presented in a marvelous anthology about a remarkable white cat, who yearns for adventure. In Zoom at Sea, after discovering a map in his uncle’s diary with directions to the ocean, Zoom arrives at the home of a special woman. Maria turns wheels and levers that open rows of small doors to let in the sea where a boat awaits to take Zoom on a nautical adventure. Zoom Away finds Zoom traveling to the North Pole in search of his seafaring uncle. Through ice-covered halls and snowy hallways in Maria’s mansion, Zoom crawls through a tiny door leading to “The Northwest Passage” where he finds his uncle’s ice-locked, abandoned ship “The Catship,” and a note explaining, “My crew and I have boarded a passing iceberg and are heading south.” In the final tale, Zoom Upstream, upon finding Maria’s note, “It’s the captain. Had to go. No time to lose!” Zoom climbs into Maria’s magical bookshelf and follows stairs made of books to an underground river that flows to ancient Egypt. There he rescues Maria from spooky Egyptian cats. Following silver buttons left by Uncle Roy, they join his next adventure in search of the source of the Nile. The award-winning drawings convey a perfect sense of mystery, intrigue, and adventure to these clever tales, and will have children yearning for more stories.