The Genius Files

Prolific author, Dan Gutman has a new book out that is sure to captivate the interest of both boys and girls. Click here to visit Dan's website. Be sure to watch the The Genius Files movie trailer. It's an unstoppable mission that your kids will love!

Kevin's Point of View

To escape the emotional turmoil of his father’s death 12-year-old Kevin Tobin has retreated inside himself, developing his imagination into a dangerous foil and a powerful ally. While he antagonizes everyone with his superhero antics, his ability to escape inside himself becomes critical to his survival after his life is once-again turned upside down a year after his father’s death. When a mysterious package arrives in the mail, Kevin and his best friend are hunted by a ruthless villain who is determined to retrieve the package, which holds the key to his plans for world domination. After enlisting Kevin’s teenage sister and her pizza-delivery boyfriend in a battle for control over time itself, the group escapes into the mountains west of Boulder, Colorado and eventually discover that Kevin’s entire existence is because of the love of someone we never expected.

Kevin's Point of View is Del Shannon's debut novel and shows a deep appreciation for the powers of imagination, family ties, and the desire of young boys to both escape reality and prove themselves within it. The fast-paced, adventure-filled storytelling style makes this a book with wide appeal for readers of all ages.

To learn more about Del and Kevin's Point of View, click here.

Owl Moon

I had a craving for Owl Moon tonight. This is a classic that I re-visit every winter. The moon has been full and shining bright over the Cascade Mountains near my home in Seattle. Below is an overview borrowed from Jane Yolen's website.

"This gentle tone poem about a father taking his daughter (yes–it’s a girl!) out owling one cold wintry night is arguably my best book. Certainly it’s my best known book. The 1988 Caldecott Medal winner for John Schoenherr’s beautiful, frosty, tender, exacting pictures, the book has been translated into nine languages, been an ALA Notable Book, a Reading Rainbow book, a Junior Literary Guild selection, and on dozens of state award lists. Though I envisioned the book in the little woods near our house, Schoenherr used his own farm in New Jersey as the setting. The father is my husband David, the child our daughter Heidi. It’s not an exact story of David taking Heidi out owling, but an amalgam of many such trips he did with all of our children. I purposefully didn’t mention the child’s gender, though the flap copy gives the secret away. Heidi is now an adult with her own daughters, Maddison Jane and Glendon Alexandria. Their grandfather–Pa–has already taken them out owling. The only paperback edition so far is the Scholastic Book Club edition, not sold in bookstores. Publishers like to keep books in hardcover as long as possible (read: as long as it’s selling well). It will be some time by that measure before “Owl Moon” goes into paperback. There are over a dozen editions in foreign languages, including French, German, Chinese, and Korean. I wrote an article for the New Advocate magazine called “On Silent Wings” in the Fall 1989 edition that tells the complete story of the making of the book and what happened on the day the Caldecott was announced. The book was one of Yankee Magazine’s 100 Classic New England Children’s Books. It was also on the 1989 Kentucky Bluegrass Master List and a 1991 North Dakota Flickertail Award nominee."

Click here to watch the video.

The Butt Book

Here's a book that will get kids laughing. The Butt Book is all you could ever expect from a book about butts. This unique picture book is clever, wonderfully illustrated, and would make a great holiday gift for most young boys. The Butt Book is by Artie Bennett, who's claim to fame is possibly be the youngest person ever to have sold a crossword to the New York Times.

Click here for The Butt Book and more on Artie.

The Sentinels

From the author of more than a dozen New York Times best sellers and his son, comes the third installment of a brand-new fantasy trilogy written just for young readers.

After dueling with a dragon and a demon, Maimun knows he must destroy the stone that has kept him on the run for most of his life. The question now is how. With Joen by his side, Maimun journeys to the Tower of Twilight to beg famed wizard Malchor Harpell for answers. But Harpell’s help comes at a steep price.

Friends become enemies. Lost secrets come to light. And deep in the shadows, the sentinels are watching, scheming to save the stone—even if it means someone must die.

Featuring the sage wisdom of R.A. Salvatore’s beloved character Drizzt Do’Urden, this final book of the Stone of Tymora trilogy is packed with action, magic, intrigue, and a heart-stopping twist that Salvatore fans won’t want to miss.

Click here to learn more about Salvatore's books.

Classic Graphic Novels

"To entertain and educate young minds by creating unique illustrated books to recount stories of human values, to arouse curiosity in the world around us, and to inspire by tales of great deeds of unforgettable people." This is Campfire's mission statement. If you have not heard of this up and coming graphic novel publisher, you can check them out by clicking here.

I love their classic title list and I believe their cutting-edge illustrations will captivate boys and draw them into the story. Graphic Novels are an innovative approach to get reluctant readers to read.

Click here to visit their Facebook page.

Mouse Deer

You know about Brer Rabbit from the southern United States. You may also know about Anansi the Spider from West Africa. These animals are called “tricksters,” because they trick other animals in the stories. There are many trickster animals around the world, and stories told about one are often told about others.

Mouse Deer is the favorite trickster of Indonesia and Malaysia, two countries of Southeast Asia. But what is a mouse deer? It is an animal about the size of a cat, and it lives in the jungles of Africa, Asia, and many Pacific islands. It has the legs and the tail of a deer, and the face and the body of a mouse—but it is not really a mouse or a deer.

The mouse deer eats only plants, but lots of animals eat the mouse deer. To stay alive, it must be quick and smart. That is why the Indonesians and Malaysians have made Mouse Deer their favorite trickster. Any of their boys or girls can tell you tales about him.

We all owe a big thanks to Aaron Shepard for bringing Mouse Deer to the Web. Aaron is the award-winning author of The Legend of Lightning Larry, The Sea King’s Daughter, The Baker’s Dozen, and many more children’s books from publishers large and small. His stories have also appeared often in Cricket and Australia’s School Magazine.

Aaron’s specialty is retelling folktales and other traditional literature from around the world. His work has been honored by the American Library Association, the National Council for the Social Studies, the American Folklore Society, the New York Public Library, and the Bank Street College of Education. His stories are enjoyed by a wide range of young readers—as well as by adults—and are perfect for reading aloud.

On the Web, Aaron maintains an extensive collection of resources for teachers, librarians, storytellers, children’s writers, parents, and kids. His site has been viewed by over seven million visitors and has drawn over 25,000 visitors a week. Among its offerings is the Web’s premier collection of free reader’s theater scripts, used in schools and libraries around the world.

An acclaimed author with real kid appeal, Aaron takes pleasure in sharing the magic of story.

To learn more about Aaron and these awesome tales, click here.