Category Archives: 1-2

Novel Gifts

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Our holiday gift recommendations continue with a few novels we think young readers might enjoy.

The One and Only Ivan

Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Patricia Castelao

HarperCollins, 2012

Ivan the gorilla is resigned to his life in a glass enclosure at the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. But when Ruby the baby elephant arrives, Ivan commits himself to winning a better life for her. Applegate crafts a natural and believable voice for Ivan, at once plain and poetic, and with it will break your heart (in the best possible way). And Castelao’s gentle gestures only add to the grace. Beautiful prose tells a beautiful story. Poignant, emotional and uplifting.

Shark King

Kikuo R. Johnson

Candlewick, 2012

A Hawaiian legend about a shape-shifting boy who becomes a king is just the thing for a picture-perfect beginning reader with graphic illustrations, comic book panels, word-balloon dialogue and ebullient excitement! Those familiar with the tropes of the graphic novel will appreciate the care with which they are observed, and those new to the format will enjoy its immediacy and its fun. Bright, smart and ebullient.

Code Name Verity

Elizabeth Wein

Disney-Hyperion, 2012

Shot down behind German lines during WWII, and enduring starvation and torture, Julie trades Allied secrets for prolonged safety and a few trifling comforts. Or does she? Wein’s startling novel weaves espionage, honor and indelible friendship into a gripping, revelatory package. Fierce readers will appreciate the investment required to dig through the obfuscation and retrieve a singularlygratifying literary reward. Dense, complex and thrilling.

Picture Book Gifts

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Ready or not, holiday shopping season is upon us! The Butler Children’s Literature Center has your back. In a season overcome with ill-fitting sweaters and batteries-not-included gadgets, books make the perfect gift. These titles promise afternoons full of cozy, fireplace-adjacent escape, and there’s absolutely no assembly required.

Let’s start with some picture books:

Extra Yarn

Mar Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

HarperCollins, 2012

A young girl discovers a mysterious box full of a seemingly inextinguishable volume of yarm. She knits sweaters for all of the people in her coastal village, and, with yarn to spare, knits sweaters for the buildings, the trees, and everything else stationary. An evil Archduke absconds with the magical box, but the truth will out. Barnett crafts his story with care, paying special attention to the ace with which it unfolds, and Klassen yarn-bombs the entire outing with an irresistibly cozy charm. Warm, sweet and lovely.

Z is for Moose

Kelly Bingham, illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky

HarperCollins, 2012

Zebra is staging an alphabet book and is busy corralling a cast of characters to represent the different letters. When Moose’s letter is up and Mouse takes his place, bedlam ensues, with hysterical chaos leading to a heart-warming finish. Look for the (many, many) little alphabetical details happening off stage that only add to the boisterous clamor. Hilarious, irreverent and satisfying.

Nighttime Ninja

Barbara DaCosta, illustrated by Ed Young

Little, Brown, 2012

A stealth ninja sneaks through a house at midnight in pursuit of treasure of inestimable value. Just as the prize is in his grasp, his mother flips on the lights, seizes the ice-cream and sends him back to bed. With tight formatting, sinuous prose, and a masterful match of words and pictures, this one will be requested again and again. Gorgeous, funny and irresistible.