Best of 2009

Selected by:
Mary Slamin, Sandra Hile & Gail Fell

JP Juvenile Picture Books

(Read Aloud Stories)

JP Adler, Victoria. All of Baby Nose to Toes. Dial Books for Young Readers. From eyes to ears, tummy to nose, legs to toes, there's a lot for baby to discover--and even more for a family to love.

JP Toddler Alda, Arlene. The Book of ZZZs. Tundra Books. Pigs and puppies, cats and meerkats, babies and grown-ups--all creatures sleep and share the same need for comfort, safety, and renewal.

JP Anderson, Laurie Halse. The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School. Simon & Schuster. A young girl's talented but untamed tresses do not impress her strict first-grade teacher, who has rules for everything, including hair.

JP Brallier, Jess M. Tess's Tree. Harper. When nine-year-old Tess invites her friends, family, and neighbors to celebrate her beloved maple tree's life before it must be cut down, she learns that it has meant a lot to other people, as well.

JP Caswell, Deanna. First Ballet. Disney Hyperion Books. In this beautiful picture book, the author and illustrator conspire to recreate all the joy and wonder of the first theatrical experience, for children to relive again and again.

JP Toddler Celeen, Vicky. Baby Nose to Baby Toes. Random House. What do babies and little animals have in common? They are lovable from head to toe!

JP Cronin, Doreen. Stretch. Atheneum Books. The potbellied canine from Wiggle and Bounce learns a new move in this colorful definition (and redefinition) of the word stretch.

JP Cruise, Robin. Bartleby Speaks! Farrar, Straus and Giroux. As he grows from infancy to three-years of age, Bartleby Huddle remains quiet, not speaking a word, until the day Grampy Huddle arrives and discovers the solution.

JP Dodd, Emma. I Don't Want a Posh Dog. Little, Brown and Company. A girl describes in rhyming text the types of dogs she does not want, and finally arrives at a dog that she can call her own.

JP Feiffer, Kate. My Mom Is Trying to Ruin My Life. Paula Wiseman Book. A young girl describes all the ways in which her mother and father conspire to ruin her life.

JP Fox, Mem. Hello Baby! Beach Lane Books. A baby encounters a variety of young animals, including a clever monkey, a hairy warthog, and a dusty lion cub, before discovering the most precious creature of all. Paper illustrations by Steve Jenkins.

JP Fucile, Tony. Let's Do Nothing. Candlewick Press. Frankie and Sal have run out of things to do: "We've played every sport ever invented" and "baked enough cookies to feed a small country--" Then Sal hits upon a solution: "Let's do nothing!" How hard could that be?

JP Gay, Marie-Louise. When Stella was Very, Very Small. Groundwood Books. When Stella was very small, she saw the world in her own unique way - with wonder, curiosity, and the sense that everything is possible.

JP Gershator, Phyllis. Zoo Day, Ole: a counting book. Marshall Cavendish. Abuelita takes her two grandchildren to the zoo. They have fun counting everything they see.

JP Gourley, Robbin. Bring Me Some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie: A Story About Edna Lewis. Clarion Books. Edna gathers fruits, berries, and vegetables from the fields, garden, and orchard on her Virginia farm and turns them into wonderful meals. Includes recipes and facts about the life of Edna Lewis, a descendant of slaves who grew up to be a famous chef.

JP Hamilton, Kersten. Police Officers on Patrol. Viking. Illustrations and brief rhyming text depict police officers responding to a variety of situations, from a broken traffic light to a robbery.

JP Havill, Juanita. Just Like a Baby. Chronicle Books. Delighted by the arrival of baby Ellen, extended family members describe their plans for the young one, from becoming a fisherman to playing the saxophone, but baby Ellen prefers other activities.

JP Heide, Florence Parry. Princess Hyacinth: the surprising tale of a girl who floated. Schwartz Wade Books. Princess Hyacinth is unhappy sitting in her palace every day because, unless she is weighed down by specially-made clothes, she will float away. Her days are made brighter when kite-flying Boy stops to say hello.

JP Henkes, Kevin. Birds. Greenwillow Books. Fascinated by the colors, shapes, sounds, and movements of the many different birds she sees through her window, a little girl is happy to discover that she and they have something in common.

JP Hest, Amy. Little Chick. Candlewick Press. A collection of three stories in which Little Chick learns how to deal with life's disappointments with the help of his beloved auntie.

JP Hopgood, Tim. Wow! Said the Owl. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. A curious little owl decides to stay awake to find out how the things he sees at night look during the daytime.

JP Horowitz, Dave. Duck Duck Moose. G. P. Putnam and Sons. Moose loves the Great North Woods. He doesn't usually go south for the winter, but with Bear off hibernating and the Pancake Hut closing until spring, he figures he might as well take the great schlep with Duck and Other Duck. The trio ends up in the exotic land of Florida, and Moose is forever dazzled.

JP Javernick, Ellen. The Birthday Pet. Marshall Cavendish Children. Danny can have a pet for his birthday and he knows exactly what he wants, but the other members of his family think differently.

JP Long, Loren. Otis. Philomel Books. When a big new yellow tractor arrives, Otis the friendly little tractor is cast away behind the barn, but when trouble occurs Otis is the only one who can help.

JP Low, William. Machines go to Work. Holt. Toddlers love machines and things that go, and this book gives them everything they want, from a cement mixer to a helicopter to a backhoe.

JP Mahy, Margaret. Bubble Trouble. Clarion Books. When little Mabel's bubble gets away from her, it's her baby brother who gets into trouble. Soon he's floating out of the house, above the fence, and all over town!

JP Marlow, Layn. Hurry Up and Slow Down. Holiday House. Hare likes to hurry through the day, unlike Tortoise, but manages to slow down for his favorite bedtime story.

JP McPhail, David. Weezer changes the world. Beach Lane Books. After an ordinary puppyhood, Weezer develops extraordinary skills that make him a major influence in the world.

JP Mortenson, Greg. Listen to the Wind: the Story of Dr. Greg & Three Cups of Tea. Dial Books for Young Readers.

JP Na, Il Sung. A Book of Sleep. Alfred A. Knopf. While other animals sleep at night, some quietly and others noisily, some alone and others huddled together, a wide-eyed owl watches.

JP Orgel, Doris. Doctor All-knowing: a folk tale from the Brothers Grimm. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, The Brothers Grimm had rarely told so droll a tale as this little-known one, about a woodcutter too poor to feed his daughter, and the advice he receives from a local physician.

JP Patricelli, Leslie. Higher! Higher! Candlewick Press. A little girl plays on a swing. With Daddy pushing, up, up, up she goes to new heights of fun and fantasy.

JP Pinkney, Jerry. The Lion & the Mouse. Little, Brown & Company. In this wordless retelling of an Aesop fable, an adventuresome mouse proves that even small creatures are capable of great deeds when he rescues the King of the Jungle.

JP Rawlinson, Julia. Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms. Greenwillow Books. When Fletcher the fox finds the ground covered in white, he rushes to warn the other animals that spring snow has fallen, but when they follow him back to the meadow they find something much more fun.

JP Rodman, Mary Ann. Surprise Soup. Viking. When Kevie's mother has a baby, Kevie, his older brother, and their father make soup for when the new baby comes home.

JP Rosenthal, Amy K. Duck! Rabbit! Chronicle Books. Is it a duck? Is it a rabbit? You decide!

JP Scanlon, Liz Garton. All the World. Beach Lane Books. A circle of family and friends shows the importance of all things, great and small, as readers follow them through a day, from morning until night.

JP Schwartz, Amy. Tiny & Hercules. Roaring Brook Press. Five short stories about the lives of two unusual friends: Tiny, an elephant with a fear of ice skating and a newfound love of knitting, and Hercules, a mouse with a heart of gold and a desire to learn to paint.

JP Shapiro, Zachary. We're All in the Same Boat. G. P. Putnam's Sons. After being on the ark for months and months, the ants get antsy, the bees bored, and the llamas livid, and Noah must find a way to make everyone get along.

JP Toddler Sirett, Dawn. My First Things That Go: Let's get moving! DK Publishing. "From tough diggers to speedy trains, this is the perfect busy-vehicle book for parents and toddlers to share.

JP Wellington, Monica. Riki's Birdhouse. Dutton Children's Books. Riki, who loves to watch, feed, and listen to the birds that come to his garden, decides to build a birdhouse. Riki shares his birdhouse plans with the reader.

JP Willems, Mo. Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed. Hyperion Books for Children. Wilbur, a naked mole rat who likes to wear clothes, is forced to go before the wise community elder, who surprises the other naked mole rats with his pronouncement.

JP Williams, Karen Lynn and Khadra Mohammed. My Name is Sangoel. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. As a refugee from Sudan to the United States, Sangoel is frustrated that no one can pronounce his name correctly until he finds a clever way to solve the problem.

JP Yolen, Jane. The Seeing Stick. Running Press Kids. It seems that no one can help blind Hwei Min, the only daughter of the emperor of China, see. Then, one day a wise old man with a mysterious seeing stick visits the princess. Will he be able to teach Hwei Min that there is more than one way to see the world?

JP Zuckerman, Andrew. Creature ABC. Chronicle Books. With two striking portraits for each creature, this book offers a unique, up-close view of the animal kingdom.

JE Juvenile Easy Readers

(Beginning Reader)

JE Becker, Bonny. A Birthday for Bear. Candlewick Press. Despite Bear's efforts to ignore his birthday, Mouse will not rest until his friend celebrates.

JE Howe, James. Houndsley and Catina: Plink and Plunk. Candlewick Press. Houndsley likes canoeing and his friend Catina likes bicycling, but each has to help the other learn to enjoy these activities in order to do them together.

JE Holub, Joan. Shampoodle. Random House. Rhyming text describes a dog grooming establishment on picture day and the uproar some curious kittens cause when they try to explore.

JE Silverman, Erica. Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Horse in the House. Harcourt Children's Books. When Cocoa decides to explore the house, Cowgirl Kate has a hard time convincing him he must return to the barn.

JE Willems, Mo. Watch Me Throw the Ball! Hyperion Books for Children. Gerald the elephant tries to tell Piggie that ball-throwing is serious business, but Piggie just wants to have fun.

JYR Juvenile Young Readers

(1st & 2nd Grade Reader)

JYR Applegate, Katherine. Roscoe Riley Rules #5: Don't Tap-Dance on Your Teacher. Harper Collins. Roscoe cannot wait to tap dance in the school talent show until some older boys make fun of him and say that tap dancing is just for girls.

JYR DiCamillo, Kate. Mercy Watson: Something Wonky This Way Comes. Candlewick Press. Mercy Watson, eveyone's favorite pig, leads the way in this hilarious romp featuring movies, mayhem and hot buttered popcorn.

JYR Mills, Claudia. How Oliver Olson changed the world. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Afraid he will always be an outsider like ex-planet Pluto, nine-year-old Oliver finally shows his extremely overprotective parents that he is capable of doing great things without their help while his class is studying the solar system.

JYR Wight, Eric. Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom. Simon & Schuster. Fourth-grader Frankie Piccolini has a vivid imagination when it comes to cleaning his disastrously messy room, but eventually even he decides that it is just too dirty.

J Juvenile Fiction

(Novels / Stories 3rd Grade & Higher)

J DiCamillo, Kate. The Magician's Elephant. Random House. When ten-year-old orphan Peter encounters a fortune teller in the marketplace one day and she tells him that his sister, who is presumed dead, is in fact alive, he embarks on a remarkable series of adventures as he desperately tries to find her.

J Gifford, Peggy. Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Practicing the Piano (but she does not love being in recitals). Schwartz & Wade Books. On the day of her recital, ten-year-old Moxy prepares in her usual flamboyant way, which creates chaos at home

J Korman, Gordon. Zoobreak. Scholastic Press. After a class trip to a floating zoo where animals are mistreated and Savannah's missing pet monkey is found in a cage, Long Island sixth-grader Griffin Bing and his band of misfits plan a rescue.

J Leal, Ann Haywood. Also Known As Harper. Henry Holt and Company. Writing poetry helps fifth-grader Harper Lee Morgan cope with her father's absence, being evicted, and having to skip school to care for her brother while their mother works, and things look even brighter after she befriends a mute girl and a kindly disabled woman.

J Marino, Nan. Neil Armstrong is my Uncle and Other Lies Muscle Man Mcginty Told Me. Roaring Brook Press.

J McKinnon, Hannah Roberts. Franny Parker. Farrar Straus Giroux. Through a hot, dry Oklahoma summer, twelve-year-old Franny tends wild animals brought by her neighbors, hears gossip during a weekly quilting bee, befriends a new neighbor who has some big secrets, and learns to hope.

J Polacco, Patricia. January's Sparrow. Philomel Books. After a fellow slave is beaten to death, Sadie and her family flee the plantation for freedom through the Underground Railroad.

J Ritter, John H. The Desperado who Stole Baseball. Philomel Books. In 1881, the scrappy, rough-and-tumble baseball team in a California mining town enlists the help of a quick-witted twelve-year-old orphan and the notorious outlaw Billy the Kid to win a big game against the National League Champion Chicago White Stockings.

J Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. Wendy Lamb books. As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

J Tarshis, Lauren. Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love. Dial Books for Young Readers. Seventh-grader Emma-Jean Lazarus uses her logical, scientific mind to navigate the mysteries of the upcoming Spring Fling, her friend Colleen's secret admirer, and other love-related dilemmas.

J Graphc Novel

J Graphic Bliss, Harry. Luke on the Loose. Raw Junior. A young boy's fascination with pigeons soon erupts into a full-blown chase around Central Park, across the Brooklyn Bridge, through a fancy restaurant, and into the sky.

J Graphic Krosoczka, Jarrett J. Lunch Lady and the Cyborg Substitute. The school lunch lady is a secret crime fighter who uncovers an evil plot to replace all the popular teachers with robots.

J Juvenile Nonfiction

(Subject Books)

J 305.23 O. O'Brien, Tony and Mike Sullivan. Afghan Dreams: young voices of Afghanistan. Bloomsbury Children's Books. While in war-ravaged Afghanistan, photojournalist O'Brien and his brother-in-law Sullivan met and photographed several children. This work includes profiles 30 children, presented in their own words, plus a map and background about the country.

J 323.11 P. Partridge, Elizabeth. Marching for Freedom: walk together, children, and don't you grow weary. Viking. Tells the unsettling but uplifting story of the Selma March in 1965, using the voices of those who participated as children and teenagers. Their stories detail voter discrimination & the subsequent meetings & protests that culminated in the famous march.

J 327.67 D. Deedy, Carmen Agra. 14 Cows For America. Peachtree Publishers. Fourteen cows in all, from one tiny Kenyan village, prove that hope and friendship can cross all boundaries.

J 332.4 A. Adler, David A. Money Madness. From bartering, early forms of currency, credit cards, and digital payment, here is a clear and thorough introduction to money.

J 371.82 W. Winter, Jeanette. Nasreen's Secret School: a true story from Afghanistan. Beach Lane Books.

J 395.54 P. Post, Peggy. Emily Post's Table Manners for Kids. Collins Books. This cleverly illustrated guide to eating without grossing people out teaches you everything you need to know to get you through any meal.

J SPA 468 R. Rivera, Guadalupe. My Papa Diego and Me: Memories of My Father and His Art. Children's Book Press. In this bilingual memoir, Guadalupe Rivera Martin shares some of her childhood memories of the world-renowned artist who happened to be her father, Diego Rivera.

J SPA 468 T. Tafolla, Carmen. What Can You Do with a Paleta? Que puedes hacer con una paleta? Tricycle Press. A young Mexican American girl celebrates the paleta, an icy fruit popsicle, and the many roles it plays in her lively barrio.

J 523.2 B. Benson, Michael. Beyond: A Solar System Voyage. Abrams Books for Young Readers.

J 591.4 B. Baines, Becky. What's in that Egg?: A Book About Life Cycles. National Geographic Kids.

J 591.47 S. Schwartz, David M. and Yael Schy. Where else in the wild? More Camouflaged creatures concealed...and revealed. Tricycle Press.

J 591.65 J. Jenkins, Steve. Never smile at a monkey* Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. When it comes to wild animals, everyone knows that there are certain things that one should not do. Readers find out what they should "never" do if they encounter one of these surprisingly dangerous animals.

J 591.96 H. Haas, Robert B. African Critters. National Geographic. Come along as wildlife photographer Robert Haas takes you on a thrilling safari through the wilds of Africa.

J 595.78 B. Bishop, Nic. Butterflies and Moths. Scholastic Nonfiction. Nic Bishop takes the most amazing nature photographs. See butterflies and moths like you've never seen them before.

J 599.2 B. Bishop, Nic. Marsupials. Scholastic Nonfiction. Such animals as quolls and pademelons live on the continent of Australia, along with kangaroos, koalas, and many other marsupials. With breathtaking full-page images, including a double-gatefold spread, Bishop introduces the beauty and diversity of these amazing animals.

J 599.67 B. Buckley, Carol. Tarra & Bella: the Elephant and Dog who became Best Friends. G. P. Putnam's Sons. Spotlights the true-life friendship between Tarra, a retired circus elephant, and one of the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary's stray dogs, Bella.

J 599.75 M. Montgomery, Sy. Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition Among Snow Leopards in Mongolia. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. A pale, spotted, almost cloud-like coat makes the snow leopard uncannily invisible in its rocky mountain habitat. Author Sy Montgomery and photographer Nic Bishop accompany conservationist Tom McCarthy and his team as they travel to Mongolia's Altai Mountains to gather data about snow leopard populations in an attempt to save this endangered species.

J 599.77 P. Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw. When the Wolves Returned: restoring nature's balance in Yellowstone. Walker. The informative dual-level text and spectacular full-color photographs show the wolves in the natural habitat that was almost lost without them.

J 599.88 L. Laman, Tim. Face to Face with Orangutans. National Geographic. Another in the beautifully photographed National Geographic Face to Face series.

J 612 O. Open Me Up: everything you need to know about the human body. DK Publications.

J 629.45 B. Burleigh, Robert. One Giant Leap. Philomel Books. Burleigh transports readers to the stars, where they will experience the moon landing just as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin did.

J 636.08 L. Karson, Kirby and Mary Nethery. Two Bobbies: a true story of Hurricane Katrina, friendship and survival. Walker. Bobbi and Bob Cat are the best of friends. When their hometown of New Orleans was struck by Hurricane Katrina, many lost everything. But not Bobbi and Bob Cat--they still had each other.

J 641.51 B. Beery, Barbary. Spa Princess Cookbook. Gibbs Smith. All the recipes you need for both sensational spa treatments and delicious edible treats. Soak in a Milk Chocolate Milk Bath or sip a Peachy Keen Princess Smoothie.

J 808.81 C. Come and Play:Children of our world having fun. Bloomsbury. Photographs of children from different countries accompanied by an American school child's poem comprise this book. This is a lovely browsing book, beautifully and spaciously designed, that should appeal to both children and adults.

J 811.52 H. Hughes, Langston. My People. Ginee Seo Books. The poetry of Langston Hughes is stunningly paired with sepia photographs by Charles R. Smith, Jr.

J 811.54 H. Hopkins, Lee Bennett. City I Love. Abrams Books for Young Readers. This joyful poetry collection celebrates urban life.

J 811.6 W. Webster, Dennis. Absolutely Wild. David R. Godine. Clever and witty verses by Dennis Webster illustrated with entertaining linocut art by his daughter, Kim Webster Cunningham..

J 818.54 A. Agee, Jon. Orangutan Tongs: Poems to Tangle Your Tongue. Hyperion Books. Have you ever gotten tripped up trying to say a silly succession of similar syllables? Try out these hilarious tongue twisters for lots of fun!

J 973.02 Y. Ying, Chris. 109 Forgotten American Heroes...and nine or so villains. D K Children.

J 974.73 T. Talbott, Hudson. River of Dreams: the story of the Hudson River. G. P. Putnam's Sons.

J B Alcott. McDonough, Yona Zeldis. Louisa: the life of Louisa May Alcott. Christy Ottaviano Books. Louisa came from a family that was poor but freethinking, and she started teaching when she was only seventeen years old. But writing was her passion. This biography captures the life of a compassionate woman who left an indelible mark on literature for all ages.

J B Bryan. Ashley Bryan: words to my life's song. Atheneum Books. Well-loved illustrator Bryan's pictures and recollections tell of his lifelong devotion to making and sharing art.

J B Cousteau. Yaccarino, Dan. The fantastic undersea life of Jacques Cousteau. Alfred A. Knopf. Jacques Cousteau was the world's ambassador of the oceans. His popular TV series brought whales, otters, and dolphins right into people's living rooms. Now this exciting picture book biography introduces young readers to the man behind the snorkel.

J B Houdini. Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Harry Houdini. Holiday House. The story of how Harry Houdini astounded audiences around the globe as he freed himself from ropes, handcuffs, and prison cells.

J B King. Shange, Ntozake. Coretta Scott. Katherine Teigen Books. Kadir Nelson's beautiful illustrations illuminate the poetical telling of Coretta Scott King's life.

J B Obama. Abramson, Jill. Obama: the historic journey. Callaway. The extraordinary story of Barack Obama's voyage from childhood through his inauguration as the 44th president of the United States.

J B Sotomayor. Winter, Jonah. Sonia Sotomayor : a judge grows in the Bronx = la juez que crecio en el Bronx. Antheneum Books. A bilingual biography of Sonia's life from childhood to her Supreme Court appointment.

J B Tutankhamun. Demi. Tutankhamun. Marshall Cavendish Children. Using research that includes the artifacts in King Tutankhamun's tomb, Demi shares the rich details of the king's life, from ostrich and lion hunts, to the challenges of ruling his Kingdom.

JNF Parenting

(Parenting Books)

J 649 P. Pleshette Murphy, Ann. The Secret of Play: How to Raise Smart, Healthy, Caring Kids from Birth to Age 12. DK Publishing.

J 796.08 W. Ward, Jennifer. Let's Go Outside! Outdoor Activities and Projects to Get You and Your Kids Closer to Nature. Trumpeter Books.