Young Readers
Roundup of picks for holiday gifts

By Kari Wergeland
Special to The Seattle Times

Dušan Petricic “Rude Ramsay and the Roaring Radishes,” by Margaret Atwood and illustrated by Dušan Petricic, has a love affair with “R” alliteration.

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When gift-giving season rolls around, I often feel resistance to the idea of braving the heavy traffic, the overcrowded parking lots, and the long lines. The whole ritual is one extra hassle to cram into an already hectic schedule. Still, I never mind shopping for books, especially for young ones, because children's literature can be such a delight it brings out the kid in me. Here are some recommendations.

Picture books

"Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale," by Mo Willems (Hyperion, 32 pp., $15.99, ages 2-5). Trixie — a toddler — and her father take a trip to the laundromat. On the way home, Trixie starts screaming, and Dad can't figure out why. A funny, innovatively illustrated story that should nab a few awards.

"The Peace Book," by Todd Parr (Little Brown, 32 pp., $15.99, ages 4-8). A list of definitions about what peace actually means. Parr employs bold colors to create his simple illustrations, which are quickly becoming his trademark.

"Rude Ramsay and the Roaring Radishes," by Margaret Atwood, illustrated by Du{scaron}an Petricic (Bloomsbury, 32 pp., $16.95, ages 4-8). Atwood revels in "R"-flavored alliteration in this rambunctious romp, starring Rude Ramsay, Ralph the red-nosed rat, and Rillah, a girl who lives in a romantic, recently restored rectory with a rotunda.

"Why Epossumondas Has No Hair on his Tail," by Coleen Salley, illustrated by Janet Stevens (Harcourt, 32 pp., $16, ages 4-8). A most humorous tale about why possums have skinny, long, pink tails. The illustrations are a hoot!

"Science Verse," by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith (Viking, 40 pp., $16.99, ages 7-12). This dynamic duo ("The Stinky Cheese Man") is back — this time with a new collection of quirky poems centering on science. Includes a CD of both men reading from the text.

"Coming on Home Soon," by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis (Putnam, 32 pp., $16.99, ages 5-up). Set during World War II, this is a lyrical tale about young Ada Ruth, who is left in her grandmother's hands after her mother sets off to Chicago to find work. Putnam's artwork rounds out the text, showing off a nice warm glow.

Older readers

"Between Heaven and Earth: Bird Tales from around the World," by Howard Norman, illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon (Harcourt, 78 pp., $22, ages 7-10). Includes tales from Australia, Norway, Sri Lanka, Matebeleland (in Africa) and China. As always, the Dillons' artwork is marvelous.

"Becoming Naómi Leon," by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Scholastic, 246 pp., ages 8-12). Naomi is pretty happy with her family, consisting of Gram and her younger brother Owen. She can't remember much about either parent. But then mother shows up, turning all their lives upside down.

"Rattlesnake Mesa: Stories from a Native American Childhood," by Ednah New Rider Weber, photographs by Richela Renkun (Lee & Low, 132 pp., $18.95, ages 8-12). A biography of a Pawnee girl named EdNah who ends up living on the Navajo Reservation. Includes many fine photographs.

"The Teacher's Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts," by Richard Peck (Dial, 190 pp., $16.99, ages 9-up). Peck has created another humorous work of historical fiction, this one set in rural Indiana during the year of 1904.

Young adults

"Gifts," by Ursula K. Le Guin (Harcourt, 274 pp., $17, ages 12-up). Two best friends, a boy and a girl, live in a rural world where certain members of each clan are known to possess a special gift. Young Orrec is thought to have the gift of undoing, which means he can kill at will. Gry, a member of a different clan, has inherited the ability to summon animals. Both youths must learn to handle their gifts with care, while also discovering their place in a complicated land.

"The Sea of Trolls," by Nancy Farmer (Atheneum, 459 pp., $17.95, ages 12-up). Last year Farmer won the National Book Award, the Newbery Honor Award and the Printz Award for "The House of Scorpion." This year's offering, an inventive fantasy set in England and Norway during the Viking era, could very well reel in honors in the same vein.

"Who Am I Without Him? Short Stories About Girls and the Boys in Their Lives," by Sharon G. Flake (Hyperion, 168 pp., $15.99, ages 12-up). This sharp collection of stories focuses on urban African-American teens.

"Please Don't Kill the Freshman: a Memoir," by Zoe Trope (HarperTempest, 312 pp., $7.99, ages 13-up). "She was born in 1986 and graduated from high school with the class of 2003 in Oregon." Now Trope is already an author and her first book is pretty much a recollection of her time in "day care" (her word for high school).

Local authors

"Alex and the Wednesday Chess Club," by Janet S. Wong, illustrated by Stacey Schuett (McElderry, 40 pp., $16.95, ages 4-8). Young Alex flirts with the chessboard but quits when the going gets tough. Eventually the game lures him back to the table, and he discovers how rewarding it is to be greatly challenged.

"The Biggest Soap," by Carole Lexa Schaefer, illustrated by Stacey Dressen-McQueen (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 32 pp., $16, ages 4-8). Young Kessy is asked to go to Minda's store to buy the biggest bar of soap he can find. Along the way, he meets a number of folks in need of washing. Needless to say, he doesn't quite get the whole bar home. Set on an island in the South Pacific.

"The Greatest Power," by Demi (McElderry, 40 pp., $19.95, ages 4-8). Ping the emperor decides to look for the wisest child in the land (in Ancient China) to eventually act as prime minister. The local children come up with all sorts of ideas, but only one figures out what true wisdom really is.

"Mary was a Little Lamb," by Gloria Rand, illustrated by Ted Rand (Holt, 32 pp., $16.95, ages 4-8). When Mrs. Paradise discovers a newborn lamb on Cranberry Island — a fictitious island in Puget Sound — she takes the animal home. Yet Mary ends up becoming a royal pest. Based on a true story about a lamb now housed in the Woodland Park Zoo.

"Where Would I be in an Evergreen Tree?" by Jennifer Blomgren, illustrated by Andrea Gabriel (Sasquatch, 32 pp., $15.95, ages 4-8). An old-growth forest is displayed in all of its glory in this beautifully illustrated volume.

"Beekman's Big Deal," by Michael de Guzman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 213 pp., $16, ages 9-12). Twelve-year-old Beekman is used to moving around a lot, so he never gets a chance to make friends. Frustrated, he finally cuts a deal with his father so they can stay put for a change.

"Escape Across the Wide Sea," by Katherine Kirkpatrick (Holiday House, 210 pp., $17.95, ages 9-12). In 1686, young Daniel's family is forced to flee from France because they are Huguenot Protestants. They end up voyaging to Africa, the Caribbean, and ultimately, New York. Along the way, they are forced to contemplate the immorality of slavery.

"Thin Wood Walls," by David Patneaude (Houghton Mifflin, 231 pp., $16, ages 10-14). After Pearl Harbor is bombed, Joe and his Japanese-American family are forced to move from Seattle to the Tule Lake Relocation Camp, where life is far from easy.

"The Last Chance Texaco," by Brent Hartinger (HarperTempest, 228 pp., $15.99, ages 12-up). Lucy Pitt is sent to a group home for teens where she has a chance to put her life together. Fortunately, the place turns out to be a refuge, even as the organization struggles to survive in a difficult world.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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