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Cool New Books for February
With so many of us enduring record low temperatures outside, this is the perfect time to warm up inside with a cup of hot chocolate and a book in hand. The following cool new titles will teach you something about history, mathematics, nature --- and even a few things about yourself.
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 DAYS OF JUBILEE: The End of Slavery in the United States
by Patricia McKissack and Fredrick McKissack
illustrated by Leo Dillon
Scholastic Trade
ISBN: 059010764X
Ages 8-12
144 pages
One of the most important events in our history was the end of slavery in the United States. But there wasn't one particular day when all the slaves were freed (some were freed for their service during the Revolutionary War, others were freed because of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution). So, whenever slaves learned of their freedom, that day became their Day of Jubilee. Patricia and Frederick McKissack use slave narratives, letters and diaries to document the days, weeks and years leading to the slaves' freedom. Young readers everywhere now have an opportunity to celebrate these Days of Jubilee.
 INTO THE WOODS
by Robert Burleigh
illustrated by Wendell Minor
Atheneum
ISBN: 0689830408
Ages 9-12
40 pages
John James Audubon is a renowned American woodsman and artist. But when he was a young man, he had to make a decision about what he wanted to do with his life: should he choose the path his father wanted him to take or should he follow his own dreams and aspirations? In this beautifully conceived book, Robert Burleigh imagines a conversation in which Audubon tells his father why he has decided to pass up the ordinary life of a shopkeeper and instead live out in nature to develop his art and his relationship with the world.
 THE LAST DOG ON EARTH
by Daniel Ehrenhaft
Delacorte Press
ISBN: 0385730055
Ages 9-12
224 pages
Logan Moore hates everyone: the father who abandoned him, the stepfather who wants to control him, kids who get in his face. Everyone that is except Jack, a mangy mutt that nobody wants --- except Logan. He doesn't care that Jack has already bitten three workers at the animal shelter or that she's ugly. She's the only one who doesn't want anything from him and that's enough for Logan.
But Jack is in terrible danger. A mysterious disease is sweeping across the country, turning dogs into vicious, raging creatures. Jack isn't infected, but that won't keep her safe. People are shooting dogs on sight, whether they have the disease or not. Even Logan's own parents want to hand Jack over to the authorities! Now Logan and Jack are on the run. There's nowhere they can turn and no one they can trust --- except each other.
 MATH APPEAL
by Greg Tang
illustrated by Harry Briggs
Scholastic Trade
ISBN: 0439210461
Ages 9-12
40 pages
We know --- sometimes math can be such a drag. Doing arithmetic problems is the last thing many students want to do. But guess what? Math can be lots of fun! All you need is someone like Greg Tang, who refuses to believe that math is boring. In this follow-up to MATH FOR ALL SEASONS, Tang combines mind-stretching math riddles and humorous illustrations to give you more practice in his creative approach to math. Before you know it, you'll be solving those dreaded math problems in a flash. And who knows? After learning Tang's techniques, perhaps math will be one of your FAVORITE subjects!
 PERIOD PIECES: Stories for Girls
edited by Erzsi Deak and Kristin Embry Litchman
HarperCollins Juvenile Books
ISBN: 0066237963
Ages 8-12
128 pages
This incredible anthology contains twelve original stories written by twelve authors who explore the anxiety and excitement of "becoming a woman" --- giggling with friends over pamphlets in school, growing up without a mom, African American girls living in the 1960's and generations of Indian women. Some stories are poignant and others are humorous, but they are all engaging and empowering. Although the experiences of these girls are quite different, this book reveals that, in many ways, females are connected to one another.
THE RANDOM HOUSE BOOK OF SHAKESPEARE STORIES
retold by Andrew Matthews
illustrated by Angela Barrett
Random House
ISBN: 0375816100
Ages 8-12
128 pages
These eight Shakespearean plays, retold in prose by British author Andrew Matthews and beautifully illustrated by Angela Barrett, make a perfect introduction to the most famous writer in the Western world. As fresh today as when they were first performed, these stories are just right for entertaining the entire family!
 TWISTERS AND OTHER TERRIBLE STORMS: A Nonfiction Companion to Twister on Tuesday
Magic Tree House Research Guide
Will Osborne and Mary Pope Osborne
illustrated by Sal Murdocca
Random House
ISBN: 0375813586
Ages 6-9
128 pages
What causes the earth's weather? How do twisters form? What are the deadliest storms on earth? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this highly informative book, which includes photographs, definitions, an index, information on twisters, hurricanes, blizzards, forecasting the weather, storm chasers and much more!
 GEORGE WASHINGTON'S TEETH
by Deborah Chandra and Madeleine Comora
illustrated by Brock Cole
Farrar Straus & Giroux
ISBN: 0374325340
Ages 5-8
40 pages
Some people are under the "impression" that the Father of Our Country, George Washington, had wooden teeth --- this is simply not true. But George Washington did suffer all his life with tooth problems. He battled toothaches while fighting the British and had rotten teeth removed by his dentists. Incredibly, starting at the age of twenty-four, George Washington lost an average of a tooth a year, and by the time he was elected President, he had only two left! In this very funny tale written in verse, Deborah Chandra and Madeline Comora use Washington's letters, diaries and other historical records to tell readers what really happened.
 HOW DO DINOSAURS GET WELL SOON?
by Jane Yolen
illustrated by Mark Teague
Blue Sky Press
ISBN: 0439241006
Ages 4-8
40 pages
It's not just little kids who hate being sick --- dinosaurs aren't too thrilled when they're sick, either. Going to the doctor can be scary for anyone, including dinosaurs. So how DO dinosaurs get well soon? The same way children get better. They drink lots of juice, get plenty of rest and they're good at the doctor's office, because doctors know how to take care of their patients. Of course, when dinosaurs aren't feeling well, you better watch out --- their sneezes will blow you away!
 HOW GROUNDHOG'S GARDEN GREW
written and illustrated by Lynne Cherry
Blue Sky Press
ISBN: 0439323711
Ages 4-8
40 pages
Little Groundhog is in big trouble with his animal friends when they catch him stealing food from their gardens. Fortunately, Little Groundhog has a very good friend named Squirrel, who teaches him how to grow and care for a garden of his very own. He learns all about growing fruits and vegetables from Squirrel --- including how to gather seeds, plant and harvest. In the end, Little Groundhog has a special treat for his animal friends that will surely make up for the trouble he caused them. Aided by wonderful illustrations, children will have lots of fun learning about gardening and how plants grow.
 INCREDIBLE ME!
by Kathi Appelt
illustrated by G. Brian Karas
HarperCollins Juvenile Books
ISBN: 0060286229
Ages 4-8
32 pages
An excited little girl celebrates all the wonderful qualities that make her special --- her nose, her toes, her wiggles and her giggles. It's truly remarkable how much confidence she has in herself. This book serves as a perfect lesson to us all, particularly to the young readers out there: we are all unique and incredible in our own way and we should not be ashamed to celebrate the qualities that make us who we are.
 NOT JUST TUTUS
by Rachel Isadora
Putnam Pub Group Juv
ISBN: 0399236031
Ages 4-8
40 pages
There's a whole lot more to ballet than just tutus. Ballet is hard work. First of all, you have to find a costume that fits. Then you must learn all your routines and make sure you're kicking in the same direction as your fellow ballerinas. Did we mention the aching backs, the sore feet, the dizziness and the stage fright? But there is also that magical feeling when the curtains open and the show begins. In these short and funny poems, Rachel Isadora takes a look at the mishaps and the triumphs in the world of ballet --- all captured in gorgeous pen and ink drawings that are sure to make any dancer smile.
--- Compiled and written by Tom Donadio
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