Holiday Booklist - 2011

Poetry

  • Hauth, Katherine B. What's For Dinner? Quirky, Squirmy Poems from the Animal World. 2011.
    Eating is a matter of life and death, but it can also be weird, surprising or just plain gross. Twenty-nine poems explore the unusual and sometimes gruesome eating habits of the animal world.
  • Myers, Walter Dean. We are America: A Tribute from the Heart. 2011.
    Myers' poems celebrate the ordinary and extraordinary people and the monumental events that have shaped our nation.
  • Raczka, Bob. Lemonade, and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word. 2011.
    Part anagram, part rebus, part riddle— these poems take a scene from a child's daily life and turn it into a puzzle to solve.
  • Silverstein, Shel. Every Thing On It. 2011.
    This collection includes more than 130 never-before-seen poems and drawings completed by the late American artist and selected by his family from his archives. Say Hi-ho for the toilet troll, get tongue-tied with Stick-a-Tongue-Out-Sid and experience the joys of growing down.

Pop up

  • Reinhart, Matthew and Robert Sabuda. Dragons & Monsters. 2011.
    In a breathtaking grand finale to the Encyclopedia Mythologica trilogy, master paper engineers Reinhart and Sabuda unfold the legends and lore of cultures around the world to reveal such creatures as dragons, a Kraken, a gorgon and many more.
  • Stickland, Paul. Big Bug, Little Bug: A Book of Opposites. 2011.
    With lively oversized illustrations, this book of opposites focuses on bugs of all different shapes, sizes and colors as they creep, crawl, and fly through the sturdy pages.
  • Valois, Rob. Star Wars, the Clone Wars: Villains. 2011.
    Experience the power of the dark side with nine three-dimensional pop-ups of such fan favorites as General Grievous and Assaj Ventress along with 15 different comic book-style stories.

Picture books

  • Bateman, Teresa. A Plump and Perky Turkey. 2001.
    The townspeople of Squawk Valley try to trick a turkey into being their Thanksgiving dinner, but are frustrated when the turkey tricks them instead.
  • Dewdney, Anna. Llama Llama, Holiday Drama. 2011.
    If there's one thing Llama Llama doesn't like, it's waiting. He and Mama Llama rush around, shopping for presents, baking cookies and decorating the tree, but will Christmas ever come? It takes more than a hug from Mama to remind him that the true gift is to have each other.
  • Grey, Mini. Three by the Sea. 2011.
    Dog, Cat and Mouse live happily— or so they think— in their beach hut by the sea until one night a mysterious Stranger blows into their little world and turns it upside down. Soon Dog, Cat and Mouse are fighting with each other. Will the three friends ever be happy again?
  • Lamb, Albert. Tell Me The Day Backwards. 2011.
    In this delightful bedtime story, a young bear tells his mama all about his exciting day— in reverse— inspiring little listeners to do the same.
  • Novack, Danielle. My Two Holidays: A Hanukkah and Christmas Story. 2011.
    When Sammy's classmates take turns talking about which holiday they celebrate, Sammy becomes very nervous. Some people celebrate Christmas and some people celebrate Hanukkah. But Sammy celebrates both.
  • Palatini, Margie. Mooseltoe. 2000.
    Moose thinks he has all his Christmas preparations taken care of, but at the last minute he must come up with a substitute for the Christmas tree.
  • Patricelli, Leslie. Be Quiet, Mike! 2011.
    Monkey Mike is reprimanded for making noise when he taps pencils and clangs trash cans until he sees a drum set in the music store and puts his hands-on talents to work in a most impressive way.
  • Rosenthal, Eileen. I Must Have Bobo. 2011.
    When Willy wakes up without his favorite toy, he looks everywhere until he finds it. With sparse text and a modern-nostalgic vibe, this retro-fun book tells it like it is when it comes to sharing a favorite toy.
  • Sattler, Jennifer Gordon. Pig Kahuna. 2011.
    Fergus is afraid to go in the water, but he and his baby brother Dink find a surfboard while collecting treasures along the seashore.
  • Shea, Bob. I'm A Shark! 2011.
    The creator of Dinosaur vs. Bedtime is back with a brand-new story. A boastful shark is not afraid of anything, which impresses his underwater friends until they ask about spiders.
  • Sherman, Richard M. It's a Small World. 2011.
    A recognizable and beloved song comes to life in this beautifully-illustrated picture book. Featuring lyrics from "It's a Small World," as well as original artwork inspired by the Disney theme parks attraction, this book is sure to delight.
  • Smallcomb, Pam. I'm Not. 2011.
    A young girl discovers that best friends can enjoy and do well at different things as long as they are good at being friends.
  • Tolman, Marije. The Treehouse. 2011.
    This wordless picture book imagines a child-sized paradise in which dreamy scenes of swimming, flying, boating animals unfold one after another.
  • Willems, Mo. Hooray for Amanda and Her Alligator! 2011.
    Amanda and her alligator have lots of fun together, but when Amanda's grandfather buys her a panda, Alligator must learn to make new friends.
  • Willems, Mo. Should I Share My Ice Cream? 2011.
    Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In this funny story about the challenges of doing the right thing, Gerald has a very tough decision to make. But will he make it in time?
  • Wilson, Karma. Hogwash! 2011.
    No matter what he tries, poor Farmer cannot trick his stubborn pigs into getting clean! When several failed attempts leave him stuck in the mud, our determined farmer realizes his hogs may have been on to something all along...sometimes a mud bath is even better!

Kids fiction

  • Arntson, Steven. The Wikkeling. 2011.
    Tending to a wounded cat gives Henrietta a sense of freedom in her tightly controlled society. She has no idea she's set off a chain of events that awaken an ominous creature called the Wikkeling.
  • Burgis, Stephanie. Kat Incorrigible. 2011.
    In 19th-century England, 12-year-old Kat Stephenson knows she was born to be a magical Guardian and protector of Society— if she can find true acceptance in the secret order that expelled her mother.
  • Ferraiolo, Jack D. Sidekicks. 2011.
    When Scott, an ordinary schoolkid by day, begins to question his role as sidekick to superhero Phantom Justice, he must decide if growing up means being loyal or stepping boldly to the center of things.
  • George, Jessica Day. Tuesdays at the Castle. 2011.
    Eleven-year-old Princess Celie lives in Castle Glower, which adds rooms or stairways or secret passageways most every Tuesday. When her parents— the king and queen— are ambushed, only Celie's secret knowledge of the castle's twists and turns can protect their home and save their kingdom.
  • Gidwitz, Adam. A Tale Dark and Grimm. 2011.
    As if Hansel and Gretel didn't already have it tough in their original fairy tale, Gidwitz retrofits other Grimm stories and casts the siblings as heroes. He crafts a narrative that has the twins beheaded, reheaded, dismembered and a number of other terrible fates en route to their happily ever after.
  • Mull, Brandon. A World Without Heroes (Beyonders series, book 1). 2011.
    Fourteen-year-old Jason Walker is transported to Lyrian, a strange world ruled by Surroth, a malicious wizard emperor. There Jason meets Rachel, a fellow Beyonder, and together they try to piece together the Word that can destroy Surroth.
  • Reh, Rusalka. Pizzicato: The Abduction of the Magic Violin. 2011.
    Orphan Darius Dorian must pull a few strings to keep a magic violin out of the hands of a greedy doctor in this lighthearted whodunit.
  • Schmidt, Gary D. Okay for Now. 2011.
    When his family moves to Marysville, New York, Doug couldn't be less impressed. The library is the only place to go in town, and it's only open on Saturdays. There, however, he meets his first friend and develops a mission: to replace the missing plates in the library's original John James Audubon book.
  • Selznick, Brian. Wonderstruck. 2011.
    Having lost his mother and his hearing in a short time, 12-year-old Ben leaves his Minnesota home in 1977 to find the father he never knew in New York City. There he meets Rose, who is also longing for something missing from her life. Ben's story is told in words; Rose's in pictures.
  • Stephens, John. The Emerald Atlas. 2011.
    Kate, Michael and Emma have passed from one orphanage to another in the 10 years since their parents disappeared to protect them, but now they learn that they have special powers, a prophesied quest to find a magical book and a fearsome enemy.

Kids non-fiction

  • Bugs by the Numbers: Facts and Figures for Multiple Types of Bug Beasties by Sharon Werner and Sarah Foiss. 2011.
    The creators of the award-winning Alphabeasties and Other Amazing Types are back, this time with an amazing array of insects ingeniously engineered out of numerals. Each entry also includes fascinating numeric facts about its subject.
  • J is for Jingle Bells: A Christmas Alphabet by Laura Purdie Salas. 2011.
    From opening gifts to visiting Santa, Christmas is a magical time of year. Get into the holiday spirit with "J is for Jingle Bells."
  • MythBusters Science Fair Book by Samantha Margles. 2011.
    Kid-friendly and age appropriate, this book is packed with fun experiments to do at school and home based on the Discovery Channel's popular Mythbusters TV show.
  • The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism, & Treachery by Steve Sheinkin. 2011.
    Most people know that Benedict Arnold was America's first, most notorious traitor. Few know that he was also one of its greatest war heroes. This accessible biography introduces young readers to the real Arnold: reckless, heroic and driven.
  • Poop Happened! A History of the World from the Bottom Up by Sarah Albee. 2011.
    The number one book on "number two" will give kids a whole new perspective on the past. A blend of historical photos and humorous illustrations provides fascinating information and adds to the potty humor.
  • Queen of the Falls by Chris Van Allsburg. 2011.
    Van Allsburg highlights the death-defying attempt of 62-year-old former charm school teacher Annie Edson Taylor to be the first woman to survive the perilous plunge over Niagara Falls.
  • A Smart Girl's Guide to Knowing what to Say: Finding the Words to Fit Any Situation by Patti Kelley Criswell. 2011.
    With the advice in this latest addition to the Smart Girl's Guide series, girls will learn smart words to choose when stressed, shy, sad or facing other awkward moments. Girls can ask a teacher for help, stand up to a bully, express sympathy for the loss of a loved one and more.
  • Suryia and Roscoe: The True Story of an Unlikely Friendship by Bhagavan Antle. 2011.
    Based on a true story, an orangutan living at a wildlife preserve in South Carolina forms an unlikely friendship with a lost dog that comes to live there.
  • 101 Ways to Become a Superhero— or an Evil Genius by Richard Horne. 2011.
    Transform yourself from mere mortal into total superhero. Develop your stealth and telepathy... identify your nemesis... choose your outfit! Or maybe the side of evil is more your thing. In that case, select a sidekick and get a villainous chair!

Teen fiction

  • Frost, Helen. Hidden. 2011.
    When 14 year-olds Wren and Darra meet at a Michigan summer camp, both are overwhelmed by memories from six years earlier when Darra's father stole a car, unaware that Wren was hiding in the back.
  • Johnson, Maureen. The Name of the Star (Shades of London series, book 1). 2011.
    Rory, of Boueuxlieu, Louisiana, is spending a year at a London boarding school when she witnesses a murder by a Jack the Ripper copycat and becomes involved with the very unusual investigation.
  • Marchetta, Melina. The Piper's Son. 2011.
    This sequel to "Saving Francesca" focuses on Francesca's friend, Thomas Finch Mackee, whose family is being torn apart by the death of Tom's uncle.
  • Northrop, Michael. Trapped. 2011.
    On the day of the blizzard, Scotty and six others are stranded at their high school. As the days add up, the snow piles higher and the empty halls grow colder and darker, the mounting pressure forces a devastating decision.
  • Okorafor-Mbachu, Nnedi. Akata Witch. 2011.
    Twelve-year-old Sunny lives in Nigeria, but was born American. Her features are African, but she's albino. There seems to be no place where she fits. And then she discovers something amazing— she's a "free agent," with latent magical power.
  • Perkins, Stephanie. Lola and the Boy Next Door. 2011.
    Budding costume designer Lola lives an extraordinary life in San Francisco with her two dads and beloved dog. But when the Bell twins return to the house next door, Lola recalls both the friendship-ending fight with Calliope and the childhood crush she had on Cricket.
  • Riggs, Ransom. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. 2011.
    In the aftermath of a horrific family tragedy, 16-year-old Jacob discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children on a remote island. As Jacob explores abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous, and they may still be alive.
  • Roth, Veronica. Divergent. 2011.
    In Beatrice's world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue. When she turns 16, she must select the faction to which she will devote the rest of her life. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and being who she really is. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.
  • Sepetys, Ruti. Between Shades of Gray. 2011.
    In 1941, 15-year-old Lina, her mother and brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia. While she fights for her life, Lina vows to honor her family by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil.
  • Taylor, Laini. Daughter of Smoke and Bone. 2011.
    Seventeen-year-old Karou, an enigmatic art student in a Prague boarding school, is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war, an ancient deadly rivalry between devils and angels
  • Westerfeld, Scott. Goliath (Leviathan Trilogy: book 3). 2011.
    Alek and Deryn are on the last leg of their round-the-world quest to end World War I and reclaim Alek's throne as prince of Austria. However, as their ship, the Leviathan, steams toward New York City with a homicidal lunatic on board secrets unravel and nothing is as it seems.

Teen non-fiction

  • Americapedia: Taking the Dumb Out of Freedom by Jodi Lynn Anderson. 2011.
    Funny and intelligent writing, reminiscent of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart," offers insight into the American electoral system, the world economy, the role religion plays in world conflicts and America's place in world. The final chapter provides information about how to get involved.
  • Ask Elizabeth: Real Answers to Everything You Secretly Wanted to Ask About Love, Friends, Your Body... and Life in General by Elizabeth Berkley. 2011.
    Much like a private diary, this book contains real and practical advice, anecdotes and wisdom from the author, a panel of experts and teen girls themselves regarding matters of body image, personal relationships, dating and more.
  • Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition. 2011.
    Check out interviews with champion gamers, get hints and tips to improve your gameplay, learn more about the world's best-selling titles and read about features on the latest games and consoles.
  • How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous by Georgia Bragg. 2011.
    This fascinating collection of remarkable deaths relays all the gory details of how 19 world figures gave up the ghost, including King Tut, Julius Caesar, George Washington, Edgar Allan Poe and Henry VIII.
  • How to Survive Anything by Rachel Buchholz. 2011.
    Whether it's quicksand, embarrassing parents or pop quizzes, learn how to face down the fears of your teenage years!
  • The Ultimate Guide to WWE by Jake Black. 2011.
    This 224-page guide is packed with biographies, timelines and championship histories of WWE. Learn all about your favorite superstars, including what their signature moves are and who they've teamed up with through the years.

Adult fiction

  • Anam, Tahmima. The Good Muslim. 2011.
    Once inseparable, Sohail Haque and his sister Maya have been driven apart by Bangladesh's brutal civil war. After nearly a decade apart, Maya, who has stuck to her revolutionary ideals, returns and struggles to find a new way to love her brother, who has shunned his old life to become a charismatic religious leader as a way to atone for his part in the war.
  • Barnes, Julian. Pulse. 2011.
    A volume of 14 stories about loss, friendship and longing includes the tales of a recently divorced real-estate agent who invades the privacy of a reticent girlfriend, a couple that meets over an illicit cigarette and a widower struggling to let go of grief.
  • Beard, Jo Ann. In Zanesville: A Novel. 2011.
    It's the 1970s and the novel's unnamed 14-year-old narrator is beginning high school after a summer spent in close company with her best friend, Felicia. Underlying this teen's turmoil are problems in the grown-up world— all things she tries to ignore, but which occasionally boil to the surface.
  • Birch, Carol. Jamrach's Menagerie. 2011.
    A famed importer of exotic animals recruits Jaffy Brown, a 19th century street urchin, to help him capture a fabled dragon during the course of a three-year whaling expedition. When a violent storm sinks the ship, Jaffy must confront his own place in the animal kingdom.
  • DeWitt, Patrick. The Sisters Brothers. 2011.
    When a frontier baron orders his hired gunslingers, Charlie and Eli Sisters, to track down and kill prospector Herman Kermit Warm, the brothers journey from Oregon to San Francisco, and eventually to Warm's claim in the Sierra foothills, running into a witch, a bear, a dead Indian, a parlor of drunken floozies and a gang of murderous fur trappers.
  • Diffenbaugh, Vanessa. The Language of Flowers. 2011.
    Unable to express herself with words, Victoria Jones relies on the Victorian language of flowers to communicate: dahlias for "dignity," rhododendron for "beware." Victoria's knowledge lands her a job selling flowers, where she meets Grant, a mystery man who not only speaks her language, but also holds a crucial key to her past.
  • Eugenides, Jeffrey. The Marriage Plot. 2011.
    Are the great love stories of the 19th century dead? Meet Madeleine, recent Brown University English grad; her boyfriend Leonard; and her admirer Mitchell.
  • Grossman, Lev. The Magician King. 2011.
    In this sequel to The Magicians, a pleasure cruise becomes an adventure when Quentin and his old friend Julia are dumped back into the last place Quentin ever wants to see: his parent's house in Chesterton, Massachusetts. And only the black, twisted magic that Julia learned on the streets can save them.
  • Penzler, Otto. The Big Book of Adventure Stories. 2011.
    Penzler collects the best adventure stories of all time into one mammoth volume, with stories by Jack London, O. Henry, Rudyard Kipling, H. G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs, H. Rider Haggard, Alastair MacLean, Talbot Mundy, Cornell Woolrich and many others.
  • Russell, Karen. Swamplandia! 2011.
    The Bigtree alligator wrestling dynasty is in decline, and Swamplandia!, its island home and gator-wrestling theme park, is swiftly being encroached upon by a competitor. To save her family, Ava must journey on her own to a perilous part of the swamp called the Underworld.
  • Torres, Justin. We the Animals. 2011.
    Brothers Manny, Joel and the unnamed youngest, who narrates, are rambunctious and casually violent. Nothing seems to turn out right for the dysfunctional family, whether it's Paps getting fired for bringing the boys to work or Ma loading them in the truck and fleeing into the woods.
  • Spencer-Fleming, Julia. One Was a Soldier. 2009.
    Adjusting to civilian life after a tour in Iraq proves difficult for Rev. Clare Fergusson in Spencer-Fleming's seventh mystery featuring Clare and her lover, police chief Russ Van Alstyne. Along with several other returning service members, Clare joins a community support group for veterans. When a member of the group shoots herself, Clare spearheads an investigation and hounds Russ to consider homicide.

Adult non-fiction

  • Beginnings by Anne Geddes. 2011.
    Geddes presents the simple and elegant elements of nature as we have never seen them before. She reveals the intricate beauty of birds' nests, the delicacy of eggs and the glorious color hidden inside the tight, unopened petals of a blossom.
  • Bossypants by Tina Fey. 2011.
    From her lifetime pursuit of the perfect Beauty Routine to the oversold joys of breastfeeding, from her whirlwind tour of duty as the Other Sarah Palin on "Saturday Night Live" to her early days in the comedy trenches— Fey puts her unique and endlessly funny mark on modern life, work, marriage and motherhood.
  • Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights by Jessica Kerwin Jenkins. 2011.
    Each entry in Jenkins' book features engaging anecdotes, illuminating the past of each enduring source of beauty, whether it be elegant, rare, common or just delightful. Subjects covered include the explosive history of champagne, the wild riot incited by the appearance of London's first top hat and the polarizing practice of wearing red lipstick during World War II.
  • Fringe-ology: How I Tried to Explain Away the Unexplainable— and Couldn't by Steve Volk. 2011.
    A top journalist takes readers on a strange and unsettling trip into the heart of the paranormal universe, leading them to try and answer some of the most fundamental questions that lie at the heart of human existence.
  • How to Be a Man: A Guide to Style and Behavior for the Modern Gentleman by Glenn O'Brien. 2011.
    Currently a style columnist GQ magazine, How To Be a Man is the culmination of O'Brien's 30 years of accumulated style and etiquette wisdom. The book features over 40 chapters on style and fashion (and the difference), grooming and decorating, on how to dress age-appropriately and how to age gracefully.
  • Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home by Jeni Britton Bauer. 2011.
    Bauer is on a mission to help foodies create perfect ice creams, yogurts, and sorbets in their own kitchens. Filled with irresistible color photographs, this delightful cookbook contains 100 of Jeni's delicious signature recipes— from her Goat Cheese with Roasted Cherries to her Queen City Cayenne.
  • Lighten Up: Love What You Have, Have What You Need, Be Happier with Less by Peter Walsh. 2011.
    Walsh's previous bestsellers inspired readers to evict the clutter in their homes, on their bodies and in six key areas of their lives. But for many, clearing the clutter exposes deeper issues. Exploring the real source of happiness, Walsh offers a clear strategy for finding the delicate balance between what we have, what we need and what we want or to what we feel entitled.
  • Macarons by Annie Rigg. 2011.
    This gorgeous book provides step-by-step instructions for mastering the basic recipe, then you can use Rigg's at-a glance flavor combinations for quick inspiration. Traditional as well as modern colors and flavors are included. For really mouthwatering recipes, there are chapters on Fruit & Flowers, Coffee, Caramel & Chocolate and Nuts & Spices.
  • The Psychopath Test: A Journey through the Madness Industry by Jon Ronson. 2011.
    By watching for telltale verbal and non-verbal clues, an influential psychologist teaches Ronson how to spot psychopaths. Armed with his new abilities, Ronson sets off to interview possible psychopaths, including a former Haitian militia leader and a power-hungry CEO.
  • Unfamiliar Fishes by Sarah Vowell. 2011.
    From the bestselling author of "The Wordy Shipmates" comes an examination of Hawaii's emblematic and exceptional history, retracing the impact of New England missionaries who began arriving in the early 1800s to remake the island paradise into a version of New England.
  • Zombie Spaceship Wasteland by Patton Oswalt. 2011.
    Oswalt, known for his roles in the films "Big Fan" and "Ratatouille" as well as the television hit "The King of Queens," combines memoir with humor, from snow forts to Dungeons & Dragons to gifts from Grandma that had to be explained.