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With apologies to Neil Sedaka, sometimes it's NOT breaking up that's hard to do - it's growing up that can be difficult. This month's books take a look at the challenges that come with maturing, whether it's a little girl learning to love a new baby in the family, a young college-bound girl finding her own first love in life or a young boy learning to live without a beloved relative. For ages 3-7 What's That Noise? Written and illustrated by William Carman (Random House, 40 pages, $13.95 hardcover) It is late at night and all is quiet until a young boy hears a noise. What could it be? An alien landing? An octopus in the bathtub? A bear in his parents' bedroom? He imagines the worst, until he investigates and finds the answer is far more humorous than any of the dire situations he had been imagining. William Carman's illustrations are terrific, all done in shades reflecting the blue of the night. Their whimsy speaks to the wonders of a child's imagination. Shirley's Wonderful Baby Written by Valiska Gregory; illustrated by Bruce Degen (HarperCollins, 30 pages, $14.99 hardcover) It can be tough on a little girl to have a new baby brother in the house: Everybody says the baby's wonderful, while big sister is ignored. But Shirley, the big sister in Gregory's delightful book, has the fortune of having Ms. Mump come to babysit. Ms. Mump cleverly tells Shirley how revolting babies are and how much they need their sisters. Shirley learns to feed, change, burp and play with her baby brother in a way no one else had let her before, and she learns just how wonderful babies can be. This would be an ideal book to get a young child who is expecting a new sibling to join the family. The story is lovingly told, and the illustrations are bright and cheerful. For ages 7-11 Blackberries in the Dark Written by Mavis Jukes; illustrated by Thomas B. Allen (Random House, 48 pages, $14.95 hardcover) This is the first summer since Austin's grandfather has died, and he's not sure how he's going to feel about visiting his grandparents' farm with just his grandmother there now. He had loved the time he spent with his grandfather, fishing, picking blackberries in the dark, just being together. Plus, this was the summer that his grandfather was going to teach him how to fly fish. His grandmother is learning to adjust, too. Austin and his grandmother soon learn to forge their own summer traditions, and they learn to fly fish together. Mavis Jukes, a Newbery Honor-winning author, has crafted a lovely, sensitive story that might help someone who is learning how to carry on in the wake of losing a loved one. Thomas B. Allen's charcoal illustrations are simple and moving. For ages 8-12 Pictures of Hollis Woods By Patricia Reilly Giff (Random House, 160 pages, $15.95) Hollis Woods was abandoned as an infant, and the only family life she can speak of has been foster families. The 12-year-old does not last long with any family. She lands in the home of an elderly artist named Josie Cahill. Hollis blossoms living with Josie. She learns how to develop her artistic talent and she helps Josie, a retired teacher who has begun forgetting things. For once, Hollis feels needed. Patricia Reilly Giff, a Newbery Honor winner, creates a portrait of an adolescent girl in Hollis and captures the sense of longing to belong and the importance of family to us all. For ages 12 and older Seventeenth Summer By Maureen Daly (Simon & Schuster, 311 pages, $17.95 hardcover) Angie, a 17-year-old, didn't date much previous to the summer before college, until she met a handsome charmer named Jack, who sweeps her off her feet. Their budding love story is full of tears, challenge and warmth, and the book, written in 1942, has a certain innocence that is refreshing. Written when the author was in college herself, it has a youthful truth to it, and never seems dated. Gathering Blue By Lois Lowry (Random House, 240 pages, $6.50 paperback) When Kira's mother dies, she is left alone to fend for herself. As a young girl with a twisted leg, her place in a futuristic society is threatened. Her skills as a gifted weaver help save her, but she soon learns that not everything in the society is what it seems. She must learn to find her own truths. "Gathering Blue" is tightly written and suspenseful, with well-drawn characters, and is a companion book to Lois Lowry's previous "The Giver." When I Was Your Age, Volume Two Edited by Amy Erlich (Candlewick Press, 183 pages, $7.99 paperback) This is a compilation of stories about growing up by a group of children's authors. Their perspectives are as different as can be, but all spin fascinating tales. E.L. Konigsburg, author of the children's classic, "The Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankenweiler," writes about a classic case of sibling rivalry. Award-winning author Paul Fleischman reflects about growing up as a "shrimp," and how being different helped him become an independent thinker. Children will connect with some, or most, of the stories here. There's something for everyone. |
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