Weekend Reviews (I-II)

This weekend's review roundup is in one post because the Carnival was up yesterday. What's out there in the world of children's book reviewing? Let's take a look...

Susan Perren reviews new titles for the Globe and Mail. This week she considers:

• One Eye! Two-Eyes! Three-Eyes: A Very Grimm Fairy Tale, by Aaron Shepard, illustrated by Gary Clement
• Nokum is My Teacher, by David Bouchard, illustrated by Allen Sapp
• Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, retold and illustrated by Marcia Williams
• Healing Our World: Inside Doctors Without Borders, by David Morley
• Strange Times at Western High, by Emily Pohl-Weary

Mary Schulte reviews some of the ALA's "'unofficial' favorite novels and picture books of the year" for the Kansas City Star on the day before the big announcement. She reviews:

• The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo with illustrations by Bagram Ibatoulline (but of course...)
• A Drowned Maiden’s Hair: A Melodrama, by Laura Amy Schlitz
• Gossamer, by Lois Lowry
• Clementine, by Sara Pennypacker with illustrations by Marla Frazee
• Yellow Star, by Jennifer Roy
• Flotsam, by David Wiesner
• John, Paul, George & Ben, by Lane Smith
• Move! by Robin Page with illustrations by Steve Jenkins

Nobody Gonna Turn Me 'Round, by Doreen Rappaport, is the Washington Post Book of the Week (for ages 9-12)

The Saddest King, by Chris Wormell is the Times Children's Book of the Week (for ages 2-5; I love Wormell's books, so will be looking for this one!)

Amanda Craig reviews an intriguing new MG/YA title The Black Book of Secrets, by F.E. Higgins for the Times. She also reviews I am a Cloud, I Can Blow Anywhere, by Jonathan and Shirley Tulloch.

Stuart Kelly reviews The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak, for the Scotsman.

Mary Harris Russell reviews six new books for the Chicago Tribune. This week she reads:

• Let It Shine, by Ashley Bryan ("The simultaneous experience on two levels--words and pictures--is strong." Based on the song.)
• A Friend at Midnight, by Caroline B. Cooney ("Caroline Cooney's Lily is a brilliant observer of family and school life. The resolution is not easy but earned.")
• Being Muslim, by Haroon Siddiqui
• Cowlick, by Christin Ditchfield, illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw
• 17 Things I'm Not Allowed to Do Anymore, by Jenny Offill and Nancy Carpenter
• Pierre in Love, by Sara Pennypacker, pictures by Petra Mathers

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Not a review, but super cool, nonetheless: The Philadelphia Inquirer profiles L.Lee Lowe in a new column called "The Word on Technology," about the online literature phenomenon. Lowe, author of Mortal Ghost, an online YA novel, is one of the pioneers in this field and has even begun providing an audio version of the book (hooray!).