Fly Trap

Having barely escaped the revolution they had a huge (if accidental) part in causing, sharp-eyed orphan Mosca Mye; her guard goose, Saracen; and their sometimes-loyal companion the con man Eponymous Clent, must start anew.

All too quickly, they find themselves embroiled in fresh schemes and twisting politics as they are trapped in Toll, an odd town that changes its entire personality as day turns to night.  Mosca and her friends attempt to fend off devious new foes, subvert old enemies, prevent the kidnapping of the mayor’s daughter, steal the town’s Luck, and somehow manage to escape with their lives- and hopefully a little money in their pockets.

In the eagerly awaited sequel to Fly By Night, acclaimed storyteller Frances Hardinge returns to a vivid world rich with humor, danger, and discovery.

Itsy Mitsy Runs Away

No one likes bedtime, and Itsy Mitsy has had quite enough. So tonight’s the night she’s running away to the perfect place where there are no more bedtimes ever (not even one). But running away isn’t as easy as it seems. There’s a lot to pack: Mitsy’s friendliest dinosaur Mister Roar; a snack for Mister Roar; her dog, Pupcake, to keep the bedtime beasties away from said snack; the list goes on and on. But with a helpful Dad who makes sure Mitsy doesn’t leave anything behind–especially not him–Mitsy might want to run away tomorrow night, too.

Hot, Hot Roti For Dada-Ji

Aneel s grandparents have come to stay, all the way from India. Aneel loves the sweet smell of his grandmother s incense, and his grandfather, Dada-ji, tells the world s best stories. When he was a boy, adventurous, energetic Dada-ji had the power of a tiger. Hunh-ji! Yes, sir! He could shake mangoes off trees and wrangle wild cobras. And what gave him his power? Fluffy-puffy hot, hot roti, with a bit of tongue-burning mango pickle. Does Dada-ji still have the power? Aneel wants to find out but first he has to figure out how to whip up a batch of hot, hot roti Overflowing with family, food, and a tall stack of fun, Hot, Hot Roti for Dada-ji is sure to warm the heart and tickle the tummy. Hunh-ji! Yes, sir!

The Grand Plan To Fix Everything

Eleven-year old Dini loves movies—watching them, reading about them, trying to write her own—especially Bollywood movies. But when her mother tells her some big news, it does not at all jive with the script of her life she has in mind. Her family is moving to India…and, not even to Bombay, which is the center of the Bollywood universe and home to Dini’s all-time most favorite star, Dolly. No, Dini is moving to a teeny, tiny village she can’t even find on a map. Swapnagiri. It means Dream Mountain and it only looks like a word that’s hard to pronounce. But to that open-minded person who sounds the name out, one letter at a time, it falls quite handily into place: S-w-a-p-n-a-g-i-r-i. An honest sort of name, with no surprise letters waiting to leap out and ambush the unwary. That doesn’t mean there aren’t surprises in Swapnagiri like mischievous monkeys and a girl who chirps like a bird—and the biggest surprise of all: Dolly. So now, Dini is hard at work on a new script, the script in which she gets to meet the amazing Dolly. But, life is often more unpredictable than the movies and when Dini starts plotting her story things get a little out of control. This is a joyful, lively Bollywood inspired story is full of colorful details, delicious confections and the wondrous, magical powers of coincidence. Uma Krisnaswami will have you smiling from ear to ear.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume IV, Issue 4

Sindbad

Perhaps the best known of the Tales of the Thousand and One Nights are those about Sindbad the Sailor. For centuries, people have been fascinated by the stories of a simple, sometimes confused, sailor who mistakes a giant whale for a lovely island and the egg of the Roc (a bird so huge that she can carry an elephant in her talons) for a mountain. Sindbad encounters many dangers, but he prevails in this irresistible trilogy, thanks to nothing but his own wits. Ludmila Zeman’s exciting text and lavish illustrations have made Sindbad, Sindbad in the Land of Giants, and Sindbad’s Secret an international and critical success.

Sindbad in the Land of Giants

In this stunning sequel to Sindbad: From the Tales of The Thousand and One Nights, Sindbad, now a rich sultan, recounts more of his adventures. On this voyage, Sindbad and his hapless crew mates are driven off course, and their ship is overrun by monkeys. They abandon the ship but row into more trouble, landing on an island inhabited by a man-eating giant. They are captured but devise a daring escape, and think they are almost away, when they encounter even greater obstacles. With his ingenuity and quick wits, Sindbad prevails, but there are yet more seafaring adventures in store. Sindbad earned top marks from critics and readers alike for its breath-taking art. In Sindbad in the Land of Giants, Ludmila Zeman has once again delivered an action-packed, suspenseful tale worthy of The Thousand and One Nights. From the Hardcover edition.

Sindbad’s Secret

Sindbad the Sailor has escaped death many times and is planning to live the rest of his life on dry land. But the sea beckons, and he sets out for one final adventure. As he sails from a beautiful far-off land where people drink scented tea, a storm destroys the ship. Sindbad finds refuge on an island, but it holds little safety for him. Ivory traders make him their slave. It seems that he will live out his days in servitude. But the power of love, and his compassion for a baby elephant, give him the strength he needs for survival. His voyage offers him the answer to life’s greatest secret, and finally he can rest. Ludmila Zeman has retold these beloved adventures from the Thousand and One Nights in her gorgeous trilogy, Sindbad, Sindbad in the Land of the Giants, and Sindbad’s Secret, incorporating design details and maps that place the stories into their historical context.

The Mangrove Tree

For a long time, the people of Hargigo, a village in the tiny African country of Eritrea, were living without enough food for themselves and their animals. The families were hungry, and their goats and sheep were hungry too. Then along came a scientist, Dr. Gordon Sato, who helped change their lives for the better. And it all started with some special trees. Dr. Sato’s mangrove tree-planting project transformed an impoverished village into a self-sufficient community. This fascinating story of environmental innovation is a celebration of creativity, hard work, and ability of one man to make a positive difference in the lives of many.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 5, Issue 1