Children's Books 2005

Folk and Fairy Tales

GOHA THE WISE FOOL
Johnson-Davies, Denys
Illustrations embroidered by Cairo tentmakers enliven amusing stories of this Middle Eastern folk hero.
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HOW THE AMAZON QUEEN FOUGHT THE PRINCE OF EGYPT
Bower, Tamara
A rousing feminist tale from ancient Egypt retold with hieroglyphics and embellished with artwork in the ancient style.
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KIBITZERS AND FOOLS: TALES MY ZAYDA TOLD ME
Taback, Simms
The citizens of Chelm dispense advice wise – and otherwise.
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MONKEY BUSINESS: STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Climo, Shirley
A lively gathering of folktales, proverbs, historical incidents and natural history.
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ROY MAKES A CAR
Lyons, Mary E.
A brilliant young mechanic builds cars so fine that even the Lord becomes a customer. Spun from an anecdote collected by Zora Neale Hurston.
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Non-Fiction

10,000 DAYS OF THUNDER: A HISTORY OF THE VIETNAM WAR
Caputo, Philip
Timelines, maps and memorable photographs document this compelling account by a Pulitzer-Prize winning writer.
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ALWAYS REMEMBER ME: HOW ONE FAMILY SURVIVED WORLD WAR II
Russo, Marisabina
The pictures in her family albums help Oma share memories with her granddaughter. A Holocaust story for younger readers.
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BODIES FROM THE ASH: LIFE AND DEATH IN ANCIENT POMPEII
Deem, James M.
Compelling photographs and well-informed text reveal the effects of the cataclysmic explosion.
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CELIA CRUZ, QUEEN OF SALSA
Chambers, Veronica
Vibrant art animates this lively account of the beloved Cuban American singer.
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CHILDREN OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION
Freedman, Russell
A revealing study of how children of that era lived, worked and played. Illustrated with many period photographs.
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DELIVERING JUSTICE: W.W. LAW AND THE FIGHT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS
Haskins, Jim
Dignified paintings evoke the strength and courage of a lesser-known activist from Savannah.
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DREAMER FROM THE VILLAGE: THE STORY OF MARC CHAGALL
Markel, Michelle
Exuberant illustrations enrich this account of the great 20th century Russian Jewish artist.
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FROM RAGS TO RICHES: A HISTORY OF GIRLS’ CLOTHING IN AMERICA
Sills, Leslie
Calico aprons to poodle skirts to anything goes – a fashionable photographic exploration.
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GORILLA DOCTORS: SAVING ENDANGERED GREAT APES
Turner, Pamela S.
Appealing photographs document the experiences of the men and women who live with and study mountain gorillas.
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HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN: HIS FAIRY TALE LIFE
Varmer, Hjørdis
An engaging biography of the beloved Danish storyteller who “saw a tale in everything he experienced.” Award-winning illustrations.
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HIDDEN CHILD
Millman, Isaac
The author recounts experiences both typical and terrifying as a Jewish child in occupied France during World War II. Illustrated with a mix of personal photographs and drawings.
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HITLER YOUTH
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell
A chilling account of 12 boys and girls growing up in Hitler’s Germany.
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JOE LOUIS: AMERICA’S FIGHTER
Adler, David A.
An inspiring biography of the world’s greatest heavyweight boxer. For younger readers.
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JOSÉ! BORN TO DANCE: THE STORY OF JOSÉ LIMON
Reich, Susanna
Graceful, luminous art complements this poetically told tale of a Mexican who became a master of modern dance.
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THE JOURNEY THAT SAVED CURIOUS GEORGE: THE TRUE WARTIME ESCAPE OF MARGRET AND H. A. REY
Borden, Louise
The exciting true story of how the creators of everyone’s favorite monkey escaped wartime Paris on homemade bicycles.
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LET’S TALK ABOUT RACE
Lester, Julius
“I’ll take off my skin. Will you take off yours?” A thought-provoking essay with powerful illustrations.
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MAROONED: THE STRANGE BUT TRUE ADVENTURES OF ALEXANDER SELKIRK, THE REAL ROBINSON CRUSOE
Kraske, Robert
A dramatic tale of survival against impossible odds and the inspiration for a timeless classic.
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MARSHFIELD DREAMS: WHEN I WAS A KID
Fletcher, Ralph
The poet and novelist fondly recalls growing up within a large and loving Irish American family.
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MEMORIES OF SURVIVAL
Krinitz, Esther Nisenthal
Exquisite pictorial embroideries illustrate this poignant memoir of a Jewish girl in Poland during World War II.
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OUR ELEANOR: A SCRAPBOOK LOOK AT ELEANOR ROOSEVELT’S REMARKABLE LIFE
Fleming, Candace
An intimate and revealing account of the great woman and her times.
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A PLAY’S THE THING
Aliki
Miss Brilliant’s class stages “Mary Had a Little Lamb” in this lighthearted behind-the-scenes look at children working together.
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PREHISTORIC ACTUAL SIZE
Jenkins, Steve
From the 4-inch-long flying cockroach to the 9-inch-long-teeth of a Giganotosaurus -an eye-popping gallery of extinct creatures.
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ROSA
Giovanni, Nikki
An inspiring picture book tribute to Rosa Parks’ courage, enhanced by emotionally charged illustrations of the Civil Rights struggle in Montgomery.
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SHOLOM’S TREASURE: HOW SHOLOM ALEICHEM BECAME A WRITER
Silverman, Erica
His childhood in a Russian shtetl inspires the tales of a beloved Yiddish storyteller. A picture book biography for younger readers.
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WISE GUY: THE LIFE AND PHILOSOPHY OF SOCRATES
Usher, M. D.
An entertaining and enlightening introduction to one of the wisest men who ever lived.
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Picture Books

BABY ON THE WAY
English, Karen
Grandma shares stories about her own childhood with her grandson, Jamal.
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BEARS
Krauss, Ruth
Bears on stairs and under chairs – an old favorite with fresh, new pictures from a master illustrator.
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BEE-BIM BOP!
Park, Linda Sue
A Korean-American family gathers around the table for a favorite dish. Recipe included.
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CHAMELEON, CHAMELEON
Cowley, Joy
A small lizard changes trees in search of food and love. A tropical forest tale illustrated with vibrant color photographs.
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THE DOG WHO CRIED WOLF
Kasza, Keiko
A pet dog heeds the call of the wild and discovers that the wild is a little too scary.
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DOÑA FLOR
Mora, Pat
A giant woman with a great big heart saves her small town from a mysterious menace in this original tale set in the Southwest.
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ELEPHANTS CAN PAINT TOO!
Arnold, Katya
Who has more fun with a paintbrush – elephants in Thailand or children in New York City? A lively photo-essay from an art teacher.
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THE FIRST DAY OF WINTER
Fleming, Denise
A child celebrates the beginning of winter by building a colorfully attired snow family.
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT: THE COMPLETE BOOK OF CONCEPTS FOR GROWING MINDS
Freymann, Saxton
Fruits and vegetables carved into hilarious faces illustrate ABCs, 123s and more.
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A GIFT OF GRACIAS
Alvarez, Julia
The beloved Our Lady of Altagracia bestows her gift of oranges on a Dominican family. A legend retold by a noted storyteller.
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THE GOOD LION
Markham, Beryl
A child encounters a not-so-tame lion in this memoir from 1906 East Africa. Golden-toned watercolors evoke the majesty of the half-wild beast.
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HE’S GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HANDS
Nelson, Kadir
Sublime pictures of a boy with his family celebrating the world around them are paired to the lyrics of a favorite spiritual.
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I AIN’T GONNA PAINT NO MORE!
Beaumont, Karen
An exuberant and delightfully messy boy spreads his artistry all over his house and himself.
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ONE RED DOT: A POP-UP FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES
Carter, David A.
Find the red dot on each inventive page.
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PRECIOUS AND THE BOO HAG
McKissack, Patricia C.
A quick-witted girl confronts a scary character from Gullah folklore in this original tale, illustrated with spirited scenes of rural life.
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SHOW WAY
Woodson, Jacqueline
In an ode to her baby, the author lovingly recalls generations of their family from slavery days on.
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A SPLENDID FRIEND, INDEED
Bloom, Suzanne
A patient bear and an inquisitive goose find common ground in an intimate story for the very young.
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TERRIFIC
Agee, Jon
A grumpy old man finds an unlikely feathered friend on a desert island.
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THAT NEW ANIMAL
Jenkins, Emily
At first two dogs don’t know what to make of that new diapered arrival. An appealing story for the very young.
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THREE FRENCH HENS
Palatini, Margie
Colette, Poulette and Fifi give a down-on-his luck fox and his decrepit Bronx apartment a fabulous makeover in this hilarious holiday tale.
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TWENTY-ONE ELEPHANTS AND STILL STANDING
Prince, April Jones
The newly opened Brooklyn Bridge gets a test of strength from P. T. Barnum and a procession of pachyderms. Richly detailed New York scenes illustrate this true story.
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ZEN SHORTS
Muth, Jon J
Three children learn wisdom from an uncommon - and furry - new neighbor. Elegant illustrations complement the wry humor in these three tales.
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Poetry and Song

FOLD ME A POEM
George, Kristine O’Connell
A little boy makes and plays with origami animals in this imaginative collection of short verse.
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I SAW YOUR FACE
Dawes, Kwame
A lyrical tribute to the beautiful faces of the African diaspora.
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A KICK IN THE HEAD: AN EVERYDAY GUIDE TO POETIC FORMS
Janeczko, Paul B.
An exuberantly illustrated introduction to haiku, triolets and more.
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PLEASE BURY ME IN THE LIBRARY
Lewis, J. Patrick
An uproarious set of poems about books and reading illustrated with witty paintings.
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SHAKESPEARE’S VERSE: A SELECTION
Pollinger, Gina
A handsomely illustrated collection of passages from the Bard’s plays and poetry.
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SKETCHES FROM A SPY TREE
Zimmer, Tracie Vaughn
Twin sisters adjust to their newly blended family in this set of linked poems with engaging multi-media illustrations.
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SONG OF THE WATER BOATMAN & OTHER POND POEMS
Sidman, Joyce
Dragonflies, painted turtles and spring peepers sing of seasonal experiences in this strikingly illustrated collection.
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Stories for Older Readers

ANGEL'S GRACE
Baptiste, Tracey
On a summer vacation in Trinidad, a young girl from Brooklyn uncovers a secret from her family's past.
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BEAR DANCER
Wyss, Thelma Hatch
Taken captive by the Cheyenne, a Ute girl longs to be reunited with her family in the Rocky Mountains. A thought-provoking story set in the 1860s.
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THE BICYCLE MAN
Dudley, David L.
The arrival of a wise old man in a closely knit African American community helps Carissa and her mother come to terms with their past. Set in 1927 Georgia.
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THE BOYS OF SAN JOAQUIN
Smith, D. James
A young would-be detective sets out to recover money missing from his church’s weekly collection in this funny small-town story.
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CHICKEN BOY
Dowell, Frances O’Roark
An unlikely friendship - and chickens -help a neglected child cope with his mother’s death and his damaged family.
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CROOKED RIVER
Pearsall, Shelley
Two sisters befriend an Ojibbway man accused of murdering a white trapper. A harrowing tale of prejudice and loyalty set in 1812 Ohio.
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THE CRY OF THE ICEMARK
Hill, Stuart
A warrior princess turns to such risky allies as vampires, wolf-folk and giant snow leopards to save her kingdom from invasion.
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DAY OF TEARS: A NOVEL IN DIALOGUE
Lester, Julius
A slave auction’s effects echo through generations in this heart-rending story, based on an historical event.
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EACH LITTLE BIRD THAT SINGS
Wiles, Deborah
Not even living in a funeral home with her loving family prepares young Comfort for unexpected loss in this Southern tragicomedy.
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THE FAIRY-TALE DETECTIVES
Buckley, Michael
Sent to live with their grandmother in a small Hudson River town, the young Sisters Grimm find themselves taking on a brutish giant, hostile fairies and other magical creatures.
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FLUSH
Hiaasen, Carl
Young Noah takes over from his jailed eco-terrorist dad to finger the polluter who is dumping raw sewage off the Florida Keys.
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GENTLE’S HOLLER
Madden, Kerry
Strong family roots, country music and a stray dog help Livy Two cope with hard times.
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GNAT STOKES AND THE FOGGY BOTTOM SWAMP QUEEN
Keehn, Sally M.
Spunky Gnat sets out to rescue Goodlow Pryce from the clutches of the evil swamp queen, Zelda, in this Tennessee version of the old Tam Lin tale.
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HARRY SUE
Stauffacher, Sue
Aspiring jailbird Harry Sue yearns to join her mother in the joint. Meanwhile she is doing time with her grandmother who runs the worst daycare in Michigan.
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HOME IS EAST
Ly, Many
After her mother walks out, Amy and her father leave their tightly knit Cambodian American community in search of a new life.
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I, DRED SCOTT
Moses, Shelia P.
The man at the center of the infamous court case tells his story in this powerful fictionalized account.
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THE KING OF MULBERRY STREET
Napoli, Donna Jo
A resourceful young Jewish immigrant from Italy finds himself alone on the mean streets of Lower Manhattan. A gripping tale of survival set in the 1890s.
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LISTENING FOR LIONS
Whelan, Gloria
Orphaned by the 1918 flu pandemic, Rachel is forced to masquerade as the granddaughter of a wealthy Englishman and leave her beloved East African home.
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THE MISADVENTURES OF MAUDE MARCH OR TROUBLE RIDES A FAST HORSE
Couloumbis, Audrey
Two orphaned sisters unwittingly become outlaws in this rip-roaring western.
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THE OLD AFRICAN
Lester, Julius
The stirring tale of an old man who leads his enslaved people to freedom, retold from a Gullah legend and illustrated with powerful watercolors.
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OUT OF ORDER
Hicks, Betty
A Rock-Paper-Scissors tournament unites four new step-siblings in this warmly humorous family story.
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PRINCESS ACADEMY
Hale, Shannon
Forced to attend a charm school for potential royal brides, a small but spirited mountain girl discovers both true love and hidden talents.
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REPLAY
Creech, Sharon
Reading his father’s childhood diary and rehearsing for a school play help Leo understand his large and loving Italian American family.
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REVENGE OF THE WITCH
Delaney, Joseph
The seventh son of a seventh son, witch-hunter-in-training Thomas Ward accidently frees an ancient and powerful witch. Book One of The Last Apprentice.
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SECOND SIGHT
Blackwood, Gary
A young boy and his psychic friend uncover clues of a plot against President Lincoln in this tense Civil War drama.
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UNDER THE PERSIMMON TREE
Staples, Suzanne Fisher
Forced to flee her home, an Afghani girl finds refuge with an American teacher in Pakistan in this compelling contemporary drama.
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WHERE THE GREAT HAWK FLIES
Ketchum, Liza
Two boys, one white and one Pequot of mixed descent struggle to overcome the searing legacy of a Revolutionary War atrocity in their Vermont community.
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WILLOW RUN
Giff, Patricia Reilly
When Meggie’s parents move to Michigan for wartime work, she misses her grandfather back in New York and worries about her brother who is missing in action. A companion to Lily’s Crossing.
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WING NUT
Auch, MJ
An elderly bird-watcher helps Grady and his mother put down roots and deal with the death of Grady’s father. A story of forgiveness and new possibilities.
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Stories for Younger Readers

THE DOLL WITH THE YELLOW STAR
McDonough, Yona Zeldis
With her beloved doll in hand, Claudine flees persecution in France in this poignant World War II story.
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GRANDMA’S GENERAL STORE: THE ARK
Carter, Dorothy
Prince and Pearl are cared for by their grandmother while their parents go North to start a new life. A heart-warming story set in Florida during the Great Depression.
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JIGSAW PONY
Haas, Jessie
Twin sisters get their hearts’ desire when they make a home for a lonely pony.
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MARTIN BRIDGE: READY FOR TAKEOFF!
Kerrin, Jessica Scott
Young Martin solves some tricky problems in these three perceptive tales.
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MR. CHICKEE’S FUNNY MONEY
Curtis, Christopher Paul
When Stephen is given a quadrillion dollar bill, a series of antic escapades follow including encounters with a slobbering dog and mysterious Treasury Department agents.
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NICHOLAS
Goscinny, René
Nineteen short tales of a mischievous schoolboy and his classmates that have been favorites for generations of French readers.
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THE OLD COUNTRY
Gerstein, Mordicai
A girl and a fox switch bodies in this allegorical tale of war and peace.
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PROJECT MULBERRY
Park, Linda Sue
Pickled cabbages and silkworms are the stuff of friendship for a Korean American girl and her best friend, Patrick.
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A ROOM WITH A ZOO
Feiffer, Jules
Julie wants a dog but instead gets a menagerie of fish, hamsters and reptiles, plus a cat who keeps throwing up, in this rib-tickling New York City tale.
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SHANGHAI MESSENGER
Cheng, Andrea
An American girl records new sights and experiences in poems as she visits her Chinese relatives for the first time.
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SPY MICE: FOR YOUR PAWS ONLY
Frederick, Heather Vogel
Secret agents of both the two-legged and four-legged varieties clash above and below the streets of New York City in this wild romp.
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THE TRAVELS OF BENJAMIN OF TUDELA THROUGH THREE CONTINENTS IN THE TWELFTH CENTURY
Shulevitz, Uri
An absorbing account of one man’s long and perilous journey from Spain to the Middle East and back. Illustrated with richly evocative paintings.
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Children's Books, 2005: One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing is published by the Office of Children's Services of The New York Public Library. If you wish to purchase copies please contact the Office of Branch Libraries at 212.340.0912.

Margaret Tice Coordinator, Children’s Services.