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Cool New Books for May
This month's roundup of cool new books is perfect for anyone who enjoys adventures and the Great Outdoors. But even if you're not the "adventurous" type, there are a number of titles that you should enjoy, including some that focus on the relationships --- both good and bad --- that kids have with their family and friends.
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 THE BOY WHO SAVED BASEBALL
John H. Ritter
Philomel Books
ISBN: 0399236228
Ages 9-12
224 pages
Tom Gallagher finds himself in a big jam. The fate of Dillontown rests on the outcome of one baseball game, winner take all --- and it's all because he had to open his big mouth. Tom is desperate to get Dante Del Gato, the greatest hitter to ever play the game, to coach the team, but accomplishing this task would be nearly impossible. You see, Del Gato hasn't spoken to people in years, ever since he walked away from the game in disgrace just before his team played in its first World Series.
But all hope for Tom may not be lost, because Cruz de la Cruz, a mysterious boy who just rode into town on horseback, claims to know the secret of hitting --- and the secrets of Del Gato!
 FLYING SOUTH
Laura Malone Elliott
HarperCollins Juvenile Books
ISBN: 0060012145
Ages 9-12
160 pages
During the hot summer of 1968 --- a year marked by assassinations, Vietnam War protests and civil rights rioting --- Alice has some lessons to learn on life and death, family and love, and about the trying concerns she faces.
At home, Alice is looking to form a connection with her mother --- but her mother is too busy searching for a husband who will help erase the memory of Alice's father. Meanwhile, Alice's friendship with Bridget reminds her of the prejudices held toward black people. And Doc, the family rose gardener who shares his wisdom with Alice and helps her learn to do what is right, is growing older. For Alice, this is a summer for goodbyes and new beginnings.
 THE GREAT GOD PAN
Donna Jo Napoli
Wendy Lamb Books
ISBN: 0385327773
Ages 10-up
160 pages
Pan is a curious being; he is both goat and god, a creature of mystery and delight. He goes out into nature searching, wondering, and frolicking with maenads and satyrs. He plays melodies on his reed flute, inviting animals to listen. One day in his travels, Pan meets Iphigenia, a human raised as the daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra. And guess what? Pan is absolutely captivated by the young princess!
 THE KEY COLLECTION
by Andrea Cheng
illustrated by Yangsook Choi
Henry Holt & Company
ISBN: 0805071539
Ages 8-12
112 pages
Grandma Ni Ni is Xiao Jimmy's favorite person in the whole world. Ni Ni cooks delicious jiao zi, teaches her grandson Chinese characters, and always has wonderful stories and fascinating objects --- like the key collection --- to share with him. So when Jimmy learns that Ni Ni must move far away to California, he feels as if he's losing his best friend. In time, though, Jimmy discovers that there are ways to cope with this long distance, and make new friends in the process.
 REMEMBER THE LUSITANIA!
Diana Preston
Walker & Company
ISBN: 0802788467
Ages 8-12
112 pages
Three years after the tragic sinking of the Titanic, another luxury liner suffered a similar fate beneath the icy depths of the North Atlantic. The sinking of the Lusitania, torpedoed by a German U-boat in a sneak attack off the coast of Ireland, was one of the most pivotal and universally condemned acts of World War I.
Diana Preston chronicles the shipboard experiences of three children who were on that fateful voyage. Eleven-year-old Frank Hook, a third-class passenger, was moving to England with his father and older sister. Twelve-year-old Avis Dolphin, a second-class passenger, was being sent to an English boarding school with a chaperone. And five-month-old Audrey Pearl was traveling in luxurious first class with her parents, three siblings and two nannies. Although they were from different walks of life, these three children shared a common bond --- they all survived one of the most disastrous shipwrecks in history.
 TO THE TOP: The Story of Mount Everest
Stephen Venables
illustrated by Royal Geography Society
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763621153
Ages 9-12
96 pages
What compels people to risk their lives in order to climb the world's tallest peak? What challenges do they face along the way? What does it feel like to stand atop Mount Everest, high above Tibet and Nepal? Stephen Venables, who happens to be a climber himself, answers these and many more questions in this fascinating book, which marks the 50th anniversary of the first triumphant climb of Mount Everest.
You're bound to feel like an expert on Mount Everest after reading this book, as you learn about the history of the mountain, earlier missions that failed, and the effect that growing Himalayan tourism has had on local people and on Mount Everest itself. In addition to these facts, the book is filled with spectacular photographs from the Royal Geographical Society in London.
 ARCTIC LIGHTS, ARCTIC NIGHTS
Debbie S. Miller
illustrated by Jon Van Zyle
Walker & Co.
ISBN: 0802788564
Ages 6-9
32 pages
Imagine a land where the sun rises at 1:58 a.m. during the summer and shines for less than three hours on a winter's day! The animals in the wilderness near Fairbanks, Alaska witness some of the world's greatest temperature extremes and light variations every year. At an average low of -12 degrees Fahrenheit, the winters may be unpleasantly frigid, but the light shows are always spectacular.
Debbie S. Miller details the sunsets, twilight, diamond dust, and other quietly beautiful phenomena that color "the land of the midnight sun." She describes how the moose, caribou, grizzly bear, black wolf, and other Arctic animals survive and thrive in both the warm and cold seasons. And you'll be able to see for yourself the dramatic changes in light, thanks to Jon Van Zyle's beautiful and striking illustrations.
 DON'T LET GO!
Jeanne Willis
illustrated by Tony Ross
Putnam
ISBN: 039924008X
Ages 4-8
32 pages
Megan is understandably nervous about learning to ride her bike. What if the bike goes too fast and she falls? Daddy is patient and encouraging, letting her know that she can wait until she feels ready. But then it's time --- Daddy lets go and Megan is off. Now Daddy is the nervous one. What if Megan doesn't come back? It's a big world out there, and he isn't ready to let her go.
 HOTSHOTS!
Chris Demarest
Margaret McElderry
ISBN: 0689848161
Ages 4-8
48 pages
This exciting book by artist and volunteer firefighter Chris Demarest focuses on "hotshots," a team of highly trained firefighters who battle wildfires. As more homes are being built into the natural landscape, the role of the hotshot in fighting fires has become increasingly important. With stunning pictures and a text that can only be described as action-packed, Demarest captures the spirit of the dedicated hotshots and the real-life drama of the dangerous work they must do everyday.
 MUSIC IS
Lloyd Moss
illustrated by Philippe Petit-Roulet
Putnam
ISBN: 0399233369
Ages 4-8
32 pages
What would the world be without music? Whether it's fast or slow, loud or soft, haunting or uplifting, music makes our world a richer place. Some people dance to it, some write, play or sing it, and others just listen. It can be enjoyed by a crowd or by one person alone; it can signify grand occasions or bedtime. The power of music lies in the fact that it touches everyone in different ways --- it is truly magical.
 MY DAD'S JOB
Peter Glassman
illustrated by Timothy Bush
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 068982890X
Ages 5-8
32 pages
Every morning, millions of children watch as their mom or dad leaves for work. And every evening, they overhear stories from their parents about their day at work. But what their parents actually do in the workplace remains a big mystery for these children. Well, the mystery has finally been solved!
The young narrator in this lavish picture book envisions his dad as part of a team, where he's fighting off raiders and occasionally riding on a bull. But it's only after he travels to the office with his father that he realizes how wild a day at work can be.
 PAINTING THE WIND
Patricia & Emily MacLachlan
illustrated by Katy Schneider
Joanna Cotler Books
ISBN: 0060297980
Ages 4-8
40 pages
On an island surrounded by water and light, a young boy waits for the sun to shine and for his friends, the painters, to return: the landscape painter, painter of flowers, the painter of still lifes and the painter of faces. They all come to the island to paint when the days are long and their dogs can run free. The young boy watches and learns. This summer, he will try to do what he has never done before --- paint the wind.
 WHEN THE FIREFLIES COME
Jonathan London
illustrated by Terry Widener
Dutton
ISBN: 0525454047
Ages 4-8
32 pages
This wonderful depiction of a typical summer night opens with screen doors slamming, burgers sizzling on the grill, ice cream dripping, and boys and girls playing baseball. Shadows lengthen, the first twinkling stars appear, and then the fireflies come! The kids scramble to capture the blinking bugs in jars, only to set them free when it's time to go home. They then snuggle under the covers, as crickets sing them to sleep.
--- Compiled and written by Tom Donadio
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