Cool New Books for February

February's roundup of Cool New Books includes THE ADVENTURES OF VIN FIZ, international bestselling author Clive Cussler's first novel written just for kids, and THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE, in which Newbery Medalist Kate DiCamillo takes readers on an extraordinary journey involving a rabbit who is lost and waiting to be found. We're also featuring SPIRIT WALKER, the second installment in Michelle Paver's adventure series Chronicles of Ancient Darkness about a boy who can talk to wolves, and the continuation of Children of the Lamp, a wildly entertaining and magical adventure trilogy by P. B. Kerr.

THE ADVENTURES OF VIN FIZ
Clive Cussler
Philomel Books
ISBN: 0399244743
Ages 7-up
160 pages

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Ten-year-old twins Lacey and Casey Nicefolk, who live on a tiny herb farm in California, wish they could see the world. But how can they, when times are so hard? That's where Sucoh Sucop comes in. The mysterious man leaves the twins a magic box that can transform any toy into a life-sized reality. Soon Casey and Lacey, and their faithful dog Floopy, are soaring cross-country through the sky in the enchanted Vin Fiz, Casey's model of a Wright Brothers biplane. But the ride is anything but a smooth one.

THE BLUE DJINN OF BABYLON: Children of the Lamp Trilogy, Book 2
P. B. Kerr
Orchard Books
ISBN: 0439670217
Ages 9-12
384 pages

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John and Philippa Gaunt, twelve-year-old twins who have recently discovered themselves to be descended from a long line of djinn and in possession of magical powers, continue on their extraordinary adventures in this sequel to THE AKHENATEN ADVENTURE. When a powerful book of djinn magic goes missing, John and Philippa are called upon to retrieve it. But the book isn't really missing. The trap was set and Philippa is abducted by the Blue Djinn. Now, John and his uncle Nimrod must find Philippa before it's too late.

THE CASE OF THE MISSING MARQUESS: An Enola Holmes Mystery
Nancy Springer
Sleuth/Philomel
ISBN: 0399243046
Ages 8-12
224 pages

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When Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared, she disguises herself as a grieving widow and sets out to the heart of London to uncover her whereabouts. Suddenly involved in the kidnapping of the young Marquess of Basilwether, Enola must escape murderous villains, free the spoiled Marquess, and perhaps most difficult of all, elude her shrewd older brother --- all while collecting clues to her mother's disappearance!

CLAIR-DE-LUNE
Cassandra Golds
Knopf
ISBN: 0375833951
Ages 10-up
208 pages

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Clair-de-Lune, who lives with her grandmother, practices ballet everyday. Her mother, a famous ballerina herself, died when Clair-de-Lune was just a baby. Since that day, she hasn't uttered a word. But then Clair-de-Lune meets a remarkable mouse who can speak. Bonaventure has two dreams: to found a dancing school just for mice and to help his new friend.

EVANGELINE MUDD AND THE GREAT MINK ESCAPADE
David Elliott
illustrated by Andrea Wesson
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763622958
Ages 7-10
192 pages

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Going undercover as a newspaper reporter and with the help of Alexy Alexy, the world's highest-jumping dancer, Evangeline Mudd must make good on her vow to set free the animals at Mudd's Marvelous Minks. But can they avoid Alexy Alexy's dastardly guardian, Ratsputin? What if Melvin Mudd, her father's second cousin twice removed, recognizes her? And will Melvin's wife really go through with that crazy comeback ballet she's staging?

FREE BASEBALL
Sue Corbett
Dutton Children's Books
ISBN: 0525471200
Ages 8-12
160 pages

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Felix knows his dad was a famous baseball player in Cuba --- and that his father risked everything to send Felix to America. But his mom won't reveal anything else. When a team with Cuban players comes into town, Felix wonders if they knew his dad. When he sneaks into their locker room to ask, the players mistake him for their new batboy. So to uncover his father's story, Felix runs away from home to assume his new position as batboy.

THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE
Kate DiCamillo
illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline
Candlewick Press
ISBN: 0763625892
Ages 7-up
228 pages

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Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason: he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who treated him with the utmost care and adored him completely. And then, one day, he was lost.

Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. And along the way, we are shown a true miracle: even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.

MONTMORENCY AND THE ASSASSINS
Eleanor Updale
Orchard Books
ISBN: 0439683432
Ages 9-12
224 pages

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As the nineteenth century draws to a close, war is in the air and influenza is sweeping the globe. After twenty years as a gentleman, Montmorency is glad to be free of Scarper, his wretched alter-ego. However, when Montmorency's young friend Frank finds himself caught in the middle of a murderous political plot, Montmorency may have no choice but to call upon none other than Scarper for help.

SPIRIT WALKER: Chronicles of Ancient Darkness #2
Michelle Paver
Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins
ISBN: 0060728280
Ages 10-up
368 pages

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WOLF BROTHER introduced readers to Torak, a boy who can talk to wolves and whose mission it is to vanquish the Soul-Eaters. As the Moon of No Dark intensifies in this second installment, the clans fall prey to a horrifying sickness. Fear stalks the Forest, and the very breath of spring seems poisoned. No one knows the cause --- and only Torak can find the cure. His quest takes him across the sea to the mysterious islands of the Seal Clan. Here Torak battles an unseen menace and uncovers a betrayal that will change his life forever.

THE YEAR OF THE DOG
Grace Lin
Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 0316060003
Ages 8-12
144 pages

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It's the Chinese Year of the Dog, and as Pacy celebrates with her family, she finds out that this is the year she is supposed to "find herself." As the year progresses, she struggles to find her talent, makes a new best friend, and discovers just why the Year of the Dog is a lucky one for her after all.

--- Compiled and written by Tom Donadio

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