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Cool New Books for September
Simon, Jared and Mallory Grace must rescue their mother from a dangerous shape-shifting ogre in THE WRATH OF MULGARATH, but unexpected twists and turns ensue in the exciting fifth and final book in the first Spiderwick series. This month's roundup of cool new books also marks the return of literal-minded housekeeper Amelia Bedelia and the release of the action-packed second novel in the Lionboy trilogy, by mother-and-daughter writing team Zizou Corder. In addition, we're featuring an outstanding new picture book by author-illustrator Jeanette Winter titled SEPTEMBER ROSES, which is a moving tribute to the memory of September 11, 2001.
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 BIRD
Angela Johnson
Dial Books
ISBN: 0803728476
Ages 10-up
144 pages
• Read a Review of A COOL MOONLIGHT
• Read a Review of RUNNING BACK TO LUDIE
Thirteen-year-old Bird has run away to find her stepfather. She would like him to return home --- to fill the hole he left in their family. But while she hides near his sister's farmhouse, she becomes involved in the lives of three people who also have holes to fill: Ethan, whose heart troubles have prevented him from spending much time with kids his own age; Jay, whose brother has died unexpectedly; and Mrs. Pritchard, whose house has been too empty since her husband was moved to a nursing home.
 THE HOUSE ON THE GULF
Margaret Peterson Haddix
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0689854226
Ages 8-12
208 pages
• Read a Review
• Read a Review of AMONG THE IMPOSTERS
• Read a Review of SAY WHAT?
When Britt's older brother, Bran, lands a summer job housesitting for the Marquises, an elderly couple, it seems like a great opportunity. Britt and Bran have moved to Florida so their mother can finish college, and the housesitting income will allow their mom to quit her job and take classes full-time. Having never lived in a real house before, Britt is thrilled. But there's a problem: Britt starts to suspect that her family isn't supposed to be there.
 LIONBOY: THE CHASE
Zizou Corder
Dial Books
ISBN: 0803729847
Ages 10-up
263 pages
• Read a LIONBOY Review
• Author Interview
This second book in the Lionboy trilogy finds Charlie Ashanti and his lion friends making it safely to Venice --- but it turns out that their journey has only just begun. King Boris's palace was meant to be a haven, but it's starting to feel more like a prison. When word arrives that his parents are not being held in Italy after all, Charlie knows he must take fast action. Luckily a new ally has arrived --- and just in the knick of time: Rafi is in hot pursuit.
 PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS
Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Hyperion
ISBN: 0786854456
Ages 9-12
464 pages
Young orphan Peter and his mates are dispatched to an island ruled by the evil King Zarboff. They set sail aboard the Never Land, a ship carrying a precious and mysterious trunk in its cargo hold --- and the journey quickly becomes both exciting and dangerous. Battles with pirates and thunderstorms at sea are just some of the events that will immerse readers in a story that ultimately reveals the secrets and mysteries of the beloved Peter Pan.
 THE SEA OF TROLLS
Nancy Farmer
Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books
ISBN: 0689867441
Ages 10-13
480 pages
Jack was only eleven when the berserkers nabbed him. The year is A.D. 793, and in the following months, Jack and his little sister are enslaved by Olaf One-Brow and his fierce young shipmate, Thorgil. With a crow named Bold Heart for mysterious company, they are swept up into an adventure-quest highly reminiscent of THE LORD OF THE RINGS.
Other threats include a willful mother Dragon, a giant spider, and a troll-boar with a surprising personality. And let's not forget Ivar the Boneless and his wife, Queen Frith, a shape-shifting half-troll, and several eight-foot-tall, orange-haired, full-time trolls.
It's obvious that award-winning author Nancy Farmer has her creative juices flowing once again!
 THE SECRET OF CASTLE CANT
K.P. Bath
Little, Brown and Company
ISBN: 0316108480
Ages 10-14
304 pages
Young Lucy Wickwright, an obedient maidservant, tends to the Baron of Cant's mischievous daughter, The Adored & Honorable Pauline Esmerelda Simone-Thierry von Cant. Lucy's eagerness to please her, as well as her elders, inadvertently leads her to become a key player in a mysterious rebellion that is brewing not only throughout the Barony but also within the castle grounds.
Before she knows what hit her, Lucy has become a spy, risking her life for a cause that is pitted against her own mistress. When Lucy discovers that she --- an orphan! --- is actually the true heir of Cant and at the heart of the revolution itself, she must choose between trying to end the rebellion, which supports her right to the throne, or betraying her own flesh and blood.
 THE STOLEN RELIC: Nancy Drew (All New) Girl Detective #7
Carolyn Keene
Aladdin Paperbacks
ISBN: 068986843X
Ages 8-12
160 pages
• Nancy Drew Series
Nancy, Bess, George and Ned travel to Moab to relax and enjoy some hiking and biking. But these plans must be put on hold, because one of the tour guides has mysteriously disappeared. Sasha Starflower was one of the nicest rangers and most respected tour guides around --- so who would want to kidnap her or do her harm? There's no shortage of suspects --- just a shortage of time.
 THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES Book 5: THE WRATH OF MULGARATH
Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black
Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0689859406
Ages 7-up
160 pages
• Read a Review
• The Spiderwick Chronicles
After escaping from the dangerous ogre Mulgarath and his goblin servants, Simon, Jared and Mallory head home. Upon their arrival at the Spiderwick estate, they discover that the place has been ransacked and that their mother has been abducted. How on earth will they be able to rescue her without that precious Field Guide? Don't even think about missing this final book in the first Spiderwick series!
 HAPPY HAUNTING, AMELIA BEDELIA
Herman Parish
Greenwillow Books
ISBN: 0060518944
Ages 6-up
64 pages
• Amelia Bedelia Series
Mr. and Mrs. Rogers are throwing a Halloween party, and one of their guests is (of course) Amelia Bedelia. But she has been so busy helping the neighborhood children make their Halloween costumes that she has forgotten all about the party. So when she arrives at her employers' house, she is shocked to discover creepy bats hanging over the front door, spooky jack-o'-lanterns in the window, and tombstones on the front lawn. Amelia Bedelia wants to start cleaning up the mess immediately --- but fortunately the Rogerses persuade her to join the festivities, and that's when the real Halloween fun begins!
 ALEX AND THE WEDNESDAY CHESS CLUB
Janet S. Wong
Illustrated by Stacey Schuett
Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0689858906
Ages 4-8
40 pages
Alex first learned to play chess when he was only four years old, and loved everything about it --- until he lost a game to Uncle Hooya. He decided after that match to give up chess for good. But now Alex, who is in third grade, wants to give chess another try. He joins the chess club and discovers the fun of the game again, playing every chance he gets. All of this practice is leading up to the big tournament, where Alex finds himself face-to-face with Little Cousin Hooya. Memories of his earlier defeat return, but now it's his chance to finally beat a Hooya. Is Alex up to the challenge?
 BY MY BROTHER'S SIDE
Tiki and Ronde Barber
Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 0689865597
Ages 6-10
32 pages
Tiki and Ronde Barber may not have been the strongest or the tallest in their neighborhood, but they were fast and always worked hard at what they loved --- sports, especially football. Then one day Tiki badly hurt his knee in a biking accident just before football season, and he was sure he'd never be able to play again. Their mother had always told them, "You are each other's best friends. Stick together, believe in yourselves, and you can do anything." They remembered those words, took them to heart, and never gave up.
 THE LEGEND OF SPUD MURPHY
Eoin Colfer
Hyperion
ISBN: 0786855010
Ages 7-up
96 pages
• Read a Review of THE SUPERNATURALIST
Every child in town knows about Spud Murphy. The adults think she's a friendly old librarian, but the kids know the truth. They've heard all about the gas-powered spud gun she keeps hidden under her desk for those who dare to speak in her library. Laugh out loud and you may never be seen again. Unbelievably, Will and his older brother, Marty, have been ordered by their parents to spend their summer vacation in Spud's library! Can these two youngsters survive the summer? Is there any chance that they'll actually have fun?
 SEPTEMBER ROSES
Jeanette Winter
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
ISBN: 0374367361
Ages 7-up
40 pages
On September 11, 2001, two sisters from South Africa are flying to New York City with 2,400 roses to be displayed at a flower show. When they land, they learn of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. All flights are canceled; the sisters can't go home, and they're stranded with boxes and boxes of roses.
In the days that followed this unthinkable tragedy, Jeanette Winter visited Union Square and saw, among the hundreds of memorial offerings, twin towers made of roses.
 WILD ABOUT BOOKS
Judy Sierra
illustrated by Marc Brown
Knopf
ISBN: 037582538X
Ages 4-8
40 pages
In the summer of 2002, Springfield librarian Molly McGrew accidentally drives her bookmobile into the zoo. But this turns out to be a very good mistake to have made, because Molly introduces the joys of reading to all the inhabitants there. She finds the perfect book for each animal --- including tall books for giraffes, tiny books for crickets, and books in Chinese for pandas. In no time at all, Molly has them "going wild, simply wild, about wonderful books."
--- Compiled and written by Tom Donadio
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