Half-Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer

Harking back in style to the pulp mystery genre (the audio book even starts with some appropriately Film Noir background music), Half-Moon Investigations features a 12 year old Irish detective, Fletcher Moon, solving mysteries in his elementary school. When he is hired to find a missing celebrity souvenir by the school's most "popular" girl, things begin to heat up. Suddenly, there are a lot of other suspicious cases and his prime suspect, a local boy whose family has a reputation for trouble, becomes his partner in solving the crimes. Funny, smart, with a touch of Irish wit, Half-Moon Investigations is great fun. The crimes and action fit the upper elementary/middle school audience it is aimed at. The audiobook narrator, Sean Patrick Reilly, reads in a strong Irish brogue using a wide variety of characterizations, including a pretty good Elvis impersonation. (Half-Moon Investigations by Eoin Colfer. Read by Sean Patrick Reilly. Listening Library, 2006.)

First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

This lush picture book illustrates beginnings. First the egg, then the chicken it begins. It goes on to show tadpoles and frogs, seeds and flowers and more. The book then ties all the concepts together at the end. I read the book on a new e-book site, Lookybook, so I didn't experience the illustrations that won a Caldecott Honor Award first hand, but they were still vibrant and detailed. However, the book includes die cuts that didn't translate well on the computer screen. The site shows picture books, but doesn't allow you to enlarge them. There are links to buy the books from Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and an Independent Book Store network. It's a good way to preview books for purchase. To check it out go to: http://www.lookybook.com/index.php . (First the Egg by Laura Vaccaro Seeger. Roaring Brook Press, 2007.)

Iron Thunder by Avi

Subtitled The Battle Between the Monitor and the Merrimac, Iron Thunder creates a fictional character, Tom Carroll, out of several who actually worked on the first iron-clad ship. The story starts with young Tom, who goes to work in the shipyard after his father is killed early in the Civil War. He runs errands for the designer of the boat and is approached by a rebel spy to reveal secrets of the ships design. When the Monitor sailed, Tom went with it, and he describes barely surviving a storm at sea while sailing to Chesapeake Bay (the majority of the ship was below water, only 18" of it and the turret were above water). Then onto the great battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac, the south's iron clad ship. The book is full of actual illustrations of the time and details of the ship and how it was designed. There is also a glossary and a historical note. Sure to interest boys and Civil War fans. Iron Thunder: The Battle Between the Monitor & the Merimac by Avi. Illustrations by C. B. Morgan. Hyperion Books for Children, 2007.

Marley a dog like no other by John Grogan

A dog like no other indeed. The children's version of the adult best-seller had me laughing out loud, shaking my head in recognition, and mourning the loss of the incomparable Marley. Groghan devotes chapters to such things as everything Marley eats (and dealing with what comes out the other end), the myriad efforts to train Marley (he was kicked out of obedience school), Marley's very brief movie career and much more. The audio version is performed by Neil Patrick Harris, who used a wide range of accents and inflections to differentiate the characters. Listen for the "surfer dude" pit bull owner at the Dog Beach! (Marley a dog like no other by John Grogan. Harper Children's Audio, 2007)

Zen Ties by Jon J. Muth

Stillwater the bear returns with his nephew Koo, who loves to speak in rhyme. Stillwater's three friends from Zen Shorts join them in helping out an older neighbor who is sick. While reluctant at first, Addy, Michael and Karl grow to appreciate their neighbor and find they have gained from the experience. The watercolor illustrations are a beautiful respite from our harried world. They exude peace and serenity. (Zen Ties by Jon J. Muth. Scholastic, 2008.)

Gimme Cracked Corn & I Will Share by Kevin O'Malley

This book is a Groaner. O'Malley finds every pun imaginable to tie together his story of Chicken and George looking for a treasure Chicken dreamed about. In his dream, the treasure was under a pink pig in a barn, so Chicken and George set off on a hunt, cracking jokes along the way like two old Vaudvillians. The illustrations are bright and crips, and the disclaimers funny. Great Read Aloud (especially if you have an audience that likes puns). (Gimme Cracked Corn & I Will Share by Kevin O'Malley. Walker & Co., 2007.)

Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson

There's another world beside the one we know about, at least according to Alcatraz Smedry. We live in the "Hushlands" which are controlled by Evil Librarians, and there is another world, conveniently left off our maps, known as the "Free Kingdoms." On Alcatraz's 13th Birthday, he discovers this when he was taken from his foster home by his grandfather. An epic battle at the downtown Library ensues (the Evil Librarian headquarters). A fun, light tone makes the reading enjoyable and Alcatraz takes time to comment on the structure of the book such as cliffhanger chapters and other literary conventions. If you enjoy fantasy, check it out! (Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson. Scholastic Press, 2007.)

Bessie Smith and the Night Riders by Sue Stauffacher

Delightful illustrations by John Holyfield grace this picture book about the great jazz singer Bessie Smith and her encounter with the Ku Klux Klan while performing in the South. Emmarene, a young girl, tells the story of Bessie's visit to her community in the rural south to perform. While peeking through the tent flap at the performance, Emmarene spots Night Riders coming and rushes in to warn Bessie and the crowd. What happens next is the stuff of legends. Based on a true story, the book concludes with an historical note about Bessie Smith and how she had to travel during the Jim Crow Era. (Bessie Smith and the Night Riders by Sue Stauffacher. Illustrated by John Holyfield. G. P. Putnam and Sons, 2006.)

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper

The first book in The Dark is Rising sequence, Over Sea, Under Stone introduces us to the Drew Children who are on vacation on the Cornwall coast of England. While exploring the old house they are renting, they come upon a very old manuscript, which they eventually translate with the help of their Great Uncle "Merry." What follows is an exciting quest to find a valuable artifact before the suspicious visitors lurking in the area catch them or figure out where the manuscript leads them. The audiobook version is well read by Alex Jennings, who also narrates The Dark is Rising, the next book in the series. Jennings captures the various accents of Cornwall, the visiting children, and the ominous tones of the villain, Mr. Hastings. When the audio book I was listening to malfunctioned on the last CD, I headed straight to the library to get the book so I could finish it! (Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper. Random House Listening Library, 2007)