Featured Books: 2009 Click Here to See the 2009 Literary Award Winners August 2009 Septimus Heap: The Magykal Papers, by Angie Sage (Harper Collins) Perfect for fans of the Septimus Heap series, this is a collection of pamphlets, journal entries, restaurant reviews, maps, and more that will answer unanswered questions!   The Big Elephant in the Room, by Lane Smith (Hyperion) The classic expression comes to life in this hilarious new book by Lane Smith. The "big elephant" could be a number of embarrassments and misunderstandings between two friends: a video game that didn't get returned, a compliment that came out wrong, some not so great advice... You'll have to read the book to find out what the real problem is!     Crazy Hair, by Neil Gaiman and Dave McKean (Harper Collins) There's nothing left to do- all of the games have been played, pictures painted, comic books read. So that's exactly what Frankie and Sal decide to do- nothing at all. Find out how fun, and funny, it can be to do absolutely nothing for an afternoon.     Fancy Nancy Tea Parties, by Jane O'Connor (Harper Collins) A super fancy cookbook from the fanciest girl we know. She'll teach you how to properly host a tea party, speak french (d'accord), decorate, and make some fabulous recipes! Perfect for mid-summer or any time of the year!     Elephants Cannot Dance!, by Mo Willems (Hyperion) Our two good friends, Elephant and Piggie are trying to learn some new dance moves. Piggie desperately wants Elephant to dance with him, but it is documented that elephants cannot dance. See what happens when Gerald tries to bust a move.     All Kinds of Families!, by Mary Ann Hoberman (Little, Brown) "Bottle caps, gingersnaps, buttons, or rings, You can make families from all sorts of things!" In this book with very cute illustrations, families are made from anything you can imagine. The story shows the connections between everything we see, use, eat, and love.     July 2009 Moon Rabbit, by Natalie Russell (Viking; imprint of Penguin) Although this little white rabbit loves her busy life in the city, she often looks up at the moon, wondering if there could be another little rabbit for her to befriend. One day, after a nap in the park, she hears beautiful music which leads her to a little brown rabbit. They spend the day in the park, and become great friends.The two rabbits have such a fantastic time together, but the little white rabbit misses the city and goes back home with the memories of her new friend.   It's a Secret! by John Burningham (Candlewick Press) Every night, after all the people go to sleep, Malcolm (Marie Elaine's cat), leaves the house. One day, he agrees to let Marie Elaine go with him. Where do they go? It's a secret! Read this fun, fanciful book to find out!     Let's Do Nothing! by Tony Fucile (Candlewick) There's nothing left to do- all of the games have been played, pictures painted, comic books read. So that's exactly what Frankie and Sal decide to do- nothing at all. Find out how fun, and funny, it can be to do absolutely nothing for an afternoon.     Dessert First, by Hallie Durand (Atheneum, Imprint of Simon and Schuster) Dessert Schneider is a lovable and believable little girl who is always getting into trouble, and learning how to accept the consequences of her actions. Dessert First is a sweet tale about learning lessons in life, especially how to wrong a right! Scrumptious!     Thanks and Have Fun Running the Country: Kids' Letters to President Obama, edited by Jory John (McSweeney's) We all have our own opinions on how our new president should run the country, so why shouldn't children have an opportunity to state theirs?     June 2009 Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms, by Julia Rawlinson (Greenwillow; imprint of HarperCollins) Fletcher is in the orchard one day and is surprised that snow is coming down in the springtime. He begins to warn his friends about the snow. Before they all start getting ready to gather food and hibernate, they decide to go play in the snow. When they go back to the orchard, they realize it wasn't really snow, but instead it was beautiful white blossoms!   Grizzly Dad: Why Dads are GREAT (even the grumpy ones!), by Joanna Harrison (David Fickling Books; imprint of Random House) Just in time for Father's Day, this is a great new book! A little boy's dad wakes up one morning, and boy, is he grumpy. Later, when he goes to see what his dad is doing, his dad has turned into a BIG GRIZZLY BEAR! The boy at first is worried about looking after his bear dad, but the day turns out to be full of adventures and fun!     Sergio Saves the Game, by Edel Rodriguez (Little, Brown & Company) Sergio the penguin is a true lover of soccer. He wishes he could be a soccer star, but he's not very good at the game. Sergio practices and practices. On the day of the championship game, he is playing goalie. Sergio is not letting any balls go by, but when the final shot is taken by the other team, Sergio must use all of his courage to stop the goal and win the big game!     Pets Go Pop, by Bob Staake (Little, Brown & Company) If your child likes pets and pop up books, this one will become a favorite. As you read and view the fun illustrations, you will soon discover where all of the pets are going!     Poppy and Ereth, by Avi (HarperCollins) Poppy, a mouse, and Ereth, a porcupine, are best friends who have been through many adventures. Will Poppy and Ereth remain friends when Poppy's husband Rye dies and Poppy wants to be left alone? Read this to find out what happens in the final book of the Poppy series.     Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Book 5: The Last Olympian, by Rick Riordan (Hyperion; imprint of Disney) If you've been reading the first four books of Percy Jackson, you can't miss this one! Find out what happens in this much awaited final book of the series. If you haven't picked up this series and you liked Harry Potter, this is a series you are sure to enjoy!     May 2009 When the Moon Forgot, by Jimmy Liao (Published by Little, Brown & Company) One day the moon suddenly disappears, causing everyone to worry. To remedy the situation, many moons are made, and everyone gets one. One little boy finds the real moon, who is too scared to go home, laying in a field. They adventure together until the real moon is ready to return to the sky.   Fancy Nancy: Explorer Extraordinaire!, by Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser (Published by HarperCollins) Get ready for some fancy outdoor fun! Fancy Nancy and her friend Bree become explorers of the outdoors, and of course, they use fancy words along the way. Join them on their journey as they discover the wonderful world of nature!     What's So bad About Gasoline? Fossil Fuels and What They Do, by Anne Rockwell; Illustrated by Paul Meisel (Published by Harper Collins) Have you checked out the science section at blue manatee? When kids are asking lots of questions about the world, it's great to have books to help explain these concepts. This book has great illustrations and it helps kids learn about the abstract issue of fossil fuels.     Just Like Bossy Bear, by David Horvath (Published by Disney Hyperion) Bossy Bear likes to tell everyone what to do, but when his friend Turtle wants to be just like Bossy, they no longer are getting along. Luckily, Bossy decided to be kind to everyone. Will Turtle still want to be like Bossy? Read this to find out.     Saint George and the Dragon (25th Anniversary Edition), Retold by Margaret Hodges; Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman (Published by Little, Brown & Company) This is a beautifully illustrated book retelling the great story of Saint George and the Dragon. If you like dragons, take a look at this!     Welcome Little One, by Sandra Magsamen (Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) If you have a new baby in your life, this is the book for you. This is a keepsake that will be reread for years and years.     April 2009 The Curious Garden by Peter Brown (Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) Can you imagine a land with no gardens, no trees, or no flowers? When Liam stumbles upon a tiny garden in this land of bleakness, he starts to make the garden flourish. Can Liam turn this dreary land into a land of beauty and green? Read this to find out.   An Elephant and Piggie Book: Watch Me Throw the Ball! By Mo Willems (Published by Disney Hyperion) This book is out just in time for baseball season to start! Elephant and Piggie are learning how to throw a ball. Should throwing the ball take practice and skill or should it just be fun? Find out in this silly book!     Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Demigod Files by Rick Riordan (Published by Disney Hyperion) Have you been following all of the Percy Jackson books? If so, become an expert on Percy's life and his adventures with this guide to the series!     The Composer is Dead by Lemony Snicket; Music by Nathaniel Stookey (Published by HarperCollins) Lemony Snicket, author of the hit series A Series of Unfortunate Events, has written a picture book about a composer who died. Who did it? Read on as the crime unfolds. This is a must have for all musicians.     Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman; Illustrated by Charles Vess (Published by HarperCollins) Newbery award winner Gaiman eloquently shares his dreams for every little girl. This is a perfect book for every little girl and every person who has a little girl in his or her life.     Baby Giggles by Rachael Hale (Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers) Have you ever noticed that babies love to look at pictures of other babies? Read this to your baby and watch as they laugh and giggle from page to page.     March 2009 All in a Day, by Cynthia Rylant, Illustrated by Nikki McClure Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers This new book has become a bookstore favorite, with its beautiful old-fashioned illustrations and text filled with an uplifting message. If you enjoy the illustrations of such classics as Make Way for Ducklings, you will love these. This would be a great book for new babies, graduates, or anyone who enjoys a good picture book. We all love it!   A Pot of Gold: A Treasury of Irish Stories, Poetry, Folklore and (of course) Blarney, Selected and Adapted by Kathleen Krull; Illustrated by David McPhail Published by Disney Hyperion Books If you're looking for a book for St. Patrick's Day, this compilation will be one for you to read every March for years to come! The illustrations are colorful and gentle. This would be a great read-aloud to share with children of all ages.     The Negro Speaks of Rivers, by Langston Hughes; Illustrated by E.B. Lewis Published by Disney Jump at the Sun Books The poetry of Langston Hughes comes alive with the beautiful, vivid illustrations. As soon as you close this book, you can't help but open it back up so you can look at it again and again.     The I Love You Book, by Todd Parr Published by Little Brown and Company If you didn't get this book for Valentine's Day, it's not too late! This is a cute book that is great for young children, as well as grown-ups. As usual, Parr uses bright colors and silliness throughout this book, while sharing the message of love.     If You Give a Cat a Cupcake, by Laura Numeroff; Illustrated by Felicia Bond Published by HarperCollins In this humorous book, find out what happens when you give a cat a cupcake. In Numeroff's classic style, this book will keep kids laughing and wondering what will happen on the next page!     Seekers Book 2: Great Bear Lake, by Erin Hunter Published by HarperCollins Have you been waiting for the second Seekers book? Wait no longer. Just as Erin Hunter wowed readers with her Warriors series, she continues to do the same with Seekers. Start this series and get to know these bears!     Birds, by Kevin Henkes; Illustrated by Laura Dronzek Published by Greenwillow Books (an imprint of HarperCollins) If you enoyed Kevin Henkes' books, such as A Good Day or Lilly's Big Day, then you'll love Birds! This sweet story about birds is a great book to get ready for the spring season. This book is great for the young child or a bird lover of any age.     February 2009 Wabi Sabi, by Mark Reibstein; Art by Ed Young This book has unbelievably beautiful illustrations. Watch as this little cat named Wabi Sabi goes on a journey to discover what her name means.   Change Has Come: An Artist Celebrates Our American Spirit, Drawings by Kadir Nelson; Words by Barack Obama One word describes this historical book: beautiful.     Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, by Mo Willems Check out this latest book from the author and illustrator of the Elephant and Piggie books! You will not be disappointed.     Tales from Outer Suburbia, by Shaun Tan The illustrations in this book vary in style and medium from story to story, and the stories themselves are thought-provoking. Recommended for a 10 and up audience.     Coretta Scott, by Ntozake Shange; Paintings by Kadir Nelson Kadir Nelson is a master at painting vivid facial expressions. The poetry by Shange combined with the art makes this book one that everyone should read.   January 2009 Diary of a Wimpy Kid #3: The Last Straw, by Jeff Kinney   Posy, by Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner Beautiful illustrations.  A great read for young children and cat lovers.     A Penguin Story, by Antoinette Portis The Geisel award winning author of Not a Box and Not a Stick brings an amazing story about penguins and broadening your horizons.     Brava Strega Nona! A Heartwarming Pop-Up, by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart, based on the book by Tomie DePaola     We are All Born Free: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Pictures, by Amnesty International Page by page, different illustrators put the Declaration of Human Rights into vivid and expressive pictures.  As we strive in society to help children gain awareness of the abstract concepts of justice and freedom, this book is a resource that can be appreciated by people of all ages.   See Current Featured Books See Books Featured in 2008 interested in the books above? To order any of the books listed above, please call (513.731.2665), e-mail (contact@bluemanateebooks.com), or visit us in person (3054 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209). read something you really loved lately? Let us know about it! E-mail us at contact@bluemanateebooks.com and we'll either agree, respectfully disagree, look into it, or add it to our lineup!
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