Emily Strange Shoes

Emily Strange Shoes

2010 Best New Books for Middle Grade and Young Adult Readers

2010 Top Summer Reads for Middle Grade and Young Adult

Brennan, Sarah Rees. Demon's Lexicon. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing/Margaret K. McElderry. 2009.

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 9 Up–In this riveting debut novel, 16-year-old Nick and his older brother, Alan, are accustomed to life on the run. Since their father was murdered, the boys have been forced to slay demons set on them by magicians seeking the powerful charm stolen by the boys' mother. Nick is furious when Alan receives a first-tier demon mark while saving a neighborhood boy. While seeking to remove it, Nick begins to suspect that his brother is lying to him about the reason for the magicians' attempts to kill them and about why their mother screams whenever Nick touches her. Fans of the Supernatural television series will be hooked from the novel's opening lines (The pipe under the sink was leaking again. It wouldn't have been so bad, except that Nick kept his favorite sword under the sink.). Even teens who don't consider themselves genre buffs will appreciate the solid writing, fast-paced plot, and sense of authenticity that Brennan gives to the shadowy world between ordinary, modern-day London and the otherworld of demons and magicians. Though Nick and Alan's story is mostly resolved with Nick discovering the truth behind his father's death and his mother's fear of him, readers will no doubt clamor for the next book in this planned urban fantasy trilogy.–Leah J. Sparks, formerly at Bowie Public Library, MD

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Brown, Mary Calhoun. There Are No Words. Lucky Press. 2010 

From Midwest Book Review

The most terrifying future is a future you cannot change. "There Are No Words" tells the story of a mute girl who finds herself with a voice, but sent back decades ago. With the knowledge of a train wreck that will kill one of her grandfather's friends, Jaxon MacKenzie finds herself in a time before said accident. But a twelve year old girl can't do much to stop a government train…can she? "There Are No Words" is a charming story of determination and friendship, highly recommended.

 From Feathered Quill: 5 Stars

There Are No Words is narrated by Jaxon, a 12-year-old girl with autism who lives with her grandparents. Though she shares with the reader that she cannot speak and describes her intense reactions to sound and touch, this is not really a book about autism. It is an adventure whose protagonist happens to be autistic.

 Jaxon also proves to be a strong, quick-thinking girl with a crush on a black boy and a friend who, in 1918, likes to wear boys' pants and shoes under her dresses. Author Mary Calhoun Brown defies many stereotypes. Teachers and parents looking for a book with strong female characters or gentle, nurturing men will find them here. The book also promotes awareness of autism without presenting it as a problem to be overcome. In fact the main problem from Jaxon's point of view is that other people do not understand autism and treat her as though she is stupid or, to use her word, unworthy.

We see the world through the eyes of someone who is extremely sensitive to touch and to sounds. Jaxon also pays close attention to details and colors. The descriptions of the world around her– the feel of the carpet, the sounds of the rain– are peaceful and poetic. Jaxon, who has much difficulty communicating with others, including her own mother, is still able to paint for us beautiful images of the world as she sees it.

When Jaxon is magically transported through a painting and back in time, she finds that she is able to speak. In fact she seems to have no trouble communicating whatsoever and to be unusually good at intuiting the feelings of others. In Tennessee in 1918 Jaxon's autism is not a problem, but she soon discovers that racism, an issue that she had been unaware of before her time-travel adventure, is a huge one.

There Are No Words is a quick read with thoroughly likable characters. The relationships between the characters are sweet while still being very real. Readers will be inspired by the patience of Jaxon's grandparents and the kindness of her friends.

Quill says: A dream-like adventure that reads like poetry while challenging stereotypes

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  Griffin, Paul. The Orange Houses. Penguin/Dian Books. 2009.

 From Booklist:

*Starred Review* Much like Rita Williams-Garcia's Jumped (2009), this story follows three kids through the pressure cooker of inner-city teenage life as it moves toward its crushing conclusion. Whereas that book mined the minor humiliations and overblown dramas that swirl during a single school day, this has a much more diffuse scope. The three characters couldn't be any more different: Tamika Sykes is a partially deaf student agonizing over whether she really wants to hear all the noise surrounding her; Fatima Espérer is a 16-year-old refugee who fled the violence and poverty of her unspecified African country to live in the shadow of the Statue of Liberty; and depending on who you ask, Jimmy Sixes, already a disturbed veteran at age 18, is either a street poet or a junkie. The three form an unusual friendship, connecting both artistically and emotionally. All this is set in a city that has become a powder keg of anti-immigration sentiment (thanks to a recently passed law that rewards citizens for reporting illegals) and is perilously close to the ever-present spark of gang violence. Griffin clearly knows teens, especially the way they speak. In another writer's hands, this story of three outcasts might have turned into a sentimental mess, but he keeps the depth of emotion honest as his characters battle alienation and find strength in sacrifice. Although readers will be prepared for an unnerving journey from the opening scene, they will nevertheless be floored by some of the turns in this swift, tense, and powerful book. Grades 10-12. –Ian Chipman

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 Reisman, Michael. Simon Bloom and the Octopus Effect. Dutton Juvenile. 2009.

 From Audiofile:

Nicholas Hormann narrates Simon Bloom's third fantastical adventure as the 12-year-old explores the Order of Biology, an undersea world of strange creatures. Hormann meets the challenge of a large cast of characters and multiple settings with an abundance of accents that differentiate and add color. He characterizes the story's omniscient narrator with crisp British enunciation that matches his detached view and depicts a sea creature with gurgles. He portrays the passionate director of the underwater realm with drama. When Simon and friends are enriched with octopus DNA, they develop special powers that are especially helpful when they confront their archenemy, Sirabetta. Hormann embraces the story's inventive spirit, leading listeners through adventure and intrigue.

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 Herlong, M.H. The Great Wide Sea. Penguin/Viking. 2008.

 From Booklist:

*Starred Review* Soon after their mother's death, 15-year-old Ben and his two younger brothers are stunned when their father sells their home, buys a sailboat, and announces that they will live on board and cruise the Bahamas for the next year. Wrenched from everything he knows and forced to obey his father-captain's orders, Ben starts out angry and finds no escape. As he says, "We were always together." When their father sets a course for Bermuda and disappears overboard one night, the boys have little time to wonder if he jumped or fell before they're struggling to stay afloat in a fierce Atlantic storm. Lost at sea in a damaged boat, they find their way to an island where they are stranded with little food, little water, and little hope of rescue. Herlong's first book is a great survival story and a fine portrayal of family relationships in a time of crisis. Justifiably angry, yet logical, reflective, and at times compassionate, Ben makes a sympathetic protagonist, and his brothers are no less appealing. With enough detail to make the settings real and a minimum of metaphor, the first-person narrative is clean and direct. This page-turner of an adventure story is also a convincing, compelling, and ultimately moving novel. Grades 6-10. –Carolyn Phelan

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Berryhill, Shane. Chance Fortune in the Shadow Zone. Starscape. 2009

From Publishers Weekly

Readers weary of Potter-esque fantasy but hungry for another semi-humorous / semi-serious school setting, and lovers of superhero stories in general, will delight in this first volume in the Adventures of Chance Fortune series, ideally structured for many further adventures.

 From VOYA

Berryhill's debut novel kicks off an engrossing series, The Adventures of Chance Fortune, that takes formulas both old and new and gives them a zippy twist…. A lively and engrossing tale that neither takes itself too seriously nor underestimates its readers….Here's hoping Berryhill has several series entries ready to go.

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Ecton, Emily. Night of the Living Lawn Ornaments. Aladdin. 2009

From TeensReadToo(dot)com

When Arlie woke up that morning, she had no idea that her life would be turned upside down in a matter of minutes. Arlie's mom had given some of her toys to their neighbor, Cookie. When Arlie stepped outside, she saw Cookie removing the inner workings of her old orange kangaroo Fred's head. Arlie snatched it from her and ran, only to run over Tina's friend, Bethany Burgess, ruining her new white capris.

She couldn't stop, so she ran past a very surprised Ty and ended up in a tree near Mrs. Wombat's house. Ty showed up a few minutes later and ends up in the tree with Arlie.
While in the tree, Arlie finds a black dragonfly pendant and that's when the craziness really takes off. The pendant turns out to have an odd power – it turns inanimate objects into living, breathing things. Pretty soon lawn ornaments and other objects all over town are awake and wandering around. Arlie, Ty, and Mr. Boots have their work cut out for them trying to get everything back to normal.

I found NIGHT OF THE LIVING LAWN ORNAMENTS to be even funnier than her last book, BOOTS AND PIECES. The characters were engaging and hilarious. Kids, teens, and even adults will laugh out loud while reading this book. -Reviewed by: Breia "The Brain" Brickey

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 Napoli, Donna Jo. Alligator Bayou. Random House / Knopf. 2009

From School Library Journal

Grade 8 Up—Building on her extensive research conducted after reading a newspaper article about the lynching of Sicilian grocers in Tallulah, LA, in 1899, Napoli presents a moving, sobering story about an aspect of American immigration that is probably unknown to most readers. After his mother's death, 14-year-old Calogero leaves his bustling Sicilian home for the sleepy southern town to help his uncles and younger cousin run their grocery store. White customers expect to be served before blacks and make their displeasure angrily apparent when the Sicilians fail to do so. Barred from the white school and unaware that he can attend the black school, Calogero learns English from a tutor who also tries to help him comprehend Southern American behavior. The cousins meet some African American boys who take them on a terrifying alligator hunt that firmly cements their friendship. Calogero is attracted to Patricia, a African American girl, but fails to fully understand the danger behind her fear of being seen in public with him. Although he has heard his uncles' stories of the recent lynching of Sicilians in New Orleans, he is unprepared for the horrifying tragedy that befalls his family when a local white doctor kills Uncle Francesco's goats and then convinces an angry mob that the Sicilians plan to retaliate violently. Historical events are smoothly integrated with vivid everyday details, strong characterizations, and genuine-sounding dialogue. Ultimately, the author expands her themes beyond the story's specifics, encouraging readers to reconsider the motivations behind this calamity and other manifestations of racism.—Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA

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Tubb, Kristin O'Donnell. Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different. Yearling. 2010.

From Booklist:

In1934, spunky 11-year-old Autumn Winifred Oliver lives in picaresque Cades Cove, deep in the Great Smoky Mountains. Her crusty Grandpa is involved in a federal plan to convert the surrounding land into a national park, which would allow the locals to cash in on the anticipated tourism. But after Autumn realizes that the government is actually plotting to level Cades Cove, she tries everything in her power to stop the destruction. She writes a letter to Mr. John D. Rockefeller, requesting that he withdraw his funding, and she even turns her flatulent bloodhound loose on a group of park builders. While the eventual compromise is not entirely pleasing to either side, Autumn is satisfied that she did her best to keep her precious holler "as durn near perfect as possible." Tubb's inventive heroine comes across as a female version of familiar characters, such as Gary Paulsen's Harris or Robert Newton Peck's Soup. This homespun tale, full of folksy humor and based on historical fact, will appeal to young fans of Deborah Wiles' and Ruth White's books. Grades 4-6. –Jennifer Hubert

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Small, David. Stitches: A Memoir. W.W. Norton & Co. 2009.

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. In this profound and moving memoir, Small, an award-winning children's book illustrator, uses his drawings to depict the consciousness of a young boy. The story starts when the narrator is six years old and follows him into adulthood, with most of the story spent during his early adolescence. The youngest member of a silent and unhappy family, David is subjected to repeated x-rays to monitor sinus problems. When he develops cancer as a result of this procedure, he is operated on without being told what is wrong with him. The operation results in the loss of his voice, cutting him off even further from the world around him. Small's black and white pen and ink drawings are endlessly perceptive as they portray the layering of dream and imagination onto the real-life experiences of the young boy. Small's intuitive morphing of images, as with the terrible postsurgery scar on the main character's throat that becomes a dark staircase climbed by his mother, provide deep emotional echoes. Some understanding is gained as family secrets are unearthed, but for the most part David fends for himself in a family that is uncommunicative to a truly ghastly degree. Small tells his story with haunting subtlety and power.

 

About the Author

Mary Calhoun Brown tells stories about things that matter, weaving colorful and sensitive characters into history for a generation that prefers to be entertained rather than educated. Brown is an advocate for children and adults with autism. She also partners with educators to create curriculum guides for her novels so teachers and home-school parents can meet state requirements while making the most of classroom and planning time. Mary Calhoun Brown lives in beautiful Huntington, West Virginia, with her husband Cam and three sons, William, Harrison and Dewey

Emily The Strange $159.99 Emily The Strange - Framed Poster

Emily the Strange $3.95 Emily may be odd, but she always gets even Meet Emily, the peculiar soul with long black hair, a wit of fire, and a posse of slightly sinister black cats. Famous for her barbed commentary and independent spirit, this rebel-child in black has spawned an Internet and merchandising phenomenon (Emily's Web site gets 35,000 hits per month ). Emily the Strange, her first book, captures the quintessential Emily, featuring her most beloved quips and a host of new ones. Anarchist, heroine, survivor, this little girl with a big personality appeals to the odd child in us all.

Emily The Strange: Stranger And Stranger $4.49 Emily the Strange, evil genius and skateboarder extraordinaire, has invented many things in her time. But the duplication device may have been a mistake, especially when an accident produces an identical Emily.

Emily the Strange: Stranger and Stranger (Unabridged) $10.89 Emily is a unique individual....

Stranger And Stranger (Emily The Strange) $3.99 After moving to a new town with her mother, Emily the Strange finds her troubles multiplying when she accidentally duplicates herself.

Emily the Strange (Paperback) $18.5 Emily the Strange has lost her memory and finds herself in the town of Blackrock with nothing more than her diary, her slingshot, and the clothes on her back.

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The Art of Emily the Strange $22.52 In her fifteen-plus years in existence, oddballs, outcasts, and art freaks the world over have grown to know and love a strange young girl named Emily. With roots in the punk-rock art scene of Santa Cruz skate culture and an early appeal to European trend spotters, the iconic image of Emily and her philosophy of devout individualism have become deeply rooted in global culture. The Art of Emily Volume One is the first-ever collection of images showing the wide and inspired range of artistic styles and mediums that have been used to create the world of Emily the Strange. From skateboard stickers to custom rock-and-roll album art, large-scale psychedelic paintings, and insanely intricate Mongolian paper cutting, the fantastic and artful imaginings of Rob Reger, Buzz Parker, and a staggeringly talented array of collaborators will give insight and inspiration to any Emily fan.

Emily the Strange: The Lost Days (Unabridged) $12.89 Emily the Strange: 13 years old. Able to leap tall buildings, probably, if she felt like it....

Emily the Strange: The Lost Days $6.99 13 Elements you will find in the first Emily the Strange novel: 1. Mystery 2. A beautiful golem 3. Souped-up slingshots 4. Four black cats 5. Amnesia 6. Calamity Poker 7. Angry ponies 8. A shady truant officer 9. Top-13 lists 10. A sandstorm generator 11. DoppelgÄngers 12. A secret mission 13. Earwigs Emily the Strange: 13 years old. Able to leap tall buildings, probably, if she felt like it. More likely to be napping with her four black cats; or cobbling together a particle accelerator out of lint, lentils, and safety pins; or rocking out on drums/ guitar/saxophone/zither; or painting a swirling feral sewer mural; or forcing someone to say "swirling feral sewer mural" 13 times fast . . . and pointing and laughing.

Emily the Strange: Dark Times $7.99 Emily's uniquely strange homeschool syllabus includes: 1. Time Travel 101 2. Advanced Spy Photography 3. Bonnet Basics 4. Great Aunts Through the Ages 5. Intro to Germ Theory 6. Care and Feeding of 'Squito Fish 7. Fundamentals of Black Rock 8. Spiderweb Embroidery 9. Historical & Contemporary Felines 10. Pop Quizzes 11. Foodstuffs of the 1780s 12. Thwarting Ancestral Enemies 13. Techniques in Parallel

Emily the Strange: Piece of Mind $17.05 Emily's Strange To-Do List: 1. Lose (and regain) mind 2. Reprogram golem 3. Locate secret book vault 4. Commune with Dead Dark Aunts 5. Rescue Cousin Jakey 6. Redecorate souvenir kiosk 7. Thwart Thought Thief 8. Endure hero worship 9. Grant ancestral enemy's deepest wish 10. Save cat-napped kitty 11. Summon black rock 12. Defeat Shady Uncles 13. Guard family legacy & claim inheritance

Emily the Strange 1 $30.48 Emily, Mystery, Sabbath, Nee Chee, and Miles journey to the dark side of the moon, meet photogenic monsters in the darkroom, and explain exactly why there are some very good reasons to be afraid of the dark, in a collection that features The Boring Issue, The Lost Issue, and The Dark Issue.

Emily the Strange 2 $16.36 Those who have ever been considered a little "strange" will feel right at home in Emily`s mysterious world--a place where kitty friends talk, the ghosts of famous weirdos come out to play, and reality is never quite what it seems. Original.

The Art of Emily the Strange Hardcover Book $22.99 In her thirteen-plus years in existence, oddballs, outcasts, and art freaks the world over have grown to know and love a strange young girl named Emily. With roots in the punk-rock art scene of Santa Cruz skate culture and an early appeal to European trend spotters, the iconic image of Emily and her philosophy of devout individualism have become deeply rooted in global culture. The Art of Emily Volume 1 is the first-ever collection of images showing the wide and inspired range of artistic styles and mediums that have been used to create the world of Emily the Strange. From silk-screened vinyl skateboard stickers to custom rock-and-roll album art, large-scale psychedelic paintings, and insanely intricate Mongolian paper cutting, the fantastic and artful imaginings of Rob Reger, Buzz Parker, and a staggeringly talented array of collaborators will give insight and inspiration to any Emily fan. 120 pages.

Strange Posse $1.49 Strange Posse Button Emily the Strange in the center of a black and red button.

Emily the Strange: Stranger and Stranger $7.99 Emily is . . . 1. A mad scientist 2. A cat lover 3. A mural painter 4. A golem builder 5. A virtuo-spastic guitarist 6. A wicked skater 7. A wily troublemaker 8. A poltergeist tamer 9. A mystery solver 10. A master prankster 11. An eXtreme procrastinator 12. A happy loner 13. A unique individual . . . and now there are two of her.

Emily the Strange: Strangerous - Nintendo DS $29.99 SynopsisAfter awaking from a terrible nightmare, Emily discovers someone has cat-napped her four feline friends. With many worlds and parallel universes to explore in search of her kitties, Emily will need a sharp eye and keen wit to solve puzzles and find ways around obstacles to rescue her cats. Help Emily find each cat one by one, all while working to figure out who would separate the strange Emily from her precious pets. Join Emily the Strange in Strangerous. Rescue her cats and use each of their special abilities and visions to advance through the game. Explore five parallel universes with beautiful and detailed settings and delve deeper into the story with animated cut scenes that advance the mysterious plot. Earn rewards as you play five unique mini games at the Atrocity Fair and through the wondrous OddlSee device. Exclusive to the Nintendo Dsi, scan QR codes with the camera to unlock Zonster parts so you can create your own personal Zonster. Will you be able to find all four kitties in this Strangerous world and find the one that cat-napped them?