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Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse
by Torben Kuhlman

Lindbergh is the tale of a death defying European mouse who, upon the invention of the mouse trap, finds that all of his friends have disappeared. It seems that there has been a mass emigration to America. Not wanting to be alone, Lindbergh defies enormous odds and incredible danger to embark on the first solo transatlantic flight in history.

Although the story is quite charming and creative, it is not what makes Lindbergh so special. The real treat in this children's picture book are the simply gorgeous illustrations by its author, Torben Kuhlman. I have spent time with this book several times now, and feel confident that I will do so again because of the remarkable illustrations. Lindbergh is Mr. Kuhlman's first foray into illustrated books and I can only hope it will not be his last.

Whether adult or child, I don't think anyone would be disappointed with this one.

—Alli

Paper Towns
by John Green

John Green is one of the funniest authors I’ve had the pleasure of reading. He resonates with young adults in the video gaming and social media world. In this novel we meet Quentin Jacobsen, who has spent his entire life loving his adventurous next door neighbor Margo Roth Spiegelman, who has little time for him. Then one night she knocks on his window and he buckles up for a ride of his life. After pulling an all-nighter filled with dares, shenanigans and borderline felonious activities, Quentin finds himself in the hallways at school wondering what happened to Margo Roth Spiegelman. After finding a clue, Q and his friends chase her down as she leads them on a wild goose chase through paper towns. When they finally hit the last town, will Margo Roth Spiegelman be waiting for them or will she once again show her mysterious side and lead them down an entire different path? This book made me laugh page after page. Since reading this I’ve followed John Green on twitter and I invite you to do the same: #realjohngreen

—Emily

Al Capone Does My Shirts
by Gennifer Choldenko

Twelve-year-old Moose moves to Alcatraz in 1935 so his father can work as a prison guard and his younger, autistic sister, Natalie, can attend a special school in San Francisco. It’s a time when the federal prison is home to notorious criminals like gangster Al Capone. Depressed about having to leave his friends and winning baseball team behind, Moose finds little to be happy about on Alcatraz. He never sees his dad, who is always working; and Natalie's condition—her tantrums and constant needs—demand all his mother's attention. Things look up for Moose when he befriends the irresistible Piper, the warden's daughter, who has a knack for getting Moose into embarrassing but harmless trouble. I was so pleased with the historical facts intertwined into the story. I will be using it in my Children’s Literature course this fall. Definitely worth the read….

—Emily

14 Cows for America
by Carmen Agra Deedy

This incredible picture book relates the response of the Maasai tribe in Kenya to the September 11th tragedy. When Kimeli Naiyomah returned home to his Maasai village from New York City with news of 9/11 terrorist attacks, the villagers responded with a heartfelt gift to help America heal. Word of the gift traveled on news wires around the globe. Many will be profoundly touched, but for Americans, this selfless gesture will have deeper meaning still. For a heartsick nation, the gift of fourteen cows emerges from the choking dust and darkness as a soft light of hope and friendship. Filled with beautiful eye-popping illustrations from Kenya, this book portrays the unique friendship offered to the United States.