Waffle

Grade 9 Up–What do a Christmas Eve snowstorm, 14 perky cheerleaders, a Waffle House, and a guy covered in tin foil have in common? Answer: these romantic holiday stories. Through an interconnected cast of characters set in one small Southern town, each author reveals a serendipitous night in the life of a particular teen. In Johnson's Jubilee Express, level-headed Jubilee experiences a traumatic day during which her parents get arrested, her train gets stuck in the snow, and she breaks up with her boyfriend, but in the end finds a new love. Green deftly portrays the teen male perspective with humor and wit in his Cheertastic Christmas Miracle, which starts with an urgent quest for cheerleaders and ends with an eye-opening experience of finding true love right before one's eyes. In Myracle's Patron Saint of Pigs, while agonizing over the pain of a recent breakup, Addie learns about herself and gains respect for relationships at the same time. Tender without being mushy, these carefully crafted stories of believable teen love will leave readers warm inside for the holidays.–Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mouse

When Fox chases Mouse into the library to fill his belly, he doesn’t expect to instead fill his noggin with new knowledge—or to befriend a chicken! Among the stacks, a cast of clever animals use distraction tactics to avoid becoming Fox’s dinner. They deliver library facts, share magic tricks, and spout knowledge: “Chicken bones are bad for foxes.” In the end, Fox may not have found his ideal snack, but he does discover a curiosity for books. The text feels purposeful at times, but the sly humor is reminiscent of Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back (2011), while the full-spread illustrations are filled with motion and will keep young listeners anticipating each page turn. An entertaining introduction to library etiquette for young children, this title will partner well with Tad Hills’ How Rocket Learned to Read (2010), which also celebrates the excitement of learning. Preschool-Grade 2. --Annie Miller

Mouse

When Fox chases Mouse into the library to fill his belly, he doesn’t expect to instead fill his noggin with new knowledge—or to befriend a chicken! Among the stacks, a cast of clever animals use distraction tactics to avoid becoming Fox’s dinner. They deliver library facts, share magic tricks, and spout knowledge: “Chicken bones are bad for foxes.” In the end, Fox may not have found his ideal snack, but he does discover a curiosity for books. The text feels purposeful at times, but the sly humor is reminiscent of Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back (2011), while the full-spread illustrations are filled with motion and will keep young listeners anticipating each page turn. An entertaining introduction to library etiquette for young children, this title will partner well with Tad Hills’ How Rocket Learned to Read (2010), which also celebrates the excitement of learning. Preschool-Grade 2. --Annie Miller