MASON DIXON: PET DISASTERS

MASON DIXON: PET DISASTERS, by Claudia Mills (Knopf 2011)(ages 7-10).  In this first of a new chapter book series, nine-year-old Mason Dixon likes his belongings ordered, his food simple, and his socks brown.  He does not want a pet, but his parents insist he needs one.  But fish, hamsters, and cats just aren't his thing.  When he and his best friend Brody adopt a dog, though, he discovers that, just possibly, having a pet companion isn't so bad after all.

MASON DIXON: PET DISASTERS is a winning tale of friendship, pets, and summer art camp.  Full of heart and humor, PET DISASTERS will have readers eagerly awaiting the next installment.  Illustrations by Guy Francis are equally fun and expressive.

JUSTIN CASE: SCHOOL, DROOL, AND OTHER DAILY DISASTERS

JUSTIN CASE: SCHOOL, DROOL, AND OTHER DAILY DISASTERS, by Rachel Vail (Feiwel and Friends 2010)(ages 7-10). Justin, about to enter third grade, is nervous, and has much to be nervous about. His sister is starting kindergarten, he didn't get the teacher he wanted, his best friend is in another class, his favorite stuffed animal has gone missing, and there's a monster in the basement. Which may have taken the stuffed animal (which he still cares about even though he's too old for stuffed animals). How will he survive the year?

Told in a diary format that brings the reader along with Justin on his third-grade travails, JUSTIN CASE is funny, charming, and heartwarming. Drawings by Matthew Cordell evoke Justin's angst and are a perfect complement to the text.

THE FANTASTIC SECRET OF OWEN JESTER

THE FANTASTIC SECRET OF OWEN JESTER, by Barbara O'Connor (Frances Foster/FSG 2010)(ages 7-11). In this quietly atmospheric short novel, O'Connor tells the tale of Owen Jester, his two best friends, and one nosy neighbor. Not long after Owen finally captures the biggest, greenest, slimiest bullfrog in Carter, Georgia, he hears a mysterious thud and a crash from the nightly freight train.

When -- in between taking care of the bullfrog -- Owen's finally able to investigate, he discovers that a submersible tumbled off the train that night.Which means, of course, that he and his friends absolutely have to get it down to the pond and try it out for themselves...before anyone else finds out.

THE FANTASTIC SECRET OF OWEN JESTER is fun; richly textured; has one of the best, most kid-friendly premises ever; and will have readers itching to take that sub out for a spin.

THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS

THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS, by Barbara O'Connor (FSG 2009)(7-10). Popeye is bored. Nothing ever happens in the small town of Fayette, South Carolina. Until one day, the Jewell family's giant motor home gets stuck in the mud. And Elvis Jewell decides he and Popeye need to have an adventure.

But Popeye doesn't know what to do since, after all, nothing ever happens in Fayette, South Carolina. But then they discover a boat made from a Yoo-hoo carton floating down the creek. And the boat contains a secret message...

And so they have the makings of an adventure. Well, a small adventure. One that won't get them into trouble. Not much, anyway.

THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS is sweet and fun and should appeal to anyone looking for a (small) adventure. Elvis and Popeye and their families are engagingly quirky and charming. The setting is textured and the language elegant. Altogether, THE SMALL ADVENTURE OF POPEYE AND ELVIS is satisfyingly old-fashioned yet also has a modern feel.

Check out the trailer:

ROLAND WRIGHT: FUTURE KNIGHT

ROLAND WRIGHT: FUTURE KNIGHT, by Tony Davis, ill. by Gregory Rogers (Delacorte 2009)(ages 6-10). All ten year old Roland Wright, the son of a famous blacksmith, wants to do is become a famous knight. But only sons of nobles can become knights. But then, he's given a chance to compete to be one of King John's pages. Can skinny, scrawny Roland win and achieve his dream?

ROLAND WRIGHT: FUTURE KNIGHT is witty and fun as it explores a young boy's quest to achieve his dreams while staying true to himself. First of a series.

Nibblecheese! Nibblecheese! Nibblecheese!

If you can say "Nibblecheese" three tmes fast without smiling, you have no soul.

C'mon, try it: Nibblecheese! Nibblecheese! Nibblecheese!

Seriously, though: The second book in the Zack Proton series (Aladdin Paperbacks) has possibly the best title of any young chapter book ever: The Adventures of Commander Zack Proton and the Warlords of Nibblecheese.

General Algernon [heh] and his ruthless horde of space mice are after the earth's moon! Leapin' leptons! Can Zack, the Omega Chimp, and Zeffie save the people of earth from a cheddar-less sky?

Cynthia interviews author Brian Anderson here.