Grade: 6

Fourteen-year-old Maximum Ride and the other members of “Flock”–Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gasman and Angel–are just like ordinary kids–only they have wings and can fly. It seems like a dream come true–except that they’re still being hunted by new threats at every turn.

This time, the US government wants to keep the Flock under observation, offering a safe haven and schooling in return. But after their incredible adventures in books 1-3, Max and Flock have grown to love freedom- -after all, haven’t grown-ups always found a way to ruin their lives? After escaping the control of the feds, they are surprised to find themselves allied with a group of environmental scientists who just might be trustworthy. Besides, what enemy could find them in one of the remotest locations on earth–Antarctica–on an expedition studying the effects of global warming up close?

There is one: The Uber-Director–literally, brains on a stick–an evil being who has developed mechanical soldiers far more frightening than Erasers. Their quest? To retrieve the Flock and sell them in a global auction for billions of dollars. Will the Uber-Director nab them before Max, Fang and the flock succumb to the dangers of the harsh Antarctic wilderness? Kids, parents and educators tuned into the issue of global warming will find this latest episode of the blockbuster Maximum Ride series not only a particularly riveting adventure beyond their wildest dreams, but also a motivating cautionary tale about a real-life peril that may affect their ownfuture.

In the tradition of her previous biographical accounts,My Name is Celia and My name is Gabriela , Brown dazzles readers in this telling of Gabriel García Márquez’s magical childhood. Mesmerizing color-pencil, full-page illustrations wrap around the text to create what seems to be a perfect balance of art and language. Based on García Márquez’s adult autobiography Living to Tell the Tale (Knopf), this wonderful, engaging narrative transports readers to Gabito’s early childhood in northern Colombia. He shares heartwarming times with his grandpa and learns about the tough life of the fruit pickers he observes in the nearby banana plantation. The curious, budding storyteller is a dreamer who cherishes life’s every moment. When he decides to share his enchanted world with others, he is on his way to becoming one of the most acclaimed Latin American authors. Young readers will relate to Gabito’s escapades into his private and real worlds and understand without puzzlement how he moves between them effortlessly. Together with Brown’s other titles, this is a must-have for any library collection, especially those interested in adding multicultural titles. An accessible, high-quality choice for bilingual families.—Liliana Barro Zecker, Associate Professor, School of Education, DePaul Univ., Chicago, IL

Route 66 may be the best way to see the U.S.A., and your students are sure to get their travel kicks by reading this fictional keepsake. In 1946, ten-year-old Molly McIntire takes a road trip with her family. She collects a scrapbook of souvenirs and memories, including photos of well-known people, state postcards, national park ticket stubs, and dinner receipts. Through Molly’s backseat perspective, readers will learn that Springfield, Illinois, is not only the home of Abe Lincoln, but also the home of Cozy Dog hotdogs! Comical events, such as using a Mohave water bag to cool the car’s engine, accompany practical post-World War II realities. Readers will inevitably compare Molly’s life to their own!

Readers get a close look at the planning, construction, and use of the Jefferson home. Fisher includes black-and-white paintings, photographs, and house plans.

In alternating chapters, warm, carefully chosen words show the reader how it feels to be Morning Girl, a 12-year-old Taino, and her younger brother, Star Boy. The powerful ending packs a wallop and will leave the reader thinking long after the last page has been turned.

The author describes some of the dogs that have had special places in his life, including his first dog, Snowball, in the Phillippines; Dirk, who protected him from bullies; and Cookie, who saved his life.

María Isabel Salazar López is a new girl in school. It’s hard enough to be a new girl, but when the teacher decides to give her another name, Mary Lopez, she is frustrated. María Isabel, who is so proud to be named after close family members, is lost without her name. When her teacher calls on her she doesn’t even recognize the name as hers. This leads to many misunderstandings that stand in the way of María Isabel’s getting along with her teacher and fitting in with the class. When María Isabel writes an essay about her greatest wish, let’s just say it comes true!

A girl. An iguana. An island. And e-mail. Meet Nim–a modern-day Robinson Crusoe! She can chop down bananas with a machete, climb tall palm trees, and start a fire with a piece of glass. So she’s not afraid when her scientist dad sails off to study plankton for three days, leaving her alone on their island. Besides, it’s not as if no one’s looking after her–she’s got a sea lion to mother her and an iguana for comic relief. She also has an interesting new e-mail pal. But when her father’s cell-phone calls stop coming and disaster seems near, Nim has to be stronger and braver than she’s ever been before. And she’ll need all her friends to help her.