In My Mailbox/Mailbox Monday - 11/8/09

Welcome to another edition of In My Mailbox/Mailbox Monday, where I show you what books came into my house via the mailbox. In My Mailbox is hosted every Sunday by Kristi at The Story Siren and Mailbox Monday is hosted on Mondays by Marcia at the Printed Page. Both ladies have wonderful blogs, that I hope you will take the time to visit. I appreciate each of them for hosting these memes so that book bloggers can share the books that they receive to review. To see what others have gotten this week, visit these ladies and check it out!

Here's what I got over the last week; it's a long list due to lots of Cybils books coming in.

For Review:

A Little Books Boxed Set featuring Little Pea, Little Hoot, Little Oink by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, from Hachette
Three adorable characters in three adorable board books! These clever twists on dinnertime, bedtime, and clean-up time will delight all the little mess-makers, picky eaters, and night owls in your life.


Powerless by Matthew Cody, from Knopf Delacorte Dell
Twelve-year-old Daniel, the new kid in town, soon learns the truth about his nice—but odd—new friends: one can fly, another can turn invisible, yet another controls electricity. Incredible. The superkids use their powers to secretly do good in the town, but they’re haunted by the fact that the moment they turn thirteen, their abilities will disappear—along with any memory that they ever had them. Is a memory-stealing supervillain sapping their powers?

The answers lie in a long-ago meteor strike, a World War II–era comic book (Fantastic Futures, starring the first superhero, Johnny Noble), the green-flamed Witch Fire, a hidden Shroud cave, and—possibly, unbelievably—“powerless” regular-kid Daniel himself.

Superhero kids meet comic book mystery in this action-filled debut about the true meaning of a hero.

Creature ABC by Andrew Zuckerman, from Hachette

An elegant addition to any library, this deluxe alphabet book features 120 pages of Andrew Zuckerman's breathtaking wildlife photography. From alligator to zebra, each featured animal boasts two striking studio portraits against a clean white background, offering a unique up-close view of the animal kingdom. Readers can flip to a helpful glossary in the back for extra information. From the sleek beauty of a smiling hippo to the powerful majesty of a roaring lion, this gorgeous new book is both a stunning work of art and a ferociously fun way for young animal-lovers to learn their ABCs.

Stereobook: Vehicles by Ben Grossblatt, from Hachette

Stereobooks feature built-in stereo speakers, so readers feel surrounded by sound as they listen to the 15 action-packed scenes in each book. Vehicles features a space shuttle blasting off and Formula One race cars zipping around a track. 

The Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson, from Scholastic Press

Far, far North, when the nights are longest and the stars shine brightest, Santa begins to prepare for his big night of giving. He gathers his reindeer, feeds them parsnips and berries, and polishes his bells and his sled. Then lovingly, he chooses toys for every child in the world. For Santa loves them all, and he knows what each child at heart wants most. Then, with the thrum of magic that makes reindeers fly, he spreads the Christmas joy and warmth throughout the world--as he always has -- and always will until the end of time.

The Nutcracker and the Mouse King illustrated by Gail de Marcken, from Scholastic
n this gorgeous telling of The Nutcracker, Gail de Marcken brings E.T.A. Hoffmann's richly enchanting world to life. With beautifully detailed illustrations, the story of THE NUTCRACKER AND THE MOUSE KING will become an instant classic . It's a story readers of all ages will delight in.

Buying, Training & Caring for Your Dinosaur by Laura Joy Rennert, from Knopf
A hilarious guide to having a dinosaur . . . as a pet!

Dogs are delightful. Cats are cute. And fish are fun. But the best pet of all is . . . a DINOSAUR!

But how do you pick the dino that’s right for you? Spiky? Armored? Humongous? Pea-brained? Plant-eater? How do you take care of him once he’s (gulp!) home? How do you feed him, exercise him, take him to the vet, and give him a bath?! Not to mention train him, since he might like to chew on—er, swallow—Mom’s new shoes.

Full of little-known info and sage advice, this definitive guide to dino ownership is sure to thrill and delight kids everywhere!

The Steel Pan Man of Harlem by Colin Bootman, from Carolrhoda Books
The city of Harlem is overrun by rats. One day, a mysterious man appears with a steel pan drum, promising to rid the city of its problem...for a price. The mayor has no choice but to agree.
The steel pan man plays the sweetest melody anyone has ever heard and dances the rats out of the city. But when the mayor refuses to keep his word, the steel pan man has no choice. He plays the mayor another tune for another purpose.
This retelling of The Pied Piper of Hamelin is set during the Harlem Renaissance.

Night Lights by Susan Gal, from Knopf
The night is full of lights in this warm bedtime story.
Susan Gal tells the story of a child’s evening routine through all the different kinds of lights that shine in the night. From the porch light by the front door, to the firelight (and firefly light!) of a backyard cookout, and the candles on a cake, everything seems to glow in this warm and cozy book. When the lightning of a sudden summer storm sends the action inside, there is light there too—a bedside light to read by, a flashlight to make shadows with, a night-light to keep you company, and the moonlight for sweet dreams.


For Cybils Judging:

What Really Happened to Humpty? by Joe Dumpty, from Charlesbridge

Persephone by Sally Pomme Clayton, from Eerdmans

Snickeyfritz by Andrea Skyberg, from Wooden Nickel Press

Seven Spirals: A Chakra Sutra for Kids by Deena Haiben, from Mushroom Hollow Press

Fool Moon Rising by Kristi and T. Lively Fluharty, from Crossway

First Come the Zebra by Lynne Barasch, from Lee & Low Books

All in a Day by Cynthia Rylant, from Abrams

Brown Bear, White Bear by Svetlana Petrovic, from Eerdmans

Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina K. Lazo Gilmore, from Shen's Books

The Elevator Man by Stanley Trachtenberg, from Eerdmans

Davy Brown Discovers His Roots by  Keely Alexander & Velani Mynhardt Witthoft, from Big Tent Books

Moon Theater by Etienne Delessert, from The Creative Company

Monkey with a Tool Belt and the Noisy Problem by Chris Monroe, from Carolrhoda Books

Naomi's Tree by Joy Kogawa, from Fitzhenry & Whiteside

My Goldfish by Barroux, from Eerdmans

My Name is Sangoel by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed