The Killer's Tears by Anne-Laure Bondoux

I chose this book because it was mentioned on a list dealing with art in literature. It was also a winner of France's Prix Sorcieres award (published in 2003). The art aspect was minimal but it was a poweful book, nonetheless. The book begins with a thief and a murderer, Angel, killing a farmer and his wife in their home on the desolate tip of Chile. He spares the family's small son, Paolo, and the two become devoted to each other. Then a young, wealthy traveler arrives, and settles into the household. Eventually, they travel into the wider world and face additional moral conflicts. Good discussion book for high school.

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck

I was fortunate enough to get an autographed copy at the AASL Conference in Charlotte. I read the entire book on the flight home. This book focuses on the eccentric Grandma Dowdel, whom we met in Long Way From Chicago and Year Down Under. It's 1958 in a rural Illinois town and Barnhart family has moved in next door to Grandma Dowdel. Told from the point of view of 12-year-old Bobby, the story focuses on Bobby's parents, a new (and poverty-sticken) young minister and his wife. True to the time period, we meet Ruth Ann, Bobby's little sister, who carries her Davy Crocket lunch box to school; Phyllis, his teen-age sister, whose room is decorated with Elvis posters. This is a great read aloud - chapters describe a bullying incident in which Bobby is rescued by Mrs. Dowdel, a haunted melon patch, and a Christmas wedding. It's funny but even more so, it's a story about friendship, family, and special gifts. Joey's son (Joey and Mary Alice in Long Way From Chicago, 1929-31) appears in a Christmas visit to Grandma Dowdel.

Al Capone Shines my Shoes by Gennifer Choldenko

12-year-old Moose lives on the island of Alcatraz in 1935. In the previous book, Al Capone Does my Shirts, Moose appealed to inmate 85 (Al Capone) to get his autistic sister into a special school. Now it's payback time. He wants him to give a yellow rose to his visiting wife. Lots of research; it's funny. There's an adventure - a prison break. Also gives us a touch of dealing with prejudice against a special needs child.

The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

Crow Call by Lois Lowry

Takes place in the hills of Pa. Lowry lived in Carlisle while her father was in WWII. This is based on her childhood memory of her father coming home from the war. She is out to hunt with her father and feeling awkward about being with him. She has a crow call but she becomes intrigued with the crows. Maybe they have families. Her father puts down the gun and their relationship is stabilized. The amazing watercolors capture the era.

The Magician's Elephant

10-year-old Peter, an orphan, is supposed to go to the market to buy fish. Instead he goes to a fortune telller Follow the elephant, she will lead you to your sister; except that there are no elephants in the town of Baltese. However, a magican's trick goes awry and an elephant falls through the roof at the Opera House. It's so unbelievable and yet DiCamillo makes it believable. With rich language, it also deals with issues such as loss of loved ones and physical disability. Story lines coming together make it very fable ike. Great read aloud.

Neo Leo: The Ageless idea of Leonardo da Vinci by Gene Barretta

Cartoon-style illustrations show Leonard reflecting on his inventions that never come to light and the ones that followed - by inventors that got the credit. The right-hand side of book shows "Leo's" experiements and the left-hand side shows the new, "Neo" inventions. For example, Leonardo's diagrams show how to use light to project images through a lens. The "Neo" side shows that Thomas Edison's kinetoscope was the forerunner of the modern movie projector (1895). There are also samples of Leonardo's mirror writing. Similar to Now and Ben (2003). Note for Art project: Mona Lisa enjoying a plate of spaghetti. High-level vocabulary and explanatory notes written backwards. Great companion to Leonardo's Horse.