Todd-Michael St. Pierre may live in Colorado (he calls it Coloradeaux), but his heart remains back home. It's evident of his love for Louisiana in his ever-growing library of adorable children's books. His latest, The Crawfish Family Band (Piggy Press), illustrated by New Orleans native Cherie Langford, tops the chart in sweet and fun, following a band made up of crustaceans led by Cayenne who tour the state playing Cajun music. Like his previous book, Nola & Roux, the book offers the tales in both English and French, and showcases the state from Lake Charles to Bayou St. John and everywhere in between. Children will enjoy the rollicking crawfish and their cute story -- not to mention the two songs included -- but learn geography and French to boot! To learn more about St. Pierre's books, visit piggypress.com or his own Web site, Louisianaboy.com.

Eleven-year-old Livie has a dark secret, one that's eating her up. Livie blames herself for an accident on the South Louisiana bayou where she lives, one that caused her mother to fall into a coma in the young reader novel The Healing Spell by Kimberly Griffiths Little (Scholastic). When her father takes off work from his offshore job to care for his bedridden wife, he wants Livie to help. But Livie can't get past the fact that she's the cause of her family's troubles, not to mention the possibility of losing the love and respect of a father. She avoids looking in on her mother, and the house in general, preferring the quiet of the bayou, but this only leads to more of her family's disapproval. When her mother's health fails to improve, Livie seeks the advice of Mirage Allemand, a Cajun traiteur or healer. What Mirage gives Livie, known as "the healing spell," helps Livie to mend as well as bring hope to her mom. Little offers a wonderful coming-of-age story of a child torn by guilt, trying to understand why she is different from others, including her mother. It also spotlights the beauty of Louisiana's bayou country and the culture of its people without painting it dark and surreal or comical and stereotypical. Richard Peck, the Newbery Award-winning author of A Year Down Under, calls it "an incantational tale of Cajun magic and gators in the bayou and of the love and silence between a mother and daughter."

Amos Kincaid doesn't understand how his father finds water with a tree branch, but it's a gift that's been passed down over the generations, says his uncle. When Amos picks up the branch, he realizes he has the power to find water underground as well. Kimberly Willis Holt, a native of Louisiana and winner of the National Book Award for When Zachary Beaver Came to Town, has published her first stand-alone novel in four years with The Water Seeker, a young adult novel set in the 19th century. The book revolves around Amos, whose father would rather trap beaver than dowse and who leaves for months at a time to go west. Amos is raised by his uncle for a time, then neighbors, until the trapping life dries up and Jake Kincaid returns with his Shoshone wife. But it's not long before Jake feels restless and the family heads west along the Oregon Trail, where the trials and experiences from months on the trail turn Amos into a man. The book deals more with life on the western frontier than dowsing, although the story begins and ends with this unusual gift some people possessed. Through Amos, we witness mission life, the tragedy of small pox and other fatal diseases, accidents that occurred along the trail and the relationships between pioneers and Native Americans. The Water Seeker puts young readers into the point of view of 19th century Americans and offers a realistic glimpse into the harsh but fascinating life of the developing west. For young adult lovers of historical fiction, The Water Seeker will transport them back in time and keep them entertained until the very last page, not to mention introduce them to dowsing, a service many considered a most valuable gift of its time.

For a phenomenal book that's a two-fold biography, don't miss The Extraordinary Mark Twain (According to Susy) by Barbara Kerley, illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. Twain's daughter, Susy, wrote a biography of him at age 13 with keen insight that brings one of America's most popular authors to life. It's both a tribute to Twain and to the ingenious work of a young girl who obviously adored her father and wanted the world to know the "real" Mark Twain. Kerley also includes a timeline of Twain's life, references and tips for readers on how to write their own biographies.

A poignant book that demonstrates both the innocence and temerity of youth and the inevitable strength of nature over man is A Child's Garden: A Story of Hope by Michael Foreman. A young boy living in a war zone with a barbed wire fence cutting off the hills finds a lone vine growing in the wasteland. He waters the vine until it climbs the barbed wire fence and blossoms and children play beneath its branches. The children despair when soldiers cut it down, but then the vine takes root on the other side and another child nurses it to health when spring arrives. "Let the soldiers return, thought the boy. Roots are deep, and seeds spread..."

Bag in the Wind by Ted Kooser, illustrated by Barry Root, offers a subtle but important message on recycling for older children. The story follows a plastic grocery bag, "the color of the skin of a yellow onion" with "two holes for handles," as it flies away from a landfill, moving through many incarnations until it rests back in the hands of a young girl picking up aluminum cans to save money for a baseball glove. Through the story, children will view the life cycles of items and learn the importance of recycling and using cloth bags.

Marjorie Blain Parker has great fun with the alphabet in A Paddling of Ducks: Animals in Groups from A to Z with illustrations by Joseph Kelly, where a gang of elks ride skateboards, a mob of kangaroos go crazy at a soccer match and a bed of oysters lie beneath umbrellas on a beach. It's an innovative, entertaining way to teach the alphabet with engaging illustrations of leopards leaping, moles laboring and crocodiles basking.

Julie T Lamana of Greenwell Springs has self-published an adorable children's picture book about kids growing up on the bayou. Titled Three Little Bayou Fishermen, the book follows a group of children as they spend the day fishing and playing in a South Louisiana landscape. The book was inspired by Lamana's grandchildren and is cleverly illustrated by Steve Blevins. Three Little Bayou Fishermen is available through Outskirts Press; visit http://outskirtspress.com/buybooks.

             I grew up on A Child's Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson, as did my mom. Now, there's one for those of us below the Mason-Dixon line. The Southern Child's Garden of Verses by David Davis, illustrated by Herb Leonhard, offers a similar collection but one that focuses on cowboys and Native Americans, the sound of a night train, the taste of watermelon and Georgia peaches, the joy of fishing and the sight of pelicans at Pascagoula. There's even a short ditty about "Tijon and Evangeline."

31 Ways to Change the World by We Are What We Do is a collection of ideas by children for children with plenty for adults to go around too. Ideas range from simple things such as turning off everything in a room when you leave and singing in the shower (or not, saves water) to loving your old stuff for its experiences and asking grownups "Why?" It's an ingenious little book that provides great fodder for kids to think about.

            Other books to give children things to consider in regards to the world at large are Planet Earth's Guide to the Planet and Our Extraordinary World Up Close!, produced by the BBC, the folks who gave us the award-winning and gorgeously shot Planet Earth series, and The Magic School Bus and the Climate Challenge by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen, a new addition to another award-winning series, this one in book form.

            To give kids answers to our stormy weather patterns, Scholastic has published a true or false guide to Storms, written by Melvin and Gilda Berger, from hail happening any time of the year to great questions and answers on tornadoes. I especially loved the question about hurricanes causing floods because of storm surges and water being pushed over land -- insurance companies take note! For gentler way to explain storms, try Joann Early Macken's lovely Waiting Out the Storm picture book for young children, lovingly illustrated by Susan Gaber. A mother explains why storms sound and look violent but how both animals and children are protected in the warmth of their homes.

            Comedic actor Ricky Gervais has joined the pop-up world with the highly imaginative Flanimals, a collection of made-up creatures that literally jump off the page. Each page offers the explanation of each creature, with additional pop-ups and pull-outs alongside.

            The latest addition to the --ology books by Candlewick will delight Twilight fans. As with the other books in the series, Vampireology: The True History of the Fallen Ones offers pull-outs, fold-outs, things to touch and savor and lots of great illustrations.

My First Read-Aloud Bible by the American Bible Society, retold by Mary Batchelor and Penny Boshoff, offers condensed, sterilized versions of the famous Bible stories lightly illustrated for children to enjoy. This little collection is perfect for early readers or to be read aloud by adults, especially as a complement to a bible studies or early religious education program.

Tallulah wants a pink fluffy rabbit for her birthday but grandma's knitting produces something completely different. When Grandma announces Milo Armadillo, Tallulah is disappointed and even though she accepts the present, she's constantly comparing him to a pink bunny. Milo runs away and Tallulah realizes Milo is special -- just the way he is. Milo Armadillo by Jan Fearnley is a charming book expressing clearly how things we find different from what we first want can be exciting and even better.

For very young readers, try I Am An Ice Cream Truck by Ace Landers, illustrated by Paolo Migliari. There's so much to like about this adorable board book. It's shaped like an ice cream truck, has wheels, explains what goes on inside the truck and teaches colors and flavors and, best of all, provides the music that ice cream trucks create.

Award-winning author Douglas Wood creates a lovely generational story about a family rose bush cared for by several members of a family, told through the eyes of the great nephew in Aunt Mary's Rose, illustrated by LeUyen Pham (Candlewick Press). Aunt Mary tells Douglas to take care of the rose bush, that "one day there will be a little bit of you inside of it. And a little bit of the rose inside of you." This doesn't mean much to the young boy, even after Aunt Mary explains how her father told her how to care for it, and how it survived through the family's good times, Great Depression and the loss of Douglas's uncle during World War II. But when the family sits down to enjoy pie and he smells the rose blossom he picked, he senses the love that exists there. "And the rose smelled so sweet," Douglas said, "it almost seemed as if it was a part of the pie. And every good thing seemed a part of everything else."

Thom Wiley's Big Earth, Little Me, with illustrations by Kate Endle, shows very young children the small things they can do to improve their planet. The book is printed with soy ink (would have been perfect had it been recycled paper as well) and includes flaps for interactive use.

Eugenie Fernandes incorporates adorable mixed media and a story of a day in the life of a kitten to demonstrate how the earth comes alive this time of year in Kitten's Spring. It's a sweet little board book for light readers who will pause over the pages to drink in every aspect of her wonderful illustrations.

123 I Can Build! By Irene Luxbacher (Kids Can Press), is an imaginative book that helps young architects understand building and artist techniques, materials and simple concepts as part of "The Starting Art Series" by Kids Can Press. The photos make it easy for very young children to learn how to build everything from a stone city by the sea to a twig birdhouse, all incorporating simple building ideas such as a tower through the use of a construction paper tube or a standing post to hold up walls using sugar cubes. Readers can even create them all and make a village!

While the World is Sleeping by Pamela Duncan Edwards, illustrated by Daniel Kirk (Orchard Books) focuses around an owl who takes a young girl ready for bed upon a journey through the night. He shows her the animals -- such as the fox, rabbit, porcupine and raccoon -- who prowl through the forest "while the world is sleeping." It's a beautifully illustrated trip explaining noturnal creatures.

Alex and Lulu are the best of friends, but they soon realize they own different tastes in Alex and Lulu: Two of a Kind by Lorena Siminovich (Templar Books). Alex likes to climb trees and play soccer while Lulu likes to paint and listen to the birds. These differences scare Alex, who wonders if their friendship will last. But Lulu reminds him that although they have separate interests, it's the common ones that matter most. "Sometimes it's because we're so different that we have the most fun when we're together," Lulu tells him. The book is part of a delightful series featuring the cat and dog.

I met Rosemary Smith when she took my novel writing class at UL's Potpourri and she shared her wonderful ideas for a novel. But then, there was this children's book inside her, she also told me, one featuring a lizard named Lizzie who learns the lesson of listening to her parents the hard way, when she wonders off and finds danger lurking on the other side of her wall. Smith decided to go forth with her children's book idea and a publisher found Lizzie an adorable character -- who wouldn't? Lizard Tales: Lizzie Takes a Walk on the Wild Side (Strategic Book Publishing) is now in print and a sweet tale for young children, one that's lovingly illustrated. Find a copy and bring Lizzie home. Your kids will thank you for it. Smith is a retired realtor, entrepreneur and multi-media technician.

Berkeley's Barn Owl Dance written by first-time author, Tera Johnson, and illustrated by Tania Howells, (Kids Can Press, $ 16.95) tells the tale of Berkeley, a barn owl, and her two owlet friends Bo and Bree. Berkeley loves to dance and flap her wings. At the "Leave the Nest Fall Fest" Berkley dances one last time at home with her parents and friends before they leave to find their own nests. But Berkley is afraid of setting out on her own. Assured by her parents that it is her time "to dance," Berkeley leaves the warmth and comfort of her parent's barn to search for a place to call her own. As the trio flies on, first Bree, then Bo, find their own places to settle in. Berkeley flies on alone to finally find a barn to call home with a whole new set of friends. --Lynn Castille

Scaredy Squirrel at Night by Melanie Watt (Kids Can Press, $ 16.95) opens explaining how Scaredy Squirrel never sleeps because he is afraid of bad dreams in the middle of the night. Scaredy Squirrel is afraid of creatures like polka-dot monsters, unicorns, dragons and other make believe beasts maybe appearing in his dreams. He is so intent on staying awake during the night that he makes lists of things to do: counting stars, playing cymbals (not a good idea) scrapbooking, but the lack of sleep causes Scaredy Squirrel to become forgetful, moody, confused and exhausted. So Scaredy Squirrel develops a bad dream action plan that includes a spotlight, cupcakes (planning makes you hungry!), some molasses and a fire extinguisher, along with some other VERY interesting objects. At the stroke of midnight Scaredy Squirrel turns on his spotlight and nothing is what he expected! Much mayhem ensues. After all is said and done Scaredy Squirrel sleeps for eight hours. The moral of the story: the benefits of a good night's sleep are: energy, happiness, good health and a sharper memory. Scaredy Squirrel realizes everything was just his imagination. And about that fire extinguisher, well, you'll just have to read the story to find out. --Lynn Castille

A-One is a wind-up soldier toy who thinks he's in charge in I'm Number One by Michael Rosen and Bob Graham (Candlewick Press). Not only does he boss the other toys, but he belittles them as well. When they make light of his comments, A-One can't help but laugh, which defuses the situation. When A-One insists he can wind himself up, however, that's when his ego comes crashing down. In the end, A-One learns to be part of the gang.

Itty Bitty is a tiny dog who discovers a regular sized bone in Itty Bitty by Cece Bell (Candlewick Press). He decides to make the bone his home by hollowing it out, but finds the empty space daunting. He travels to the urban shopping area but everything is so large. In the back, however, he finds a "Teeny Weeny Department" with miniature furniture and even small books. After purchasing the small pieces, he returns to his bone and makes himself a home.

Dogs Don't Brush Their Teeth by Diane deGroat and Shelley Rotner (Orchard Books, $14.99) shows how dogs do chase sticks, but dogs don't play baseball. Dogs do chase tennis balls, but they don't play tennis. And so the book continues its "doggie ways" showing the young reader the difference between how a dog lives and the lives of their humans. After all, dogs don't brush their teeth, but you do! --Lynn Castille

Gone Fishing-Ocean Life by the Numbers (Walker & Company,  $16.99) is a beautifully illustrated book by Caldecott-honor winner David McLimans. Gone Fishing combines two interests for small children: animals and counting. The numbers in this book take on the forms of animals with facts about the animal included on each page. Dramatically done in black, blue and white, Gone Fishing will surely captivate a young reader's curiosity of animals and the sea. For added enjoyment the reader is counting from one to 10, and then back down to one again. If you love Gone Fishing, look for Gone Wild: An Endangered Alphabet Book, McLimans' first book and Caldecott-honor recipient. --Lynn Castille

Children's Stories from the Bible (Templar Books, $19.99) offers stories from the Old and New Testaments retold by Saviour Pirotta with illustrations by Anne Yvonne Gilbert and Ian Andrews. Children's Stories from the Bible is a great way to introduce more than 70 stories from the Bible to young readers. A reference section and beautifully illustrations complete this tome that will surely be cherished for years to come. --Lynn Castille

Newberry Medal Winner Lois Lowry pens a heart-wrenching story of a young girl on a hunting trip with her dad, just back from World War II, in Crow Call, illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline. Liz is dressed in a plaid flannel shirt sizes too big for her, but one her dad bought her on a trip to town before he left, knowing how much that shirt meant. Now that her father is back, they try to reconnect on this, her first hunting trip, but the distance has caused an ackwardness between them. Liz is also scared of killing crows, echoing her thoughts of her father killing in a far-away land. After they discuss the war, both of them admitting personal fears, they call out to the crows, which respond in kind. The crows surround Liz but they do not shoot them. Instead, her father takes her hand and they leave the hunt to another. It's a beautiful story about reconnecting with each other. "The details of this story are true," Lowry writes in the back beneath a photo of her in an oversized flannel shirt. "They happened in 1945, to me and my father. But parents and children groping toward understanding each other -- that happens to everyone. And so this story is not really just my story, but everyone's."

Trying to get a child going in the morning is every parent's nightmare, but Gary Wise puts a humorous spin on the ordeal in a delightful children's book titled The Parents of Flannery McKracken, To get their daughter moving, they fire a cannon, then employ a marching band, monkeys, elephant and rhinoceros, not to mention some hard working fairy godmothers in the dressing department. Kids and parents alike will enjoy a good laugh that probably hits close to home.

Pelican Publishing of New Orleans has several new children's books out this month, one by award-winning Louisiana children's musician and storyteller, Johnette Downing. Continuing her success with Today is Monday in Louisiana, Downing has published Today is Monday in Texas, substituting chicken-fried steak and chili for gumbo. The is complemented by the collage-style illustrations by Deborah Ousley Kadair. Other children's books by Pelican this spring include Stonewall Jackson's Black Sunday School by Rickey E. Pittman, illustrated by Lynn Hosegood, concerning Jackson's time spent teaching black citizens at his Sunday school in Virginia; Way Out West on My Little Pony by Jan Peck, illustrated by Herb Leonhard, which will delight young girls who loves horses and The Emperor's Army: A Mathematical Adventure by Virginia Walton Pilegard, illustrated by Adrian Tans, which uses the Chinese historic terra cotta militia as both a story and a math lesson.

New Orleans author and storyteller Dianne de Las Casas and Zachary illustrator Holly Stone-Baker team up for a delightful children's book that explains the working of the South Louisiana landscape in Mama's Bayou. While a mother describes the bayou's animals and the sounds they make, she also uses a play on words. "Mama's by you on the bayou," the story begins, and each page ends with a new animal and sound. The book concludes with a "symphony of words," serving as a dictionary of the bayou's creatures and plants.

            We take it for granted every time we sing the ditty, but Happy Birthday to You was the creation of two sisters of Louisville, Ky., and is the most sung song in history. Nancy Kelly Allen tells the tale in Happy Birthday: The Story of the World's Most Popular Song, illustrated by Gary Undercuffler, explaining how Mildred and Patty Hill made up the tune while working as teachers. --Chere Coen

What little boy can resist a title like The Legend of Ninja Cowboy Bear by David Bruins and Hilary Leung ($16.95 Kids Can Press)? But don't let the title fool you, the story is not about a bear who is a ninja cowboy, but instead about three very different friends, each with their own strengths. As the story progresses two friends challenge each other to see who is "better," leaving the third friend to decide. Arguments ensue and no agreement can be made on who is the "best." Instead an agreement is reached that they are all special and unique, no one had to be the best! This book includes directions to play "Ninja Cowboy Bear" the game. (Voted two thumbs up by grandsons Blaize and Brent.) --Lynn Castille

No Babysitters Allowed by Amber Stewart tells the tale of Hopscotch rabbit and his stuffed rabbit Rabbity ($16.99 Bloomsbury Children's Books). This story is written to help young ones overcome their fear of separation anxiety on babysitter night. Building a "no babysitter fort" Hopscotch decides he'd rather hide in his fort after mom and dad go out than paint pictures and make cars with his babysitter, Mrs. Honeybunch. However, when Mrs. Honeybunch sits down to read to Rabbity, Hopscotch decides she reads his stories "all wrong." Hopscotch abandons his fort to help read his stories, make a car and paint a picture. When mom and dad return to tell Hopscotch good night, he sleepily tells them it's okay if Mrs. Honeybunch comes back "to play." Maybe having a babysitter isn't so bad after all. Amber Stewart, who lives in England, is also the author of Rabbit Ears. (Voted two thumbs up by grandsons Blaize and Brent.) --Lynn Castille

Edward and the Eureka Lucky Wish Company by Barbara Todd and illustrated by cartoonist Patricia Storms ($16.95 Kids Can Press) tells the tale of Edward, a boy whose greatest wish is to fly. Beautifully illustrated by Storms, this book will surely delight the dreamer in your family. At a park Edward discovers a "wish booth" and a ticket good for "three wishes." Much mayhem ensues. In this laugh out loud story kids learn to be careful of what they wish for! Fun, Fun, Fun! (Another two thumbs up from grandsons Blaize and Brent.) --Lynn Castille

Stanley's Beauty Contest by Linda Bailey ($17.95 Kids Can Press). Stanley tries to be a good dog because he knows what he is supposed to and not supposed to do, but it's really hard! When his people gussy him up and bring Stanley to the park, he knows something is up. But he never suspects he's been entered in a beauty contest for dogs! Also in the contest are his dog friends: Alice, Nutsy and Gassy Jack (don't ask!) All his dog friends look good and smell good, like raspberry and peppermint. Stanley tries his best to be the fastest dog in the race, the best in the dog tricks and lastly, the most beautiful in the beauty contest. But to no avail. Stanley does not win any of the prize cookies. And when Stanley sneaks over to the prize table to just have "a sniff" of the last prize cookie, he accidentally knocks over the table, which causes a huge dog pile of whoofing and tail wagging dogs. It's the most fun the dogs have all day. In the end, Stanley doesn't care that he didn't win any prizes, because he loves his people and his life as an ordinary dog. Stanley's Beauty Contest joins a long line of other Stanley books. (Another two thumbs up from Blaize and Brent--a really fun read for the kids who love dogs.) --Lynn Castille

Fall 2009 Releases

Louisiana author and storyteller Dianne de Las Casas explains how and when chickens decided to eat roaches instead of being their friend in Madame Poulet and Monsieur Roach by Pelican Publishing of New Orleans. The book is illustrated by Marita Gentry, a South Louisiana artist, and there's a French dictionary in the back.

Another Louisiana storyteller and children's musician Johnette Downing offers her take on why crawfish like to hide beneath the earth's surface in Why the Crawfish Lives in the Mud, another Pelican title.

When New Orleans schools were ordered integrated in1960, kindergartner Ruby Bridges attended William Frantz Elementary, an all-white Ninth Ward school. Many white parents took their kids out in protest, leaving Bridges alone with her teacher. Bridges tells the tale in Scholastic's second-level reader titled Ruby Bridges Goes to School: My True Story.

            Acadiana artist George Rodrigue uses his popular creation, the Blue Dog, as he asks Are You Blue Dog's Friend? The book is full of both Blue Dog paintings, and a few of Rodrigue's earlier works, as Rodrigue answers the question with lots of whimsical text.

Walter Anderson of Ocean Springs, Miss., was an eccentric artist who sometimes lived off a nearby remote island to capture its nature for his work. Many people worried about his sanity, and he sometimes lived away from family for weeks, but he created a magnificent legacy. The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass, beautifully illustrated by E.B. Lewis explains Anderson's story, plus offers biographical data on the artist in the back.

Keith McGowan, who spent time in New Orleans, offers a modern-day retelling of Hansel and Gretel in The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children, with illustrations by Yoko Tanaka. Take the title literally and you'll get the gist of the story. Two children move to a new town and discover their neighbor's taste for children may be one involving salt and pepper --Chere Coen

Lynn Castille of Lafayette offers this review of Sarah Boone-A Lowcountry Girl, a young reader book by Pelican Publishing written by Michelle Adams and illustrated by New Orleans native Jane Brewster: "This book centers around 11-year-old Sarah Boone's life in 1780 on her Lowcountry plantation in South Carolina. Adams does a good job describing everyday life for a young girl in pre-revolutionary America and readers will quickly realize that life in 1780 was not that different than a young girl's life today: school, chores, sibling rivalry and finding a best friend. Sarah's best friend comes to her as Rose, a slave girl recently brought to Boone Hall, the family's plantation. The story and pictures are sure to delight any young reader. As the story concludes Sarah learns the lesson that it's family and friends who truly matter the most in the end."

Rebecca Brown doesn't know why her father has hauled her off to New Orleans to live with an eccentric old friend and her daughter. She'd rather stay in New York City or travel to China with her father on business. But since New Orleans is her hometown, her dad insists it's the best place for Rebecca to be.

As you might imagine, this doesn't turn out to be the case in the haunting YA novel Ruined by Paula Morris. Rebecca must attend a snotty private school in the Garden District where most of the students hail from old-line families who belong to Carnival krewes, such as Septimus, one of the finest. She doesn't understand the caste system in place and only a few girls are friendly to her.

"Rebecca tried to look interested, but talk of masked old men and debutante balls made her feel even more out of place here," Morris writes. "She didn't even know things like this still went on in America, and she couldn't really visualize them. All she could think of was Zorro and maybe the Ku Klux Klan dropping into a Jane Austin novel."

Rebecca lives in a dilapidated shotgun across from Lafayette Cemetery but her schoolmates inhabit the mansions surrounding both. Following a group of rich kids into the cemetery one night, partly to eye Anton, a handsome boy who's the talk of the school, Rebecca discovers an unlikely friend. Only Lisette is not of this world.

Ruined follows several plotlines, Lisette's murder 150 years before and her modern haunting of Rebecca, mysterious happenings surrounding the rich families of the Garden District and a budding friendship with Anton. Entwined is her fortune-telling aunt, Carnival season and a decades-old curse.

Morris may hail from New Zealand but she captures the old-line Carnival traditions with its snobbish class-structure like a native, although New Orleanians may not approve of her take on uptown society. It will be interesting to see how the city reacts to this modern ghost story. Regardless, ages 12 and up will no doubt appreciate this underdog tale.

--Chere Coen (Aug. 9 Daily Advertiser)

Two Bobbies wins Teachers's award

Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival, co-authored by Kirby Larson and Mary Nethery and illustrated by Jean Cassels of New Orleans, has been chosen as a 2009 IRA Teachers's Choice winner. The children's book follows the true story of an unlikely dog and cat who survive the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina by sticking together. The book has also been named a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 2009 by the National Council for the Social Studies and the Children's Book Council, a Junior Library Guild Premier Selection and an Indie Next List: Top Ten Books of the Season. Two Bobbies was profiled on NPR's All Things Considered and placed on the New York Humane Society recommended reading list. For a review of the book, see below.

State Library reveals Readers' Choice Awards 

Elementary and middle grade students throughout Louisiana have chosen two books as winners of the 2009 Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award, to be given away at the Louisiana Book Festival in October. The Diary of a Killer Cat by Anne Fine was the top choice of third, fourth and fifth graders and Secrets of My Hollywood Life by Jen Calonita was the winner from middle school students in grades six, seven and eight. The Louisiana Young Readers' Choice Award, now in its 10th year, is a reading enrichment program of the State Library of Louisiana. Previous winners include Alligator Sue by Lafayette's Sharon Arms Doucet.

Veteran children's author Ed Emberly, a Caldecott medalist, teams up with his daughter, Rebecca Emberly, also a best-selling children's author and illustrator, and his musician granddaughter Adrian Emberly in There Was An Old Monster! Based on the traditional song of the woman who swallowed the fly, this fun, vividly illustrated book employs creative lyrics and a surprise ending that will delight young children. Readers can also download the tune from the publisher's Web site. On another note, Rebecca Emberly visited southwest Louisiana in 2007 to visit schoolchildren affected by Hurricane Rita.

Gloria Teles Pushker has penned a few chapter books revolving around Toby Belfer, a young Jewish child of the South, all published by Pelican Publishing of New Orleans. Coauthoring with Mel Tarman, Pushker takes Toby to the Museum for the Remembrance of Holocaust Martyrs and Heroes in Israel to learn about those who assisted Jews during World War II in her latest, Toby Belfer Learns about Heroes and Martyrs.  The book is illustrated by Emile Henriquez, a faculty member of the New Orleans Art Institute who teaches art at UNO.

Kids love big trucks and machinery but explaining how they work can be a difficult task. William Low offers beautiful watercolors of various machines, then gently shows how they work with fold-out flaps in Machines Go to Work. For instance, the cement truck gets a flat, but the tow truck is able to haul it away. When the tow truck's battery dies, can the "little pickup give it a boost?" the author asks. "Yes, it can!" I have to admit, viewing that little truck doing big duty impressed even me! It's a sweet book tackling a large subject in a fun, simple way and young children of both genders should enjoying reading it.

And since it's summer, when children are at your heels asking for things to do, don't miss What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe? by Anna Alter, an activity book that explains how to reuse old items into fun craft projects. Flip flops, old T-shirt and berry baskets live new lives, plus that old shoe? A cool cover for a potted plant.

Don't Lick the Dog: Making Friend with Dogs by Wendy Wahman offers a rhyming book that's fun and whimsical but also teaches a good lesson. Through Wahman's vibrant illustrations readers will learn the proper way to approach dogs, how to pet them and place food in your hands. Her ending says it all: "If they could talk, these dogs would say, 'We wish all kids behaved this way!'"

            Two sweet board books for those who love the natural world are Little Chick by Amy Hest and The Cuckoo's Haiku and Other Birding Poems by Michael J. Rosen. In Little Chick, a young chicken has trouble growing a carrot, flying a kite and wanting to capture a star, but Old Auntie offers sage advice that helps Little Chick figure things out. In The Cuckoo's Haiku, Rosen breaks up the year into seasons and then introduces readers to a variety of birds, each with its own rhyme, pertinent information such as song and habitat and beautiful illustrations by Stan Fellows. As sophisticated as the latter sounds, both books will resonate with young readers, making them want to venture outside.

            Young dancers should check out The Girl Who Wanted to Dance by Amy Ehrlich, a tale of a girl estranged from her mother who longs to dance, and A Young Dancer: The Life of an Ailey Student by Valerie Gladstone, an exploration of a 13-year-old Alvin Ailey dancer. Ehrlich's tale follows a young girl whose heart tells her to dance although her father frowns on the idea. She hears music one night, heads through the forest and finds gypsies dancing, one of which is her mother. In A Young Dancer, we meet Iman Bright of New York and experience her days of private school and professional dance training through the expressive photos of Jose Ivey.

            Fun books for all, but especially if you want to lure boys to reading, are the new Toon Books, a series of hardback comic books that tell fun stories to ages 4 to 8. Take the delightful Stinky, for instance, by Eleanor Davis, a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book. Stinky Seymour is a happy creature living in the swamp, glad to be free of kids who take baths. When Nick wonders into the woods, Stinky tries to get rid of him but his tactics all backfire. In the end, Stinky finds boys to be worthy of friendship. There are several books in the innovative series, sure to capture all interests.

Clovis Crawfish

Pelican Publishing of New Orleans has been introducing young readers to Acadiana for years, publishing children's books as diverse as an alphabet series by Lafayette's Beverly Vidrine to The Cajun Night Before Christmas by James Rice. This month, Pelican releases three new children's books, all with a Louisiana flare, and a color reprint of Clovis Crawfish and Michelle Mantis by the late Mary Alice Fontenot of Eunice.

Witchy woman
Allison Hoffman Lane places a young girl and her uncle in the swamps of Louisiana, only to have the "swamp witch" turn them 12-inches tall in Uncle Arnel and the Swamp Witch, illustrated by Egil Thompson. "Pauve ti bete," the witch says before she cast her spell. Lane is the wife of Mike Lane, publisher of RodnReel.com, and although her literary leanings are quite different from his, he planted the seed for the first book with a painting he created, she said. "I took that thought, a pencil and writing tablet, sat out back, enjoyed my fish pond, palm trees and palmettos, emptied my mind of everything else and then Marie, Uncle Arnel and Aunt Cherie were born," Lane said. She wrote the story in English, then researched the French phrases. "On a more personal level, I have family living in Lafayette and from my youngest years have always enjoyed my visits there," she said. "Having a connection to Lafayette and growing up in New Orleans, I have acquired a love for Cajun tradition. We recently had a party at our home and hired a Cajun band to play. Although I didn't know the French, the music was great and everyone who didn't know the two-step when they came, knew it when they left." The book is the first of a series. Next up is Uncle Arnel and the Awful, Angry Alligator.

Cayenne does the trick
Two new board books examine our love of cooking: Chef Creole by Johnette Downing, illustrated by Deborah Ousley Kadair and The Cajun Cornbread Boy by Dianne de Las Casas, illustrated by Marita Gentry. Downing performs children's tunes worldwide so it's natural she would turn the traditional song Aiken Drum into a regional tune with Louisiana lyrics (the book offers the music in the back). As children learn the body parts of Chef Creole, they enjoy Kadair's fun collage-style illustrations. An old Cajun woman always wanted a boy so she creates one in The Cajun Cornbread Boy, based on the folktale that uses gingerbread. This maman adds something new to the mixture, as well -- cayenne. Like the traditional story, the cornbread boy runs through South Louisiana, telling everyone he can't be caught. The alligator gets the best of him, but this version has a happy ending. Once the gator gets wind of that cayenne, he spits him out. De Las Casas and Gentry are both residents of New Orleans.

Native daughter
Mary Alice Fontenot was born in Acadia Parish and worked for 35 years as a journalist at The Daily Advertiser and the Crowley Post Signal. She also taught kindergarten in Eunice and studied French at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now UL). Her early years were spent on her grandfather's farm and her later years in her garden, so it was only natural that she would create a world of creatures revolving around an adorable crawfish named Clovis. The first Clovis Crawfish book was published in 1961. By the time of Fontenot's death she had published 18 books in the series, with her daughter finishing the 19th posthumously. Fontenot has won numerous awards, including the 1998 Acadiana Arts Council Lifetime Achievement Award and was named a Louisiana Legend by Louisiana Public Broadcasting and a Living Legend by the Acadian Museum of Erath. Clovis Crawfish and Michelle Mantis includes everything lovable about her series: friendly creatures in their native habitats experiencing life, Cajun French expressions with a pronunciation guide in the back, a story with a nice moral and a song by Jeanne and Robert Gilmore.

     --Chere Coen (Jan. 26, 2009, Times of Acadiana)

Sept. 11, 2001, disturbed the young son of author Lauren Thompson, and she needed a way to reassure him that there was hope in the world. "I wanted him to know that while bad things happen, the world is nonetheless a good place to be, full of people who want to help," she writes in the end of Hope is An Open Heart (Scholastic), a board book for young readers. The book's many faces of hope include Hurricane Katrina transplants.

Elizabeth Evans loves working her family farm, hoping to take over its operation instead of finding a husband. But the 17-year-old's simple world turns complicated when first a young man is hired to help her father plow spring fields and plant crops and a French girl the same age as Elizabeth is found hiding out in Elizabeth's woods. Even though Elizabeth's father adamantly claims the French left Nova Scotia years before when they chose not to swear allegiance to England, she begins to have her doubts when she finds a deserted French homestead, hears of Acadians returning to Annapolis in rags and starving and her new friend in the woods offers a different account about what happened. The coming of age young adult novel, Lightning and Blackberries by Joanne K. Jefferson (Nimbus Publishing), follows Elizabeth as she stubbornly refuses to give up her dream of running the farm, only to be disillusioned when she realizes the farm has been stolen from Acadians living there before. Her growth as she contemplates the realization of the injustice, and later actions to try to rectify le grand derangement make for a powerful story that showcases both the victim and the subsequent settlers of Nova Scotia. Lightning and Blackberries is a wonderful young adult novel that looks at both the Acadian expulsion and the innocent unknowing participants who were faced with a brutal reality.

Kimberly Willis Holt, formerly of Louisiana, continues her middle reader series of a Navy brat having a variety of adventures as she travels around the country in Piper Reed: The Great Gypsy (Henry Holt Books for Young Readers). With illustrations by Christine Davenier, her latest book has Piper still in Pensacola, but her father, known to the family as "Chief," is on a long ship duty and Piper wants to do something to make him proud. She enlists her Gypsy Club to put on a pet show so she and her dog might win. Along the way, the family visits New Orleans, stays in a spaceship-looking house for an out-of-this-world Christmas and new neighbors arrive. And the pet show doesn't turn out as she hoped. As in the past Piper Reed book, Holt creates a charming world with Piper at its center, a creative rambunctious, dyslexic young girl who wants to fly the Blue Angels.

New Orleans children's author and illustrator Mo Willems continues his fun pigeon series with The Pigeon Wants a Puppy! (Hyperion Books). Like his previous titles, one of which won a Caldecott Honor, our favorite pigeon demands a puppy. And like most children we know, he insists he will care for it and play with the puppy, then cries when he thinks he won't get his way. When the puppy arrives, the pigeon realizes it has teeth, claws and "slobber" and changes his mind. But that doesn't last long. He then wants a walrus. Willems, who also writes the Knuffle Bunny books, brings to life early readers books by making them lively and fun. Kids will ask to read this one again and again.

The Farley family heads off on a road trip, each one owning different talents, in Go, Go America by Dan Yaccarino (Scholastic). As they travel across America in this retro-style book (even the car looks likes a 60s station wagon), they report on each state, with both typical and unusual facts. In New Orleans, for instance, a fire engine must stop at a red light, even if it's on its way to a fire (of course I had to wonder if that was just the legislators calling a traffic light a red light!). They mention the War of 1812, when the Battle of New Orleans was fought after the war had ended, and Carnival, but also add that the honeybee is the offical state insect. Mississippi mentions Edward Adolf Barq Sr. as inventing root beer (I thought Barq's wasn't a root beer -- that's what the commercials used to say), Florida is the only state that has two rivers with the same name and in Texas we learn that the first word spoken on the moon was "Houston." In the back are more fun facts about each state, such as the state motto, tree and nickname. It's a fun way to learn U.S. geography, with a country map to guide kids through the states.

LSU Press has published a charming children's book titled Molly the Pony by Pam Kaster of Zachary, also author of Zydeco Goes to Horse Camp. The book tells the true story of Molly, a pony left behind to ride out Katrina and who is rescued in its aftermath. Molly ends up living on her rescue farm but suffers a terrible bite from a roaming dog that injures her front leg. Molly receives a prosthetic limb after an amputation and then becomes a traveling animal to children's hospitals and nursing homes. Accenting the book are photos of Molly and the children and elderly she meets. "Wherever Molly goes, she leaves a trail of hoof prints and smiling faces," the book concludes. The book also features the score of an original song titled An Extra Smile.

Sharon Arms Doucet's Alligator Sue (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $17), which won the Young Readers' Choice Award from the State Library of Louisiana, is a delightful tale of a young girl separated from her Cajun home in the Atchafalaya by a hurricane. Sue falls into an alligator nest, learns how to live in the wild with the reptiles and forgets her upbringing. But she doesn't fit in. Mosquitoes plague her skin, the alligator den's too cold and she can't bellow like the others. When she discovers her old cabin, she realizes she is a girl, but she doesn't exactly fit in there now either. In the end, when another hurricane threatens and she's able to help her swamp friends by using her human attributes, she discovers who she really is -- Alligator Sue!

Am I A Color Too? by Heidi Cole and Nancy Vogi and beautifully illustrated by Gerald Purnell (Illumination Arts, $15.95) tells the story of a young boy of a mixed race marriage who wonders what his nickname is based on his skin color. Is he black or white or something else? It's a lovely book with a great moral: that people come in all colors and don't need to be categorized by their skin.

Marcolino reluctantly practices his piano every day in Davide Cali's Piano Piano (Charlesbridge, $15.95). His mother insists he won't be a grand pianist without the daily duty, but Marcolino sees that as her dream, not his. When his grandfather tells him his mother hated the chore as much as he does, Marcolino is thrilled. The next day his grandfather lets him pick out his own instrument and he chooses the tuba, which makes him very happy. Marcolino then practices every day so he can become a grand tuba player.

Daft Bat by Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross (Anderson Press, $16.95) explains how different perspectives should be valued. When Bat first arrives on the scene, the other animals think he's daft because everything he sees is upside down. When they finally hang from their toes and view the world (with the book's type upside down as well), they realize that Bat isn't so daft after all; it's how you view the world. And when you turn the book to read the words, kids will experience Bat's view as well, making the point even that much more effective.

In Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts (Candlewick, $15.99) Jeremy's shoes are falling apart and his grandmother can't afford the fancy high-tops he sees the other kids wearing. She insists on buying him snow boots with the little money they have. Jeremy finds a used pair of "those shoes" in the thrift shop but they're too tight. He buys them anyway and suffers, but eventually returns to his taped-up shoes his teacher had given him. When he realizes another boy named Antonio has busted-up shoes too, but in a smaller size, he leaves the high-tops on his doorstep. When he attends school the next day and sees Antonio happy in "those shoes," Jeremy feels happy too. And warm in his new snow boots as snow begins to fall.

For plain ole fun, don't miss the adorable Chester by author-illustrator Melanie Watt (Kids Can Press, $16.95). As Watt attempts to convey a mouse in the country tale, Chester, her cat, interferes, adding graffiti to the mouse photos and invading the story pages. It becomes a battle between illustrator and the mischievous cat until the very end when illustrator prevails. But not to worry, Chester has the last word. Chester is one of the cleverest books out and a true delight to read. Every inch of the book keeps the tug-of-war going between mouse and cat; even the book jacket and copyright page contains Chester's interference. No doubt Chester will be a big hit with young readers.

The creators of Guess How Much I Love You have returned with two adorable board books that are sure to be a hit with small children. Colors Everywhere and When I'm Big by Sam McBratney, illustrated by Anita Jeram (Candlewick, $7.99), follow Big Nutbrown Hare as she shows her baby rabbit the world, from small creatures and how they grow to the colors that exist everywhere in nature.

Randy Ceil of Houston, who brought us the charming Gator, follows up with another imaginative tale called Duck (Candlewick, $15.99). Duck is a carousel animal who dreams of living beyond the playground and taking flight with a real flock. When a duckling stumbles into the park, Duck helps raise him. But when it's time for Duckling to fly south, Duck must sacrifice her love for the little one and help get him off the ground. What's so beautiful about this tale is the duckling's return to the carousel in the spring where he helps Duck take flight beneath his wings, much like a parent teaching a child how to fly and then the child returns the favor to a parent.

Jon J. Muth offers more Zen teachings with his panda Stillwater in Zen Ties (Scholastic, $17.99). This time, Stillwater takes his nephew Koo (who he greets appropriately as "Hi, Koo!") and the children of the neighborhood to help an elderly lady who is sick. The children are afraid of their grouchy neighbor, but their association with each other brings them all joy. As in his Caldecott Honor Book Zen Shorts, Muth offers some lessons and a few haikus. The play on words throughout the book will teach as well as entertain.

For some interactive fun, try Rodeo (Bright Sky Press, $15.95) by award-winning author Roxie Munro. The easy-to-read book that explains all the elements of a rodeo are complemented by 50 flaps that reveal pictures ranging from a rodeo dance to a long fold-out that animates calf roping. The wild bucks and cowboys jumping off the page are perfect for reluctant readers and young boys.

Two beautiful books that make perfect gifts as well as provide great reading are The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, illustrated by Inga Moore (Candlewick Press, $21.99) and Carnation, Lily, Lily Rose by Hugh Brewster (Kids Can Press, $17.95). The Secret Garden is an enduring classic, first published in 1911 and republished continuously since, as well as made into several films. This edition juxtaposes Burnett's timeless story with lovely illustrations on almost every page. It's a great way to introduce the story to younger readers who might shy away from a paperback or for parents who want to experience the story again at their children's bedtime. One of John Singer Sargent's most brilliant paintings is Carnation, Lily, Lily Rose and Brewster creates a fictional telling of how the painting came to be in this book of the same name. The story comes to life through the eyes of five-year-old Kate Millet who Sargent picks to pose for his paintings. In the end, two other children are chosen for Carnation but it is through the Millet household that the story unfolds. Packed with Sargent's sketches, photos and paintings, this book is sure to captivate young artists.

March starts a host of spring holidays beginning with St. Patrick's Day, and The Luckiest St. Patrick's Day Ever! (Scholastic, $5.99) by Teddy Slater shows it off in rollicking rhyme as the Leprechaun family gets together to celebrate. Steven Kroll's The Biggest Easter Basket Ever (Scholastic, $4.99) shows how working together can be more productive than competition when two mice join forces to create the biggest Easter basket in town. The book comes with a sheet of foil stickers inside.

For Earth Day, Laurie David, producer of the documentary An Inconvenient Truth, and Cambria Gordon have created The Down-to-Earth Guide to Global Warming (Scholastic, $15.99) for young readers. The book (printed on recycled paper, of course) is chock full of graphics, photos and animation sure to keep even the most wandering eyes on the page. The authors make the subject easy to understand and provide ways for kids to help out. Another handy little book to make children proactive in fighting pollution is You Can Save the Planet: 50 Ways You Can Make a Difference (Scholastic, $4.99) by Jacquie Wines.

Holiday books 2007

New Orleans author and illustrator Jean Cassels wears her writer's hat in The Twelve Days of Christmas in Louisiana, illustrated by Lynne Avril Cravath (Sterling, $9.95). It's a charming book about Paul, who gets to spend the holidays with his cousins in Louisiana. Each day brings new gifts in new places -- from three marsh ducks to six ghosts-a-spooking in places such as Rayne, Breaux Bridge and Avery Island -- culminating on the 12th day, which begins our Carnival. Lafayette's Leslie Leonpacher's beautiful and touching The Dog and the Hurricane ($25), illustrated by New Orleans artist Jane Brewster, is printed on hand-crafted paper and bound with a ceramic fleur-de-lis bookmark fired in Leonpacher's studio. Although fashioned as a children's book, adults will love this story of a young dog lost in the streets of New Orleans after Katrina. Leonpacher worked in the Lamar-Dixon animal facility after the storm and used her first-hand experiences to pen this tale. Don't mistake it as a "hurricane book;" it's anything but. The tale could have been told in any American city after a storm has passed. For more information, visit www.thedogandthehurricane.com.

New Orleans author and illustrator Jean Cassels introduced an educated pig named Dr. David Harleyson who loves to paint portraits in The Mysterious Collection of Dr. David Harleyson (Walker & Company, $17.95). Mr. Harleyson travels the world and leaves his nephew a series of paintings with clues so that the youngster can piece the story together while readers learn about subjects from Mother Goose, Grimm and Aesop. Cassels continues this innovative storytelling with Br'er Rabbit Captured! (Walker & Company, $17.95). Uncle Harleyson takes his nephew on a trip in the hopes of convincing Br'er Rabbit and neighbors to sit for portraits. Everyone is delighted with the honor, offering stories about Br'er Rabbit in the process, but the bunny proves illusive, especially when the fox and wolf continue to construct traps to nab him. Beautifully illustrated, the book offers insights into the Uncle Remus stories while being thoroughly entertaining.

A couple of great children's books to read for Black History Month include Tales of Famous Americans by Connie and Peter Roop (Scholastic, $17.99) and Josephine's Dream by Joan Betty Stuchner, illustrated by Chantelle Walther (Silverleaf Press, $16.95). Tales includes a mention of Madam C.J. Walker, born in the delta of Louisiana in 1867. When Walker grew up and worked doing laundry, she realized her hair had turned brittle with sections falling out. Through experimentation, Walker developed hair products specifically for African-American women. At one time, she was the wealthiest African-American woman in America and she passed on this wealth to communities, churches and political causes. Josephine's Dream examines the real-life Josephine Carson, born poor and who worked cleaning houses at a very young age. But her dream of performing brought her to a group of street musicians and then into theaters. Because of the hardships blacks endured during that time, Carson traveled to Paris where she became Josephine Baker, a widely successful singer. In France during World War II, she worked with the Resistance, which earned her medals of honor, and later adopted children of many races and religions, which she labeled the Rainbow Tribe. She also participated in the Civil Rights Movement. 

Forest Hill (Louisiana) award-winning author Kimberly Willis Holt's Skinny Brown Dog (Henry Holt, $16.95) for young readers, illustrated by Donald Saaf, is about an unlikely friendship that occurs between a skinny brown dog and Benny, the town baker. When the pup arrives at the bakery, Benny insists he doesn't want a dog, even though he notices how the rug by the fireplace would be the perfect spot for a dog to lie. A friendship begins between the two, but Benny still denies a place for the skinny brown dog in his home. When an accident puts Benny in the hospital, he realizes how much he misses the dog and how his life has changed for the better by knowing him. It's a sweet tale that unfolds slowly like a deep friendship, gently illustrated so children will fall in love with the skinny brown dog and his baker friend, even when the dog's not so skinny by the end.

Don Schmidt's self-absorbed mother may despise the chickens that came with her inherited farm on Horse Island, Louisiana, but Don is raptured by them. When the age is reduced to 11 for entrants in the annual chicken judging contest at the fair Don enters and, using his newly acquired poultry expertise, wins. The blue ribbon catapults Don from being the "New Kid" in fifth grade (he moves there from Shreveport a few years back, but the name sticks) to enjoying minor celebrity in Jacques Couvillon's The Chicken Dance (Bloombury, $16.95). The book follows Don's ascent into stardom chickenwise -- the Horse Island Food and Furniture owner now demands to have dozens of Don's eggs every week and the school bully becomes Don's best friend -- but the year also brings about big surprises, some that will change Don's life intently. Couvillon's debut novel is one not to be missed. Young readers will delight in this humorous tale involving poultry that also offers emotional depth that will resonate long after they put the book down.