My Dog May Be a Genius
By Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by James Stevenson
Greenwillow, $18.99
Ages 5-10 years
Children discovered Jack Prelutsky long before he was named the nation’s first children’s poet laureate, and his words are well-paired here with James Stevenson’s squiggly, expressive line drawings. Whether it’s “Beezil B. Bone,/an unsavory elf” or “The Preposterous Wosstrus,” these poems are great for reading or listening.
On the Farm
By David Elliott, illustrated by Holly Meade
Candlewick, $16.99
Ages 4-6 years
The large scale of Holly Meade’s woodcuts startles. The rooster’s strut takes him from one page to the next. The enormous barn cat dominates the page, while tiny mice scramble nearby. David Elliott concentrates more on actions than on the usual moos and oinks.
The Chicken of the Family
By Mary Amato, illustrated by Delphine Durand
Putnam, $16.99
Ages 4-7 years
Henrietta’s older sisters try to convince their shy sibling that she is a chicken, even planting an egg and feathers in her room. She turns the tables when she walks to a neighbor’s farm “to find her real family.” Then the older sisters are in big trouble, and Henrietta enjoys their “squawking,” as well as the pleasures of her poultry lodgings.
The Overlord Protocol
By Mark Walden
Simon & Schuster, $15.99
Ages 9-12 years
In this second volume of the “H.I.V.E.” series blending school adventure and high-tech intrigue, Otto and his friend Wing are given an outside pass to attend Wing’s father’s funeral, under tight supervision. Runs at the speed of martial arts and James Bond movies.
When the Black Girl Sings
By Bil Wright
Simon & Schuster, $16.99
Ages 12-15 years
Lahni, the only black student at a fancy school, is also the adopted child of white parents who are starting to divorce. Who is she, she wonders. Through a school talent contest, Lahni connects with a new community. Good on cliques and racial issues.
