CLEVER BEATRICE: AN UPPER PENINSULA CONTE
by Margaret Willey
illustrated by Heather Soloman
Atheneum;ISBN: 0689832540;$16;2001

Beatrice may be little, but she’s clever enough to outwit the giant and bring home a whole sackful of gold coins. Full of spunk and humor, this story based on French Canadian folklore features illustrations as sassy as Beatrice herself.

Suggested for ages 4 - 8
Subjects: Canada | Folklore | Giants | Michigan | Tall Tales | Wagers | Zolotow Award

BORN BLUE
by Han Nolan
ISBN: 0152019162;$17;2001

A grim and tormented portrait of Janie, abandoned child of a heroin addict and now an emotionally disturbed teen, told in gripping first-person narrative. Born into loneliness, she finds her unique voice and only sustaining connection in her passion for music and her intense desire to sing.

Suggested for ages 14 - 18
Subjects: Daughters | Foster Care | Mothers | Singing

MICE AND BEANS
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
illustrated by Joe Cepeda
Scholastic;ISBN: 0439183030;$15.95;2001

Kind-hearted but forgetful grandmother Rosa María prepares for her granddaughter’s seventh birthday, with help from the ratones living in her house. Color-drenched, lively illustrations reflect a close-knit Hispanic family, and Spanish phrases flavor the story. Includes a recipe for rice and beans!

Suggested for ages 4 - 7
Subjects: Birthdays | Grandmothers | Hispanic Americans | Latinas | Latinos | Mexico | Mice | Parties | Spanish language

HEART TO HEART : NEW POEMS INSPIRED BY TWENTIETH-CENTURY AMERICAN ART
selected by Jan  Greenberg
Harry N Abrams;ISBN: 0810943867;$19.95;2001

Splendid reproductions of paintings by Milton Avery, Thomas Hart Benton, Chuck Close, and Stuart Davis are paired with poems written by the likes of Dan Masterson, Naomi Shihab Nye, Nancy Willard, and Jane Yolen. These companion pieces make us look at elements of both art forms in a new way.

Suggested for ages 10 - 16
Subjects: Modern Art | Printz Honor | United States

HEAVEN EYES (AUDIO)
by David Almond
narrated by Amanda Plummer
Listening Library;ISBN: 0807261971;$22;2001

A mystical reading brings to life the haunting story of three “damaged” children who set out in search of a better life only to find a mysterious girl who helps them discover happiness by looking at the world through a different lens.

Suggested for ages 10 - 14
Subjects: Audio Book | England | Magic | Orphans