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The Iliad, by Homer, retold by Gillian Cross, illustrated by Neil Packer; Candlewick Press, $19.99 160 pages, ages 9 and up.

Rediscover Homer’s epic poem that pitted the ancient Greeks against the fearsome Trojans in this superb retelling of The Iliad by Carnegie Medalist Gillian Cross, who also refitted the Odyssey for a younger audience. Cross has managed to take this daunting work and wrangle a fluid and enjoyable version full of action and adventure. The book opens with helpful a character map and concludes with the Greek alphabet and an appendix dedicated to discussing whether or not the Iliad was based on a true story. Illustrator Neil Packer, who collaborated on Cross’s Odyssey (2012), returns here to render the scope of human emotions with his instantly recognizable gouache and pen and wash art. (His work ought to be familiar to Folio Society fans: previous commissions for that publishing house include Umberto Eco’s The Name of The Rose (2001) and 2004s illustrated version of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22.) Here, Greeks and Trojans locked in eternal battle are rendered in bold colors and appear as if they’ve been plucked directly from some ancient amphora, and it’s wonderful. (Readers interested in seeing Packer’s art for themselves can do so through October 24 at the Illustration Cupboard in London.) Printed in a large-format volume, this Iliad is a welcome addition to the picture-book world, filling the void between overly sanitized editions and those with blood practically oozing from the binding. A masterful gift for the ages. 

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Just the Ticket

Railway locomotion is a big theme for children’s books this fall, and we’ve found two coffee-table/reference guides for conductors of all ages.

All Aboard: The Wonderful World of Disney Trains, by Dana Amendola; Disney Editions Deluxe, 192 pages, $50.00 all ages.

Perfect for fans of Disney history and railway enthusiasts, this lovely oversize compendium chronicles how trains have always held a prominent place in Disney lore – Walt himself was a lifelong admirer of locomotives, and even worked aboard the Missouri Pacific Railroad as a teenager. Disney incorproated trains into many of his animations – Mickey Mouse’s first appearance on a train was in a black and white short called “Mickey’s Choo-Choo” in 1929. Trains continue to figure prominently in Disney films, and engines including the Fort Wilderness Railroad, the Monorail, and the Disney Express are just a few  that dot the various parks throughout the world. Clocking in at just under 200 pages, there’s enough train trivia in All Aboard coupled with Disney lore to keep readers happy for hours.

Iron Rails, Tough Men, and the Race to Link the Nation: The Story of the Transcontinental Railroad, by Martin W. Sandler; Candlewick Press, $22.99, 224 pages, all ages. (A Junior Library Guild Selection)

In 1845, Asa Whitney (a relative of cotton-gin inventor Eli Whitney) went to Congress to propose a transcontinental railroad, but the lawmakers rejected the bill, mostly due to backbiting and squabbling over who would most profit from the endeavor. (Sound familiar?) The country would have to wait until 1862, when Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act that authorized two companies to build railroads linking the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, thereby thrusting America into the modern era. Pulitzer-Prize nominee Martin Sandler presents all the moving parts in this six-year saga clearly and in wonderful detail, and doesn’t skimp on the intrigue and greed found at every level of the project. Still, there’s a palpable understanding among everyone involved that these 1800 miles (all laid mostly by hand), were an historic moment and great change was coming to the country, one rail at a time. Thoroughly researched, including a timeline, notes, sketches and photos, this volume will long remain an invaluable and entertaining resource for research projects on the American West and Reconstruction periods.

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The Fly, by Petr Horáček; Candlewick Press, $14.99, 32 pages, ages 3-6.

In Petr Horáček’s latest addition to the world of children’s picture books, a rather good-natured, big-eyed housefly laments his lack of friends. The hairy-legged insect navigates his day, buzzing from breakfast to flying laps around the ceiling lamp while avoiding a large blue flyswatter, which little ones will adore flipping  from side to side in attempts to crush the misunderstood and maligned insect. This poor creature just doesn’t understand why nobody likes him – he likes to share food, after all. The last page gives kids the opportunity to play God, and depending on one’s mood, the fly lives to see another day, or is squashed by the hard covers. (Can you hear the squeals now?) Like all of Horáček’s books (The Mous Who Ate The Moon; Puffin Peter), The Fly is interactive and engaging, with beautiful illustrations that belie the work that goes into them. The endpapers showcase the fly in repetition, and could inspire (adult) readers to scan the pages to create a unique PC background – literally putting flies the wall. 

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IN MEMORIAM

Midnight: A True Story of Loyalty in World War I, by Mark Greenwood, illustrated by Frané Lessac; Candlewick Press, $16.99, 32 pages, ages 8 and up.

On Halloween Night in 1905, a horse was born on a cattle ranch in New South Wales, Australia. Twelve years later to the day, that horse, appropriately named Midnight, would participate in the Charge at Beersheba, one of the last great cavalry charges in military history, which resulted in the victory that led to the eventual collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Here, award-winning author Mark Greenwood (The Legend of Moondyne Joe; The Greatest Liar on Earth) goes back to his Australian roots by sharing the story of this remarkable mare and her brave owner, Guy Haydon. Greenwood deftly traces the course of Midnight’s life as it changes course from cow horse to member of the Australian Light Horse Brigade, and does such a masterful job of it. This is a story of bravery and sacrifice, and it will bring tears to all who read it. (This is not suitable for bedtime; in addition to its somber tone, the tale will incite  discussion and an immediate desire to learn more.) Illustrator Frané Lessac traveled to Be’er Sheva in Israel with Greenwood in order to see firsthand where Guy and Midnight participated in the charge. The trip bore fruit: pigment-saturated gouache illustrations capture the desert sands and blood-red skies of battle. Complete with detailed endnotes and photographs of the real Guy and Midnight, this is a perfect example of history leaping off the pages and into readers’ lives. (Walker Books, Midnight’s Austrailian publisher, put together a wonderful teacher’s guide, which would also be useful for Americans who may be less familiar with this particular part of WWI history.)

What do Gandolf, Hercules and Polyanna have in common? Find out when Nicole Basbanes Claire reviews 4 awesome new books for YA and young readers!

Three Books on Popular Characters and a Real-Life Picture Book! 4-27-2015 (1).m4v

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Welcome to the Neighborwood, by Shawn Sheehy; Candlewick Press, $29.99, 18 pages, all ages.

Spring is in full bloom, so why not celebrate it with this wonderful ode to the outdoors.  Shawn Sheehy, (A Pop-Up Field Guide to North American Wildflowers; Counting on the Marsh: A Nighttime Book of Numbers) paper engineer and avowed naturalist, explores seven woodland creatures such as snails, beavers and spiders, and explains how these animals are uniquely adapted to survive in their environment and among each other.  Precision and attention to detail puts Sheehy on par with Robert Sabuda, and here deftly crafts a magical world out of handmade papers. The accompanying text is informative and to the point, perfectly suited to young readers. If this book doesn’t encourage children to get outside and start exploring, I’m not sure what will. 

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Bird and Diz, by Gary Golio, illustrated by Ed Young; Candlewick Press; $19.99, 26 pages, ages 4-8.

Saxophonist Charlie “Bird” Parker and trumpet-player John “Dizzy” Gillespie were great friends whose style of music revolutionized jazz., and Bird and Diz is a stunning tribute to their achievements. Award-winning author and New York Times bestseller Gary Golio’s flowing, rhythmic text explains how Bird and Diz crafted bebop through fast-playing and complicated rhythms. Golio uses the 1945 recording “Salt Peanuts” as his point of reference, describing the crashing of cymbals and thumping of bass notes mixing with the wailing of Gillespie’s now iconic trumpet playing and Parker’s squealing saxophone. The author’s free-verse mimics the improvisational nature of the music, and manages to explain music that is so difficult to put into words.  Like jazz, this book’s physical layout isn’t standard either – it opens accordion-style, with the front explaining Bird and Diz’s friendship, “who play together just like kids” tossing notes back and forth, like a baseball.  The backside riffs on how this surprising music is made. Caldecott-medal winner Ed Young captures jazz’s elements of fluidity and abstraction with illustrations composed of pastel, gouache and sumi-ink. The art is, by turns, explosive and fluid, appearing completely spontaneous yet bears the mark of a master at work, much like the book’s subjects. Children will run to their art sets after reading the final lines “Get out your crayons and draw!”  A tour de force that will enthrall jazz lovers and no doubt encourage a youngsters to feel the beat.

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Growing up Pedro, by Matt Tavares; Candlewick Press, $16.99, 40 pages, ages 8-12.

Veteran baseball writer Matt Tavares (There Goes Ted Williams; Becoming Babe Ruth; Henry Aaron’s Dream) explores the improbable rise of pitching legend Pedro Martinez. Tavarez tracks the three-time Cy Young Award winner from very begining, living in the small village of Manoguaybo in the Dominican Republic, when Pedro’s older brother Ramon was the best pitcher around.  Soon enough, the brothers make their way to the Major Leagues, and Tavarez illustrates the innate talent, dedication and powerful brotherly bond that helped make this baseball dream a reality.   (Don’t worry baseball-fan parents; Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt is publishing Pedro’s own memoir, due out in May.)

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Flora and Ulysses, The Illustrated Series  is out in paperback! Kate DiCamillo’s 2014 Newbery award winning story about a self-descrbed cynic and her furry sidekick is an uproarious tale that deserves pride of place on any child’s bookshelf. (Really, anything by DiCamillo is a surefire hit.)

Already read Flora and Ulysses? Check out Leroy Ninker Saddles Up, the latest offering from National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature where a lonely wannabe cowboy falls in love with an old mare named Maybelline. DiCamillo fans will recognize many characters from her Mercy Watson series who return here for some good old-fashioned horsing around.

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Sweep Up the Sun, by Helen Frost, photographs by Rick Lieder; Candlewick Press, 32 pages, $15.99, all ages. (Published March 10)

Haven’t we all had that dream where we’re flying with the birds? Live out those fantasies while reading award-winning author Helen Frost’s lyrical invitation to soar alongside feathered friends in Sweep Up the Sun. At its most basic level, the poem is exploring birds in flight, but it is also a rally for cooped-up children to return outdoors, to spread their wings, and take off for unexpected adventures. Stunning, in-flight photographs of Chickadees, Cardinals, White-Breasted Nuthatches are courtesy of Rick Lieder, who previously collaborated with Frost on Step Gently Out. An informative glossary (with information gleaned from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology) provides distinctive characteristics, migration patterns and feeding habits of the eleven birds featured in the book. Consider this volume a lovely introduction to backyard birding, an invitation to observe these beautiful creatures often perched just outside our windows.