New: The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot by Margaret McNamara

The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot
By Margaret McNamara and Mark Fearing

I predict that this variant on the Three Little Pigs will be in constant circulation in our library. The connections to the original tale are cleverly executed and the rhymes are terrific. The illustrator studied NASA photographs of the planets to bring an element of realism to this wonderfully fantastical tale. A sure fire hit and new favorite!

Target Age: 3-8

New in the Library: Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale

Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon and Dean Hale; illustrated by Nathan Hale

Preceding Disney's Tangled by two years, this twist on the classic fairy tale is chock-full of girl-power fun. Set in the wild west, Rapunzel's Revenge is an easy to read tale in graphic novel format. Sent to the tower for being just a little too curious, Rapunzel is a girl with a mission. Using her braids as weapons, Rapunzel escapes from the tower and sets out to free her real mother from enslavement in Mother Gothel's dusty mining town. She joins up with a ne'er do well thief named Jack who is toting a magic goose. Along the way to Mother Gothel's villa, the two encounter a number of exciting challenges, and are ultimately aided in their quest by other citizens frustrated by Mother Gothel's hold over the land. The excellent illustrations add to the swashbuckling adventure, as Jack and Rapunzel grow closer with every daring escape. Great fun for romantics and adventure seekers alike!
Target Age: 9-14

The Pea Blossom, retold and illustrated by Amy Lowry Poole

The Pea Blossom, retold and illustrated by Amy Lowry Poole
This retelling of a Hans Christian Anderson tale, sets the story in China. The author studied scroll-making in Beijing for four years, and her watercolor on rice paper illustrations are lovely. They are the perfect soft accompaniment to this sweet story about a little pea with big dreams. The Girl loved this book: "What if something as tiny as a pea plant could make a sick girl healthy? Isn't that wonderful?"
Target ages: 4-8 years

Connections:
How the Rooster Got His Crown, by Amy Lowry Poole
The Ant and the Grasshopper, by Amy Lowry Poole
The Apple Pip Princess, by Jane Ray