Number Eleven

Chameleon, Chameleon by Joy Cowley; Illustrated by Nic Bishop. (Scholastic Press; 32 pages; ISBN: 0439666538; Ages: 4-8.)

This is one of the finest animal books we have reviewed here at the Oasis. The simple text tells of a male Madagascar panther chameleon which sets out to find food. As he moves through the environment he comes across geckos, a tiny frog, a scorpion, and finally, a big, juicy caterpillar. As he eats the caterpillar he notices something is watching—another chameleon. At first her skin turns dark with anger. But she sees that our chameleon is friendly and she "welcomes him with pale colors."

The photography is truly exceptional. An appended note offers more information about chameleons. A definite must-have for your classrom or library shelves.

My Father's Shop by Satomi Ichikawa. (Kane/Miller; 32 pages; ISBN: 1929132999; Ages: 4-8.)

Mustafa works with his father in their Moroccan carpet shop. When the boy finds a carpet with a small hole in it, he begs his father for it. Mustafa's father agrees, but only if the boy will learn some foreign words. "They are very important in our trade," the father says. Mustafa agrees, but darts from the shop as soon as he is able. As he runs through the marketplace with the rug over him, a rooster begins to follow him. Tourists gather, each explaining how roosters sing in their language. "In Spain they crow, 'Qui-qui-ri-qui," says a Spanish couple. "And in Japan it's, 'Koke-ko-kooo'!" After learning more "foreign words," Mustafa runs back to his father's shop—tourists in tow—to show his father how he can "speak rooster in five languages." His father is delighted that Mustafa has learned some foreign words, but even more delighted that the tourists are visiting his carpet shop.

The story is wonderfully told and the watercolor illustrations are vibrant and lively. An excellent choice for teaching cultural awareness. Highly recommended.

Hatshepsut: The Princess Who Became King by Ellen Galford. (National Geographic; 64 pages; ISBN: 0792236459; Ages: 8-12.)

Divided into four parts which range from her birth to her legacy, this biography is an excellent additon to National Geographic World History Biographies series. Born in the 15th century B.C., Hatshepusut would eventually rule the Egyptian kingdom not as a queen, but as a pharaoh---a king.

Vivid writing and full-color photographs bring Hatshepsut to life. A glossary, bibliography, and index are appended. Highly recommended.

Earth Magic by Dionne Brand; Illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes. (KCP Poetry/Kids Can Press; 32 pages; ISBN: 1553377060; Ages: 9-12.)

Dionne Brand celebrates the Caribbean and its people in this collection of poems. The bright, coloful illustrations are joyful and exhurberant. A delightful choice for reading aloud or independent reading.

Something Out of Nothing: Marie Curie and Radium by Carla Killough McClafferty. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 144 pages; ISBN: 0374380368; Ages: 10 and up.)

In this outstanding biography of Marie Curie readers become immersed in the trials and triumphs of Manya Sklodowska (Marie Curie). They learn of her life in Poland where she worked as a governess to help put her sister thought medical school. Curie would eventually go on to college herself, earning a doctorate. She and her husband discovered the elements radium and polonium. For this, she earned two Nobel prizes. There was great joy in Curie's life, but also great sadness. An entertaining and informative read. Highly recommended.