to witness Jenks letting the ants in his pants get to work. In high school, he was already getting into hot water with his short documentaries for the local free TV station (the pizza guys didn’t like him dissing their product). He moved on to highly imaginative works that included a tender portrait of an assisted-living home (when he was 19) and nine months in the life of maverick baseball coach Bobby Valentine (in Japan). From there, he went to an MTV show that documents everything from a homeless youth to horse slaughter farms in Miami, with the emphasis on his determination to connect kids with the issues. None of this was a gimme; Jenks worked like a dog for it all, though obviously with more than a spoonful of native talent. One happy and spirited object lesson in what tenacity can bring. (Nonfiction. 10 & up)
Taken from her pathetically ill-treated mother, Ginger is brought to a pet shop where she’s bought by a shallow couple as an inappropriate Christmas present for their 2-year-old son. Acting as puppies do, Ginger gets herself in enough trouble that she’s turned over to an animal shelter. Then she’s taken in by a kindly man who understands her needs but—inevitably—leaves her with an irresponsible pet sitter. Eventually, she ends up on the streets with a group of feral dogs. After getting passed to a pet rescuer, things finally begin to look up for Ginger, providing a final object lesson on what constitutes a good pet home. While Ginger’s first-person narration is relatively believable, the plot seems driven by the need to inform young readers about the many pitfalls mistreated pets encounter, rather than by the desire to tell a good story. But including such a wide range of unfortunate situations diminishes the separate impact of each one, since there is only room to lightly sketch them in this brief chapter book. Attractive, realistic drawings in each chapter fully capture Ginger’s placid nature. Assisted by Ginger’s attractively gentle voice, pet lovers may be willing to overlook the sometimes heavy-handed narrative. (history of golden retriever breed, information on puppy mills, rescue groups, animal shelters, and how to choose a dog.) (Fiction. 8-12)
THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR YOU
Kerley, Barbara National Geographic (48 pp.) $17.95 | Mar. 12, 2013 978-1-4263-1114-7 A stirring invitation to leap, dive, soar, plunge and thrill to the natural world’s wonders and glories. “Right outside your window there’s a world to explore,” writes Kerley. “Ready?” In huge, bright, sharply focused photos, a hang glider and a mountain climber dangle in midair, a paleontologist carefully brushes dirt off a fossil, an astronaut dangles near the International Space Station, and spelunkers clamber amid spectacular crystals. These dramatic images mingle with equally eyefilling scenes of muddy, soaked, laughing young children—some venturing alone down a forest path or over jumbles of rock, others peering into a snow cave or a starry sky. “Size things up,” suggests the author. “Get a firm grip. Then… / …start climbing.” This may well leave safety-obsessed parents with the vapors, but that may be all to the good. Explanatory captions for several of the photographs, from very brief profiles of the explorers to the stories behind the photos themselves, appear at the end. Vivid glimpses of what waits for anyone who is willing to stop just looking and go. (Picture book. 6-8)
WINTER’S TIDE
Kline, Lisa Williams Zonderkidz (240 pp.) $10.99 | Jan. 1, 2013 978-0-310-72619-7 Series: Sisters in All Seasons, 4 In the latest installment of this series following two very different stepsisters through the seasons, each brings unique gifts and deficits to the task of coping with tough life issues. It’s Christmas, but holiday spirit is in short supply. A moment of anger gets Diana suspended from high school. Stephanie, who remembers her stepbrother Matt’s drunken threats when she overheard him bragging about stealing beer, dreads encountering him during the obligatory visit to her mother. Then Matt’s badly injured in a car accident, and Stephanie’s grandmother is hospitalized with pancreatitis. The family heads to the North Carolina shore to care for her home and beloved dog, Jelly. When Jelly takes a dislike to Diana, she’s devastated—her self-esteem is founded on her connection with animals—but discovering a beached pilot whale soon distracts her. Stephanie worries about Grammy Verra and feels guilty over wishing harm to Matt. Although both girls continue to seem younger than their stated ages, characterization remains a strong suit. Contrarian, courageous, empathy-challenged Diana struggles with a serious mood disorder. Compassionate, self-aware Stephanie is easily immobilized by anxiety. Demonstrating that less is more and showing trumps telling, the plight of endangered species and the gentle, inclusive message that faith can be an anchor in troubled times are implied, not hammered home. (Fiction. 10-16)
GINGER
Klimo, Kate Illus. by Jessell, Tim Random House (160 pp.) $6.99 | $6.99 e-book | PLB $12.99 Jan. 8, 2013 978-0-307-97899-8 978-0-307-97902-5 e-book 978-0-307-97901-8 PLB Series: Dog Diaries, 1 Ginger, a golden retriever, is the product of a brutal puppy mill, inauspicious beginnings that don’t improve much. 2828
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15 december 2012
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children ’s
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teen
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kirkus.com
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