Donate via PayPal
If you found something useful here, help us keep going. Contributions are not tax deductible, but keep your receipt for your records.
Subscribe to the In-Progress List
The Latest In Progress
A picture book about creating pictures, with a bunch of angry crayons complaining to the young artist about: overuse, underuse, predictable use, mis-use. They sound just like cranky children with grievances that are very real in their minds. And Jeffers' illustrations capture the emotion of their complaints, looking just like the pictures a young child would draw. One quibble, the letter from the color yellow is hard to read as the contrast is not that strong, but then mine are older eyes. A fun read for adults as well as children and the resolution, a lovely illustration that is full of life and color and creativity (see the pink dinosaur and the black rainbow) will make everyone happy. A wonderful match of author and illustrator. Up to Seven. Edie Ching
Piggie is distraught that a big guy took her ball and Gerald decides, in the interest of gallantry, that he will get to the bottom of it. He strides off ready to confront this bully and finds that the big guy is a whale and is REALLY, REALLY big and that actually it was his ball all along. Piggie had only found it. In addition, E&P both feel awful for the whale because he has no one to play with. Demonstrating the compassion we have come to expect of E&P, they invite him to play Whale Ball (even they don't know what THAT is!) with them. It was nice to see this rush to judgment turned on its head. Up to Seven. Joan Kindig
Little dragon loves his bedtime story and asks for it to be read to him again and again. When his weary mom falls asleep while reading, little dragon gets so worked up that he accidentally unleashes his fire-breathing talent. Watch out for the big hole in the back of the bookI This offering from Gravett is so clever in its design and so spot on for those little readers who want a story again and again that it is sure to charm them. Up to Seven. Joan Kindig
This episodic, funny graphic memoir recounts Lucy Knisley's childhood, youth and her schooling and love of all things "foodie". The delightful bright drawings are a perfect match for the intelligent text. Solid recipes are included at the end of each chapter, you will want to try some out. Relish is not only about food, but about family, life, growth and of course food- wonderful food. You'll want to head to your favorite little restaurant after this read. Fourteen and Up. María E. Gentle
Ivan has lived most of his life in captivity and has accepted his small enclosure in a zoo-themed mall as his home. That is, until young elephant Ruby arrives and Ivan realizes that she deserves better. Strong narration combined with great storytelling give life to Ivan and his companions. Ivan's voice is both gruff and caring, and listeners will be anxious to find out if he can keep his promise to find a better life for Ruby. (Audio) - Colleen Beaupre
Letters slipped through a crack connect residents of two very different worlds. Fourteen-year-old Madeleine has lived in poverty in Cambridge, England, since she and her mother ran away from their jet-setting life. Madeleine worries about her mother's increasingly bizarre behavior and wonders why her father hasn't come to find them. Elliot lives in the fantastical kingdom of Cello. He's trying to track down his missing father while surviving the attacks of vicious Colors. Madeleine and Elliot's correspondence provides them with insight and support. Characters are fully developed and both worlds are vividly drawn in this original fantasy about missing persons and finding one's place in the world. Ten to Fourteen. Lisa Cosgrove-Davies
This is a sequel that more than measures up! Delphine and her two sisters return, this time back home in Brooklyn where life has changed, including a new girlfriend for their Pa and the return of their beloved uncle from Vietnam. The girls are all growing up and Delphine's grip on her sisters is lessening. Best of all, though Delphine has a relationship with her mother, albeit a long distance one. Williams-Garcia reeates the tenor and the rhythms of the sixties and once again the girls' jaunty personalities and snappy dialogue will endear them to readers again. Ten to Fourteen. Deborah Taylor
Subscribe to updates to the In-Progress feed here. 
Copyright © 2010, Capitol Choices. All rights reserved. If you have questions or comments, please email us.