Five questions for Melissa Sweet
   • A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams by Jen Bryant, illus. by Melissa Sweet, Eerdmans, 4–6 years.
   • Balloons over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy’s Parade by Melissa Sweet, Houghton, 6–10 years.

Picture book biographies
   • Jim Henson: The Guy Who Played with Puppets by Kathleen Krull, illus. by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, Random, 5–8 years.
   • Marcel Marceau: Master of Mime by Gloria Spielman, illus. by Manon Gauthier, Kar-Ben, 5–8 years.
   • The Bravest Woman in America by Marissa Moss, illus. by Andrea U’Ren, Tricycle, 4–8 years.

Listen up, middle-graders
   • The Glorious Adventures of the Sunshine Queen by Geraldine McCaughrean, read by Lorna Raver, Listening Library, 9–12 years.
   • Lucky for Good [Hard Pan Trilogy] by Susan Patron, read by Cassandra Campbell, Listening Library, 9–12 years.
   • Moon over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool, read by Jenna Lamia with Cassandra Campbell and Kirby Heyborne, Listening Library, 9–12 years.
   • The Emerald Atlas [Books of Beginning] by John Stephens, read by Jim Dale, Listening Library, 10–14 years.

Page-turners for older readers
   • The Name of the Star [Shades of London] by Maureen Johnson, Putnam, 12 years and up.
   • Past Perfect by Leila Sales, Simon Pulse, 14 years and up.
   • Legend by Marie Lu, Putnam, 12 years and up.
   • All These Things I’ve Done [Birthright] by Gabrielle Zevin, Farrar, 12 years and up.

Holly-daze
Please visit Holiday High Notes for publication information on these recommended holiday books.

From Notes from the Horn Book, November 2011