“ROBOT ZOMBIE FRANKENSTEIN!” by Annette Simon, Candlewick, Hardcover, April 24, 2012, $16.99 (ages 3 and up)

Two robots, both very alike. Maybe too alike. But Robot can take care of that. A few changes here, a few changes there, and Robot becomes Robot ZOMBIE! Well other Robot can’t let that go — enter Robot Zombie Frankenstein! As you can probably guess, this pattern repeats itself as Robot and Robot play a game of one-upmanship that gets wilder with every incarnation.

“Robot Zombie Frankenstein” is a celebration of imagination. Each robot is made up of simple shapes that young children will easily recognize — there’s even a guide at the front and back of the book. Bright colors also help with shape recognition. What’s so great is how engaging the robots are. Their expressions and actions are delightfully silly and will have young readers giggling along from the start.

Author Annette Simon is also offering readers a free downloadable activity kit in conjunction with her book.

© 2012, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved.

Most teenagers living today would die for the chance to go to school in France. But in 1799, Eliza Monroe, daughter of future U.S. president James Monroe, wants little to do with a boarding school outside of Paris. She thought she would be spending her year in the heart of the city, commuting to school during the day and living the high life at night. Her mother, however, has other plans and springs the boarding part of school on her daughter after they’ve arrived.

Eliza is at first put out with her mother, but can’t stay mad too long, especially when she learns Hortense de Beauharnais, daughter of Josephine Bonaparte, and Caroline Bonaparte, youngest sister of the famous French general, will be her classmates.

Near the same age, Hortense and Caroline appear on the outside to be close friends. Appearances can be deceiving. The two girls are mortal enemies who aren’t above playing unsuspecting foreigners against each other. Eliza finds them both intriguing and soon finds herself friends with both of them and smack dab in the middle of their schemes.

Susanne Dunlap’s “The Academie” is loosely based on history. Eliza Monroe did go to school in Europe and Hortense was her friend. Other parts of the story are also based on actual events — a note at the end of novel goes into those details.

For those who love historical fiction, “The Academie” is an OK choice. It’s not the best out there, but it certainly isn’t the worst.

The story is told from the alternating points of view of Eliza, Hortense and Madeleine, a fictional character whose mother is an actress. These different vantage points give the reader a broader look at the world, but become limited in scope because there are three narrators. It’s also an interesting choice not to include Caroline as a narrator. She plays such a large role in the novel, it almost feels like an omission.

There’s good information and an interesting premise behind “The Academie,” but it needs more polish, more fleshing out. The pacing is at times erratic and some of the characters feel more like props than actual players.

That said, the book does have its merits. Despite the pacing issues, it’s a quick read and Susanne’s prose is easily accessible.

© 2012, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved.

“ILLUMINATE: A GILDED WINGS NOVEL, BOOK ONE,” by Aimee Agresti, Harcourt Children’s Books, Hardcover, March 6, 2012, $17.99 (ages 12 and up)

Haven Terra is driven. She’s smart and works hard both inside and outside of school. She spends most of her time outside of school at the hospital where her “mom” is a nurse —Haven was found abandoned when she was very young, and Joan has been her guardian ever since.

But as driven as Haven is, she’s more than a little surprised when she’s awarded a prestigious internship at the Lexington Hotel in Chicago. She didn’t even know the internship was available until she was handed it practically on a silver platter.

The Lexington’s just undergone an extensive renovation and the hype surrounding its grand opening is astronomical. Haven and two of her classmates are being added to the staff of drop-dead gorgeous glamazons to help out where needed. Under the watchful eyes of the captivating hotel owner, Aurelia Brown, and her second-in-command, Lucian Grove, Haven and her friends get to work.

The hotel is beautiful, the food gourmet, the staff impeccable, but something’s not right. And the longer Haven stays, the more uncomfortable she becomes. And then there’s the mysterious book bearing her name. The first time she opened it, it was blank, but now words forming commands grace the pages. Haven has to keep her head because the devil’s in the details.

I really, really wanted to love “Illuminate” — it has a beautiful cover and I enjoyed the flapper era Chicago history that’s woven throughout — but instead my verdict is more of an “enjoyable but forgettable.”

Aimee Agresti is a decent writer. I immediately found Haven to be compelling and the idea of interning at a hotel intriguing. The pacing, however, is way off, with the book dragging in some places and rushing in others. And when it comes to development, some of Aimee’s characters are paper-thin, telegraphing plot twists way in advance of when they should have been revealed. Some of those plot twists are a little hard to swallow as well.

My biggest complaint — the cover has almost nothing to do with the book! If you’re going to stick a girl in a pretty dress, at least make it agree with the main story line. It feels like false advertising, and if the book is as good as a publisher says it is, then it’s unnecessary.

Despite my frustrations above, I still enjoyed “Illuminate” enough to finish it. Haven is a character worth sticking with. I suggest checking a copy out from the library first before purchasing this one. If you find it’s worth reading again, purchase it. As for me, I’m hoping its follow-up will show marked growth and make rereading “Illuminate” worthwhile.

© 2012, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved.

Toni Buzzeo is passionate about children’s literature. Having been a classroom educator and then a school librarian for many years, she has been surrounded by it. That’s also why she writes for children, though that’s not the only reason. “Just as importantly,” she says, “I love children and consider them, wherever they may be, to be the most important people on our planet.”

Toni — who is the author of several picture books for children, including The Sea Chest, illustrated by Mary GrandPre, Dawdle Duckling, illustrated by Margaret Spengler, and most recently No T.Rex in the Library, illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa — told Cracking the Cover that as a child, it never occurred to her that being an author was even a career.

“By the time I was in junior high and had started writing lots of poetry, I definitely identified myself as a writer,” she said. “Still, I didn’t know I could pursue it as my career and so opted to become a teacher and eventually a school librarian.”

When Toni first started writing for children, she was still a school librarian, and that meant oodles of children’s literature was immediately available. But she says she still hadn’t mastered the “necessity of finding excellent published models for characterization, structure, and plot.” It was through the help of her mentor, children’s author Jane Kurtz, that she slowly learned how to do it.

She also struggled with creating an authorial voice that would stick with her through completion of a story. “Each manuscript was a new challenge for me as I slowly learned how to impose structure on an idea, how to identify my main character’s problem and intensify that problem as he or she struggled to solve it,” Toni said. “Those early years were an exciting time of learning so many of the skills that I now readily put to use each time I set words on paper (or screen).”

The ideas for behind the words she sets on paper come from numerous places — TV, movies, daily life, the radio, or someone she talks with. If something piques her interest, she goes in search of more information. If all that connects with Toni on an emotional level and connects to her own experience, she’ll move forward to writing.

That’s what happened with her latest book, “Stay Close to Mama.” In 1995, she went on a safari in Kenya with her husband, Ken, and son Topher. There, she fell in love with the beautiful giraffes of the savannah. During the second week of the trip, she heard the story of a small giraffe that had wandered away from his mother and fallen into a swimming pool.

“That so sparked my imagination that I came home and wrote it — my very first story for children,” Toni said. “Of course, it was a different story from the “Stay Close to Mama” book you have read, as it underwent years of rethinking and revision before it was published this spring.”

What makes “Stay Close to Mama” successful as a book, Toni says, is that familiar tension all children understand of obeying a parent or following our own path.

“While giraffes are known to be exceptionally curious creatures, so are children!” Toni explains. “And sometimes, even when children don’t mean to be naughty, they simply forget what their parents ask them to do (“No, little Twiga. Stay close, stay safe.”). … Besides, who can resist a giraffe? With their long necks, pointy faces, and patchy coats, they are just about the most adorable animals on the planet.”

Those adorable animals come to life in “Stay Close to Mama” in the capable hands of Mike Wohnoutka. His illustration style is a perfect accompaniment to the story, Toni says. “I love the warmth he portrays in the relationship between Mama and Twiga and his brilliance in adding a morning-to-night time frame to the sequence of events in the story. I feel so fortunate to be working with Mike on the companion book, ‘Just Like My Papa’ (Hyperion, spring 2013).”

***Toni took a lot of time and care to answer Cracking the Cover’s questions. Read a complete transcript of her interview.

**You can download a free Mother’s Day card.

*Learn more about Toni at Lille Punkin’ Reviews.

© 2012, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved.

“MAGRITTE’S MARVELOUS HAT,” by D. B. Johnson, Houghton Mifflin, Hardback, April 17, 2012, $16.99 (ages 4 and up)

Rene Magritte is known for his surrealist paintings. He was also known for a bowler hat.

In “Magritte’s Marvelous Hat,” author/illustrator D.B. Johnson brings Magritte to life in the form of a dog. One day, Magritte sees a marvelous hat in a store window. He tries on the hat and it just pops up and floats above his head, and that’s just the way she likes it. Magritte hurries home and finds that painting has become easy — his hat is amazing!

The next day Magritte goes for a walk and his hat pretends to blow away. The hat loves to play, and when Magritte wants it to sit still so he can paint, the hat runs away. It’s a giant game of hide and seek that ends with some of Magritte’s best work.

The artwork for “Magritte’s Marvelous Hat” was inspired by Magritte’s work in real life. Magritte painted real-life objects like an egg, hat, apple and pipe. They make appearances throughout the book.

“Magritte’s Marvelous Hat” is a marvelous read. The illustrations are beautiful and the text fun. Four transparent pages are really what make this books special, adding to the surrealist feel while being accessible for its young audience.

© 2012, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved.

“GODDESS INTERRUPTED,” by Aimee Carter, Harlequin Teen, Paperback, March 27, 2012, $9.99 (young adult)

Kate Winters is living in a fairy tale; or rather she’s living in a myth. She’s won immortality and the hand of Henry (Hades). She’s arrived in the Underworld to take her place as queen, but before she can even crowned her (under)world falls apart.

Kate’s arrival is anything but what she expected. She thought Henry would be excited to see her, but he barely even talks to her. Her love for him is growing, and his for her seems to be slipping away. Then, during her coronation, Henry is abducted by the King of the Titans — the only being capable of destroying the gods.

The other gods know they have to stop the King of the Titans, otherwise he could destroy the whole world. They begin preparing for war, but Kate feels helpless. She knows she can help, if they’ll just let her.

“Goddess Interrupted” is the fast-moving follow-up to Aimee Carter’s “The Goddess Test.” Like its predecessor, “Goddess Interrupted” has a fresh feel to it. Aimee’s story is well-developed, with the newest novel feeling more heavily weighted in myths and lore.

Aimee’s main characters have greater depth as well, though Henry is infuriating for more than half the book. And there are times when Kate is frustratingly naïve. Those complaints are minor, however, in the grand scheme of things.

“Goddess Interrupted” is a great “popcorn” read for anyone interested in mythology. Just make sure to read “The Goddess Test” first.

© 2012, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved.

Giveaway open to U.S. and Canada only.

“THE VANISHING GAME,” by Kate Kae Myers, Bloomsbury USA Childrens, Hardcover, Feb. 14, 2012, $16.99 (ages 12 and up)

Twin siblings Jocelyn and Jack depend on each other for everything. They’ve been together through unimaginable circumstances, but they’ve always had their sibling’s back. When Jack is killed in a car accident, Jocelyn is devastated. How can she possibly live without her brother?

A few weeks after Jack’s death, Jocelyn receives a cryptic letter from “Jason December.” The problem is Jason December is really Jack. He used to use the code name when they were foster kids at Seale House — a place that holds terrifying memories for Jocelyn.

Jocelyn can’t believe it. Jack must be alive. There’s only one other person who knows about Jason December — Noah, their only real friend form childhood — and there’s not way he would play this kind of joke.

There must be a reason for the letter, so Jocelyn returns to place where Jason November was born — Seale House. But there’s more to Seale House than bad memories. The house seems to have dangerous powers. On top of that, someone is following Jocelyn. There’s a lot more to Jason November’s letter than Jocelyn ever bargained for. If Jack really is alive why is hiding? As Jocelyn unravels the mystery she unwittingly comes across a piece of information that will change her life forever.

“The Vanishing Game” is a very dark book. Not necessarily in content — though there are some troubling events that take place — but in tone.  If you’re not used to darker books, this could make it harder to get into to begin with. But if you stick with it, you’ll definitely get a surprise as the story evolves.

Author Kate Kae Myers does an excellent job of setting the tone. She expertly conveys Jocelyn’s anxieties and confusion.

“The Vanishing Game” won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who enjoy dark, thriller-type novels with a twist, this may be a good choice for a Saturday afternoon.

© 2012, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved.

“THE WICKED AND THE JUST,” by J. Anderson Coats, Harcourt, Hardcover, April 17, 2012, $16.99 (ages 12 and up)

Cecily’s life is over.

Her father is moving them to Caernarvon in occupied Wales. He says it will be good for them, that the king needs good Englishmen to keep the Welshmen in their place. But Cecily knows better. She belongs at her beloved Edgeley Hall, where her mother was lady of the house, where she can meet and marry a respectable young man.

Cecily’s arrival in Wales is nothing like she expected. She was to be lady of the house, to carry the keys, but a bossy Welshwoman servant won’t give them up. And there’s a horrible servant, Gwenhwyfar (Gwinny), who defies her at every move. Add to that the snobby English landowners, and Cecily’s just about had it.

Gwinny knows something about the snobby English, too. She once dreamed of being the lady of the very house Cecily now occupies. But the English came. They destroyed the lives of everyone Cecily has ever known, and now she’s stuck working like a pig for them.

Though the two girls don’t know it, both of their lives and positions are about to change. Tensions are building outside the city walls, and soon no one will be safe.

Set in the late 1200s, “The Wicked and the Just” has the flavor of old-time text mixed with a modern flair that makes it accessible to readers. Told from the alternating points of view of Cecily and Gwinny, it does take a while to get into the flow of things. Different fonts set the two narratives apart, which is a bit jarring, particularly because they are also set apart by chapters. Perhaps that was intentional, seeing as how the two situations are so dissimilar, but I found it to be a distraction at first.

What made “The Wicked and The Just” stand out was how well author J. Anderson Coats develops her narrators. She perfectly gets into both of their heads and conveys their stories in such a way, one would almost believe they are real. Cecily and Gwinny both have large character flaws, and at times are more unlikable than one would hope. But they both also have redeeming characteristics that make them compelling enough to stick with.

J.’s prose is well-developed and flows smoothly. I look forward to what she comes up with next.

© 2012, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved.

“REVIVED,” by Cat Patrick, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Hardcover, May 1, 2012, $17.99 (young adult)

Daisy died today. A bee sting is all it took. It came as a surprise to the kids on the football field and the surrounding teachers, but not really to Daisy — she’s died before.

In fact, this is the fifth time Daisy has died, and it’s getting kind of old. At 15, she’s been through a lot. That’s not to say that Daisy’s ungrateful. She knows she’s lucky to be alive — again. It’s just Daisy liked being Daisy Appleby, and now that she’s died again, she has to start all over.

Daisy is one of the subjects in a covert government program that’s testing a drug called Revive. When she dies, the drug is administered, and she’s brought back to life. But coming back to life also comes with a bunch of complications — a new name, new city, new everything.

It’s all Daisy’s ever known, having died the first time when she was just 4 years old. But when Daisy meets Matt and his sister, Audrey, she is forced to look at Revive with fresh eyes, and she’s not so sure she likes what she sees. There’s a lot more to Revive than she’s been told, and if she’s not careful, she could end up dead — for good.

At first glance, “Revived” is intriguing, but it’s not until you actually start reading that you discover it’s completely engrossing. I read Cat Patrick’s book in one sitting, even foregoing a meal to finish it.

“Revived’s” premise is compelling; a little dark and thought provoking. The reason why it works, though, is Daisy. Told through her eyes, you see the world from the vantage point of someone who both knows and doesn’t know what death looks like. As Daisy’s friendship with Audrey grows, so does her understanding of how the real world works. Her emotions come into play and she no longer is the center of the world.

“Revived” is a fast-paced yarn that caught me completely off guard. It’s definitely one I’ll be rereading in the future.

© 2012, Cracking the Cover. All rights reserved.