What's that noise?

It's bedtime, and mom and dad have tucked Ben and Alex into bed. But then the night noises start, and Ben is really scared. He wants Alex to come sleep in his bed, and sing him a song. Alex is himself, afraid of the cold floor and the monster that might grab his feet. This is a fun bedtime story to keep the scarry noises away. Co-authored by Michelle Edwards and Phyllis Root, with illustrations by Paul Meisel, it could become a family favorite.

Snapshot: America Discovers the Camera

Photography has been a popular hobby for many years. This book will entertain readers with the history of camera and photography in Europe and the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries. It also shows how photography has been used to bring social problems such as crime, child labor, and historical events into the consciousness of average people. Written by Kenneth Czech, it won the Minnesota Book Award for children's nonfiction in 1997.

Chasing Tail Lights

Christy is a high school senior in Flint, Michigan, who likes to spend her time sitting on a bridge over the freeway, getting high on pot, and "chasing tail lights". As she watches the cars pass below, she imagines they will take her to a better place, away from the crime, dispair, and the dysfunctional family that she is part of. The personal and social problems are thick here - from self-esteem to drugs and drinking to sexual abuse and incest; it is a challenging story for young adults. Written by Minnesota's Patrick Jones, it was a finalist for the 2008 Minnesota Book Award.

Billie Standish Was Here

Set in a small Missouri town in the 1960's, this novel explores the friendship between eleven year old Billie and her elderly neighbor, Miss Lydia. Billy is the victim of a heinous crime, and has uninvolved parents. Miss Lydia helps Billie deal with life issues, and also teaches her many valuable life skills. Overall, it is a well-written coming of age story for girls of all ages. A first novel by Minnesotan Nancy Crocker, it was a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award in 2008.

Bonaparte

Bonaparte is very sad and distraught. His boy, Jean Claude, has been sent away to La School d'Excellence. The first rule there is "No Dogs Allowed". But Bonaparte is very determined to see his best friend again, so he follows him to Paris and tries several disguises to get past the school authorities. Eventually they realize that Jean Claude is missing and now Bonaparte's skill as a tracker are in demand. Written by Marsha Wilson Chall, with wonderfully detailed illustrations by Wendy Anderson Halperin, this was nominated for the Minnesota Book Award in 2001.

Stolen Dreams: Portraits of Working Children

The problem of child labor has been occuring throughout history, and continues today. This book uses text and photographs to document the lives of children forced to work in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and other countries. It includes a chapter on Iqbal Masih, the child labor activist fromPakistan who was killed at the age of 13 in 1995. Written by David Parker, Lee Engfer, and Robert Conrow, with photos by David Parker, this won the Minnesota Book Award for Children's Nonfiction in 1998.

Fawn Braun's Big City Blues

Part of the Pfeffernut County series from Picture Window Books, this is the story of Fawn Braun, a young girl anxious to leave her small town, and move to the exciting big city. Although she pretends she is already there, things just don't work right until her friend Larry Flatland finds a way to help her enjoy small town life. Written by Nick Healy, with illustrations by Sahin Erkocak, this is a pleasant story about friendship and finding happiness wherever you are (with a little humor mixed in for good measure).