March books for young readers

March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb, so they say, but here's a selection of books for young readers that feature ghosts, dogs, and sorcerers ... and outlaws, too. Fans of Dyamonde Daniel will enjoy her latest adventure, Rich. Look for these books using the WorldCatalog and Amazon search boxes here on BookBag.

Shampoodle, by Joan Holub; illustrated by Tim Bowers (Random House) Easy Reader. It's picture day for dogs at the park, and a boy and girl take their seven pooches to the Shampoodle doggie salon to get them ready. But as soon as the dogs are bathed, a couple of cats slip in the pet door -- and the dogs all go crazy! With easy-to-read rhymes, very funny pictures (especially of the pups' hairdos), and slapstick action, Shampoodle is a book that will make younger readers howl with delight.

Bad News for Outlaws: The Remarkable Life of Bass Reeves, Deputy U.S. Marshal, by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson; illustrations by R. Gregory Christie (Carolrhoda Books) Picture Book. Bass Reeves was born a slave but grew up to be one of the most feared and respected deputy U.S. marshals in late-1870s Indian Territory. This exciting biography starts with a bang--a shoot-out--before going back to tell Reeves' story from his childhood. Some of the lawman's escapades sound unbelievable, such as his tangle with a skunk or his frequent use of disguises to help him catch bad guys, but Bad News for Outlaws is the true story of a real American hero. Want to spend more time in Marshal Reeves' world? Check out the fictional book that Gary Paulsen based on his life, The Legend of Bass Reeves.

Over My Dead Body, by Kate Klise; illustrated by M. Sarah Klise (Harcourt) Fiction. In Dying to Meet You, readers met Seymour Hope, a boy who lives with a 190-year-old ghost named Olive C. Spence and a cranky children's-book author named I.B. Grumply. Seymour's negligent parents left him behind in order to travel abroad, but he's doing fine with the ghost and the writer--until Mr. Grumply gets carted off to an insane asylum. Then Seymour is sent to live in an orphanage, and it's up to Olive the ghost to free her housemates. Told in letters, newspaper clippings, and the like, Over My Dead Body is a quirky, hilarious read that fans of the authors' "Regarding the..." series will love.

Rich: A Dyamonde Daniel Book, by Nikki Grimes; illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (G.P. Putnam's Sons) Realistic Fiction. Dyamonde Daniel and her best friend Free (from Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel) are back in Rich, and a shy new student, Damaris, has joined their class. Dyamonde talks Damaris into entering the poetry contest that Free is so excited about--the one with 100 dollars as first prize--and Damaris' poem reveals a secret that she's been keeping. If you like stories about friendship and true-to-life characters facing real, everyday problems, you'll
enjoy getting to know Dyamonde and her pals.

The Blue Shoe: A Tale of Thievery, Villainy, Sorcery, and Shoes, by Rod Townley; illustrated by Mary GrandPré (Alfred A. Knopf) Fantasy. When the mayor of Aplanap imprisons Hap Barlo's father in the mines of Mount Xexnax, 13-year-old Hap is taken in by kindly village shoemaker Grel. Grel's shop, The Blue Shoe, is named for the remarkable, gem-encrusted shoe that sits in its window, custom-made for a mysterious stranger who never returned to claim it. When a jewel from the shoe goes missing, Hap is accused of the theft and sent to the mines...where a revolt against the greedy and ruthless mayor is brewing. The Blue Shoe is a book of fantastic adventures, with magic, great characters, a complicated plot, and a bang-up ending.