Zapato Power: Freddie Ramos Zooms to the Rescue (by Jacqueline Jules, art by Miguel Benitez) is a delightful beginning reader chapter book. What kid doesn't want to feel like a hero? With his purple-power sneakers and his new silver goggles, Freddie is ready to take on any challenge, including something "easy" (like finding out why a squirrel is in school) to the heart-thumping train rescue when a tree falls on the tracks. There is just enough excitement to keep readers turning the page without scaring them, an important feature of this age-appropriate book (best for six- to ten-year-olds).

I did encounter a few minor issues with the story. First, Freddie is able to sneak away from the teachers in order to do his detective work. This is plausible during recess when things are a bit chaotic. However, when he doesn't make it from math class to music, I wonder why the teacher and other students don't notice. Also, language for any book, but particularly for an early reader, is crucial. At one point, Freddie is stuck "in" his desk. He should have been stuck "at" his desk (unless he had been physically trapped).

Aside from those little things, the story is sweet yet adventurous at the same time, and will certainly hold a child's attention. The text and illustrations (black-and-white drawings with a graphic-novel feel) work well together and will motivate a child to continue reading. I'm sure readers will look forward to other Zapato Power adventures! For more about the author, go to www.jacquelinejules.com.

An interesting concept—a poetry flipbook! We have the work of Kristen McHenry on one side in TRIPLICITY and Chella Courington's PAPER COVERS ROCK on the other.

The "poems in three" by McHenry have some merit. There were poems and stanzas and even just some phrases that caught my eye. "Spock: A Romance in Quotes" was original, and I particularly liked "Too Many Buddhas." However, Courington's work was too dark for me. While many poems were refreshingly honest, at times it felt that images were included for the shock value only without regard to literary worthiness. If a publisher wishes to combine two voices, there must be more than an arbitrary reason to connect and collect them within a single volume.

Aesthetically, the inside margin is narrow and bothersome. For an ironic example, see "Slit." The leading is also slightly off as not all the titles line up quite right. I received an ARC, so perhaps these minor problems were fixed before the print run.

I wish Indigo Ink Press well. They are innovative and have the potential to stay strong in this volatile market. To do so, though, they must be willing to make some difficult decisions as they evaluate the work they are accepting.

My reservations and hesitations aside, if you would like to read something different in poetry, this is a book for you.

To learn more, go to www.IndigoInkPress.org

Memories weave in and out of the poems in How Men Pray. There is some element of that, I suppose, in all poetry, but Philip F. Deaver's honest work brings with it a healing touch. One poem recalls his dad "the year before the wreck" and another his mother, whose "house smelled of starch and soap and food," enjoying a meal at Shoney's with only weeks to live. On one level, Deaver accepts the reality of pain, but also questions its purpose. How does the past affect our present, our future, ourselves, our children? What do old typewriters and club houses, lifting "whole worlds upwards" and crosses in sugar have to do with truth? Let's fly with Deaver, "high enough to see the blur of childhood," yet not forget we are also the ones "looking up, squinting hard" as we find meaning in these poems and beyond.

For more, go to Anhinga Press or the Web site of  Philip F. Deaver.

Mister Dash, a sophisticated, dapper-dressing dog, likes his quiet routine with Madame Croissant. Monday through Saturday, he is the epitome of manners. But on Sundays, Daphne visits. Daphne is Madame Croissant's granddaughter and she is far from quiet. She is unpredictable, messy, spontaneous...Mister Dash has no use for these qualities. So when Daphne finds herself in trouble, will he be able to set aside his perfect manners to help her? Merci Mister Dash by Monica Kulling (2011 Tundra Books) is a not-to-be-missed read-aloud with expressive illustrations by Esperanca Melo. For more, visit Monica Kulling's Web site.

Who has the nerve to write “Please use this for children, and not for war and guns” on her tax return? Poet and pacifist Cynthia Gustavson. Beginning with “Where Artists Come From” until the final poem, Gustavson has a way of igniting sparks with readers. She is honest and fearless (as in “The Boom Site”), knows how to arrange the words to form images (“…syllables singing into history’s ear…”), and requires that we think about our circumstances, about our reactions to whatever is thrown our way (for example, intimately understanding that “…not being moved requires great mobility..."). Please Use This for Children and Not for War and Guns is worth a poetic read. Check out the book on the Blooming Twig Web site.

One Fine Trade, based on a folk song and retold by Bobbi Miller and illustrated by Will Hillenbrand, starts out with a daughter’s simple wish. Through whimsical twists and hilarious detours, this tale turns out to be anything but simple! A repeated pattern will engage children while the unexpected will make them cheer for the quirky characters. The illustrations are funny, bright, and clever—a perfect match for this fanciful story. Join Georgy Piney Woods (“a fine peddler, the finest who ever lived!”) as he sets out on a quest to make “one fine trade” for his daughter Georgianne. For more, visit the sites of Bobbi Miller, Will Hillenbrand, or Holiday House.