In the latest chapter book about the irrepressible young grade-schooler, Stink is proud of his report card with all the Os for Outstanding, but there is one U for Unsatisfactory; he flunked Phys. Ed. So he looks for a sport he likes and tries thumb wrestling, but it is the karate class that's the best fit. As always, the wordplay is part of the fun in this series ("Fizz-Ed") and so are the comic-style graphics. Readers will enjoy the karate details, both the action and the calming meditation, as well as the story's climax, when Stink beats the bully.

Following the 2010 Gulf Coast oil spill, eleven-year-old aspiring ornithologist and "bird artist" Bouler created paintings in exchange for donations to the clean-up effort. Here she shares her love of birding, her own conservation efforts, and ways for others to take action. Though content is a little sparse, the book's message and design--including impressive original sketches--will successfully reach young environmentalists. Websites.

Gr 9 Up- BRICELAND, V. The Nascenza Conspiracy . Bk. 3. 344p. (The Cassaforte Chronicles) Flux . Jan. 2011. pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-7387-1894-1 . LC number unavailable. Gr 8 Up CAST, P. C. &; Kim Doner . The Fledging Handbook 101 . 157p. (The House of Night Series). St. Martin's / Griffin . Oct. 2010. pap. $12.99. ISBN 978-0-312-59512-8 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up CONRAD, Lauren . Sugar and Spice . 288p. (An L.A. Candy Novel). HarperCollins . Oct. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-176762-3 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up GRANT, Michael . Plague . Bk. 4. 492p. (A Gone Novel). HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen Bks. Apr. 2011. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-144912-3 ; PLB $18.89. ISBN 978-0-06-144913-0 . LC number unavailable. Gr 7 Up HOLT, Kimberly Willis . Piper Reed, Campfire Girl . Bk. 4. illus. by Christine Davenier. 160p. Henry Holt . Sept. 2010. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-8050-9006-2 . LC 2009050765. Gr 35 HOLT, Simon . Fearscape . Bk. 3. 314p. (The Devouring Series). Little, Brown . Oct. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-316-03570-5 . LC 2010006364. Gr 8 Up JENNEWEIN, James &; Tom S. Parker . Ship of the Dead . Bk. 3. 304p. (RuneWarriors Series). HarperCollins . Dec. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-06-144942-0 ; LC number unavailable. Gr 710 KAYE, Marilyn . Now You See Me . Bk. 5. 214p. (Gifted Series). Kingfisher . Oct. 2010. pap. $7.99. ISBN 978-0-7534-3046-0 . LC number unavailable. Gr 69 KROSOCZKA, Jarrett J. Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit . illus. by author. unpaged. Knopf . Dec. 2010. PLB $12.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96729-0 ; pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86729-3 . LC 2010012781. Gr 35 MCDONALD, Megan . Stink and the Ultimate Thumb-Wrestling Smackdown . illus. by Peter H. Reynolds. 131p. Candlewick . Mar. 2011. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-4346-1 ; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-5457-3 . LC number unavailable. Gr 24 MALLEY, Gemma . The Legacy . Bk. 3. 266p. Bloomsbury . Jan. 2011. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-1-59990-567-9 . LC number unavailable. Gr 7 Up MATSUMOTO, Natsumi. St. Dragon Girl . Vol. 8. illus. by author. unpaged. (Shojo Beat Series). Viz Media . Sept. 2010. pap. $9.99. ISBN 978-1-4215-2017-9 . LC number unavailable. Gr 68 MOULD, Chris . The Treasure Keepers . Bk. 6. 192p. (Something Wickedly Weird Series). Roaring Brook . Oct. 2010. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-1-59643-389-2 . LC number unavailable. Gr 46 NEFF, Henry H. The Fiend and the Forge . Bk. 3. 560p. (The Tapestry Series). Random . Nov. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-83898-9 ; PLB $20.99. ISBN 978-0-375-93898-6 ; ebook $17.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89295-0 . LC number unavailable. Gr 58 NO&3;L, Alyson . Night Star . Bk. 5. 302p. (The Immortals Series). St. Martin's / Griffin . Nov. 2010. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-312-59098-7 . LC number unavailable. Gr 9 Up PATTERSON, James . Angel . 291p. (Maximum Ride Series). Little, Brown . Feb. 2011. Tr $17.99. ISBN 978-0-316-03620-7 . LC number unavailable. Gr 7 Up PETERSON, Will . The Gathering . Bk. 3. 368p. (Triskellion Series). Candlewick . 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-4847-3 . LC 2009047753. Gr 69 REGER, Rob &; Jessica Gruner . Dark Times . Bk. 3. illus. by Rob Reger. 248p. (Emily the Strange Series). Harper . Dec. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-06-145235-2 . LC 2009032256. Gr 710 STAUFFACHER, Sue . Show Time . 160p. (Animal Rescue Series). Knopf / Borzoi . Feb. 2011. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-375-85850-5 ; PLB $15.99. ISBN 978-0-375-95850-2 ; spiral $0. ISBN 978-0-375-89794-8 . LC number unavailable. Gr 4–6 TANIGAWA, Nagaru . The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya . tr. by Chris Pai. illus. by author. Bk. 4. 192p. Little, Brown . Nov. 2010. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-316-03890-4 ; pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-0-316-03889-8 . LC 2010009352. Gr 8 Up VAN DRAANEN, Wendelin . Sammy Keyes and the Wedding Crasher . 296p. Knopf / Borzoi . Oct. 2010. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-86107-9 ; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-96107-6 ; ebook $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89734-4 . LC 2010006916. Gr 5–8 WALLACE, Rich . Benched . Bk. 3. illus. by Jimmy Holder. 122p. (Kickers Series). Knopf / Borzoi . Oct. 2010. Tr $12.99. ISBN 978-0-375-85756-0 ; PLB $15.99. ISBN 978-0-375-95756-7 ; ebook $12.99. ISBN 978-0-375-89709-2 . LC 2009034695. Gr 2–4