Brief reviews of new paperback releases

Brief reviews of new paperback releases
(DIVERSITY)
By Nancy Pate
The Orlando Sentinel
(KRT)
CRIMINALLY GOOD
-- "Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident," by Eoin Colfer (Miramax/Hyperion, $7.99, paperback): In his second adventure, young criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl is more likable as he searches for his father, held hostage by the Mafiya in Siberia. Turns out he's going to need the help of his nemesis, Capt. Holly Short of the LEPrecon (Lower Elements Police Reconnaissance), the high-tech fairy who lost the People's gold to Artemis and his bodyguard, Butler, in the first book. There's lots of clever James Bond-like action to keep reluctant readers flipping pages while waiting for Harry Potter.
DEAR DIARY
-- "Melanie Martin Goes Dutch," by Carol Weston (Dell Yearling, $4.99, paperback): The subtitle indicates the subject: "The Private Diary of My Almost Bummer Summer with Cecily, Matt the Brat, and Vincent Van Go Go Go." In other words, in the summer between fourth and fifth grade, Melanie chronicles a trip to the Netherlands with her family and her best friend, whose mother is ill. She's forced to ponder sibling rivalry and the nature of friendship as she realizes her family appears to prefer Cecily's company to hers. Reading Anne Frank's famous diary also gives her insight into herself, others and the larger world.
STORY GEMS
-- "A Necklace of Raindrops and Other Stories," by Joan Aiken, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes (Dell Yearling, $4.99, paperback): The imaginative Aiken's eight stories offer the magic of once-upon-a-time fairy tales, and are especially good for reading aloud. One story about real pie in the sky begins: "There was an old man and an old woman, and they lived in a very cold country." There's also a house that lays an egg, a cat that's larger than an elephant, and tigers and elves that leave the pages of books to keep a young girl company. Hawkes' soft-shaded pencil illustrations complement the whimsy.
BOTH SIDES NOW
-- "Flipped," by Wendelin Van Draanen (Knopf Books for Young Readers, $8.95, paperback): The award-winning author of the Sammy Keyes mystery series offers a humorous stand-alone about a love/hate relationship between a boy and a girl. In elementary school, Julie cares about trees, chickens and blue-eyed Bryce. But he thinks she's weirder than weird. Then, in eighth grade, their relationship flips. Bryce starts to think Julie's pretty cool about the same time she decides he's shallow and selfish. Can this romance be saved?
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