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The Good Girls
The Good Girls
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 12, 2015
Review
This is second in what is supposed to be just a two part series. Although the door is open at the end of this book for more. Shepard is writing from her well-used formula of a group of wealthy teenage girls, with little or no parental supervision, who get into trouble, solve a mystery, all while navigating the perils of high school. But with this book, she has kicked it up a notch. After watching the film, "And Then There Were None" in film studies class, five girls are put together for an assignment based on the film's theme of justice, murder, & punishment. Each of the girls have been wronged in some way or have suffered a tragedy at the hands of another. So the girls end up discussing ways they could hypothetically punish each of their tormentors. Unfortunately, someone is listening in on their conversation & the bodies start mounting. The plot progresses at a fast speed. The suspense and mystery builds all while getting to know the five main characters. There are also many plot twists to keep you guessing about who is taking justice into their own hands. Shepard's writing style is teen friendly, peppered with mild curse words, thus lending more credibility to her teen characters. The five main characters are well developed. You get to know each of them, their home life, and their struggles through the natural progression of the story. The reader can understand why each of them acted the way they did. Each of the girls' backstory lends credence to the plot. The ending is absolutely amazing. Most readers will not see it coming. A well played mystery wrapped in the pages of high school and teenage life. The book jacket is vividly bright and eye-catching. But it is too similar to the author's other series, "Pretty Little Liars". I think the author missed an opportunity here. With the themes of hoarding, physical & mental abuse, and split personality running through this book, it would have been nice to have a section at the back for further reading & where to get help with these issues. This book can be read as a stand alone. The author has provided are very informative prologue. Give to fans of Shepard's other series, "Pretty Little Liars", and "The Lying Game", or anyone who likes a unique mystery.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Shepard, Sara
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers/Harper Teen
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: mystery,romance,realistic fiction
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780062074522
Price: 17.99
Bloodkin
Bloodkin
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 12, 2015
Review
Kadee was human once. That is until she was taken and became a member of the Obsidian Guild, those who are free and have no allegiance to anyone, including the vampires, who supposedly rule their world of Midnight. The world of Midnight is populated with vampires, shape shifters, and all manner of paranormal creatures. Things are not good in this world. Alliances have been broken. Allegiances are fleeting. Loyalty is tested. It is survival of the fittest. But then Kadee begins to question all of this, especially what she herself has done to survive. Kadee remembers what her father taught her about the Declaration of Independence. When a government becomes abusive it is the people's duty to do something to correct that. And it is this idea that propels the rest of the story. Atwater-Rhodes has written an intricate world full of a myriad of creatures, all with their own agendas and motives. Their world is described in lush detail. Descriptive language of creatures, scenery, & society abound. Thus moving the story along at a brisk speed. The author brings aspects of her other books into play. But it is not necessary to have read them to enjoy this book. It is necessary, however, to have read the first in this series, "Bloodwitch", to enjoy this title. I am a big fan of Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. This is a well-conceived and well-written book. But it does not offer anything new and different from the author. Give to fans of her other works "Den of Shadows" and "Kiesha'ra" or someone new to her writing.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Atwater-Rhodes, Amelia
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Delacorte Press/Random House Children's Books
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780385743051
Price: 16.99
The Cottage in the Woods
The Cottage in the Woods
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: March 11, 2015
Review
Goldilocks and the Three Bears meet Jane Austen. Ursula the bear has just finished her schooling to become a governess. She begins her duties at the seemingly austere estate of the bear family the Vaughns. Ursula is now governess to their young cub Teddy. This is how the story begins. It is told from Ursula's point of view, a recollection of sorts. Ursula's world is one in which some animals are enchanted and some are just regular wild animals. There is even said to be a land not too far away where humans hunt and eat animals! A world where humans coexist with the enchanted animals. So much so that the Vaughn's butler is a human. "Humans make the best butlers," according to Mr. Vaughn, the bear. Ursula feels that it is important to be courteous and polite to all creatures because you don't know if they are enchanted or wild. Things go relatively smoothly for a bit. But then the young girl Goldilocks gets into trouble and other things start to happen. Prejudice comes into play and causes a big rift between humans and animals. In this fairy tale world, not everyone will live happily ever after. There are themes of unrequited love, prejudice, betrayal, deceit, theft, violence, and ultimately some justice and happiness throughout this book. It is well-written, but the vocabulary and the tone that Ursula speaks in when she is recalling her story seems geared toward an older audience than who the book is intended. Mr Vaughn is fond of speaking Latin and Ursula is pondering her love for Mr. Bentley who is engaged to anther bear. There is a table of contents. The titles give some clue as to how the story is progressing. The cover is deceptive. It depicts a proper bear family in front of their home. Very child friendly. Yet I would suggest this book to 6th grade and above. Possibly strong fifth grade readers. This is a first novel by the wife of author Bruce Coville. An original idea, well-conceived and well written. Not sure about the target audience though. Give to fans of Gidwitz's "A Tale Dark & Grimm" and Buckley's "Sisters Grimm" series.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Coville, Katherine
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children's Books
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: fantasy,romance,folklore
Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780385755733
Price: 16.99
Darkmouth the Legend Begins
Darkmouth the Legend Begins
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 12, 2015
Review
This is the first book in a projected series. Like his father and grandfather before him, Finn is destined to become a Legend Hunter. That means he must hunt the monsters of myth and legend that still invade his town. The problem is he doesn't want the job and he is not good at doing it. Finn lives in the town of Darkmouth, the only town left that is still plagued by invasions of monsters. They leave a trial of chaos and destruction where ever they go. No one knows why, but it keeps Finn's father and Finn busy. The council that governs the Legend Hunters send in a spy, in the guise of Steve and his daughter Emmie, to checkup on Finn and his father. Emmie befriends Finn and when he finds out her real reason for being there he feels betrayed. But before things get really crazy Finn, Emmie and Steve end up working together to figure out what is going on in Darkmouth. Told in the third person, the narration allows for an unbiased view of Finn's life. It is told at a humorous and fast pace. The reader jumps on and is in for a fun ride. Action and adventure coupled with lots of humor and mildly scary creatures. The ending definitely lets you know there will be a sequel. This would make a wonderful read aloud for 4th and 5th grade. Give to fans of How to Train Your Dragon and Percy Jackson.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Hegarty, Shane
Illustrator: Hegarty, Shane
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780062311252
Price: 16.99
The Rules
The Rules
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 12, 2015
Review
High school student August is a likable, but very flawed and confused protagonist. August DeYoung wants revenge. Revenge for the death/murder of his sister Alexa. That is easy to do when you have a genius I.Q. and have rich and absentee parents. Their idea of helping him through his grief is to buy him a new Porsche. August takes his time and plots his revenge carefully. First he needs to become popular, which he does by hosting amazing parties with scavenger hunts. It is during what he calls his last party that his revenge plan comes to fruition. All those he feels had a hand in his sister's suffering and death and all who betrayed and made fun of August will suffer this night. And boy do they suffer and die. The bodies are dropping, and in very painful and gruesome ways. But, is August really exacting his revenge? Is this what he really meant to do? Or is there another killer at work? The tension mounts. This is psychological thriller, mystery and horror writing at its best. All set against the backdrop of high school social hierarchy and drama. Each chapter is from one particular character's viewpoint, as well as what they are enduring in this brutal scavenger hunt. At the beginning of each chapter is a rule that that particular character lives by and through that you see the story from their perspective. This progresses the story and the tension along nicely. Is August guilty or will someone discover who the real culprit is? The reader is in for an exhilarating and scary ride. This is a plot and action driven novel. There is not a lot of character development. But there is enough to understand the characters and what they did to deserve to be invited to the deadly scavenger hunt. It would have been nice to have a bit more backstory on August and his family as well as his sister's mental illness and what things were like before they moved to California. But that in now way effects the enjoyment of this book. Not to over use the word "very", but very tensely written, very scary and a whole lot of fun to read.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Holder and Vigue, Nancy and Debbie
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Delacorte Press/Random House Children's Books
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,mystery,horror,romance,realistic fiction
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780385741002
Price: 17.99
Infinite in Between
Infinite in Between
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 14, 2015
Review
This is a story about the perils and pitfalls, highs and lows and joys and troubles of high school through the eyes of five different students, Whitney, Zoe, Mia, Jack and Gregor. They all meet on the first day of freshman year and become friends. They agree to get together after graduation to catch up and see what has happened in each of their lives. Written in the third person, each chapter is titled with one of the five students names and focuses on what that particular person is living and dealing with. The chapters are also sectioned off by the months of the year to show the natural progression of the school year. Life happens to these five friends. There are no truly big reveals, just everyday stuff that kids may deal with. Life's highs and lows, challenges, secrets, gifts, sorrows and happiness. Jake questions his sexuality. Gregor is in love with Witney. Witney is not as together as people think. Zoe is unsure of who or what she is. Mia struggles the most with many issues. Mackler writes in a casual, teen friendly voice, peppered with teen phrases, that gets to the heart of the characters and allows for a flowing story line. Through the progression of the individual chapters we see the good and bad of life for each of them and how they deal with the cards they have been dealt. Told with a realistic and humorous tone that makes it a joy to get to know these five people. There are the obvious themes of friendship, perseverance and doubt. But underlying all of that is that it is the seemingly little things in life that can greatly effect who you are and who you become. There is not much I didn't like about this book. But if I have to choose something I would have liked more backstory on each of the main characters. A bit more character development. Give to fans of Susan Colasanti, Jen Calonita and Sara Dessen.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Mackler, Carolyn
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers/Harper Teen
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: romance,realistic fiction
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12
Binding Type: Choose Binding Type
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780061731075
Price: 17.99
All the Bright Places
All the Bright Places
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 12, 2015
Review
Recommending for Cream of the Crop. Opening scene: ledge of the bell tower at high school. Two students are standing there ready to jump. One talks the other down. But who really saves who? Or did they save each other? Told in first person, alternating chapters from Violet & Finch's perspective. Theodore Finch, of Freak as he is called by many at school, is obsessed with death and ways to kill himself. He's even tried a few times with no success. He is also somewhat good looking, a good musician. But he is also weird, wild and spontaneous. He doesn't fit into the norms of high school popularity. Violet Markey, on the other hand, is beautiful and popular. She is also a brilliant writer. But she is dealing with a terrible family tragedy that she is unable to get past or forgive herself for. It is always at the forefront of her mind. She cannot put it behind her and get on with her life. That is we meet both Violet and Finch on the ledge. Fate intervenes and they both decide to give life another chance. Except that all of Violet's friends, and everyone in the school for that matter, think that Violet saved Finch because that is the kind of person she is. They are completely clueless as to the grief and struggles that Violet is going through. And that is the way she wants it. Finch volunteers himself and Violet to be partners on a school project where they have discover important things about their state. It can be anything they deem interesting and/or important. So in traveling around together and spending time together for the assignment a friendship blossoms and eventually a romance blooms. They can talk to each other the way they cannot talk to anyone else. This helps them both in their individual tragic situations. They discover how to let go of grief and move on in life. At least one of them does. The writing is witty, sad, inspiring, funny and thought-provoking. It flows naturally and unburdened even with the themes of despair, pain, grief, redemption and suicide. The characters are developed enough so that you can get into their heads and understand and feel their grief and pain. The secondary characters are not so well-developed. That is the only thing, if any, I can say negative about this book. And that is stretching it. You will not want to put this book down, through the friendship, budding romance, character realizations, tragedies, and growth. But life may just be too big for one of them. Thus the probability of a heartbreaking ending. For fans of John Green. No wait. For everyone. Echoing many other reviewers, this story is at once heartbreaking, tragic, sad, life affirming, joyous, and inspiring. Everyone please read this. Jennifer Niven is a stellar writer and story teller. A master of her craft. If this is not Cream of the Crop I don't know what is.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Niven, Jennifer
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf/Random House Children's Books
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,romance,realistic fiction
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12,adult / professional
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780385755887
Price: 17.99
Look and Be Grateful
Look and Be Grateful
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 13, 2015
Review
Look and be grateful. Grateful for everything in the day. The day itself. That is the message in this simple and small book. The sentiment and the theme are excellent. And it is easy enough for a toddler to understand. Text is sparse, 2-4 words per page. The illustrations are simple, familiar to a toddler, muted. He used transparent acrylics on tea stained paper. They are lovely. But illustrations and text are not in harmony. But perhaps that is not necessary since the purpose of the book is to be grateful for all things. However, there are two pages where this is really awkward. On one page there is an illustration of a window and the sun beyond it, with text below that says "and look". On the next page there is a picture of a boy supposedly looking out that window. But to me the boy just has his back turned to the reader with a hand up looking at a blank wall. The book is very small too. That with the muted illustrations make it unusable for large group sharing. It would be best as one on one sharing or in small groups. Coupled with "Oh the Places You'll Go", it would make a lovely give for a recent graduate or a young person just starting out on their own. It could be used as a discussion starter to introduce children to the concept of being thankful and grateful. The binding is sturdy and the book comes with a jacket cover. The message of this book is excellent, but I found nothing that stands out with this book. Buy where dePaola is popular and where collections are in need of simple books on being thankful. Todd Parr's "Thankful Book" and "The Blessings Jar" by Colleen Coble could be paired with this title to make a nice story time with a thankful theme.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
DePaola, Tomie
Illustrator: DePaola, Tomi
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780823434435
Price: 16.95
There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight
There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 13, 2015
Review
A new take on the classic, "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly". Here we have a dragon who can't stop swallowing things. He's not hungry. He just likes to swallow things. In this cumulative story, with rhyming text, the silliness builds with every page. Each item the dragon swallows is in larger text than the rest of the book, so that it prepares both the reader to pronounce it with more emphasis and for the listener to see how the story is unfolding. The illustrations are done in what looks like acrylic. They are full of lots of colors and amusing detail. For example, right before the knight gets swallowed you can see how clueless he is by the expression on his face and the fact that there are "danger-dragon" signs all over. The illustrations are in perfect harmony with the text, so much so that this could almost work as a wordless book. The text, however, is too humorous, child-friendly, and flowing to not read. Preschoolers and kindergartners will enjoy the silliness and repetition. They will want to join in guessing what the dragon will swallow next. Children will also enjoy making all the burping noises the dragon makes towards the end of the book. My only issue with this book is that the dragon burps up everything but the knight at the end. He wants to keep the knight in his belly even though the repetition throughout the book is that it is not polite. What's more the knight appears quite happy and content to stay in the dragon's belly. I wonder why? Pair this with "Who Wants a Dragon" by James Mayhew and "Again" by Emily Gravett for a fun dragon story time. Or use this book with older students a writing lesson on fairy tale variants.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Klostermann, Penny Parker
Illustrator: Mantle, Ben
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy,folklore
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780385390804
Price: 16.99
Use Your Imagination
Use Your Imagination
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 13, 2015
Review
An innocent and unsuspecting rabbit is bored. Along comes a sinister wolf who wants to "help" the rabbit. The wolf gives a shout out to librarians when he convinces the rabbit to use his imagination to create a story. The problem is that the wolf wants to recreate "Little Red Riding Hood" and eat the rabbit at the end. The theme of use your imagination is represented very well here. Wolf and rabbit have conversations about where the story should go, wolf always reminding rabbit to use his imagination to create the story. The flow of the story is aided by the illustrations. They are done in mixed media and are clear and bold. They are in good harmony with each other. The illustrations nicely depict what is going on in the text for each page. A variety of different fonts and boldness are used throughout to emphasis what the rabbit is imagining versus what the wolf is imagining. You can also see the sinister sneer on the wolf's face as the story progresses to where the wolf chases the rabbit through the forest. On the other hand, the rabbit's expression never changes. The rabbit is not worried or afraid of the wolf. He is just bored and wanted something to do. The wolf provided that something. In fact, when we get to the end of the story where the wolf is supposed to eat the rabbit, the rabbit stops him and says, "I don't think so...I'm going to use my imagination!". And instead of being eaten the rabbit sends the wolf of into outer space in a rocket ship. And this ending literally unfolds into a four page spread of the chagrined wolf jettisoning off into space. The back cover of the book has a square cut out with an open door and the rabbit peaking out. Where will his imagination lead him next time? This is a must have for most libraries. It can be used in large group story time settings. Wonderful as a read aloud. Children will preschoolers and kindergartners will enjoy shouting out ideas for the story with rabbit and to watch out for wolf. Pair it with "The Dot", and "Ish" by Peter Reynolds, along with "Harold and the Purple Crayon" for a creativity/imagination themed story time. Or with "Wait No Paint" by Bruce Whatley and "Falling for Rapnuzel" for a fractured story time for both young and slightly older children. This is a sturdy, well conceived and fun book. Drawbacks, if any, would be the four page fold out won't last long in a public library. Nor will the hole cut out of the back cover. Repairs will be necessary soon and often.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
O'Byrne, Nicola
Illustrator: O'Byrne, Nicola
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Nosy Crow/Candlewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,folklore
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780763680015
Price: 15.99
Itty Bitty Kitty
Itty Bitty Kitty
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 13, 2015
Review
A happy, giant, purple cat on the cover. What could be better than that? An equally fun and engaging story, that's what. Open this book and have fun. Ava wants a cat. Her parents say no. She stomps off to the park to sulk. But low and behold there is a tiny, adorable purple kitten in a box begging to go home with her. So Ava takes the kitten home and hides it from her parents until they are ready. She names him Itty Bitty. The problem is after a couple of weeks he is no longer itty or bitty. He is larger than a Great Dane. It is inevitable that Ava and Itty Bitty are discovered. The text rhymes in all the right places and is very sing songy, full of phrases like itty bitty and hurry scurry. The text is all the same size and font except for when Itty Bitty gets DISCOVERED! The illustrations are done digitally with photoshop and a special monitor. They are big, bold and bright, full of purples, blues and greens. The end papers, front and back are purple to emphasize the largeness of Itty Bitty. There is also a lot of detail in the illustrations. Ava's room is pictured with at least four drawings of cats, showing her parents how much she loves cats. And when Ava and Itty Bitty are discovered and have to face her parents you see the two cowering in a corner with the shadows of her parents on them. It is wonderful. My only qualm with the illustrations is towards the end. The baby is in danger of falling down the stairs and Itty Bitty ends up saving her. But the illustration depicting this seems to just show the cat scared and shocked by the mere sight of the baby and not that it is in any danger. It was a bit confusing. The binding is sewn in, but the book itself does not feel terribly sturdy. Hopefully it can stay on the shelf for awhile before it needs repairs. This would work well as a read aloud in large group setting or one on one with preschoolers, kindergartners or any child that loves cats or is begging their parents for a pet.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Holub, Joan
Illustrator: Burks, James
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollingPublishers
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780062322197
Price: 17.99
Black Cat, White Cat
Black Cat, White Cat
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 13, 2015
Review
Nominating for Cream of the Crop for is simplicity A simple concept book about opposites and friendships. Black cat only goes out in the day and white cat only goes out in the night. Each wants to see what the opposite time is like. They meet each other and become friends. Each showing the other the joys of night and day respectively. The illustrations are done in black pencil and colored digitally. They are simple, sparse and clear. You just imagine the tails and whiskers swishing and twitching. Only three colors were used - black, white, and a surprise color at the end. The text and illustrations are in harmony. The test is simple and too the point. A non-reader could enjoy the book as much as a solid beginning reader. This is so simply and sparingly done yet it conveys such a wonderfully detailed concept of opposites and friendship. There is a wonderful reveal at the end once the two cats have kittens together. The reader will have a fun time revealing this to children at story time. Kids will want to guess the color of the kittens, and boy will they be surprised. How to explain that to kids? :) Although, there is a hint given on the back end papers of the book. This will be a popular title. Be prepared to buy multiple copies. One on one sharing and small group settings will work best. My only issue with this book is it's size. It is small, making it difficult to use in a large group story time setting. Otherwise, an absolutely wonderful package.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Borando, Silvia
Illustrator: Borando, Silvia
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre:
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780763681067
Price: 14.00
Polar Bear Piper
Polar Bear Piper
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 7, 2015
Review
This is an example of a market driven book. It is not great literature, but it is still a good read for it's intended audience. The audience is any child who loves Frozen & anything to do with the movie. Also, children who enjoy stories about winter and polar bears. Why are polar bears suddenly showing up in Arendelle? Anna & Elsa need to figure it out and get the polar bears safely back to the Arctic Circle. Black & white illustrations are peppered throughout the book. They add a little dimension to the story and offer a rest area for the reader. This title is also a part of the Stepping Stone Book series. It is a solid chapter book choice for independent readers as well as the droves of Frozen fans. Not an overwhelming length and short chapters. A solid addition to most libraries, especially those who have a strong Frozen fan base.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
David, Erica
Illustrator: Robinson, Bill
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Random House
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780736434362
Price: 9.99
The Arendelle Cup
The Arendelle Cup
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 7, 2015
Review
Another entry in the Anna & Elsa Disney series. Fans won't be disappointed. Again, not great literature, but a good story full of adventure, drama, humor and fun. And it is well written for it's audience. This hits its mark for the intended audience perfectly. An annual sleigh ride race is happening. And Anna & Elsa are competing for the first time. Another competitor cheats during the race and gets lost in the wilderness. Anna, Elsa and the defending champions set off to rescue the cheaters. Any child who loves Frozen & anything to do with it will love reading this or having it read to them. Reading level it is geared towards strong 2nd grade through 4th. But enjoyment-wise it is for all Frozen fans. A must purchase for most libraries, especially those serving a strong Frozen fan base.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
David, Erica
Illustrator: Robinson, Bill
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Random House
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780736434379
Price: 9.99
R is for Rocket an ABC Book
R is for Rocket an ABC Book
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 7, 2015
Review
There is no story or theme here, just a cute alphabet book filled with all of Tad Hills' characters from his Rocket books and from his Duck & Goose series. One letter of the alphabet is represented on each page. And the words on that page that begin with that letter are bold type. The illustrations compliment each represented letter individually. The illustrations are cheerful and beautiful. This is perfect for group sharing or one on one. Children who like Tad Hills' previous books will enjoy this. This is for pre-k to k or for slightly older who enjoy the illustrations. The one weakness is that it feels a bit disjointed. The alphabet is covered but there is no flow or connection between each page. With the use of familiar characters I felt that there could have been more of a flow between pages more connection between the characters. It just felt like each page was plopped down just to represent a letter, with no thought to cohesiveness. Other than that, the illustrations taken individually are wonderful. A decent alphabet book for libraries in need of alphabet books.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Hills, Tad
Illustrator: Hills, Tad
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780553522280
Price: 17.99
Bear and Duck
Bear and Duck
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 7, 2015
Review
Quack is music to bear's ears. Bear is no longer happy being a bear. He wants to be a duck. He asks his friend Duck to help him. The resulting antics are amusingly portrayed in the rest of the book. Bear tries to quack, waddle, fly, build a nest and sit on a egg to keep it warm. It doesn't work out too well for bear being a duck. So in the end he decides he's happy being who he is. This is an amusing story about self-acceptance and friendship. It is a good size for group sharing or one on one, for the pre-k to 1st grade group. The text is humorously written and flows well with the illustrations. The illustrations are done in ink and watercolor and are deep hued pastels. They are uncluttered, but detailed enough down to showing the emotions on the duck's face. There really aren't any weaknesses here, but if I have to choose one it would be this. What happened to the ducklings at the beginning of the story? The duck just dropped them to help bear learn how to be a duck. What became of her ducklings? This is a wonderfully amusing story about being happy in your own skin, self-acceptance and friendship. This would work well as an introduction to young children on self-acceptance.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Hudson, Katy
Illustrator: Hudson, Katy
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: HarperCollins
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780062320513
Price: 17.99
Boats for Papa
Boats for Papa
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 7, 2015
Review
Definite nomination for Cream of the Crop. Buckley the bear lives with his mother in a cabin on the beach. They are very happy in their life together. He loves boats and he misses his dad. One day Buckley decides to make a boat and attaches a note to it that says, "For Papa, Love, Buckley." He and mama then walk down to the water and he sends the boat out to sea for his papa to find. Buckley repeats this many times over, each boat is grander than the other. But the note attached is the same, "For Papa, Love, Buckley". One day Buckley goes to get a piece of paper out of his mother's desk and finds all of his boats that he made for Papa. Buckley knows they just washed back up on shore and that his father is never going to get them. But he also knows his mother loves him and that he is very happy with her. Buckley makes one more boat and puts it out to sea. That night it washes up on shore and his mother rescues it. But this time the note reads, "For Mama, Love, Buckley". This is a beautiful, life-affirming story about resilience after loss, grief, being happy with the life you've been given and a mother's love. The text is lyrical and puts the reader right in the middle of it. The illustrations are done in pen and watercolor and are beautifully rendered and detailed and flow with the story. This would be perfect to use in an introductory unit on loss, grief, love and endurance. Would work best as one on one for read aloud. Any child who has experienced the loss of a parent would benefit from hearing this story. It adds a whole other dimension to the genre of grief and loss books for children. It is never stated what happened to Papa, so the loss in the story can be used in many situations. This is a beautiful story full of hope and heartbreak. But love shines through. Just wow. A must purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Bagley, Jessixa
Illustrator: Bagley, Jessixa
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Roaring Book Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9781626720398
Price: 17.99
When I Grow Up
When I Grow Up
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 7, 2015
Review
This is a 2015 reprint of a book originally published in 2007. What do you want to do when you grow up? That's the question little bear imagines the answers to while he is out with his parents. The text is simple and brief, but to the point. A few words are in different sizes to standout and rhyme with the other larger font words. The illustrations were created digitally with bold black outlines and flecks of shiny gold throughout. The illustrations don't carry the story, but they are in harmony with it. The book is on the small side. But it would still work in group setting since the illustrations and text are both simple and bold and thus easy to see. This would work well as a read aloud for pre-k. It would also work as a beginning reader for k-1 due to its minimal text and simple words. The one weakness I found was in the very first two pages. The illustration on those two pages appears glaring, disconcerting and blurry to my eyes due to the profuse use of the shiny gold for the very large sun/moon. It was very uncomfortable for my eyes. The gold could have been done a bit less overwhelmingly for sensitive eyes. Otherwise a wonderful story and book.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Dodd, Emma
Illustrator: Dodd, Emma
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Templar Books/Candlewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780763679859
Price: 12.99
Syd Hoff's Danny and the Dinosaur Too Tall
Syd Hoff's Danny and the Dinosaur Too Tall
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 7, 2015
Review
Dinosaur is feeling down because he thinks he is too tall. Danny sets out to encourage him and cheer him up. The story has excitement, humor, and drama in it. At first it doesn't work. Dinosaur is still taller than elephants and giraffes. Danny and Dinosaur happen upon a man operating a crane at a construction site. The crane is tall like Dinosaur and he is feeling a little better. But then a wind gust sends the crane tipping and the worker is in danger. Only Dinosaur can get the worker to safety since he is as tall as the crane. The worker climbs down Dinosaurs neck and is saved. Dinosaur then decides that he is okay with being tall. The theme of this story is to be proud of who you are and be encouraging as a friend. The illustrations are done in Photoshop and are true to Hoff's original illustrations. The text is longer than some beginning readers & there is not much repetition so this is best for confident beginning readers or in small group or one on one. This would be useful for units on self-acceptance. Pair with Todd Parr's "It's Okay to Be Different", "Henny" by Elizabeth Stanton, and "Me & You" by Genvieve Cote. There is always a need for solid beginning readers and this fits the bill nicely. There really aren't any weaknesses but since I'm supposed to find one for the purposes of this review, the possibility that Danny and the Dinosaur is a classic and has been around for a long time. So some kids may think it's too old fashioned to read. A great addition to most beginning reader collections.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Hale, Bruce
Illustrator: Cutting, David
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780062281562
Price: 16.99
Syd Hoff's Danny and the Dinosaur and the New Puppy
Syd Hoff's Danny and the Dinosaur and the New Puppy
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 7, 2015
Review
New stories for the classic, Danny and the Dinosaur, but written and illustrated by different author/illustrators. But these new books stay true to Hoff's style. The new illustrations are done on Photoshop and they compliment the text very well. Danny has a new puppy, but his friend Dinosaur begins to feel a bit left out. So instead of ignoring his old friend, Danny finds a way that he, his new puppy and Dinosaur can all be friends and hang out together. This is best for confident beginning readers due to more text, longer sentences and not a lot of sound repetition. Parents who grew up reading Danny and the Dinosaur would enjoy reading this to their kids/grand kids. It would also work as an introduction to friendship, kindness and inclusion of all types of friends. Pair with Mo Willems' "Can I Play Too?" and "A Big Guy Took My Ball". This is a solid story about friendship. The only weakness I can come up with is how to explain to a child that a dinosaur can "live" in a museum and come and go as he pleases. Fine addition to most beginning reader collections.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Hale, Bruce
Illustrator: Cutting, David
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780062281531
Price: 16.99
Cat Got a Lot
Cat Got a Lot
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 8, 2015
Review
Cat lives in an apartment in the city. Many other creatures live in the same building. Cat also loves fish. So one day he goes on a shopping trip to buy fish and some other items. He walks through a community full of diverse creatures and he visits many stores. He comes back with many things. But only the fish is for him. He got everything else for the other creatures in the building just to make them happy. Dog got a book. Bird got art supplies. Elephant got a horn. An so on. This is such a beautifully simple story about being kind and thoughtful. It would be perfect for a kindergarten unit on kindness and community, paired with "Have You Filled a Bucket Today" by Carol McCloud and "Think Happy" by Nancy Carlson. This title is part of the I Like to Read series. And it also makes a wonderful beginning reader for prek & k, as well as struggling firs graders. Sentences are only 3-4 words long and include only simple words. The words and sounds are repeated often. And most, if not all, words are familiar to pre-k & K beginning readers. This book is perfect for brand new readers as well as slightly more experienced to help build confidence. The illustrations are wonderful in this book as well. They are done in watercolor, gouache ink. They are full of detail and are very clear, bright and happy looking. Children will have fun pouring over the details in the illustrations as well as enjoying the story. Needless to say, the text and illustrations work very well together. The only weakness I found was at the very beginning. It went from "Cat liked fish", to "He went down" (the stairs). That was a little abrupt. A segue into why cat is going down the stairs would have been nice. Otherwise, a wonderful title. For most public library shelves.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Henry, Steve
Illustrator: Henry, Steve
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823433858
Price: 14.95
Hiding Dinosaurs
Hiding Dinosaurs
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 8, 2015
Review
The eggs have gone bad so a family has to have cereal for breakfast. Then the fun begins. After the parents leave the kitchen, the boy notices the box of eggs moving. Out hatch a half a dozen baby dinosaurs. The boy loves dinosaurs. He gives them spaghetti for lunch. Each baby dinosaur is playing with its food. The boy then hides the dinosaurs in his room. As they start to grow his parents remain clueless to six dinosaurs living under their roof. It also becomes increasingly obvious that the dinosaurs can no longer live in the boys room. Soon his parents discover his secret. But all ends well. It turns out that his parents love dinosaurs just as much as their son does. They end up as one very large happy family. Amusing pen & ink watercolor illustrations show the cuteness of the dinosaurs and the joy of the family. The illustrations are bold and simple with just the right touch of detail. No distractions. The writing has simple sentences, lots of sound and word repetition, and most words are familiar to the target audience of pre-k/K. This is a solid beginning reader choice for pre-k & K, as well as 1st graders needing some encouragement. This book would also be wonderful for any young child who is a dinosaur fan. Pair with any of Jane Yolen's How Do Dinosaurs...? series and Dinotrux by Chris Gall for a fun story time. A fine purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Moynihan, Dan
Illustrator: Moynihan, Dan
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823431960
Price: 14.95
Pig is Big on Books
Pig is Big on Books
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 8, 2015
Review
Pig loves books and reading so much. He reads everywhere & with everyone. At the beach , on the bus, with the cat. One day the unthinkable happens. He runs out of books to read. What to do? Pig decides to write his own book. That is the extent of this story. The theme is that reading is fun and important. You can do it anywhere and with anyone. This book also promotes the idea of creating your own books. Both are important messages. As part of the I Like to Read series, this title has simple words and sentences. Lots of repetition of words and sounds. It is good for pre-k-k readers. The illustrations and text are in harmony with each other. The illustrations are gouache watercolors, colored pencil & colage. I realize that the illustrations in the book are meant to represent the book that Pig ended up creating himself. But I think the illustrations are the weakness of this book. The story itself is happy, bright and fun. The illustrations should match that. They could have been bolder, brighter and more clear. Also, the size and shape of pig's ears changed as did his shade of pink, throughout the book. The strength of the book is in its writing and the important message about reading and creating. This would also make a good story time choice paired with Book, Book, Book by Deborah Bruss and Again by Emily Gravett for a nice theme on reading & libraries. And as much as I loved the plug for reading & creativity, it would have been nice to give a shout out to libraries as a place to go when you run out of reading materials. Additional purchase.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Florian, Douglas
Illustrator: Florian, Douglas
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823433933
Price: 14.95
Is That a Cat?
Is That a Cat?
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 8, 2015
Review
This is part of the I Like to Read series, although it doesn't state that on the cover like the rest of their books. Despite the title, this is not a story about a cat. Once I got over that, I enjoyed this book. It starts out with a cat looking for another cat to play with. He spies what looks like a cat's tail outside a window. It is in fact the handle of an umbrella held by an elf. The elf, in turn, is looking for rain. And the story builds from there. Joining the cat and elf are more characters searching for something. And each item is a mistaken identity that leads to the next character searching. Each character is interconnected by what they are searching for. And they are now all together in their search. They all end up at a little boy's pool who is sad because no one came to his party. So everyone who was searching for something decide that new friends are more important and they stay and have a wonderful time with the little boy. Everyone is happy. This is a humorous story about when you are searching for something you have lost you can find something you never knew you needed and be kind & help out friends in the process. The illustrations are done in pen and ink, watercolors and are done digitally. They nicely depict the humor of the story. There is lots to engage readers and non-readers alike in both the story and the illustrations. This would work well as both a beginning reader for K-1st as well as a story time read aloud perhaps on using one's imagination. Weakness is the title. Readers may be disappointed that it has very little to do with a cat. Strength is that this is a well written, humorous story about helping friends, searching for things, using your imagination. And it is interactive with the reader. An wonderful choice for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Hamilton, Tim
Illustrator: Hamilton, Tim
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823433841
Price: 16.95
Paddington Helps Out
Paddington Helps Out
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 8, 2015
Review
Paddington Bear is a classic. This title is a 2015 reissue, originally published in 1960. It is the third of the Paddington stories. Thankfully the reissue has kept the original pen & ink simple illustrations peppered throughout the book depicting some of Paddington's antics. In this story Paddington enjoys helping out. But every time he tries to "help" things get more chaotic and/or messier than without his help. But you can't help but love him anyway. He's an endearing character full of fun, joy, bravery, and his ever present marmalade. Young readers in grades 2-4 who enjoy sweet, humorous stories with a mischievous character will like this one. Adults who read Paddington as a child will enjoy rereading a classic from childhood. I am not sure why the Paddington stories have been reissued. Perhaps it was due to the Paddington movie coming out last year? Either way, I'm glad they did. I've always enjoyed them and now a new generation can. Purchase if you don't already own them at your library. This also helps to fill a gap in easier chapter books for children in grades 2-4.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Bond, Michael
Illustrator: Fortnum, Peggy
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Harper
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: Choose Binding Type
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780062312303
Price: 9.99
The Hunt for the Curious Cheese
The Hunt for the Curious Cheese
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 8, 2015
Review
This is a special edition Geronimo Stilton. In this adventure the residents of Mouse city are suddenly getting sick. Is it the cheese that is causing all of this illness? Considering cheese is the main food source for the mice, I hope not. Fear not. Geronimo Stilton is on the case. And hopefully, he will get to the bottom of things before its too late for any of the Mouse City residents. Full color illustrations abound in pencil and ink. There are two different illustrators. For the first half of the book the illustrations are done by Silvia Bigolin. For the second half of the book they are done by Claudio Cernuschi. But you cannot tell the difference. The illustrations flow with the story throughout. The text is full of humor, adventure and lots pops out at the reader. A lot of different colors, fonts, and sizes are used to engage the reader. Nothing new here. This book is part graphic novel and part regular novel. Well written, fun adventure story starring the infamous Geronimo Stilton. Purchase where the series is popular.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Stilton, Geronimo
Illustrator: multiple, illustrators
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780545791519
Price: 14.99
Sophie Flufftail's Brave Plan
Sophie Flufftail's Brave Plan
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: April 30, 2016
Review
The prolific Daisy Meadows (Rainbow Magic series), has another sure-fire hit on her hands. This time the series is Magic Animal Friends. This series is set in the magical land of Friendship Forest. Here the animals talk and magic really does exist. Human friends Jess and Lily brave different adventures in each installment of this fun series. Sophie Flufftail is a brave little squirrel. The evil witch Grizelda enlists the help of the ice dragon to cast a spell on Sophie's family. Lily and Jess help Sophie save her squirrel family. This title is written with simple sentence structure, easy to read font and short chapters. Lovely pencil/pen illustrations a scattered throughout the book, perfectly complimenting the story. Perfect for fans of Daisy Meadows other series. Also, this would be great for kids who love animal stories, magic and for reluctant readers. With its simple and uncomplicated sentence structure and short chapters, this would also make for a good bridge between for readers ready to branch out from beginning readers, but not quite ready for more in-depth chapter books. This series will have a very brisk circulation in most libraries. A solid addition.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: Ripper, Georgie
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545907415
Price: 4.99
Emily Prickleback's Clever Idea
Emily Prickleback's Clever Idea
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: April 30, 2016
Review
A charming addition to the Magical Animal Friends series. Here hedgehog Emily Prickleback needs Jess and Lily's help. The two girls look forward to returning to Friendship Forest for the Rushy River Boat Race. But Grizelda the witch has other plans. She sends her sand dragon to turn the hedgehog family into stone and to ruin the river and the race. Can Jess, Lily and Emily save the hedgehog family or will Grizelda win? There is just enough suspense in this title (and the rest of the series)to make it enjoyable but not too scary. Also, the adorable characters, simple sentence structure, short chapters and lovely pencil/pen illustrations make this a solid addition for reluctant readers and newly independent readers.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: Ripper, Georgie
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545907439
Price: 4.99
Ruby Fuzzybrush's Star Dance
Ruby Fuzzybrush's Star Dance
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: April 30, 2016
Review
Ruby is a young fox who lives in Friendship Forest with her fox family and all her friends. Ruby and the rest of her family have a magical talent of being able to make the stars light up and dance. It is a beautiful and magical sight. All the forest animals as well as Jess and Lily love to watch when it happens. But Grizelda the witch wants to put a stop to this magical light by darkening the stars and Friendship Forest forever. She sends her black dragon to do the deed. Once again, Lily and Jess come to the aid of their magical animal friends. Ruby Fuzzybrush works with her human friends to save the fox family and the forest. There is suspense here, but just enough to enhance the story and not enough to scare young readers. The pencil/pen illustrations are marvelous. They are at once detailed, adorable and compliment the story nicely. The illustrations are scattered throughout the book and at the beginning of each chapter. This series offers short chapters, larger font, simple sentence structure, adorable characters, and an enjoyable story arc. Newly independent and reluctant readers will love this. But solid independent readers will also enjoy the magical fun. Give to fans of Daisy Meadows, of animal stories, and to kids who love magic but aren't nearly ready for Harry Potter or similar titles. This is a solid purchase for most libraries and will have a very brisk circulation.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: Ripper, Georgie
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545907453
Price: 4.99
Rosie Gigglepip's Lucky Escape
Rosie Gigglepip's Lucky Escape
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: April 30, 2016
Review
Grizelda wants nothing more than to completely control Friendship forest and all of its inhabitants. This time she sends in her storm dragon to work some evil magic. The dragon has taken control of the magical windmill that controls all the breezes that enter Friendship Forest. Consequently, guinea pig Rosie Gigglepip and her family are in danger. Lily, Jess and Rosie must not only rescue the guinea pig family, but save the forest from the wicked Grizelda. Adorable animals, good story with just the right amount of tension and lovely, detailed pen/pencil illustrations peppered throughout make for an enjoyable read. The chapters are short. There is simple sentence structure. The font is easy to read. This is an excellent choice for 1st-3rd graders, as well as older reluctant readers. This makes a fun read aloud for the younger crowd as well. A worthy addition to most libraries. And those libraries that do have this series will undoubtedly see a brisk circulation.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: Ripper, Georgie
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545907477
Price: 4.99
The Not-So Itty-Bitty Spiders
The Not-So Itty-Bitty Spiders
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 4, 2016
Review
This is the first in a projected New Series called Olive & Beatrix. The series is aimed towards young readers who are done with the early reader books, but aren't quite ready for longer & more detailed chapter books. The stars of the series are twin sisters Olive & Beatrix. Beatrix was born exactly at midnight on the full moon and is a witch. Her sister Olive was born 2 minutes later and is a "normal" child. Olive loves science and Beatrix loves magic. Secondary, but important, characters are Beatrix's talking pet pig Sir Houston (who provides plenty of sarcastic humor), and Olive's best friend & fellow science nerd Eddie. The sisters don't get along and are constantly playing jokes on each other. One day a prank goes horribly wrong and a bunch of giant spiders are created. The Olive, Eddie, Beatrix, & even Sir Houston, have to work together to turn the spiders back to normal size. This book is graphic novel style. It combines text and lots of dialogue bubbles. The font is large and easy to read. The text is not overwhelming for newly independent readers. There is also a plethora of illustrations throughout that help the reader and flow with the story. The illustrations are done in purples, greens, blues and change hues to add to the humor or darker parts of the story. There is plenty of humor is this novel, with a few laugh out loud moments for the target audience, which is 1st grade through struggling 4th grade. The story is fun and mildly scary (especially if you don't like spiders). This is a good choice for fans of humor & fantasy, Geronimo Stilton style books, and Angie Sage's series Araminta Spookie. A worthy purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Stadelmann, Amy Marie
Illustrator: Stadelmann, Amy Marie
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545814805
Price: 4.99
Sugar, Gummi, and Lollipop
Sugar, Gummi, and Lollipop
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 4, 2016
Review
Sugar, Gummi, and Lollipop is one of the newest titles in the popular Puppy Place series. Brother and sister Charles and Lizzie and their family love puppies. They foster puppies, take care of them, and help to find them forever homes. In this installment, Lizzie and her friend Maria find three puggle puppies abandoned in a box outside Maria's family's cabin. The girls, along with their families, have to take care of the puppies, make sure they are safe and healthy. The puppies are so cute, but Lizzie and Maria know they can't keep them forever. They have to find them forever homes soon enough. As with the other titles in this series, this one doesn't disappoint. The story is full of cute puppies, friends working together, families. There is just enough tension to make things realistic. There are some sad moments, but Puppy Place is a place where every dog finds a home. This title is good for independent readers who love animal stories. The books are all just under 100 pages, so it is not an overwhelming read for 2nd-4th grade readers. The story is fun and believable. The characters aren't deep, but they are enjoyable to meet. Dog lovers and fans of Animal Ark series will enjoy this one. A good purchase, especially if you have others in the series.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Miles, Ellen
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,realistic fiction
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545857208
Price: 4.99
Underwater Planet
Underwater Planet
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 4, 2016
Review
Pirate space cats, treasure maps and under water alien planets are only some of the zaniness that await readers here. This is a fun and action packed spinoff series of Geronimo Stilton. Here we find the Geronimo Stilton of a parallel universe, Geronimo Stiltonix. At the beach Geronimo finds a treasure map that directs him and the space mice to an underwater planet. While exploring and searching for the treasure, the crew is set upon by fur-eating seaweed and pirate space cats, to name just a few. The space cats are after the treasure as well. But it is up to Geronimo and the space mice to get to the treasure first. Will they succeed? As with the original Geronimo Stilton series, this one doesn't disappoint. it has lovable characters, an action packed story line, lots of humor and adventure, and eye popping illustrations and a variety of size and colors of font that will hook young readers quickly. Good choice for 2nd and 3rd grade readers as well as reluctant 4th & 5th graders. Purchase where the series is popular, which is pretty much everywhere.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Stilton, Geronimo
Illustrator: Facciotto, Giuseppe
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: Choose Book Type
Genre: adventure,fantasy,science fiction
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: Choose Binding Type
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545872430
Price: 6.99
Mouse Overboard!
Mouse Overboard!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 4, 2016
Review
Geronimo and his family are on a slow boat to Portugal. They were invited there to trace the journey of noted explorer Vasco da Gama. Who apparently was an ancestor of the Stilton's. Soon after they set sail Geronimo realizes someone is trying to foil their journey. Will Geronimo find out who before its too late. Or will his sea sickness get the best of him? This installment is another winner. The characters are fun and likeable. The story flows smoothly and is entertaining. Humor and adventure abound. This is perfect for reluctant or newly independent readers because the text pops with a variety of font sizes and colors. The sentence structure is not too complicated or overwhelming for independent readers. Great for 3rd and 4th graders. The illustrations are colorful and enhance the story. You even learn a bit about the explorer Vasco da Gama. As with other titles in the series, you do not have to read these in any kind of order. Although not a necessary purchase, libraries should buy if they have the series.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Stilton, Geronimo
Illustrator: Loizedda, Danilo
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545872515
Price: 6.99
The Book of Shane
The Book of Shane
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 5, 2016
Review
To start off with, it is a good idea to have read the original Spirit Animals series as well as the spin-off series Fallen Beasts to better understand and appreciate this book. That being said, some kids will still find this enjoyable even if they haven't read the two series. There is an introduction and a small snippet of information at the beginning of each part that help the novice Spirit Animal reader to enjoy the book on its own. The stories in this book were originally published as an e-series of novellas. In this book you learn more about Shane the Devourer and his family. Shane was the principle foe in the original Spirit Animal series. But he didn't start out that way. He was also a friend at times to the four original kids who summoned spirit animals to protect the world. He went through that ceremony himself. In the spin-off series Shane becomes the King of the conquerors and will try to destroy the spirit animals and the world itself. This is a good choice for strong 3rd grade readers through 5th grade readers. There is lots of action and adventure and thrills. It is also an excellent choice for boys who are reluctant readers. Purchase where both series are already in the collection.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Eliopulos, Nick
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545911009
Price: 16.99
Chocolate: Sweet Science & Dark Secrets of the World's Favorite Food
Chocolate: Sweet Science & Dark Secrets of the World's Favorite Food
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 5, 2016
Review
The title of the first chapter says it all, the World's Most Perfect Food. This is a detailed,informative, fun, and fascinating history of chocolate. But it is also more than that. The author has woven together an account of chocolate that includes how explorers, scientists, society, industry and children have impacted chocolate. The organization of the book is well done. The author provides a good table of contents and a detailed index. There is also a timeline of the history of chocolate and a list of websites for further reading and information. There are even some recipes in the book! There are many black and white photographs peppered throughout the book that greatly enhance the understanding of the material covered. Although, there a couple of photographs that are not labelled. It may be obvious to many what they are, but younger readers may not know. There are also sidebars of information throughout the book that are both interesting and fun, for example, the science behind why we love chocolate. In the middle of the book there are a series of color photographs depicting various aspects of chocolate and its history. This title is probably best for 6th grade and above. The print is large and easy to read, so strong younger readers who enjoy nonfiction may like this as well. This would also be a good reference choice for teachers to use in the classroom for science, history and even sociology units. A wonderful purchase for larger nonfiction collections.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Frydenborg, Kay
Illustrator: ,
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Book Type: chapter book nonfiction
Genre:
Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9,grades 10-12,adult / professional
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780544175662
Price: 18.99
Eva's Treetop Festival
Eva's Treetop Festival
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 6, 2016
Review
Branches is Scholastic's new line of easier chapter books. The Owl Diaries is a new series and is part of Branches. I don't like to differentiate between girl books and boy books, but this series is definitely geared more towards young and tween girls. Olive, Eva the owlet, who is the main character in this series, good very well be a tween girl if she wasn't an owl. Presented in diary format, with pink lined notebook paper, Eva writes about her life and her various adventures and escapades. She writes of her likes (school, art, clothes) and her dislikes (her brothers smelly socks), life with her family, and her adventures at school. She learns about friendship, teamwork, perseverance, & cooperation. The illustrations are happy, bright & bold digitally rendered. They will hook young readers, as will the fun story line. Readers will love Eva's busy enthusiasm. Readers will also appreciate the easy to read text, larger font, short chapters and speech bubbles. A fine choice for independent readers who enjoy fun stories about friendship.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Elliott, Rebecca
Illustrator: Elliott, Rebecca
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545683623
Price: 4.99
Pete Makes a Mistake
Pete Makes a Mistake
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 9, 2016
Review
Come to my party! That's what Rose Pig wants all her friends to do. Rose has filled out all the invitations. But she asks her brother Pete to deliver them for her. And Pete tends to be a little forgetful. And, of course, Pete forgets to deliver an invitation to Gert. Gert feels left out and Rose doesn't know why Gert didn't come to her party. Things are resolved happily in the end. This is a pleasant story about friendship, misunderstandings, and forgiveness. The illustrations are done in pen & ink watercolors.The shades are bold pastels and they are happy. The text is easy to read, large font. There is minimal text per page, short sentences and repetition of many words. This is a good choice for Kindergarten and first grade readers, and slightly older kids who are struggling. This title could be used as a jumping off point for discussion about misunderstanding, forgiving people's mistakes and friendship. A good purchase for libraries needing more easy reader books and books on friendship.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
McCully, Emily Arnold
Illustrator: McCully, Emily Arnold
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823433872
Price: 14.95
Volcano Blast
Volcano Blast
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 12, 2016
Review
This is #4 in the series Disaster Strikes. In this book, three kids have to deal with trying to survive a volcano eruption on an island of the Alaskan coast. Twins Noah & Emily, who live in Hawaii with their father, are forced to move temporarily, to Alaska. Their father is a scientist, a volcano expert. And he must go to Alaska to study volcanoes. Emily is thrilled at the prospect. But her brother Noah is not happy about the move. The family of three head for a remote island off the coast of Alaska to do some research and exploring. They are ferried to the island by Alex, who's father owns the boat. Once on the island the twins' dad gets to his work. The three kids go off exploring. That is when the volcano erupts. The kids have to rely on each other to escape the hot lave and ash. They fight to survive, get back to the boat, and to reunite with their fathers. There is some basic information at the back of the book about volcanoes. It could peak the interest of some kids to do further reading on the subject. This is an easy to read chapter book for 3rd & 4th graders, or those readers who are struggling. The chapters are short. The text is easy to read and the font is larger. There are some pencil illustrations scattered throughout the book. They don't do anything to enhance the story. But they do provide a break in the reading and may be of some interest to kids. Give this title and others in the series to fans of the I Survived series and kids not quite ready for Gordon Korman's Kidnapped, Dive, or Island series. This is a story of friendship, adventure and survival. A good purchase for most libraries. And a great purchase for libraries needing more boy-friendly books.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Kennedy, Marlane
Illustrator: , Scholastic
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,realistic fiction
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545530477
Price: 4.99
Paddy and the Puppy
Paddy and the Puppy
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 12, 2016
Review
This is #3 in this sweet series set in the Misty Woods. Here each animal has a special job to do and all animals are magic and have sparkly wings. Paddy the puppy's job is to fly around spreading pollen everywhere so that the flowers can grow. Here, all the animals are friends and nothing truly bad ever happens. The stories are happy, adorable, and mildly adventurous. The text is large font, double-spaced and very easy to read. The pen/ink illustrations are whimsical and are a good addition to the flow of the story. This is a perfect series for fans of Daisy Meadows' Magical Animal Friends series, or anyone who enjoys animal stories with a little fun fluff. The only drawback to this book makes it a bad choice for library collections. There a puzzles, pictures to color and more in the back of this and the other titles. This series is more suited for bookstores and private bookshelves. This is a perfect choice for birthday presents or other holiday occasions. Lovely, but not suited for libraries, unfortunately.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Small, Lily
Illustrator: Jones, Kirsteen
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Henry Holt
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: Choose Binding Type
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9781627791434
Price: 5.99
Book Thief
Book Thief
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: June 21, 2016
Review
It is hard to believe that it has been 10 years since this amazing book has been published. But this edition is, in fact, the special 10th anniversary edition. It has a newly designed dust jacket that looks like the faded, water-damaged pages of the books that Liesel steals. It is stark & effective. There is some fascinating bonus material included in this edition. There are page's from Zusak's writing journal & working manuscript. There is also an interview with the author. This bonus materials helps the reader to understand why this book was written and how it was written. You are able to glimpse a tiny bit of the mind of an author at work. The text of the story has not been altered in any way. The writing is still brilliant & lyrical & compels the reader forward. Death is the narrator throughout. The setting is 1930s & 1940s Germany. Foster child Liesel goes to live with a family in Germany. She begins to steal books even before she knows how to read. Once she learns how to read, she steals books to save them from being burned by the Germans. She steals books because she loves them. She steals books to read them and to share them with her foster family and her small group of friends which include the mayor's wife, a Jewish boy & a boy named Rudy. She steals books to survive. To Liesel, books are treasures. They feed the soul and can heal it as well. Things become even more dangerous when Liesel's foster family hide a Jewish boy in Nazi Germany. This is at once a heartbreaking & inspiring story. The only fault I can see with this edition is it's price of $19.99. That is a high price for a title that you can get in soft cover for $7.79. Still, it is sturdy and a well-crafted edition. Libraries in need of extra copies or replacement, should consider this edition. It is beautiful. It would also make a wonderful gift. As with the other editions, this title is best for strong 7th grade & above. It would also work well in a unit on WWII &/or Nazi Germany. This is a must read and all libraries need this title in their collection.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Zusak, Markus
Illustrator: White, Trudy
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Alfred A. Knoph
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,realistic fiction,historical fiction
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12,adult / professional
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9781101934180
Price: 19.99
Half Magic
Half Magic
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: June 21, 2016
Review
It's summer & three siblings are bored silly. Jane, the eldest wishes for something fun for them to do. She then finds a coin and soon discovers that it is a magic coin. Well, only half magic. It seems that the coin will grant wishes, but only half of a wish. The children don't discover this until after they make a wish. A series of misadventures & amusing chaos ensue. The children have to learn how to use the coin properly, and fast. They also have to figure out how to fix all the half granted wishes. Edward Eager writes with an engaging style. The flow of the text pulls the reader straight into the world of Half Magic. This is a fun, action packed, classic that is a joy to read. It will leave a smile on most readers' faces. Half Magic is the first in the Magic Tales series. This title is the perfect choice for grades 3-6. It is magical adventure with a strong dose of humor. This edition is a paperback reissue with new cover art done by Peter Fergusen. The new cover is well-conceived and very detailed. If your library is in need of extra copies or replacement copies, purchase this new edition. It is lovely. Aside from the new cover art, there is also an introduction by Alice Hoffman. It is helpful in understanding the author, the story and the characters. An excellent purchase for libraries in need of fresh copies. The new cover art may also be able to pull some new readers into the world of Magic Tales. Let's hope.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Eager, Edward
Illustrator: Bodecker, N.M.
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,science fiction,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780544671720
Price: 6.99
Challenger Deep
Challenger Deep
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: June 21, 2016
Review
This National Book Award Winner is finally out in paperback. This is the story of Caden Bosch. He lives in two worlds. The first is the one where his family, friends, & high school. Caden suffers from OCD & paranoid schizophrenia. He does his best to deal with it and tries to lead as normal a life as possible. He even has some people fooled. In his other world Caden is part of a pirate crew that is journeying to the deepest & darkest part of the ocean (Challenger Deep). In this world Caden is also paranoid. Soon the two worlds collide and Caden's paranoid schizophrenia takes over. His parents are left with a choice in order to help and save their son. This is a well-written, lyrical, moving, stark and honest portrayal of living with mental illness. The author lends much authenticity to the story due to his own son's diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder. The author's son also provided the illustrations in this novel. Challenger Deep is an important book that delves honestly & realistically into the mind of a teen living with mental illness. Those who read it will gain a better understanding of what it is like to deal with a mental illness and therefore become more empathetic and patient when dealing with those who suffer. It may also provide hope & a catalyst to seek help for those who suffer from mental illness. Challenger Deep is best suited for grades 7 and above as well as adults. This book would be ideal in a high school class on mental illness as a discussion starter. Those libraries that already have the hardcover edition should buy at least one copy of this paperback edition so more patrons can read it. All libraries should have this title in their collection.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Shusterman, Neal
Illustrator: Shusterman, Brendan
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Harper Teen
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12,adult / professional
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780061134142
Price: 9.99
Stick Cat: a Tale of Two Kitties
Stick Cat: a Tale of Two Kitties
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: June 21, 2016
Review
So after six titles in the Stick Dog series, the author is finally giving cats their due. Stick Cat is not your typical city cat. Sure he loves to nap & hunt pigeons. But he also likes adventure. Someone is trapped in the building across the alley. Stick Cat must save him. That is, if he can figure out a way to get over there. You see, he lives on the 23rd floor so he can't just walk out the front door and across the alley. Will his odd, but likeable, best friend Edith help him or unwittingly hinder his efforts to rescue the neighbor? The characters are silly, endearing, likeable & fun. The simple stick figure like drawings are done in black pen on notebook like paper. The illustrations perfectly compliment the story and greatly add to the humor. The writing is light, humorous & fun to read. The author definitely knows how to write & draw for kids. Give this title to fans of Stick Dog & Diary of a Wimpy kid. Kids who read this book may be encouraged to try their hand at writing & illustrating a graphic novel, what with the simple stick figure drawings & light & humorous text. A fine & fun addition to most library collections.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Watson, Tom
Illustrator: Watson, Tom
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Harper
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,graphic novel
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780062411006
Price: 12.99
Bad Kitty Goes to the Vet
Bad Kitty Goes to the Vet
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: June 21, 2016
Review
Poor Bad Kitty. He is not feeling well. Normally, Bad Kitty has an extremely robust & healthy appetite. He also has a great deal of energy and sass. But not now. Bad Kitty must go to the dreaded & awful VET!! Oh no! Panic & humor ensue. It takes bribery, cajoling, & finally trickery to get Bad Kitty into the cat carrier. And once at the vet he is not a very cooperative patient. But the visit is eventually a success and Bad Kitty finally gets to go back home. But not before he has a very bad dream where he thinks he has to be nicer to the dog. Chaos & hilarity ensue. Poor Bad Kitty. He is so misunderstood. This installment in the popular series does not disappoint. The illustrations are spot on showing Bad Kitty's emotions & his desperation; Uncle Murray's frustration with Bad Kitty; & the fear and panic of going to the vet. The illustrations are pen & ink with black & gray tones & white. The thought bubbles are hilarious. As are Uncle Murray's fun facts chapters and Bad Kitty's dream foray into kitty heaven. If you have this series, purchase this title. Most libraries should have Bad Kitty in their graphic novel collection. Bad Kitty is well drawn, well written, & laugh out loud funny. My only complaint is that it tends to give cats a bad rap. Give to fans of Big Nate, Origami Yoda & Geronimo Stilton.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Bruel, Nick
Illustrator: Bruel, Nick
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,graphic novel
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9781596439771
Price: 13.99
The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: June 22, 2016
Review
This is a lovely reissue edition. But I can only think that the reason it was released in 2016 is to coincide with the 2016 live action movie release of the Jungle Book. This edition states that it is the "first U.S. hardcover edition in this format". But that is only a technicality. This particular reissue edition is beautifully illustrated by Nicola Bayley. The illustrations are done in colored pencil. They are vibrant & detailed. But this reissue edition was originally published in the U.S. in 2005 with Nicola Bayley's illustrations. This 2016 reissue of the 2005 reissue is nearly identical. The colors used on the cover and in the decorative trim on the inside pages are brighter. And the pages are mostly a crisp white. In the 2005 edition, the cover and decorative trim are darker and the pages are a taupe like color. Also, there is a brief word from the illustrator in the 2016 edition. Otherwise the two reissues are the same. It is still a timeless classic of a story about a boy named Mowgli raised by animals in the Indian jungle. Purchase this reissue edition only if you don't the 2005 edition or if you need a replacement. This would make a lovely gift for someone who loves this story.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Kipling, Rudyard
Illustrator: Bayley, Nicola
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780763687861
Price: 17.99
Cat Nap
Cat Nap
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: June 22, 2016
Review
It's 12:00 noon and all Cat wants to do is take a nap by himself. All Kitten wants to do is play with Cat. The rest of the book shows cat doing everything he can think of to ditch Kitten. But Kitten will not be put off that easily. The illustrations are done in, what appear to be acrylics & ink. Most are double spreads. They are bold & simple, showing just the right amount of detail for the story. The colors are mainly blues, browns, black & white, with a splash of red strategically placed here and there. The illustrations also carry the text nicely. You can see the happy & playful expressions on the Kitten and the look of frustration & the desire to be left alone on the face of the Cat. There is only one or two sentences per page and the illustrations match each time. The text is clear, simple & easy to read. With the simple and direct sentence structure & minimal text per page this would make a good early reader for kindergarten & first grade. It would also be wonderful for a cat-themed story time, one on one reading or even at bedtime. In a pre-K & Kindergarten classroom, it would be useful as a story time to introduce the concept of opposites. For story time settings the book is a bit small, but the size & boldness of the illustrations more than make up for that. The only weakness I can find in this, and I had to really stretch for it, is on the 6th page of the story where the Kitten is sitting on the Cat's head. The Kitten's mouth looks like it is broken & just hanging there. I think it is just a part of the illustrators style (not always connecting lines). But still, in this particular instance it was a bit creepy for me. Otherwise, this is a must purchase for all libraries. It is fun, engaging & the perfect package for story and cat lovers.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Yuly, Toni
Illustrator: Yuly, Toni
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9781250054586
Price: 16.99
Brambleheart
Brambleheart
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 15, 2016
Review
Have you ever worried if you will ever amount to anything? That is Twig the chipmunk's situation. He hasn't really applied himself as much as he could in trade school. As a result he is bullied by fellow student, and teacher favorite, Basil the weasel as well as the teacher himself. Twig's mind easily wanders to his books and adventures. But time is fast approaching when he will have to prove his skill in a trade or else become the dreaded errand boy for the community in which he lives. This community is populated by various forest creatures. And they all work at creating things out of items humans discard. In his frustration Twig wanders off into the woods, away from school. He finds a golden egg and brings it home. Soon a baby dragon hatches. They become friends. Twig also realizes that the dragon can help Twig create wondrous contraptions and art work with his fire breathing and strength. Twig's secret is soon discovered by his community. The mean welding teacher (and uncle to Basil) wants to use the baby dragon for his own benefit. It's at this time that Twig realizes he has been using the baby dragon as well and that he must return him to his own family. With the help of his best friend Lily (a rabbit) and Basil (who has had a change of heart), they free the baby dragon and set off on an epic adventure to get him back to his home and family. That, unfortunately, is where the book ends. It is a bit abrupt, but thankfully there will be a second volume. The writing is very descriptive yet accessible to young independent readers. It introduces good vocabulary words for interested readers. The chapters are short and manageable. The illustrations, which run throughout the book offer a break in the reading. Not to mention, plenty of detail to further the understanding of the story. The illustrations themselves are beautiful. The detail of the emotions on the forest creatures faces, of the forest itself are wonderful. They are done in simple black and white pencil, but they tell so much of the story. This is a story about perseverance, creativity, imagination, friendship & love, and not letting people bully you into a life lesser than you think you deserve. Students who need encouragement and/or inspiration to continue working towards their dreams or to succeed in life in a way they can be proud of will benefit from reading this book. Teachers could use this to show their students how to think outside the box and to use their imaginations. This is best for children in grades 3-6. Or give to fans of the author's other book, "Nest for Celeste". As well as fans of Avi's "Poppy" series, "Wind in the Willows" or "Cricket in Times Square". The only weakness in this book is it's somewhat abrupt ending. It leaves the reader hanging on and waiting for the anticipated sequel.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Cole, Henry
Illustrator: Cole, Henry
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books/Harper Collins Publishers
Book Type: Choose Book Type
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780062245465
Price: 16.99
Not Me!
Not Me!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 15, 2016
Review
Wanna go to the beach? Bear does! Chipmunk follows along reluctantly. Bear has a blast - laying in the sun, swimming, building sandcastles and more. With every two page spread, the text has bear stating what he likes doing at the beach,and the refrain from Chipmunk, "Not me!". Chipmunk is not a whiner. He truly doesn't enjoy the beach. And the amusing and detailed illustrations show that. Bear is enjoying himself too much to be aware of what Chipmunk is going through. At the end of the day, bear has had a wonderful day at the beach. But not Chipmunk. Bear finally asks him, "Why did you come?". Chipmunk's answer, "I came to be with you." To read that was wonderful. What a wonderful friendship story. And Bear realizes what a good friend he has in Chipmunk too. "You are a good friend." said Bear. And this time Chipmunk says "That's me!" instead of "Not me!". This is a sweet story about friendship. It is told in simple, declarative sentences, 2-3 sentences per page, with some repetition. The illustrations are done in watercolor and ink. They enhance the text beautifully. In an amazing way, the reader sees, hears Bear having fun while Chipmunk "suffers" through the day. This is a good story about friendship. The illustrations beautifully depict this. The text is accessible to beginning readers in K=1st grade, as well as struggling 2nd grade readers. The only weakness I can come up with, and this is a stretch. I wish that chipmunk had some fun in the day, aside from just being with his friend. The message here is clear and it is important. Friends are there for each other. This is a good beginning reader. It could also work well in the classroom to show what friendship means. Pair this with Mo Willems "Can I Play Too" for a pleasant friendship-themed story time.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Gorbachev, Valeri
Illustrator: Gorbachev, Valeri
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823435463
Price: 14.95
Big Cat
Big Cat
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 15, 2016
Review
Poor Big Cat. He is at the "loving" mercy of two young children. They both like to play with him, even if he doesn't want to. They subject him to all sorts of "playfulness", from flying, to dancing, to being dressed in a dress and a wig. The sentences are simple, one per page, "Big Cat can...". And it is obvious from the illustrations that Big Cat is not enjoying himself. The illustrations were created digitally. They carry the story very well. The detail is excellent for such a simple story, down to the wallpaper and the pictures on the walls. But the facial expressions of the cat are priceless. This is a good beginning reader book, simple text, repetition of words and sounds and illustrations that carry the story beautifully. It also has silly humor in it which most young readers will enjoy. This is a nice concept for a book. I just don't like the way the cat is treated. It may seem funny, but the cat is not enjoying himself. This could give children inappropriate ideas on how to treat the family pet, or animals in general. Purchase only where early readers are needed.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Long, Ethan
Illustrator: Long, Ethan
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823434589
Price: 14.95
Here is Big Bunny
Here is Big Bunny
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 15, 2016
Review
In an unnamed city populated by an assortment of animals, something mysterious has appeared in the sky and is traveling through the city. It is slowly revealed, a foot on one page, a tail on another, etc. And throughout the slow reveal the animals wonder what it could be. From, the animals visiting the Matisse museum, toy store, park, art studio, to a library (yeah!), and then some. The reader sees a big city unfold as the animals discover what this strange creature is floating through the city. As it turns out, the creature is Big Bunny. And Big Bunny is a big balloon in a city parade. The illustrations are marvelous. They are done in ink & painted with watercolor gouache & acrylic paints on hot pressed watercolor paper. They are bold and colorful and very detailed. So much so that non-readers could use this book as a seek and find book. The text is very simple with lots of repetition. There are four words per page and each sentence is repeated on two pages. This is a great early reader for those just learning to read and those who need a little confidence boost. The only weakness, and this is a stretch, is that the illustrations are so detailed and colorful that the simple text takes a moment to locate on each page. This belongs in all public library early reader collections.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Henry, Steve
Illustrator: Henry, Steve
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823434589
Price: 15.95
Field Guide to the Grumpasaurus
Field Guide to the Grumpasaurus
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 15, 2016
Review
Fear the cranky toddler. The dinosaur known as the Grumpasaurus has a meltdown and prolonged tantrum. The rest of the story shows what happens when he has his meltdown and how to handle it. This indeed, is written like a field guide. The pages look like weathered notebook paper. The illustrations are cartoon like and some look like doodles as would appear in a field guide. The illustrations are done in oils on panel. The text appears as written by a typewriter, as it would in a field guide. There occasional words that appear larger and in different fonts and colors to demonstrate importance or action. The text is tongue and cheek humorous, as it instructs the reader how to handle the Grumpasuarus. Finally, the reader discovers how to approach said beastie - give it a gift. There are too many complex words in this book to work as a beginning reader. It is best for independent readers. It would also work well for one on one sharing or in a story time setting. Pair it with "Grumpy Pants" by Claire Messer and "Grumpy Cat" by Britta Teckentrup for an amusing story time on moods. Or you could also pair it with any of Jane Yolen's "How Do Dinosaurs..." series for a misbehaving dinosaur story time, even though the Grumpasaurus in question is actually a toddler. The one weakness here is when it is revealed that the Grumpasuarus can only be approached if you are bearing a gift. Once that happens the temper tantrum ends and the Grumpasaurus turns back into a little boy. That is not a good message. But at least in the story the one bearing gifts is his mother and the gift is his repaired teddy bear. Still, this is an amusing story, well-conceived and well-executed. This is a first purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Hemingway, Edward
Illustrator: Hemingway, Edward
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Clarion Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780544546653
Price: 16.99
Hello, My Name is Octicorn
Hello, My Name is Octicorn
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 19, 2016
Review
Do you know what an octicorn is? Read this book and you will find out. Octicorn is a rare breed. He is a cross between an octopus and a unicorn. In this book Octicorn introduces himself and explains where he comes from. To the point where he jokes about his parents meeting at a cocktail/costume party. Or by a personal ad, "Unicorn seeks octopus for fun, friendship, & possible strange-looking offspring." This may sound funny, but it is entirely inappropriate for a picture book for young children. How Octicorn's parents met and possibly procreated should not have been included in this type of book. The humor of the story for the target age of the audience could have been held in tact by omitting the cocktails and personal ad. After that huge glitch in the book, Octicorn goes on to tell us why he is fun to be around. But he is also sad. He wants friends, just like everyone else. There is a good message here. Octicorn may look and be different, but that is okay. He is also just like anyone else, he wants friends (& of course, cupcakes.) The writing is tongue and cheek humorous and is accessible to strong beginning readers. The illustrations go along with the story. They are funny and simple, black ink with minimal color. It's as if a child drew them. The other fault I find with this book is that Octicorn looks like he has a deer-in-headlights look on his face the entire time. His expression never changes. Also, his horn looks more like a party hat than a unicorn horn. And he only has four tentacles. Of course that could be the result of his mismatched parents procreating. All that being said, this is a unique, creative, humorous and original book. There are some really funny writing and illustrations in here. And the overall message of it's okay to be different, but we are all still the same in that we all need friends (& cupcakes)is wonderful. Pair with Bob Shea's "Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great" for a humorous unicorn themed story time, or with Todd Parr's "It's Okay to Be different" for a preschool or first grade story time and discussion on being different. Not a first purchase.
Overall Book Score: fair
About the Book
Author:
Diller, Kevin
Illustrator: Lowe, Justin
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/Harper Collins
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780062387936
Price: 17.99
Return to the Ice Palace
Return to the Ice Palace
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 11, 2016
Review
Frozen fans rejoice. The popular Anna & Elsa chapter books continue. In an effort to impress some visitors, Anna & Queen Elsa take them up the mountain to their beautiful ice palace. But Elsa's snowgies (baby snowmen) have take over the ice palace. The snowgies proceed to cause mischief and light-hearted mayhem the entire time the royal sisters and their visitors are at the ice palace. Will the visit be a success or will it end in embarrassment for Anna & Elsa? This is a light and easy chapter book for strong second graders through fourth graders. It is not great literature. But it is a solid and fun read for its target audience of 6-10 year old boys and girls. It is also a good read aloud for the younger Frozen fans. The chapters are manageable in length and are peppered with black and white illustrations. I am not sure how the illustrations were created, but they appear to be black and white prints of color illustrations. They flow with the story and provide a break in the reading for less confident readers. The main theme in this addition, as with all of the Anna & Elsa chapter books in this series, is that the bond of sisters is very important and that working together is important as well. This series is decently priced so it would make a good purchase for many libraries. A must purchase for libraries with a strong Frozen fan base and for libraries who have other titles in this series.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
David, Erica
Illustrator: Robinson, Bill
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Random House for Kids
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780736434768
Price: 9.99
Secret Admirer
Secret Admirer
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 11, 2016
Review
Does Queen Elsa have a secret admirer? Anna and Elsa sure want to find out if she does in this light mystery addition to the Anna & Elsa series. Filled with characters Frozen fans love, the sisters set out to solve the mystery of the secret admirer. The target audience for this title and the others in the popular series is 6-10 year old boys and girls or strong second grade readers through fourth grade readers. The chapters are average in length and have illustrations to help enhance the story of to give less confident readers a break in the reading. This and the other titles in the series will probably never win the Newbery award. But they are solid and fun reading for their target audience. And the books get kids reading! The theme of working together and the bonds of sisterhood/family are prevalent in this title as it is in the others in the series. This is a must purchase for libraries who have other titles in the series, or wish to start the series, since they can all be read as stand alone books.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
David, Erica
Illustrator: Robinson, Bill
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Random House for Kids
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780736434751
Price: 9.99
A Crown of Dragons
A Crown of Dragons
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 11, 2016
Review
This is the third and final title in the UNICORNE FILES trilogy. Michael Malone is not your average teenager. Not only does he have paranormal abilities, but he also works for a secret and mysterious organization called the UNICORNE. What's more is that Michael's father was also affiliated with the same organization. While researching a dragon scale he mysteriously disappeared 3 years ago. It is this same dragon scale that has Michael undertaking his third mission for UNICORNE. The dragon scale and Michael's father are connected in some way. With this mission, will Michael be closer to finding out what happened to his father? This is an action packed read from the beginning. D'Lacey writes with suspense, a touch of humor and enough detail to hook readers. His main character, Michael, is believable and well written. Fans of the first two books will not be disappointed. Although, they will be sad that the trilogy has come to an end. This title would be good for reluctant older readers. Give to fans of Rick Riordan's books and Brandon Mull's Five Kingdoms series. A must purchase for libraries with the other two titles in the series. And for libraries that don't have them, purchase this trilogy. It won't stay on your shelves for very long.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
D'Lacey, Chris
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,science fiction,mystery
Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545608831
Price: 16.99
Eleanor the Snow White Fairy
Eleanor the Snow White Fairy
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Choose Library District
Review Date: October 11, 2016
Review
Well, here is yet another Daisy Meadows fairy book series. Some libraries may be running out of shelf space for this ever expanding series by Daisy Meadows. With more than 25 fairy series under the umbrella of Rainbow Magic and with each series having between 5-7 books on average, another series will not come as a surprise. This title is the second of seven in the Fairy Tale Fairies. Two girls go to a Fairy Tale Festival at Tiptop Castle. While there, Jack Frost steals the magic items of each of the fairy tale fairies. As a result chaos ensues. All the fairy tales get mixed up. Characters from one fairy tale go to another. And characters start coming to life and popping out of the books. To set things right again the girls must find all of the magic items and return them to their rightful fairy tale owners. In this book, the girls, Rachel & Kirsty, must find the Snow White fairy's magic comb. These books are quick reads and are written to appeal to their target audience in a big way. Girls (and some boys) in grades 2-4, who love fairies, simple yet pleasant stories with enough excitement and adventure in them to hook the reader. This is not great literature, but its a fun and quick read and gets kids reading. It also works well as a nice transition series for newly independent readers who aren't quite ready for Gail Caron Levine's well-crafted fairy books. If you have room on your shelves and are in need of fairy books (& who isn't) this is a decent purchase for many libraries.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: Meadows, Daisy
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: Choose Book Type
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780545851909
Price: 4.99
Faith the Cinderella Fairy
Faith the Cinderella Fairy
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 11, 2016
Review
Cinderella has lost her slipper again. Number 3 in the Fairy Tale Fairies has Rachel and Kirsty still trying to restore order to the world of the fairy tale fairies. Jack Frost has stolen the fairies magical items. And in order to set things right Rachel and Kirsty must find the items and return them to their rightful fairy tale fairy owners. Here Faith the Cinderella Fairy has had her magic glass slipper stolen. The ball will be a disaster if the girls don't find the slipper. This is written to appeal to girls (and some boys) in grades 2-4. And it hits the mark perfectly for the target audience. It is a fun, quick read full of all the froth and frills of a fairy tale land. Give to fans of the other Rainbow Fairy books and to the younger set not quite ready for Gail Carson Levine. A worthwhile series to purchase for many libraries. It's what kids want and it gets them reading. And they are decently priced. The only problem is most libraries don't have the shelf space for all of Daisy Meadows' fairy books.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: Meadows, Daisy
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,science fiction,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780545851954
Price: 4.99
Rita the Frog Princess Fairy
Rita the Frog Princess Fairy
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 11, 2016
Review
Jack Frost has stolen the Frog Princess fairy's magic mixing bowl. Chaos has come to the world of the Fairy Tale fairies. In order to restore things back to normal, Rachel and Kirsty must find the magic mixing bowl and return it to the Frog Princess fairy. Not only has it been stolen by Jack Frost, but now the goblins have hidden it. Will the girls find it before its too late? Oh no! Again, this title in the series is a quick, fun and frothy read for fans of fairies and the like. The target audience of girls and boys in grades 2-4 is well served with this title (and the rest of the series). It is kid entertainment at its silly best. Newly independent readers, those not quite ready for larger chapter books, and more detailed fairy related stories will enjoy this. Purchase where Daisy Meadows is popular. And where isn't she? This is a good purchase for fairy fans and reluctant readers.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: Meadows, Daisy
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780545851978
Price: 4.99
Gwen the Beauty and the Beast Fairy
Gwen the Beauty and the Beast Fairy
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 11, 2016
Review
Rachel and Kirsty have found four of the magical fairy tale items to their rightful fairy tale fairy owners. They only have three more items to go. In this installment Gwen, the Beauty and the Beast fairy has had her magic rose pin stolen. And Jack Frost will not give it up that easily. If the girls can't get the pin back Beauty and the Beast will never make it back into their story. This is a fun story that is written well and easy for its target audience. The target audience is girls (and boys) in grades 2-4 and anyone who likes fairy stories. Its a quick fun read for kids. Give this to fans of Daisy Meadows, to reluctant readers and to readers not quite ready for Gail Carson Levine. This is a worthwhile purchase for libraries in need of easier chapter books and those in need of fairy stories.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: Meadows, Daisy
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780545851985
Price: 4.99
Any Fin is Possible
Any Fin is Possible
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 31, 2016
Review
This is Walking Dead, or should I say, Swimming Dead for grades 3-5, told with an abundance of laughs and "horror" that the target audience will very much appreciate. And there is absolutely no gross zombie violence, only zombie humor. There are two stories for the price of one here. In "Curse of the Cat King" Tom & his friend Pradeep, & their zombie goldfish Frankie go to the museum for the History Museum sleepover. But their evil scientist brothers are out to wreak havoc on the museum and destroy the Egyptian exhibit. The boys, with the help of Frankie, dodge mummified kittens and risk being cursed by the Cat King. In the second story, "Sports Day", the boys and Frankie continue to do battle with Tom's evil scientist older brother Mark. This time they have to deal with Mark's vampire kitten Fang. Mark and Fang are out to steal the gold. There are lots of black and white illustrations peppered throughout the book. They are cartoonishly funny, but they don't really add anything new to the flow or understanding of the story. They represent particular aspects of the story. This is a funny, fantasy adventure story, with a dab of mystery, sarcasm and nefarious deeds. This is a perfect read for boys and girls who love silly zombie stories. And it is particularly good for reluctant boy readers. This series would be good for those readers who are having a hard time breaking away from reading anything but graphic novels, yet their parents/teachers want them to. This series has the feel of some graphic novels, full of humor and zaniness. Best for grades 3-5. Give to fans of "Dragonbreath" by Ursula Vernon, "Dr. Roach's Monstrous Stories" by Paul Harrison, or "Weenies" series by David Lubar.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
O'Hara, Mo
Illustrator: Jagucki, Mark
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,science fiction
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9781250063533
Price: 12.99
Bella Up, Up, and Away
Bella Up, Up, and Away
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 2, 2016
Review
Bella is not your typical cat. She would rather go on adventures than take naps. Bella steps out of her lighthouse home ready to have another adventure. She meets another cat named Claude, who would rather nap the day away. Bella tries to get him excited about adventures. But Claude soon falls asleep in a life raft and drifts out to sea. Bella tries to save him by flying out to him as she holds on to a kite. But she falls in the ocean and soon is on the life raft with Claude. Finally a dolphin tows them back to shore. The two share a snack in the lighthouse. And now Claude could really use a nap. Bella has made a new friend, but she is not sure of him as a fellow adventurer. This seaside story about friendship is okay. But it is the illustrations that carry the book. They are simply lovely. They are clear, bright and happy. Blues dominate. You are immersed in the sea and the sky. There are also muted shades of green, tans and such. The illustrations were rendered digitally with mixed media, hand lettering and Photoshop. They are simply beautiful. The is a great deal of text here so it may be too long to use in a story time setting. But it would work for one on one sharing or small group settings. Important words stand out in large font and different colors. Purchase where stories about cats and/or the beach are popular.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
O'Rourke, Ryan
Illustrator: O'Rourke, Ryan
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Harper
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780062218636
Price: 17.99
I'm Not Hatching
I'm Not Hatching
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 2, 2016
Review
Peep is a confident young chick who enjoys life. Egg, on the other hand, is afraid to even start life. He is fearful worry-wort and refuses to even hatch out of his shell. Peep is very encouraging and patient with him. She tells him about all the fun things they can do together once he hatches - watch the sunset, have blueberry muffin picnics, play, etc. But no matter what she says, the refrain from Egg is always, "I'm Not Hatching!". Finally Peep gives up and walks away. But Egg doesn't want her to leave him. Also, it is time for his story. He cracks out of his shell lickety split and catches up with Peep. She reads him his story and they have a blueberry muffin picnic. But Egg does not throw caution to the wind. He is still a bit of a worrier. So he dons a football helmet for protection. This subtle humor is a lovely touch. This is a simple story about friendship, encouragement and the fear of trying something new. There is minimal text. It alternates between two sentences and one sentence per page. Most of the words are simple and accessible to beginning readers. There is also some repetition. So this would work well as a beginning reader for kindergarten through first grade. It would also be wonderful as a read aloud in large and small group settings. Pair with "Big Chickens" by Leslie Helakoski, and "Interrupting Chicken" by David Stein for a rousing chicken-themed story time. Or pair with "Bear Feels Scared" by Karma Wilson, "Doghouse" by Jan Thomas, and "Elmer and the Monster" by David McKee for a story time about facing your fears. This book could also be used to begin discussions with little ones about what they fear and why, and what they could do to face their fears. The illustrations are bold and simple with thick brown lines and a palette of muted yellows, greens, oranges, and blues. I could not discern how they were created. The illustrations whimsically depict the action of the story, down to the emotion on Peep and Egg's faces. This is a most purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Gehl, Laura
Illustrator: Wan, Joyce
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780374301217
Price: 16.99
Aisha the Princess and the Pea Fairy
Aisha the Princess and the Pea Fairy
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 2, 2016
Review
Daisy Meadows is the James Patterson of Children's literature. She keeps churning out books that are not great literature, but that are wildly popular with her target audience. Here is yet another series under the Rainbow Magic umbrella. In this 6th title in the "Fairy Tale Fairies", Rachel and Kirsty must find the magic pea locket and return it to Aisha, the Princess and the Pea Fairy. This is a light, fluffy read for kids in 2nd through 4th grades. Daisy Meadows knows what kids like and she delivers. Great literature is important. But producing books that gets kids reading and enjoying it is just as, if not more, important. These books are well priced and fly off the shelves. Find it in your budget to get some for your library. It is worth it. These are also good transitional chapter books for children past the easy reader books, but not quite ready for more substantial chapter books.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: ,
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545851992
Price: 4.99
Lacey the Little Mermaid Fairy
Lacey the Little Mermaid Fairy
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 2, 2016
Review
This is the penultimate title in the Fairy Tale Fairies series. the girls have one more magical item to find and return - the magic scallop. Once this is returned to Lacey the Little Mermaid Fairy order will be restored and the fairy tale princesses can return to their own stories. This is very light reading for kids in 2nd-4th grade. It works on many levels. It is a good read for reluctant and struggling readers, boosting their reading confidence. It is a good transitional chapter book for children past the early reader section but not quite ready for more substantial chapter books. It is also just a fun, quick read about frilly fairies. What child wouldn't love that? Order where the series is popular.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Meadows, Daisy
Illustrator: ,
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545851961
Price: 4.99
May I Please Have a Cookie?
May I Please Have a Cookie?
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 4, 2016
Review
Alfie the alligator loves cookies. Who Doesn't? But Alfie doesn't know the best way to ask his mother for a cookie. He tries all sorts of tricks to steal one, including dressing up as the cookie "inspektor". But his mom won't be fooled. Alfie resorts to making his own paper cookies. His mother politely asks Alfie for one of his cookies. A light bulb goes off in Alfie's head. "Mommy, may I please have a cookie?" he finally asks his mother. And she gives him one gladly. This is a reissue in board book of a Scholastic level one reader. So of course it will work well as a beginning reader, if slightly older children don't mind being seen with a baby board book. There are 1-2 sentences per page, with repetition and child accessible text. The words are relatively simple and easy to see on the pages. The illustrations are colorful and cheerful. Purples, yellows, greens and blues dominate, with a splash of red on Alfie. This book could be used in a few different ways. It demonstrates good parent behavior in front of a child. Not only does Alfie's mom not lose her temper with Alfie, she also does not give in to his repeated poor choices on how to get a cookie. And she models the polite way to ask for a cookie without telling Alfie what he should do. She wants him to figure it out on his own. And he does. So this would be a good resource in parenting classes for a parent to read to a young child as a positive behavior for both parent and child. It could also be used as a talking point with young children on manners. And finally, you could pair this with Mo Willems' "Duckling Gets a Cookie?" and Karma Wilson's "Cow Loves Cookies" for a polite but rousing cookie themed story time. And perhaps even pass out cookies if the children ask nicely. This is for babies through 3rd grade for both reading and enjoying. Purchase where you don't have the level 1 version or where board book collections need a boost.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Morris, Jennifer
Illustrator: Morris, Jennifer
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Cartwheel Books
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: other
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545815024
Price: 6.99
Drive
Drive
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 4, 2016
Review
"Drive" will fly off the shelves. What baby/toddler doesn't love trucks? There is a nice twist in this truck book. This is also a simple story about a father who works as a truck driver but always comes home to his family. The text is simple and minimal. Usually partial sentences of 3-4 words per page. Not only is this a book for sharing with babies and toddlers. But it would also work well as a beginning reader. The words are simple and familiar to children. There is some repetition. And the text is minimal so young readers won't be overwhelmed. I don't know how the illustrations were created. But they are bold, clear,& simple. They depict the essence of the story. The only problem I have with the illustrations is about half way through the book. On one page the shading in the illustration makes the truck driver father look like a different person than portrayed throughout the rest of the book. That being said, it does not distract from the enjoyment of the book as a whole. And I doubt a small child would even pick up on the shading. This is a slightly larger board book than the average, so it would work well in a story time setting. The bold, simple illustrations lend themselves to easy viewing from a distance. It would also work well in small group settings and in one on one sharing. Pair with "Trucks: Whizz! Zoom! Rumble!" by Patricia Hubbell, and "Get to Work Trucks" by Don Carter for a truck themed story time. Teachers could also use this book in a pre-k and kindergarten class for a career day theme. This is a worthy purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Clement, Nathan
Illustrator: Clement, Nathan
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,realistic fiction
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: other
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9781629796925
Price: 7.99
Bears in the Bath
Bears in the Bath
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 4, 2016
Review
Bath time has never been so fun or silly. Father bear has the tub all ready for his 4 bear cubs who are no where to be found. One by one, they come in, each more smelly or dirty than the other. All four of the cubs are in need of a bath. And all four of them, most certainly do not want a bath. Father bear has his hands full trying to gather them all into the tub, with no success. Father bear is now in need of a bath himself. He hopes into the tub and has lots of fun with the bubbles and the toys. Finally all four cubs jump in the tub and join the fun with their father. The acrylic illustrations are cheerful and sweet. Pastel tones of blues, pinks, yellows and browns. They enhance the story and flow with the text beautifully. The story is cute. But any child could make up a complete story just by "reading" the illustrations. The rhyme flows nicely throughout the story. There are a couple of places where the rhythm seems to change beat from the rest of the story. It may be a bit off putting to the adult reader the first time reading. But it still has a nice rhyme and it is never forced. Kids will love listening to this happy rhyming story. And parents will identify with the trials and tribulations of getting their wee ones into the bathtub. Since this is an average size board book it would not work well in large group settings. It would be best as one on one sharing or small group settings. For babies & toddlers, birth through 3 years old. Bath time is a popular theme in children's picture books. This one is refreshing in that it depicts the father taking care of the children. Plus the illustrations are cute and the rhythm of the text is happy. This would be lovely as a gift with a teddy bear, and baby washcloths in a basket. For story time pair with "Tubby" by Leslie Patricelli, "Splish, Splash Baby" by Karen Katz. Purchase where board books are needed.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Parenteau, Shirley
Illustrator: Walker, David
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: other
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780763679460
Price: 6.99
Up
Up
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 8, 2016
Review
A strong wind blows a toy pinwheel into a young boy's bedroom. The boy grabs it. As his older brother and dog watch in amusement, the little boy is blown out into the sky where he meets a hen, a sheep, a cow, and a pig. The animals get blown back to the farm. And the little boy gets blown back through his bedroom window. That's about it. The text is very minimal, from no words per page to 3-4, at most. There is repetition, "I see...". And the animals named in the story are ones that most young beginning readers are familiar with. The digitally created illustrations depict (but do not enhance) the story. This could easily be a wordless picture book as well. Golds and greens dominate the illustrations. The animals, people and other things in the story are outlined in assorted scratchy line colors, giving things an almost out of focus feel. I did like the way the wind was depicted throughout the book - in swirly lines of blues. I have an issue with the story. A young boy gets blown out his bedroom window. And he meets several farm animals as they are all blown around in the wind. This is an unsafe portrayal to convey to young readers. Also, the idea that a toy pinwheel has the capacity to carry a child up and away in the wind may scare some children. It would have been safer and still be fun to portray all of the action in this book as the result of the boys' imaginative and creative dreams. That being said, I think that some kids may actually like the absurdity of this story. I would pass on this one unless your library is in desperate need of beginning readers.
Overall Book Score: fair
About the Book
Author:
Cepeda, Joe
Illustrator: Cepeda, Joe
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823436552
Price: 14.95
Pug
Pug
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 8, 2016
Review
Pug is snug inside on a snowy winters day. He looks out the window and sees Peg. Peg is just a human, so it seems. But now Pug will do just about anything to get outside to meet Peg. But he is a dog so he needs one of his humans to take him outside. Mom is busy reading. Dad just finished shoveling and doesn't want to go back outside. And Tad is still in bed. Pug finally gets Tad's attention by threatening to pee on his bed. Message received. So on goes the leash and Pug and Tad head outside. But now Peg is nowhere to be found. Then Pug hears her and goes right to her. Peg, as it turns out, is a female pug. And now both dogs are happy. They are together for a walk in the snow. This is a cute but brief story about puppy love. It is for very beginning readers in kindergarten and first grade or second graders who are struggling. The text is very minimal. On most pages there are only three word sentences. There is also lots of repetition of words and sounds. So this is a good confidence builder for very young beginning readers. The digitally rendered illustrations nicely enhance the story. The humans appear flat and emotionless. But you can see all of Pug's emotions, disbelief when his owners won't take him outside. Frustration and determination when he has to threaten to get his way. Joy when he finally gets out. Sadness when he can't find Peg. And finally happiness. The humans, on the other hand, seem void of emotions. But this is a story about pugs. This is an additional purchase. Purchase where easy beginning readers are needed or where you have fans of simple stories about dogs.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Long, Ethan
Illustrator: Long, Ethan
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823436453
Price: 14.95
Princess! Fairy! Ballerina!
Princess! Fairy! Ballerina!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 8, 2016
Review
The cover alone will have this book flying off the shelves. It is blue, green, pink and glittery! This is a story of three young friends who get together to play. Each girl has her own idea of what they should play. One girl thinks they should all play Princess! and all that that entails, including riding unicorns. The other girl thinks they should all play Fairy!. And that should include magic, fairy dust and flying frogs. The third girl thinks they should all play Ballerina! and that means lots of pretty costumes and applause. They cannot agree what to play and now the three friends are upset with each other. Soon it starts to rain outside. All the girls suddenly have the same idea. Off comes the wings, tiara, and tutu. They are soon playing Princess! Fairy! Ballerina! outside in the rain and enjoying the wind and the puddles. This is a wonderful story about friendship and compromise. The text does not rhyme, but it flows like a magical stream. The story is equally paired with the brilliant illustrations. The illustrations are beautiful, happy, and colorful. They do more than enhance the text. They add another dimension to it. The princess loving friend dresses in blue, the word princess in the text is blue, and the door of her house is blue. The fairy loving friend has green vines on her house, dresses in green, and the word fairy is in green. The ballerina loving friend dresses in pink, has pink curtains in her house, and the word princess is in pink. The text that goes with each of their characters is in the corresponding color as well. Each girl is given about three pages to convince their friends why they should play their particular game. The illustrations on those pages are even color coordinated to go with each girl's preferences. When they all go outside to play in the rain their green, pink, and blue combine together in the puddles. This illustrates that the girls compromised and are truly playing together. It is very subtle but effective. And despite the compromise each girl still manages to stay true to their own individuality. Brilliant. Young children may not pick up on all of this. They will be focused on the fact that this is a story about princesses, fairies and ballerinas. But the adult readers sure will pick up on it and enjoy the reading all the more. This will work wonderfully in any setting. Pair it with Jane Yolen's "How Do Dinosaurs Stay Friends" and Mary Lundquist's "Cat and Bunny" for a story time about friendship. It could be used in a classroom setting as an introduction to friendship and how to be a good friend. This is a first purchase for all libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Deeney Murguia, Bethanie
Illustrator: Deeney Murguia, Bethanie
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,realistic fiction
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780545732406
Price: 17.99
Pizza PieSnowman
Pizza PieSnowman
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: November 8, 2016
Review
What do you like on your pizza? For Pinky and his mother it is "mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, onions, peas." And that is what Pinky sings to himself throughout the book as he walks through town to order a pizza pie for him and his mother. Along the way Pinky gets completely covered in snow by some friendly and mischievous squirrels. He proceeds through town looking like a walking and talking snowman, unbeknownst to him. All he wants to do is remember to order the pizza the way he and his mom like it. He will not be dissuaded from his mission. The townsfolk begin to comment about the walking and talking snowman. Pinky begins to wonder about him too, but he can't stop. He is on a pizza mission for his mom. Mr. Mutton (a sheep), Mrs. Schnauzer (a dog) and a number of other creatures are very curious about this unique snowman. Finally Pinky arrives at the pizzeria and successfully orders the pizza. While waiting for his pizza the snow melts off of him and he is just Pinky the pink pig. On his trip back home with the pizza everyone asks him if he saw the walking talking snowman. And of course he didn't. Pinky and his mom enjoy their pizza in their warm home. Later they go for a walk into town hoping to see this walking talking snowman. This is a lovely and silly story. Not only is it about pizza. It is also about the determination of one little pig to successfully complete the task his mother gave him. It is also about family and community, friends and the importance of responsibility. This is not all conveyed in the text. A good portion is portrayed in the detailed watercolor, gouache and ink illustrations. From the squirrels dumping snow on Pinky, to a happy, bustling snow covered town and all of its inhabitants, to the baby pictures on the walls of Pinky's home. The illustrations are so detailed. Many children will be able to see that the walking talking snowman has a pink snout and is wearing yellow boots, but none of the townsfolk do. This adds another level of humor to the story. The only issue I have with this book, and it is a very minuscule one at best, is that the walking talking snowman actually resembles a white penguin (with a pig snout)in the way it seems to waddle through town. The text flows smoothly. It doesn't rhyme, but it doesn't need to. This story may be too long to read in a story time setting. But if you choose to do that, pair it with "The Pizza That We Made" by Joan Holub and "Hi Pizza Man" by Virginia Walter for a pizza themed story time. Also great in small group settings and one on one sharing. And perhaps use it in a classroom as a talking point for not being distracted and responsibility. Pinky is a refreshing protagonist. He is determined to do a good job for his mother. He doesn't want to let her down. He won't be distracted by friends, snow, the townspeople, anything. Pinky succeeds for him and his mother. Plus they get to share a really yummy pizza together. A first purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Gorbachev, Valeri
Illustrator: Gorbachev, Valeri
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823436545
Price: 16.95
Stowaway in a Sleigh
Stowaway in a Sleigh
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 12, 2016
Review
Mr. Furry Boots is in the house. That's what Slipper the cat calls Santa. She makes his acquaintance one Christmas Eve night when she hears footsteps in her house. She goes to investigate and there he is, Mr. Furry Boots, aka Santa. He shares the milk, but not the cookies, with her. Then he goes about his business of putting toys under the tree. As he finishes up, Slipper sneaks into his empty sack. What cat wouldn't want to investigate something like that? Mr. Furry Boots heads back to the North Pole, unaware of his stowaway. Slipper is discovered by Ms. Furry Boots. And she "let the cat out of the bag" so to speak. Slipper falls asleep on Santa's hat. The next morning she investigates the workshop. She discovers that they even make toys for cats. She even makes friends with the reindeer. But soon Slipper gets homesick and heads out into the snow for home. Luckily, Mr. Furry Boots finds her and gives her a ride on his sleigh. He delivers her safely to her own home. The stunning illustrations are rendered in pastels on paper. They are dark toned reds, blacks, & blues with splashes of other colors for Santa's workshop. The dark tones beautifully depict the Christmas Eve night sky and especially the dark red & black of the emerging sunrise as Santa makes his way back to the North Pole. There is minimal text. And the words are relatively simple so this could even work as a early reader for slightly older children. This would also be good for one on one sharing and in small group settings. This is a worthy edition to most libraries' Christmas collections.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Mader, C. Roger
Illustrator: Mader, C. Roger
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780544481749
Price: 17.99
A Unicorn Named Sparkle
A Unicorn Named Sparkle
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 12, 2016
Review
What little kid doesn't love unicorns? Even if they don't all have sparkly glitter and pink tails? Lucy, a refreshingly mixed race child, sees an ad for a unicorn for only 25 cents. Since she really wants a unicorn, she sends away for it. Lucy has it all planned out. She will name it Sparkle. It will be blue with pink hair. She will make it a daisy necklace, etc. When the unicorn delivery man finally shows up with her unicorn, Lucy is a bit disappointed. Sparkle is white with brown spots, rather small and has bucked teeth. Not to mention that he eats everything in sight, including Lucy's underwear. Sparkle misbehaves at school when Lucy tries to bring him for show and tell. He won't even let her ride him. This is not the unicorn Lucy paid good money for. She calls the unicorn delivery man to come pick up her unicorn. While she is waiting, Lucy bonds with her unicorn. Is Sparkle a unicorn or a goat? In the end it doesn't really matter to Lucy. They are now best friends. Welcome home Sparkle. I'm not sure how the illustrations were created. They are amusing & cartoon-like. One color is not dominate. Rather there is some yellow, blue, pink, black, etc. They make good use of white space. And they enhance the story perfectly. Everything that Lucy is feeling and thinking, not to mention what Sparkle is feeling, is perfectly paired in the illustrations with the text. The text is all over the pages, in a good way. It is paired with the illustrations in various ways to show the humor and action in the story. Some words are in larger fonts for emphasis. Good for one on one sharing and in small and large group settings. Pair with "I Wished for a Unicorn" by Robert Heidbreder and "Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great" by Bob Shea for a rousing and non-traditional unicorn story time. Lucy and Sparkle on all public library shelves.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Young, Amy
Illustrator: Young, Amy
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780374301859
Price: 16.99
You Are Not a Cat!
You Are Not a Cat!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 12, 2016
Review
Everyone has that likeable but annoying friend. Meet Cat and his annoying friend Duck. Duck thinks he is a cat and loves to meow. Cat, increasingly frustrated and irritated with Duck, tells him he is a duck and ducks say Quack Quack. Duck even attaches two leaves to his head so that he can have cat ears. Cat repeatedly tells Duck he is a duck and should go Quack Quack. And Duck repeatedly tells Cat he is a cat and goes Meow. Cat is at his wits end. Duck soon decides that he is a parrot and starts to mimic everything Cat says and does, thus infuriating Cat even more. There is quite a bit of humor depicted not only in the story, but in the illustrations as well. The illustrations were created with sumi ink washes, pen and pencil drawings, and assembled and colored digitally. There is lots of color. Green and blue dominate. But there are splashes of purple and orange as well. The illustrations are so well done. Note the amusement on the squirrel's face as he is watching Cat and Duck interact. And how Duck attempts to dress as a pirate parrot, not just a regular parrot. As it turns out, Duck just has a vivid imagination and loves to play dress-up. Cat's expressions are priceless. The text is all done in dialogue bubbles between Cat and Duck. The words are simple and direct, thus making this a good beginning reader for slightly older beginning readers. There are not many unfamiliar words. And there is quite a bit of repetition of words such as cat, duck, no, meow and such. This title would work well in large group settings. Young listeners will love to join in making the animals sounds and joining in on the refrains echoed by both Cat and Duck. Pair with Bernard Most's "Cow That Went Oink", Julia Donaldson's "What the Ladybug Heard" and Deborah Burss' "Book Book Book" for a noisy and fun animal story time. A first purchase.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Flake, Sharon
Illustrator: Raff, Anna
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Boyds Mills Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9781590789803
Price: 16.95
Pirate Jamboree
Pirate Jamboree
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
Ahoy mateys. Let your imagination loose. A group of neighborhood children are playing pirate and riding their bikes around the neighborhood. Suddenly they are on the high seas having pirate adventures. The children are now pirates - Blackbeard, Beigebeard, Sharktooth - to name just a few. They are gathering for their annual jamboree and hilarity ensues. Soon the pirates see the most fearsome ship on the sea, the S.S. Clean Your Room, with Mrs. Jones at the helm. All the pirates jump ship and run. All except one, Peg Leg, Mrs. Jones' son. It is dinnertime and all the pirate kids have to go to bed soon. Back to reality for now. The text is told in rhyming quatrains on most pages. It flows nicely, but falters a bit in a couple of places. Still, it reads well. And kids will enjoy the rhyme. The illustrations humorously depict and enhance the text. They are bold and colorful. I'm not sure how the illustrations were created, but they are trademark Teague, down to the same people and animals used in many of his other books. Pair with "No-Good-Do-Good Pirates" by Jim Kraft, "How I Became a Pirate" by Melinda Long, and "Shiver Me Letters: a Pirate ABC" by June Sobel for a rousing pirate story time. Purchase anywhere where pirate stories are popular.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Teague, Mark
Illustrator: Teague, Mark
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Oxford Books
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780545632218
Price: 17.99
Hooray for Today!
Hooray for Today!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
Night time is play time! At least for Owl it is. With her wagon in tow full of balloons, books (yes!), and other toys, Owl, who is not sleepy, sets out from her nest in the tree to find a nocturnal playmate. Unfortunately, she doesn't have much luck. Owl asks Elephant, Zebra, Turtle, Giraffe, and Lion. All say NO because they are all sleepy and want to go to bed. As the sun rises to a new day Owl goes home feeling a bit unhappy. Now, all her friends want to play. They are not sleepy, but wide awake. But since it is now daylight Owl says, "Not now, I'm sleepy." But once she has a nap Owl says "Hooray . Let's Play!" And so all the animal friends do The last page shows all the animals happily playing on Owl's tree with her. The illustrations are wonderful. Muted dark blue background for the night sky nicely depict an owl's world. There is a muted rainbow of other colors to depict the owl and her efforts to find a nocturnal playmate. And as daylight approaches the muted dark background slowly gets lighter, from dark blues through light blues to white for daylight. The text has a bouncy rhyme to it, as the bespectacled owl sets off to play with friends. "Hooray for today! I have my hat. Would you like to play?". Hooray is always in all capital letters and printed in a rainbow of colors so that it is the focus of each page on which it appears. All the animals reply to owl with the same refrain. "Not now. I'm sleepy!" And that refrain is in all capital letters for emphasis. In a market flooded with bedtime stories, this one is a stand out. It is unique in that it does not involve parents and the frustrations they can go through getting their little ones to bed. It focuses on friends and compromise. Pair with "Bear Snores On" by Karma Wilson and "A Book of Sleep" by Il Sung Na for a fun and sleepy story time. Excellent for one on one sharing, not just at bedtime, as well. A first purchase for most libraries. A first purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Won, Brian
Illustrator: Won, Brian
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780544748033
Price: 16.99
Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes
Pete the Cat and the Missing Cupcakes
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
Pete the Cat has another winner on his hands. In their trademark sing-song rhyme, Pete and his friend are baking cupcakes for a party. But each time they count them one disappears. Why is this happening!? Pete and his friends follow the clues. Squirrel did not take the cupcakes. He was at a spelling bee. It wasn't Alligator. He was learning his ABCs. And on it goes. The clues finally lead Pete and the other animals to Grumpy Old Toad. He readily confesses, "I could not stop with just one! I ate and ate 'til there were none!" His friends forgive him. Everyone makes mistakes. In turn, Grumpy Toad makes cupcakes for everyone. Pete the Cat's Cupcake Party is fun for all. This is not just another fun installment of Pete the Cat. This is also a story about friendship, forgiveness, and of course, cupcakes. It is also a nice little mystery for young ones. With the bright and happy pin and ink with watercolor and acrylic paint illustrations, and the nicely rhyming text, this would be perfect for large group story time settings as well as one on one and small group sharing. This book could also be used as an introduction to the concept of forgiveness among friends and the fact that we all make mistakes. Pair with "Pink Cupcake Magic" by Katherine Tegan for a cupcake filled story time. Purchase where Pete the Cat is popular.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Dean, Kimberly & James
Illustrator: Dean, James
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Harper
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780062304346
Price: 17.99
Richard Scarry's Busytown Treasury
Richard Scarry's Busytown Treasury
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
This is a nice collection of six previously released Richard Scarry books. The text and illustrations are the same as in the original releases. Included here are "Bedtime Stories", "Please and Thank You Book", "A Day at the Fire Station", "A Day at the Police Station", " A Day at the Airport", and "Nicky Goes to the Doctor". The last section has some fun activities for kids and parents to do together. This would be good for one on one sharing. This would also be an ideal gift for Richard Scarry fans. Also, if any of your well worn paperback copies of theses titles are in need of replacing, this edition would be a good one to purchase. All the characters from Busytown that parents and children know and love are here, fron Nicky the Bunny to Huckle Cat and so on. Not a first purchase, but if you have the budget for replacements this is worth it.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Scarry, Richard
Illustrator: Scarry, Richard
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Random House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780553538991
Price: 12.99
Owl Sees Owl
Owl Sees Owl
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
One night little Owl leaves his nest in the tree to bravely go exploring. Owl flies over the tree tops, houses, forest creatures and ponds. It is in one of these ponds that owl sees owl in the reflection. Thinking it is another owl, Owl is frightened and heads back to the safety of its own nest and family. Thus repeating the simple text in reverse order. The layout of the text was inspired by reverso poetry. (I learned something new.) There are four words per page except for where the owl and the story turn around and head for home. The text is beautifully constructed. It starts off with home mama brother sister and it ends with sister brother mama home. And in between the text reverses itself once the owl sees its reflection and heads for home. The illustrations are done in watercolor, colored pencil, ink, collage and digital media. The story is set at night so the illustrations are dark. Blues and black dominate with splashes of white, gold and green. With very minimal text and repetition of all the words, this could work as a beginning reader. It would work well in any setting - small and large group and one on one sharing. It could also be used in a poetry unit for older children as an example of a particular kind of poetry. Pair with "Owl Babies" by Martin Waddell and "Little Owl's Night" by Diva Srinivasan for an owl-themed story time. A first purchase for all libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Godwin, Laura
Illustrator: Dunlavey, Rob
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books
Book Type: Choose Book Type
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780553497823
Price: 17.99
Together
Together
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
Together is the key to happiness. That is the theme here. And it is especially true for a baby otter and his parent. Each day is special, dreamy, joyful, or perfect. These words also appear larger than the rest of the text to show their importance. Other important words that appear larger than the rest of the text include together, love, and remember. The digitally created illustrations are simple, bold and lovely. They are mostly muted pastels. Blues and greens dominate for the water with a splash of red and orange for the sun. Some silver is used as well for the water. The text is simple. there are one or two sentences per page. One page describes what kind of day the two otters are having. The next page describes why the day was good. The text and illustrations work well together in their simplicity. Due to its size, which is small, this book would not work well in large group settings. This is its only drawback. This is best for one on one sharing and small group settings. Pair with Emma Dodd's other books in this series for a smaller story time on family. Purchase where the series is popular.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Dodd, Emma
Illustrator: Dodd, Emma
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780763689407
Price: 12.99
Mr. Putter and Tabby Hit the Slope
Mr. Putter and Tabby Hit the Slope
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
Winter has set in and Mr. Putter and his cat Tabby are bored. Mr Putter remembers when he was a kid how much fun he had sledding. So he decides that that is what he and Tabby should do. Tabby is not thrilled at the prospect. But they enlist the help of their neighbor Mrs. Teaberry and her dog Zeke. All four bundle up and head outdoors to go sledding. Tabby is not happy about this at all and it shows. And things don't turn out as Mr. Putter had imagined. Tabby ends up zipping down the hill with Zeke on his sled. Mr. Putter is stuck with Mrs. Teaberry on her sled. Mr. Putter had wanted to share a sled with Tabby. But Mr. Putter still ends up enjoying himself a bit. But it was not as he remembered as a child. The moment that Tabby's sled stops, she darts of a tree in anger and frustration. She will only come down when Mr. Putter promises her muffins and cream. Mr. Putter and Tabby get home and each takes a warm bath in their own way. They then enjoy muffins and cream. They are worn out from the day's activities. They cuddle up together on a nice soft chair and take a lovely nap together. Now that is what I call fun. And Mr. Putter and Tabby would probably agree. The illustrations are done in pencil, watercolor, and gouache. They are colorful, cheerful, amusing, and simple and detailed all at the same time. This shows in the hammock in the snow to the detail in Mrs. Teaberry's garage. The illustrations also nicely depict the emotions of all the characters. This is never more evident than in Tabby's obvious fear and displeasure at having to go sledding. This is an excellent beginning reader. There are five chapters, as are in most of the 24 other titles in this series. There is some repetition of words and sounds. The larger font makes it easier to read. And the sentences are short and simple with accessible text. The illustrations flow nicely with the text. They even help to visualize the meaning of less familiar words, such as hammock and twitches. A first purchase for several reasons. If you have others in the series. If you have children who love cat stories. If you are in need of bolstering your beginning reader collection. And if you children who enjoy amusing stories.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Rylant, Cynthia
Illustrator: Howard, Arthur
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780152064273
Price: 14.99
The Jolley Rogers and the Ghostly Galleon
The Jolley Rogers and the Ghostly Galleon
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
All is not well in the coastal town of Dull-On-Sea. The full moon has appeared and that means a visit from a pirate ghost ship. This time gold and other valuables have disappeared all over town. Matilda, a young girl in town, is determined to solve the mystery and return the stolen treasure. Plus, she loves everything pirate. Her best friend is a pirate. And she didn't want the thieving ghost pirates to give pirates a bad name. So Matilda contacts her pirate friend for help. Soon the pirate ship the Blackhole arrives to help. Aboard is her best friend Jim Lad, his peg legged dog Bones, Jim Lad's baby sister Nugget and their mom and dad. What a fearsome pirate crew, not. Can Matilda, Jim Lad and the rest of the Jolly-Rogers solve the mystery in time? Or will they suffer at the hands of the ghost pirates? Find out in this rousing swashbuckling pirate adventure. It is packed with humor, mystery, sea shanties and good writing. There is even a glossary of pirate terms at the back of the book. The gray scale and black and white illustrations appear generously throughout the book. They provide the reader with a clearer understanding of the story as well as being humorous. And they provide a good break in the reading. This series is a nice combination of chapter book and graphic novel. It will please parents whose children are fixated on graphic novels and want them reading regular chapters books. And it will please children who just love to read graphic novel like books. This series is also a good transition chapter book for children ready to leave the easy reader section, but are not quite ready for more substantial chapter books. These books are under 150 pages and include lots of illustrations. The text is humorous and very child friendly. This title (& series) would also be good for struggling older readers. A quick, fun and enjoyable read for grades 3-5. Not a first purchase, but if your library is in need of pirate stories for younger readers not ready for the likes of the Vampirates series or Brian Jacques' series Castaways of the Flying Dutchman.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Duddle, Jonny
Illustrator: Duddle, Jonny
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Templar Books
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780763689100
Price: 6.99
Jolley-Rogers and the Cave of Doom
Jolley-Rogers and the Cave of Doom
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
This swashbuckling chapter book is the second in a new series. It was published simultaneously with the first title. In this pirate adventure, the Jolley-Rogers pirate family (Jim Lad, his sister Nugget and their parents) are enjoying the day at the beach. While there Jim Lad's family disappears into a cave. He enlists the help of his best friend Matilda and his peg-legged dog Bones. They must try to rescue his family before the magical pirate loot inside the cave holds his family hostage forever. As with the first title , this is a fun, enjoyable read for grades 3-5 and struggling older readers. It is a nice combination of regular chapter book and graphic novel. So it will please both parents and children. There is a generous amount of gray scale illustrations throughout the book. And the text is accessible to young readers. This is a quick, fun and enjoyable read for children who crave pirate stories and light fun mysteries. Purchase where pirate stories are popular.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Duddle, Jonny
Illustrator: Duddle, Jonny
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Templar Books
Book Type: Choose Book Type
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780763689094
Price: 6.99
Apple Tart of Hope
Apple Tart of Hope
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
Is Irish teenager Oscar just missing? Or is he dead? Would he kill himself? These are some of the questions his friends, family and townsfolk are asking themselves since Oscar's bike was found abandoned at the end of the pier. Meg, who is Oscar's best friend, doesn't want to believe that he is dead, let alone killed himself. He was always such a positive person, so encouraging to others. Plus he made the best apple pies. The chapters are titled as slices of Oscar's famous apple pies, the first slice, second slice,etc. And two distinct voices tell this tale set in Ireland. There is Meg, who is determined to find out what happened to Oscar, her best friend and first love. And there is Oscar, who is really alive, but in hiding. With both perspectives, the story unfolds to show us what happened to make Oscar feel that he needed to go into hiding and how clueless the adults in the story are to help. We also see Meg's emotions, her family life and how she feels about Oscar and what has happened to him. Oscar suffers relentless humiliation and bullying. But he never gives up hope completely. This is more than just a romance set in a picturesque Irish town. This is also a well-formed mystery, a friendship story, and a story about the effects and after effects of bullying. But more than this, it is a story of hope and resilience. The message is clear. Never give up or lose hope. This book deals with some weighty issues. It is a slim volume, but a must read. Give to fans of Jenny Hubbard's "And We Stay" and Jennifer Niven's "All the Bright Places". A first purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Fitzgerald, Sarah Moore
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,mystery,romance,realistic fiction
Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780823435616
Price: 16.95
The Memory of Light
The Memory of Light
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
This is a story of recovery. Vicky wakes up after a botched suicide attempt in the Lakeview Hospital Mental Illness Ward. Told in Vicky's first person narrative, we meet a group of teens at the hospital all grappling with some form of mental illness/trauma. We learn about their individual personalities and situations and how they interact with each other and the doctor who supervises their recovery and group therapy sessions. All the characters all well-drawn and likeable, even while dealing with some serious issues. You will root for their recovery. Some have hit lower than rock bottom. Some are dealing with a lot of guilt, depression, vulnerability and more. Critical events and her own recovery eventually send Vicky back home. Now she is on her own, without the support of the doctor or her fellow patients/friends. She must dig deep down and find her strength, courage, and bravery. That is if she thinks she has any left. In a flooded market of young adult books dealing with mental illness this is a standout because it focuses on recovery. Give this to students dealing with depression and other mental illnesses. It is a wonderful story and a wonderful discussion starter. Give to fans of "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia and "Weight of Zero" by Karen Fortunati. A first purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Stork, Francisco X.
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545474320
Price: 17.99
Traveler
Traveler
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 13, 2016
Review
Traveler begins soon after Seeker ends. There is more of a story here. Seeker spent a lot of time introducing characters and such. There was a lot of information to take in. Sometimes it was too much to keep straight. With this sequel the reader is able to enjoy the story and the individual characters more. The plot and the characters are solid and they really become well-developed in this wonderfully detailed story. There is also enough backstory and flashbacks here that allows for a good understanding and enjoyment of Traveler without having to necessarily read Seeker first. It can be read and enjoyed on its own if needed. But since this is the middle title in a trilogy and if you like the story and characters, some may want to start with Seeker. The three main characters are Quin, John (a former lover interest and now enemy), and Shinobu. All have trained to take the oath and become Seekers. Quin has just survived an epic battle against John, a former love. Quin is a seeker by birth, as are John & Shinobu. This is a noble, honorable and ancient role. But what Quin has learned about being a seeker now makes her realize it may not be that honorable. Her father was an abusive killer. Quin's uncle was a liar. Quin and Shinobu set out to discover the truths about this ancient role and the people involved in it. They search for answers in the past, seek justice. What they discover is a sinister plan that could destroy many, as well as deceptive alliances. There are weighty issues here. Abusive fathers, killings, Shinobu's drug addiction and more. The story is told from multiple characters points of views. So the reader gets a wide understanding of the action from many different sides. This is an action packed epic adventure and fantasy. There are many twists and turns to keep readers entertained and guessing. Give to fans of the Divergent series, Hunger Games series, and the Graceling series by Kirsten Cashore. The only drawback is that it ends with an cliffhanger and leaves you wanting more.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Dayton, Arwen Elys
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery,romance
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780385744126
Price: 18.99
27 Magic Words
27 Magic Words
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 16, 2016
Review
This is not a story about magic. There are no truly magic words here. At least not magic in the sense of conjuring. The magic may lie in the memories and coping abilities that the titular 27 magic words have for Kobi especially, and her older sister. Told from Kobi's point of view, this is a story of family, love, grief. self-perception, growth and hope. Kobi and her family have lived a pretty good life. Then her parents are presumed dead in an accident at sea. Kobi and her sister are sent to live with their affluent grandmother in Paris. Life is pretty good to the two sisters while in Paris. Then circumstances change and the two sisters are uprooted again. They are forced to live with an uncle in Iowa. He makes them live a "normal" life than what they are used to. For starters, they will go to public school. Through all of the turmoil and change the girls have had to endure, Kobi has been able to survive with a list of magic words that her mother left for her on post-it notes. They are ordinary words, but magic to Kobi. Words such as avanti and buoy have really helped Kobi. But at this new public school Kobi will need more than magic words to survive. She will need to adapt. But to survive and be somewhat popular Kobi resorts to telling lies. And soon the lies catch up with her. And in order to grieve properly and move on with life, Kobi must come to terms with her lies, lies that she may believe herself. Told from Kobi's imaginative perspective, the reader first sees Kobi's emotions and actions, then those around her. There is a lot hidden in this gem of a story. Well-written characters, grief, adults dealing with their own issues and sadness, Kobi's older sister's OCD, and Alzheimer disease, just to name a few. All of these issues/themes are dealt with realistically and with kindness. This book would be a wonderful choice for book group for tweens and teens to start a discussion on loss and grief. Recommended for grades 5-8 and mature 4th graders. A good purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Moranville, Shanelle Byars
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780823436576
Price: 16.95
School of the Dead
School of the Dead
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 16, 2016
Review
Avi is a prolific and excellent writer and storyteller. And he does not disappoint here. Toy and his uncle Charles are not only related. They are also very close and good friends. Uncle Charlie has always been a bit odd. He talks to ghosts for starters. Then Uncle Charlie dies and Tony is heartbroken. It was his uncle's wish that Tony attend his own alma mater, Penda School. So not only does Tony have to deal with the death of his uncle. He also has to start at a new school. Things start to get weird fast. Tony starts seeing and talking to Uncle Charlie's ghost. A student has disappeared. The school itself is full of dark rumors and an eerie atmosphere. The feel of death is everywhere. Is Tony safe? This is a well-crafted, spine-tingling story. There is mystery, suspense, scariness, ghosts galore. But within all of that, there is also a story of friendship, family and loss. Give to fans of Eva Ibbotson, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and Dan Poblocki's Ghost of Graylock. Purchase where Avi's books and scary stories are popular.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Avi, Avi
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Harper
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9
Binding Type: Choose Binding Type
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780061740855
Price: 16.99
The Poet's Dog
The Poet's Dog
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: December 16, 2016
Review
This story is filled with such sadness, but it is also filled with love, family, hope, loyalty and a bit of magic, as well as a touch of humor. A brother and sister are trapped in their car in a blizzard. Their mother has gone for help, but does not return. Alone, scared and cold, the two siblings are rescued by a dog named Teddy. Teddy too, has been abandoned, but in a different way. The three understand each others' language. Teddy is able to guide the two to the cabin in the woods that he used to share with the poet Sylvan. Sylvan has recently died and that is the reason for Teddy's abandonment. Teddy is alone. The siblings and Teddy take shelter in the cabin together. Since the brother and sister can understand Teddy, he tells them of his life. How Sylvan rescued Teddy as a puppy, how he loves poetry, and how Sylvan understood and talked to him. Sylvan was the one who told Teddy that only children and poets could understand dogs. But what will happen to Teddy when the siblings Flora and Nikel are rescued and go home? Will Teddy be left on his own again? This is a story of grief, loss, friendship and new beginnings. And of hope, always hope. MacLachlan has crafted another beautifully written tale full of heartfelt emotions. This book is under 90 pages long. The double spaced text has wide margins as well. It would appear to be a good choice for solid beginning readers. But this is not for the young. It may be a short book but it has quite an advanced vocabulary and deals with some mature issues like death and grief. Give to mature 3graders only with parental or teacher supervision, to discuss the themes afterwards. For 4th and 5th graders, and struggling 6th grade readers. Give to dog and poetry lovers and anyone in need of a heartwarming, life affirming magical read.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
MacLachlan, Patricia
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,realistic fiction
Audience: grades 4-6
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780062292629
Price: 14.99
Dragon Was Terrible
Dragon Was Terrible
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: January 10, 2017
Review
Dragon is more terrible than your typical fire-breathing dragon. This dragon steals candy from baby unicorns. He spits on cupcakes. And he even scribbles in books! The horror. The King has had enough and asks some brave knights to tame the dragon. They all fail miserably. And Dragon becomes even more terrible. He burns all the marshmallows in the village. The villagers have had enough. So regular folks try to tame Dragon. They all fail embarrassingly. And Dragon grows ever more terrible. He even burps in church. Finally a boy has an idea. He writes a story. Then he leaves a trail of marshmallows for the Dragon to follow. Dragon does and finds the boy under a tree reading his story out loud. The story is about a brave dragon and a terrible knight. The Dragon loves the story and soon is sitting calmly and quietly with the other children enjoying story time. Dragon has been tamed! The boy and Dragon are now friends. The King is happy. The villagers are happy. Even the baby unicorn is happy. This is a hilarious picture book about a very naughty dragon, some fed-up adults, a clever boy and the power of stories. It is written in a conversational style, complete with witty comments throughout about how terrible the Dragon really is and how fed-up the adults really are. The illustrations beautifully flow with the story. They are done in muted tones of oranges, browns and greens mainly. The illustrations are both simple and detailed in their presentation. You can see the exasperation and anger on the mommy unicorn's face when Dragon steals her baby's candy. You can see the knight's red heart boxers when Dragon pulls down his pants. You even see Dragon's graffiti on the castle walls. In the end it is the power of stories and books that soothes the beast. A lovely and important message about the importance of books. Also, in dealing with the dragon the adults are pictured with angry faces, battleaxes, maces, and swords. Yet in the end, a calm little boy thinks of a more positive way to tame the Dragon. He reads him a story. This shows an alternative, less negative way, of dealing with bad behavior in general. Perhaps teachers and caregivers could use this books as an introduction to positive ways of dealing with bad behavior. This book would work well in both large and small group settings, as well as one on one sharing. This is a sure-fire hit in any setting. Pair with "How to Dress a Dragon" by Thelma Godin and "There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight" by Penny Klostermann for a fun-filled dragon story time. A first purchase for all libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
DiPucchio, Kelly
Illustrator: Pizzoli, Greg
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780374300494
Price: 16.99
Unleashed
Unleashed
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
Luthor is at it again. The doberman is a retired attack dog who is now living with his human, Savannah. The two, along with their friend Griffin, get themselves into a heap of mischief. For starters, Luthor can't seem to suppress his guard dog instincts. Especially when it comes to a certain truck that frequents the neighborhood. And Griffin is locked in a battle against his enemy Darren to win an invention competition. Join Luthor, Savannah, & Griffin on this roller coaster adventure full of mystery, laughs and fun. The text is easy to read and very familiar and accessible to kids in 4th-6th grade. This would work well with reluctant readers as well. Give to fans of humorous mysteries and dog stories. This is part of a series, but this works well as a stand alone read. A good purchase for libraries in need of humorous stories or need to replace the worn out hardcover edition.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Korman, Gordon
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,mystery
Audience: grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545709378
Price: 6.99
Attack of the Dragons
Attack of the Dragons
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
Here is another avenue of adventure for the ubiquitous Geronimo Stilton, mouse newspaper editor, adventurer, & investigator. Here we delve into Geronimo's family ancestry. Travel back to a time similar to that of the Vikings. You will meet the same characters from all the other Geronimo Stilton books, only ancient versions of themselves. In this adventure the cook for Geronimo's clan is sick. While she is sick, the clan members cannot eat good food. Geronimo sets out to find a cure for the cook & bring it back to Mouseborg, where his clan lives. But on the way Geronimo meets up with some nasty, fire-breathing dragons. Not to mention some bitter frozen weather & other perils in the land of the dragons. Will Geronimo & his crew of misfits make it back safely to Mouseborg so the cook can once again make them all delicious stew? Or will the mousekings become toast at the "claws" of the fire-breathing dragons? This won't disappoint Geronimo Stilton fans. It has everything they've come to love about the series. There is lots of humor, adventure, cute mouse characters, & just the right touch of mystery & peril to satisfy young readers. Not to mention the fun & inviting layout of the book. The text has numerous words that are presented in a variety of fonts, sized, & colors. Young readers can also identify with the words: drooling, smelly, & smarty mousekings for example. This makes the text enjoyable & accessible to the target audience of 3rd-5th graders. The accompanying illustrations are equally entertaining. They are funny, bright, & colorful. And they nicely enhance the story. This book works on many levels. It is part chapter book & part graphic novel so kids who like reading nothing but graphic novels will be happy. Parents (& possibly teachers) who want their kids to branch out from reading nothing but graphic novels will be happy with the chapter book look of this book. It will also work for reluctant or hesitant older readers due to the fun, uncomplicated story loaded with equally fun illustrations. Purchase where Geronimo Stilton books are popular.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Stilton, Geronimo
Illustrator: Ferron, Facciotto &
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545872386
Price: 6.99
Camp Out
Camp Out
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
Mice are a popular device in children's books for many reasons. This book is a good example of why. Here the mice characters are cute, funny, adventurous, clever, loyal, & resourceful. This is a relatively new series geared toward 3rd & 4th grades readers, primarily girls. Herein lies its only weakness. Boys may be inclined to pass this title by on the shelves. Meet six mouse friends - Junebug, Hyacinth, Violet, Petunia, Tigerlily, & Cricket. Join they as they prepare for a camp out in the woods. They've packed everything they need. The troop is on their adventure. But soon they can't find their troop leader Miss Poppy. What has happened to her? The mouse scouts must band together and use their scouting skills to find Miss Poppy. Throughout the books pages from the Mouse Scouts Handbook are presented. This is a nice touch and a good way to connect the reader to the story. This is a sweet, funny, & quick read. The text is a larger font with wider margins so it is easier to read. The text & story are accessible to its target audience. The illustrations are black & white & are simple yet show the expressions on the mice faces. You get an idea of their individual personalities just from the illustrations. As previously mentioned the one weakness with this book is that it is obviously geared towards girls. So it limits its audience. But this is also an adventure/survival story, so hopefully some brave young boys(say, Cub Scouts) will read this and spread the word. Give to fans of animal stories & those not quite ready for Avi's Poppy series. A good purchase for libraries in need of 3rd & 4th grade chapter books and those where animal stories are in demand.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Dillard, Sarah
Illustrator: Dillard, Sarah
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Yearling
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780385756082
Price: 6.99
Snap of the Super-Goop
Snap of the Super-Goop
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
Kids who love humor & mild horror will enjoy this series. Alexander is the main character. He keeps track of monsters (real & imagined) in a special notebook. He sees monsters wherever he goes. His friends & fellow Monster Patrol club members Nick, Rip, & Dottie are concerned. But together the four friends battle the monsters & save their classmates & teachers at Stermont School. This is great for 3rd & 4th grade readers. The text is easy to read & rarely takes up an entire page. Zany black & white illustrations are on every page. They humorously enhance the story. Give to fans of the series My Weird School by Dan Gutman, Zack Files series by Dan Greenburg. A good purchase for larger libraries.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Cummings, Troy
Illustrator: Cummings, Troy
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Branches
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,horror
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545864992
Price: 499
The Science Fair is Freaky!
The Science Fair is Freaky!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
This will appeal to kids in 2nd-4th grades who like mild horror laced with lots of humor. The science fair is about to happen at Eerie Elementary. San, Antonio & Lucy are working together on their project. In the library they find an old book. Soon after this discovery crazy scary things start to happen. The school comes alive. Science projects explode. And a big erupting volcano appears in the gym. How will the three friends reign in this chaos? And what is the mysterious library book really all about? The friends must unlock the key to the book's powers & save the school. The target audience of 2nd-4th grade readers will enjoy this. Short chapters that are accessible in language & interest levels & lots of illustrations that enhance the story make this a quick sell to young readers. There is nothing new here. But kids will enjoy it immensely and it will get them reading. That is a good thing.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Chabert, Jack
Illustrator: Ricks, Sam
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Branches
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,horror
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545873680
Price: 4.99
Catnapped!
Catnapped!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
The puppy pirate ship, the Salty Bone, is crewed by a "fearsome" bunch of pirate puppies. There is Henry, the only human boy on board. Old Salt is the oldest and wisest dog. The rest are a bunch of young pups full of mischief. There is a tenuous truce between the puppy pirates and the kitten pirates. But one day they both dock at the same port. Some of the young mischievous puppies can't help themselves. They play a prank on the kitten pirates that involve a toy catnip mouse & barrels of water. The kitten pirates are not amused. They plan their revenge. Soon Henry & three of the puppy pirates are catnapped by the kitten pirates & held prisoner on their ship the Nine Lives. How will Henry & the three pups ever escape & get back to their own ship? Luckily a batch of catnip may help them escape. 2nd & 3rd grade readers as well as struggling 4th graders will love this. The font is large and the black & white illustration peppered are throughout. The illustrations are cute & depict isolated scenes in the story. They don't necessarily enhance the understanding of the story. But they do add a touch of humor. And the target audience will love them. The only weakness here is that the cats are portrayed as villains & in a less than flattering light. Some cat lovers may take offense. Give to fans of Puppy Place series & those who love pirate stories.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Soderberg, Erin
Illustrator: Cox, Russ
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Stepping Stone
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780553511734
Price: 4.99
Fala
Fala
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
This is similar to the Dear America series, only for dog lovers. It combines fact, fiction, history & above all oodles of dog information. This is based on a true story and told in the dog's first person narrative. Fala is a Scottish terrier who comes to live with President Franklin D. Roosevelt, who is referred to by Fala as the Boss. In this story we learn about FDR & his presidency, Scottish terriers, & World War II. Like others in this series, this can be read as a stand alone. This will appeal to strong 2nd grade readers up through struggling 4th grade readers. The story is written in a style accessible to its target audience. There is enough detail to make the story interesting & exciting, but not overwhelming. The way Fala tells the story also adds a touch of humor. The margins are wide. There are many illustrations throughout. This not only aides in ease of reading, but adds to the enjoyment of the story. For the most part the illustrations are an enhancement to the story. But many of them are too dark to fully enjoy. This does not distract from the story, however. The price of $7.99 for a small paperback, may dissuade smaller libraries from purchasing this book. But those libraries that do purchase it will not be disappointed. Give to fans of historical fiction and dog stories.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Klimo, Kate
Illustrator: Jessell, Tim
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Random House
Book Type: Choose Book Type
Genre: adventure,fantasy,historical fiction
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780553534900
Price: 7.99
Sparky
Sparky
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
Dogs & horses. What 2nd-4th grader wouldn't like this? As with others in this series, it combines history, fact, fiction, & lots of dog information. This is a special cross over/companion edition to the Horse Diaries title CinderS. In this title a young dalmation lives & works at a firehouse in 1871 Chicago. Told in Sparky the dalmation's first person narrative. This was a time when horses pulled the equipment to put out fires. And dogs were there to keep the horses calm. Sparky tells what it is like to work at a firehouse and help put out fires. We learn about Chicago of 1871 and of the infamous Great Chicago Fire of 1871. We also learn about dalmations as a breed of dog. This is an interesting story full of drama, history, & dog information. The text is easy to read & uncluttered. The illustrations are black & white & add to the enjoyment of the story. The only weakness is the $7.99 price for a small paperback book. It is worth it, but may be probitive to smaller libraries. Otherwise this is a fine addition to most library collections.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Klimo, Kate
Illustrator: Jessell, Tim
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Random House
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,historical fiction
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780553534931
Price: 7.99
Cinders
Cinders
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
This is a special crossover/companion edition to Sparky (Dog Diaries). Both Sparky & Cinders can be read independently of each other. Cinders is a spirited horse. She began her life as a farm horse. But eventually she ended up as a firehouse horse in 1871 Chicago. Things don't start out well for Cinders at the firehouse. But with the help of Sparky the dalmation, Cinders calms down & settles in to her new life as a fire horse. And soon she must help fight one of the worst fires in U.S. history, the Great Chicago Fire. Told from Cinders first person narrative, we learn what it was like to live & work on a farm and then as a fire horse in Chicago. We also learn about the Great Chicago Fire & the Chicago of that time. And we learn about the Percheron breed of horse. This is an engrossing read full of information, but simply told for its target audience of 2nd-4th graders. The text is uncluttered & accessible to its audience. The accompanying black & white illustrations add another layer of enjoyment to the book. They are detailed & clear. This can be read independently of its companion dog book, but it would make for a broader read to be read in conjunction with its companion. It would also add another level of perspective & storytelling. The $7.99 cost is well worth it, but may prevent smaller libraries from purchasing. This is a worthy addition to most libraries. It is good historical fiction with a twist. Give to fans of both Horse Diaries & Dog Diaries, as well as animal stories in general.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Klimo, Kate
Illustrator: Sanderson, Ruth
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Random House
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,historical fiction
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9781101936900
Price: 7.99
Little Penguins
Little Penguins
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
Nominating for Cream of the Crop. It starts with just a few snowflakes. And then five little penguins are excited for winter. They dress in mittens, scarves, socks, & boots and go out to play in the snow with their mama. The snow is so deep and they are having so much fun playing that they lose sight of mama. They soon find each other and head home. They get into their jammies and enjoy cookies and sippies. A happy snow day for a cute penguin family. This is a very sweet & simple story. The text is minimal, from one to four words per page. The words are relatively simple & accessible to young children. and there is some repetition of words so this would make a decent beginning reader as well. The illustrations are done in acrylic paint & cut paper collage. They are gorgeous in their simplicity and enhance the story beautifully. The illustrations are amusing, simple, & detailed all at the same time. Shades of blue dominate most of the pages with other colors providing even more detail. From the first page, where you see the "icy" floor of the igloo home to the kitchen scene at the end, the simple & detailed illustrations tell the story without words. There is a retro feel to the illustrations as well. This would work well not only as a beginning reader, but in large and small group settings and one on one sharing. Pair with "I Am Small" by Emma Dodd for a lovely penguin family story time. This is a wonderful story that is exquisitely illustrated. A must purchase for all libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Rylant, Cynthia
Illustrator: Robinson, Christian
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780553507706
Price: 17.99
I Don't Want to Be Big
I Don't Want to Be Big
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
The frog from "I Don't Want to Be a Frog" is back for another adventure. This time Little Frog informs his father that he does not want eat his dinner and he does not want to be big (grow up). And Little Frog can be very persuasive as to his reasons. For instance, Why grow up when I have a dad to carry me everywhere? I have big friends to reach up high for things I cannot reach. Think elephant. These are just two examples of Little Frog's reasoning. But Dad is just as persuasive as to why Little Frog shouldn't be afraid to grow up. And Dad is much more realistic than Little Frog. Dad points out that growing bigger doesn't necessarily mean you have to grow up completely. Then Dad jumps in a mud pile with his friend Pig and they have a blast. In the end Little Frog sees reason. He eats his fly & worm soup for dinner. Yummy. But then informs his father that he is never again taking a bath. Sequel!? This is a very humorous story that both children & parents will identify with. The illustrations enhance the text nicely. They are big, bold. The page with the tree frogs is especially eye popping. There is also just the right amount of detail in the illustrations, right down to the expressions on the frogs' faces. They are also quite funny. The text is all in speech bubbles of different colors, between Little Frog, Dad and Pig. The letters are all in different sizes and some of the words are in different colors. This book would be perfect in both small and large group settings. Story time topics could include both frogs and/or growing up/self-acceptance. This would also be nice as one on one sharing. Pair with the author's other title "I don't Want to Be a Frog", "Just a Duck" by Carin Bramsen, and "It's Not Easy Being a Bunny" by Marilyn Sadler for a self-acceptance themed story time. Pair with "999 Frogs Wake Up" by Ken Kimura & "Bee Frog" by Martin Waddell and any of Jonathan London's "Froggy..." books for a fun frog themed story time. Here's hoping there is a third book, "I don't Want to Take a Bath" in the works. Purchase where the first book is popular and where a happy, funny picture books are needed. A first purchase.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Petty, Dev
Illustrator: Boldt, Mike
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Doubleday Books
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9781101939208
Price: 16.99
Goodnight Everyone
Goodnight Everyone
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
This is a visual delight from cover to cover. Starting with the end papers. These are done in dark blue with a map of the planets and constellations. The illustrations were created digitally are done in vibrant, fluorescent colors of blue, reds, greens & yellows. And when the story introduces all the other animals that are sleepy it is done in varying size pages according to the size of the animal. The illustrations are simple in their presentation, yet brilliantly convey the story. In a market flooded with books about getting kids to sleep, this is a standout. The text is done in fuschia with some white. The story is lovely. Night is approaching & all the animals are sleepy. From the wee mice up to Great Big Bear. All except Little Bear. He is not sleepy at all. But Little Bear can't get any of the other animals to play with him. They are all stretching and yawning and ready for bed. But soon Little Bear yawns and stretches himself. All the animals are peacefully sleeping. Little Bear gets a great big goodnight kiss from Great Big Bear. Good night to all the animals. This is visually stunning as well as just a fun story. And it invites audience participation with all the yawning, stretching, & snoring. This is perfect for all group settings and as a one on one bedtime story. Pair with "Bunnies are Not in Their Beds" by Marisabina Russo, "Don't Let Pigeon Stay Up Late" by Mo Willems, and "I'm Not Sleepy!" by Jane Chapman for a non-sleepy fun story time. A first purchase for all libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Haughton, Chris
Illustrator: Haughton, Chris
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780763690793
Price: 15.99
A Fairy Friend
A Fairy Friend
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 6, 2017
Review
If you didn't know it, fairies are everywhere. They are riding dragonflies. Sparkle while you sleep. And frolic in the breeze when you play outside. This book even tells you how to make a fairy friend. You must build a very detailed fairy tree house. And be calm, among other things. This is a charming story told in rhyme. The illustrations are painted in watercolor & Photoshop and are done in mostly muted pastel shades. They are quite detailed and depict the text. There is an old fashioned feel to the illustrations. If you are expecting practical advice on how to build a fairy house you are out of luck here. For that consult Tracy Kane's books. But this is simply a lovely, whimsical story about fairies, an ever popular subject. A solid purchase where fairy stories are needed. Pair with Tracy Kane's "Fairy House" for a whimsical fairy themed story time.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Fliess, Sue
Illustrator: Keane, Claire
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9781627790819
Price: 16.99
Find the Constellations
Find the Constellations
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 16, 2017
Review
This is an updated edition of the 1954 classic. The updates mainly concern Pluto. Pluto is now considered a dwarf planet and therefore no longer considered as part of our nine planet solar system, that many of us learned as children. So the updated information on pages 56-59 now reflect that status. A very good definition of a planet versus a dwarf planet is given on the copyright page, which lead to Pluto's reclassification. Otherwise this is the same wonderful, exciting and information packed book we have all come to know and love. Everything you every wanted to know about the constellations, stars and even a bit about planets is presented here. this book shows you how to star gaze and what it all means. You don't even need a telescope to do it. The night star map illustrations are amazing. They first show you views of the night sky as we see it. Then the illustrations show the same night sky with lines connecting the stars to show the various constellations. It is simply wonderful. The text, although packed with lots of information, is written in a relaxed and familiar style that is accessible to children from grades 3 and above. This is perfect for amateur astronomers and star gazers of any age, but ideal for grades 3-7 astronomy buffs. There is a good index/glossary provided. Whether you need to replace an old worn out copy or have never had this in your collection, this is a first purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Rey, H.A.
Illustrator: Rey, H.A.
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Book Type: chapter book nonfiction
Genre:
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6,grades 7-9
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780544763425
Price: 9.99
The Stars
The Stars
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 16, 2017
Review
This is an updated edition of the 1954 classic. The updated information concerns the status of Pluto, which is now considered a dwarf planet and now not considered one of the nine planets of our solar system. There is also new and updated scientific information on the planets, stars, and constellations. There is an abundance of information packed into this book. First, the the night sky, stars and constellations are explained in relatively simple terms. There are also simple illustrations of the constellations, the old views and the new views. Next, the constellations are presented in wonderful detail, complete with equally detailed illustrations. Next there is a detailed examination of the stars. There are time and star charts, magnitudes of stars and constellations, various calendar charts of stars, star gazing via longitude and latitude and more. The final section of this book deals with planets, moons, planetary tables, the celestial clock, the zodiac and more. To round it out, there is a very detailed glossary/index along with a universal sky chart. This book is not just for children. It is for any astronomer, from beginner to expert. Knowledge and enlightenment are to be found within the pages of this book. This is a must for all astronomy/science collections, both juvenile and adult.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Rey, H.A.
Illustrator: Rey, H.A.
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Book Type: chapter book nonfiction
Genre:
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6,grades 7-9,grades 10-12,all ages
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780544763449
Price: 14.99
Fly Guy's Ninja Christmas
Fly Guy's Ninja Christmas
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 16, 2017
Review
This is the 16th title in the immensely popular Fly Guy series. And this one is just as humorous, silly and entertaining as all the other titles. This time Fly Guy is celebrating Christmas. Only he is doing it ninja-style. It is Christmas Eve and Fly Guy is enjoying a bedtime story, complete with milk and cookies, with his best-friend and human boy Buzz. Later in the evening, there is a red-suited intruder in the house. Fly Guy uses his ninja skills to protect Buzz and the rest of the family. Fly Guy has unknowingly attacked Santa Claus. But he soon makes things right with the jolly big guy. And all ends well by Christmas morning. Fans of this popular easy reader series will not be disappointed. The familiar zany and colorful illustrations humorously depict Buzz and Fly Guy's antics. The same easy to read text will be enjoyed by 1st and 2nd graders. Words such as "thwak", "ninjazzz", and "surprizzz" may confuse some younger brand new readers so this may not be the best choice for them. But this would make a lovely read aloud for the same younger readers, as well as one on one sharing. Purchase where Fly Guy is popular. And for libraries in need of new and silly Christmas stories.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Arnold, Tedd
Illustrator: Arnold, Tedd
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Cartwheel Books
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545662772
Price: 6.99
The Taken
The Taken
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 16, 2017
Review
This is a paperback reissue of the first title of a popular new animal fantasy series. The author is part of the pseudonym Erin Hunter, responsible for the Survivor series. In this series, foxes are the topic. Isla is a young fox who lives on the outskirts of a human metropolitan area. One day Isla returns to her den to find it destroyed, her family missing, and surrounded by mysterious and unfamiliar foxes. Isla flees for her safety and is thrust into the metropolitan world of the humans. She has to navigate that world, while be chased and hunted by unknown foxes. Isla discovers her mysterious and magical power of cunning. She then meets a dog who is not what he seems. What has happened to Isla's family? What will become of Isla? The magic and mystery only deepen. For grades 4-7. This is a detailed and magical world of foxes, some of whom are part of the Taken. There are various alliances, shape shifters, and danger and mystery around every corner. Give to fans of the Warriors and its spin off series all by Erin Hunter, Guardians of Ga'Hoole, and Wolves of Beyond series, both by Kathryn Lasky. Perfect for readers not quite ready for the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. The ending will leave you excited for the next installment. A good purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Iserles, Inbali
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery
Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780545690829
Price: 6.99
Here Comes the Shaggedy
Here Comes the Shaggedy
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: February 18, 2017
Review
If you are a Goosebumps fan, you will eat this up, so to speak. This is another sub-series within the plethora of Goosebumps books. There is nothing new here. Just familiar and disgusting monsters pitted against unsuspecting adults and their more aware children. The children are aware of the monsters and the danger they present and try to convince the adults. In this installment a scientist moves himself and his two kids to the Florida swamps. A gross and disgusting monster dwells there - the shaggedy. And he soon makes his horrifying presence known to the brother and sister pair. Can they convince their dad to move before it is too late? Purchase where Goosebumps is popular.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Stine, R.L.
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Scholastic
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,horror
Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6
Binding Type: paperback
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780545825474
Price: 6.99
Super Rawr!
Super Rawr!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 9, 2017
Review
What child doesn't like super heroes and dinosaurs? This book has them both. It is career day at school and Rawr the dinosaur is excited. His classmates, all human children, come dressed as doctors and chefs and such. But Not Rawr. He comes dressed as a super hero. The story is told from Rawr's first person (or first dinosaur) perspective. The text doesn't rhyme, which is fine. There is only one simple sentence per page. There is some repetition of words and sounds. And except for maybe a couple of words, the text is pretty simple and accessible to somewhat experienced beginning readers. The illustrations are simple, uncluttered and straight forward. They depict the text, but that is all. This would work as a beginning reader as well as in small and medium group settings. Pair with Karma Wilson's "How Do Dinosaurs Go to School" for a dinosaur/school themed story time. This could also work as a very basic introduction to possible future career choices for preschoolers and kindergartners. Most kids will enjoy this book. But in a market overflowing with dinosaur picture books, this is nothing special. I have an issue with the cover. It is a touch and feel cover which leads me to assume that there will be a touch and feel element to the contents. That is not the case here. So not only is the cover deceptive, but pointless and unnecessary. A regular cover would have been more appropriate. Purchase where there is a dire need for dinosaur picture books. Not a first purchase.
Overall Book Score: fair
About the Book
Author:
Doodler, Todd H.
Illustrator: Doodler, Todd H.
Illustration Quality: fair
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780545799690
Price: 12.99
Ninja Bunny Sister Vs. Brother
Ninja Bunny Sister Vs. Brother
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: May 9, 2017
Review
A group of bunny friends will stop at nothing to get the Golden Carrot of Awesomeness. Said carrot is heavily guarded by a thick tangled maze of greenery surrounding it. But that is no match for the ninja bunnies. They think they are the only ones brave and clever enough to get the gigantic carrot. Unfortunately, Ninja Bunny's little sister wants to join in the fun and be a ninja bunny too. The other bunnies want nothing to do with this. Little sister will only get in the way. But mom bunny makes them play with little sister ninja bunny. So the group sets off on their quest for the Golden Carrot of Awesomeness. They soon locate it on Mr. McGregor's farm. The bunnies employ their ninja skills to get at the carrot. But the ninja bunnies ninja skills fail them and they are left on the edge of the tangled maze defeated and exhausted. In the meantime, little sister ninja bunny expertly crawls through the thick maze of greenery right up to the grand carrot. It is perfect. Baby sister single handedly gets the giant carrot and rolls it home. Big brother now agrees. Little bunnies can be super awesome ninjas! Hi-yah! This is a brilliantly executed book. The text is humorous and well written. It is done in a variety of colors, sizes and fonts, for entertainment and emphasis. The text is paired well with the illustrations. And the humor is natural and is in both the text and illustrations. The illustrations are done in ink and watercolor. They are bright and bold. No one color really dominates. There is also very effective use of white space. The little sister ninja bunny is done in a red ninja outfit. So she stands out nicely from all the other ninja bunnies, as it should be. The illustrations are simple yet they show just enough detail and humor to beautifully enhance the story. This book could be used in many different ways. Pair it with Candace Fleming's "Muncha Muncha Muncha" for a funny story time resourceful bunnies and vegetables. Or pair it with "Crunch Munch Dinosaur Lunch" by Paul Bright for an animal brother/sister themed story time. This would work well one on one or in any size group setting. This is a winner of a picture book. Hilarious text paired with perfect illustrations, cute bunnies, ninjas, and an awesome carrot. A sure fire hit. Never underestimate little sisters! A first purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Olson, Jennifer Gray
Illustrator: Olson, Jennifer Gray
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780399550744
Price: 16.99
Otter Let's Go Swimming
Otter Let's Go Swimming
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
Ironically, this is a story about an otter who can't swim and is afraid of the water. Otter and his human keeper go to the beach. Otter dons all the appropriate gear: floaties, swim fins, etc. He looks quite ready and quite amusing. But he finds every excuse not to go in the water. Both Otter's stuffies, Giraffe and Teddy are afraid. Finally Otter admits that he is scared. His keeper helps him through his fears in a gentle, kind and patient manner. Soon Otter, his stuffies, and the keeper are all enjoying themselves in the ocean water. And Otter is even swimming without floateis and he is very good at it! The text is simple, declarative, and accessible to comfortable beginning readers. There are only one to two sentences per page, with a nice amount of repetition. The illustrations are done in greens, blues, browns, yellows and reds, against a white background. They are clear and simple and depict the text nicely. This enables the reader to better understand the story. This is not just a story about going to the beach. This is also about overcoming fears and the patience of friends and/or adults. This story would work well as a discussion starting point for young children to face and overcome their own fears of swimming and the water. It also shows the wonderful effect a calm and reassuring adult can have on a potentially traumatic situation for a child. A worthy purchase for most library collections, especially those in need of beginning readers.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Garton, Sam
Illustrator: Garton, Sam
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Balzar+ Bray/Harper Collins
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780062366641
Price: 16.99
The Cat Book
The Cat Book
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
The reader is invited to interact with the big, cute orange cat in this book. From waking him up and petting him to drying him off when he gets wet. It is a simple and declarative story that can potentially teach a small child some of the basics to properly caring for a cat. However, two tasks the reader is asked to assist the cat with are a bit off-putting when first read. But when you think about it, it is a normal part of owning a cat. Just perhaps not the responsibility of a small child. The first task is when the cat gets fleas and the reader is asked to squish them with their fingers. The second task is when the cat tries to eat a bird. The reader is asked to pry the bird out of the cat's mouth. This may give some people pause reading these parts in a story time setting. But, again, these are two important aspects of owning a cat. Perhaps they would make good talking points to engage young children who are desperate for a kitten. The last pages of the book has the reader putting the cat to bed. Sleep tight. The text is matter of fact. It explains a situation and then asks something of the reader. The explanation part is in black lettering. The reader's action is in green lettering. Otherwise, orange is the dominant color, which is the cat. The cat is always on a white background with a splash of color depicting that page's particular event. For example, there is a puddle of blue denoting the cat being wet. The illustrations were created digitally. They are simple and bold, with everything in thick black outline. This book is small so it would work best in small group settings or one on one sharing. Pair this with Viviane Schwartz's "There are Cats in This Book" (another wonderfully interactive cat book" for an amusing cat-themed story time. I so wanted to recommend this for COC, but squishing fleas and the potential bird lunch for the cat really could have been depicted in a different manner. Otherwise a story with a big orange cat in it is usually a hit. Not a first purchase. But any collection in need of cat stories should consider purchasing this.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Borando, Silvia
Illustrator: Borango, Silvia
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Candelewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780763694722
Price: 9.99
Bunny's Book Club
Bunny's Book Club
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
I want to join Bunny's book club! What an exciting, wonderful, magical and fun club. Bunny's love of books began when he listened to story time outside by the library. But once summer was over, story time moved back into the library. Bunny was deprived of his books and stories. He loved then and needed them. Oh no! No more books for bunny. So Bunny devices a way to get into the library at night when it is closed. When he finally gets into the library, "It was better than a field of fresh, crunch carrot". What a great line. so through the book drop he goes and out of the book drop goes Bunny's selection of books. He takes them home and reads them. And he does always bring them back for more. Bunny's animal friends soon begin to love the books too. Soon all the animals are caught red handed at the library by the kind librarian. She issues each of the animals I library card so they can take out books properly. (I'm glad they aren't stealing anymore. That would be a bad example to read to children at story time.) The final, double paged spread illustration is simply joyous. All of Bunny's friends - Bear, Raccoon, Porcupine, Mouse, Squirrel and more- are pictured lounging comfortably at Bunny's home, reading before a fire and enjoying tea and muffins. How lovely. The illustrations are a joy to behold. They appear to be partly rendered in watercolor. The colors are muted and varied, with lots of greens, blues and browns. They are wonderfully detailed, down to the seeds in the flowers and the night scene of Bunny with his flashlight to the joy on the animals faces. Especially the one of the Porcupine hugging his book. The text flows through the book. It is lovely, descriptive and floats off the reader's tongue. Text and illustrations are beautifully matched. They are equal in their importance to the book. Even the front leaves of the book get in on the theme. It shows an old fashioned library due date pocket, with bunny and all his friends names on the card, showing that they all checked out the book. This is a beautiful homage to the joys of reading and libraries. Pair with "Book! Book! Book! by Deborah Bruss and Emily Gravett's "Agian!" for a bibliophile story time. This would be great for group sharing and one on one sharing. It would also make for a sweet gift for everyone, no matter their age, who loves reading and libraries. This might even inspire young listeners and readers to start their own book clubs with their friends. A must purchase for all libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Silvestro, Annie
Illustrator: Mais-Wyss, Tatjana
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780553537581
Price: 17.99
Peeper and Zeep
Peeper and Zeep
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
Peeper is a small bird who falls and brakes his wing. At the same time Zeep the alien falls and breaks his spaceship. They are both lost. Soon they meet up and become friends. They arrive at Frog's home. He tries to help them, but he never seems to get it right, no matter how hard he tries. Then all three work together to make Peeper and Zeep a home until they can be rescued. Soon Peeper's family and Zeep's family find them. The last page shows both families, and Frog, happy together in the home that the three friends built together. The illustrations were done with ink and digital coloring. Shades of blues, greens and yellows abound. There are both double paged spreads and single ones, depending on the action. The illustrations are happy, simpls and expressive. They depict the simple and accessible text nicely. Young beginning readers should enjoy this. The text is straight forward, accessible and has a good amount of repetition. This is a lovely story about friendship, not giving up, teamwork and rediscovering home. This is a solid beginning reader for kindergarten through second grade. It can also work as a basic introduction to teamwork, problem solving and friendship. A first purchase for most libraries and any library in need of early readers.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Gudeon, Adam
Illustrator: Gudeon, Adam
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy,science fiction
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823436743
Price: 14.95
Pip Sits
Pip Sits
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
Pip the porcupine does not like to sit still. He likes to explore and play. So while mom sits and reads, Pip goes off to play. Soon, Pip becomes a mother duck. At least that is what happens when Mother Duck asks Pip to sit on her eggs while she goes out for a bit. The eggs hatch and all the ducklings think that Pip is their mommy. They follow him around in the most amusing ways. Soon, however, the ducklings are drawn to the water. Pip does not like water. The ducklings get in the water and soon find their really mommy. Pip cries for his own mommy who soon appears and hugs him. Everyone is happy. The illustrations are done in watercolor, gouache and colored pencil. They are done in greens, yellows, blues and oranges mainly. They are full of detail that nicely enhance and flow with the story. The text is simple and very accessible to young readers, with relatively simple words and short sentences. There is also a good amount of repetition. This title is a good addition to the I Like to Read umbrella of books. Some children may identify with Pip's wiggly tendencies, as well as the happiness he feels when he sees his mommy. Purchase where collections are in need of early beginning readers.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Morgan, Mary
Illustrator: Morgan, Mary
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Holiday House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780823436767
Price: 14.95
A Cat Named Swan
A Cat Named Swan
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
Life on the streets can be tough, especially for an abandoned kitten. But this little kitten managed to survive. He found enough food to eat. He avoided the many dangers of a street life. One day his luck runs out and the kitten is taken by Animal Control to a shelter. He is safe and he thinks, "Boredom is better than misery". Soon the kitten is adopted by a kind and loving family. Although the kitten doesn't know this yet. He doesn't know what to expect. The family names him Swan. Slowly, Swan explores his new home and the outside surroundings. He gets more and more comfortable with his new family, including the dog. Soon, Swan realizes he is safe, loved and has a forever home with a kind, loving, indulging and caring family. And Swan even has a chance to cause a bit of mischief on the dog. Swan transforms from a woeful street cat to a playful, joyful and cuddly cat. This is a truly lovely story about how wonderful and important it is to adopt a cat from the shelter. The text is simple, straightforward and flows through the life of this kitten and into his new family. Rhyming text is not necessary here. The story and text speak for themselves. I'm not sure how the illustrations were created, but they are done in shades of browns when the kitten is abandoned and the streets and fending for itself. But when he is sent to the shelter and then adopted more color seeps into the story. Now there are happy colors of blues, reds, yellows and greens. The text and illustrations are matched perfectly. This is a great book to use in a unit for preschoolers through second graders on adopting a family pet. Pair with "The Lost Kitten" by Lee and "Pick a Pup" by Marsha Wilson Chall for a story time about animal adoption. Perhaps even round it off with a visit by your local animal shelter. This could also be paired with any number of cat or kitten stories for a feline story time. Say "Itty Bitty Kitty" by Joan Holub and "Kittens! Kitten! Kittens!" by Susan Meyers. This is a first purchase for most libraries, for general collections and feline collections.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Hobbie, Holly
Illustrator: Hobbie, Holly
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Random House
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,realistic fiction
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780553537444
Price: 17.99
How Do Dinosaurs Choose Their Pets
How Do Dinosaurs Choose Their Pets
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
Apparently dinosaurs want pets just like human children. In Yolen's trademark style, it is asked if the dinosaurs would steal their pets from a zoo, choose dangerous pets, not listen to their parents about it, etc. The dinosaurs can be very naughty in their pursuits of getting a pet. But would dinosaurs really act like that? No, of course not. They would choose their pets wisely and safely. They would even care for them and train them properly. The dinosaurs would get their pets from pet stores, farms or the shelter. And not steal them from the zoo. I was disappointed that the author mentioned pet stores as a viable place to get a pet. It would have been nice, and perhaps more responsible, to suggest that the best place to get a pet is to adopt from the shelter, considering the rate of homelessness and abandonment of cats and dogs. The rhyme isn't as fresh and flowing in this title has it has been in previous titles in this popular series. But I don't think that children would notice. Teague's trademark illustrations are still wonderfully amusing and detailed. They depict the mischievousness of the dinosaurs and the situations with humor and absurdity. I'm not sure how the illustrations were created, but they enhance the text exponentially. In this title, they shine a bit brighter than the text. Pair with "Dogosaurus Rex" by Anna Staniszewski for an amusing dinosaur pet story time. Purchase only where the other "How Do Dinosaurs..." books are popular. Not a first purchase.
Overall Book Score: good
About the Book
Author:
Yolen, Jane
Illustrator: Teague, Mark
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Blue Sky Press/Scholastic Inc.
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9781338032789
Price: 16.99
Mommies are Amazing
Mommies are Amazing
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
Whether they are human, or in this case feline, mommies definitely are amazing. Here, rhyming text simply states the many ways that feline moms are amazing. Mommies are magic, joyful, fearless, etc. Each double paged spread depicts a different mommy cat and her kitten with a different amazing reason to accompany each illustration. I do not know how the illustrations were rendered, but they are done in shades of browns, yellows and grays against a light cream background. The illustrations lovingly portray the text, with enough detail that the reader can almost feel the kitten's love and comfort as he snuggles into his mommy. This is a perfect choice for group or one on one sharing. It would also work well as a beginning reader for slightly more experienced beginning readers. For the most part, the words and sentence structure are simple and accessible. This book works well on many levels. First of all it is a book about cats, a popular subject for many children (and this adult". Also, mommies are shown to be many things that children need and identify with - protecting, playing, cuddling, tender and more. Pair with "Kitten's First Full Moon" by Kevin Henkes and "Kitty Cat, Kitty Cat are You Going to Sleep?" by Bill Martin for a sweet and calm kitty story time. Or pair with "A Special Day for Mommy" by Dan Andreasen for a lovely story time, perhaps for Mother's Day. This title joins it's companion "Daddies are Awesome", which was published in May of 2016. A first purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Costain, Meredith
Illustrator: Lovsin, Polona
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9781627796514
Price: 16.99
Rex Wrecks It!
Rex Wrecks It!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
It is impossible not to like a story with a be-speckled robot, a unicorn bunny, a cute monster, and a naughty T-Rex. Such are friends Gizmo, Sprinkles, Wild and Rex. The first three friends play nicely together. They have fun and are respectful of each other. They all like to build things. But now matter what they build, Rex always wrecks it. The three friends are upset and frustrated with Rex. They try everything to stop Rex from wrecking. But still they like Rex and want to help him. So all four friends build something together. Rex helps out and behaves while they are building this awesome creation. It is so big and strong and great that they think that even Rex can't wreck it. But once it is built the friends all look at each other and decide that it is just as much fun to wreck things together as it is to build things together. And they all pile on and happily wreck their "awesomerific" creation. This is a lovely story about friendship, patience, differences and working together. Pair with "Tyrannosaurus Wrecks" by Sudipta Bardham-Quallen for a naughty dinosaur story time. Or pair with "David Gets in Trouble" by David Shannon and Todd Parr's "Do's and Don't s" for a beginning introduction on bad behaviors and how to positively remedy them. A first purchase for most libraries. Especially where board book collections are popular and need reinforcing.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Clanton, Ben
Illustrator: Clanton, Ben
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Candelewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: other
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780763693084
Price: 7.99
Find the Dots
Find the Dots
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
It is difficult to categorize this book. It is a counting book. It is a learn your colors book. It is a unique and interactive experience. The reader is invited to find, identify and manipulate a progressively larger amount of colors, dots, and/or pages. This is done by turning, twisting and bending pages and flaps accordingly. The colors of the dots are simple and vivid. But some of the hues may be difficult for children to detect. Think pink and orange. This is an amazing book. But I am not sure who the intended audience is. It is best suited for one on one sharing. If you a brave enough to get it for a public library, it should be used only under supervision from the librarian during a story time. If you buy this book for the general collection it would be disastrous because it invites the reader to manipulate the pages in various ways. The shelf life would be one check out, if that. This is not a suitable purchase for a library. Stick with Herve Tullet's "Press Here". It would work best as a gift for someone who likes interactive books.
Overall Book Score: fair
About the Book
Author:
Mansfield, Andy
Illustrator: Mansfield, Andy
Illustration Quality: good
Publisher: Candlewick Studio/Candlewick Press
Book Type: picture book nonfiction
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: fair
ISBN: 9780763695583
Price: 15.00
Hooray for Fish!
Hooray for Fish!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 17, 2017
Review
Hooray for fish, indeed. Told in rhyming text, we follow Little Fish as he introduces us to all his fishy friends. The text is simple, from happy fish to scary fish and everything in between. There is also a lot of repetition. Some of the rhyme is reminiscent of Dr. Seuss, but in a subtle way. It is happy, silly and inviting. Children will love to meet each and every fish. The best fish is saved for last, though. Mom fish closes out this joy of a picture book. A happy ending to a happy book. The illustrations are clear and bold. They were done in gouache and hand lettered by the author. They are vivid against blue hued backgrounds. The illustrations and text meld together well. This is a fishy book, a counting book, a color book, and even a beginning reader book for slightly more experienced beginning readers. Pair with Audrey Wood's "Ten Little Fish" for a fishy story time with parental ties. This book was originally published in hardcover and is now issued in board book format. Even if you have the hardcover edition, I strongly recommend purchase of the board book format as well. Younger children will love this. A first purchase.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Cousins, Lucy
Illustrator: Cousins, Lucy
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Candelewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: other
Binding Quality: good
ISBN: 9780763693527
Price: 8
Cheep! Cheep!
Cheep! Cheep!
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 19, 2017
Review
Pretty much, any book that Sebastien Braun does is good. And this one is no exception. Part of the "Can You Say it, Too?" series of lift the flap board books, this title has sturdy, big, recessed flaps. That being said, life the flap books don't have a long shelf life on library shelves. But the sturdiness of this one may make it last a bit longer. The illustrations were created digitally. They are bright and happy. They depict a variety of springtime animals guessing who is making noises under the flap. And it is always the baby version of that particular animal. Chicken wonders who is under the flowers. Cheep! Cheep!, it's a baby chick. And so on. There is no story here. Just five different animals discovering their mini-me's under flaps. It is a simply written and nicely illustrated springtime, or anytime, book. It could also work well as a new beginning reader, with accessible and simple words and only one sentence per page. A worthy purchase for any board book collection and where other books in this sweet series are popular.
Overall Book Score: very good
About the Book
Author:
Braun, Sebastien
Illustrator: Braun, Sebastien
Illustration Quality: very good
Publisher: Nosy Crow/Candlewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: adventure,fantasy
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: other
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780763693299
Price: 8.99
One Amazing Elephant
One Amazing Elephant
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 19, 2017
Review
Twelve-year-old Lily Rose Pruitt's family is a circus. Literally. Her long absentee mother is a trapeze artist and her beloved grandfather is an elephant trainer. Lily lives with her loving father. Tragedy strikes and Lily goes to Florida for her grandfather's funeral. While there she attempts to reconnect with her mother, with only a smidgen of success. But Lily at least gains a better understanding of her situation. Lily also meets some of the other circus folk. Some of them are nice, but some are very mean and cruel. That includes her wayward mother's boyfriend. Which complicates everyone's life from grandma & Lily to the elephant. Most importantly, Lily slowly overcomes her fear of elephants and forms a close bond with her grandpa's elephant the Amazing Queenie Grace. Told in alternating chapters from Lily's perspective and from Queenie Grace's perspective, you can experience the grief and other emotions that both human and elephant are experiencing. The writing is so heartbreaking when you experience things through the elephant's perspective. Animals really do have emotions, suffer grief and love. Lily and Queenie Grace are bonded. They even somewhat help each other through the grieving process and through the trials and tribulations of life. When a circus employee and Lily's mom's boyfriend plot to steal and sell Queenie Grace, Lily and her friend Henry Jack kick into action. Things don't end as Lily hoped, by she does end up saving Queenie in an unexpected way, her family and herself. Lily Rose is a wonderful heroine. She's been through much in her young life. But she always tries to see the good side in everything. That is an important lesson. It is also a theme throughout the book. Other equally important themes are friendship, how grief changes you, the power of art in the healing process, and that most people do the best they can with what they have. The treatment of circus animals is also woven throughout the book. This is both a heartbreaking and uplifting story. The writing flows. It is emotional, detailed, direct and poetic all at once. The chapters range from one or two lines (Queenie Grace's perspective) to ten pages (Lily's perspective). The ending wraps up nicely, but not as you would expect. But it is Queenie Grace who has the most wonderful surprise at the end. It was truly a "wow" moment. I'm not going to say anymore. You will just have to read it for yourselves. Give to fans of "Because of Winn Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo, "The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate and "Chained" by Lynn Kelly. A first purchase for most libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Oatman High, Linda
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Harper/Harper Collins
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,realistic fiction
Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780062455833
Price: 16.99
Saint Death
Saint Death
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: September 19, 2017
Review
This is a bleak, stark, and unflinching look at life and death for two teenage boys in a Mexican town near the United States border. It is a life that invariably involves drugs, violence and poverty. Arturo is a good person. He scrapes by doing odd jobs and the occasional gambling. He manages to stay clear of the drugs and the gangs. But his childhood friend Faustino has been working for the local drug lord. Faustino has a wife and child to think of an he needs money to get them to the United States. But he "borrows" money from the drugs he sells and is unable to pay it back. He know what will happen to him if he doesn't. So Faustino begs Arturo to win the money back for him in a card game. Reluctantly he agrees. As it turns out the card game includes the vary same drug lord that the money is owed to. Ever present throughout the narrative is the voice of Saint Death (Santa Muerte). She can help you, guide you, save you. At the fateful card game Arturo thinks Santa Muerta is on his side. He is winning back the money. But things soon fall apart. The reader is helpless as Arturo careens towards a tragic fate. Mr. Sedgwick is a brilliant wordsmith. He writes in the third-person present tense. And since this is a story set in Mexico with Mexican characters, he follows the formatting of Spanish-language conventions. This may be a bit confusing for some readers at the beginning. But once you get used to it, it flows brilliantly. Interspersed throughout this heartbreaking story are various social conditions regarding NAFTA and why the poverty, drugs and violence are allowed to flourish. They have definitely impacted the characters in this story. This is a story of friendship, loyalty and the value of life. And it is set against a cruel, unforgiving and all too real backdrop. Arturo's ending is both tragic and awe-inspiring. When the card game goes horrible wrong, Arturo is offered an easy out. Join the gang and work for the drug lord. But Arturo doesn't want to be a man "who would only add more horror to the world, more pain". He sacrifices himself for his friend, for Mexico and ultimately for himself. This is a timely and relevant book. It needs to be read. A must purchase for all public and school libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Sedgwick, Marcus
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: adventure,realistic fiction
Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12,all ages
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9781626725492
Price: 17.99
Posted
Posted
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 10, 2017
Review
Another winner from the author of "Ms. Bixby's Last Day". The old adage, sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me, could not be further from the truth here. Set in the world of middle school, an often cruel, embarrassing, fun, and enlightening place, for both students and teachers alike. The author captures the atmosphere, moods, humor, and the agony of what it is like for kids who endure the trials and tribulations of middle school. Told with humor and frankness, this is a story of bullying, with a non-boring anti-bullying message. It is also a story of friendships, the value of good and open communication, and the power and importance of words. It all begins when cell phones are banned at Branton Middle School. Too many students were misusing them. Told in the first person narrative of Frost (Eric) we learn how it all came about, what happened and how it ended. With the cell phone ban, students had to find a new way to communicate with each other. Frost and his clique of friends DeeDee, Wolf and Bench come up with a method of communication. They use post-it notes to "talk" to each other during school. This quickly catches on and soon all the students are "talking" through post-its. They are left on lockers, books, doors, etc. The post-it messages start out well enough. But inevitably some students start misusing them. Soon, the post-its war starts. Hurtful, spiteful and mean messages are soon being left around the school. Friendships are ruined. New cliques and alliances form. Old cliques disintegrate. Words, indeed, can and do hurt. In the midst of this post-its war, a new girl arrives at the school. Her name is Rose and she gives Frost and others something to think about. This is a wonderful, poignant, important and timely story. There is subtle humor. The anti-bullying message is masterfully woven into the story. The main and secondary characters are well drawn, believable and flawed. There is a subtler message here as well. Teachers can and do play an important role in helping, guiding, and shaping students. This story vividly shows that words should not be trifled with. They can do good, but they can also be used as weapons. Once words are spoken, or put on post-its, they cannot be taken back. This book should be required reading for all middle school students, whether you have been bullied or you have been the bully. The book vividly demonstrates why bullying is wrong, to value friendships and to use words wisely and for good. A first purchase for all school and most public libraries
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Anderson, John David
Illustrator: ,
Publisher: Walden Book Press/Harper Collins Publishers
Book Type: chapter book fiction
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9
Binding Type: trade edition
Binding Quality: very good
ISBN: 9780062338204
Price: 16.99
Counting with Tiny Cat
Counting with Tiny Cat
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 10, 2017
Review
A book that is brilliant in its simplicity. This is not your typical counting book. In fact, I would not trust Tiny Cat to teach anyone how to count. Tiny Cat starts out with good intentions though. He has got 0-4 down pat. He starts with no balls of yarn, with a bland expression on his face. One red ball of yarn and he's got an intrigued look on his face. Two balls of yarn and Tiny Cat is looking pretty mischievous. Three balls of yarn and his tongue is sticking out with determined joy. Four balls of yarn and Tiny Cat is absolutely delirious. He is joyfully overwhelmed and can no longer keep track of how many yarn balls there are. With each page more balls of red yarn appear. And judging by his facial expressions, Tiny Cat is in his happy place. Until it becomes a bit too overwhelming. In the end Tiny Cat falls asleep atop a pile of an unknown amount of red yarn balls, with a contented grin on his face. This is a simple, funny and wonderfully expressive book. The illustrations are done in ink and crayon and colored digitally. Only four colors are used - white, gray, black and red. All set against a white background. There is minimal text. Except for one page, there is just one or two words per page. The text compliments the illustrations. The illustrations, however, make this book. They are a joy to behold. So much expression shown on Tiny Cat's face, just for counting (or not counting) balls of red yarn. This obviously shouldn't be used as a counting book. Although, it does show how to represent nothing, and many. This is a hilarious cat story, plain and simple. Pair this with the author's other books, "There are Cats in This Book" and "There are No Cats in This Book" for a fun-filled, interactive cat-themed story time. A first purchase for most public libraries and for any collection where cats are popular.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Schwarz, Viviane
Illustrator: Schwarz, Viviane
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre:
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9780763694623
Price: 14.99
Big Cat, Little Cat
Big Cat, Little Cat
Reviewed by: Deidre Walsh - Goodall Memorial Library, Sanford, Southern Maine Library District
Review Date: October 10, 2017
Review
One cat lived alone. Then the family brought another cat home. The big cat showed the little cat all it needed to know, where to eat, where the litter box was, etc. They became the best of friends and spent all their time together. Time went by - days, months, years. Little cat grew and grew until he become bigger than Big Cat. They had a good life together- eating, playing, exploring, hunting and the daily crazies. At the end of every day they would cuddle and dream together. They were together all the time. So many years went by that Big Cat got so old that he had to go and didn't come back. Death is never mentioned. But it is gently implied. This is a difficult time for the whole family, human and cat alike. Everyone is sad for the loss of Big Cat. Until one day the family gets a new kitten. And now little cat becomes big cat and show the new kitten everything he needs to know, from where to eat to where the litter box is and more. Life indeed goes on. The illustrations are bold and simple, done in black and white with thick black outlines. The background is mostly white. It is a gray background once when big cat has left the family forever. There is a beige background three times for when the two cats are cuddled together. The illustrations simply and beautifully depict the story. The text is spare, often just 3-4 words per page. When big cat goes away, everyone is sad. This is not shown on their faces however. There is a two page spread. On one side is the human family shown in black silhouette with heads down and the little boys hand extended toward little cat. On the other side is little cat all alone looking back at his human family. It looks as if there is a single tear coming off the cat's face. Or it could be the tip of a whisker. I will leave that up to each reader to decide. This is a wonderful book on many levels. It is a moving cat story, a friendship story. It's a comforting story about friendship and loss. And it is good bibliotherapy for young children on the loss of a pet. And it reaffirms the circle of life. Pair with "Desser, the Best Cat Every" by Maggie Smith and "The Day Tiger Rose Said Goodbye" by Jane Yolen for a unit on grief and loss of a pet for pre-K through first grade. Or for a subdued cat themed story time. This is simply a lovely story about the joys of growing up and old together, whether you are feline or human. A first purchase for all libraries.
Overall Book Score: excellent
About the Book
Author:
Cooper, Elisha
Illustrator: Cooper, Elisha
Illustration Quality: excellent
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Book Type: picture book fiction
Genre: realistic fiction
Audience: preschool,grades k-3
Binding Type: reinforced trade binding
Binding Quality: excellent
ISBN: 9781626723719
Price: 16.99
