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How Do Lions Say I Love You?

How Do Lions Say I Love You?

Reviewed by: Lisa Roberts - Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 21, 2014

Review

This Little Golden Book explores how different species say I love you. The illustrations are sweet and perfect for a preschool audience. This book is bound as a traditional Little Golden Book. The pages seem a little large for the cover, but I don't think that we expect exceptional binding from this type of book. This book is perfect for the preschool crowd. This would be a great bedtime read aloud. The title and the cover suggest that the book may be about a lion and her cub, but this is really a story about many types of animals and how they express their love. The book felt intimate in that you might want to share it with those whom you are closest. I would recommend this for a family read aloud versus a class.

Overall Book Score: good

About the Book

Author:

Muldrow, Diane

Illustrator: Walker, David

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: other

Binding Quality: fair

ISBN: 9780449812563

Price: 3.99

Acme Exercise Book: I Wish I Could Draw

Acme Exercise Book: I Wish I Could Draw

Reviewed by: Lisa Roberts - Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 21, 2014

Review

I picked this book up because I thought that it would offer practical advice on drawing. In a way it did. Not in the way that I expected. This book would be a good text to introduce storytelling and writing with illustrations to an elementary school class. The illustrations are completely in harmony with the text, which is the point of this book. The size and shape of the book is appropriate for elementary school children and the layout is creative. The point is that you do not have to have a perfect set of illustrations and the book uses gentle humor and encouragement to support young writers and illustrators.

Overall Book Score: good

About the Book

Author:

Fagan, Cary

Illustrator: Fagan, Cary

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Groundwood Books

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Audience: grades k-3, grades 4-6

Binding Type: other

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781554983186

Price: 12.95

Friendship Over

Friendship Over

Reviewed by: Lisa Roberts - Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 21, 2014

Review

This epistolary novel written from the point of view of fourth grader Celie Valentine is set in the current day in an unnamed city. The female characters are strong and convincing and develop throughout the story. The male characters are few and far between and a little flat. In addition to mostly strong character development, this "journal"? includes diary entries, drawings, and evidence including notes and emails. This is a strong novel for 3rd to 5th grade girls. It examines tough issues such as friendships ending, parents who fight, and grandparents who become ill. All of these issues are handled in a manner that is friendly for kids of this age and sympathetic to their fears, without becoming corny. Sternberg uses humor, anger, and all of the emotions that kids, and all people, experience to explore some very sensitive issues. It took a little while for me to be drawn in, but by the halfway point of this book I was cheering for Celie, Jo, and the other characters in this heart-warming novel.

Overall Book Score: excellent

About the Book

Author:

Sternberg, Julie

Illustrator: Wright, Johanna

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Boyds Mill Press

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781590789933

Price: 15.95

The Midnight Library

The Midnight Library

Reviewed by: Lisa Roberts - Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 21, 2014

Review

This story of a little librarian and her three assistant owls is a sweet picture book for kids up through elementary school. It would make a nice bed time story for a child resistant to sleep. This book would also make a nice introduction to an elementary school library to help explain to the students the different services and help that a librarian and assistants can offer. The illustrations are fitting and appropriate for the age group and the book is of good quality.

Overall Book Score: very good

About the Book

Author:

Kohara, Kazuno

Illustrator: Kohara, Kazuno

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: folklore

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781596439856

Price: 16.99

Ben Franklin's Big Splash: The Mostly True Story of His First Invention

Ben Franklin's Big Splash: The Mostly True Story of His First Invention

Reviewed by: Lisa Roberts - Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 21, 2014

Review

This picture book about Ben Franklin's first invention would be appropriate for upper elementary school through middle school. There was WAY too much alliteration in this book. I did not enjoy reading it. The illustrations were excellent. The story is great. My favorite part of the book is the author's note at the end and the timeline of Ben Franklin's life. The author discusses the scientific method in the note. This book would be appropriate to accompany an alliteration lesson, to discuss perseverance, or to address the scientific method.

Overall Book Score: good

About the Book

Author:

Rosenstock, Barb

Illustrator: Schindler, S.D.

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Highlights

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: adventure, realistic fiction, historical fiction, biography / autobiography

Audience: grades k-3, grades 4-6, grades 7-9

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781620914465

Price: 16.95

The Truth About Alice

The Truth About Alice

Reviewed by: Lisa Roberts - Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 21, 2014

Review

Four characters in a small Texas town share their point of view relating to the events leading up to a star football player's death and the aftermath. Some of these events in this contemporary, realistic fiction novel include, and are rumored to be influenced by, Alice. The narration is shared by main characters in the story, each telling their story in alternating chapters. Only the two characters that are impacted the most are not participating in the ongoing narration. Brandon cannot speak for himself from the grave and Alice does not speak up until the last chapter of the book.

This book will appeal to both boys and girls at the high school level. Many controversial issues are handled in a very realistic manner. Sex, drinking, and bullying are the prominent issues. These issues are addressed by the narrators and perspective and character motivation are explored. The characters in this novel look honestly and deeply at what is happening around them and at how they are responding. I would highly recommend this novel because of it's honesty and the self reflection that the characters share with the reader.

Overall Book Score: excellent

About the Book

Author:

Mathieu, Jennifer

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Audience: grades 10-12

Binding Type: other

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781596439092

Price: 16.99

Manor of Secrets

Manor of Secrets

Reviewed by: Lisa Roberts - Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 11, 2014

Review

This historical novel seems to be selling itself on its similarities to "Downton Abbey." The writing is simple and predictable. The characters are believable but not extraordinary. Although the book describes itself as teen fiction, it is too immature in writing style and content for an older teen audience. Maybe I would recommend this novel to a middle school student that enjoys historical fiction.

Overall Book Score: fair