Patrick and the President

Reviewed by: Margy - Coffin Elementary School, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 11, 2017

Review

Both the author and the illustrator of Patrick and the President are from Dublin, and their knowledge of Ireland adds authenticity to this work of biographical fiction in picture book format. All eight grandparents of President Kennedy were born in Ireland, and he visited the county for four days in the spring of 1963. While there he visited a school and a distant relative’s home for a reception. Young readers will get a glimpse of the joy and pride shown during that visit for the American president. “Is it real?” young readers will ask. Yes, President Kennedy really did visit Ireland for four days, and yes he really did go to a school and a relative’s home. But the boy named Patrick is part of a work of fiction, the author’s imagination. He did not exist, but children like him really did get to see and visit briefly with President Kennedy. The author Ryan Tubridy is a Irish talk show host, and the illustrator P.J. Lynch has illustrated several works of historical fiction in picture book format including When Jessie Came Across and Sea and The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey. His watercolor illustrations are realistic with period details and perspective from history, and they add to the book’s warmth. This book is recommended as a supplemental purchase for libraries that can afford to add a slice of history in story form to complement their nonfiction biographies of President Kennedy.

Overall Book Score: very good

About the Book

Author:

Tubridy, Ryan

Illustrator: Lynch, P.J.

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: Choose Book Type

Genre: historical fiction

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780763689490

Price: 16.99

Apex Predators: the World's Deadliest Hunters, Past and Present

Apex Predators: the World's Deadliest Hunters, Past and Present

Reviewed by: Margy - Coffin Elementary School, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 13, 2017

Review

The cover of Steve Jenkins' latest book with the open mouthed T Rex will draw children in. Spanning millions of years, the world's top-of-the-food chain predatory hunters are introduced one per page with Jenkins' torn paper collage illustrations, one or two sentences in mid sized print, a few additional facts in smaller print, and a size comparisons to a man. This is a fun and easy book to "sell" to elementary students. Open any page, read a few facts about a long ago extinct animal or a modern animal, and children will want to read and see more. Pare this with other Steve Jenkins' books such as How to Swallow a Pig and you have a dynamic library book talk, class visit.

Overall Book Score: excellent