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The Mark of the Dragonfly

The Mark of the Dragonfly

Reviewed by: Martha Van Wyck - Portland Public Library/Burbank Branch, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 11, 2014

Review

This tale starts strong - the setting and characters are skillfully drawn and the plot is engaging from the get-go. The premise: an orphaned thirteen year old girl in a vaguely dystopian world makes a living by fixing machinery. The machines she repairs fall from the sky during meteor showers (the meteors carry objects from other worlds). Her life changes when she saves another girl's life and then feels responsible for saving her from a mysterious, menacing man. The pace lags a bit in the middle of the book but picks up again toward the end with some surprising twists. This story stands alone but sequels are possible; especially welcome in a sequel would be more about those mysterious meteor showers and why they carry things from another (read our) world.

Overall Book Score: very good

About the Book

Author:

Johnson, Jaleigh

Publisher: Delacorte Press/Random House

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780385376150

Price: 18.99

Eye to Eye: How Animals See The World

Eye to Eye: How Animals See The World

Reviewed by: Martha Van Wyck - Burbank Branch/Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 10, 2014

Review

In this interesting look at the differing eyes and eyesight of animals, Steve Jenkins combines his beautiful trademark collages with short paragraphs on 24 different creatures. He chooses both the usual (frogs) and the unusual (gharials) but has something intriguing to say about each one's sight. The target audience might seem to be preschoolers judging by the illustrations and the large amount of white space around them but elementary age may be a better fit for many children due to the vocabulary level. End material includes information on evolution of the eye, additional facts on the animals (size, habitat and diet) and a glossary. The topic itself is not one that is an absolute must have for library collections but children will no doubt find the book very interesting if they happen upon this book on their library's shelf.

Overall Book Score: very good

About the Book

Author:

Jenkins, Steve

Illustrator: Jenkins, Steve

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcout Books for Young Readers

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780547959078

Price: 17.99

Independent Study: The Testing, Book 2

Independent Study: The Testing, Book 2

Reviewed by: Martha Van Wyck - Burbank Branch/Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 30, 2014

Review

In this second volume in the Testing series, the protagonist, Cia, starts the next phase of her schooling to become a leader in the United Commonwealth, the government created after devastating wars destroyed the country. The author does a nice job of summarizing the major plot points of the first volume without slowing down the pace of the second. However, when Cia undergoes more testing, the plot has a bit of a same-old, same-old feeling about it. The rhythm picks up after the testing is over and tension builds until, after reaching the end, the reader will want to get the next book in the series. Immediately.

Overall Book Score: good

About the Book

Author:

Joelle, Charbonneau

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcout Books for Young Readers

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: adventure

Audience: grades 7-9

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780547959207

Price: 17.99

The Vanishing Season

The Vanishing Season

Reviewed by: Martha Van Wyck - Burbank Branch/Portland Public Library, Portland, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 2, 2014

Review

The plot: two girls, one cautious, one impulsive, one boy whom they both are drawn to, living in a small town where they don't fit in - sound familiar? Throw in a ghost and a serial killer and the plot still feels predictable, even given an author who writes well. However, no one will see the end coming when all that predictability gets turned on its head. This book is a very good choice for readers who like(fairly)realistic fiction that isn't too demanding but who would appreciate a better than average read with a very effective twist at its close.

Overall Book Score: good