Hooray for Hat!

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 11, 2014

Review

Have you ever had a grumpy day? In this adorable and deceivingly simple story, Elephant is having a grumpy day when his door bell rings. Outside he finds a present - a stack of hats. As soon as he puts the stack of hats on his head, he is immediately cheered up, Hooray for Hat! Elephant wants to show his friend, Zebra. The only problem is that Zebra is grumpy too. So Elephant shares his gift and gives Zebra one of his hats. Elephant and Zebra set off to show their hats to their friend Turtle, but they find that Turtle is having a grumpy day too. Soon Elephant is cheering up all of his friends by sharing his hats. Author and Illustrator, Brian Won creates brightly pastel colored illustrations which draw the readers attention to the animals expressive faces that harmonize perfectly with the text. A simple message of friendship and kindness with repeat phrases is perfect for a pre-K-2 audience and for anyone who needs to be cheered up - Hooray for Hat!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Won, Brian

Illustrator: Won, Brian

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780544159037

Price: 16.99

The Troublemaker

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 11, 2014

Review

What's a little boy to do when he is bored? Why, bother his sister of course! The main character in Lauren Castillo's The Troublemaker decides that he is a pirate and decides to cause a little mischief. Along with his trusty sidekick, Rascal, his stuffed Raccoon, the little boy plunders some rope (his sister's shoe lace), a blindfold (his sister's scarf) and prisoner (his sister's stuffed bunny)! Soon the little pirate gets caught by Mom and needs to give everything back. He seems to have learned his lesson but when bunny goes missing again, the little boy is the the number one suspect. That is until Rascal also goes missing. Who is the real troublemaker this time? Castillo uses minimal text to tell this delightfully funny story. However, her clever pen and ink and water color illustrations add so much more and tell the story of the real troublemaker. Recommended for a pre-K-2 audience.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Castillo, Lauren

Illustrator: Castillo, Lauren

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Clarion Books / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: adventure

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780547729916

Price: 16.99

Elmer and the Monster

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 11, 2014

Review

A new addition to the Elmer the Patchwork Elephant series. Elmer the patchwork elephant is taking a walk when he hears a terrible ROAR! Then he comes upon his jungle animal friends who are running in the opposite direction. Elmer's friends warn him that their is a monster in the jungle! Curious, Elmer decides to investigate. Eventually Elmer finds the monster, a little blue puff ball, named Bloo-Bloo, and realizes that Bloo-Bloo is just as scared of the jungle animals as they are of him. This simple message of bravery combined with David McKee's colorful illustrations and suspenseful story will definitely keep the attention of young readers. This story would work well in monster themed read aloud. Recommended for a pre-K-2 audience.

Overall Book Score: fair

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About the Book

Author:

McKee, David

Illustrator: McKee, David

Illustration Quality: fair

Publisher: Andersen Press USA

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781467742009

Price: 16.95

Little Boo

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 11, 2014

Review

Little Boo tells the story of a pumpkin seed who wants to be scary. He tries to scare the falling leaves, the garden grubs and the first snowflakes of the season, by yelling boo! but no one seems to be bothered by the little seed. This makes Little Boo very sad until his friend, the wind, encourages him to be patient, telling Little Boo "You'll be scary soon enough." Little Boo waits through the long winter and then in the spring he starts to grow into a pumpkin plant. All summer he tries to scare bugs, shovels and buckets but he is still not scary. Finally as autumn comes around again, Little Boo has grown into a big pumpkin. He is carved into a jack o'lantern and on Halloween night his wish finally comes true! This adorable story combines the life cycle of a seed with Halloween fun. The illustrations are colorful, do a beautiful job of conveying the changing seasons and work well with the text. Recommended for pre-K-2 audience.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Wunderli, Stephen

Illustrator: Zeltner, Tim

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780805097085

Price: 16.99

Quest

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 7, 2014

Review

This sequel to the Caldecott Honor Book Journey, Quest by Aaron Becker follows in the same wordless picture book format. Quest picks up right where Journey left off with a young girl and her new friend on a new adventure. Reminiscent of Harold and the Purple Crayon, readers will be fascinated by the children's use of their imagination and their trusted colored markers to save the king and his kingdom. The gorgeous illustrations are intricately detailed, while the dull colors bring the readers eye to the bright colors of the children's markers and the imaginative things that they create to help them on their adventure. This book is sure to spark the reader's imagination. Recommended for pre-K - 6th grade.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Becker, Aaron

Illustrator: Becker, Aaron

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3, grades 4-6

Binding Type: other

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780763665951

Price: 15.99

A Crow of His Own

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

Clyde is the new rooster at Sunrise farm. His predecessor, Larry, the prize winning rooster, has moved onto bigger and better things, leaving some big cockadoodledo's to fill. Initially the barnyard animals are not impressed by this scrawny newcomer. Except Roberta, a motherly goose, who tries to take Clyde under her wing. As Clyde tries to live up the Larry's reputation, he fails miserably. But when Roberta convinces Clyde to forget about Larry and do his own this thing, he finally finds his own unique and magnificent crow. Lambert's creative word play, using words like "stammered" and "mused" in place of "said" or "asked" raises this story to a new level. Costello's colorful illustrations, done in watercolor, are the perfect compliment to Lambert's text and fill out the story. The creative use of speech bubbles give voices to the barnyard animals and add humor to the story. A refreshing and funny reminder to be yourself.

Fantastic addition to any storytime, recommended for pre-K to 3rd grade.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Lambert, Megan Dowd

Illustrator: Costello, David Hyde

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781580894470

Price: 16.95

Arctic Fox

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

Arctic Fox is a well written expository informational text for elementary readers. It covers the arctic fox's physical description, habitat, behavior, diet and life cycle. It includes bold headings, colorful photographs, informative captions and labels on each page to help guide the reader. Both the interesting content and reading level are a perfect fit for the youngest learners. Recommend for teachers teaching nonfiction features and for students 1st-4th grade.

In the writing of this book, author, Dee Phillips consulted with experts Alysa McCall of Polar Bears International and Kimberly Brenneman, PhD of National Institute for Early Education Research.

Nonfiction features included in this book: Table of Contents, Science Lab (compare and contrast), Science Words (Glossary), Index, and additional resources.

Arctic Animals: Life Outside the Igloo series includes: Collared Lemming; Harp Seal; Polar Bear; Reindeer; Snowshoe Hare

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Phillips, Dee

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Bearport Publishing

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781627245002

Price: 17.95

Daisy Saves the Day

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

In this historical fiction, award winning author and illustrator, Shirley Hughes tells the story of Daisy Dobbs. Set in early twentieth-century London, young Daisy loves going to school and learning to read. One day Daisy finds out that she must leave school and her home, and go into service as a scullery maid so that she can help support her mother and younger brothers. Daisy tries to do her best scrubbing pots, washing floors and peeling potatoes, but her heart and thoughts are on the many adventures that she has read about and sometimes she gets herself into trouble. However, when disaster strikes, quick thinking Daisy saves the day. The end papers capture the spirit of time period with old newspaper advertisements. Hughes illustrations, done in ink, gouache, and watercolor, are bright and realistic. They bring Daisy's wonderful adventure to life.

This story is set in a large format picture book, however it is text heavy and more appropriate to for independent readers. Recommended for 3rd to 5th grade.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Hughes, Shirley

Illustrator: Hughes, Shirley

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: historical fiction

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780763673239

Price: 16.99

Orangutanka

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

Written in a series of tanka poems*, this book creatively tells the story of an orangutan family living in a zoo as seen by the zoo's visitors. Though the poems are short and simple, the author does a beautiful job conveying emotion, smells, taste, feeling and sound as the orangutan family plays in the trees, eats fruit and then takes a nap. Sister orangutan alone is not sleepy. Engle's words and Kurilla's illustrations work creatively together to show sister's mischievous movements as she swings down from the trees and dances her way over the to noisy human onlookers. The illustrations, created in pencil and ink, are bright, colorful and effortlessly flow across the page in several double-page spreads. Kurilla cleverly incorporates the movement of Engle's words into her illustrations. A bonus for any poetry collection, this book is also a wonderful mentor text for elementary teachers working with their students on different forms of poetry.

Includes a note about traditional tanka poems at the beginning of the book. Also includes facts about orangutans at the back as well as a brief list of both book and online resources.

*Tanka poems originate in Japan. Traditionally they consist of five lines with a syllable count of 5,7,5,7,7.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Engle, Margarita

Illustrator: Kurilla, Renee

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: fiction in verse / poetry

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780805098396

Price: 17.99

If You Plant a Seed

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

Written and illustrated by award winning author and illustrator, Kadir Nelson, If You Plant a Seed relays a simple but powerful lesson. Rabbit and mouse plant a few seeds and after nurturing the plants and waiting patiently, they are rewarded with delicious vegetables. However, when a few birds show up to share in their bounty, will rabbit and mouse 'plant seeds' of selfishness or kindness? Nelson uses very few words, but instead relies on his incredibly expressive illustrations to tell the story. The clever use of panels suggest the passage of time, while alternating with double-page spreads to help the reader focus on the heart of the story. The illustrations, created by oil on canvas, beautifully convey the message of selflessness, acceptance and friendship.

The welcoming illustrations will catch the eye of young children. The message of the story will attract parents and teachers alike. Recommended for pre-K - 2nd grade audience. A perfect addition to any teaching tolerance curriculum.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Nelson, Kadir

Illustrator: Nelson, Kadir

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Balzer & Bray

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780062298898

Price: 18.99

If I had a Triceratops

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

O'Connor, known for his Olympian graphic novel series, brings readers a cute tongue-in-cheek look into what it would be like to have a triceratops as a pet. O'Connor's entertaining illustrations, done in pencil and watercolor, are the true gems of this story. While the text relates all that the boy would do to take care of his pet (walking, cleaning, playing), the illustrations show the true hilarity of the situation, such as the triceratops sleeping under the boys bed during a thunderstorm.

This silly story would be a good addition to storytime and is sure to be a hit among dinosaur and dog lovers alike. Recommended for pre-K to 2nd grade. O'Connor is also the author of the similar title: If I had a Raptor.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

O'Connor, George

Illustrator: O'Connor, George

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780763660130

Price: 15.99

Abe Lincoln: His Wit and Wisdom from A-Z

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

Alan Schroeder provides readers with a unique format for this biography about Abraham Lincoln. Set in the style of an alphabet book, with several entries for each letter, it tells the story of Lincoln's life and accomplishments. Each page also contains witticisms attributed to Lincoln. The entries range from funny to odd and interesting little known facts about Lincoln, his family and the time period in which he lived. Though O'Brien's illustrations, done in ink and condensed watercolors , are amusing and colorful, they are very busy and can distract from the text.

Much too long and text heavy to make a good read aloud, it is still creative and fun way to learn more about the 16th President of the United States. However because of it's unconventional format, this biography would not work well for student research. Recommended for ages 7-11.

Schroeder also authored Ben Franklin: His Wit and Wisdom from A-Z

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Schroeder, Alan

Illustrator: O'Brien, John

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Holiday House

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre: biography / autobiography

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780823424207

Price: 17.95

Duncan the Story Dragon

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

"Duncan the dragon loves to read." Can you imagine a better way to start this story about a dragon who gets so excited when reading that he inevitably ends up burning his books before he can finish them. Duncan longs to get through an entire book and tries everything he can think of to keep himself cool as he reads, but nothing seems to work. Finally Duncan meets a mouse who is willing to help him out. Together they make it to the end of the book and the beginning of a new friendship. Duncan is adorable! Driscoll's illustrations, created using pencil sketches and painted digitally, are sweet and playful. Driscoll cleverly uses the bright colors in her illustrations to guide the reader through the story.

Combining friendship, love of reading and dragons, this book would be a great addition to any story time and will be a hit with younger readers. Recommended for pre-k to 2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Driscoll, Amanda

Illustrator: Driscoll, Amanda

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780385755078

Price: 16.99

Melissa's Octopus and Other Unsuitable Pets

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

This silly story introduces Melissa and her friends who all have unusual AND unsuitable pets. Among these are an octopus, giraffe, elephant and warthog. Each pet is splendid in it's own way but there are also drawbacks to each animal as a pet. "Caroline's giraffe is a gentle pet with lovely long legs. But she's a bit too tall for Caroline." However when Kevin and Bertrand get a crocodile as a pet, it is easy to see why it is the most unsuitable pet of all. Voake uses bold colors in her lively pen and watercolor illustrations. They are a perfect complement to her amusing text.

This playful story is a ideal for any parent to share with the child who asks why the can't have an elephant for a pet. It would also make a great introduction to an animal research unit. Recommended for pre-K through 2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Voake, Charlotte

Illustrator: Voake, Charlotte

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780763674816

Price: 16.99

Gingerbread for Liberty: How a German Baker Helped Win the American Revolution

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

Gingerbread for Liberty is a narrative nonfiction about the little known Revolutionary War hero, Christopher Ludwick. Ludwick was a German-born baker living in Philadelphia during the time of the American Revolution. Too old to join the Continental Army as a soldier, Ludwick baked bread, at his own expense, to help feed the army. Though the author's note is very informative about Ludwick's role in the American Revolution, the story itself is vague regarding Ludwick’s actual contributions. Kirsch created the unique and whimsical illustrations, reminiscent of gingerbread cookies, using 140-lb hot press watercolor paper, watercolor, and rubbelkrepp. Adding to the charm of this book, there is a gingerbread recipe on both the front and back endpapers. Includes an author’' note and sources list.

A perfect nonfiction read aloud for younger readers, pre-K through 2nd grade, to celebrate American holidays such as Independence Day, Flag Day, or President's Day.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Rockliff, Mara

Illustrator: Kirsch, Vincent X.

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre: biography / autobiography

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780544130012

Price: 17.99

Elephants Can't Jump!

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

In Willis' delightful story, baby elephant is told that elephants can't jump. "It’s just they way we're made, said his mother. Something to do with our knees, said his father." But elephant is determined to prove his family wrong. Elephant comes up with several schemes to show that he can jump, such as running fast, using a trampoline and climbing to the top of a hill. No matter what elephant tries, he fails and the other animals are there to laugh and remind him that 'elephants can't jump'. But when elephant and his friends find a little boy in need of help, elephant finds that he can do something that none of the other animals can do. Reynolds cartoon illustrations are playful, brightly colored and nicely compliment Willis' adorable story. Recommended for pre-K to 2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Willis, Jeanne

Illustrator: Reynolds, Adrian

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Andersen Press USA

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9781467763165

Price: 16.99

Ghost in the House: A Lift-the-Flap Book!

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

"There's a ghost in the house, in the creepy haunted house, on this dark, spooky, night, all alone." So begins this charming cumulative counting book for your youngest trick-or-treaters. Originally published in 2013, the reissued book now includes lift-the-flap tabs on each page adding the the fun. The pages and tabs are made of thicker paper and are sturdy enough to withstand excited little hands. Each page adds another ghoulish creature creeping down the hall, in a double-page spread, until suddenly they hear a noise. Paquette's energetic rhyme and rhythm effortlessly move the story along to a fun and surprising ending. Record's illustrations, created digitally, are simple yet expressive, featuring non-threatening monsters. Each page complementing the text nicely.

A sweet addition to any Halloween collection, this adorable and simple ghost story is perfect for pre-K through 2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Paquette, Ammi-Joan

Illustrator: Record, Adam

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780763676223

Price: 9.99

Mustache Baby Meets His Match

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

In this amusing companion to Mustache Baby, Billy (aka Monstrous Mustache Baby) meets his match! Baby Billy has a play date with Baby Javier (aka Beastly Bearded Baby). Billy is determined to show Javier that he is the best at everything and make Javier his sidekick. But Billy does not count on the fact that Javier wants to be the best at everything too. They compete over everything, including who is the best bear wrassler, who can perform the best magic trick, and who is the fastest in a motorcycle (tricycle) race. Will frustration ruin their friendship or can they learn to get along. Ang's clever, bright, over-the-top, cartoon illustrations make a perfect partnership with Heos' witty text.

A great addition to to a friendship themed storytime, recommended for pre-k to 2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Heos, Bridget

Illustrator: Ang, Joy

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Clarion Books

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780544363755

Price: 16.99

I Can draw! Dinosaurs, Dragons & Prehistoric Creatures

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

Dinosaurs, Dragons & Prehistoric Creatures, part of the I Can Draw! series, shows step-by-step instructions for drawing dragons, dinosaurs and other creatures including pterodactyl, diplodocus, mammoth and many more. This book begins with a 'getting started' practice section. It includes instructions on how to use simple shapes to create almost any character. Legendre introduces each character with an interesting fact. Legendre's illustrations are colorful and simple. His step-by-step instructions are clear and easy to follow. Features a Table of Content, Tool & Materials page, and The Color Wheel page. A welcome and fun addition to any library how-to-draw section, and sure to be a favorite for dinosaur lovers. Recommended for budding artists 1st-4th grade.

I Can Draw! series also includes: Planes, Trains & Moving Machines, Animals Around the World, Favorite Pets, Princesses, Fairies & Fairy Tales, and Sea Creatures & Other Favorite Animals

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Legendre, Philippe

Illustrator: Legendre, Philippe

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Walter Foster Jr.

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: library binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9781939581600

Price: 23.04

Cartooning for Kids! Fairy Tale Fun

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

Fairy Tale Fun, part of the Cartooning for Kids! series, shows step-by-step instructions for drawing fairy tale characters, including Humpty Dumpty, Prince Charming, the Fairy Godmother and many more. It also includes sections with instructions on how to draw specific features (beards, hair, mouths) and accessories. Garbot, a professional illustrator, has organized this book by creating grouping similar characters together into sections, such as Good Guys and No-so-good guys. He introduces each section and character with an conversational writing style, including helpful hints and suggestions. Garbot's cartoon-like illustrations are colorful, and his step-by-step instructions are clear and easy to follow. Features a Table of Content and a what you will need page. A welcome and fun addition to any library how-to-draw section. Recommended for budding artists, 1st-4th grade.

Cartooning for Kids! series also includes: Mean 'n' Messy Monsters; Crazy, Zany Cartoon Characters; and Furry & Feathered Friends.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Garbot, Dave

Illustrator: Garbot, Dave

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Walter Foster Jr.

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: library binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9781939581501

Price: 15.00

Book Scavenger

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2016

Review

Emily and her family are moving AGAIN! Emily has gotten tired of her family's constant moving and this current move would be a total disaster except for the fact that they are moving to San Francisco, the home of Emily's favorite game maker and "the Willy Wonka of book publishing," Garrison Griswold. Griswold is the brilliant creator of the online game, Book Scavenger. Book Scavenger is THE game of games for puzzle enthusiasts and bibliophiles like Emily. Players can hide books and look for books that others have hidden all over the country by solving clues posted to the Book Scavenger website. Unfortunately, Griswold has been attacked and is in a coma. Emily and her new friend James find a hidden book in the place where Griswold was attacked and Emily becomes convinced that it contains a clue to something valuable. But can Emily and James solve the puzzle before it is too late? An entertaining adventure with action, codes, puzzles and literary history. Reminiscent of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein, this mystery adventure is a great addition to any children's junior fiction collection. Recommended to those who enjoy puzzles and mysteries. For grades 4th through 8th.

Includes Author’s Note

Book Scavenger is not just a fictional game in this book but an actual game in which anyone can participate. Go to www.bookscavenger.com to learn more about finding and hiding books in your area.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Bertman, Jennifer Chambliss

Illustrator: Watts, Sarah

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: adventure,mystery

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781627791151

Price: 16.99

Flying Frogs and Walking Fish

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 13, 2016

Review

Have you ever heard of a walking octopus or tiptoeing bat? A crab that can climb trees or a jet-propelled fish? Caldecott honor-winner Steve Jenkins and co-author Robin Page have once again found fascinating and unusual elements of the animal world to share with the youngest animal enthusiasts. Flying Frogs and Walking Fish focuses on animals that move in unusual ways. Written in expository nonfiction, Jenkins uses his signature torn- and cut-paper collage illustrations to bring each animal to life in great detail and with vivid colors. In their familiar writing style, Jenkins and Page have divided the book into sections by type of movement. Each section is introduced with a full page spread dedicated to one animal followed by a page featuring several other animals that also move in similar ways. The nonfiction features in this text include subject headings and animal names are in bold type. There is a biography with additional reading suggestions and an appendix at the end of the book featuring a brief paragraph about each animal in the book, giving a little more information, including habitat, size and description.

A beautiful and informative addition to Jenkins’ unique and appealing animal informational texts. An engaging nonfiction addition to an animal storytime. This book would also be a great starting point for an animal research project. Recommended for animal enthusiasts in prekindergarten through 3rd grade.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Jenkins, Steve

Illustrator: Jenkins, Steve

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780544630901

Price: 17.99

Meet a Baby Lemur

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 13, 2016

Review

Meet a Baby Lemur, part of the Lightning Bolt Books, Baby African Animals series, is an interesting expository informational text that is perfect for elementary readers. It covers the life-cycle of a lemur from birth to adulthood. The bold headings, vivid photographs (taken from several different sources), informative text boxes and short simple sentences, filled with useful facts are ideal for young researchers. The text includes several facts that are framed with the young reader in mind. “Each baby lemur measures about 4 inches (10 cm) long, smaller than your hand. Their parents are about 17 inches (43 cm) long. That is the size of a house cat.” Other nonfiction features included in the this book are table of content, subject headings, text boxes, diagram, glossary, index and biography. In writing this book, Bell consulted with animal expert Dr. Mark C. Andersen from the Department of Fish Wildlife and Conservation Ecology at New Mexico State University and Lemur expert, Chris Smith from Duke Lemur Center.

Both the fascinating content and reading level are a perfect fit for the youngest researchers. Recommend for students kindergarten to 2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Bell, Samantha

Illustrator: , photography - various

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: library binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467779722

Price: 26.65

The Key to Extraordinary

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 7, 2016

Review

Emma can’t wait to have her destiny dream. All of the women in Emma’s family, known as the Wildflowers, are extraordinary. Reaching back to the American Revolution, each Wildflower has received a destiny dream showing them how they are meant to make a difference in the world. While waiting for her own special dream, Emma gets caught up in a fight to save her family’s bakery, the Boneyard Cafe, and a mystery in the town’s graveyard. Then when her destiny dream finally comes, it points to a treasure that Emma thinks could be the answer to all of her problems. With the help of two good friends, the Book of Days (a record of all of the Wildflowers destiny dreams), magical talking flowers and a mysterious singing ghost, Emma sets out the find this legendary treasure, save the Boneyard Cafe, and fulfill her destiny.

A sweet, quirky adventure with a dash of magic to bring out the extraordinary. Lloyd once again brings us a her fanciful writing style; sweet, courageous, strong characters; and the conviction the everyone can make a positive difference in the world. This mystery adventure is a must for any children’s junior fiction collection. Recommended for grades 3rd through 6th.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Lloyd, Natalie

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780545552745

Price: 16.99

Chicken Lily

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 7, 2016

Review

Careful, patient and shy, Chicken Lily is good at a lot of things, like coloring, putting puzzles together and playing hide-and-seek. But when it comes to taking chances, like trying new foods or raising her hand in class, Chicken Lily is a chicken. So when her teacher, Mrs. Lop announces a whole class poetry jam, Chicken Lily starts making excuses to get out of it. However, with patience and kindness from Mrs. Lop and poetic encouragement from her friends, Chicken Lily faces her fears and becomes a little bit braver. Mortensen uses clever wordplay to brings humor and gentleness to the story, making it relatable to young readers. Crittenden’s soft, calming pastel illustrations, created in watercolors, pen and ink, match Lily’s careful, gentle personality perfectly. The puns and wordplay as well as the theme of overcoming your fears makes this book ideal for a classroom read-aloud. Recommended for pre K-2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Mortensen, Lori

Illustrator: Crittenden, Nina Victor

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781627791205

Price: 16.99

Hot Rod Hamster Meets His Match

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 7, 2016

Review

Hot Rod Hamster is back for another adventure with his friends in Hot Rod Hamster Meets his Match, the latest in the Hot Rod Hamster easy reader series. Hot Rod and his friends are hot so they head to a waterpark to cool down and have a wild time. The gangs starts with a visit to the splash park but Hot Rod soon gets bored and sets off to the waterslide for his wild adventure. Lord’s use of word bubbles to give her characters voices without adding a lot of extra text, as well as using simple words makes this an ideal series to share with beginning readers. One of the best features of this book is the opportunity for reader participation. Throughout the story, the narrator asks questions like “Striped tube. Bright tube. Race tube. White tube. Which would you choose?” giving the reader the chance to be part of Hot Rod’s adventure. Anderson’s bright, colorful and friendly illustrations, created digitally, are the ideal compliment to this story. Easy reader, recommended for pre K - 2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Lord, Cynthia

Illustrator: Anderson, Derek

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: adventure

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780545825924

Price: 16.99

This Book's Maine Connection: Maine author

Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 8, 2016

Review

Twentieth Anniversary Edition

Lilly loves school! She loves the pointy pencils and squeaky chalk, and most of all, Lilly loves her teacher, Mr. Slinger. At home, she even pretends to be Mr. Slinger when she plays school. Lilly loves school! That is until one morning when Lilly comes to school especially excited with some new special things to share: movie star sunglasses, three quarters and a purple plastic purse. Lilly really can’t wait to show everyone her new treasures, but Mr. Slinger repeatedly tells Lilly “not now” and then ends up taking them away. Lilly lets her anger get the better of her and she draws a picture of her “BIG FAT MEAN MR. STEALING TEACHER!” and slips it into his bag. When Lilly gets her purple plastic purse back at the end of the school day, she finds a kind note from Mr. Slinger inside. Lilly regrets her actions and must figure out how to apologize to her teacher. Henkes fantastic illustrations, in watercolor paints and black pen, as well as his clever use of panels and dialogue keep the reader enthralled. This twentieth anniversary edition includes a foreword by Kevin Henkes. This book would be a great addition to a Kevin Henkes author study, a welcome to school read-aloud or a story time about classroom rules. Recommended for pre-K - 2nd grade.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Henkes, Kevin

Illustrator: Henkes, Kevin

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780062424198

Price: 17.99

Absolutely One Thing

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 9, 2016

Review

Charlie and Lola are back in this clever story filled with fun, humor and simple math concepts. Mom is going to the store and she tells Charlie and Lola that they may get one thing. “One thing EACH” Charlie asks, “or ONE thing between TWO?” Thus begins Child’s delightful number filled-story. Child fits addition, subtraction, multiplication or division into every page in the form of Charlie trying to figure out how long it took him to get ready to Lola asking Charlie to help her figure out how many socks “fifty or twenty-seventeen” ladybugs would need. Child’s illustrations, created in her trademark style with various fonts, bright colors, and collage, add to the festive mood of the story. A great addition to a classroom collection of math picture books, recommended for pre-K - 2nd grade. First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Orchard Books.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Child, Lauren

Illustrator: Child, Lauren

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: 9780763687281

Price: 17.99

Paloma

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 9, 2016

Review

Paloma is the third installment in Cynthia Lord’s Shelter Pet Squad series. Animal enthusiast, Suzannah joins her fellow Shelter Pet Squad members who volunteer at the local animal shelter one Saturday morning to hear a surprise: the shelter is getting six Sato puppies from Puerto Rico. The squad excitedly gets ready to meet the puppies by making dog beds and preparing the pens. After the dogs arrive, the squad members get to know the dogs as they help them adjust to the shelter. Suzannah immediately falls in love adorable Paloma, a tan chihuahua-mix puppy. Knowing that she can’t keep Paloma for herself, Suzannah sets out help find her a home. Lord’s use of easy vocabulary and clear sentences as well as an interesting and relatable storyline make this series perfect for students transitioning into chapter books and pet lovers alike. Endearing and sweet, Shelter Pet Squad inspires children to make a positive difference in their communities as well as properly care for their pets. Lord has added a fun and useful extra features section at the end of the book that includes: Fast facts about dogs, Ways you can help Shelter Animals. Caring for a pet, two pet related crafts, Shelter Pet Squad Pledge and a note from the author. Recommended for animal loving 2nd-4th graders.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Lord, Cynthia

Illustrator: McGuire, Erin

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780545636032

Price: 16.99

This Book's Maine Connection: Maine author

Ideas are All Around

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 13, 2016

Review

An author can't think of anything to write about so he take his dog, Wednesday, for a walk through his neighborhood. As they walk he reflects on different people, animals and things that he sees. He greets Frank, the turtle; reflects on a sunflower that he planted as a seed; imagines where the passengers on a train are going, contemplates a sign, and stops to have coffee with his old friend, Barbara. When he shares his dilemma with Barbara, she brings the reader to the inescapable conclusion, “I wouldn’t worry about it.” she says “Ideas are all around.” Though the story seems like the random thoughts of the author as he is wanders through his neighborhood, Stead cleverly uses his illustrations to keep the reader focused on each object or person that he encounters as each idea sparks the beginning of a story. Stead’s unique illustrations, using monoprint techniques and collage with a font that looks like it came from a typewriter, are simple. Each illustration is laid out on a stark white background, keeping the reader's focus on each object as he sees it. A perfect mentor text for helping young writers to see the potential of finding ideas all around. Recommended for writing teachers and students in grades 3-5.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Stead, Philip C.

Illustrator: Stead, Philip C.

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781626721814

Price: 18.99

Claudia and Mean Janine

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 9, 2016

Review

Claudia and Mean Janine is the fourth book in The Baby-Sitters Club (Graphic Novels) based on the series The Baby-Sitters Club series by Ann M. Martin. As with the other books in the series, Claudia and Mean Janine focuses on one of the members of the baby-sitters club. Claudia, the club’s artistic and dreamy vice president, is tired of being compared with her brainy older sister, Janine. Why can’t her parents appreciate her for who she is, and why can’t Janine stop making her feel so dumb. To make tensions worse, Claudia’s grandmother, Mimi, the rock that everyone in the family relies upon, has a stroke. Now Claudia and her sister must put their fighting aside and each use their own talents to help Mimi to get better. Interspersed with Claudia’s story are the meetings and events of the baby-sitters club. It is summer vacation, so the club decides to hold a playgroup for the neighborhood children. This makes for a silly, wet and wacky summer for the baby-sitters club.

Alternating between half and full page spreads as well as the use of traditional panels, Telgemeier’s brightly colored and deceptively simple drawings capture the characters moods and feeling perfectly. Telgemeier concludes the book with a chapter about how she adapted Ann M. Martin’s series to create graphic novels. Fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Smile and Sisters will love this series. Recommended for 4th - 6th graders.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Telgemeier, Raina

Illustrator: Telgemeier, Raina

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: graphix

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction,graphic novel

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780545886239

Price: 24.99

Frankencrayon

Reviewed by: Patti Francis - Pownal Elementary School, Pownal, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 9, 2016

Review

Michael Hall, author of Red: A Crayon’s Story, is back with another amusing story starring crayons. In this funny, Halloween-themed tale, Frankencrayon the picture book has been cancelled. Pencil, the stage manager, explains what has happened. The crayon cast and crew have set the stage, donned their costumes and learned their line when suddenly the lights go out! When they are turned back on the crayons are horrified to see a scribble that runs across two-pages. The crew tries to make it better by scribbling over it but the scribble just gets bigger until the scribble is out of control and the whole picture book needs to be cancelled! The down-hearted cast and crew leave, forgetting to tell Frankencrayon, who is patiently waiting for his entrance on page 22. When Frankencrayon (made up from three crayons) appears, they are startled to find everyone gone. Frankencrayon soon solves the problem of the giant scribble and saves the picture book! The sheer simplicity of Halls brightly colored illustrations, a combination of digital art and colored crayon drawings and cut paper, add to the fun of this book. More crayon-related silliness for those who enjoyed The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. A great addition to a Halloween story time or a lesson on taking care of library books. Recommended for pre-K - 2nd grade

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Hall, Michael

Illustrator: Hall, Michael

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780062252111

Price: 17.99