Islands of Chaldea

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 9, 2014

Review

A posthumous novel begun by well-known author Diana Wynne Jones; finished by her daughter Ursula Jones. This represents a difficult task and I was conscious of looking for transition of style or other rough patches. The story seemed smooth but has an abundance of characters and plot.

My 6th grade reviewer states: With a suspenseful and elaborate plot, this fantasy (book) draws the reader's attention. Although the plot is very complex, sometimes it becomes too complex to follow. Other times, if feels rushed, and some details are hazy. For the most part though, the captivating plot of (a) young wise woman trying to complete her quest makes the book exciting and hold the reader's interest.

Additional comments: With this complex plot, the Jones writing dynasty lives on. For libraries where Dian Wynne Jones fans abound and where readers exist for more challenging plots. Perhaps some additional editing would have been helpful?

Copyright 2014

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Jones, Ursula

Publisher: Greenwillow

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: fantasy

Audience: grades 7-9

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780062295088

Price: 17.99

Galaxy's Most Wanted

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 13, 2015

Review

Oh, no, I thought. Combining SciFi with Humor what would be the result? Fun, for the nerdy kids who need humor and appreciate a touch of fantastical science. My sixth grade reviewer recommends this book as engaging, humorous, and a quick read. Summary: two rival groups at summer camp for science fans. A competition between two groups that mimics the lopsided competition that can happen when one group has outside (unfair adult) help. Call in the aliens! And call them in they did. Easy to follow dialog with simple and engaging plot.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Kloepfer, John

Illustrator: Edwards, Nick

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Harper

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: science fiction

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: fair

ISBN: 9780062231017

Price: 12.99

The Twyning

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 13, 2015

Review

If you like books with anthropomorphic rats, involved plots, evil-doers, and clever kids who outwit the evil-doers with the aid of the rats, then you will like this book. Despite my dislike of anthropomorphic rats, and of their habitat, and of the description of the "rat's nest" of entwined rats (being an image that did not appeal to me), the plot was good and the outcome was satisfyingly suitable.

With diverse characters: Efren the young rat, Dogboy (orphaned) apprenticed to the evil doctor out to rid London of the rats, and little Caz the reader is presented with quite a crew; as the plot twists and twines, the reader may just end up rooting for the rats. How the rats come to be involved with the orphan who is dumped by the side of the road, and how they band together with the most fragile of children against the townspeople out to destroy the town and the rats, is fantastical, a bit surreal, and a good read.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Blacker, Terence

Illustrator: ,

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: fantasy

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9789763669027

Price: 16.99

Eddie Red Undercover

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 13, 2015

Review

Written with a Noiresque accent Eddie Red Undercover brings to life a smart, artistic, sharp-thinking young (African-American) hero. Eddie can draw - and he has a photographic memory. Two excellent characteristics that give him an entry into the dark world of police undercover work and art heists. His problems: he can't tell anyone; he's working for a real tough-guy detective; he doesn't make the rules; and sometimes he forgets. Eddie's subplot involves his attendance at a high-powered, expensive school in NYC. His dad has lost his job and Eddie is determined to earn money to help pay his tuition. This would be a little far-fetched considering the cost of private schools. However, the reader leaps over the reality hurdle to enjoy the fun of what will be a series of Eddie Red stories. Let's hope they all maintain the freshness and don't become dependent upon the repetition of cliche phrases from book one. With a fast-moving, easy-to-read plot Eddie's story kept my sixth grader reviewer's interest. He read the book over a weekend.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Wells, Marcia

Illustrator: ,

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780544238336

Price: 16.99

All Aboard!

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 13, 2015

Review

I chose this because my three-year-old grandson likes trains and Thomas The Tank Engine.

Written and illustrated in a simplistic style, the text did not read aloud well, from my point of view. Some of the prose is in rhyming couplets, some not, I did not have a good sense of a clear and interesting story that was enhanced by compelling illustrations. Amazon tells us: "...train-ride adventure—perfect for fans of Thomas the Tank Engine and Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site." The palette is blues, greens, and browns that did not grab the young viewer. This simply did not appeal to the reader or the three-year-old.

Overall Book Score: fair

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About the Book

Author:

Dotlich, Rebecca

Illustrator: Lowery, Mike

Illustration Quality: fair

Publisher: Knopf

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: poor

ISBN: 9780385754200

Price: 12.99

Is There a Dog in This Book?

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 13, 2015

Review

While the lift-the-flap format might not last long in a library setting, this colorful and humorous story will entertain until the pages are fuzzy and torn.

Three hysterical cats, with excellent cat-expressions and cat-ittudes, explore the distinct possibility that there is a DOG in the book. With a Mo Willems style of asking questions that require the reader and the listener to talk with each other - Schwarz leads us on a very funny and entertaining romp through the house looking for the dog.

We lift the flap and find the dog behind the couch, and then the cats begin to hide: in the piano, in the closet, in a suitcase.... while the dog sniffs them out. Finally the cats overwhelm the dog with love; the dog runs and hides; the cats panic and mourn the dog's disappearance; and all turns out for the best as the cats and dog find one another again - enjoying each other for who they are, not who they thought the other one was. The flaps won't last that long, but the readers will have fun!

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Schwarz, Viviane

Illustrator: Schwarz, Viviane

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: fair

ISBN: 9780763669911

Price: 10.99

Life by Committee

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 13, 2015

Review

Interesting! Life By Committee has a bit of "dare" and a lot of the anonymity of the use of social media.

Tabitha's small Vermont town could well be a small Maine town - students will find parts of the story mesh with their own experiences. In a small town, you may go to school with the same kids from pre-school through high school. Picture the insecurity one might have going through puberty and going from the person you have been for 14 years to being very attractive. Wow! Then involve the use of social media to help with asking all those questions that we have when we are maturing.

The social media, Life by Committee - where you tell a secret, it is discussed and a challenge is issued felt to this reader a bit like "Post Secrets" with a negative twist. In Post Secrets, people send anonymous secrets on a postcard to an address in MD. These postcards are posted on the website, http://postsecret.com/ - in the case of the actual website, nothing further happens. It is a site that allows a person to unburden themselves of a secret. The author of LBC has taken this one step further. Readers will be engaged, suggested for grades 8 and up.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Haydu, Corey Ann

Illustrator: ,

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: romance

Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780062294050

Price: 17.99

Free to Fall

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle School, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 13, 2015

Review

Although slow to grab the reader, this dystopian story which is a bit of Divergent combined with Harry Potter and a hint of rebellion to come finally pulled me in. To further grab the reader of Percy Jackson series, there is the allusion to Greek mythology and groupings. Our heroine, Rory, is in the group of Hepta, or Seven, making her the smartest and one of the chosen ones at her new school Theden. (The Den?) At first, things seem perfect, there is Lux which like a personal assistant gives recommendations about clothes, music, and life. Everyone uses Lux, it makes things so much simpler. No need to question, to fail, or to think. Lux makes pesky decision-making choices for you. But, of course, we must have a plot, so we start to wonder What If -- if you never have to fall or fail? There must be something lurking behind the perfection. Naturally there is a love interest who is just as smart as Rory, but who does not attend Theden.

Initially, Free to Fall was difficult to pick up, but then, once immersed in this new world of a school where students are being taught to make decisions based upon the IQ-Worthiness of others, the book begged to be read. There is excellent tension between the side of LUx and never falling and the love interest of North (True North!) and thinking for oneself. Great YA read. Just enough love interest to keep readers interested on several levels. Plot somewhat like Divergent. Characters grapple with moral and ethical issues and with growing up. Recommended for grade 7-12. School or Public library. There are things that blow up, tension, and escape with only seconds to spare!

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Miller, Lauren

Illustrator: ,

Publisher: Harper Teen

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: science fiction

Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780062199805

Price: 17.99

Les Miserables: Epic Masterpiece by Victor Hugo retold by Marcia Williams

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 9, 2016

Review

Marcia Willams has taken the dense, lengthy story of Les Mis and has condensed it down to the nuggets of the story. Through expressively gritty illustrations, descriptions, and dialog Williams provides readers with a clear synopsis and feel for the original. This method makes accessible and understandable the depth of the original while providing a new, younger reader with an introduction to the elegance of story, plot, and meaning.

The memorable characters of Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert haunt each other throughout this rendition that will appeal to students looking for a synopsis better than Cliff Notes, fans who have seen Les Mis on Broadway or in the movies, and those new to the story.

The size is that of a picture book while the format is that of a graphic novel; the audience may not immediately be apparent. I would be comfortable sharing this with ages from 10 through adult. The illustrations mirror the dialog and the action. The story unfolds parallel to the full-sized version.

Excellent

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Williams, Marcia

Illustrator: Williams, Marcia

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: graphic novel

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9,grades 10-12

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780763674698

Price: 17.99

Listen, Slowly

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 9, 2016

Review

Listen, Slowly is the well-crafted story of Mai, 12 years old, and heading for VietNam to learn about her roots. Mai is quintessentially resentful of having to leave her US home in California. She is faced with learning a culture that is her heredity, but from which she has grown apart. She re-establishes her relationship with her grandmother and her extended family. Often resentful and very American, she learns to be VietNamese as well. While in VN, Mai is to listen to her Ba, Grandmother, to help her find her missing husband, Ong. The realistic story, heavily interspersed with Vietnamese phrases and with Vietnamese intonations - even the English develops the lilt of language that is Vietnamese.

As Mai's journey into understanding proceeds, the reader feels her change and understand her roots and background. Far from being foreign, the universal need to Listen, Slowly, to those around us is clearly understood. While not for every child in your library, this will strike a chord with students whose parents may have emigrated from other countries. Dialog is natural and flows easily. I would give this story to grades 6-12. It is readable on several levels of understanding. One request would have been to have a pronunciation guide for some of the Vietnamese.

Very Good.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Lai, Thanhha

Illustrator: ,

Publisher: Harper

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780062229138

Price: 16.99

The Third Twin

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 9, 2016

Review

Set in California, our mystery has twin girls who pretend to be a third "twin" whenever they want to be a little risky. Alicia, the third "twin" is blamed for the naughty things the girls do as young children. However, it is when they are seniors in high school that things get out of control. Long raised to believe they were identical foundlings, identical sisters Lexi and Ava's relationships with boys can get out of hand. Early on, I decided that there was a third and that they were really triplets, so that (spoiler alert) came as no surprise. The evil caregiver was a new twist. The thriller has good pacing and the unexpected twists and turns that keep most readers guessing.

If you are a fan of Pretty Little Liars and thrillers, this may hold your attention. However, if you like to analyze what an author is giving you with dialog and plot, then this is lacking in depth. A fast read, momentary plot, typical genre dialog, leading to a predictable end.

Good

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Omololu, CJ

Illustrator: ,

Publisher: Delacorte

Book Type: Choose Book Type

Genre: mystery

Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780385744522

Price: 17.99

The Whisperer

Reviewed by: Peg Becksvoort - Falmouth Middle, Falmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 9, 2016

Review

From the beginning, this felt like a "Prince and the Pauper" story.

In this thinly contrived story, Lute, Crown Prince, and Griff, child of a poor falconer, come together to realize that they are twins. It is a bit slow, but will engage some who enjoy a slower pace. There are magical creatures, there is evil, and the characters do grow and become stronger as the plot develops. The ending is predictable and yet we are left wanting more story at the end.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

McIntosh, Fiona

Illustrator: ,

Publisher: Knopf

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: adventure,fantasy

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780553498271

Price: 16.99