Schools of Hope: How Julius Rosenwald Helped Change African American Education

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 4, 2014

Review

Read this and Sears, Roebuck and Company will never mean the same. Sears was a railroad agent, selling watches on the side, his business grew and he hired Roebuck to help. They hired Julius Rosenwald to run the business. He made the company a household word, and the company made him rich. He created a fund to build 5300 schools in 20 years for African American children after meeting Booker T. Washington. His fund changed the country both for black & white. This story & this man has inspired the lives of Bill Gates & Warren Buffet who have imitated his thinking.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Finkelstein, Norman H.

Publisher: Calkins Creek/Highlights

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

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

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9781590788417

Price: 16.95

Darkness Everywhere: the Assassination of Mohandas Gandhi

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 8, 2014

Review

This book begins with Gandhi's death and how it came to be. It looks at Gandhi's early life, schooling, and how a play seen at age 12 influenced the rest of his life. The author also takes the reader into the politics of the time and how there was an element that was very anti Gandhi and what led to his death. Bibliography & glossary in back. Easy to read, thorough.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Doeden, Matt

Publisher: Twenty-First Century Books/Lerner Publishing

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre:

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

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780761354833

Price: 28.00

Ship of Dolls

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 11, 2014

Review

The author took a piece of history as the setting for this story of 11 year old Lexie who is living with her grandparents in Portland, Oregon, while her mom and new step dad earn a living as musicians. It is 1926 and Lexie is not happy living with a very strict grandmother who loves this child but wants her to "grow up right." Lexie's class has been raising money to buy a doll that will join thousands of others from all over the nation on a friendship voyage to Japan. This is the true part of the story - some 12,000 dolls were sent to Japanese girls to promote goodwill and peace between the 2 countries in a time of growing tension. The story has all the elements the reader is looking for - a friend, a mean, very mean girl at school, strict but loving grandparents, a mom who cares for her child but is not ready to give up her career to settle down, a mistake, consequences, a bit of heartbreak, and a resolution. An excellent story, a glimpse at a small piece of history, and what is important in life.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Parenteau, Shirley

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction, historical fiction

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763670030

Price: 16.99

Ghost Walls: Story of a 17th Century Colonial Homestead

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 11, 2014

Review

In 1638, John Lewger made a home in what is now Maryland. He called this home St. Johns and it stood for some 80 years. It was his home, his place of business, and a center point of the new community that was somewhat unique for its time. All men and women lived and worked together, the first African-American man voted inside its walls. It was gone 100 years later and no plans or sketches of the home have ever been found. In 1962, the archaeologists arrived and have been putting together the physical attributes of the house and surrounding land and buildings ever since. Author Walker takes the reader on the journey of these first Americans, their hopes, dreams, how their society worked and how they lived and died. She also explains to the scientist in us how one goes about putting the bits and pieces of a past life together through fragments buried in the dirt. The layers of dirt tell a story, they even found where the outhouse was and it told a lot! The book includes drawings of what St. Johns looked like , actual artifacts and what their use was,why it was built where it was, what each room was used for, and a few mysteries that were solved and some not yet solved. It gives the reader a peek at what 1600 Maryland was like, how it was colonized, who lived there and why and the impact a single dwelling had then and now. Well written, lots of information easily understood, lots of source notes, a timeline, further reading and index.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Walker, Sally M

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: CarolRhoda/Lerner

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 7-9, grades 10-12

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780761354086

Price: 20.95

The Mouse Who Ate the Moon

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me 04039, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 11, 2014

Review

The story of Little Mouse who loves to look up at the moon. He is so enamored with the moon- he wishes he had a piece. Lo and behold the next morning a "piece" has fallen from the sky - it looks good enough to eat and that is what Little Mouse does- nibbles a piece and then another until there is just a sliver left! Now our readers will notice that the "piece" he finds is not the moon - but a banana! Horrified at what he has done, our hungry mouse tells all who meet him what he has done and now the moon will not be round anymore. His friends,finally show him that what he has done has not affected the moon. A story of love and friendship,love of our brightest night time light, friendship of friends who ensure their friend he really did not eat a piece of the moon! Text that is easy to follow, funny, and in its own way tells our youngest readers a bit of about the moon. The illustrations are big, bright, carry the text and are engaging to both reader and listener. I read it to my story time group and it was a hit! Add to your collection!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Horacek, Petr

Illustrator: Horacek, Petr

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763670597

Price: 15.99

Shh! We Have a Plan

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me 04039, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 11, 2014

Review

This is CREAM! On the front cover flap, at the top there is a quote: "Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding." Albert Einstein. Four friends go into the woods and see a beautiful bird - 3 concoct a plan to capture this bird and of course, the plan fails. They follow the bird and concoct another plan - which again fails. The hunt continues and our listeners laugh at each failure - Eventually, the 4th friend knows how to make friends and enjoy the beauty of the bird without capturing it. The book is perfect! A true picture book, with the illustrations supporting the minimal text. Blue and black are the primary colors of the illustrations which are large, simple and more like a child has drawn than a grownup. The story - you get more with honey than vinegar. When you think the 3 have "got it" - another animal is the subject of their interest and "a plan" is put into practice. Your library has to share a copy with both children and their parents!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Haughton, Chris

Illustrator: Haughton, Chris

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763672935

Price: 15.99

The Amazing Travels of IBN BATTUTA

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me 04039, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 8, 2014

Review

In the Muslim tradition - a lifetime goal is to make a pilgrimage to Mecca. This is the true story of Ibn Battuta, a 21 year old man who lived in 1300 Morocco. He begins a journey that will take him almost 30 years to finish. He kept a diary of his travels both to Mecca to complete his Hajj, and then throughout Asia, Middle East, Europe and Africa.The reader begins in Mecca where the author explains what Ibn encounters and then we follow him as he journeys throughout the known world. What is so striking are the colored pencil illustrations done in the style of the Middle East- like the designs you would see on mosques. They make the words come to life- you can feel what it was like because of the illustrations. It is a beautifully written and illustrated book. My only concern is how widely it will go out. I think it is an important book in that it gives our readers a wider scope of the world.This is a book that will gain readership through word of mouth and exposing teachers and parents to its worth.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Sharafeddine, Fatima

Illustrator: Ali, Intelaq Mohammed

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Groundwood/House of Ananzi Bks

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre: adventure, biography / autobiography

Audience: grades k-3, grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781554984800

Price: 17.95

Rules of Summer

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 4, 2014

Review

The summary says it's about two brothers who review the "rules they learned over the summer." The rules are rather straightforward--know your way home, never lose a fight--but it's the illustrations that make this book special. Not the cute, sweet, warm brotherly drawings. They're almost harsh, rather strange--almost alien-like--but they are fantastic! This is a very sophisticated picture book, for the older reader to take in both word and illustration!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Tan, Shaun

Publisher: Arthur Levine / Scholastic

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: fair

ISBN: 9780545639125

Price: 18.99

I Plege Allegiance

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 18, 2014

Review

Libby's aunt will become a citizen at the end of the week - she will say the Pledge of Allegiance. Through Libby's story the reader learns what the Pledge is all about and what it means. The words to the Pledge are written several times throughout the story. The illustrations add to the upbeat mood Libby has about her aunt's citizenship. A wonderful way to explain 31 words that we should know.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Mora, Pat

Illustrator: Barton, Patrice

Publisher: Knopf

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3, grades 4-6

Binding Type: other

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780307931818

Price: 16.99

Scarlatti's Cat

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 9, 2014

Review

There really was a Domenico Scarlatti and legend says he had a cat who loved to listen to Scarlatti's music - he did indeed write "Cat Fugue" that he said was written by the cat walking across the keys - this is the story of the writing of said music! Beautiful illustrations add to the story of a composer, his cat and what happened when the cat played the harpsichord

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Lachenmeyer, Nathaniel

Illustrator: Beccia, Carlyn

Publisher: Carolrhoda Books

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780761354727

Price: 16.95

Great Big Green

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 9, 2014

Review

It's the illustrations that first grab you! Mixed media collages the illustrator scanned from her own paintings, fabric, photos, etc. - big, bright, green with lots to look at. The text written in rhyme is a "what is it" question. I'll give you clues - author explores all the shades of green! Fun, beautiful!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Gifford, Peggy

Illustrator: Desimini, Lisa

Publisher: Boyds Mills

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9781620916292

Price: 15.95

Florence Nightingale

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 9, 2014

Review

Demi's signature illustrations tells the reader the story of Florence Nightingale. Born to affluent parents - she lacked for nothing but all she wanted was to help others - eventually deciding to be a nurse - but had to fight her parents objections to do so. She made a name for herself during the Crimean War - cleaning up the filthy conditions.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

., Demi

Publisher: Henry Holt

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780805097290

Price: 17.99

Star Child

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 20, 2014

Review

Star Child wants very badly to see Earth. His elders explain to him that he will have to be born a human and live as one so he can experience all earth has to offer. Clare Nivola has created this calm, quiet story through both beautiful, simple text and illustrations of quiet color that compliments the text. It is a book that explains the joy, heartbreak, excitement and challenges of living a life on earth as a human being. It is the complete package

CREAM

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Nivola, Clare A

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Frances Foster/ Farrar,Straus Giroux

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780374371821

Price: 16.99

Day Dreamers: Journey of Imagination

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Choose Library District

Review Date: September 20, 2014

Review

Martin sings the praises of imagination. She takes the reader on a journey, explaining that though you may not see dragons, unicorns, and other magical creatures in the everyday - they exist and you meet when you day dream. Martin's illustrations are magical- clear, smooth and soothing - a day dream quality. The text is poetic, is the tidal pool you are gazing at a "tiny seaside kingdom" with ancient creatures in the waves? This is her companion book to Dream Animals

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Martin, Emily Winfield

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Random House

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: fantasy

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780385376709

Price: 17.99

The Storm Whale

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 20, 2014

Review

A simple story of a small boy who lives on an island with his fisherman dad, and 6 cats. His dad goes to sea all day and his son remains home. After a storm,he finds a stranded young whale and quickly goes to work to save it- including bringing back to his house and putting it into the bathtub. He worries that his dad will be understanding of the situation. Davies heartwarming story told in simple, sparse text and in illustrations that reflect the life and bond the boy and his dad have with one another makes this a Keeper!

CREAM

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Davies, Benji

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Henry Holt

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780805099676

Price: 16.99

Hunters of the Great Forest

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 20, 2014

Review

A group of fearless but somewhat goofy group of explorers set off on a journey of discovery. They must face all sorts of challenges to secure the treasure they seek. Nolan's quirky, detailed,illustrations add to the adventure. This is a fun, beautiful wordless book!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Nolan, Dennis

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781596438965

Price: 17.99

Imani's Moon

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 8, 2014

Review

Let nothing nor anyone stop you in whatever you wish in life. Imani, a small Maasai girl wants to do something big! But at each try- she is teased and made to feel inadequate by children in the village. As low as she feels after each attempt- it is the calm, quiet, soothing words and stories of her mother that give her the courage to try again until success is hers. With a text that is encouraging not didactic and beautiful, bright illustrations that take the reader to the Maasai village, this message of confidence and determination is conveyed to the reader in a beautiful book.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Brown-Wood, JaNay

Illustrator: Mitchell, Hazel

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Macinac Island Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool, grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781934133576

Price: 17.99

This Book's Maine Connection: Maine illustrator

Chernobyl's Wild Kingdom - Life in the Dead Zone

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 7, 2015

Review

All the plants, animals, trees, mosses, mushrooms- all are radioactive. It is a kingdom of radio active living things. In April of 1986, a planned test on the cooling system at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the Ukraine went terribly wrong. To compound the disaster, the people who lived and worked for and around the area were not told of the explosion that released 400 times more radioactivity than the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima. It was the worst nuclear disaster the world had ever experienced. After the fire was put out(it took 10 days) and the residents were evacuated, a fence was put up and no one was allowed into the "Dead Zone." Scientists assumed that nothing would ever grow, reproduce, live in this space. But things did grow, and live, and reproduce and Rebecca Johnson explains why and how. The photographs support the text and give the reader a clear vision of what various groups of scientists have been studying these past 20 years. From the first explosion, the reader gets a taste of the mismanagement of the situation - people were not evacuated for 2 days, firemen sent in to put the fire out had no protective gear, and people started dying within weeks. Scientists from various countries have been studying the plant and animal life and have found that overall the populations have been thriving. But are they? What do the insides of the birds, voles, fish show that their outsides don't? This slim volume is gives various opinions of what has happened and why. The data these scientists have gathered and continue to gather is invaluable to the more recent disaster at Fukushima, Japan. It is a fascinating account of one of the greatest disasters in recent history. It is a CREAM book.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Johnson, Rebecca

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Twenty FirstCentury Bks/Lerner

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre: realistic fiction

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

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 978-14677-1154-8

Price: 31.14

Sweep Up the Sun

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 7, 2015

Review

Helen Frost's poem is a one of encouraging the reader to soar, take wing, trust explore, travel far, to be with friends or alone. Simple in text but rich in what it encourages the reader to do. Now add Rick Lieder's unbelievable photos of birds in flight and you have the perfect combination of language and art, of science and beauty. Not only are text and photos beautiful poetry, the writer and photographer have given the reader a photo and description of each of the birds featured in the book. This is a CREAM book and should be found in every library!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Frost, Helen

Illustrator: Lieder, Rick

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre: fiction in verse / poetry

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 978-0-7636-6904-1

Price: 15.99

Little Bird Takes a Bath

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 7, 2015

Review

Little bird lives in the city. He likes to greet the day with a song and end the day with a song. What he doesn't like is thunder and rain. the only good thing about rain is the puddles it makes and the puddles make a bathing spot for little bird. Our little bird takes the reader over rooftops seeking the perfect puddle for a bath. Once found, his bath is continually interrupted and his puddle smaller and smaller. Russo's story of a bird, a rainstorm and a bath will capture the interest of the youngest reader and her illustrations are big, soft and inviting. This book is a keeper!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Russo, Marisabina

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Schwartz and Wade

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780385370141

Price: 16.99

The House That's Your Home

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 7, 2015

Review

What makes a house a home? This is the question that Sally Lloyd-Jones and Jane Dyer answer in there beautifully crafted book. With Dyer's signature soft, sweet, quiet illustrations and Lloyd -Jones almost poetic text, readers are comforted by what goes into a home- its family, pets, belongings, a yard with trees and grass, and gardens. They go bigger- its the sun, moon, Milky Way and you keep all this in your heart so that home is always with you. It is a book that gives our youngest readers security and comfort. Text and illustrations make this a CREAM choice.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Lloyd-Jones, Sally

Illustrator: Dyer, Jane

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Schwartz and Wade/Random Hse

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780375858840

Price: 17.99

Song of Delphine

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 13, 2015

Review

Delphine is a small orphaned servant girl who works in the palace of Queen Theodora. Sad and lonely, she sings at night to keep her spirits up and ease her loneliness. When the queen's young niece comes to live at the palace, Delphine hopes to make a friend but Princess Beatrice is mean and cruel. Delphine's nightly song, along with her tears draws the attention of some kindly giraffes who come to her window and invite her to see the savanna where they live. They deliver her back to the palace after the journey but mistakenly set her on the open window of Beatrice. Delphine recognizes thesame sadness in Beatrice as she is experiencing and sings a song to her to cheer her. the princess calls the guards to take her away. When the queen calls for her she fears the worst, but the queen asks her to sing and pronounces her the "Queen's Singer." As the saying goes, "good things come to those who wait" and Delphine is rewarded for her kindness. Princess Beatrice asks her to forgive all the mean things she has done they are friends. Beatrice and Delphine experience the same loneliness and sadness, but it is how they cope with their experiences that define who they are and how they cope. The illustrations are soft and simple and convey the message of the text. It is a beautiful book in both text and illustration.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Kraegel, Kenneth

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763670016

Price: 15.99

League of Beastly Dreadfuls

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 13, 2015

Review

Anastasia, a relatively normal 11 year old is kidnapped from school by two very odd older women who claim to be her long lost great aunts. Told that her parents have died, she is taken to their home- a great Victorian house in the middle of nowhere, that wwas once an insane asylum. The reader is right there with Anastasia as she begins her new life. It is a strange one, filled with questions, locked doors, strange people and odd behavior. She meets a boy whose head is encased in a bird cage, and another who can turn into a shadow. Did I mention there is also guard poodles? Questions abound- who are these aunts and what do they want with Anastasia, who are these boys and why are they here, and after staying a while- the big question- how do they escape? Holly Grant has taken bits of crazy and strung them together to create this series for those readers who are looking for a fun, wacky story that keeps getting stranger page by page. Who knows what is in store for Anastasia in future books.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

grant, Holly

Illustrator: Portillo, Josie

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Random House

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: adventure,mystery

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780385370073

Price: 16.99

Marilyn's Monsters

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 13, 2015

Review

The children in Marilyn's class are slowly attaining their own monster. The monsters find their child in their own time. that's just the way it works, you wait for your monster to find you. But what do you do when , like Marilyn, you are the only one without a monster? Marilyn waits patiently , looking calm, well groomed and friendly. when no monster comes, she doesn't look calm and friendly and she is getting impatient until she decides to go look for her monster- even though that is not the way it works. Our readers suffer with Marilyn as she waits for her monster to find her and cheer when she decides to seek out her monster even though it is not the way it is done! Matt Phelan's illustrations make the text complete. They are soft, whimsical and convey the emotions and tone of the story. The monsters are the kind you would want to have in your life. Text and picture work together to give the reader a complete package.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Knudsen, Michelle

Illustrator: Phelan, Matt

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763660116

Price: 15.99

A Rock Can Be

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 13, 2015

Review

In the simplest of rhyming text(words rhyme) Ms. Salas reminds the reader of what rocks are, a grain of sand, a dinosaur bone, a home for sea birds a star. while the text is sparse the words run off the tongue and are fun to say and talk about. The illustrations convey in bright, full page detail the meaning of what a rock can be. The text and the bold illustrations give our youngest readers a lesson in rhyming, geology and creativity and lots to talk about when looking at a stone! The author has included a glossary of terms, and an explanation of each illustration which adds to its appeal. Pair this with Peggy Christian's If You Find a Rock in which readers will explore the rock with different criteria- a wishing rock, a climbing rock or a resting rock. this is a beautiful book.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Salas, Laura Purdie

Illustrator: Dabija, Violeta

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Millbrook Press/Lerner

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467721103

Price: 17.99

A Poem in Your Pocket

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 13, 2015

Review

Poetry is so easy when our children are young with Mother Goose and the lyrics to songs, we enjoy poetry and so do they. As our children get older, for some reason, poetry gets hard, not fun, and we shy away from it, both reading it and listening to it. Margaret McNamara has taken some of the mystery out of poetry with this story about a girl who loves to learn and eager to write lots of poems for the poet who is coming to her class on Poem-in-Your-Pocket Day. Elinor and her class are gently instructed on the different types of poetry, haiku, concrete, acrostic, metaphors and similes, those that rhyme and those that don't. One of the things Elinor's teacher keeps reminding them is that "poetry is a messy business." As the day of the visit approaches, Elinor has nothing written because everything she has written is not perfect. this story gives lots of information of the types, the structure and the purpose of poetry wrapped in a simple story of "letting go of perfect." Classic Brian Karas illustrations add to the appeal of this book.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

McNamara, Margaret

Illustrator: Karas, Brian

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Schwartz&Wade/Random House

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780307979476

Price: 16.99

Three Mouths of Little Tom Drum

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 12, 2015

Review

Nancy Willard has written an original fairy tale of Little Tom Drum, who so loves strawberry pie that he has to have a tiny slice of the pie his mother has made for his birthday. She agrees to let him have a very small slice, but during the night he sneaks down for yet another piece. He is caught in the act by his mother and to her horror- Little Tom Drum has not one mouth, but a total of 3! After his parents initial reaction they decide to cancel his party and not send him to school for fear of others reaction to his predicament. A tutor is hired and tom becomes an excellent student with a passion for inventing things. The day after his 9th birthday a package arrives - a wishing machine to be assembled. Hopeful to get his old face back, Tom assembles the machine but nothing happens, though the fine print states that his wish has been received. While he waits he invents the most remarkable things for those who come to him with problems and his face doesn't seem to bother them. Of course, by the end of the story he receives his wish and he has gained the love and friendship of all those he has helped though he never again does want "one more piece." A cautionary tale of both what happens when you want too much but also how what we perceive as a disfigurement or flaw sets you on a different path that you might not have chosen. Kevin Hawkes' creativity in illustration adds to the text and gives it a whimsical feel to this tale.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Willard, Nancy

Illustrator: Hawkes, Kevin

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763654764

Price: 16.99

This Book's Maine Connection: Maine illustrator

Not This Bear: A First Day of School Story

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 12, 2015

Review

there are lots of "first day of school" books but this is one that is a keeper. As all books on this subject usually start, little bear doesn't want to leave mom. She assures him that "all bears love school" to which his response is "not this bear." this becomes the call and response through the entire story. and as we all know school is not that terrifying and all the characters survive it beautifully. Capucilli's text captures little bear's fears and concerns but as he navigates the day , his mom's words and actions give him that little push to try what is at hand. Lorna Hussey's illustrations are soft, cuddly. She is able to capture the emotions little bear experiences as his day progresses. this is a nice addition to one of those rights of passage our children experience.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Capucilli, Alyssa Satin

Illustrator: Hussey, Lorna

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Henry Holt

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780805098969

Price: 16.99

Over in the Wetlands: A Hurricane-on-the-Bayou Story

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 12, 2015

Review

Life in the wetlands for various creatures begins as a calm peaceful day, but as the day progresses we see the weather change and the creatures prepare for what eventually becomes a hurricane. Ms. Rose in a rhyming text takes the reader to the habitats of alligators, egrets, turtles and bears as they begin their day. With the lush illustrations of Rob Dunlavey, our non reader knows something big and scary is in the making. His illustrations are big and detailed and one knows when the hurricane hits- you almost feel the rain and wind as it invades the bayou. By the end of the day, the sunset is a glowing red/yellow and the worst is over. Our animals and birds are safe and secure in their bayou home. The author has included 2 pages of notes on the region hit by the storm, a map and more about the animals found in the book. There is a lot of information in both the brief text and the pictures. This is a great way to pair poetry, science, art and geography into a beautiful book. It is definitely a keeper!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Rose, Caroline Starr

Illustrator: Dunlavey, Rob

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Schwartz Wade

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780449810163

Price: 17.99

Bus Ride

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 12, 2015

Review

A little girl in a red sweater, with a basket says goodbye to her mother and gets on a bus. The text is sparse. The little girl tells the reader in very brief sentences who gets on the bus, a family of foxes, a very sleepy sloth, a little wolf, and who gets off the bus. There are all sorts of riders including a would be thief that is chastised by the little girl. At the end of the bus ride, our little girl in the red sweater gets off and is met by her grandmother! Sound a bit familiar? the text is brief but the illustrations are what lets the reader enjoy the tale. They are detailed penciled hues of gray, green, and brown with bits of blue, red, yellow. The entire story takes place on the bus so the illustrator gives that linear feel to the pictures. Our young non readers will spend time looking at all the small details Ms. Dubuc has left for them. This tale with the hint of Little Red Riding Hood is fun to read and to look at!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Dubuc, Marianne

Illustrator: , same

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 97817713582090

Price: 15.95

The Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me 04039, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 8, 2015

Review

Eight facts about octopuses: there are 250 species, plural is octopuses or octopods, it has 3 hearts, its brain is wrapped around its throat, 3/5 of its nerve cells are in its arms, its blood is blue, their arms can regenerate ( its severed arm can thrash around attracting predators) , they belong to one of the most successful groups of animals on earth- the mollusks - its class cephalopods(head-foot) which means that their legs are attached to their head and its mouth is located in its armpits, they taste with their skin including its eye lids! I had never thought about an octopus as anything but a rather creepy ocean dweller and that there are a couple of sci-fi movies where they are huge and destroy everything it their path! Sy Montgomery has written another excellent non fiction picture book to add to the Scientists in the Field series about this little known but fascinating creature. He and photographer Keith Ellenbogen take the reader, with a group of scientists to study the various species of octopods found in French Polynesia. The information about this animal is mindboggling. The group of scientists are as interesting as the topic they are studying- a behaviorist, a marine ecologist, a psychologist and a interpretive specialist. Supported by incredible photographs, this group of scientists invites the reader into a world most of us know nothing about. We keep reading because the story of this animal is not only fascinating but important to the ecology of our planet. This is a worthwhile purchase for the information on the species and those who devote their lives to uncovering the mysteries of this creature.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Montgomery, Sy

Illustrator: Ellenbogen, Keith

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

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

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780544232709

Price: 18.99

The Specific Ocean

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Choose Library District

Review Date: February 9, 2016

Review

We, who live near the ocean, know the connection we have with it. In Kyo Maclear's story, we meet a young girl whose family is heading to the ocean for the very first time. This is a vacation she is not looking forward to. So much so, she refuses to leave the cottage once they have arrived. But the ocean has a way of winning over the most reluctant of visitors and the author eases both the young girl and the reader into the beauty of the water and its inhabitants. Katty Maurey's illustrations of mixed media have a watery touch to them. There is a calmness to them that draws the reader in, much like the ocean itself. This is a good choice for anyone going on their first ocean experience and for those of us who know the draw of the ocean and the creatures who call it home.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Maclear, Kyo

Illustrator: Maurey, Katty

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 978894786355

Price: 17.95

Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gryay Public Library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 9, 2016

Review

Charlie Laird is back and this time he and his family are battling what seems to be zombies! Charlie thought the portal between the Netherworld and the real world had been closed after he and his brother had sent the nightmares back to where they belong- in ones dreams. Charlie can't shake the feeling that something isn't right and then his stepmom's herbarium, one of the busiest stores in the town is losing business to a new store in a neighboring town. Upon visiting the competition and observing that those who have purchased the potion seem to be sleepwalking- Charlie and his friends must again open the portal to stop this behavior from spreading. Segel and Miller have written a sequel that will keep the reader turning pages to see how this weirdness started and how Charlie will again save the day. Kwasny's illustrations add to the fun of the story.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Segel, Jason

Illustrator: Kwasny, Karl

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: fantasy

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780385744270

Price: 16.99

We Came to America

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 6, 2016

Review

This book could not come at a better time. Faith Ringgold speaks to the reader of all who have come to America and why they came. She speaks of those who came in chains and were deprived of everything including their names. She speaks of those who came to escape injustice. She speaks of those who came to find a better way of life. In this ode to the immigrant, she speaks to what they have brought to this country and how America is better for their coming. While the text is short and poetic, Ringgold's large, colorful illustrations express the diversity that makes America great. This is a must have for libraries large and small. this can be used as part of a unit on diversity or immigration along with Coming to America by Betsy Maestro, I'm New Here by Anne Sibley O'Brien, My name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits and Who Belongs Here by Margy Burns Knight.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Ringgold, Faith

Illustrator: same, same

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Knopf

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 978-0517-70947-4

Price: 17.99

Fabulous Frogs

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 7, 2016

Review

Did you know that there are over 5,000 kinds of frogs? Martin Jenkins introduces our youngest readers to the world of frogs. His introduction gives the reader some basic information about frogs and then he focuses on several types of frogs- the largest, the smallest, and a host of just plain strange frogs! Hopgood's large, realistic illustrations bring these amphibians to life, they seem to hop off the page! Jenkin's text is simple and informative- a sentence or two,that will leave the reader wanting to know more , so he has added a short paragraph about the featured frog on each page. In the back of the book, there is an index and websites for more useful information. this picture book is a great for those budding herpetologists and for the curious. It will also fit the STEAM curriculum.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Jenkins, Martin

Illustrator: Hopgood, Tim

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 978-07636-8100-5

Price: 16.99

Stories from Bug Garden

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 7, 2016

Review

Long forgotten, a garden lays quiet, unoccupied, until, one by one, they come. There is ladybug, butterfly, horsefly, dragonfly, bee, and others, and as they appear, their story is told. The reader meets each inhabitant and learns how the garden becomes home. There is a story on each page that is descriptive and easy to read, whether aloud or by an individual reader. Each story adds to the story on the previous page. Illustrations are delicate and fun. They allow the reader to feel like he is in the garden listening to each story. There are lots of stories about insects and gardens, but this book puts them together in an light, whimsical rendering. this would work well with units on gardens, insects and storytelling.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Moser, Lisa

Illustrator: Millward, Gwen

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 978-0-7636-6534-0

Price: 16.99

Owls! Strange and Wonderful

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 8, 2016

Review

Called the "ghost bird", man has had a long relationship with the owl. There are about 240 species of owl. They can be found on every continent except Antarctica, in the tropics to the tundra. They range in size from the elf owl, weighing less than 2 ounces, to the Eurasian Eagle Owl and the Blakiston's Fish owl, both weighing some 9 pounds with a wingspan of 5 feet. This is just the beginning of 32 pages filled with the folklore surrounding this bird, the physical characteristics, habitat, how it hunts, how it lives, and how the environment has impacted its survival. Lurence Pringle, no stranger to picture book non fiction has given the reader the facts and fiction with Meryl Henderson supporting the research with detailed illustrations that put the information into art, so the reader can both read and see what makes the owl so special. The book has a detailed glossary, websites and other sources for further study. A great "STEAM" source. It can be paired with any number of picture books about owls, chapter books such as Hoot, Guardians of GaHoole by Kathryn Lasky, Avi's Poppy series, and in mythology where Athena or her Roman counterpart Minerva had a sacred owl.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Pringle, Laurence

Illustrator: Henderson, Meryl

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Boyds Mills

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 978-1-62091-651-3

Price: 16.95

This is the Earth

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 9, 2016

Review

In this non fiction picture book, author Diane Shore introduces young readers to our earth and how man's actions, be they well intentioned or not, have affected the environment. With simple rhyming text, she speaks to the reader of what can happen if we think of only ourselves and what is good for us, without first thinking through the consequences of or actions on the earth we share. Wendall Minor's soft, vivid illustrations show the reader how the earth has been hurt by man's carelessness. shore offers some suggestion's what we can do to repair some of the damage. Use this as an introduction to units on the environment - the Earth book by Parr, On Earth by Karas, the Earth and I by Asch, Fuzzy Mudd by Sacher, Chernobyl Wild Kingdom:Life in the Dead Zone by Rebecca Johnson, books about Wangari Maathai, and One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Shore, Diane

Illustrator: Minor, Wendell

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Harper

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre: fiction in verse / poetry

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 978-006-05526-9

Price: 17.99

Shape Shift

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 9, 2016

Review

Shapes are a part of our everyday life. Once you become aware of the the curvy, straight,pointy shapes around you-you see them everywhere. After introducing the reader to 9 shapes, two children put the 9 together in various forms and ask the reader what they see. Perhaps it is a triangle and a semi circle become a ballerina. Take those same two shapes, rearrange them and add some circles and you might see an elephant being carried away by balloons. Clean, soft illustrations engage the reader and test their imagination. This is a picture book for those readers who already know their basic shapes and are looking for something a bit more advanced. It is a book one could to use to introduce geometry at its basic level. add it to your STEM list.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Hesselberth, Joyce

Illustrator: same, same

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Christy Ottaviano

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781627790574

Price: 16.99

The Mouse Who Reached the Sky

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 9, 2016

Review

Little mouse is back! In an earlier story, he thought a piece of the moon had fallen to earth only to be told it was a banana. In this tale,Little Mouse sees what he believes is a red marble hanging from a tree. Not being able to reach it himself, he enlists the help of his friends who work together to solve the problem. their reward, lots of cherries! Signature Horacek illustrations, big and bright tell mouse's story to the youngest readers and support the text for our early readers, This is a welcome addition to a unit on friendship, fruits, or co-operation. Look for more of Little Mouse adventures.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Horacek, Petr

Illustrator: same, same

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763679163

Price: 16.99

Lucy Lady Bug

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 20, 2016

Review

Sharon King-Chai has introduced the concepts of counting, colors and the seasons to young readers as she tells the story of a little lady bug that feels she doesn't fit in because she has no spots. Lucy, feeling she doesn't belong, wishes she were like the frog with his green spots whom she meets in the spring the caterpillar with her yellow spots whom she meets in the fall and the fish with her blue spots she meets in the winter. They each in turn remind her of how special she is and then give her one of their spots. When she returns to her lady bug family, she realizes that she is still different as are all the creatures she has met. Lucy is like all of us , wanting to fit rather than embracing our own uniqueness. Readers are reminded of this while counting the spots of varied colors that Lucy is given. Text is not overwhelming for the reader and is supported by illustrations that are big, bold,bright and clearly show our non readers what the story is about.It is visually appealing as well as sending a gentle message about celebrating who we are.A fun book that can be paired with books about insects, the Ladybug girl series, Dog's Colorful Day by Emma Dodd and other concept books featuring counting and colors.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

King-Chai, Sharon

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Random Hse

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780553510058

Price: 16.99

Their Great Gift: Courage, Sacrifice and Hope in a New Land

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 19, 2016

Review

Wing Young Huie's photos are striking! In both black and white and color, he has captured the look of immigration. The reader can see how people left everything to come to the United States hoping for a better life. Coy's text is simple but powerful, explaining what the photos show: coming with nothing, working menial jobs,working long hours, being misunderstood, opening their own businesses and becoming part of the American dream. "They came here because they dreamed of more," "others didn't understand how much they had sacrificed", "work hard, never give up, do well in school." the title is part of the question asked of the reader at the end of the book-"what will we do with their great gift?"Pair this with Faith ringold's We Came to America and I'm New Here by Anne Sibley O'Brien.My only wish is that there was more information on the photos.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Coy, John

Illustrator: Young Huie, Wing

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: CarolRhoda

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781467780544

Price: 19.99

Bear is Not Tired

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 20, 2016

Review

In this sequel to Room for Bear, bear has become part of the duck family and all is well until winter approaches. Bear, not wanting to miss anything has decided to stay up through the winter. Though he tries valiantly, he cannot fight nature and with sleep demanding its due, mother duck assures him that he will always be close. she then sends him off to bed. Like the story itself, the illustrations are gentle and soft, giving the reader the feeling of the calm and love found in the story. Both books show the reader the love a family has for each of its members no matter who they are ,how they look or where they are. this is a nice quiet read to be enjoyed by reader and listener.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Gavin, Ciara

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Knopf

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780385754767

Price: 16.99

Every Day Birds

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public library, Gray, Me 04039, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 19, 2016

Review

For our youngest readers, an introduction to many of the birds they see and hear every day. VanDerwater describes each bird with one identifying fact: "chickadee has a black cap"," Jay loud and bold." Metrano's cut colored paper is layered to give the reader a beautiful and realistic look at each bird. Each page holds the illustration of the bird, its name in bold and a singular fact, making the book simple and direct for beginning readers and those who "read" the pictures. Additional information can be found in the back of the book along with websites to visit. STEAM is becoming more and more a part of the educational experience and the thought is to introduce science, technology, engineering, art, and math to our younger audience. this is one such book: the science of nature explained through art. Pair this with Kevin Henkes's Birds, and Jane Yolen's Nest Here With Me.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

VanDerwater, Amy

Illustrator: Metrano, Dylan

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Orchard

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780545699808

Price: 16.99

The Girl with the Parrot on Her Head

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me 04039, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 20, 2016

Review

A girl named Isabel and a boy named Simon were friends. She had a parrot on her head and he was good with newts. One day Simon moved away - never to return. Now Isabel was alone, sad, angry and alone. How does one cope with the loss of a friend, how does one go on? Hirst tells the reader that being alone is not the end of the world and you can go on- after all Isabel has a parrot on her head! Her text is simple and direct, her illustrations are a bit quirky and childlike, yet convey Isabel's feelings about her situation. Young readers today are often faced with the dilemma of losing a friend due to a move across town or across country. This is a story of change, imagination, problem solving and hope. a keeper.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Hirst, Daisy

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763678296

Price: 16.99

Hare and Tortoise

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me 04039, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 20, 2016

Review

In this retelling of The Tortoise and the Hare, Murray both tells the story with an upbeat text that has a repeating phrase for both the tortoise and the hare and with illustrations that are big, soft and bright. Young non readers can follow the race begins, Murray has hare's race along the top of each page while the tortoise races across the bottom. As is tradition the tortoise triumphs and while hare can't believe he has lost, he realizes that there is always next time! With Murray's text and illustrations, this is a fun twist on an old favorite.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Murray, Alliso

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780763687212

Price: 16.99

Smart and Spineless: Exploring Invertebrate Intelligence

Reviewed by: kathy george - Gray publlic Library, Gray, me., Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 8, 2016

Review

Ninety percent of animal life consists of invertebrates. These include jelly fish, spiders, octopuses, bees, ants, worms and shrimp. Ann downer has offered the reader a look into the world of invertebrates by introducing studies of these amazing creatures. Scientists studying these various creatures have reported some incredible observations. These creatures have intelligence - memory, learning abilities, and problem solving abilities. Why is this important? What we are seeing can help those of us with spines! Engineers are creating "swarm-bots" based on how bees work together. This will aid in search and rescue. Claw shrimp see light differently and scientists are now using this type of polarized light to fashion cameras in cancer detection. Ms Downer's chapters on each spineless creature are concise, with photographs, an information box and what the studies being done . She has included a glossary, bibliography and pages offering further information in the back of the book. It is a complete package!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Downer, Ann

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Twenty First Century

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467737395

Price: 33.32

Faraway Fox

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 8, 2016

Review

We are seeing more and more wildlife from mammals to fish get caught in areas where humans are living. They wander in and can't get back to there own environment. In Faraway Fox, a young fox finds himself wondering where his family is. He remembers the stream where he and his sister caught frogs and how good his father was at hunting. The text tells of his remembering but the illustrations show a playground, a construction site and a parking lot. With simple text and large two page spreads, this book explores the problem of animal encroachment into dangerous human territory. Happily there is a solution. As seen in the story, humans are building underpasses, overpasses, viaducts,and tunnels, allowing animals an escape route back to their home ground. With an author's note at the end of the story, the Thompsons are educating young readers on how to be good stewards to the animals they share the earth with. A great choice for any collection.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Thompson, Jolene

Illustrator: Thompson, Justin

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780544707115

Price: 17.99

Fish

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: November 8, 2016

Review

In this wordless book, the reader sets out with a boy and his dog for a day of fishing. As the hook hits the water,a letter, not a fish is caught! This continues until the boy is pulled overboard by lots of letters. readers follow the boy on his quest for the letters he needs to "save the day." The beauty of wordless books is that it gives the reader the chance to be part of the creative process. they can give voice to the characters and each time they read- the language can be different. the illustrator must give the reader enough clues to carry the story. This wordless book would work well with older readers.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Walsh, Liam Francis

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781626723337

Price: 17.99

Smart and Spineless: Exploring Invertebrate Intelligence

Reviewed by: kathy george - Gray publlic Library, Gray, me., Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 8, 2016

Review

Ninety percent of animal life consists of invertebrates. These include jelly fish, spiders, octopuses, bees, ants, worms and shrimp. Ann downer has offered the reader a look into the world of invertebrates by introducing studies of these amazing creatures. Scientists studying these various creatures have reported some incredible observations. These creatures have intelligence - memory, learning abilities, and problem solving abilities. Why is this important? What we are seeing can help those of us with spines! Engineers are creating "swarm-bots" based on how bees work together. This will aid in search and rescue. Claw shrimp see light differently and scientists are now using this type of polarized light to fashion cameras in cancer detection. Ms Downer's chapters on each spineless creature are concise, with photographs, an information box and what the studies being done . She has included a glossary, bibliography and pages offering further information in the back of the book. It is a complete package!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Downer, Ann

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Twenty First Century

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467737395

Price: 33.32

Dead Zones: Why Earth's Waters are Losing Oxygen

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, me., Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 13, 2016

Review

Dead zones are regions of fresh or salt water that are low in oxygen.. in the 1960's 49 such regions were identified world wide as dead zones. Today there are 500 bodies of water that carry this distinction.One of the hardest hit regions in the United States is the Gulf Coast. Where once these waters were abundant with fish, shrimp,and clams, it is now almost impossible to make a living in the fishing industry. In this case, the problem lies some 2000 miles north in the upper reaches of the Mississippi River. Farmers use fertilizer rich in nitrogen and phosphorus for their crops, they feed their cattle food rich in these same substances. The run off from these farmlands takes the nitrogen down the river into the Gulf where it feeds the algae that in turn overwhelms the water causing the oxygen to be depleted from the water.Carol Hand has done her homework.In this slim book she addresses the problem, how it began and how it has become a world wide concern. She also gives reasons of hope for reversing this form of pollution with what scientists are doing, and both print and web resources for further research. This is a must read for any one concerned about global warming and pollution.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Hand, Carol

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Twenty First Century

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467775731

Price: 35.99

Henry and Leo

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, me., Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 13, 2016

Review

In her signature style of magic and grace, Pamela Zagarenski tells the story of the love between a small boy, Henry and his favorite stuffed toy, Leo the lion. to Henry, Leo is as real as his family. On a walk through the woods, Leo is accidental left behind. After a search of the area, both inside and out, Henry and Leo both face a night without each other. In word and large dreamy illustrations, the reader sees Leo's journey home. this story of love and friendship, of what is real , what is magical and what the heart knows is a must read for every parent and child. Zagarenski has a gift of putting feelings into pictures that can be enjoyed by both reader and listener. It is a beautiful book!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Zagarenski, Pamela

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780544648111

Price: 17.99

Peppa Pig and the Lucky Ducks

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, me., Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 10, 2017

Review

Peppa Pig and George are characters created by Neville Astley and Mark Baker for TV. In this book Peppa and George are off to find the ducks that have left the pond for an adventure. This is a counting book that has the two pigs counting the various plants and animals they encounter. Bright, well defined illustrations recognizable to any reader familiar with the tv cartoon introduce counting to our youngest readers. If one is looking for 3 birds- then 3 birds are there to count. The pages are not cluttered with other items to confuse the counter. I as prepared to write this book off as a commercial gimmick- but for those readers familiar with Peppa, she introduces math in a fun, clear fashion.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Neville, Astley

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Candlewick Entertainment

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780763687403

Price: 12.99

Peppa Pig and the Camping Trip

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, me., Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 10, 2017

Review

In this Peppa adventure, the entire family goes on vacation. Our readers go camping with Peppa in a camper van and then to a campsite.The family introduces readers to the fun of such a vacation-bott in a van and under the stars in a sleeping bag. Simple, bright illustrations "tell" our non readers Peppa's adventures. The text is simple and straightforward and compliments the illustrations. For Peppa's fans, this is another fun read.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Candlewick entertainment, Candlewick Press

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Candlewick Entertainment

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780763687410

Price: 12.99

Floodwaters and Flames:the 1913 disaster on Dayton, Ohio

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, me., Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 10, 2017

Review

Today, disaster plans and programs such as FEMA are in place to meet the needs of those caught in natural disasters such as Katrina. Where did these ideas and procedures first come into being- The Great Dayton Flood of 1913. Dayton, located at the crossroads of 3 rivers and surrounded by hills was a disaster waiting to happen. People were aware of a potential problem, but relied on the 20 foot high levees that were in place to protect the city. Sound familiar? On Tuesday, March 35,1913 flood waters broke through the levees and flowed into the city at 25mph, taking along anything in its path. Flood, followed by flames and biter cold March weather left 1000 people dead, not to mention total destruction to property and animal life. This slim book, through photos taken and through voices of those who experienced ;the disaster tell of the suffering and loss of everything dear, but what speaks even louder is the coming together of the people to save, feed and shelter all those in need. From building flat bed boats- one every 17 minutes, to feeding people-some 2000 loaves of bread and 500 gallons of soup and supplying cots, blankets beds and pillows this city laid the groundwork for what is in place today. It is a book that reminds us of the fragility of life and the resilience of people who come together for the common good.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Huey, Lois Miner

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Millbrook Press

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467794329

Price: 33.32

The Great White Shark Scientist

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, me., Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 10, 2017

Review

Scientists in the Field series have done it again! Sy Montgomery and photographer Keith Ellenbogen take the reader to Chatham Massachusetts on the hunt for the Cape's newest summer resident- the "Jaws shark." As with other books in this series, young scientists are given information in a straightforward, scientific manner. While not in "story" form, this book on the great white takes the reader on the boat to find the elusive shark. That they live all over the world, in both warm and cool waters, and until now were mainly found off the coasts of Australia, South Africa and California. With the increase in the seal population, especially the gray seal, the great white now summers off the coast of Chatham were the grays also summer.The reader follows Greg Skomal, the resident great white biologist, on his daily quest to tag new residents and check on returning visitors. Keith Ellenbogen's photographs make you feel like you are there and part of the group. This is a must for all libraries in the northeast and for readers who go on vacation along these waters. Pair this with Mary Cerullo's Shark Expedition.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Montgomery, Sy

Illustrator: Keith, Ellenbogen

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780544352988

Price: 18.99

Some Kind of Courage

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 11, 2017

Review

It is 1890 in Old Mission Washington and Joseph Johnson has lost everyone he loves to accident or sickness. The only thing left of value to him is his pony, Sarah, who has been sold without his knowledge or consent. Determined to get his horse back, he starts out on a journey that tests his strength physically and morally. Joseph has been raised to do what is right, but will right win out? Gemeinhart keeps the reader turning the page even though one almost doesn't want to know what happens next. Though the setting is 1800's, the message is still relevant today- will you stay with what you have been brought up to believe even though it may cost you everything you love and value.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Gemeinhart, Dan

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: adventure

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780545665773

Price: 16.99

Doing Her Bit: a Story About the Woman's Land Army of America

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, me., Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 14, 2017

Review

We have all read about the various things women did while the men were off fighting during World War II. They worked in factories, flew planes and even played baseball! During World War I, women were recruited to help farmers care for their livestock, plow fields and bring in the crops. this is the story of one such woman, Helen Stevens. she was a college girl who saw a poster that wanted girls to enlist in the Woman's Land Army. many had never seen a farm let alone work on one and those that had farm experience were limited in what they were allowed to do. In Helen's story, she is sent to the Women's Agricultural camp to learn about farming and to work on farms. But learning to plow, hoe, tend livestock, whitewash buildings farmers would not hire them and when they did, farmers did not want to pay them a man's wages. This fictionalized account of the "farmettes" brings to readers young and old another piece of American history that few people know about.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Hager, Erin

Illustrator: Hill, Jen

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781580896467

Price: 16.95

Forgotten Bones: Uncovering a Slave Cemetary

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, Me 04039, Choose Library District

Review Date: March 29, 2017

Review

This narrative by archaeologist Lois Huey is really two stories. The first is the discovery and excavation of a 1770s slave cemetery in Albany, New York.Ms Huey walks the reader through the steps which bioarchaeologists(those who study human remains)take to secure the area, handle the bones and other artifacts, how they are studied and what can be learned about the culture.While the text is scientific, the reader has no problem understanding the process.The second story is the story of what being a slave in the north was like: where they came from, what they did day to day, how they lived and how they died. For the budding scientist, this is a book that offers a glimpse into the scientific world , for the budding historian, it offers a glimpse of the life of a slave of the north. This is history and science at its best.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Huey, Lois Miner

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Millbrook Press

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9

Binding Type: library binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467733939

Price: 30.63

someday Birds

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 11, 2017

Review

Charlie's world is orderly, structured and controlled. Now, however, his world is chaotic, and out of control.His dad has suffered a brain injury while working as a journalist in Afghanistan and is being transferred from the VA hospital in California to a facility in Virginia. He and his siblings are to stay while their grandmother makes the trip with dad. Not wanting to be left, Charlie's teenage sister asks her boyfriend to drive her, Charlie and his younger twin brothers cross country to join their father. You know this is not going to end well, especially for a boy like Charlie. What keeps him going is the notion that if he can spot all the birds on a list that he and his father have compiled, everything will by okay. This is the story of a family struggling to hold onto some sort of normal and of a boy struggling to keep his world in tack and eventually realizing that life is messy and will not be controlled. Readers will laugh and cry as Charlie navigates this chaos. He and his family grow as individuals and as a family in this most satisfying story. If you enjoyed Counting by 7's and Fish in a Tree, make this your next read.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Pla, Sally

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Harper

Book Type: Choose Book Type

Genre: realistic fiction

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780062445766

Price: 16.99

Caroline's Comets:True Story

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 11, 2017

Review

With text from Caroline Herschel's own memoir and correspondence, Emily Arnold McCully introduces younger readers to"the Hunter of Comets",one of the world's greatest astronomers .Born into a family of musicians, Caroline was stricken by both typhus and small pox as a child which left her scarred and stunted in growth,she was used by her family as a maid. McCully's picture book biography tells Caroline's story. A story that takes her from her home in Germany to her brother's home in England where she and her brother realize their passion for astronomy and become "astronomers to the King." With McCully's signature writing style and illustrations, the reader meets two little known giants in science,William, the builder of the most powerful telescope since Galileo's in 1609, and the discoverer of the planet Uranus, and Caroline, who discovers 8 comets and becomes the first woman to be paid for her work. This is a welcomed addition to a curriculum on women, scientists,and astronomy.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

McCully, Emily Arnold

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Holiday House

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 978023436644

Price: 16.95

a Letter to My Teacher

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 11, 2017

Review

On the surface this is a thank you, a love letter from a now grown student to her second grade teacher, a favorite teacher, a teacher who made a difference.But this is more than just a thank you, it defines a good teacher. This simple picture book explains the role of a teacher: one who welcomes, understands, encourages, disciplines, has patience, acknowledges, introduces new subjects - math, writing, reading science, with enthusiasm and fun. A teacher is one that prepares a student to go forward and hopefully changes each student as a person. This could be used in a STEAM unit for how this teacher integrates the subjects into her curriculum. Ms Hopkinson defines what an honorable profession teaching is and how a teacher can leave a lasting effect on a student.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Hopkinson, Deborah

Illustrator: Carpenter, Nancy

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Schwartz and Wade

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 99780375868450

Price: 17.99

Birds Make Nests

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 11, 2017

Review

Large, detailed,beautifully rendered illustrations for our younger bird enthusiasts,make this a perfect picture,science book for introducing how, where, and why birds choose to make their nests.The text is simple and sparse. It lets the illustrations convey the message of why various species of birds make their nests where they do and how resourceful they are. Pair this with any number of bird books: Woodpecker Wham by Sayre, Mama Built a Little Nest by Ward, Birds by Henkes and Nest by Hurley.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Garland, Michael

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Holiday House

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780823436620

Price: 16.95

Great Leopard Rescue: Saving the Amur Leopards

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 11, 2017

Review

In 2007, there were only 30 Amur leopards in the wild! Sandra Markle, nationally known education consultant and known for her internet based education program for the National Science Foundation introduces the reader to the reasons why the rarest of the big cats is so endangered. Found only in the Russian taiga(the far eastern part of Russia) this cat has been losing ground due to habitat loss, hunted as trophies and its prey hunted,diminishing its food source, and how now, on the verge of extinction, scientists from around the world have formulated a bold plan to save this amazing animal. With stunning photographs to support text written in an understandable format, Markle lays out the problem and the solution that hopefully will bring this leopard back from the verge of extinction. Pair this with Markle' other books: the Great Monkey Rescue- Saving the Golden Tamarins,and The Great Penguin Rescue -Saving the African Penquin. These books can be used in units about endangered species, climate change, and how scientists are coming together for a greater good. This is an important book and should be shared and talked about by readers everywhere.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Markle, Sandra

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Millbrook Press

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467792479

Price: 17.68

Different? Same!

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 8, 2017

Review

At first glance, Tekavec's pages show a group of four seemingly unrelated species from the animal world.What do a zebra, lemur, fly and tiger have in common? A closer look reveals that though they appear very different, they all have stripes! Each page challenges the reader to find the common denominator in each grouping. Curnick's detailed yet somewhat comical illustrations adds to the fun of the search. This is a great STEAM selection for budding scientists. It introduces the concept of different and same, and asks the reader to REALLY look at each offering - good deductive reasoning. Taking a look at the world around you- are we as different as we think, or is there some connection to all of us. The author has also provided a glossary of sorts at the end of the book explaining why the characteristics shown are beneficial to each species.This is a book that can be shared one on one or in a small group.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Tekavec, Heather

Illustrator: Curnick, Pippa

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781771385657

Price: 16.95

Way Home in the NIght

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 8, 2017

Review

At some point, every child what to know what happens at night, to the animals, to the people they have played with, to the neighbors- where do they go and what do they do after the sun goes down.This is what a little bunny sees, hears, and smells as his mom carries him home through the quiet streets of his neighborhood. He sees shops closing up, through the windows of his apartment building he sees a party, a pie being made, a tv flickering. As he drifts off to sleep, he wonders if the party is over, are the guests on their way home, is the pie ready, what are his neighbors doing. Our reader realizes how commom, yet different each night is. This story is like a lullaby, with a simple, gentle text , and the quiet, soft, signature illustrations of Miyakoshi. The author takes a simple walk home and invites the reader along. It is beautifully done

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Miyakoshi, Akiko

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781771386630

Price: 16.95

Little Fox in the Forest

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: August 8, 2017

Review

For show and tell, a little girl brings a treasured stuffed fox to share. When she is at recess, a real little fox runs off with it. She and a friend follow to retrieve her precious toy. As they go deeper and deeper into the forest, they discover a magical town filled with forest animal families and the treasured stuffed animals of the animal children.

This book doesn't need words to convey the story. Graegin's illustrations begin as muted blue/green, but as the children venture deeper and deeper,into the forest, bits of color emerge until the pages become a colorful, active village. This is a book to spend time with, a book with lots to look at, to talk about, to think about. It is a book to be read over and over. It is a book the reader can put a story to each time it is opened. It is beautifully crafted and illustrated.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Graegin, Stephanie

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Schwartz and Wade

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780553537895

Price: 17.99

Children of the Past: Archeology and the Lives of Kids

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 19, 2017

Review

Many books have been written about the lives of peoples of the past. Lois Huey has taken this theme and looked at the lives of children. She begins with the cave roamers. The hand and foot prints found in and around caves dating back 20,000 years ago, belonged to the children of the time. She brings the reader through the ages, looking at how children lived and played 20,000 years ago, the hunter-gatherers of 8,000 years ago, the farmer kids of 1,000 years ago and the children of Fort Moss dating back 250 years ago.She shows the reader that children have made an imprint on history. The book is set to impart information. It is done in a way that keeps the reader wanting to continue. Photographs, diagrams, maps support the text and add visual information. Huey has let the reader slip back in time to see how their peers lived. This is an excellent book for a unit on history, archeology, even art.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Huey, Lois Miner

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Millbrook

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781512413168

Price: 30.56

Magnets Push Magnets Pull

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 19, 2017

Review

Magnets and magnetism are all around us. Magnets are found in computers, doorbells, televisions, cell phones to name just a few. David Adler explains what magnets are, how they are used and the two basic forms of magnetism in this easy and fun book. Anna Raff's big, well defined, friendly illustrations support the text and give a visual to the concept. The author has also included some activities, and a simple glossary for the reader, including making your own magnet. This is an ideal book for your STEAM collection. Hopefully the reader will recognize the power of magnets and how they work in our lives.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Adler, David

Illustrator: Raff, Anna

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Holiday House

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780823436699

Price: 16

The Tree: a Fable

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 19, 2017

Review

A single action,used for good, can have consequences.The cutting of a single tree for something like building a home leads to the homes of the birds and animals living in the tree being lost. Can this mistake be rectified and a solution for all involved be found? Neal Layton poses this dilemma to our youngest readers. In their wish for a home, a couple begins to cut the one tree that stands in their way. As they saw, a bird's nest falls to the ground, owls fly out of their hole in the tree, and rabbits come out of their burrow at the base of the tree. Saddened at what they have done, they work for a solution that will be beneficial to all and come up with a home that works for all. The text is simple and big! The illustrations are full page, calm, light but very telling, so that the non reader knows what the story is about. A simple, quiet book about living in harmony with nature and all who share the earth.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Layton, Neal

Illustrator: ,

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: 9780763689520

Price: 16.99

And Then Comes Summer

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 10, 2017

Review

Tom Brenner is the author of And "Then Comes Halloween" and "And Then Comes Christmas." His newest book is an ode to summer. He has captured "summer" in 32 pages. This is a "when and then" book of what summer is about. "When the leaves and grass sparkle, then get out those flip flops." "When you hear the lawn mower, then get your bike out." The author takes the reader through the summer and all that it holds -parades, fireworks, camping trips, all the things this short season offers. Ms Kim has added to the wonder of summer with her soft, kid friendly illustrations that convey the sights and sounds of summer to our youngest readers. This is a must for public libraries and to a school library curriculum about seasons, and either the first book offered after Memorial Day or the last book the teacher reads before sending her students off to explore summer. It is beautifully done.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Brenner, Tom

Illustrator: Kim, Jaime

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763660710

Price: 16

Mini Science Fun

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me 04039, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 10, 2017

Review

One in the series"Mini Makers," this offering introduces the young scientist to the fun and amazement of science. This volume offers experiments on a small scale- tiny tornado in a bottle, tiny volcano, and a tiny submarine and car to make.Each chapter, including one on "thinking like a scientist" and "being safe" teaches the the reader about a type of science: chemical compound, physics,and electricity and magnetism. The directions are clear and easy to follow, the photographs are clear and support the text. This is a fun "little" book that will make any reader excited about science. There is a glossary and information page in the back. Use with your STEAM curriculum.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Felix, Rebecca

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Lerner

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: library binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781512426340

Price: 26.65

Secrets of the Sea

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 9, 2018

Review

"Oceans, places where all life on Earth began, yet they are one of the least understood places on the planet."This is the opening line of an exquisite book that takes the reader from the ocean shallows to the darkest depths.It introduces creatures that may be familiar to others that most humans have never knew existed. It is filled with information but does not overwhelm the reader - it is enough to capture the interest of anyone choosing to select this book. What makes this book stand out is the fantastic illustrations! Large, detailed,with a soft touch to them, Eleanor Taylor captures the creature and the reader. It defines STEAM. Information for the budding scientist and illustrations to capture the lover of art. Not to be missed!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Baker, Kate

Illustrator: Taylor, Eleanor

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Big Picture Press

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763698393

Price: 24.99

Peppa Pig and the Library Visit

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 9, 2018

Review

Another in the very popular Peppa Pig series, this one takes the reader along with Peppa and her familya as they visit the library due to daddy Pigs very overdue book. the reader, through Peppa's eyes sees all that is available to a reader at the library - how many books can be borrowed, what happens if they are returned late, and how they are checked out. What is comforting about all the Peppa books is that Peppa has a loving family, they get along and have adventures to places that most children can identify with:the library, school, gardens, and camping to name a few. My only disappointment is that when Daddy Pig's book rings up "overdue" she is told that the "beep" means someone has been "naughty" and kept the book too long. I would have chosen a different word.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Astley -creator, Neville

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Candlewick Entertainment

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780763697884

Price: 12.99

Secrets I Know

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 9, 2018

Review

Imagination is the focus in this picture book about a little girl who knows about secrets.She shares these secrets one sentence at a time on one page at a time. What is unique about this way of presenting secrets is that the last word in the sentence one one page is the first word in the next sentence."Secrets are for whispering. Whispers hide in the trees. trees make great umbrellas. Can you guess what the next sentence will start with? Paola Zikimi continues the journey of the imagination by creating large, soft pencil illustrations that support that single sentence.this is a book that needs to be read more than once and looked at to find the secrets revealed.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

George, Kallie

Illustrator: Zakimi, Paola

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Schwartz and Wade

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781101938935

Price: 17.99

Sergeant Reckless:the True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 9, 2018

Review

Several years ago the summer reading theme was about heroes. This is when I became aware of Reckless.How nice to now have a book that introduces readers to this remarkable hero. She began as a Korean racehorse called Flame. She was small and of a red hue. When the Korean War began her owner could not keep her. She was surviving on her own until she was found by a marine company who was looking for a mule to help them carry heavy ammunition uphill to a cannon position. She was no mule and small but she would turn out to be more than the marines could ever have hoped for. The narrative tells her story in small snipets with Bruno's illustrations done mostly in browns to support the text.She manages to capture the hearts of the marine company and the reader and you just hope she survives the war. Spoiler alert- she does and her fellow marines make sure she comes home with them. She is the only animal to hold a military rank, receive two purple hearts, and retire with full military honors.This is a story of loyalty, bravery,and an unconditional bond between man and animal. It works well for units about heroes, the military, history and animals. This is a story that should be told and should be read.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

McCormack, Patricia

Illustrator: Bruno, Iacopo

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Balzer and Bray

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780062292599

Price: 17.99

La La La

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Choose Library District

Review Date: January 9, 2018

Review

Kate DiCamillo had the idea. A small circle, then a large circle high above. A call and response. Jaime Kim took that idea and made the small circle a small girl, sad, lonely, looking for a friend. She leaves everything safe and certain to find someone to connect with.But how does one do that- sing! With Kate's text, simply "la la la," the reader, through Kim's simple, soft yet expressive illustrations of watercolor and ink follows along on the journey to find a friend. The reader and the listener need to take time to really take in the story and enjoy the journey.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

DiCamillo, Kate

Illustrator: Kim, Jaime

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763658335

Price: 17.99

Climate Migrants:On the Move in a Warming World

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 9, 2018

Review

"2015 was the hottest year on record for the planet. By 2015, thirteen of the hottest years on record have occurred since 2000. Climate change is like a speeding train. It has so much momentum that even slamming on the brakes won't instantly bring it to a stop." The news reports it each day from every corner of the planet. Fires claim thousands of acres, floods destroy both property and human lives, the glaciers are melting, towns that have existed in Alaska are for hundreds of years are not habitable any longer. Climate change is real and is affecting the planet each minute of each day. Rebecca Hirsch has laid it all out, the history,the causes, the effects and the ways humans must learn to live with climate change.She outlines two main points: adapt and/or migrate.This is an important book for all. It is a slim book, not to be read quickly or lightly but to read slowly and discussed at length. Knowledge is power and when it comes to the planet Earth, it will take everyone to come together to ensure its future.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Hirsch, Rebecca

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Twenty First Century Bks

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre:

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

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467793411

Price: 30.81

DeExtinction: the Science of Bringing Lost Species Back to Life

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 13, 2018

Review

We have all witnessed what happened when scientists tried to bring back the dinosaurs- Jurassic Park showed the world what could happen. In DeExtinction, Rebecca Hirsch proposes the theory that perhaps we could bring back those species that have been lost to us, the woolly mammoth, the passenger pigeon, the bucardo(a type of wild goat). Scientists have tried already and continue to hone their skills with the hope that someday these species will live again. Hirsch also presents questions such as just because we can, should we both on a moral level and one of their survival. Nola, an elderly female northern white rhins died in 2015, leaving just three left in existence.Do scientists just let them go, or do they try to save this rare breed? There are no answers in this slim volume, just facts and more questions. How much do we interfere with nature? She does present several alternatives to fooling with the gene pool, captive breeding programs, separating small herds or clusters of endangered species to save them from a catastrophe that would wipe out the entire species, even a Frozen Zoo that hold thousands of tissue samples from thousands of animals. How far and to what end does society go to save the creatures of the earth we have put in danger? A book worth reading that will spark lots of discussion.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Hirsch, Rebecca

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Twenty First Century

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 10-12

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467794909

Price: 35.97

Mathmetician and Computer Scientist: Grace Hopper

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: March 20, 2018

Review

Grace Hopper was one of those children that wanted to know how things worked. From a young age, she took things apart- especially alarm clocks! Luckily her parents recognized her curiosity,encouraged it and allowed her to follow a study of science and math. She ultimately became the one who taught computers to"speak English. she was the one who coined the phrase"computer bug." Ms. Pellestri introduces the reader to Grace. this volume gives the basics of Grace Hopper and the important place she holds in the field of computer science and the role women played in this field. The book is complimented with photos, time line, glossary and further information. Pair this with Lauri Wallmark's GraceHopper: Queen of Computer Code.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Pellestri, Andrea

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Lerner

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre: biography / autobiography

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: library binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781512407853

Price: 8.99

Life on Surtsey:Iceland's Upstart Island

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: March 20, 2018

Review

Scientists in the Field has added another excellent volume to its collection with Life on Surtsey. At first glance it doesn't grab the reader as would the volume on sharks or octopuses, but once you have picked it up, you won't be able to put it down.In November of 1963 a volcano off the coast of Iceland, which sits on top of an underground mountain range exploded and by the next day a new island had formed. Scientists named it for the Icelandic god of fire- Surtur. This newly formed island has given scientists the rare chance to study the when,from where, how, and in what order does life invade an island devoid of life. Loree Griffin Burns,through text and photos takes the reader along as the scientists take this unique opportunity in the study of an island from its formation. Beautifulluy rendered it is another winner in the Scientists in the Field series.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Burns, Loree Griffin

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre: biography / autobiography

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780544687233

Price: 18.99

Fuel Under Fire: Petroleum and It's Perils

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: July 11, 2017

Review

The world runs on oil. Each year 90 million barrels of oil are used by the earth's population. Ms. Goldstein takes the reader through the history of oil and how we have become addicted to it. Oil or petroleum is found in almost everything -from the gas in our cars, the tires, the roads we drive on, the clothes we wear, the detergent we use to wash them ,and the plastic wrap used to keep foods fresh. It supplies 2.5 million jobs. All things that make our lives more productive. The downside of oil is that it is not renewable,it can contaminate the soil, the water, it releases large amounts of carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming, and it is a pollutant. She presents the pros and cons to this dilemma leaving the reader to draw their own conclusion. As with other books published by Twenty First Century, the subject offered isn't black or white but leads to discussion and a better understanding of our world.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Goldstein, Margaret

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Twenty First Century

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre:

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

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781467738316

Price: 34.65

Mary's Monster

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 12, 2018

Review

Frankenstein was written in 1818 by teenage Mary Shelley whose life was as dramatic as her main character. While working through her own demons, Lita Judge leaves the world of picture books,to write about a young girl who fought her own dark demons. Raised to embrace free love and communal living, young, willful Mary falls for Percy Bysshe Shelley, who was already married. Together they run off to what Mary hopes will be a life of adventure and excitement. Instead, they are spurned by family and friend alike. Mary has two monsters, The one in book form and the one she carries with her. Ms. Judge tells of Mary's life in six parts and in free verse. Her language makes the reader feel Mary's emotional state as she lives with Shelley, but it is her illustrations, dark, dramatic that pull the reader into Mary's life. This graphic novel is haunting, terrifying and breathtaking in its rendering. A must read both for the story and the art.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Judge, Lita

Illustrator: Judge, Lita

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre: graphic novel

Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781626725003

Price: 21.99

Amazon Adventure: How Tiny Fish are Saving the World's Largest Rainforest

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Publlic Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 12, 2018

Review

The Amazon Basin- the world's largest jungle and home to the jaguar, pink dolphin and new species being discovered all the time, is constantly being threatened by mining, clear cutting, and cattle ranching. It has been called the "lungs of the world." There is however a small fish that is helping to save this jungle and not in the way one would think. The piaba(small fry) is being caught by the millions and sold world wide to aquariums both large and small. On a trip to the Amazon, Scott Dowd, senior aquarist at the New England Aquarium was horrified to see these fish caught and sold worldwide. How could this be good for environment. With Scott, author Sy Montgomery and photographer Keith Ellenbogen take the reader to the Amazon and explain why capturing and selling these small, shy fish is earth friendly. another in the Scientists series that is not to be missed.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Montgomery, Sy

Illustrator: Ellenbogen, Keith

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: chapter book nonfiction

Genre:

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

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780544352995

Price: 18.99

Rabbit Moon

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 12, 2018

Review

There is a Korean folktale about the "rabbit in the moon." He appears on a full moon and pounds rice into rice cakes. When you see the rabbit, you make a wish. Jean Kim, in her debut picture book, has taken this folktale and created a story about the rabbit. He takes children's' wishes and turns the into stars. But who grants the rabbit his wishes and what does a rabbit wish for? The rhyming text is spare and direct. It is just enough to support Kim's large, bright, expressive illustrations that invite the reader into the story. This is the story about wishes and friendship and the power of both. It is a wonderful read.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Kim, Jean

Illustrator: Kim, Jean

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Arthur E Levine

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781338036398

Price: 17.99

The Heart and Mind of Frances Pauley

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Me , Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: June 12, 2018

Review

Frances Pauley is and observer of nature, just like her idol, Margaret Mead. In the rocks behind her house, she has fashioned a "rock room" where she is most comfortable. She has few friends save her bus driver, Alvin, who validates her and her thoughts. When she loses Alvin, she feels she is alone until she lets those around her in and hears Alvin's words that guide her . Stevens novel is heartbreaking, painful and heartwarming, and shows that one can reach out and form friendships with others without losing one's true self. The world is big enough for both. Pair this with Holly Goldberg's Sloan's Counting by 7s and Jennifer Holm's The Fourteenth Goldfish.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Stevens, April

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Schwartz and Wade

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6,grades 7-9

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781524720612

Price: 16.99

Stone for Sascha

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 18, 2018

Review

As in all wordless books, the illustrations must convey the story and hold the reader's attention so the story can be heard. Aaron Becker's digitally painted illustrations pull the reader into the story immediately. They are large and beautifully rendered in hues of brown and gold. The author offers two stories in one. The first is a little girl,Sascha, and her family leaving for a vacation at the beach but without her dog, who has died. Collecting stones along the shore, she comes upon a particularly unique one and thus begins the second story- this stone's story, its origin, the path it has taken to end up on this beach and how it will soothe the sorrow of a little girl who has lost something valuable, her pet. This story has to be read more than once so the reader can soak in the beauty of both the tale and the illustrations.Use this picture book in an art class and in units using wordless books as writing prompts. this is a keeper.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Becker, Aaron

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 978763665968

Price: 17.99

Secret Kingdom

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: September 18, 2018

Review

When the partition of India took place in 1947, Nek Chand Saini, became a refugee and was relocated to a"new, modern city" in a part of India away from the village he and his family had called home forever. He had only the stories of his village, his culture, and his family to sustain him. This story has many meanings. It is the story of being uprooted from everything one knows, family, friends, the home and area your family has lived in all because of a political ideology. It is the story of the importance of stories and the importance of memories of all that has come before. Nek is determined to hold onto his culture. As a young man, he finds a few acres of untouched land. He slowly works in secret to clear it and recreate the stories of his youth with bits and pieces of broken glass, cracked pots and other materials thrown away. He built a rock garden covering some 12 acres. When government officials discover his secret kingdom, they want to destroy it- until the people of his city come. This is a true story. Nek became a famous folk artist and today between three and four thousand people visit his Rock garden of Chandigarh. This is an astonishing story and feat of art. Claire Nivola's illustrations done in watercolor and gouache give the reader the feeling of being in Nek's garden. This is a story that needs to be read and shared. Pair it with Bottle Houses: The Creative World of Grandma Prisbrey by Melissa Slaymaker and Roxaboxen by Alice Mclerran. It can be used in STEAM units.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Rosenstock, Barbara

Illustrator: Nivola, Claire

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763674755

Price: 16.99

Dinosaur Expert

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 9, 2018

Review

More fun and exploration in Mr. Tiffin's class. readers have been to Mr. T's class in McNamara's previous books, How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin,The Apple Orchard Riddle, and A Poem in Your Pocket. This time the reader joins the class on a field trip to the Museum of Natural History where they are to experience all things dinosaur. Kimmy is passionate about dinosaurs and shares her knowledge with her classmates until a fellow student informs her that girls cannot t be paleontologists. To prove it- he shows her the names credited with the fossil discoveries and they are indeed all men. Kimmy is brought to silence until a savvy Mr. Tiffin shows her a special exhibit. McNamara's strength in this series of books is dispensing information on a chosen subject in a manner the reader can understand and acknowledging that the students in the class possess both strengths and weaknesses. He helps guide them to be their best selves. Brian Karas's signature illustrations brings Mr. Tiffin's class to life. this book can be used in a STEAM unit on dinosaurs, feelings,girls can be anything, and navigating a classrooom. A good choice for your library.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

McNamara, Margaret

Illustrator: Karas, Brian

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Schwartz and Wade

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780553511437

Price: 17.99

Mermaid School

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 9, 2018

Review

The first day of school is an emotional day for all children, including mermaids and merboys. The reader discovers that school is school whether it is below or above the water. Ms. Wetzel's introduces school to her charges in a rhyming text that is easy to read out loud or silently. Her students are just like their two legged counterparts on their first day of school- making friends, learning a-b-seas, lunch, music, and art. This is a rather different first day of school book but the fundamentals are there. It is a fun book to read, listen to and look at. Ms Swaney's illustrations are friendly, soft, calm with white space that doesn't crowd the pictures or text. Younger non-readers can "read" the story with just the illustrations. A good addition to your first day of school selections.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Stewart Wetzel, Joanne

Illustrator: Swaney, Julianna

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Knopf

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780399557163

Price: 17.99

The Monarchs Are Missing:A Butterfly Mystery

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 9, 2018

Review

In this 56 page book, the reader is given a crash course in the plight of the monarch butterfly. Summering in the United States,those monarchs that live east of the Rocky mountains travel some 3,000 miles to a few remote areas in Mexico, only to return in the spring. Sadly, like many insects and animals before them, the monarch is in danger of becoming extict. Ms. Hirsch lays out the history, the life cycle, the migration and perils facing these insects that weigh no more than a raisin and fly on paper thin wings. The studies show that not as many monarchs are reaching Mexico, they are not surviving the winter in Mexico and they are not coming back to the US in the numbers they once did. Scientists between the United States and Mexico are looking at what is going wrong. Climate change, loss of habitat, invasive species, human interference( cars kill large numbers each year)all contribute to their loss. After giving all the negatives, Hirsch empowers the reader to help save these "canaries in the coalmine". Plant, Plant,Plant! Wildflowers, milkweed corridors,care of our forests by scientists, citizen scientists and butterfly lovers can give the monarch a fighting chance.There is an author's note in the back as well as a glossary, further reading, citizen scientist organizations, and ways everyone can help. Photographs, charts and maps add to the reader's interest. Like the monarch itself, this is a small book with lots to say. Add to STEAM selections on butterflies, climate change, endangered species and what citizen scientists of any age can do to help.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Hirsch, Rebecca

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Millbrook Press

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781512452501

Price: 31.99

100 Bugs! A Counting Book

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 9, 2018

Review

A counting book focusing on bugs and plants all the while introducing the reader to the number 10.. Each count of 10 on a two page spread, gives the reader different ways of reaching 10 and a seek and find challenge to find said bugs on the page. Each bug is introduced by a verb: zipping, zooming,flitting or darting, each bug is found on a wild flower,so this counting book introduces not only math but language and science. The author has both an insect and flower glossary in the back. Kaufmann's large, bright illustrations are detailed without looking like they came out of a reference book and give the reader different perspectives to see the bugs, from the ground up and the and the bugs view from on high. Lots to see and learn from a concept book about the number ten! STEAM for our younger readers- math, science and art!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Narita, Kate

Illustrator: Kaufman, Suzanne

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780374306311

Price: 17.99

Icebergs and Glaciers

Reviewed by: Kathy George - Gray Public Library, Gray, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 9, 2018

Review

With global warming a reality, icebergs and glaciers are more apt to be read about than at any other time. Simon's book takes the reader from the first snowflake that falls to the ice field it becomes, to the glacier that moves! Simon explains how glaciers are formed, how they move-a layer of melt water at its base and creep- layers of ice crystals form and glide or "creep" over one another, and how they are moving faster that ever. Icebergs are discussed- how the Titanic went down because of one at a great loss of life compared to the 2007 MS Explorer hitting one off of Antarctica with all passengers surviving. This is a good,basic introduction to the subject by an author known as the "dean of the children's science book.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Simon, Seymour

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Harper

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780062470393

Price: 17.99