Month: April 2019

Click

ClickClick by Kayla Miller
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on January 8th 2019
ISBN: 1328911128
Pages: 192
Goodreads
five-stars

Olive has lots of groups of friends in her 5th grade class and she likes to do things with all of them. But when the class variety show is announced, all of Olive’s friends find an act to perform and no one asks her to join them or be in their group. Poor Olive, she is really bummed and hurt and isn’t sure what to do. This is a such a good story and the problem Olive faces is one many children will relate to- feeling left out and wanting to be included but not wanting to ask to be included. Olive is a good character that needs the help of family and friends to figure things out. This will be the 1st graphic novel in the series.

Ages: 7 and up. Cream. Mary Lehmer, Librarian, Freeport Community Library

five-stars

Max & the Midknights

four-stars

Max wants to be a knight, but when folks find out Max is a girl they tell her there is no way that can happen. But Max doesn’t give up. She and her friends, the Midknights team up to save her uncle from the evil King and the spell that has encircled all of Byjovia. The medieval setting, the dungeons and knights, the wizards and dragons all add up to make for a quirky story that readers will like. Lots of illustrations, plenty of silly humor, botched magic and fun friendships. Humorous for sure, but not quite as good as Big Nate.

Ages: 8 and up. Mary Lehmer, Librarian, Freeport Community Library

 

 

four-stars

No Swimming for Nelly

No Swimming for NellyNo Swimming for Nelly by Valeri Gorbachev
Published by Holiday House on June 12th 2018
ISBN: 0823437809
Pages: 40
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Fantasy
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars


Nelly refuses to learn how to swim . . . until Grandma intervenes.

Nelly looks fabulous in her new swimsuit, so she wears it all the time--while riding her bike, playing basketball, eating at a fancy restaurant . . . even while sleeping.

But Nelly refuses to wear it for swimming. Grandma, a swimming champion, has other ideas. Finally Nelly, dipping one toe at a time, learns to float, blow bubbles, kick . . . and is on her way to becoming a champion swimmer herself!

No Swimming for Nelly is a picture book for ages 3-7 years.

Even thought her mother gifts Nellly, her piglet, with a new swimsuit which she adores, Nelly still refuses to go swimming.  Since she adores  her swimsuit, Nelly will wear it when she is doing all of her other playtime activities. Nelly’s mother decides that a visit to Grandma’s is in order as Grandma was once a swimming champion. With much coaxing, Nelly finally enters her Grandma’s pool and with practice and praise is convinced that she too, can swim like a champion.

A wonderful book to use when talking about taking risks and building confidence.   The book demonstrates that with the right kind of support and an “all in good time attitude,” that miracles can happen if children are encouraged to try new things that may result in bettering their self esteem.

Reviewed by Connie M. Smith, Breakwater School, Portland, ME

three-stars

Hearts Unbroken

Hearts UnbrokenHearts Unbroken by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Published by Candlewick Press on October 9th 2018
ISBN: 0763681148
Pages: 304
Goodreads
four-stars

Hearts Unbroken

 

Lou is a member of the Muscogee Creek nation and lives with her extremely supportive family in Kansas.  This book epitomizes Kansas and its history.  Besides receiving excellent grades, Lou is a features reporter on her school newspaper.  Her brother, Hughie, will be playing the part of the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.  Being Kansas, a non-white person playing the Tin Man is a very big deal.  The major conflict involves discrimination, bias, and people speaking without thinking of how their words can hurt.  Readers learn that L. Frank Baum wrote editorials speaking against the native peoples and wishing they were all dead.  When Hughie learns this, he withdraws from the play.  Lou and her boyfriend, Joey, have a huge fight when she tries to compare her family heritage to his and only ends up voicing stereotypes to him.  It was excellent to read of the conflict that Native people have suffered in order to make readers more sympathetic to their trials. But I never quite bought into Lou and Joey’s relationship.  It didn’t quite ring true.

This book is recommended for grades 9-12.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

four-stars

Attucks!

Attucks!Attucks!: Oscar Robertson and the Basketball Team That Awakened a City by Phillip Hoose
on October 23rd 2018
ISBN: 0374306125
Pages: 224
Goodreads
five-stars

Using newspaper articles, photographs, and personal interviews, Hoose tells a compelling story of race, sport, and triumph in the face of adversity. The book revolves around the high school basketball scene in Indiana in the 1940s and 50s. With no professional sports teams in Indiana, communities in Indiana were mad for basketball and the high school basketball scene was fiercely competitive. It was also fiercely white. With school segregation in its heyday in Indiana, there were schools and then there were all-black schools and teams from the two spheres rarely met on the same field or court. Hoose centers his story at Crispus Attucks High School, an all-black school in Indianapolis that built a powerful, championship-caliber team that eventually helped force the integration of the basketball scene because if you were the best in your league (read: white school) but you had not played the best team in the state (read: Attucks Tigers) were you truly the best? This book will appeal to fans of narrative nonfiction and to those who appreciate reading about a group of people whose mantra became “Respect all, but back down from no one.” Highly recommend for high school and adult collections.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

five-stars

If the S in MOOSE comes loose

If the S in MOOSE comes looseIf the S in Moose Comes Loose by Peter Hermann, Matthew Cordell
Published by HarperCollins on March 13th 2018
ISBN: 0062295101
Pages: 48
Goodreads
four-stars

“If the S in MOOSE comes loose” is written by Peter Hermann and illustrated by Matthew Cordell. This is a silly book (in the best way). Cow and Moose are friends, but one day Moose’s letter S comes loose and the E becomes free. Cow is now left only with a MOO. Desperate to fix her friend, she takes letters from other words to make some glue so she can stick the S and E back onto MOO. A bunch of letters get taken and mixed up and it leads to hilariousness. Eventually though, Cow gets her Moose back together.

Aimed at children grades Pre-K through 3, most of the humor comes from the spelling, but younger children will appreciate the rhyming and silly story. Adults will probably enjoy it too. I guffawed when the BEAR in the CHAIR got his B and C taken and became an EAR sitting on HAIR. The illustrations are frantic looking watercolor sketches similar to Quentin Blake’s work and they give the book a hurried and funny tone, which is perfect. This book would be a good purchase for children learning to spell, or who are learning their letters. Not necessarily a “must-buy,” but a fun addition to your picture book collection.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook.

four-stars

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday WonderMy Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder by Nie Jun
Published by Graphic Universe (TM) on August 1st 2018
ISBN: 1512445908
Pages: 128
Goodreads
five-stars

This graphic novel filled with little vignettes of Yu’er and her grandpa illustrates the magic of daily life and is beautiful, both in content and in presentation. Just flipping through the pages, one feels the warmth of the watercolor illustrations and the devotion of Grandpa to his little granddaughter. Set in a hutong neighborhood in Beijing, Yu’er has a disability that prevents her from walking and Grandfather cares for her, showing her that she should not be limited by her disability and telling her stories that connect her to her family and her culture. With touches of magical realism, this GN offers a window into another place that will delight elementary and middle grade readers.

Note about publication: First published in China in 2016,  this book has been translated by Edward Gauvin and brought to American audiences by Graphic Universe, a division of Lerner Publishing.  Lerner offers a library binding and a paperback version, which is much less money.  If you have the funds, purchase the library binding as the book paper is thick and the book heavy; a paperback binding will not last for many circulations.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

five-stars

Food Truck Fest!

Food Truck Fest!Food Truck Fest! by Alexandra Penfold, Mike Dutton
on March 13th 2018
ISBN: 0374303185
Pages: 40
Goodreads
four-stars

A day in the life of a food truck at a festival! This original topic is described in rhyming couplets from early morning until the day is done.

Full color illustrations by Mike Dutton alternate between the trucks and a family preparing to attend. Some pages seem to be talking to the food truck owners, other pages are directed to people going to the fest. The endpapers are a visual treat of bold black and white images of related words, foods, and a few trucks.

Other than a small band playing, there doesn’t seem to be any other particular purpose for the festival. However, the anticipation and excitement are built through the text with phrases like, “Everybody’s going to the food truck fest!”  A little suspense is presented when the bridge is blocked, and trucks have to take the ferry across the rough river.

Preschoolers might like to compare the types of food sold by various trucks, or compare their own experiences with the uniqueness of eating from a food truck. This would be fun to read aloud and have children supply some of the predictable rhyming words. Early elementary students might create their own “food truck’ based on an international unit – what would be served and what would the food truck be named.

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

four-stars

Helicopters on the Go

Helicopters on the GoHelicopters on the Go by Beth Bence Reinke
Published by Lerner Publications (Tm) on January 1st 2018
ISBN: 1512482544
Pages: 24
Goodreads
three-stars

“Why might a helicopter need to fly sideways?” This and similar thought-provoking questions prompt the reader to go beyond learning basic facts about how helicopters fly and how they are used.

The large clear photographs and bright colors used as background for text make this an inviting book for youngsters. Fundamental non-fiction access features include contents, index, simple diagram, picture glossary, and a short “Read More” list.

One of the “Bumba Books Machines that Go” series, this would be a good addition to collections where preschoolers and early elementary readers want to learn about machines they may not see everyday.

 

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Librarian, Old Town Elementary School.

three-stars

Douglas, You’re a Genius!

Douglas, You’re a Genius!Douglas, You're a Genius! by Ged Adamson
Published by Schwartz & Wade Books on September 11th 2018
ISBN: 1524765309
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

Ingenuity, determination, and friendship highlight this fun picture book that brings together a Spanish-speaking boy, an English-speaking girl and their pet dogs. Through cleverness and perseverance, they overcome the barriers of a fence and language in their backyard. This is a fine example of a true picture book because the illustrations take the text to another level with a punch at the end when the reader discovers that both youngsters have been trying to figure out how to find out who was on the other side.

Is the term ‘tom-boy’ outdated? I hope not, as girls who like to ‘get their hands dirty’ will appreciate the main character here.

This is a follow-up to the 2016 “Douglas, You Need Glasses” that received very good reviews.

Full-color, cartoonish illustrations done in pen and watercolor show a variety of perspectives, sometimes up close, some from far away to show the expansiveness of the backyard where the action takes place. Text includes occasional speech bubbles and lots of handwritten notes and diagrams of plans. A Spanish glossary is provided on the verso page. Endpapers show a hand drawing of the train (which facilitated the first communication between the potential friends) on graph paper, with realistic smudges of a project in the works.

Preschoolers will enjoy the humor and friendship. Older readers will go deeper to explore the parallel story, finding ways to communicate, and thinking outside the box.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town.

five-stars