Month: December 2019

Wildfire: A Novel

Wildfire: A NovelWildfire by Rodman Philbrick
Published by The Blue Sky Press on September 3rd 2019
ISBN: 133826690X
Pages: 208
Goodreads
five-stars

Philbrick — Maine author, Lupine award winner, Maine Student Book Award nominee, and Newbery honor book writer — has done it again. A wildfire in Maine — inspired by the Great Fire of 1947 — sweeps through Sam’s summer camp.  As Sam is about to board an evacuation bus, he remembers he left his cell phone in his cabin. In an all-too-believable scene, Sam runs back to his cabin for his phone and in an instant is cut off from the buses when the fire flares up. Suddenly, he is in survival mode. Along the way, he meets up with Delphy who got separated from her summer camp and together they race to escape the fast-moving flames. This short chapter book is a fast read — chapters are short and the action never lets up. Philbrick includes brief sections on the recent increase in wildfires and survival tips at the end of the book. Talk about a page-turner!

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

Recommended for Cream of the Crop

five-stars

Daddy-Sitting

Daddy-SittingDaddy-Sitting by Eve Coy
Published by Clarion Books on May 7th 2019
ISBN: 1328489892
Pages: 32
Goodreads
three-stars

This book is a sweet ode to an adorable father-daughter relationship. From the perspective of the child, she is the one caring for her daddy all day, and it is her responsibility to meet his needs (much like How to Babysit a Grandma/Grandpa). The illustrations are colorful, easy to follow, and support and enhance the story. This book will be enjoyed by young kids and their fathers, but it’s missing that wow factor. It’s a cute story, I like that it features a stay-at-home dad, but it’s not a unique story line, and there’s nothing that really grabs me about it. It would be best shared with kids ages 3-6, and could be used for a Father’s Day story time.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Chocolate Me!

Chocolate Me!Chocolate Me! by Taye Diggs, Shane W. Evans
Published by Feiwel & Friends on May 7th 2019
ISBN: 1250207851
Pages: 32
Goodreads
three-stars

Chocolate Me follows a young, dark-skinned boy from being ashamed of his chocolate skin to him embracing and celebrating the way he looks. It is a charming story that will help kids learn to love themselves just as they are. As a picture book, this would be great, as a board book, it misses the mark. There are too many words on the pages for kids who read board books, and so it gets three stars only because this isn’t the right format. This book would be best shared with kids aged 5-7 in a one-on-one setting or in a small group read aloud.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

The Bone Garden

The Bone GardenThe Bone Garden by Heather Kassner, Matt Saunders
Published by Henry Holt & Company on August 6th 2019
ISBN: 1250296897
Pages: 272
Goodreads
three-stars

The Bone Garden

Irreelle is a girl who is controlled by Miss Vesper and believes that her life could be ended at Miss Vesper’s whim.  She is often sent to gather bone dust and is chastised when she is not quick enough.  But when Irreelle meets a boy she names Guy and a girl named Lass, her life changes for the better as she finally has friends that she will risk her life for, as they will for her.

Miss Vesper had been overwhelmingly in love with someone with the initials N.M.H. and Irreelle and her friends set out to find his grave.  But they learn that he was never buried in a grave and his bones are near a tree that was extremely significant to him and Miss Vesper.  In the end their bones are joined together in a final death, which had always been their wish.

Miss Vesper had been very cruel to all three of the children and it was difficult to feel sympathy towards her quest to find her lost love.  None of the three children cared what the others looked like and their friendship was based on kindness and courage.

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

three-stars

Crossing on Time Steam Engines, Fast Ships, and A Journey o the New World

Crossing on Time Steam Engines, Fast Ships, and A Journey o the New WorldCrossing on Time: Steam Engines, Fast Ships, and a Journey to the New World by David Macaulay
Published by Roaring Brook Press on May 7th 2019
ISBN: 1596434775
Pages: 128
Goodreads
three-stars

In David Macaulay’s newest book we learn through text and illustrations how scientists and others improved methods for creating power that lead to the development of the steam engine, that lead to faster and more reliable boat travel. The illustrations explaining the development of these engines are beautiful and well detailed.

Reviewed by Melissa Madigan

three-stars

Super Summer

Super SummerSuper Summer: All Kinds of Summer Facts and Fun by Bruce Goldstone
Published by Henry Holt & Company on May 7th 2019
ISBN: 1250120152
Pages: 48
Goodreads
four-stars

Most books about seasons either are very general or focus on one topic. What makes this a standout is the broad coverage of facts about the summer season. Clear bright photographs from many angles and views show vacation destinations, foods, insect and other animal behaviors, clothing, cooling, plants, and activities. 

Creative presentations of facts include “What does summer sound like?” with the crack of a bat when hitting a baseball instead of just saying baseball is a summer sport. There is also variety in the layout of each two-page spread. Some pages simply label the items in a particular category while other pages provide a paragraph of detailed information, such as explaining why a sunflower follows the sun across the sky. A table of contents would be helpful.

This reviewer will be ordering the companion books, Awesome Autumn (2015), Wonderful Winter (2016), and Spectacular Spring (2018) for her school library collection.

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

four-stars

My Digital Future

My Digital FutureMy Digital Future by Ben Hubbard, Diego Vaisberg
Published by Lerner Publications (Tm) on January 1st 2019
ISBN: 154153879X
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
two-stars

Only the last 2 chapters (4 pages) directly address the uncertain future. There are a few statements scattered throughout, such as

MInecraft/lego fans will grab this book just for the block-style images and characters with speech bubbles. The font digital-style font was very difficult to read as it was small and pale against dark fact boxes.

Includes a table of contents, glossary, list of helpful websites and index. Each chapter is a two-page spread on topics such as “Dating Digital Devices,” “Explaining the World,” or “Educating the World.” There are a number of misleading statements, such as “Clever digital citizens want to live in a world of online uses who can use technology well.” Clever?? How about ‘responsible’? This particular page uses that statement to tell children how to teach older people who didn’t grow up with online technology, and the list of suggestions given are directed to children. 

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

two-stars

Mother Goose of Pudding Lane

Mother Goose of Pudding LaneMother Goose of Pudding Lane by Chris Raschka, Vladimir Radunsky
Published by Candlewick Press on September 10th 2019
ISBN: 0763675237
Pages: 48
Genres: Biography/Autobiography, Folklore
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Is this a collection of Mother Goose rhymes? Is it a biography of Mother Goose? Is it entertaining? Yes, yes and yes! Raschka has outlined a brief biography of Elizabeth Foster who married Isaac Goose in 1692. Their large family needed stories, rhymes and lullabies for entertainment and instruction, which Elizabeth made up as the children grew. 

Each colorful double page spread begins with a short rhyme. Strung together,Raschka’s original rhymes tell the story of their life from marriage until they “at last grew old and gray.” He then placed on each page traditional Mother Goose rhymes that reflect that aspect of the family’s life. On the “Elizabeth Goose – the family goose – did counsel and advise” page, the reader finds “For early to bed and early to rise is the way to be healthy and wealthy and wise.”

Vladimer Radunsky’s illustrations depict 17th century dress. Animals, objects and people are spaced around the page. Some images are painted, some are simple pencil or charcoal sketches.

If you need something unique for Mother Goose, this book deserves a place in your collection.

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

four-stars

Flippers & Fins

five-stars

Do youngsters understand the invention process? Or that many tools we use are inspired by nature?  “Flippers & Fins” is one book in the ‘Animal Tech’ series which includes “Fur & Claws,”

“Creepy & Crawly,” and “Wings & Beaks” all by this author published in 2019.

Clear photos, insets, colorful layouts, fact boxes, labels, and activities invite the reader to read the text to find out exactly how scientists use these animal concepts. The text is detailed enough to cover how each example of biomimicry works, yet is easy to understand for middle aged elementary youngsters. Readers will also be drawn by the seemingly odd connections. For example, Otto Schmitt studied squid axons in his work to develop the ‘Schmitt trigger’ which is a critical part for electrical switches. Other examples include sharks and swimsuits, cephalopods and camouflage, and whales and wind turbines. 

This book would be a great introduction to science projects, and would make a good partner book to Dora Lee’s “Biomimicry: Inventions Inspired by Nature” (2011). 

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

five-stars

Get Me Out of This Book!

Get Me Out of This Book!Get Me Out of This Book!: Rules & Tools for Being Brave by Kalli Dakos, Deborah Cholette, Sara Infante
Published by Holiday House on June 11th 2019
ISBN: 0823438627
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

What are the three basic rules for being brave? Ask any Navy SEAL, or any child who has read this book!

Max, a bookmark, used to be scared of images in books, like snakes. He went back to school to learn “rules and tools for looking right at scary.” After that, he used these to face down the scariest images, like sharks, cockroaches, and skeletons.

What are these rules & tools?

  1. Breathe deeply
  2. Make a plan
  3. Think good thoughts

Anyone can employ these for any situation – this book is entertaining and a great teaching tool!

Plenty of white space separates the images and text. Simple black font in several sizes emphasize emotions, like SHOOK and SCREAMED.

Author’s Note includes critical information about the influence of the Navy SEALS training methods.

Includes an actual bookmark in the image of Max attached to the back endpaper. 

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

five-stars