Month: July 2020

Bringing Back the Wolves

Bringing Back the WolvesBringing Back the Wolves: How a Predator Restored an Ecosystem by Jude Isabella, Kim Smith
ISBN: 1771386258
Genres: Animals, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

For 70 years, there were no wolves in Yellowstone National Park. In 1995, wolves were reintroduced to the park in an attempt to bring the ecosystem back to balance. This book chronicles the impacts that both the absence and the presence of wolves has on the Yellowstone ecosystem. How did the reintroduction impact coyotes, bison, ravens, plants, soil, and more? The answers may surprise you.

This book is very well done and will appeal to a wide audience. There are beautiful, colorful, detailed illustrations throughout, and the text is informative without bogging the reader down with too many details. It touches on, and explains, several ecological principles and does so in context making them easier to comprehend. Throughout the text, there are bolded words that are found in a glossary at the end of the book. The vocabulary is a bit advanced, but not so much that a young reader would be unable to follow the story. There are many animals pictured in the illustrations that are not identified, and this seems like a missed opportunity for further education. Recommended for 2nd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

No True Believers

No True BelieversNo True Believers by Rabiah York Lumbard
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers on February 11, 2020
ISBN: 0525644253
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

A mystery set as the backdrop for exploring the realities of Islamaphobia and white supremacy. This book moves fast and has a great main character in Selma. A mature, self-aware Muslin-America teen. The mystery of the book was pretty obvious. The cast of characters and the care used while exploring the subject of Islamaphobia was done so well that you can ignore the drawback of an obvious outcome. I would recommend this for any young adult collection.

Reviewed by Sophie Gagnon, Skidompha Library

four-stars

Egg or Eyeball?

Egg or Eyeball?Chick and Brain: Egg or Eyeball? by Cece Bell
ISBN: 1536204390
Genres: Humor
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
three-stars

Chick and Brain are back for another humorous early reader graphic novel from Newbery Honor Winner, Cece Bell. Brain finds an eyeball, and Chick says it’s an egg. The book follows their disagreement and logic about why it is one or the other. Along the way, they wake up other creatures, first a dog, then a very large cat, then…..something else. Is it an egg or an eyeball? You’ll have to read it to find out.

This is a great book for the beginning reader. The text is simple with many repeated words for building confidence. The story is silly, so young kids will find it funny and engaging. The illustrations are cartoonish and simple but definitely add to the story by providing emotion and drama. Recommended for beginning readers aged 4-7.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Darwin’s Rival

Darwin’s RivalDarwin's Rival: Alfred Russel Wallace and the Search for Evolution by Christiane Dorion, Harry Tennant
ISBN: 1536209325
Genres: Animals, Non-Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This large format book is simply gorgeous and packed with interesting information. Everyone attributes the discovery of evolution and natural selection to Charles Darwin, but another scientist/explorer named Alfred Russel Wallace arrived at the same conclusions at about the same time from his own observations. It’s like convergent evolution in the discovery of evolution!

This book chronicles Wallace’s travels and collections and shows how he arrived at the conclusion of evolution. The text is informative and well written. It isn’t overly bogged down with details so kids will remain interested throughout. It follows many of the hardships and pitfalls of his explorations, which are bound to interest readers. The illustrations really set this book apart, however. There are large illustrations on every page, and many use few and muted colors. The exceptions to this are the gorgeous and colorful illustrations of the different species of insects and birds Wallace encountered in his travels. There are dual page spreads of beetles, butterflies, and more. Give this book to science, nature, and animal lovers, and they will not be disappointed. Recommended for 3rd grade and up, and recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

Jasmine Green Rescues: A Duckling Called Button

Jasmine Green Rescues: A Duckling Called ButtonJasmine Green Rescues: A Duckling Called Button by Ellie Snowdon, Helen Peters
ISBN: 1536210250
Genres: Animals
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Jasmine Green is back for the second installment of in this series on Oak Tree Farm. After a dog kills a mallard sitting on a nest, Jasmine and her best friend, Tom, find the now orphaned eggs and decide to raise them in an incubator. When only one duckling, Button, survives, Jasmine is determined to give him the best life she can.

This is a great follow-up to the first book, but it is completely fine as a stand alone. Jasmine lives on a farm, and there are parts of this book that don’t sugar coat this life — there is animal death so super sensitive kids should probably avoid this one. The story is engaging, easy to follow, and keeps you interested throughout. Black-and-white pencil drawings throughout minimally add to the story, but help to break up the text a bit. Recommended for kids 3rd grade and up, give this one to the animal lover in your family.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Gold Rush Girl

Gold Rush GirlGold Rush Girl by Avi
on March 10, 2020
ISBN: 1536206792
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

It’s 1848, and Victoria longs to go with her father and brother on their gold rush journey west. Undeterred by societal norms for the times, she stows away on the ship, and when they arrive in San Francisco, she’s determined to find adventure. When her brother is kidnapped, and her father is searching for gold, Tory finds herself in the midst of a search through abandoned old ships and among some sinister characters.

Fans of historical fiction will enjoy this tale filled with accurate historical details, adventure, and a quick-witted, smart protagonist. The story moves quickly, is easy to follow, and it may spark further interest into this part of history. The overall story is a good one, it’s just missing that wow factor. It just isn’t one you keep thinking about long after finishing it. Recommended for 4th-6th grade readers.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Happy

HappyHappy: A Beginner's Book of Mindfulness by Katie Hickey, Nicola Edwards
ISBN: 0593121198
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

“Mindfulness is all about connecting with ourselves and the world around us.” These opening words set the tone for this wonderful introduction to mindfulness for kids. The book goes through several aspects of being — tasting, touching, feeling, relaxing, discovering — it talks about the ways to experience this in your life, and each page ends with questions for the reader to contemplate about how to experience these thing in their lives.

This is a great introduction to mindfulness for kids while simlutaneously being a good reminder for the adults reading to the kids. The illustrations are gorgeous, colorful, and wonderfully detailed. Recommended for kids 4 and up, this would be a great book to spark discussion or to help kids wind down at bed time.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

I Dream of a Journey

I Dream of a JourneyI Dream of a Journey by Akiko Miyakoshi
on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 152530478X
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

This book follows a hotel keeper and his life of solitude. All day, everyday, the hotel keeper meets people who travel far and wide, yet he spends all his days in the hotel only hearing their stories of adventures. At night, he dreams of traveling to far off places and of being free to explore. The book ends with the hotel keeper pondering packing his suitcase and leaving one day. How would his absence affect the people who expect him to be in one place all the time?

The melancholy tone combined with the greater implications of the hotel keeper’s impending departure lends itself more to an adult audience than the intended readers. Kids will enjoy the beautiful and whimsical colored pencil illustrations, but the greater subtleties of the story will be lost on them. Recommended for kids 6 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

What’s That Noise?

What’s That Noise?What's That Noise? by Naomi Howarth
ISBN: 1536213527
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

Magnus, an Arctic seal, wakes up one morning to a strange rumbling sound. He traverses the Artic landscape asking various animal friends along the way to help him figure out the source of the rumbling. Turns out, Magnus is hungry!

This picture book exposes kids to different animals found in the Arctic, but that’s about the only redeeming feature of it. The story is just uninspiring. The illustrations are colorful and fun. There is information at the back about the animals encountered in the story for kids who want to learn a bit more. Recommended for kids 3 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

two-stars

Dirt Cheap

Dirt CheapDirt Cheap by Mark Hoffmann
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on April 21, 2020
ISBN: 1524719943
Pages: 40
Genres: Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Birdie wants a new soccer ball, but she doesn’t have the money to buy one. She decides to try selling things to make some money. When no one wants her stuff, she opts for selling dirt.

This is a charming and funny story about working hard to achieve a goal. Birdie also works through some different ways to make 25 cents (the cost of her dirt) so it’s a good opportunity for working in some math practice. The narrator talks to and with Birdie, but different fonts make it obvious who’s speaking. The illustrations are bold with exaggerated features and expressive faces. Recommended for kids 4 and up, this could be a fun one for a small story time group as well. A second purchase for larger collections.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars