Month: August 2020

Kitty and the Sky Garden Adventure

Kitty and the Sky Garden AdventureKitty and the Sky Garden Adventure by Jenny Lovlie, Paula Harrison
Published by Greenwillow Books on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 0062935496
Pages: 128
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Cat fans, rejoice! This early chapter catastic adventure is the third book in a series featuring Kitty — “Girl by day. Cat by night. Ready for adventure.” In this book, Kitty has a school assignment to design a garden, but she has no idea where to start. She and her cat friends visit a garden in the night to get inspiration. When visiting the garden, many other city cats come and cause trouble. How will Kitty and her clan clean up the mess, and can they do it before the garden’s owner wakes up?

This is a fun early chapter book for young readers who like adventure without the scare factor. Kitty is likeable, and her feline companions all have unique personalities bringing further depth to the story. The text is large print and easy for young readers to follow. There are black, white, and orange illustrations throughout that add whimsy and break up the text a bit. Recommended for 2nd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Frog and Toad: Little Book of Big Thoughts

Frog and Toad: Little Book of Big ThoughtsFrog and Toad: A Little Book of Big Thoughts by Arnold Lobel
ISBN: 0062983415
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

I love Frog and Toad, so I was excited to see this book. It is a collection of quotes from the beloved and timeless Frog and Toad series of early readers. It captures some of Frog and Toad’s good times and is a great reminder of why the books are so great.

The premise of the book is to highlight things that make great friends great. If your kids haven’t ever read the Frog and Toad series, they may be confused with this book. It feels a bit more like a book someone would gift to an adult as a reminder of their friendship than a picture book written for children. This is definitely an additional purchase for larger libraries. Recommended for kids 4 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

On the Horizon

On the HorizonOn the Horizon by Kenard Pak, Lois Lowry
Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt on April 7, 2020
ISBN: 0358129400
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Be it poetry, historic fiction, or a biography this book is a major contribution to juvenile literature.   Lowry spent part of her childhood in Hawaii and Japan; personal knowledge is added to excellent research in this powerful and moving book.   On the Horizon is enhanced by the inclusion of actual sailors who served on the Arizona at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Told in poetic form this book takes on a personal and dynamic approach to the horror of war.  Admitting that the first chapter (Pearl Harbor) is hard to read it does not hold a candle to the emotional response to the second (bombing of Hiroshima).  Certainly, the text delivers a painful portrayal of the effects of that bomb but it is buffered by compassionate images.  The final section of this short book deals with the aftermath in Japan.

A lovely treatment of war and loss that will be well received by most middle grade students and adults of all ages.  The content may be overwhelming for some young readers but the honest and open approach is appreciated.   Kleenex should be close at hand.  Recommended for parent-child book groups.  Place in middle school media centers and all public libraries.  This retired librarian loved the reveal that Lois Lowry and Allen Say had seen each other as children in Tokyo.

Submitted by Jan Hamilton, retired youth services librarian in Scarborough, ME

five-stars

Oasis

OasisOasis by Katya de Becerra
Published by Imprint on January 7, 2020
ISBN: 1250124263
Pages: 320
Genres: Adventure, Horror
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

If going on an archaeological dig with your four best friends sounds like a plan for a great summer vacation, Oasis if for you.    Alif is our talented heroin who has previous dig experience but for her four less enlightened friends this will be a new adventure; an adventure none will ever forget.   DeBecerra obviously knows her subject and does a good job bringing readers to the edge of their chairs.  Expectations of the damage down by a sandstorm are exceeded in this new thriller.   The oasis is a nurturing environment where magical experiences happen yet it spells danger from the beginning.   Various types of science are explored including decomposing of human flesh. What is this place, why are these teens here and will they ever be rescued?   This is not your typical teen romance yet hormones are evident in the plot.   The cover does represent the heat of the desert sun and warmth of the sand.

Oasis is worthy of consideration for most YA school and public library collections.  Grade 8-10 readers will identity with the characters and may understand the draw for a different vacation.

Reviewed by Jan Hamilton, retired youth services librarian in Scarborough, ME

four-stars

War is Over

War is OverWar Is Over by David Almond, David Litchfield
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536209864
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

So well written and illustrated, War is Over is bound to be a new classic.  The story takes place during WWI in an English town where the women work in a munitions factory while the men are off fighting the war.    John is a sensitive boy who questions the situation attempting to find an answer to his one question: when will the war end?  Almond had provided readers with a text full of historic information, personal struggle and the seeds of peace.  Readers may begin to question the validity of conflict, blind obedience to negative instruction and the beliefs of conscience objectors.

Litchfield’s illustrations are mostly done in gray scale, adding another layer of sadness to the text.  It is so difficult to think of children playing in a war environment, yet leaves that turn to birds that turn to bombs helps to illuminate the text.

John has an out of body experience where he meets with a young boy living in Germany.  The richness of this interaction adds to the deep compassion and desire for peace that this book provides to readers.   While this may not be the perfect book for all students it belongs in the media center of all intermediate and middle schools.   In addition it is a necessary purchase for all public libraries.

Kitty and the Sky Garden Adventure

Kitty and the Sky Garden AdventureKitty and the Sky Garden Adventure by Jenny Lovlie, Paula Harrison
Published by Greenwillow Books on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 0062935496
Pages: 128
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Fantasy
Goodreads
three-stars

Cat fans, rejoice! This early chapter catastic adventure is the third book in a series featuring Kitty — “Girl by day. Cat by night. Ready for adventure.” In this book, Kitty has a school assignment to design a garden, but she has no idea where to start. She and her cat friends visit a garden in the night to get inspiration. When visiting the garden, many other city cats come and cause trouble. How will Kitty and her clan clean up the mess, and can they do it before the garden’s owner wakes up?

This is a fun early chapter book for young readers who like adventure without the scare factor. Kitty is likable, and her feline companions all have unique personalities bringing further depth to the story. The text is large print and easy for young readers to follow. There are black, white, and orange illustrations throughout that add whimsy and break up the text a bit. Recommended for 2nd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Frog and Toad: A Little Book of Big Thoughts

Frog and Toad: A Little Book of Big ThoughtsFrog and Toad: A Little Book of Big Thoughts by Arnold Lobel
ISBN: 0062983415
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

I love Frog and Toad, so I was excited to see this book. It is a collection of quotes from the beloved and timeless Frog and Toad series of early readers. It captures some of Frog and Toad’s good times and is a great reminder of why the books are so great. The premise of the book is to highlight things that make great friends great. If your kids haven’t ever read the Frog and Toad series, they may be confused with this book. It feels a bit more like a book someone would gift to an adult as a reminder of their friendship than a picture book written for children. This is definitely an additional purchase for larger libraries. Recommended for kids 4 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Sunny

SunnySunny by Celia Krampien
Published by Roaring Brook Press on February 11, 2020
ISBN: 125031660X
Pages: 40
Genres: Adventure
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Sunny sees the good in situations where others simply complain — the rain, being carried away by a strong gust of wind, being late to school, etc. This is a sweet book about making the best of otherwise unfavorable situations. I love the positive message in this book, but I love even more that it shows that it’s ok to cry when you need it. The illustrations are fairly monochromatic with yellow highlights — Sunny’s umbrella, for example. This is a great book to share with kids of all ages as the message is a really good one. Recommended for kids 2 and up and for consideration for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

Who Did it First?

Who Did it First?Who Did It First? 50 Politicians, Activists, and Entrepreneurs Who Revolutionized the World by Alex Hart, Jay Leslie, Nneka Myers
Published by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) on February 11, 2020
ISBN: 1250211727
Pages: 128
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

This book is a snapshot of 50 influential people from around the world. It is definitely a launching point for further research or just a way to introduce kids to someone about whom they may or may not have heard. It is good in that it includes some lesser well known people and it has a diverese representation of people. Each person highlighted is accompanied by an illustrated interpretation of the person as well as a quote. The illustrations seemed too cartoonish and not very visually accurate — I would not have recognized Barack Obama out of context. Additionally, some of the firsts being recognized seemed a bit forced. For example, LeBron James is recognized as the “first NBA star to open a public school.” Recommended to 3rd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Maker Comics: Grow a Garden

Maker Comics: Grow a GardenMaker Comics: Grow a Garden! by Alexis Frederick-Frost
Published by First Second on February 25, 2020
ISBN: 1250152143
Pages: 128
Genres: Fantasy, Humor, Non-Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
three-stars

Will, Violet, and Basil are students at the Garden Gnome Academy, and they’ve just landed in the class taught by the least popular teacher, Mr. Butternut. He teaches about composting and growing gardens — and it turns out to be a bit more fun than simple vegetable gardening.

This graphic novel is a combination of a fictional plot with a lot of information about gardening. While I like the idea, it just doesn’t seem to work for me. The plot is loosely there throughout, but there are also pages where the kids are just learning about gardening. I feel like a simple but well-done graphic nonfiction book about gardening may work better. I do like the information presented as it encompasses many types of gardening with several DIY activities to try at home. Recommended for 2nd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars