Month: August 2021

Leonard (My Life as a Cat)

Leonard (My Life as a Cat)Leonard (My Life as a Cat) by Carlie Sorosiak
Published by Walker Books US on April 13, 2021
ISBN: 1536207705
Pages: 240
Genres: Animals, Fantasy, Humor, Science Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Leonard the cat narrates this story. Leonard is also an extraterrestrial being whose inhabitants visit Earth to experience life in a corporal body when they reach 300 years old. Leonard intended to experience life on Earth as a Yellowstone forest ranger but ended up as a cat in South Carolina. He is rescued from a flood by Olive, who may need some rescuing of her own, and soon they are inseparable. Olive is spending the summer with her grandmother while her mom travels with her new boyfriend. Olive’s mom is thinking of moving them to California from Maine at the end of the summer. This book is heartwarming and hilarious — at one point Olive describes middle school as “being dropped on an alien planet.” From the author of I, Cosmo, this should be very popular with upper-elementary and middle-grade readers and animal lovers of all ages.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

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

five-stars

A B C Cats

A B C CatsABC Cats: An Alpha-Cat Book by Isabella Kung, Lesléa Newman
Published by Candlewick on May 4, 2021
ISBN: 1536209945
Pages: 26
Genres: Animals, Fiction in Verse/Poetry
Format: Board Book
Goodreads
four-stars
This is the perfect companion board book to Newman’s 1 2 3 Cats.  The talented author/illustrator team have created another enticing book for toddlers and those who read aloud to the younger set.  Each page reveals one adorable cat lounging or playing on a letter in the alphabet.  Individual cats may be adored with jewels, be playing with yarn or in one case swimming.  While unique in size and breed the cats each enjoy their special letter.   The background is white while the letters are large and painted using watercolors in a variety of colors.

As attractive as this board book is the words seem to be somewhat of a stretch for the toddler set.  The rhyme and text will appeal to pre-K children who find words compelling.  Add this to public libraries where board books are collected and gift to nursery and day care programs.   Like 1 2 3 Cats, this title is a good baby shower or first birthday gift.

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

four-stars

Yang Warriors

Yang WarriorsYang Warriors by Billy Thao, Kao Kalia Yang
Published by Univ Of Minnesota Press on April 13, 2021
ISBN: 1517907985
Pages: 40
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars
Following the Vietnam War, the CIA conducted a secret war in Laos that relied on the Hmong soldiers to prevent the threat of Communism from spreading throughout Southeast Asia. Tens of thousands died or fled. Ban Vanai was a refugee camp set up for the Hmong people and other tribes of Laos in 1975 in Northeast Thailand.

Author Kao Yang and her family lived at Ban Vanai when she was a child.  Her story is about her ten cousins who trained daily as warriors in the event they might have to defend their families. They balance stones on their heads, sit for hours in the hot sun, and wield magical swords as part of daily drills in the camp.

After a week without fresh vegetables, the warriors decide to risk everything, including punishment from both family elders and the guards for leaving  the camp  to get  for fresh food for their families.

While on the surface it appears to be a story of children finding a way to pass the days in a refugee camp, it is a story of never giving up, of working as a group in times of great need, the comradery this group of “super heroes” shows to each other and their people as they struggle to maintain their culture and dignity.

Illustrations by Hmong artist Billy Thao bring the Yang warriors and their camp to life with the colors of the region and the feel of the camp.

An authors note gives truth to both her culture and her childhood.

There are not many stories about refugee camps and even fewer about those in Southeast Asia. This one should not be missed.

Grades 3-6

Reviewed by Kathy George

Gray Public Library, Gray Maine

 

five-stars

1 2 3 Cats

1 2 3 Cats1 2 3 Cats: A Cat Counting Book by Isabella Kung, Lesléa Newman
Published by Candlewick Press on May 4, 2021
ISBN: 1536209953
Pages: 26
Genres: Animals, Fiction in Verse/Poetry
Format: Board Book
Goodreads
five-stars
 

Perfect board book that is sure to find its way into public library collections as well as be gifted as a baby present.  1 2 3 Cats is presented in the perfect size for toddler hands.  The dark shades of the cats and the amount of white space make the board book just right for babies to focus on the illustrations.  Readers, both adult and child will appreciate the rhyming text and simple concepts.  Best of all are the mannerisms of individual cats as they play and interact.  The numbers are large and bold while the background is minimal.

Be sure to include this title where board books are collected and use for baby story times.   This playful rhyming board book is sure to be a success with all audiences.  Cat owners will be on the lookout for a look alike to their own cat while they enjoy a baker’s dozen of the cuddly creatures.

 

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

Cream of the Crop

five-stars

Love in English

Love in EnglishLove in English by Maria E. Andreu
Published by Balzer + Bray on February 2, 2021
ISBN: 0062996517
Pages: 336
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars
Ana loves poetry and she loves language. The only problem is that she’s just moved to the US from Argentina, and she can barely speak English. Seemingly simple, everyday conversations are a struggle. She gets bullied for not knowing the language, she feels lost. One shining light in all of this is her ESL class. No one in that class speaks English as a first language, they’re all struggling. They don’t share a common language, except English in ESL. Ana begins falling for Harrison, an American boy who ticks all the classic American boyfriend boxes. At the same time, however, she is spending a lot of time with Neo, a Cypriot boy from her ESL class. Ana struggles to determine what feelings are real and how to even talk about them in any language.

This is a wonderfully written romance, coming of age YA novel. There are many explorations of the nuances of the English language that are both illuminating and humorous. Readers will relate to Ana’s struggles to figure herself out and they’ll find empathy in her language struggles where they may not have existed before.

Recommended for readers 12 and up. Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Training Day

Training DayTraining Day by Elaine Bay, Raúl the Third
Published by Versify on May 4, 2021
ISBN: 0358380383
Pages: 56
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars
This is the beginning of a new early reader series by Raúl the Third. The series, El Toro and Friends features the luchadores from his previous picture books. The illustrations are full of color and action, and in Raúl the Third’s style, they’re very busy. Some may find this off-putting, some will enjoy the classic comics aspect of the art. The text is minimal, repetitive in vocabulary and features a mix of Spanish and English.

Recommended for confident new readers ages 6 and up. Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

ROAR-chestra

Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
four-stars
This book is a fun exploration of musical terminology in a really great format. Each word has two, two-page spreads. The first is just the word (staccato, allegro, adagio, etc.) with a conductor facing away from the reader dramatically conducting the word. The second two-page spread is of a grouping of animals the personify the action of each word. Staccato has kangaroos, goats, frogs, and rabbits, for example. The animals are also accompanied by descriptive words like bouncing, popping, etc. This is a unique book and format for exploring musical terminology and is a great introduction to the topic.

Recommended for readers 4 and up. Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Oh Look, A Cake!

Oh Look, A Cake!Oh Look, a Cake! by J.C. McKee
Published by Clarion Books on May 11, 2021
ISBN: 0358380308
Pages: 40
Genres: Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars
A sloth and a lemur find a cake. They decide they should have a party but are unsure who to invite as everyone presents a challenge with the cake. Elephant will eat the entire cake. Tiger will eat the entire cake and then eat them. Ants require too many tiny pieces. They finally decide to eat the entire cake themselves. Tiger comes along and accuses them of eating the cake that belonged to them. The story then implies that Tiger eats the sloth and lemur, and the story ends there. This ending could prove traumatic for sensitive kids, but the rest of the book is silly and fun. If not for the ending, this book would be a GREAT one for story time. There is minimal text on each page and the colorful illustrations will keep young readers engaged. Recommended for readers 3 and up (with the warning about the ending).

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Fish and Sun

Fish and SunFish and Sun by Sergio Ruzzier
Published by HarperAlley on June 22, 2021
ISBN: 0063076640
Pages: 48
Genres: Adventure
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars
Little Fish is bored, and he’s tired of the cold and dark of under water. When he heads to the surface, Little Fish finds a new friend in the sun. The only problem? The sun goes away at the end of the day. When Sun reappears the next day, Little Fish is thrilled and the two new friends continue to play for several days.

This early reader is part of a new I Can Read Comics series. There is information at the beginning of the book about how to follow the comics — directionality of panels, word bubbles, etc. This is a level 1 book and the language is appropriate for that level. The illustrations are colorful, cartoonish and help carry the story. Fish and Sun play lots of games like hide-and-seek so the illustrations really make the story at some points. This is a great book for emerging readers and good for building confidence.

Recommended for readers 5 and up. Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas

Out of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric SeasOut of the Blue: How Animals Evolved from Prehistoric Seas by Elizabeth Shreeve, Frann Preston-Gannon
Published by Candlewick Press on May 11, 2021
ISBN: 9781536214109
Pages: 32
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars
Before the text begins, Elizabeth Shreeve cleverly has readers guess, among hippos, dolphins, and sharks, which two animals are the closest relatives? Shreeve, complimented by Preston-Gannon’s illustrations, impressively chronicles life on Earth from its beginning until mammals arrive on the planet. The kid-friendly text makes the subject entertaining and easy to follow. The time periods (noted at the bottom) and notes accompanying various creatures are a nice addition. This will surely be the go-to book for teachers and parents when teaching evolution.

The total package is simple and effective.—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

A book to be read over and over for its intriguing story, illustrations, and captions. —School Library Journal (starred review)

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars