Month: July 2022

The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza

The First Cat in Space Ate PizzaThe First Cat in Space Ate Pizza by Mac Barnett, Shawn Harris
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on May 10, 2022
ISBN: 0063084082
Pages: 320
Genres: Adventure, Humor, Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General, Science Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
four-stars

It’s hard to go wrong with Mac Barnett and this funny graphic novel will be a big hit with the Dav Pilkey, Adventure Time, or Catstronauts crowd. The story is wild: rats are eating the moon so a cat has to be flown into space to stop them. The plan changes quickly, though, as a Moon Queen and stowaway robot get involved. So does a lovestruck whale, a band of thieving gloves, and a baby pirate. An interesting thing about this book is it provides, through a web site,  access to a fan club,  recordings of songs featured in the book, and cartoons related to the characters, creating a multimedia experience for the reader. This will most likely circulate a lot, and there is already a sequel in the works.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten free Library, Bath

four-stars

Alone Like Me

Alone Like MeAlone Like Me by Rebecca Evans
Published by Anne Schwartz Books on May 3, 2022
ISBN: 0593181921
Pages: 40
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Alone Like Me is the story of a young girl in China who, due to the húkŏu system, is unable to attend school and must go to work with her parents. She is teased at the playground because of the stigma attached to those unable to pay for school, and is lonely. The illustrations are beautiful watercolors in shades of blue, except for Lìlíng, who has a vibrant red coat. When she spots a girl in a yellow coat, she’s intrigued and through some ingenuity they begin to communicate from the balconies of their apartments. While Alone Like Me can be read as a story of loneliness and eventual friendship, it also describes the situation for many families who are experiencing inequalities due to being shut out of social services. Written by an American who traveled and researched China while adopting her son, this book provides excellent insight of this particular social registration structure and its effect on many children.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

four-stars

Does My Body Offend You?

Does My Body Offend You?Does My Body Offend You? by Mayra Cuevas, Marie Marquardt
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on April 5, 2022
ISBN: 0593425855
Pages: 432
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Melena’s sunburn leaves her unable to wear a bra one morning to school. She has just moved to Jacksonville after her home in Puerto Rico was destroyed by hurricane Maria, and the last thing she is looking for is to start a movement for change at her new school.

Ruby and her parents recently came to Florida from Seattle to help while her grandmother had surgery. She was eager for something new, but she’s also feeling pressure to live up to her sister’s change-the-world accomplishments.

The two girls meet in the nurse’s office the day school officials force Melena to tape panty liners over her nipples. It doesn’t take long for the two to team up and become a force for change. A more grown-up, YA version of the middle grade book Dress-Coded by Carrie Firestone, this book belongs on library shelves for teens. Chapters alternate between the two main characters, creating an interesting literary format that shares the different perspectives. Themes include feminism, women’s issues, intersectionality, and assault. There is a minor romantic subplot.

Reviewed by Kristi Favaloro, Skidompha Public Library

four-stars

Maisy Goes on a Nature Walk

Maisy Goes on a Nature WalkMaisy Goes on a Nature Walk by Lucy Cousins
Published by Candlewick Press on April 12, 2022
ISBN: 1536224243
Pages: 32
Genres: Adventure
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

This picture book takes the reader on a journey with Maisy and her friends as they go on a nature walk. The colorful illustrations show the reader all the different things they encounter along the way. This book promotes friendship and teamwork and exploration. This would make a good read-aloud for younger kids.

Reviewed by Erin Scott, MSAD 75, Woodside

three-stars

Animal Facts: By the Numbers

Animal Facts: By the NumbersAnimal Facts: By the Numbers by Steve Jenkins
Series: By the Numbers
Published by Clarion Books on June 14, 2022
ISBN: 0358470129
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Animal Facts: By the Numbers is one title in the “By the Numbers” series. This book draws readers in with its informative facts and infographics. It covers a wide range of animals and information and the infographics illustrate size differences along with other characteristics. The use of charts and graphs and timelines and maps are effective tools used in conveying the information presented. Readers of Guinness World Records or National Geographic informational texts will enjoy this title. Recommended for any non-fiction section in a public library or middle grade school library.

Reviewed by Erin Scott, MSAD 75, Woodside

four-stars

A Rose Named Peace: How Francis Meilland Created a Flower of Hope for a World at War

A Rose Named Peace: How Francis Meilland Created a Flower of Hope for a World at WarA Rose Named Peace : How Francis Meilland Created a Flower of Hope for a World at War by Barbara Carroll Roberts, Bagram Ibatoulline
Published by Candlewick Press on April 12, 2022
ISBN: 1536208434
Pages: 48
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

An inspiring picture book biography that is placed in Europe during WWII. This book is a perfect compliment to texts which date from the same period of stress and conflict. A promising young self-taught botanist In France succeeded in cross pollinating two rose bushes to create a new rose. Known for its beauty, cuttings of this new rose were shipped to various countries. This nonfiction picture book goes on to speak about how WWII interfered with the development of non-vegetable plants which were needed to feed solders and the general population.

While the book is a pleasure to read and the illustrations are exquisite and detailed, the question of circulation remains in the mind of this reviewer. Certainly, this book belongs in collections of intermediate media centers and public libraries however it remains to be seen if young readers will be attracted to its content. A Rose Named Peace will not appeal to all young readers but will find a place with adults who are familiar with the species of rose. Several vital pieces of information are included in the afterword section. Readers will be introduced to the patent process, learn how the rose received its name, and can view a detailed diagram within the glossary. Include this book where juvenile biographies are collected for school projects, librarians could book talk when visiting local garden clubs or in discussing plant adaptations.

Reviewed by Jan Hamilton, Retired Youth Services Librarian

four-stars

Jigsaw: Mystery in the Mall

Jigsaw: Mystery in the MallJigsaw: Mystery in the Mail by Bob Graham
Published by Candlewick Press on July 5, 2022
ISBN: 1536224995
Pages: 40
Genres: Mystery
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
one-star

A family gets a mysterious jigsaw puzzle in the mail by an anonymous sender. The family opens the jigsaw puzzle box and decides to work on the puzzle together. Sadly, one of the jigsaw pieces goes missing and the family members must investigate and find the missing jigsaw piece.

This book misses its mark when trying to introduce young readers to the concept of mystery. Readers are aware where the jigsaw piece is hiding, which loses the mystery aspect. Also, readers do not discover the identity of the anonymous sender which leaves readers with no closure at the end. The watercolor and ink illustrations do help readers follow the plot of the story. There might be a demand for this book because of the popularity of the author, but there are definitely better books that introduce young readers to the genre of mystery.

Reviewed by Brandon Dyer, Auburn Public Library

one-star

How to Hear the Universe: Gaby Gonzalez and the Search for Einstein’s Ripples in Space-Time.

How to Hear the Universe: Gaby Gonzalez and the Search for Einstein’s Ripples in Space-Time.How to Hear the Universe: Gaby González and the Search for Einstein's Ripples in Space-Time by Patricia Valdez, Sara Palacios
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on March 8, 2022
ISBN: 1984894595
Pages: 40
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

How to Hear the Universe is the story of how Gaby Gonzalez picked up and continued working on Einstein’s theory of ripples in space-time. The picture book is engaging and brightly illustrated and is an inspiring scientific theory success story. My only reservation is that this theory is so complicated, I finished the books still not comprehending what a ripple in space-time really is, even after reading the helpful further reading in the back. What I chose to take away instead, was how amazing science is, in that a hundred years after a theory has been developed, it can be further explored. It’s such an wonderful collective of minds, and it’s always nice to be reminded that scientists don’t work in a bubble and that every theory or discovery leads to further theory and discovery, even if it’s a century later.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library

four-stars

Yonder

YonderYonder by Ali Standish
Published by HarperCollins on May 10, 2022
ISBN: 006298568X
Pages: 368
Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Yonder is a well written coming of age story with multiple strong characters. The setting is in a quiet small town within the Appalachian Mountains during WW II. Not only does the setting become better defined, but the action and behavior of residents is more intense with each short chapter. Some characters grow stronger while others begin to exhibit their prejudice, intolerance, and violent behavior. Danny proves that the strongest amongst us may not be the most powerful or largest in size. Compassion, bravery, and responsibility are threads throughout the book. Standish exposes the weakness of bullies and the strength of their victims. This book is a fast read that is hard to put aside; it will be appreciated by young readers and adults. Recommended for parent child book groups and for intermediate and middle school media centers as well as public library collections. There may be challenges of this historical fiction work but the content is real and does depict many areas of our country during the 1940’s. Consider for Cream

Reviewed by Jan Hamilton, Retired Youth Services Librarian

five-stars

Finn and the Subatomic Slip-and-Slide

Finn and the Subatomic Slip-and-SlideFinn and the Subatomic Slip-And-Slide by Michael Buckley
Published by Delacorte Press on March 1, 2022
ISBN: 0525646957
Pages: 288
Genres: Science Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

In this culmination of the Finniverse series, Finn and his friends travel to the subatomic to rescue Finn’s dad and save the earth from the Plague, aka giant bugs who control the Earth. The friends get separated on their journey and must rely on strangers and enemies to find each other and return to Earth safely. Readers who enjoyed the first two books will want to read this final installation. The book is fast-paced and full of danger and it wraps up loose ends from the other books. This book does not work as a stand-alone as there are too many flashbacks and references to previous books, making it difficult for a new reader to understand. The writing is choppy, the dialogue seems forced at times, and the characters aren’t well developed. The author also uses a lot of clichés and other common phrases that detract from the quality of writing. This book is appropriate for 4-6th graders who are familiar with the series and enjoy a lot of action.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

two-stars