The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, a Legacy of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History

July 31, 2025

The Swans of Harlem (Adapted for Young Adults): Five Black Ballerinas, a Legacy of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History by Karen Valby
Published by Delacorte Press on 2025
ISBN: 0593643569
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

Decades after their peak stardom, five pioneering Black ballerinas of the first-of-its-kind Dance Theater of Harlem come together to reclaim their voices and groundbreaking accomplishments, ensuring their history is never again forgotten.

This book does not shy away from tough topics that students may relate to such as body shaming, being a minority in predominantly white spaces, coping with high expectations and overcoming adversity. Yet, the author keeps the writing straight forward enough, reading more like narrative fiction, that this can be recommended to both tweens and teens. The only drawback was the extensive use of dance terms that may be confusing to students with no prior knowledge of the sport, though most uses are followed by an explanation. This would be a great pick for school librarians looking to expand their sports-related non-fiction section, as well as public libraries where teens take a special interest in lost history. Extra resources like a detailed index, letter from the ballerinas themselves and gallery make it an excellent resource for reports and classroom biography projects too. Though a bit more of a niche topic, this engaging read is highly recommended if you have the space for it!

Reviewed by Hannah Doktor, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta

Snow White and the Dragon (or Sleeping Beauty and the Seven Dwarfs)

July 30, 2025

Snow White and the Dragon (or, Sleeping Beauty and the Seven Dwarfs) (The Princess Swap #2) by Kim Bussing
Published by Random House on 3/4/25
ISBN: 0593708075
Genres: Fairy Tale
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Princess Snow White is preparing for her 13th birthday, which is when she officially starts her training to become queen of Apfel. But her stepmother Lucille seems to have different plans and is plotting to become the queen instead. Meanwhile, Rose, an orphan, is also a week away from turning thirteen and just found out she has been cursed since birth. On top of all that, the whole kingdom of Apfel is worried about the return of the Night Witch who has caused a sleeping curse to fall upon many in the kingdom and no one knows how to reverse it. This upper elementary novel is told primarily from the perspectives of Rose and Snow, as they fight for survival against curses, bandits, and dragons. These two young women learn a lot about themselves, friendship, and eventually about their connection to each other. Readers will enjoy the action throughout the novel and will be delighted by a few surprise twists at the end.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

Survive This Safari

July 28, 2025July 28, 2025

Survive This Safari by Natalie D. Richards
on April 8, 2025
ISBN: 0593644166
Genres: Animals, Mystery, Realistic Fiction
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Lucy is struggling mightily with anxiety over her panic attacks and is reluctant to enter the zoo contest even though her older sister will be by her side as a zoo employee. She and her team have been asked to test a new escape room/puzzle challenge for zoo visitors and one member of her team will be asked to join their ambassador program. When Lucy’s sister is stranded behind a locked gate and the gates and walkie-talkies malfunction, Lucy and her team soon realize there is more going on than solving puzzles. Written for upper elementary/middle grade readers, the depiction of anxiety and panic attacks is realistic. While things are tied up perhaps a little too neatly at the end – the tension between Lucy and her rival is resolved a little too easily – readers will enjoy the mystery element and learning animal facts through the humorous footnotes.

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

Fairy Walk

July 21, 2025

Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Nature
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
four-stars
A trio of diverse kids and their dog head off into the wild world in search of fairies. (The dog comically is the only one who is able to spot quite a few fairies.) The children don’t find a fairy but get much more out of their day of exploration – finding small treasures, a lizard, and the magic found in everyday nature. The digitally colored watercolor, pencil, and collage illustrations are magical and an observant reader will spy a number of fairies, and a ladybug, hidden among the pages. The text is simple and quite poetic. (IMHO a bit too poetic. I would have appreciated more narrative.) And my pet peeve: I find it annoying when authors have flowers that don’t bloom at the same time featured blossoming together. Snow drops are a spring flower and bee balm blooms in mid-summer. Come on authors – do your research! Despite these shortcomings, the pictures are lovely and the book will inspire kids to go on their own fairy walk. It would be a nice addition to book sets and projects about fairy houses.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Growing Green: A First Book of Gardening

July 21, 2025

Growing Green: A First Book of Gardening Genres: Gardening
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
four-stars

From growing strawberries in galoshes to herbs in recycled tin cans, this easy-to-follow gardening book contains 15 simple projects for young gardeners. Directions are clear and written so they are easy to understand. I found when there was a string of directions, it was unnatural to read from right-to-left, even though the steps were numbered. Bright, engaging illustrations showing a depiction of children with a variety of skin tones and accurate depictions of the steps described. Plants are common ones and accessory materials would be easy to find. A good choice for children interested in gardening.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Lily the Pond Mermaid

July 21, 2025

Lily the Pond Mermaid Genres: Fantasy, Mental Health, Nature
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
three-stars
Lily cares for the plants, obtains algae for the snails, and cleans up garbage thrown into the water. She frets too much and is overwhelmed when a storm ravages the pond. Lily talks through her fears with her friends, and together they restore the pond. A useful text for a child-friendly representation of anxiety and how to deal with it. The illustrations are beautiful. An especially eye-catching full-page image depicts Lily floating on the water’s surface, too worried to sleep. The text sometimes doesn’t doesn’t have a smooth flow of a story, and I did not find the plot that compelling. This book could be useful for a child dealing with anxiety.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Natterjack Toad Makes a Mighty Crunch

July 21, 2025July 21, 2025

Natterjack Toad Makes a Mighty Crunch Genres: Animals, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
five-stars
Natterjack Toad, dressed in a yellow shirt, red and yellow-striped shorts, and carrying a picnic basket, only wants to find the perfect place to eat his favorite snack: “CHOCOLATE-CHUNK CRUNCHY-MUNCH COOKIES.” However, their loud crunch will alert his whereabouts to predators so he has to keep moving to a different location from the pond, to the meadow, to the forest. When he ignores the warning and makes a mighty crunch that alerts the wild hog, he saves himself (and the mole and the vole) by giving up his package of cookies. There is a happy ending, but I won’t spoil it for you.

This humorous book is a delightful readaloud. The illustrations are large and bold and add to the silliness of the story. Three insect pals (a firefly, a dragonfly, and a beret-wearing worm) are fun to spot on the pages

I never heard the word “natterjack” before (Isn’t it delightful?!) so I looked it up. A natterjack toad is a small European toad which has a bright yellow stripe down its back. The author lives in England.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Nominated for Cream of the Crop

Something Good

July 21, 2025November 11, 2025

Something Good by Kenneth Kraegel
Published by Candlewick Genres: Fantasy, Humor, Mental Health
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
five-stars
Reminiscent of Alexander, this unnamed girl is having a very bad day and wishes for things to turn around. They do when she finds a found gift of magic socks. It gets even better when a friend joins in on the fun, and then, after a while, they pass the socks along to another child, “someone who needed the socks more than we did.”

I loved the quirky humor from the first sentence – “This morning I woke up with a chicken on my head.” – to the found gift of magic socks which enables her to fly! Simple text complimented by simple illustrations in colored pencil, gouache, and ink. This will be a big hit at Story Time. A subtle lesson that even bad days can get better.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Nominated for Cream of the Crop

Hatch and Match

July 21, 2025July 21, 2025

Hatch and Match Genres: Animals, Counting Books, Farm Life, Holiday
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
three-stars
A search-and-match adventure book with colors, patterns, and counting that is filled with vibrant, colorful illustrations and a bouncy rhyming text. The pictures are enchanting but very busy. I think it will be difficult for the target-audience (3-5 year-olds) to be able to ascertain and locate the corresponding illustrations. I confess, I sometimes found it confusing and difficult myself! Onomatopoeic sound effects are incorporated into the text and are depicted in large, boldfaced capitals making it fun to read.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Birdlore: The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey

July 21, 2025

Birdlore: The Iridescent Life of Florence Merriam Bailey by Devon Holzwarth, Jess Keating
ISBN: 059348858X
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars
A tribute to Florence Merriam Bailey (1863-1948), a passionate ornithologist who revolutionized the way scientists and general nature lovers study birds. Keating introduces Florence as a child who was delighted to sit patiently in the woods to watch birds and take careful notes on their features and behavior. As an adult, she is outraged by the fashion of piling feathers and dead birds atop women’s hats and killing birds in order to study them. She popularized bird watching and promoted protective legislation. She turned her years of note taking into field guides for professionals and the general public alike.

Although at times Keating’s language is a bit obscure, she does a huge service in making this woman’s life known to the world. Children will be aghast to learn that birds were killed in order to be studied and were also worn as fashion. Holzwarth’s illustration are colorful and lush which adds much to the enjoyment of the book. The “Author’s Note” and a set of basic bird-watching guidelines at the end of the book are informative and supplements the biography. The illustrator’s beautiful labeled gallery of common birds for readers to spot on the earlier pages (or outdoors) adds some fun. Highly recommended for animal lovers and anyone who enjoys looking at lovely illustrations. A truly wonderful example of how one person can make a difference.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library