Month: November 2025

How to Say Thank You

How to Say Thank YouHow to Say Thank You by Jean Reagan, Lee Wildish
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

How to Say Thank You is a very sweet and age-appropriate picture book about finding and expressing gratitude in everyday life. I appreciated that this book broke gratitude down into a sensory experience: What does gratitude look like, feel like, sound like, smell like, etc.? A lot of the time, I feel like children struggle to conceptualize gratitude or identify things they’re thankful for, even when they might feel that way. Regan does a great job giving us examples of things we might feel grateful for and ways to express that gratitude. I like that it wasn’t just “say thank you” or say you’re grateful, but instead the author included multiple ways of expressing gratitude: smiling, writing a note, signing, giving a hug, etc. This would be a wonderful title for Pre-K through 3rd graders and would be a great November/Thanksgiving read as well as for any other time of the year. This one is a five-star read for me because of how it broke down the content and the diversity the author included (especially ASL).  Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

five-stars

Night Chef

Night ChefNight Chef: An Epic Tale of Friendship with a Side of Deliciousness! (A Graphic Novel) by Mika Song
ISBN: 0593303156
Genres: Animals
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
five-stars

Night Chef by Mika Song

Night Chef is a graphic novel with charming illustrations that will delight 1st through 4th graders. Night Chef is about a squirrel who lives next to a restaurant and watches the chefs through the walls. Each night, Night Chef emerges to cook with what the chefs leave behind. One night, she decides to make ramen and scurries about to find supplies. She discovers an egg, but before she can cook it, it hatches! Suddenly, Night Chef finds herself trying to get the hatchling, who she names Ichi, home to her family. Along the way, they discover more animals who need help, and they have a suspenseful adventure. Readers will love the engaging illustrations and the suspense of if Night Chef can help Ichi and the other animals or not. Early readers will love that there are several sections told exclusively through pictures, which changes up the pacing and adds intrigue and excitement to the story. Readers who love Song’s other books, such as Apple of My Pie, Donut Feed the Squirrels, or Pizza My Heart, will enjoy this title just as much, if not more. This would be a great addition to any library serving patrons who love graphic novels, heartwarming stories, or animals, especially those of elementary age. This was a five-star read for me.

Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

five-stars

The Weaver Bride

The Weaver BrideThe Weaver Bride by Lydia Gregovic
Published by Delacorte Press on September 30, 2025
ISBN: 0593572416
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“The Weaver Bride” is a YA fantasy romance (with some dystopia in for a good mix) by Lydia Gregovic. The main character, Lovett, is a silkwitch with magic that allows her to unlock doors. She hides her powers because silkwitches are required to marry a weaver sorcerer by the time they turn 21 or they are banished. When her power is found out by a weaver, she makes a bargain to enter a silkwitch competition to find out who killed his sister.

A dystopian fantasy romance in the vein of “The Selection” with an interesting magic system and great descriptions of the setting. The author does a good job of immersing you into this world. This is a suggested purchase for YA collections where fantasy romance is popular.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

four-stars

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True StoryThe Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story by Allan Wolf, José Pimienta
on October 7, 2025
ISBN: 1536217433
Format: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Companion of sorts to Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom. This middle-grade graphic novel tells the true story of Lake Peigneur and the day it suddenly drained when an oil drill met an underground salt mine. Thankfully no one was hurt but a lot of lives were upended as a result. In 1980 a Texaco oil drill in the middle of Lake Peigneur hit the active underground salt mine below the lake and water quickly rushed in. All the miners were able to evacuate the mine just in time because the (very slow) elevator could only hold so many men at a time. The lake drained over a period of 3-5 hours and refilled within 48 hours leaving a path of devastation. Give this to readers after they’ve read Junius Leak so they can learn more about the real story of Lake Peigneur.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

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

five-stars

Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom

Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of DoomJunius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom by Allan Wolf
ISBN: 153621745X
Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Realistic Fiction
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This middle grade book is narrated by Lake Peigneur itself, this is the story of pirates and buried treasure and the real-life drilling accident on Lake Peigneur in Louisiana in 1980. Junius is shipped off to stay with his Uncle Spot on a houseboat on Lake Peigneur. His parents are headed to a retreat to work on their marriage. Junius suffers from what his mom calls “leaks” which are noises he makes when he gets anxious. He also loves water of all types – lakes, rivers, ponds – and has written a book about waterbodies. Ironically, he is afraid of being in the water or in a boat on the water. It turns out that the lake and the town have a lot of mysteries and Junius is able to uncover some big secrets. This is based on a real event – the Lake Peigneur drilling accident of 1980. Includes lots of Lousiana cultural details, including “whirling dervish” dancing. Readers will also enjoy The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story. 

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

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

five-stars

Cry Out Loud

Cry Out LoudCry Out Loud: (A Graphic Novel) by Tara O'Connor
ISBN: 0593125533
Genres: Horror
Format: Graphic Novel, Young Adult
Goodreads
five-stars

This graphic novel is set on a remote island in Ireland and the illustrations perfectly complement the creepy horror story. When Nell is suspended from school, her mother ships her off to distant relatives in Northern Ireland whom she’s never met. Nell soon learns that there is a long-time ritual sacrifice being planned to keep Banshees at bay and she is at the center of everything. Nell meets a ghost and somehow travels back in time. She learns about (and meets) more family members – including her mother as a young girl. She also learns why she is at the center of a family ritual to keep banshees at bay. Will Nell find a way to break the cycle? This suspenseful graphic novel is perfect for mature middles schoolers and YA readers.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

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

five-stars