Category: Book Reviews

Ally Baby Can: Be an Eco-Activist

Ally Baby Can: Be an Eco-ActivistAlly Baby Can: Be an Eco-Activist by Jade Orlando, Nyasha Williams
Series: Ally Baby Can #2
Published by HarperCollins on February 14, 2023
ISBN: 0063214563
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Board Book
Goodreads
two-stars

The second in a series of Ally Baby books, this title addresses the language and activities surrounding eco-activism. From climate change to recycling efforts to planting trees and eating local food, many action verbs are highlighted: combat, plant, shop, ride, read, vote. Each word is accompanied by an example for action and illustrations of multi-cultural babies enjoying their tasks. The message is extremely important and the book offers many suggestions for being an ecological ally, but it uses babies to deliver sophisticated vocabulary and concepts. This makes it hard to know the audience for the book. Do elementary students, or adults, want to be lectured by babies? With words like “regenerative” and “sustainable”, are we supposed to read this book to babies? And even with such an important message, a title like this is a trigger for people who feel that children are being indoctrinated with a woke agenda. The publisher totes this as a “rhyming text” but the rhyme is quite thin and the book would have been better served with unrhymed prose. The end matter defines what it means to be an ally, offers a recap of the actions taken in the book (by the babies), and provides an extensive glossary and a short bibliography. Purchase this if you have a need for an all-in-one text that defines eco-activism and illustrates specific actions that can be taken to promote eco-activism; otherwise, it might be better to skip this one.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Falmouth Middle School

two-stars

Breakup From Hell

Breakup From HellBreakup from Hell by Ann Dávila Cardinal
on January 3, 2023
ISBN: 0063045303
Genres: Horror, Romance, Supernatural
Format: Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

After spending her life in a small, idyllic Vermont town, Mica is ready for a new adventure. Unfortunately, her friends and Abuela don’t want her to leave to attend her dream college, UCLA. When the handsome and mysterious Sam shows up Mica falls for him hard, but it doesn’t take long for suspicions about Sam, his horrible sister, and Abuela’s concern about Mica’s changing behavior to show Mica that even small town Vermont can be exciting.

This angels-versus-demons, lovers-to-enemies horror-comedy is fast paced and fun but ultimately gets weighed down by unanswered questions and stock characters. More attention to Mica’s and her friends’ superhero-style development of their angelic powers would have helped lighten it up but it feels rushed for Mica and practically nonexistent for her friends. Maybe a sequel will explore these new powers in more detail?

Not an essential book for a YA collection but fans of Twilight, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Lucifer will probably really enjoy it.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

three-stars

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal SexualityQueer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality by Eliot Schrefer
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on May 24, 2022
ISBN: 0063069490
Pages: 240
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Using solid scientific data and humorous writing that will grab teens’ attention, Schrefer details the diversity of sexual behavior in the animal world proving that humans are not the only creatures who are queer. Interspersing his prose with the comics of Jules Zuckerberg, Schrefer provides examples from history, science, anthropology, and sociology to illustrate how animals from the albatross to doodlebugs to bonobos exhibit queer behavior and practice same-sex relationships.  This book opens the readers eyes to the ways in which we have viewed animal behavior through a lens of personal bias and Victorian values. Like humans, animal motivation is complex and this book removes some of the filters through which we have come to understand the natural world. A solid addition to YA and high school collections.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Baxter Memorial Library, Gorham

five-stars

Sardines

SardinesSardines by Sashi Kaufman
Published by Quill Tree Books on October 18, 2022
ISBN: 0062995618
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

A heartwarming middle grade novel about the power of friendship and positive thinking. Lucas is a middle school kid who is slightly adrift – his beloved older brother, Charlie, is dead, his mother has left to get “help”, and his father is distant and withholding.  Before leaving, Lucas’s mom signed him up for the middle school after care program, and it is here that he finds friendship, connection, and healing.  Between games of Sardines, a reverse hide-and-seek, Lucas and the other members of after care — new kid Finn, athlete Cat, popular Anna, and earnest but goofy Robbie — work together to make wishes come true, some simple, some complicated. Maine author Kaufman has crafted a story that is perfect for a classroom read aloud and that will have readers cheering for the rag-tag group as they come up with creative ways to lift up and support one another. Fans of realistic fiction and authors like Linda Mullaly Hunt, R.J. Palaccio, and Erin Entrada Kelly will love this book.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Baxter Memorial Library, Gorham

five-stars

The Secret of the Shadow Beasts

The Secret of the Shadow BeastsSecret of the Shadow Beasts by Diane Magras
Published by Dial Books on June 14, 2022
ISBN: 0735229325
Pages: 336
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Beware the gloaming, that time just as sun sets and night has yet to fall; this is when the shadow beasts roam Brannland in Diane Magras’s latest fast-paced novel for middle grade readers. Magras has created a world that combines touches of gaming, Dungeons & Dragons, coming of age, and adventure quests all in one. Nora is 12 and lives on a farm. After an encounter with an Umbrae, a shadow beast that hunts after dark and wields a lethal poison in its bite, claws, and even hairs, Nora remembers that she is immune to the poison and that she could have been a Knight, an order of children who train and fight Umbrae. Nora’s father was completely against her becoming a Knight, but he was killed by a shadow beast so it’s up to Nora to decide to call the National Council and volunteer herself. When she is instantly accepted into the Knight’s Order, she must leave home and train with the other Knights.

Once at the training facility, Nora learns how gifted she is at fighting Umbrae. Some of her ability comes from growing up on a farm, some from playing a particular video game with her best friend, and some from her incredible immunity to the shadow beast poison. Magras introduces Nora, and the reader, to a diverse cast of characters imbued with plenty of flaws and missteps, but also with empathy and a capacity to learn from their mistakes. She allows her characters to discuss their feelings and to problem solve when things don’t go according to plan. She also allows them to use their strengths to kick monster butt!

This book will appeal to gamers, fantasy and sci-fi lovers, and those who appreciate a rip-roaring adventure in which the kids save the land. Highly recommend.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Baxter Memorial Library,  Gorham

five-stars

Leila the Perfect Witch

Leila the Perfect WitchLeila, the Perfect Witch by Flavia Z. Drago
Published by Candlewick Press on July 12, 2022
ISBN: 1536220507
Pages: 40
Genres: Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Leila is a very special little witch who shines in so many ways. From being the fastest flier, the craftiest carver, the sneakiest shapeshifter to winning many trophies for potions, herbology, and alchemy, she is a leader in her coven. Her biggest dream, however, is to be the best baker and win the Witchy Cake-off! Although she gives it her best, she comes up short on her baking skills. Fortunately, her three sisters come to her aid and share their baking secrets with her. Will this assistance be enough for her to rise to the top of the challenge?

The mixed media illustrations have a whimsical spirit and fill the pages with lots of details that children can pour over. Readers with an eagle eye will find Gustavo, the shy ghost making an appearance in the book. The ultimate message that winning isn’t everything makes a satisfying ending. Trying your best, having your family be proud of you, and then eating cake together….takes the cake! A sweet, and mildly spooky story perfect for any time of the year. A solid addition to any library.

Reviewed by Terri Bauld, Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, Kennebunkport, ME

three-stars

Dog Squad 2: Cat Crew

Dog Squad 2: Cat CrewCat Crew by Chris Grabenstein, Beth Hughes
Published by Random House Children's Books on October 1, 2022
ISBN: 0593480872
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Humor
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

In the second book of the Dog Squad series, Fred, the stray dog who became famous as an actor in an animal movie, is back. He and his friends are getting ready to do another movie but this time there are going to be cats involved. Fred must get along with his feline co-workers and stop the movie studio’s evil animal trainer before she causes mayhem in the movie industry. Perfect for readers who like talking animals, spying-on-the-enemy plot lines, and action/adventure stories. There are black and white illustrations throughout the novel which both compliment the plot and help readers visualize the action scenes and facial expressions from multiple characters. This book’s audience is young readers ages 8 through 12 (grades 3-6).

Reviewed by Brandon Dyer, Auburn Public Library

three-stars

Swift and Hawk: Cyberspies

Swift and Hawk: CyberspiesSwift and Hawk: Cyberspies by Logan Macx
Published by Walker Books Australia on March 2, 2022
Pages: 352
Genres: Adventure, Science Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

In this action packed cat-and-mouse novel, Caleb Quinn is thrown into a top secret mission when his CIA mother is kidnapped by an evil underground crime organization. Caleb must quickly immerse himself into the role of a CIA agent in order to protect a special artifact that has a code that the evil crime organization wants. Young readers who enjoyed Last Gamer Standing by Katie Zhao or Ready Player One will be pleased by the book’s futuristic personalized robots and virtual reality hubs that society uses in their daily lives. As a character, Caleb is both a leader and acts on impulse before thinking through situations, as any 12-year-old might.  The third-person narration and story pace compliment the story and are sure to keep young readers, ages 8-12, engaged.

Reviewed by Brandon Dyer, Auburn Public Library

three-stars

Hold Them Close: A Love Letter to Black Children

Hold Them Close: A Love Letter to Black ChildrenHold Them Close: A Love Letter to Black Children by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, Patrick Dougher
Published by HarperCollins US on February 1, 2023
ISBN: 0063036177
Pages: 48
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This is a lyrical message to Black children to hold onto the gifts of loving, joyful moments during (and despite) difficult times. The prose lays the groundwork for the remarkably powerful and dynamic illustrations: digital collages of black and white photographs of a Black family (grandmother, father, two children) who love and laugh together juxtaposed with digital images that are eye-opening, sometimes celebratory and occasionally heartbreaking. The story and illustrations do not shy away from ugly realities of racial violence but it also honors Black history and history makers.

The book could make an excellent jumping-off point with older students able to discuss the fullness of Black history in America. Back matter and front matter make this even more effective. The author’s note in the front matter addresses how to talk to Black children about Black joy, history, and strength in the face of anti-Black violence. I would recommend familiarizing oneself with the information in the front and back matter before reading this aloud to a group. My first inclination was to recommend this *only* to older readers, because of the few images of anti-Black violence. However, this is the reality and history my youngest Black students live with every day, and they will love the images and story of a Black family thriving and loving each other.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, Young School Library, Saco

four-stars

The Blanket Where Violet Sits

The Blanket Where Violet SitsThe Blanket Where Violet Sits by Allan Wolf, Lauren Tobia
Published by Candlewick Press on August 30, 2022
ISBN: 076369665X
Pages: 32
Genres: Fiction in Verse/Poetry, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

A young family brings a picnic to a city park at dusk, in anticipation of viewing the night sky. The simple rhyming text follows the cadence of “The House That Jack Built”: “This is the blanket where Violet sits, eating a sandwich, an apple, and chips.” Violet is a young girl with light skin with a light-skinned dad and dark-skinned mom. This loving group is secure in what seems to be a regular, but still special, event as they set up their telescope and ready themselves for the dramatic spectacle of the clear and starry night.

The scope of the text expands page by page; the focus of the inviting illustrations zooms in on the family and then out again, wider and wider, until we can see the “known universe, past comprehension”. Children will enjoy the connections between the illustrations containing Violet and her toy spaceship to those of Violet imagining herself in space, traveling within the rocket ship. One nitpicky comment: the family members wear headlamps while they stargaze, and unless the light in the lamps is red (and it doesn’t appear so), the lamps will make it harder to see the stars.

This would make a great library read-aloud for a young audience or a lovely bedtime story for one lucky child.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, Young School Library, Saco

five-stars