Category: Book Reviews

If the World Were 100 Animals: A Visual Guide to Earth’s Amazing Creatures

If the World Were 100 Animals: A Visual Guide to Earth’s Amazing CreaturesIf the World Were 100 Animals: A Visual Guide to Earth's Amazing Creatures by Aaron Cushley, Miranda Smith
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers on July 5, 2022
ISBN: 0593372352
Pages: 32
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

If the World Were 100 Animals: A Visual Guide to Earth’s Amazing Creatures focuses on 100 of the Earth’s most amazing creatures, using statistics to demonstrate that all the animals of the Earth need to be safeguarded. The book asks and answers the questions kids want to know (if there were only 100 mammals in the entire world, how many of them would still be wild?), in a way that will have them poring over the pages.

The language is clear, concise, and compelling. The featured facts are emphasized through clean graphics and bright, colorful illustrations. The slightly oversized dimensions of the book (approx. 9.5” x 11”) and the full-bleed, double-page spreads are used to full effect.

Animal-loving fact addicts (the ones who greet you with the cheetah’s top speed) from kindergarten through fourth grade (and possibly older) will find this browsable picture book fascinating. The organization of information, combined with the illustrations and graphics, allows the reader to picture concepts that otherwise might be difficult to grasp.

If the World Were 100 Animals dials in on compelling facts across the broad category of animals on Earth. Students researching endangered animals or a particular sub-group (such as invertebrates) will unearth interesting factoids but this would not be the book to turn to for information about one specific animal. A bibliography in the front matter lists the resources used to gather the information used in the book. An annotated bibliography and index would have been very useful as well.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, Young School Library

four-stars

The Final Cut

The Final CutThe Final Cut by Denis Markell
Published by Delacorte Press on April 26, 2022
ISBN: 0593180666
Pages: 304
Genres: Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Alex returns to school after a summer of skateboard camp with a new nickname (Xan) that just won’t stick and to make 7th grade even worse, he doesn’t get to take the video game design class he has been dreaming of all summer. Instead he ends up in film class. Film is so big at their school, they have 2 film teachers and several successful alumni who are successful filmmakers. Alex must work with classmates to create a film for the annual film contest while overcoming computer hackers, protests over a building permit (Alex’s Dad is on the building commission), and some kind of animosity between the two film teachers. Students will enjoy this clever, humorous mystery set in an elite NY middle school.

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

three-stars

Surely Surely Marisol Rainey

Surely Surely Marisol RaineySurely Surely Marisol Rainey by Erin Entrada Kelly
Published by Greenwillow Books on August 9, 2022
ISBN: 0062970453
Pages: 160
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars
Illustrated chapter book with drawings by the author.

Marisol’s gym teacher announces they will be starting a kickball unit, and Marisol is worried. She isn’t good at sports, and Evie, another girl in her class, is mean to her about that, making things worse. Still, with support from her best friend Jada and help from her “extraordinarily” sporty older brother, she eventually finds her courage and manages to kick the ball in a game. Everyone cheers for her success, from her family to the coach to (surprise!) Evie.

Marisol is a likeable and realistic character, with fears and anxieties that ring true as she navigates the ups and downs of school, gym class, and friendships. Young readers looking for an engaging storyline and relatable characters will find a winner here. A bonus is that this is second in a series (works fine as a stand-alone) by award-winning Erin Entrada Kelly.

Readers who enjoy Sara Pennypacker’s Clementine or Lois Lowry’s Gooney Bird books will love to find these on the shelf!

Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library

five-stars

If You Find a Leaf

If You Find a LeafIf You Find a Leaf by Aimée Sicuro
Published by Random House Studio on July 12, 2022
ISBN: 0593306597
Pages: 40
Genres: Arts, Fantasy
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars
“If You Find a Leaf” is a picture book following a child as they collect leaves, imagining that they can use the leaves as different things. Aimee Sicuro uses a mixture of artistic media for each illustration, with the leaves always as realistic photographs collaged into the larger image. A leaf can be a hat, or a sail for a boat, or a superhero cape. The endpapers identify different types of leaves. Fun, simple, and beautiful, this picture book is recommended for ages 3 – 5, and is a recommended purchase for libraries where leaf-based picture books fly off the shelves in the Fall.

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

three-stars

Ride With Me

Ride With MeRide With Me by Lucy Keating
Published by Clarion Books on June 28, 2022
ISBN: 0358468310
Pages: 320
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars
Charlie Owens drives for a local rideshare app in her small Western Mass town. Early on, there is a (suspension-of-disbelief-requiring) meet cute/conflict between Charlie and Andre, a popular boy, that leads to his car being in the shop and her driving him around town. A spark between them naturally develops as they spend time together.

Positives: the awkward teen romance angle felt spot on. Keating’s writing was smooth and easy to read, with realistic dialogue.

Ho-hum: Secondary characters were uniformly nice people, some with quirky personalities, and none were remotely abrasive or challenging (everyone gets along, all the time). One friend was described briefly as Black, and a handful others had last names which indicated a diversity that the story otherwise lacked. Sense of setting was superficially adequate, if greatly romanticized; it reads like a story written by a person who lives in a city about how they imagine rural teenagers live (and did not nail the experience).

There were none of the hot button topics that often come up in YA, other than several scenes with underage social drinking. Overall, this novel offers a pleasant and undemanding reading experience for teens looking for a low-key chaste romance set in rural New England, but is not by any means a must-have for libraries.

Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library

three-stars

Star Knights

Star KnightsStar Knights: (A Graphic Novel) by Kay Davault
Published by Random House Graphic on July 5, 2022
ISBN: 0593303652
Pages: 240
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Humor
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
four-stars
“Star Knights” is a middle grade graphic novel written and illustrated by Kay Davault. Tad, a frog, deals with bullying because according to legend, the evil Marsh Witch and her mud-dwelling minions tried to destroy the peace and prosperity of the kingdom. Tad wishes he could be a brave Star Knight so that others would like him. One night, the stars start falling and Tad’s wish to become a knight is granted and he is swept into an adventure that shows him the truth of everything.

Davault’s illustrations are bright, smooth, and rounded, giving the graphic novel a cute and humorous style that complements the story. The themes of friendship and truth, along with fighting prejudice are fairly obvious. This book doesn’t cover new ground, but it is a fun adventure that readers will enjoy. Recommended for ages 8 – 12, this book is a suggested purchase wherever middle grade graphic novels are popular.

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

four-stars

Race for the Escape

Race for the EscapeRace for the Escape by Christopher Edge
Published by Delacorte Press on July 5, 2022
ISBN: 0593486013
Pages: 176
Genres: Adventure, Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars
“Race for the Escape” by Christopher Edge is an adventure featuring several tweens who take part in “The Escape,” a supposedly impossible escape room. Ami, Adjoa, Oscar, Ibrahim, and Min discover that this is no ordinary escape room and that they will need to use all of their skills to “Find the Answer, Save the World” and get out alive.

An exciting middle grade book filled with adventure and mystery, readers will enjoy trying to solve the riddles along with the main characters and guessing what will happen next. A solid purchase for your library collection where adventure/puzzle books, like the Mr. Lemoncello series, are popular.

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

three-stars

The Little Bad Book

The Little Bad BookThe Little Bad Book #1 by Magnus Myst, Thomas Hussung
Published by Delacorte Press on June 28, 2022
ISBN: 0593427610
Pages: 128
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Humor
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars
“The Little Bad Book” by Magnus Myst is a choose-your-own-adventure type novel where readers attempt to help the book (yes, the book is a character in the book) become truly bad. Readers are asked to lie, curse, and solve riddles in order to help the book truly be bad. The book says that it is bad to do these things, but kids might not understand, due to the fact that the book is asking them to do these bad things.

Illustrations are both fun and creepy, and add to the general bad-ness that the book is going for. The book itself has funny moments and the puzzles are fun to solve, but I’m not sure who the target audience is. Stories are dark, with kids dying (one actually dies laughing) and one former reader who became a ghost. Recommended for ages 9 – 12, this book is a supplemental purchase for middle grade collections.

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

two-stars

Swim Team: Small Waves, Big Changes

Swim Team: Small Waves, Big ChangesSwim Team by Johnnie Christmas
Published by HarperAlley on May 17, 2022
ISBN: 0063056771
Pages: 256
Genres: Historical Fiction, Sports
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
five-stars
Christmas offers middle grade readers his first graphic novel. His characters come alive expressing their passion for swimming. This is the story of a middle grade girl who moves with her father to Florida only to find that her only school elective choice is swimming. The action starts almost immediately and the story line follows history more accurately than readers would guess. While we learn that Ms. Etta was a young swimmer and is capable of coaching, there is much more to learn about this woman. Etta learns to swim, bonds with most of her teammates and grows to love the challenge while her father shrinks away from attending meets. Dad’s reluctance to attend swim meets makes for a tantalizing mystery. The full-color illustrations in this graphic novel are superior to most, the interactions are shown in both words and action. Accurate history of racial repression is revealed on many pages where puzzle pieces are drawn over the illustration. Readers will enjoy an inspiring story line, view engaging graphics, and learn some American history while reading this winning graphic novel. A compelling positive message is that team members should support each other while having fun.

The biggest problem with the narrative is that credit is not given to Enith Brigitha, an Olympic swimmer from the Netherlands. The character of Ms. Etta is inspired by Brigitha, who was the first black person to medal as an Olympic swimmer. Her story is easily found online but could have been included in the back pages of this book. Definitely add to middle school library collections where swimming pools exist on campus and to public libraries everywhere. This piece of historic fiction in graphic form is sure to please readers from grade 3-8.

Reviewed by Jan Hamilton, retired Youth Services Librarian

five-stars

The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness From the Border

The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness From the BorderThe Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border by Stephen Briseño, Magdalena Mora
Published by Random House Studio on June 28, 2022
ISBN: 0593307054
Pages: 40
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars
Written with deep compassion and knowledge of the immigrant situation at the Mexican border, “The Notebook Keeper” is a valuable book. After a mother tells her daughter that they must leave their village and seek refuge in the USA, their long walk begins. Readers see what Noemi packs for her trip and then follow in their footsteps as mother and child approach the border. Before the tall wall and the solders posted there is a large group of people from many countries. This story highlights the long wait, fear of the unknown, and the lack of compassion given to those waiting to be called to apply for asylum. Illustrations are varied as they depict the mood of those waiting and the cultural use of bright color. Two-page spreads add volume to the crowd of people and reflect the tension felt by those waiting. Everyday life at the border is depicted in a series of circles which provide dimension to the story line. The shining light is the woman who holds the all-important notebook which records all those waiting their turn. It is the kindness of Belinda that gives this story meaning as well as offers hope. “The Notebook Keeper” is based on real people who waited and volunteered at the Mexican border until Covid-19 closed it. Factual background material and a selected source list are included for readers.

This is a story that needs to be shared, read, and discussed beyond the K-grade 3 audience. Primary and intermediate media center librarians should purchase a copy and all public librarians are encouraged to do the same. Schools at all levels and churches who support social justice will want to include this book on their reading list. Recommend as a book discussion title.

Reviewed by Jan Hamilton, retired Youth Services Librarian

five-stars