Category: Book Reviews

Booked (Graphic Novel)

Booked (Graphic Novel)Booked by Dawud Anyabwile, Kwame Alexander
Published by Etch/Clarion Books on July 12, 2022
ISBN: 0358161819
Pages: 320
Genres: Sports
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
five-stars

The graphic novel adaptation of Alexander’s popular verse novel about a soccer-obsessed middle schooler will be very popular. Nick is dealing with his parents’ divorce, bullies, and having to compete against his best friend on the soccer field. Best of all is the cool school librarian sporting a mohawk and always there with life advice and a book to read. Nick’s father has created a dictionary just for Nick which might be one reason Nick has a flair for words, especially malapropisms and writing in blackout style. In addition to Alexander’s gift for wordplay, he also writes realistically about depression and middle school.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

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

five-stars

Rise of the School for Good and Evil

Rise of the School for Good and EvilRise of the School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani
Published by HarperCollins on June 7, 2022
Pages: 356
Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars
This book is the prequel to the popular series School for Good and Evil by Soman Chainani. This is an exciting adventure for readers familiar with the series, but it is also enjoyable for those who are new to it. Rhian and Rafal are immortal brothers, one Good and one Evil. They are School Masters at a school of magic. Their goal is to maintain the balance of Good and Evil in the Woods, which they are able to do for a long time. But now that balance seems off, and each brother is forced to do things that test their loyalty to each other and to the school they are entrusted to run. This book, appropriate for 3-7th graders, has new and familiar characters, and is full of unexpected plot twists. It is an entertaining book for fans of fairy tales or fantasy because not only is it face-paced and full of intrigue, it also forces readers to question who is Good and who is Evil.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

four-stars

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