Category: Book Reviews

Franz’s Phantasmagorical Machine

Franz’s Phantasmagorical MachineFranz's Phantasmagorical Machine by Beth Anderson, Caroline Hamel
Published by Kids Can Press on May 3, 2022
ISBN: 1525303252
Pages: 32
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Franz has always dreamed of inventions. He knows he wants to make something, but he doesn’t know what. As an adult, he finally begins to tinker and build a magical machine that grows to over 20 feet long. What does the machine do? This is the question that everyone asks, but simply existing and amazing is what the machine does.

This is a true story of Franz Gsellmann of Austria. In the early 1900s he built a fantastical machine that whizzed and spun and whirred but didn’t “do” anything in the traditional sense of the word. The digitally rendered illustrations are high color, and bring the complexity of Franz’s machines to life. This book is a little longer so recommended for readers 4 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

A Wizard in the Wood

A Wizard in the WoodThe Wizard in the Wood by Davide Ortu, Louie Stowell
Series: Kit the Wizard, book 3
Published by Walker Books US on May 24, 2022
ISBN: 1536214957
Pages: 224
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

The Wizard in the Wood is the third book in the Kit the Wizard series by Louie Stowell. A cleverly done recap before the story begins gets readers up to speed, even if they haven’t read the first two books. In the magical world Stowell has created, librarians are wizards, dragons sleep under libraries, dreaming of the stories that they are read; and books are portals to other worlds (libraries). Kit, a newly minted wizard, who loves to play outdoors and her bookish friends, Josh and Alita, must protect a dragon egg from evil wizards who want to remake the world (and not in a good way). Though the threat feels real, Stowell interjects humor throughout: “For someone who wants to keep her friends safe, you’re pretty free and easy with the flammable magic,” complained Josh (p. 148). This is also part of the book’s theme: friends help each other get stronger, rather than sheltering them from all harm. Stowell quietly alludes to a diverse cast of character that Ortu depicts in the digitally created illustrations. Future dragon minders will appreciate the “Guide to Baby Dragon Care” at the back of the book.

The Wizard in the Wood is fast-paced, funny, and rollicking. Readers who enjoy the “Dragon Masters” series and are ready to move on from shorter chapter books but not quite ready for Harry Potter, will appreciate the magical world Stowell has created here. Teachers and librarians will revel in the way multiple genres (poetry, comics) are given props, reinforcing the message that reading is reading, whether it is prose, poem, or picture.

This is a great story to read to any dragon sleeping under the library.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, Young School Library, Saco

five-stars

Poo-dunit: A Forest Floor Mystery

Poo-dunit: A Forest Floor MysteryPoo-dunit? A Forest Floor Mystery by Katelyn Aronson, Stephanie Laberis
Published by Candlewick Press on June 21, 2022
ISBN: 1536216372
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Mouse wakes up one morning and notices a distinct poo odor wafting into his home. He sets out to find who would dare to poo right outside his house. He asks many forest animals who all describe how their poo differs from the poo left at Mouse’s house. In the end, the culprit is discovered, and what the animals do with the poo just may surprise you.

This is an informative and funny book that young readers will love — who doesn’t love a poop book? The rhyming text adds to the story and makes for an easy and fun read aloud. The digitally rendered illustrations convey humor, emotion, and poo. Recommended as a read aloud for all kids 3 and older.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle

Mama and Mommy and Me in the MiddleMama and Mommy and Me in the Middle by Kaylani Juanita, Nina LaCour
Published by Candlewick Press on March 29, 2022
ISBN: 1536211516
Pages: 32
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

A biracial, same-sex couple lives with their one child, and the story begins detailing many of their usual routines. The difference is that Mommy has gone on a work trip, so all the things they normally do as a threesome are being done as a duo. Mama and child talk about missing Mommy, and they connect with her on video chats. When Mommy finally comes home, the young girl isn’t immediately happy. Her parents help her process her emotions, and the story ends with a happy family of three.

This is a sweet and gentle story about family and emotions. It is refreshing to see how the child isn’t instantly happy about her Mommy’s return—she missed her a lot, and all those emotions are hard to process. Any readers who are intermittently separated from a parent will connect with the young girl’s emotions and longing. The mixed media illustrations are beautiful and really bring the story to life. They help to convey the activities the family does but they also bring movement and reality to all the emotions felt during the story. Recommended for one-on-one reading with readers 4 and up.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop. Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

Oona and the Shark

Oona and the SharkOona and the Shark by Kelly DiPucchio, Raissa Figueroa
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on March 22, 2022
ISBN: 0063071428
Pages: 32
Genres: Adventure, Animals
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Oona is back for another adventure, and this time she’s determined to befriend a shark named Stanley. She tries all her tricks — inventions, excitement, and parties! Turns out, Stanley doesn’t like noise. He prefers peace and quiet. Once Oona realizes this, she’s quick to figure out a way to connect with Stanley.

This is a great book for learning that everyone has different likes and dislikes, and that’s ok! Oona is stubborn at first, but soon realizes that Stanley just need a gentler approach. The digitally rendered illustrations are colorful, and beautifully depict a fantastical underwater world. Recommended for readers 4 and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Ready For Launch: An Astronaut’s Lessons for Success on Earth

Ready For Launch: An Astronaut’s Lessons for Success on EarthReady for Launch: An Astronaut's Lessons for Success on Earth by Scott Kelly
ISBN: 1524764329
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Kelly draws a straight line between his experiences from a “distracted” student to Commander of the International Space Station (ISS) and their relevance in everyday life to lay out a path for “success on Earth”. The writing is accessible, engaging, and will be relatable to its target audience (publisher’s recommended audience is 12 and up).The layout (approx 5” x 7”) and brevity (113 pp). lends itself to a guidebook feel. Each lesson is covered in its own chapter. There are occasional typos (Navy is not capitalized – p. 60) and this book could have benefited from a number of elements that it lacks: index, timeline, bibliography. It feels like at times he is stretching the limits of the experience to tie it into his advice.

Kelly may be better known to adults than to the target audience, due to his well-documented #yearinspace Instagram, when he was on the ISC for 340 days, and the PBS series, A Year in Space. Clearly, Kelly is passionate about the NASA mission and what he has learned about leadership through his experiences. The stories he relates about the ISC are interesting and the advice he attributes to these experiences certainly would be valuable for young people looking for a guidebook to “success” (whatever that looks like).

Reviewed by Deanna Covino, Young School

four-stars

A Spoonful of Frogs

A Spoonful of FrogsA Spoonful of Frogs by Casey Lyall, Vera Brosgol
Published by Greenwillow Books on July 19, 2022
ISBN: 0062890298
Pages: 40
Genres: Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

A modern, young witch hosts a TV cooking show, “Bewitching Kitchen!”, and the featured recipe is Frog Soup. However, the last ingredient, a spoonful of frogs, are not cooperative. Instead they lead the witch on a chase around the kitchen, through the town, and eventually into a pond! Back in the kitchen, the battered witch advices that pickles are an acceptable substitute for frogs. A hilarious story in which Brosgol’s comic book-style digital illustrations adds much to a story that uses few words. In fact, if the reader does not pay attention to the pictures, they may miss much of the story. For this reason, a guided reading would make this a good choice for Story Time, especially at Halloween.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

Tell Me a Lion Story

Tell Me a Lion StoryTell Me a Lion Story by Kara Kramer
Published by Candlewick Press on May 10, 2022
ISBN: 1536218014
Pages: 40
Genres: Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

A young girl asks her father to tell her a story about a lion. Soon the child corrects her dad and adds details of her own. Eventually the story turns into an interactive one in which the readers/listeners are invited to fill in their own details. Children will be delighted in this Mad-Libs like game which also builds on the art of storytelling. Easily used for one-to-one reading but would also serve well as a share for Story Time. While I thought the format of the book is imaginative, the illustrations were average, albeit humorous.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

What’s Cooking in Flowerville: Recipes from Garden, Balcony or Window Box

What’s Cooking in Flowerville: Recipes from Garden, Balcony or Window BoxWhat's Cooking in Flowerville? by Felicita Sala
Published by Prestel Publishing Pages: 40
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

I wasn’t sure if this should be categorized as fiction or nonfiction, but it is primarily and informational book about gardening and a cookbook that tells a story of a neighborhood through gardening. Each month features a different member of the town and a recipe inspired by a fruit or vegetable. However, the seasons are geared more toward the mid-Atlantic region than Maine. The watercolor illustrations depict the yards, balconies, and rooftops in which diverse people of all ages and colors grow their gardens. The recipes are unique and might encourage young cooks to try something new to eat. The back pages of the book shares gardening terms and tools, various seeds, and when different fruits and vegetables are in season. A unique cookbook!

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars

Catastrophe

CatastropheWednesday and Woof #1: Catastrophe by Gladys Jose, Sherri Winston
Published by HarperCollins on May 24, 2022
ISBN: 006297601X
Pages: 96
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Mystery
Format: Early Reader
Goodreads
four-stars

This emergent reader/early chapter book captures your attention and you become invested in the character. Wednesday is a young girl with juvenile arthritis who, along with her service dog, Woof, solve mysteries. When the neighbors cat goes missing the pair are on the case. Young detectives will love the notebook pages about how to be a detective, and the clues that they find along the way. Emergent readers will be encouraged by little notes to the reader such as how many words they have read so far or how many chapters they have left. This book will be a hit with 1-3rd graders.

Reviewed by Erin Scott, MSAD 75

four-stars