Category: Book Reviews

Living the Confidence Code

Living the Confidence CodeLiving the Confidence Code: Real Girls. Real Stories. Real Confidence. by Claire Shipman, JillEllyn Riley, Katty Kay
on April 28, 2020
ISBN: 0062954113
Genres: Biography/Autobiography, Non-Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars

This is a collection of real life stories of young girls making a difference in the world. From beginning a ban on single-use plastics in Bali to starting a girls tackle football league in Utah, there’s a story here that will resonate with everyone. Each chapter chronicles a different girl’s story and includes a picture of her and a short Q&A about every day likes and dislikes. The book is dotted with blue illustrations and graphics that young readers will find interesting and provide additional information. This book reads a bit young for the length of it, but overall it is interesting and may inspire some young readers. Recommended for readers 3rd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover)

Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover)Sheepish (Wolf Under Cover) by Helen Yoon
Published by Candlewick Press on January 12, 2021
ISBN: 1536207322
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

A wolf is hatching a plan—disguise himself as a sheep, get the sheep to trust him, and then….but wait. The sheep like him. He decides he can’t do it and retreats to his den where he studies alternative meat sources and even vegetarianism. When the sheep unexpectedly appear at his door dressed like wolves and telling him they miss him, the story comes full circle.

This sparsely worded book is adorable. The illustrations are high color, full of emotion and humor, and really help carry the story. Without the illustrations, the text isn’t enough. Some aspects may require explanation for the youngest readers, but overall this is an easy to follow story. Recommended for readers 3 and up and for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

The Lion of Mars

The Lion of MarsThe Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 5, 2021
ISBN: 0593121813
Pages: 272
Genres: Adventure, Science Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Bell has spent his entire life on Mars. With the other members of the Earth settlement, life on Mars is as normal as life on Mars can be. But Bell wonders things—why doesn’t the US settlement have any contact with the other settlements? Why do they always have to be alone? When a virus breaks out, and the adults get sick, it becomes clear the kids may have to rely on the other settlements for help. When they find that the other settlements are far less isolated from each other than they are, the kids begin to question everything and hope to be able to find a way to connect with the other people living on Mars.

This book was written before the Covid-19 pandemic, but the parallels are impossible to ignore. It may cause some anxiety with kids who are already stressed about the pandemic. That aside, the book is well written and provides an interesting perspective of how life on Mars could be possible. Bell and the other kids have wit, humor, and relatable personalities. The overall themes of the book are community, trust, friendship, and believing in the possibility of something better. This book will likely be popular because it was written by Holm. Recommended for readers 4th grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Shaking up the House

Shaking up the HouseShaking Up the House by Yamile Saied Méndez
Published by HarperCollins on January 5, 2021
ISBN: 0062970720
Pages: 256
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

The White House is about to have a changeover of administrations and with that, a changeover of first kids. Ingrid and Winnie Lopez have been living there for the past 8 years, and now identical twins, Skylar and Zora Williams are about to move in. When President Lopez decides it would be fun for the Williams family to move in early and overlap with the Lopez administration for 8 weeks, the 4 First Kids are thrown together unexpectedly. They became friends on the campaign trail, and in true White House fashion, the Lopez sisters plan a prank on the incoming Williams sisters. What the Lopez girls didn’t plan for was the ensuing prank war that would culminate on the inauguration stage.

This is a fun, lighthearted, and easy read. The significance of a Latinx family followed by a Black family in the White House is mentioned several times though this isn’t the focus of the book. The story line is easy to follow and focuses on friendship, family, and of course, hijinks. Hand this one to readers who enjoy stories without a lot of drama or scare. Recommended for readers 3rd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

The Age of Dinosaurs

The Age of DinosaursThe Age of Dinosaurs: The Rise and Fall of the World’s Most Remarkable Animals by Steve Brusatte
Published by Quill Tree Books on March 2, 2021
ISBN: 0062930176
Pages: 272
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Dinosaur enthusiasts, rejoice! This middle grade nonfiction book is full of up-to-date dinosaur facts and revelations. The book dives as deep as musculoskeletal structure of T. rex skulls but does so in a way that makes it accessible and not overwhelming. There’s a lot about the history of paleontology as well as newer discoveries. Throughout, things are put into easy-to-understand perspectives. For example, T. rex was the size of a bus, but its front legs (arms?) were the size of kitchen spatulas. These sorts of fun facts will have young readers looking for more and running to tell everyone what they’ve just learned. Even the most enthusiastic dinosaur lover is likely to learn something with this book. Recommended for readers 4th grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother)

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother)The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother) by David Levithan
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on February 2, 2021
ISBN: 1984848593
Pages: 224
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Aidan has been gone for 6 days. His family and the entire community is searching high and low for him, and he appears to have vanished without a trace. When Aidan’s brother, Liam, hears a noise in the attic, he goes up to find Aidan on the floor confused about where he is and how he got there. The story that Aidan tells about where he’s been is so fantastical and seemingly impossible that no one believes him. Liam wants more than anything to believe him and to get things back to the way they were before Aidan left. What is true? What is possible? Will they ever know what really happened?

This is a quick and engaging read. The story is mysterious with a hint of fantasy. The bigger theme, though, is believing in each other and believing something even though it seems impossible. There are challenging family dynamics, bullies and peer pressure, but all of that is secondary to the story of Liam and Aidan’s relationship and how it grows and changes over time. Recommended for readers 3rd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Clues to the Universe

Clues to the UniverseClues to the Universe by Christina Li
Published by Quill Tree Books on January 12, 2021
ISBN: 0063008882
Pages: 304
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Rosalind Ling Geraghty and Benjamin Burns are pretty different but both nerdy in their own right. They become friends after being paired in science class and finding a mutual interest in things related to space and space travel. They have more in common than that, though—Ro’s father recently and unexpectedly died, and Benji’s father disappeared from his life when he was a baby, and Benji has never known him. When Benji and Ro discover some clues to the whereabouts of Benji’s father, they hatch a plan to find and meet him. Things, of course, don’t always go as planned, but they learn a lot along the way.

Alternating between Benji’s and Ro’s perspective, this is a fun book about friendship, family, science, loss, bullying, and adventure. Benji and Ro are relatable, and the plot moves well and is engaging. Things wrap up a little too quickly, easily, and seamlessly, but overall it is a good book that many kids will enjoy. Recommended for readers 4th grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

Sincerely, Emerson: A Girl, Her Letter, and the Helpers All Around Us

Sincerely, Emerson: A Girl, Her Letter, and the Helpers All Around UsSincerely, Emerson: A Girl, Her Letter, and the Helpers All Around Us by Emerson Weber, Jaclyn Sinquett
Published by HarperCollins on December 8, 2020
ISBN: 0063066963
Pages: 32
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

“Sincerely, Emerson” by Emerson Weber and illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett is about a girl who sent letters to her pen pals all over the world. Based off of Emerson’s true story, one day she decided to give a thank you letter to her mail carrier for all the work he does to deliver her letters. The mail carrier shares her thank you letter with postal employees and it keeps getting shared and spreading the happiness and appreciation.

The theme of sincere thanks and love is clearly shown through the brightly colored and detailed illustrations. Everybody just looks so happy in this book! And the thanks don’t just stop with the post office. She thinks of all the helpers putting a bit of love into what they do, connecting everyone in a big worldwide hug. Emerson has a note at the end of the book about how something as small as a thank you can make so many people happy and how we should thank all the “helpers” in this world more often.

Aimed at ages 4 to 8, this picture book is not a must-buy, but a good additional purchase, especially if you have a child who gets excited by mail delivery. You might find that this book inspires notes/drawings of thanks in the child you read this to.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook.

three-stars

I want a hippopotamus for Christmas

I want a hippopotamus for ChristmasI Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas by Bruce Whatley, John Rox
Published by HarperCollins on September 15, 2020
ISBN: 0063043211
Pages: 32
Genres: Animals
Goodreads
three-stars

“I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” is based off the popular holiday song by John Rox and illustrated by Bruce Whatley. The book uses the lyrics to the song and shows the little girl imagining what it will be like to get a hippo for Christmas. If you’ve heard the song, you know how the book will go. The premise is silly enough that kids will probably enjoy it. Whatley’s beautiful illustrations skirt the line between completely realistic and cartoonish just enough that you can believe that this is what it would look like if a child got a hippo for Christmas.

Written for kids age 4 through 8, though younger children will enjoy the absurdity of a hippo for a present. The author bio at the back lets us know that the song was originally written in 1950 and became a hit in 1953 when it was used to raise money for the Oklahoma City Zoo to purchase a hippopotamus. Not a must-purchase for your holiday collection, but it will probably get picked up every December.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook.

three-stars

Dinosaur Christmas

Dinosaur ChristmasDinosaur Christmas! by Penny Dale
Published by Nosy Crow on September 8, 2020
ISBN: 1536214493
Pages: 32
Genres: Animals
Goodreads
four-stars

“Dinosaur Christmas” by Penny Dale is sure to be a hit with kids that love dinosaurs and vehicles. The seventh book in Dale’s “Dinosaur” series doesn’t disappoint!  Santa’s sleigh is stuck and he can’t get out of the snow. Dinosaurs come to the rescue in all sorts of vehicles! Dale uses repeated onomatopoeia to give each vehicle and movement a fun sense of action. A helicopter comes by to help: “choppa! Choppa! Choppa!” The plow pushes through the thick snow and ice: “crunch! Crunch! Crunch!”

The pictures are detailed and feature lots of different dinosaurs and vehicles (with names on the endpapers), which is helpful for readers. The dinosaurs are colored in brightly and are very expressive. The vehicles and environments are done in a more realistic style, which is a little jarring, but the story is so fun that most readers won’t mind.

Aimed at children ages 2 – 5, this book is a must-buy for picture book/holiday collections where readers are big on dinosaurs and/or vehicles.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook.

four-stars