Category: Book Reviews

Not So Pure and Simple

Not So Pure and SimpleNot So Pure and Simple by Lamar Giles
Published by HarperTeen on January 21, 2020
ISBN: 0062349198
Pages: 304
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Edgar Award-winner and founding member of We Need Diverse Books, Lamar Giles, steps away from mystery to write a YA romantic comedy; however, readers should not expect a typical love story. Giles takes the classic boy-gets-girl trope and tackles toxic masculinity and societal expectations to create an original love story that is fresh and honest. Del has a reputation as a ladies’ man, so when the girl he has a crush on volunteers to be part of the purity pledge group at Church, he shocks everyone by joining too. Del works under the false assumption, that if he is nice, girls will owe him something; so when that doesn’t work, Del is confused and angry. Luckily, Del has friends and family who will be brutally honest with him. As he begins to listen to their assessments of his behavior, he begins to be more honest with himself. At times it reads like a much-needed, how-to-manual for teen boys. Girls will shake their heads in recognition and laugh at the humor, but there will not be any revelations for them. Boys will be able to laugh along with Del and possibly even at themselves as Giles tackles serious coming-of-age themes. This book should be on the shelves of all libraries working with teens! Recommended for grades 8 and up. 

Elizabeth Andersen, Librarian, Westbrook High School

five-stars

The Blunders: A Counting Catastrophe!

The Blunders: A Counting Catastrophe!The Blunders: A Counting Catastrophe! by Christina Soontornvat, Colin Jack
Published by Candlewick Press, Candlewick Press (MA) on February 11, 2020
ISBN: 153620109X
Pages: 32
Genres: Adventure
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

A funny story about the Blunder children who never can seem to get things right. Mother sends them out to play with instructions to come home at a certain time. when it is time, they count heads, only to find one missing! Will they find the missing child in time? A really cute story which incorporates learning to count for younger ones.

Preschool to 1st grade

Reviewed by Ginni Nichols, Gardiner Public Library, Gardiner

five-stars

Elmore and Pinky

Elmore and PinkyElmore and Pinky by Holly Hobbie
Published by Random House, Random House Books for Young Readers on March 17, 2020
ISBN: 1524770817
Pages: 40
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

An endearing story of two separate animals, both with certain hardships, who go out looking for a best friend. Along the way they have several adventures and in the end, they find each other. Beautiful illustrations and a heartwarming story.

Preschool – 1st grade

Reviewed by Ginni Nichols, Gardiner Public Library, Gardiner

four-stars

Bent Heavens

Bent HeavensBent Heavens by Daniel Kraus
Published by Henry Holt & Company on February 25, 2020
ISBN: 1250151678
Pages: 291
Genres: Horror, Science Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars
It has been a long time since a book made me wonder about aliens, but this sci-fi, horror story not only had me thinking, aliens infiltrated my dreams. Local high school English teacher and Drama advisor, Mr. Fleming, begins to act erratically, claiming to have been abducted by aliens, just before he disappears. After his disappearance, his daughter, Liv, is embarrassed and confused. She tries to rebrand herself as a popular athlete, but these changes are superficial and do not resolve Liv’s anger and sorrow. Her friendship with her childhood friend, Doug, is both her savior and her undoing. They still check the alien traps her father left in the backyard every Sunday. When an alien is caught in one of the traps, Liv must confront the fact that her father might not have been crazy. The story turns haunting when, in their fear and distress, Doug and Liv torture the alien. Both teens become increasingly angry when torture does not produce any answers. As Maya Angelou explained, “There’s a world of difference between truth and facts. Facts can obscure the truth.” As the truth is revealed, readers will question who is the real “monster” of the story. The plot of the story stays fast-paced, upsetting until the very end. Recommended for grades 9 and up. 

Elizabeth Andersen, Librarian, Westbrook High School

five-stars

Bathtime with Ducky Duckling

Bathtime with Ducky DucklingBathtime with Ducky Duckling by Lucy Cousins
Published by Candlewick Press on February 11, 2020
ISBN: 1536209651
Pages: 8
Genres: Animals
Format: Board Book, Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

It's just ducky! In a waterproof format, this irresistible Lucy Cousins character makes a splash at bath time, high-chair time, or anytime.
Join Ducky Duckling for an adventure in the pond! Her brilliantly colored friends are all there -- ducks, fish, and leaping frogs. Soft, squishy, and sturdy, this waterproof, wipe-clean book is perfect for the littlest readers, whether in the bathtub, at the table, or on the go.

Bathtime with Ducky Duckling is a truly immersible book that will make bath time more fun for toddlers.  The large illustrations are from the original full format book and serve the intended audience well.   This librarian wishes there was some white space on each page making the illustrations more visible for babies.   The book is made of all new materials which is good as it certainly will become a chew toy.

Older siblings will enjoy reading aloud about Ducky Duckling’s antics to their smaller siblings.   This is a cute addition to any baby shower basket but not recommended for public libraries as it will be used in the bath or play pool.

Submitted by Jan Hamilton, retired youth services librarian in Scarborough, ME

four-stars

To the Moon and Back for you

To the Moon and Back for youTo the Moon and Back for You by E.G. Keller, Emilia Bechrakis Serhant
Published by Random House ISBN: 0593173880
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
three-stars
A mother’s joy is alive in the lovely text and the illustrations are amazing.   Certainly, any mother who has under gone medical assistance to become pregnant can identify.  While Kleenex may be needed to read the content, the pictures are bright and cheerful and will make the reader smile.  I only wish that lesbian mothers were included, perhaps in the Author’s Note where parents are described as mothers and fathers.

This is not a book that school media centers would purchase but it belongs in public libraries in the parenting collection.  A copy of To the Moon and Back for You would be an excellent gift for any mother who has undergone IVF procedures.

Submitted by Jan Hamilton, retired youth services librarian in Scarborough, ME.

three-stars

What Grew in Larry’s Garden

What Grew in Larry’s GardenWhat Grew in Larry's Garden by Kass Reich, Laura Alary
Published by Kids Can Press ISBN: 152530108X
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars
The lessons taught in this book are plentiful.  Most vital is the fact that working together is good for the plants and people in your community.  Larry’s garden is a symbol of what is good within a neighborhood, school, town, or country.  Positive attitudes, kindness and caring are exemplified in this adorable picture book.  Given the C 19 pandemic gardens are sprouting up all over North America; families are gardening to spend time together, provide food and to avoid boredom.  Larry’s message goes beyond and spreads good will as well as produce.    The illustrations are colorful and come complete with shadows that intensify the shades.  This reader does note that the noses on both Larry and Grace are distinctive.

What Grew in Larry’s Garden is a cute book that would be well served in all primary school media centers and in public libraries.  Community centers and church/ synagogues/mosque libraries would also enjoy being gifted a copy as this title shares essential values.

 

Submitted by Jan Hamilton, youth services librarian in Scarborough, ME

four-stars

You Say it First

You Say it FirstYou Say It First by Katie Cotugno
Published by Balzer + Bray on June 16, 2020
ISBN: 0062674129
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars
At first glance, Meg’s life seems charmed.  She lives in a big house, goes to a fancy school, has plans to go to college with her best friend, and a part time job that she’s passionate about.  What the casual observer doesn’t see is the drinking her divorced mom does, her messy house, her utter lack of interest in her college plans.  The next state over reveals Colby, a recent high school grad who loads boxes for a living and whose dad has passed away.  When they end up talking on the phone by chance through Meg’s job, everything begins to change for both of them.  Is Meg too uptight and virtued for Colby?  Is Colby too lazy and apathetic for Meg?  They work through their issues on nightly phone calls and eventually the relationship turns romantic.  Will they work it out in the end?  Cotugno has provided us with another great contemporary teen romance.  An especially great read for teens into politics making a difference.  Best for ages 14+

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Maine State Library

four-stars

The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees

The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian RefugeesThe Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on September 18th 2018
ISBN: 1328810151
Pages: 112
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction, Graphic Novel
Goodreads
five-stars
Don Brown wanted to tell the story of the Syrian refugees. He wanted the focus to be on their plight and their stories. In order to get accurate information, he visited a refugee camp in Greece, outside a former Greek air base. In graphic novel form, he tells their story – the horror of war, the torture of men, women and children, fleeing from one horrific place to another, never knowing whether you will live to see the end of the day. His illustrations convey both the hopelessness of their-plight and the hopefulness of a people who will not be defeated. This is a hard book to read yet it should be read and discussed. It causes the reader to wonder if this could really be happening in this day and age. How could people be treated so badly for wanting to be free and decide their own fate?

In Brown’s postscript he states”There are about 5.7 million registered refugees. In the first three months of 2018, the United States has accepted eleven for resettlement.”

Suggested reading level is grades 9-12

Reviewed by Kathy George, Gray Public Library, Gray

five-stars

Robot to the Rescue

Robot to the RescueRobot to the Rescue (Makers Make It Work: Robots) by Kay Lawrence, Sergio de Georgi
on January 1st 1970
ISBN: 1635920116
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars
This is an Easy Reader and part of a series by Kane Press focused on the maker movement called “Makers Make it Work”.  Greta and her mom have built a robot named Water-bot that waters their plants when activated through a cell phone.  When they are invited to their friend’s snowy cabin for an overnight, they can only go if they can figure out how to program Water-bot to feed their new kitty.  Using paper and pencil and trying different ideas, Greta and her friend Bruce work through different scenarios until they are successful.  When Greta goes on her trip, the suspense of wondering where the kitty is hiding will keep the reader engaged.  The bright illustrations clearly show the problem solving being done and the different technology used in the story.  The amount of text and smaller font makes this science- themed reader most appropriate for grades 1-3.   The last page provides encouragement to further explore the technology in the story and find more problems to solve.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Springvale Public Library

three-stars