Category: Book Reviews

Tall Water

Tall WaterTall Water by Dion MBD, S.J. Sindu
on August 12, 2025
ISBN: 0063090155
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
four-stars

Tall Water by SJ Sindu and Dion MBD

Tall Water is the story of Nimmi and her desire to reconnect with the mother she hasn’t seen since she was a baby. Nimmi’s father is a journalist who was reporting on the war in Sri Lanka when he met Nimmi’s mother, and they started dating. Soon after Nimmi was born, conflict erupted in that area, and Nimmi’s father fled with Nimmi while her mother stayed behind. Nimmi and her mother only have a relationship through letters because her mother doesn’t have access to the internet at the orphanage she runs and hasn’t been able to get a visa. When Nimmi’s father tells her he’s going to Sri Lanka to report on a story, she decides to hijack his trip and meet him at the airport. Nimmi gets more than she bargained for as she discovers the tumultuous country her mother lives in.

The author did a great job of balancing the horrors of Sri Lanka and the war with the beauty as well; we get a balanced view of the place and the people, and we grow to understand why her mother wasn’t able to leave — both logistically and emotionally. This would be a good read for high school readers who like history, world cultures, learning about other places, and, of course, graphic novels. The artwork is very engaging and well done. I really loved how, in one part, when difficult things were happening, the colors got darker to help reinforce those ideas. Overall, I think this is an important story and well told. This was a four-star read for me.

Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

four-stars

Fart Boy and Reeky Dog

Fart Boy and Reeky DogFart Boy and Reeky Dog by Joan Holub, Rafael Rosado
ISBN: 0593434307
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Humorous
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
one-star

Fart Boy and Reeky Dog are about superheroes from another planet who come to save Earth from Perfume Lady. This had the makings of a story I could see 1st through 3rd graders loving: superheroes, potty humor, and a big battle, but alas I found the execution lacking. There was very little character development, and the action, while there, was slow and dragging. Even my six-year-old, who loves humor and superheroes, was bored after a bit and never asked to read it again (and he does not forget about the things he enjoys). I would not recommend it for purchase, but, if it did find its way into your collection, I would hand it to 1st to 3rd graders who are looking for humor or superhero stories. This was a one-star read for me.

Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

one-star

Everything She Does Is Magic By Bridget Morrissey

Everything She Does Is Magic By Bridget MorrisseyEverything She Does Is Magic by Bridget Morrissey
on September 9, 2025
ISBN: 0593898435
Genres: Romance
Format: Young Adult
Goodreads
four-stars

Everything She Does is Magic is a dual point of view sapphic romance about two teens—one who is a witch and one who doesn’t believe in witches. Darcy and Anya live in Fableview, the quintessential Halloween town where they celebrate to the nines: costume parades, haunted houses, painting Halloween scenes, Halloween dances, and more. Darcy’s parents own an art shop in town (Pam’s Paints) and have her life plan all laid out for her: she’ll take over the store and all of the activities and traditions, and her parents won’t have to change a thing—but Darcy finds her resistance and resentment growing. Anya is Darcy’s opposite in every way — brooding where Darcy is bright and happy, a witch where Darcy is a mortal, and an outcast where Darcy would love for less of the town to know her. Anya has to find a protector — a mortal who swears to protect her—by her next birthday, and the clock is ticking. Maybe Darcy can show Anya how to live a mortal life. As the two spend more time together, their feelings grow, but so do the complications in both their lives. Can they be brave and pursue their dreams?

I really enjoyed Anya and Darcy and the ways they changed and challenged each other. Anya turns everything Darcy thought she knew upside down, and it’s exactly what she needs to be honest about her life and her place in the world around her. Anya needs to break out of her shell a bit more—after living with many relatives for a year or so at a time, Anya is used to not having friends—but maybe Fableview is where Anya can finally find her people.

I also loved the friendship between Darcy and Grace, Darcy’s best friend. Grace is your classic ride or die f,riend and the friendship between them is the one we all hope for, a friend who roots for you, who knows you better than yourself, and would do anything for you.

My favorite part was the Halloween vibes: There were so many events and elements that helped you feel in the Halloween spirit. Darcy is sick of it, but Grace loves it and Anya is experiencing  it for the first time so they show Darcy how magical it still is and we as readers are also swept up in the magic.

With under 300 pages and a sweet romance, this one will fly off the shelves. This would be a great pick for any collection that serves teens, especially those who are into paranormal romance. This was a 4-star read for me.

Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

four-stars

Dear Acorn (Love, Oak): Letter Poems to Friends

Dear Acorn (Love, Oak): Letter Poems to FriendsDear Acorn (Love, Oak): Letter Poems to Friends by Joyce Sidman, Melissa Sweet
on September 2, 2025
ISBN: 0358334764
Goodreads

Dear Acorn (Love, Oak): Letter Poems to Friends by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Dear Acorn (Love, Oak) has the characteristically stunning illustrations Melissa Sweet is known for and these pull the reader in right from the cover all the way through to the end. The illustrations are absolutely a standout aspect of this title. Dear Acorn (Love, Oak) is a book of poems about how everything is connected. I love this as a theme and think that it could fit into many units of study. Certainly, it would be a fantastic choice for a poetry unit or as part of a creative writing unit for a wide range of students. It also involves many items from the natural world (ex. Clouds, sea turtles, sky, etc.) that would make it a fun activity or assessment for a science or nature based unit. While it is a picture book, I think this could be a great poetry model for students who are elementary age all the way through high school. One of my favorite parts was that the poems are reciprocal: For example, first there’s a poem to acorn from oak, and then it flips and the next poem is to oak from acorn and so on through the different items. This could be a great activity with students (writing poems about objects and having a partner write a reciprocal poem). At the end, the author offers instructions and inspiration for readers to make their own letter poems, which makes it even more accessible to readers whether they have a teacher reading the book with them or they’re reading it independently. This would be a great choice for any collection — classroom, school, or public library — serving readers of all ages. The incredible illustrations, the engaging reciprocal nature of the poems, and the theme of connectedness made this a five-star read for me.

Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

Tove Under the Tree

Tove Under the TreeTove Under the Tree by Julie Benbassat, Larissa Theule
Published by Candlewick Press on 10/14/25
ISBN: 1536232815
Genres: Magical Realism
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

When Tove gets home from school, she is devastated to discover that the ficus tree growing in her yard has been cut down by the city because the tree is mostly dead.  When Tove finds a little branch that missed the wood chipper, she takes it inside and decides to grow a tree.  She plants the tree on her head and it magically grows very quickly.  Many people in her neighborhood, who also love the tree, are sad to see the tree come down and help Tove in her quest.  She needs all the help she can get because the tree on top of her head makes it difficult to move.

This is a gentle story about neighbors supporting neighbors while caring for nature. The neighbors who help her have different cultural backgrounds and gender identities, and are a variety of ages. The bright, colorful illustrations found on most pages help to make the magic real for readers.  The chapters are short, making this an ideal book for children who are starting to listen to longer books.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

three-stars

One Diwali Day

One Diwali DayOne Diwali Day: Festivals of the World by Aditi Anand, Dev Kothari
ISBN: 1536247472
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

One Diwali Day by Dev Kothari

One Diwali Day is a picture book not only about Diwali but also about the anxiety that can come with a holiday. The main character, Ronak, is waiting for her sister, Dida, to come home for Diwali and is excited to celebrate with her—but at every turn of the celebration, she’s not there, and Ronak wonders when she’ll get there and how much longer she’ll have to wait. While the book is about Diwali and its specific traditions and events, the unsettled feeling of holidays and having so many people around will resonate with readers who celebrate many different holidays. I appreciated this inside look at the Diwali and getting to learn about the different pieces of it. My favorite part was that at the end there are instructions for a Diwali recipe and craft that readers can make. I think this would be a great addition to any classroom, school, or public library serving elementary-aged readers, especially those in first to third grade. This was a four-star read for me. Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

four-stars

How to Say Thank You

How to Say Thank YouHow to Say Thank You by Jean Reagan, Lee Wildish
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

How to Say Thank You is a very sweet and age-appropriate picture book about finding and expressing gratitude in everyday life. I appreciated that this book broke gratitude down into a sensory experience: What does gratitude look like, feel like, sound like, smell like, etc.? A lot of the time, I feel like children struggle to conceptualize gratitude or identify things they’re thankful for, even when they might feel that way. Regan does a great job giving us examples of things we might feel grateful for and ways to express that gratitude. I like that it wasn’t just “say thank you” or say you’re grateful, but instead the author included multiple ways of expressing gratitude: smiling, writing a note, signing, giving a hug, etc. This would be a wonderful title for Pre-K through 3rd graders and would be a great November/Thanksgiving read as well as for any other time of the year. This one is a five-star read for me because of how it broke down the content and the diversity the author included (especially ASL).  Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

five-stars

Night Chef

Night ChefNight Chef: An Epic Tale of Friendship with a Side of Deliciousness! (A Graphic Novel) by Mika Song
ISBN: 0593303156
Genres: Animals
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
five-stars

Night Chef by Mika Song

Night Chef is a graphic novel with charming illustrations that will delight 1st through 4th graders. Night Chef is about a squirrel who lives next to a restaurant and watches the chefs through the walls. Each night, Night Chef emerges to cook with what the chefs leave behind. One night, she decides to make ramen and scurries about to find supplies. She discovers an egg, but before she can cook it, it hatches! Suddenly, Night Chef finds herself trying to get the hatchling, who she names Ichi, home to her family. Along the way, they discover more animals who need help, and they have a suspenseful adventure. Readers will love the engaging illustrations and the suspense of if Night Chef can help Ichi and the other animals or not. Early readers will love that there are several sections told exclusively through pictures, which changes up the pacing and adds intrigue and excitement to the story. Readers who love Song’s other books, such as Apple of My Pie, Donut Feed the Squirrels, or Pizza My Heart, will enjoy this title just as much, if not more. This would be a great addition to any library serving patrons who love graphic novels, heartwarming stories, or animals, especially those of elementary age. This was a five-star read for me.

Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

five-stars

The Weaver Bride

The Weaver BrideThe Weaver Bride by Lydia Gregovic
Published by Delacorte Press on September 30, 2025
ISBN: 0593572416
Genres: Fantasy, Romance
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“The Weaver Bride” is a YA fantasy romance (with some dystopia in for a good mix) by Lydia Gregovic. The main character, Lovett, is a silkwitch with magic that allows her to unlock doors. She hides her powers because silkwitches are required to marry a weaver sorcerer by the time they turn 21 or they are banished. When her power is found out by a weaver, she makes a bargain to enter a silkwitch competition to find out who killed his sister.

A dystopian fantasy romance in the vein of “The Selection” with an interesting magic system and great descriptions of the setting. The author does a good job of immersing you into this world. This is a suggested purchase for YA collections where fantasy romance is popular.

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

four-stars

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story

The Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True StoryThe Vanishing of Lake Peigneur: A Graphic Novel Based on a True Story by Allan Wolf, José Pimienta
on October 7, 2025
ISBN: 1536217433
Format: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Companion of sorts to Junius Leak and the Spiraling Vortex of Doom. This middle-grade graphic novel tells the true story of Lake Peigneur and the day it suddenly drained when an oil drill met an underground salt mine. Thankfully no one was hurt but a lot of lives were upended as a result. In 1980 a Texaco oil drill in the middle of Lake Peigneur hit the active underground salt mine below the lake and water quickly rushed in. All the miners were able to evacuate the mine just in time because the (very slow) elevator could only hold so many men at a time. The lake drained over a period of 3-5 hours and refilled within 48 hours leaving a path of devastation. Give this to readers after they’ve read Junius Leak so they can learn more about the real story of Lake Peigneur.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

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

five-stars