Category: Book Reviews

Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost

Mini Rabbit Is Not LostMini Rabbit Is Not Lost by John Bond
Published by Neal Porter Books on October 8th 2019
ISBN: 0823443582
Pages: 32
Goodreads
three-stars

Following the adventures of a young rabbit in search of berries so that he can make a cake with his mother, Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost is vibrantly and whimsically illustrated. This is the author’s first illustrated children’s book, and Bond has not yet discovered his purely original voice as a storyteller. The story has  similarities in both text phrasing and character illustration as Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back. Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost does not come across as a successful debut book, perhaps because it feels so strongly influenced by Klassen’s work. Lacking a strong moral and original humor, this book feels disappointing. Despite reading this with a critical eye, I do think that Mini Rabbit Is Not Lost is appealing to its target audience of children ages 3 – 6 years. The illustrations are eye catching and skillfully created, and the singular-mindedness of Mini Rabbit wanting to bake a cake with his mother (“Cake! Cake! Cake! Must have cake!”) is relatable to this age group. Young children will enjoy this whimsical read.

Reviewed by Jennifer Benham, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland

three-stars

Switchback

SwitchbackSwitchback by Danika Stone
Published by Swoon Reads on May 28th 2019
ISBN: 125022165X
Pages: 320
Goodreads
four-stars

Switchback is a story of friendship, adventure, and survival. Ash and Vale have been best friends since Kindergarten. Ash is a gamer, whose easy temperament and goofy antics allow him escape from any severe torment from his classmates. After years of bullying, Vale makes no effort to ingratiate herself within the dominant social high school cliques. Set in Canada, a required overnight hiking trip for their sophomore PE class becomes a four-day test of survival when Ash and Vale become separated from their group. Despite the harrowing ordeal the pair withstands, there is not a great deal of personal growth or character development by the conclusion of Switchback. The writing is quick paced, and the suspense elements keep the reader engaged and wanting to learn what happens next. The ability for the relatively inexperienced teenagers to extricate themselves from extremely tenuous situations in the Canadian wilderness is fairly implausible; however, the author keeps the scenarios enough within the realm of believability so as not to turn the reader off. Vale self-identifies as aro-ace, aromantic and asexual, which removes the element of sexual tension from the teens’ friendship. It allows the plot to primarily focus on their survival skills, keeping this novel appealing to teens looking for a good survival story.

Reviewed by Jennifer Benham, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland

four-stars

The Door at the End of the World

The Door at the End of the WorldThe Door at the End of the World by Caroline Carlson
Published by HarperCollins on April 9th 2019
ISBN: 0062368303
Pages: 304
Goodreads
four-stars

The Door at the End of the World  is a fun, middle grade fantasy novel. Eight worlds, each with distinct cultures and landscapes, are accessible through gates maintained by Interworld Travel Gatekeepers. When the gate to Southeast becomes stuck shut with the Gatekeeper on the wrong side of the door, it is up to thirteen-year-old Gatekeeper’s Deputy Lucy Eberslee to safeguard the fabrics of time and space. Written in a good versus evil format, the three teenage protagonists, assisted by a group of magical bees, prevail. Lucy and Rosemary are strong female characters who often take the lead with their cleverness and resourcefulness; comic relief is provided by Arthur’s otherworld naiveté. The writing is swift and the plot quick moving, with plenty of action and suspense to engage readers. There are no overly shocking twists, and the overall arch of the plot is largely expected. The Door at the End of the World is a good choice for readers who are not ready and/or interested for more sophisticated fantasy storylines. Middle grade readers who are looking for a fun, uncomplicated, light fantasy will enjoy this read.

Reviewed by Jennifer Benham, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland

four-stars

The Speed of Starlight: An Exploration of Physics, Sound, Light, and Space

The Speed of Starlight: An Exploration of Physics, Sound, Light, and SpaceThe Speed of Starlight: An Exploration of Physics, Sound, Light, and Space by Colin Stuart, Ximo Abadía
Published by Big Picture Press on October 1st 2019
ISBN: 1536208558
Pages: 80
Goodreads
three-stars

The Speed of Starlight provides a brief overview of principles within the topics of physics, sound, light and color, and space. Recommended for children ages 8 – 12, Stuart’s text reads more like trivia, and can leave the reader wanting for more. The table of contents is clear; however, the there are no visual indications within the main body of the book to alert readers as to where exactly the larger subject headings change. Readers are dependent up on the table of contents for subject navigation; there is also a notable lack of index and glossary. Abadía’s illustrations are graphic and colorful, with no white space. Perhaps a personal preference, but I find the absence of white space difficult to read for any length of time. The black text printed on darkly colored backgrounds provides little contrast and can tire the reader’s eyes. The Speed of Starlight is an oversized book (approximately 14”x11”); its size in combination with its bold graphic style and overuse of color make it feel as though it is going for the “wow” effect. This eye-catching book is best suited for those looking for a quick overview on a number of scientific topics, rather than for those seeking more substantive information.

Reviewed by Jennifer Benham, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland

three-stars

Mist, Metal and Ash

Mist, Metal and AshMist, Metal, and Ash (Ink, Iron, and Glass #2) by Gwendolyn Clare
Published by Imprint on February 19th 2019
ISBN: 1250112788
Pages: 336
Goodreads
three-stars

Mist, Metal and Ash

 

Gwendolyn Clare continues her story begun in Ink, Iron, and Glass of Elsa, her friends, and her ability to build and change worlds through the text in books.  The action takes place in Italy with science fiction overtones and world-building.  Elsa had loved Leo but now feels that he has betrayed her by giving the editbook to his cruel, wicked father when, in fact, Leo was only using it as a bargaining chip for Elsa’s life.

It was very hard to keep track of the characters, their relationships to each other, and the locations of the action without having read the first book in the series.  I also didn’t quite see what all the fuss was over Leo, but that may have been because he didn’t show up in too much of the action.  There were many different characters who were highlighted in the various sections, with many different points of view.  The front and back dust-jacket covers were excellent and evocative of the book.  This book is recommended for grades 7-12.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

three-stars

The Tenth Girl

The Tenth GirlThe Tenth Girl by Sara Faring
Published by Imprint on September 24th 2019
ISBN: 1250304504
Pages: 458
Goodreads
five-stars

In this psychological thriller, with its basis in Patagonian myths, Mavi attends the elite Vaccaro School for Girls as an English teacher to escape the people that took her mother. This remote school is cursed by the Zapuche Indians and has been reopened after 60 years. The school only selects 10 privileged young ladies from around the world, and things get interesting when when things start happening that aren’t explained, like the girls falling mysteriously ill, staff members hearing and seeing things, and storms that will not let up …

Well written with a twisted ending that will take the reader completely by surprise. Recommended for grades 9 and up.

Reviewed by Kristin Taylor, Biddeford High School, Biddeford.

 

five-stars

We Are The Ghosts

We Are The GhostsWe Are The Ghosts by Vicky Skinner
Published by Swoon Reads on August 13th 2019
ISBN: 1250195357
Pages: 272
Goodreads
five-stars

Ellie’s older brother Luke ran away a year ago. Things at home weren’t the best between Luke and his mother, but then comes a phone call from the Michigan State Police informing them that Luke’s car went off the road and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Luke was Ellie’s best friend and she thought she knew everything about him. The day of the funeral, Ellie returns home to find an envelope addressed to her with no name just the city of origin on the return address. Inside is a road map that Ellie, Luke, and Luke’s best friend Wes had marked with all of the places they wanted to visit. But who sent this to Ellie? When Luke left, he and Wes weren’t speaking to each other and to top things off, Ellie’s love interest Cade was put on the back burner without any explanation to him. Ellie, Wes, Gwen (Wes’s girlfriend, who at one time had dated Luke), and Cade decide to follow the map to find out what happened to Luke after he left and, hopefully, have their many unsolved questions answered.

Recommended for grades 9 and up.

Reviewed by Kristin Taylor, Biddeford High School, Biddeford.

five-stars

Before They Were Authors: Famous Writers as Kids

Before They Were Authors: Famous Writers as KidsBefore They Were Authors: Famous Writers as Kids by Elizabeth Haidle
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on May 14th 2019
ISBN: 1328801535
Pages: 64
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Goodreads
three-stars

A brief glimpse into the lives of  10 authors: Mark Twain, Maya Angelou, Dr. Seuss, Sandra Cisneros, Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling, Gene Luen Yang, Beatrix Potter, C.S. Lewis, and Madeleine L’Engle. Each chapter features one author, with a portrait and timeline page followed by four pages of biographical information. Controversial or distressing details are neglected. Their life stories are punctuated by pleasant watercolor illustrations.

The book begins with a “What Makes a Writer” introduction, reminding readers that there is no one path to authorship and the importance of passion and determination. Each author entry shows how these characteristics led to their ultimate success.

While the book is written appropriately for ages 9-12, the subjects of the book may be less interesting for the intended audience as they may not have yet read works by Mark Twain, Maya Angelou, or even Beatrix Potter. While the argument could be made that these are important authors for children to know about, I’m sure children would enjoy learning about some more familiar and recent favorites. Additionally, according to the subtitle, I was expecting the entries to focus on the authors’ childhoods to great detail but they followed the authors well into their adulthood. Consequently, the purpose of this book feels confused. The intent of the book seems more about encouraging young writers to develop their craft rather than the childhoods of famous authors. The title should reflect the content of the book more clearly.

Source notes and Bibliography included.

 

Reviewed by Kerrie Lattari, York Middle School, York

 

three-stars

Scary Stories for Young Foxes

Scary Stories for Young FoxesScary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker, Junyi Wu
Published by Henry Holt and Company on August 20th 2019
ISBN: 1250181429
Pages: 320
Genres: Horror
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

One night, tired of their mother’s not-so-frightening stories, 7 young foxes sneak out of their den to visit the storyteller who will  “scare some white into their tails.” The storyteller weaves a tale about two young foxes, Mia and Uly, whose lives intertwine through constant peril. As each story unfolds and the kits learn about “the yellow,” Mr. Scratch, and a villainous Miss Beatrix Potter with a penchant for taxidermy,  one by one each heads back home, too afraid to hear more. Only one kit sticks around to hear how it all ends.

Lovely (and occasionally troubling) black and white drawings are interspersed throughout this story of sacrifice, survival, family, loss, and ultimately, hope. This book is more disturbing and creepy than it is scary so students looking to truly be scared might want to look elsewhere. Those who are more sensitive, particularly to the plight of animals, may want to skip this one as they might find this story distressing.

Ages 9-12

 

Reviewed by Kerrie Lattari, York Middle School, York

three-stars

Time Dogs: Balto and the Race Against Time

Time Dogs: Balto and the Race Against TimeBalto and the Race Against Time by Helen Moss, Misa Saburi
Published by Henry Holt & Company on June 4th 2019
ISBN: 1250186331
Pages: 144
Goodreads

A new series that is essentially the Magic Tree House series with dogs instead of kids. The old dogs time travel in an old van – and turn into puppies – to help real-life famous dogs. In this adventure, the dogs travel to 1925 Alaska to help Balto deliver medicine during a diphtheria outbreak. The premise seems pretty silly to me, but the pace is quick and dog lovers may enjoy the puppy antics. Author’s Notes at the end describe the historical event and the liberties the author takes in the story.

Reviewed by Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library, Liberty