All We Could Have Been

All We Could Have BeenAll We Could Have Been by T.E. Carter
Published by Feiwel & Friends on April 23rd 2019
ISBN: 1250172969
Pages: 291
Goodreads
three-stars

Lexi is overwhelmed by her family tragedy but her character and the book is somewhat underwhelming.  Her brother is guilty of a crime that embarrasses Lexi enough to keep her moving from relative to relative till her senior year.  Enter some friends that she values and a crisis arises that threatens to destroy her year and relationships.   The plot is interesting but its development is weak and the characters are just out of reach.  Lexi’s pain feels real and it is this fact that saves the book.   Teens who have faced physiological trauma will identify with the character and are sure to cheer for a good outcome.

Give this title to the middle and high school social worker and add to HS media centers where current fiction is collected.  All We Could Have Been might find itself in the hands of the teen who needs it.

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

three-stars

Squirrel in the Museum

Squirrel in the MuseumSquirrel in the Museum (Twitch the Squirrel, #3) by Vivian Vande Velde, Steve Bjorkman
Published by Holiday House on March 19th 2019
ISBN: 0823441679
Pages: 112
Goodreads
four-stars

Twitch does it again, as an adventuresome squirrel he manages to squeeze under school windows and to jump through an open bus widow to join a class taking a field trip.  When he hears about the science museum his single desire is to join the class on this educational outing.  The fun begins when Twitch comes out of hiding from a girl’s backpack and terrorizes the class and museum staff.  While enjoying this outing Twitch teaches readers about animals in the museum all the while entertaining them to the point of getting stitches from giggling.  Character development is expressed as the chaos gets thicker and thicker; readers are sure to love Twitch and to identify with students who interact with him.

This experienced author/ illustrator combination is perfect for the early primary grades, like the past two books about Twitch this is a delight.  Text is just right for 2nd – 4th grade readers and the illustrations are captivating expressing lots of movement and emotion.  Consider for a read aloud and add to primary school shelves.   Public libraries need to add this and the other two titles to their collection of early readers.

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

four-stars

One Wild Christmas

One Wild ChristmasOne Wild Christmas by Nicholas Oldland
Published by Kids Can Press on September 3rd 2019
ISBN: 1525302035
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Three friends : moose, bear and beaver are at it again. In this  latest addition of the Life in the Wild series, these three    set out to celebrate their first Christmas together. On Christmas Eve they are busy cooking, decorating and wrapping presents. As busy as they are, no one remembered to get a tree! Off to the forest to find the perfect tree and they do- but bear can’t let allow moose and beaver to cut it down. How will they celebrate their favorite holiday together? Can they come together with a compromise? A fun quirky story that both makes the reader laugh and think about what is most important about Christmas. Illustrations done in photoshop are  basic, and compliment the text so our youngest readers can follow the story.There are lots of sentimental, beautifully illustrated Christmas offerings available but there is room for the funny, the silly and the zany.

Submitted by Kathy George, Gray Public Library

four-stars

The Bear and the Star

The Bear and the StarThe Bear and the Star by Lola M. Schaefer, Bethanne Andersen
Published by Greenwillow Books on September 24th 2019
ISBN: 0062660373
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

On a winter morning bear observes a star in the East, a new star,a beautiful star and he knows it is time. Now to find a tree, the sturdiest, the one that would be the center of what was to come. Then comes his calls to the East, West, North and South, the call to all manner of animal and bird and then to all peoples, to come, to gather, under the star and around the tree for it was time. The Christmas theme is offered through the elements of nature and the message is simple – peace, hope, love and community. The text is supported and complimented with large, gentle, illustrations done in oil that evoke  Each year new Christmas books are introduced – this one is not to be missed.

Submitted by Kathy George, Gray Public Library

five-stars

Beyoncé: Shine Your Life

Beyoncé: Shine Your LifeBeyoncé: Shine Your Light by Sarah Warren
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on June 4th 2019
ISBN: 1328585166
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

This eye-catching picture book with its glittery cover and distinct size will appeal to many young readers on sight. The story inside is appealing as well. The book humanizes superstar Beyoncé showing how she was once a quiet little girl until she found her voice and made her way onstage; there she was a star. The book emphasizes that she had the support of her family and that she failed at times, but that she never gave up and therefore found success and happiness and that, with that success, she gives back to her community and the world. This is a book in which little girls can see themselves and they can dream that they, too, may find their voice or their passion and use it to make the world a better place. The artwork is rendered digitally so it’s not the sharpest and on a few pages looks cartoonish but it is bright and colorful and captures the joy of movement and performance that is a huge part of Beyoncé’s life. Includes a bibliography and media sites for further information. A lovely book to add to your biography collection or  as an example of a person using a growth mindset to find fulfillment in life.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

four-stars

Small in the City

Small in the CitySmall in the City by Sydney Smith
Published by Neal Porter Books on September 3rd 2019
ISBN: 0823442616
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

The reader meets a small boy who is familiar with moving about the city. As he navigates the various areas, he explains that although one is small, one can survive the big city. The boy gives advice about what parts of the city one should avoid, dark alleys, yards with dogs that chase and bite,  and what places are safe, under a  mulberry bush, under a dryer vent to take a nap, and where to find food.  What the reader has to figure out is, who is the little boy giving advice to. The author slowly lets the reader know as the story continues. The illustrations compliment the text and are somewhat graphic in nature. Some of them are bright and defined and then there are those that are darker and muted. They evoke a strong sense of emotion as the boy travels through the city. This is a unique picture book that should not be missed.

Submitted by Kathy George, Gray Public Library

consider for Cream

five-stars

Queen of the Sea

Queen of the SeaQueen of the Sea by Dylan Meconis
Published by Walker Books US on June 25th 2019
ISBN: 1536204986
Pages: 400
Goodreads
five-stars

Dylan Meconis has created a historical fiction graphic novel that will wow readers. Clearly inspired by the Tudors, especially Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I, Queen of the Sea tells the story of Margaret, a little girl who was found by the nuns living on a small island in the middle of the sea. Margaret occasionally chafes against the rules of the Elysian sisters, especially when political prisoners, William and his mother, Lady Cameron, are exiled to the island. Eventually, they are also joined by Eleanor, the former queen, banished there by her half-sister, who is now sitting on her throne.

Though Margaret and Eleanor don’t get along at first, they grow to depend on each other as mysteries begin to unravel for Margaret about who she really is and what purpose the island actually serves.

Filled with a story pulsing with the drama of history and stylized illustrations that adapt to the story, Queen of the Sea is recommended for all collections serving kids between third and seventh grade.

Reviewed by Sarah Cropley, Scarborough Public Library.

 

five-stars

And the Bullfrogs Sing: A Life Cycle Begins

And the Bullfrogs Sing: A Life Cycle Begins by David L Harrison, Kate Cosgrove
Published by Holiday House on May 21st 2019
ISBN: 0823438341
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Beyond adequate for preschool story programs this book offers information and a beautiful presentation to young readers/listeners.   Facts are presented in story form accompanied by attractive two-page illustrated spreads.  While table manners are not fully developed by frogs, they know how to live life in the pond.  Children may be surprised by both good and negative relationships with other animals as life in the pond can be dangerous.

Illustrations are descriptive and attractive in shape and color.  The almost circular drawings complete with white space are welcome breaks from all the dark backgrounds. A page of bullfrog facts and references is helpful but this is not a book for school projects.  Recommended for preschools and public libraries who collect science picture books.

 

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

four-stars

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With MeLaura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki, Rosemary Valero-O'Connell
Published by First Second on May 7th 2019
ISBN: 1626722595
Pages: 289
Goodreads
five-stars

In Mariko Tamaki’s latest graphic novel, Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me, Freddy feels so lucky to be the girlfriend of the most popular girl in school. The problem is that Laura Dean keeps breaking up with her. And is maybe not the best girlfriend. Following the advice of her best friend, Doodle, she asks a relationship medium for help about what she should do. Freddy finds herself being drawn deeper and deeper into the relationship with Laura until she realizes that maybe the problem hasn’t been Laura–or at least it hasn’t only been Laura. Maybe she needs to work on herself and try to be a better friend, too.

Played out in stunningly detail black and white illustrations with touches of soft pink, the story unfolds to be as much about personal growth as it is about navigating relationships. The tension draws the reader forward, even as frustration with Freddy occasionally grows. Still, Freddy serves as an example of growth–showing how easy it is to mess a good thing up, and how hard it can be to work your way back.

Recommended for all teen graphic novel collections.

Reviewed by Sarah Cropley, Scarborough Public Library.

five-stars

This Was Our Pact

This Was Our PactThis Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews
Published by First Second on June 11th 2019
ISBN: 1626720533
Pages: 330
Goodreads
five-stars

This Was Our Pact is a graphic novel from Ryan Andrews. Ben and his three best friends are on their bikes following the lanterns from the Autumn Equinox Festival. Every year, they follow the lanterns as they bob down the river, but turn back before they find out where they go. This year will be different because they’ve made a pact–No one turns back or looks behind them. Eventually, however, Ben’s friends do turn back and Ben is left with Nathaniel–the weird kid who has been following along. Ben and Nathaniel go on a long fantastical journey, eventually learning the truth of where the lanterns go and learn a lot about each other as they do.

This Was Our Pact is full of twists and turns that startle the reader. The stand out aspect of the graphic novels are Andrews’ illustrations. Toned in various colors, they breathe life into the stories and make the fantasy become part of the reality for the characters.

Recommended for readers between 9 and 14.

Reviewed by Sarah Cropley, Scarborough Public Library.

five-stars