Wacky Weather: All About Odd Weather Events

January 3, 2024

Wacky Weather: All About Odd Weather Events (The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library) by Alan Batson, Aristides Ruiz, Todd Tarpley
Series: The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library
ISBN: 0593433831
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Part of The Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library. With a little help from Thing One and Thing Two, the Cat in the Hat introduces beginning readers to 17 strange but true weather events. A lot of information about Northern lights, waterspouts, dust devils, ball lightning, snow donuts, fire whirls, red sprites, sundogs, ice tsunamis, clouds shaped like UFOs and cinnamon rolls, diamond rain, and metallic snow is packed into this rhyming text. A fun introduction that likely will cause young learners to further research these topics.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Spread Your Wings

January 3, 2024

Spread Your Wings (Emma Dodd's Love You Books) by Emma Dodd
Series: Emma Dodd's Love You Books #5
ISBN: 1536232556
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Horses
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Part of Emma Dodd’s Love You Books. A small cockatoo and large cockatoo celebrate their unconditional love for each other in this sweet story full of gentle rhymes. Simple text makes it easy for young children to understand. Affirming and the colorful illustrations are enhanced with shiny gold embellishments.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Gigi and Ojiji: Food for Thought

January 3, 2024

Gigi And Ojiji: Food for Thought by Melissa Iwai
Series: I Can Read #16
on September 5, 2023
ISBN: 0063208113
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General
Format: Early Reader
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Book 2 about “Gigi and Ojiji.” As in Gigi and Ojiji: What’s in a Name? , multigenerational relationships, Japanese culture, and social and emotional learning are highlighted in this sweet biracial story. It’s breakfast time and Gigi makes her favorite meal — Peanut Butter Toast. But Ojiji doesn’t like peanut butter. He prefers Japanese foods — like natto, made from fermented soybeans. Plenty of topics for discussion. Colorful digital artwork. A glossary in back of book for meaning of Japanese words but does not include pronunciation.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

Bear and Bird: The Stars and Other Stories

January 3, 2024January 3, 2024

Bear and Bird: The Stars and Other Stories by Jarvis
Series: Bear and Bird #2
ISBN: 153623138X
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Animals / Horses
Format: Early Reader
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Book 2 in series “Bear and Bird.” A delightful new easy-to-read series in the vein of Henry and Mudge. Includes 4 tales: a misunderstanding that has something to do with a spoon, the cake that Bear ate then tries to recreate, Bird mistakes a turtle for a rock, and stargazing and wishing. Muted backgrounds enhance the dark outline of the main characters. Cozy stories about two friends. This would also makes a delightful readaloud for children who are ready for a beginning chapter book. Can be read as a single story or all at once. Interactive, at times, such as “Would you have tried a slice of Bear’s cake?”

(Will not be submitting since it is second in series.)

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

The Terribles: Clash of the Gnomes!

January 2, 2024

The Terribles #3: Clash of the Gnomes! by Travis Nichols
ISBN: 0593425790
Genres: Fantasy, Humor
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Graphic Novel
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

“Clash of the Gnomes” is the third book in Travis Nichols’ “The Terribles” middle grade mixed prose/graphic novel series. On an island where monsters/aliens/cryptids can live in peace without humans trying to destroy them, Nichols follows the daily life of the children of the monsters. In this installment, each chapter follows a different story. The monster children are challenged to a game of creepoball by gnomes from a nearby island, the invisible boy and his friends form an “EXTREME” club, the band “Vlad and the Maggots” put on a show, and more!

The monsters show friendship, acceptance, and humor throughout the story. The book is a mixture of graphic novel style illustrations and prose, similar to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. Readers will enjoy the silly antics and the funny ways that the monsters go about their lives. Aimed at ages 8 to 12, this series is a good addition to collections where middle grade graphic novel/prose hybrid books are popular.

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

Frankie and Friends: Breaking News

January 2, 2024January 17, 2024

Frankie and Friends: Breaking News by Alea Marley, Christine Platt
Series: Frankie and Friends #1
Published by Walker Books on October 10, 2023
ISBN: 1536222097
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
two-stars

Frankie’s mother is a famous journalist who has to travel for work to cover important events. While she is gone, Frankie, a budding journalist, decides to work on a broadcast of her own. With the help of her dolls and toys, Frankie goes undercover and then does a human interest story with her older sister to share what she learned. This early chapter book would be good for kids who are interested in learning about journalism. New terms are explained within the text and there is a glossary in narrative form at the end of the book with explicit definitions. The size of this book, larger font, and thicker glossy pages lends itself more as an early reader, but the vocabulary, content matter, and the amount of text makes the audience of this book a little older. The colorful, expressive illustrations break up the text and add visual interest for readers. The dialogue at times doesn’t seem realistic and the book seems very didactic, but the camaraderie between the sisters and the broadcast they make together brings the story to a satisfying conclusion.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

Champion of Fate

December 29, 2023

Champion of Fate (Heromaker, #1) by Kendare Blake
on September 19, 2023
ISBN: 0062977202
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

“Champion of Fate” is the first book in Kendare Blake’s Heromaker young adult fantasy series. It follows Reed, an orphan who is selected to try out for the Order of Aristene, a group of immortal and very powerful female warriors, similar to Amazons. She must guide a hero as part of her first trial, but if she fails, she must leave the group. There is obvious chemistry between Reed and the hero she must guide to glory, Hestion, but Aristene are forbidden from making bonds with regular humans. The idea of fate and whether it’s worth attempting to change it if it goes against your beliefs is a clear message in the book. Written for older teens and young adults, this is a recommended purchase for YA fantasy collections.

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

The Stupendous Switcheroo: New Powers Every 24 Hours

December 29, 2023

The Stupendous Switcheroo: New Powers Every 24 Hours by Chad Sell, Mary Winn Heider
ISBN: 0593427300
Genres: Science Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Graphic Novel
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

The first book in “The Stupendous Switcheroo” series, “New Powers Every 24 Hours,” is a combination graphic and prose novel written by Mary Winn Heider and illustrated by Chad Sell. The book starts with our main character waking up with unexpected superpowers. Deciding to become a superhero, they call the headquarters of their favorite superhero, Vin Valor to see if he needs any super help. They do! The Stupendous Switcheroo learns that becoming a superhero isn’t easy, especially when your powers change every day.

Part adventure, part mystery, middle grade readers will enjoy the humor and excitement as well as the black, white, and teal illustrations throughout the book. Aimed at readers age 8 to 12, this book is a recommended purchase wherever mixed graphic/prose middle grade books (similar to “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”) are popular.

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

Drawn to Change the World

December 29, 2023

Drawn to Change the World Graphic Novel Collection: 16 Youth Climate Activists, 16 Artists by Anoosha Syed, Bill Masuku, Derick Brooks, Devon Holzworth, Emma Reynolds, Erin Hunting, Gloria Felix, Jade Zhang, Margarita Kukhtina, Natasha Donovan, Natasha Nayo, Shivana Sookdeo, Teo Duvall
ISBN: 0063084228
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Graphic Novel, Nonfiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Drawn to Change the World pairs 16 youth climate activists with 16 illustrators to offer some hope for the future of our environment. These kids and teens are remarkable and are doing wondrous things to help save our planet.

Each chapter is set up as a brief biography of the activists with different illustrators contributing to the graphic novel format of the book. While it is a graphic novel, there is plenty of straight text as well, and the additional information is very extensive. It lists a lot ways to connect to other activists through social media, which allows for immediate action for youth who are interested.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

Her Dark Wings

December 29, 2023

Her Dark Wings by Melinda Salisbury
on July 7, 2022
ISBN: 0593705580
Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy
Format: Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

Corey and Bree have been inseparable since they were little, at least until Bree started dating Corey’s boyfriend. Their friendship crumbles and Corey is left feeling conflicted when Bree is found dead after drowning at a party. Corey is then whisked to the Underworld, where she encounters Hades, Hermes, and the Furies and is forced to choose a path forward after the betrayal and death of her friend.

Her Dark Wings is a vague retelling of the Hades and Persephone myth so fans of retellings or Greek myths might enjoy the references. Otherwise, the book is murky and the characters make strange, impulsive decisions and, ultimately, achieve little growth or redemption. The Olympian element is fun, but the human characters would have benefited from more development.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath