Category: Book Reviews

Maya and The Lost Cat

Maya and The Lost CatMaya and the Lost Cat by Caroline Magerl
Published by Candlewick Press on May 7th 2019
ISBN: 1536204234
Pages: 40
Goodreads

The story  of a small girl on a mission. During a rain storm, Maya spots a cat on the roof of a   neighboring building.  Sensing it may be lost or homeless, she tries to lure it in with all manner of tricks. Finally, a bowlful of fish brings the cat to the doorway but not inside. Deciding it must live in a one of the nearby houses, she places a can of fish in her pocket and sets out to find cat’s home. No home to be found. Not one to give up, she widens her search area. the reader will have to continue to see if   she succeeds in finding cat’s humans and then how will she say goodbye. The text is simple and sparse, leaving lots of room for delightful, whimsical watercolor illustrations that are fluid like and  full of expression . Readers will respond to the spirit and “never give up ” attitude of Maya.

Reviewed by Kathy George, Gray Public Library, Gray

Greek Myths and Mazes

three-stars

Gods, heroes, fantastic creatures and historical events await the reader in a series of detailed two page mazes. An introduction to ancient Greek myths, legends, monsters and places, this interactive format will keep readers engaged. For readers who enjoy finding their way in mazes, they will also discover the myths and the world of ancient Greek by playing close attention to the illustrations and captions.  There is more detailed information in the back of the book in the Explanatory Notes section that correlates with each maze.

The mixed media illustrations in the book were inspired by the artwork of numerous ancient Greek vases, frescoes, and statues.  A fun and interactive way to learn about the culture of the ancient Greeks.  The large format presents a challenge in storing the book but would work well to have book displayed  with Greek collection.  Not recommended as a first purchase but a secondary purchase for most libraries with a strong collection.  For readers age 10 and up.

Reviewed by Terri Bauld, Louis T. Graves Memorial Public  Library, Kennebunkport, ME

 

 

three-stars

Death Eaters: Meet Nature’s Scavengers

Death Eaters: Meet Nature’s ScavengersDeath Eaters: Nature's Decomposers and Scavengers by Kelly Milner Halls
Published by Millbrook Press on August 1st 2018
ISBN: 1512482005
Goodreads
five-stars

There has been life on earth for over 4 billion years- so where are all the bodies? Kelly Milner Halls has given the reader the answer in this non- fiction picture book filled with fact and photographs .The answer is “recycling.” When something or someone dies it is consumed by the “death-eaters”, scavengers and decomposers – the “clean-up crew.” It is in this selection the reader gets to meet them and though it may seem gross to us- it is amazing and fascinating as to how the earth cleans itself. Ms Halls takes the reader through the five stages of death, explaining each one and introducing the bodily function,  insect or animal that is responsible for addressing each stage. In the first stage for instance, an animal freshly dead, the body begins to shut down and self digest. After about three days, animals such as wolves or hyenas eat or store the somewhat fresh corpse. Then  the, birds from crows to seagulls, insects of all sorts take their turn until nothing is left but bones. Now it is the job of the bone eating worms and finally the bacteria and fungi to leave no trace of the dead. With lots of photographs  and a text easy to understand, this is the completion of any book about insects, birds or animals as to what happens to them after they die. Use with units on nature, animals and recycling.

reviewed by Kathy George, Gray Public Library, Gray

five-stars

Have You Seen My Blankie?

Have You Seen My Blankie?Have You Seen My Blankie? by Lucy Rowland, Paula Metcalf
Published by Nosy Crow on October 1st 2019
ISBN: 1536208191
Pages: 32
Goodreads

What happened to Princess Alice’s blankie? She always took it to bed as it was so soft and cuddly, but one day it goes missing… The young princess has to be brave and find it.  She starts her search with her brother, who admits he had used it as a curtain, but it was then taken by a giant. On to the giant, who admits he had used it as a hankie, but it was then taken by a witch. The witch  had used it as a cloak but it then went on to a dragon who used it to help him sleep. The princess finds the blankie with the dragon but he doesn’t want to give it back as he needs it to sleep. They all have suggestions on what would help the dragon sleep. So they try using a cat from the witch, a feather pillow from the giant, a pair of socks from her brother but none of them work to help the dragon sleep. The distraught dragon then come to the palace with Alice  who finally shares a fluffy teddy bear with him. This is the perfect solution and he snuggles the bear and dreams of guarding the bear and blankie. The clever  uses of the blankie will also encourage young readers to use their imagination. This rhyming  tale of friendships and collaboration will make kids smile. The mixed media illustrations are playful and detailed with lots to discover.  Unlike many fairy tales, the  characters in this story are helpful, kind and friendly.  The rhyming text makes it a fun story to read aloud. An entertaining story for children ages 3 to 6.

Reviewed by Terri Bauld, Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, Kennebunkport, ME

Danny and the Dinosaur Mind their Manners

Danny and the Dinosaur Mind their MannersDanny and the Dinosaur Mind Their Manners by Bruce Hale, Syd Hoff
Series: I Can Read
Published by HarperCollins on April 16th 2019
ISBN: 0062410571
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

When Danny and the dinosaur see that a “king” is coming to the museum they realize that they will need to be on their best behavior.  They team up and and work on improving their manners. It’s not easy learning new things but sticking with it and trying hard can make things happen. Although the king is not  the type of King they expected, Danny and his dinosaur are rewarded for their efforts with a first in line pass to view the mummy of King Tut.   First introduced in 1958,  this reboot of Danny  and the Dinosaur is likely to be as popular  as the earlier stories. The illustrations are bright and cheerful in the style of Syd Hoff.  This level 1 reader is great for beginning readers with its short sentences, familiar words and simple concepts.  A nice story that will work well for new readers.

Reviewed by Terri Bauld, Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, Kennebunkport, ME

four-stars

Anxious Charlie to the Rescue

Anxious Charlie to the RescueAnxious Charlie to the Rescue by Terry Milne
Published by Candlewick Press on October 1st 2019
ISBN: 1536209163
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Charlie is an adorable little dog who lives a very structured life.  Living this way helps  alleviate his many fears.  He believes that if he follows the same routines every day that nothing bad will ever happen. So, the wiener dog  starts each day with a regimented wake up hop and ends each day with a systematic lining up of his toys. Many other rituals follow throughout the day that help him feel  in control.  But one day he is awoken by a ringing phone with an urgent request . His friend, Hans the dog, is stuck and Charlie is needed. The routines are forgotten in his rush to help his friend. The little dog comes up with a clever method to free his friend and is declared a star by his friends. When he gets back, he realizes that even though he forgot his routines  everything turned out fine! The next day Charlie is open to new adventures!  An uplifting  story on embracing change that works for everyone but will be of particular benefit for children with anxieties and or OCD. The sweet illustrations are done in ink with  a watercolor wash using a soft palette of warm blues, golds and browns.  The illustrations are varied with some full page bleeds and other pages with plenty of white space to offset the smaller  illustrations. The text and illustrations work well together making the book easy to read . Ideal for ages 3 to 6. A nice addition to any library or home.

Reviewed by Terri Bauld, Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, Kennebunkport, ME

four-stars

Dear Boy,

Dear Boy,Dear Boy, by Paris Rosenthal, Jason Rosenthal
Published by HarperCollins on April 23rd 2019
ISBN: 0062422510
Pages: 40
Goodreads
four-stars

This picture book is a companion to Dear Girl, written by Amy Rosenthal and her daughter Paris just before the former’s death. This time, Paris has teamed up with her father for a paean to all that a boy can be. Sincere, funny, and encouraging, this book attempts to celebrate the many emotions a boy can feel, the positive actions he can take, and the dreams and hopes he should be allowed to pursue. After generations of boys who have been told that “boys will be boys” and to “take it like a man,” a book like this is welcome for its message of acceptance of gentleness and quiet power. It pairs well with Pat Zietlow Miller’s Be Kind and The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson and can be used to show that all children have the capacity to be many things no matter their gender if nurtured and supported. Once again, Holly Hatam’s digital illustrations punctuate the narrative with powerful simplicity.

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

four-stars

Crunch and Crack, Oink and Whack!: An Onomatopoeia Story

Crunch and Crack, Oink and Whack!: An Onomatopoeia StoryCrunch and Crack, Oink and Whack!: An Onomatopoeia Story by Brian P. Cleary
Published by Millbrook Press (Tm) on January 1st 2019
ISBN: 146778799X
Pages: 32
Goodreads
two-stars

A great cover and a strong concept will make readers pick up this picture book. But an overwrought rhyme and overwhelming design may mean they don’t finish it. Cleary writes in stanzas of a, b, c, c, b and forces a lot of the rhymes which cause many a mouthful when attempting to read this out loud. He also packs in a ton of onomatopoetic words, but instead of being fun, it feels like an onslaught. He follows one class in their quest for these sound words and places the school near a farm, so the children even get some animal onomatopoeia, which could make sense to readers, but feels forced. And the end of the book, when the children are celebrating all of their investigative onomatopoetic work, an administrator enters the room and instead of engaging with them, she admonishes them with a “shoosh” just to fit into the rhyme. The bright, busy illustrations by Pablo Pinto are the strongest part of the book and readers who take the time to pour over them will find a lot of detail and diversity and movement.  Better suited for a classroom, which feels like it was the intention of the author as back matter breaks down the examples of the onomatopoetic words used and offers further reading. Not an essential purchase.

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

two-stars

August Isle

August IsleAugust Isle by Ali Standish
Published by HarperCollins on April 16th 2019
ISBN: 0062433415
Pages: 352
Goodreads
four-stars

“Some people, when their heart gets broken, try to pick up the pieces. They stitch them back together as best they can. But me–I just tried to sweep the pieces under the rug. Where they couldn’t cut me up anymore.”

This is the heart of an emotional family story revolving around a parent/child relationship that can’t move forward due to secrets from the past. Miranda and her mother have a tense relationship and Miranda cannot figure out what she did to cause it, though she is certain the problem is her. When she is sent to August Isle for the summer while her mother travels for work and her father works on a big court case, she is sure she will get a window into her mother’s life and maybe be able to unravel her a bit and find a way to connect. Turns out, Miranda stumbles on a thread and when she follows it to the end, her world almost unravels. But a world that has unraveled can be knit back together and this is the conclusion reached at the end of this lovely novel. Standish captures the devastation of loss, the weight of unspoken stories, and the power of friendship and family to help overcome fear and alienation. A worthy addition to middle grade shelves with realistic situations and enough mystery to keep the reader engaged. The ending is a bit pat, but it is satisfying and drives home the point of the book.

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

four-stars

All of Me

All of MeAll of Me by Chris Baron
on June 11th 2019
ISBN: 1250305985
Pages: 320
Goodreads
four-stars

Seventh grade Ari is overwhelmed by life. Ari and his artist mother move from New York to San Francisco while his dad takes a break from the family. In addition to dealing with issues at home, overweight Ari is bullied by his classmates. When Ari harms himself, his mother steps in with a plan. With the support of new friends and his mother, Ari gains confidence and begins to take control of his life. Written in verse, this first person narrative story about body image and identity will resonate with many middle school readers.
(Grades 6-8) Reviewed by Cathy Potter, Falmouth Middle School, Falmouth

four-stars