Category: Book Reviews

The Sticky Rice Caper

The Sticky Rice CaperThe Sticky Rice Caper (Graphic Novel) by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on May 7th 2019
ISBN: 1328495787
Pages: 144
Goodreads
three-stars

This graphic novel is based on the Netflix show which is based on an old computer game “Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?” The game was created to teach geography skills as Carmen hopped from country to country stealing items. The player was asked geography-related questions to determine where she was. In the Netflix series, Carmen has left a life of crime with VILE (Villains’ International League of Evil) and is determined to thwart them before they can commit crimes. She still travels all over the world and the show, and this graphic novel, focus on one or two countries peppering facts about them into the dialogue and action. In this case, one of VILE’s agents is in Indonesia so Carmen leaves France and heads to Jakarta to figure out their dastardly plan and stop them. Filled with danger, banter, and gadgets, the GN captures the action of the show and is a nice companion for kids who might want to slow it down and rehash the story (it follows the plot line of episode 3 exactly). Carmen and her team succeed, of course, and inform the reader that they are off to Ecuador for another adventure. The endpapers include additional information about France and Indonesia and a hint for The Fishy Treasure Caper. This is not a must-buy, but it will be popular in collections where readers are familiar with the show and may give kids without the means to watch Netflix an “in” to the conversations about the show. And any book that highlights geography and informs the reader about another part of the world is a good thing.

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

three-stars

The Singing Rock and Other Brand-New Fairy Tales

The Singing Rock and Other Brand-New Fairy TalesThe Singing Rock & Other Brand-New Fairy Tales by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer
Published by First Second on June 18th 2019
ISBN: 1596437502
Pages: 112
Goodreads
three-stars

A collection of four original fairy tales from Lachenmeyer, these stories are steeped in classic tropes: a genie, a nasty witch, dueling wizards, and a cruel ogre. But Lachenmeyer puts his own spin on the stories in a delightful way. The genie is trying to elicit wishes out of a frog who has accidentally rubbed the lamp; the witch’s magic is not strong enough to squash the power of music; a parrot is the key player in the war of the wizards; and that cruel ogre helps a painter see the folly of his ways. Blocker’s illustrations are clearly digitally rendered as they have a cartoonish quality and soft edges, but they work well to illustrate the tales in full-color and with enough distinction and clarity. Lachenmeyer mentions being heavily influenced by fairy tale books from his childhood, so there is clearly a deep affection for the genre, but it would have been nice not to have the only female character not be the inflexible, disagreeable witch; all of the stories feature males (even the frog feels male as the genie offers it gold, a race car, an airplane, and a speedboat). Elementary and middle school readers will enjoy this  graphic novel.

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

three-stars

Babymoon

BabymoonBabymoon by Hayley Barrett
Published by Candlewick Press on March 14th 2019
ISBN: 0763688525
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Often used to describe a trip taken by expecting parents before the baby arrives, this book uses Babymoon in the  way that midwives do for taking the time immediately after a baby is born to form connections and settle into the adjustment of transforming from two to three. Barrett captures the magical period with simple rhyming couplets and Martinez-Neal punctuates the text with soft, glowing illustrations. The gentle message of giving yourselves time to adapt to the newness of parenthood is necessary in a country that offers very little parental leave and has expectations that people will go right back to their pre-baby lives. The illustrations are realistic in terms of body size for a new mother and offer a picture of a non-Caucasian family, which is refreshing. The audience is bit narrow since it is intended for new parents and, since it does it through the lens of just one family, it cannot speak to all of the different types of families that exist. But if the reader accepts that this is not the picture of EVERY family, and applies the message broadly and transfers the love felt by new parents for their baby, it is a beautiful addition to the new baby/bedtime picture book shelf.

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

four-stars

Island Book

Island BookIsland Book by Evan Dahm
Published by First Second on May 14th 2019
ISBN: 1626729506
Pages: 288
Goodreads
four-stars

A gorgeous graphic novel for readers in upper elementary and above that packs a lot of meaning into each seemingly simple page. Set in a world in which a young girl lives on an island where The Monster threatens and no one knows for sure what this monster is or from where it comes.  Sola is cursed because when the monster came, she did not back down or run away. Tired of being picked on, she gets in her rowboat and ventures out into the vast sea to find answers. To her wonder, her quest brings her in contact with other islands, other people and, eventually, The Monster. Does Sola finds the answer she seeks? Does she conquer The Monster? Letting his exquisite illustrations do most of the talking, Dahm captures a Yoda-esque feeling from the wisdom Sola does gain, which is very different than what she expected. A quiet book that illustrates how other does not have to mean enemy and that a monster is not so bad when you look it in the eye. The book has a number 1 on the spine; hopefully Dahm is not finished with Sola and her quest for enlightenment. This is a book that will be set apart by its size (8×8 square), the feel of it in your hands, and by the surreal illustrations and spare text which let the reader do the thinking.

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

 

four-stars

Snakes on a Train

Pages: 32
four-stars

In her debut picture book, Dennis has taken snakes and trains and put them together. A simple rhyming text with a recurring refrain, young readers accompany  the snakes as they get on the train.Then, both reptile and reader take a train ride. They learn about switches, tracks, whistles, gears and even a brakesnake! Colorful, simple artwork makes it both fun to read and fun to listen to. A selection for pre-K -1, it can be used for units on trains, snakes? and imagination.

Submitted by Kathy George, Gray Public Library, Gray

four-stars

Hello, I’m Here

Hello, I’m HereHello, I'm Here! by Helen Frost, Rick Lieder
Published by Candlewick Press on March 20th 2019
ISBN: 076369858X
Pages: 32
Goodreads
five-stars

Helen Frost’s latest book is a poem about the first day in the life of a sandhill crane. Her rhyming text is short and has the voice of the small child, “I’m out in the world-I don’t know where. Mama? Papa? Hello, I’m here!” What makes this book special is the pairing of Ms. Frost’s words with the striking, detailed photographs of Rick Lieder. The reader is there as this chick stands, walks, and finds its first meal. As with their other collaborations: Step Gently Out, Sweep up the Sun, Among a thousand Fireflies, they offer a glimpse into the natural world. Information about the sandhill crane can be found at the back of the book. This is a book easy to read aloud with photos that will hold the listener’s attention. It is STEAM at its best. Offer it in units about babies, poetry about the natural world, or birds.

for ages pre-K- 3

Submitted by Kathy George

Gray Public Library, Gray

 

five-stars

Puddle

PuddlePuddle by Richard Jackson, Chris Raschka
Published by Greenwillow Books on March 26th 2019
ISBN: 0062651951
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

A puddle, deeper and bigger than its siblings, bemoans the fact that it isn’t as dainty and shallow as those puddles around it. The day goes from bad to worse as a seagull swoops in, a basketball splashes into it, feet  stomp in it and the worse- a dog pees in it! But as the children gather around it- they discover something beautiful as the sun hits the water. Readers are engaged by Chris Raschka’s signature bright, bold, water colored illustrations and text with such action words as swish, swoosh, splat, and euwww! This selection has an energy to it and readers will get caught up in the plight of the puddle and never look at one quite the same again.  Use with units on water, language and colors. Good for ages pre-k-3.

submitted by Kathy George

Gray Public Library, Gray, Maine

five-stars

Who’s Hiding at the Beach?

Who’s Hiding at the Beach?Who's Hiding at the Beach? by Nosy Crow, Katharine McEwen
Published by Nosy Crow on May 14th 2019
ISBN: 1536205850
Pages: 10
Goodreads

There are lots of creatures at the beach. Where are they hiding and what are they doing? In this innovative lift-the-flap book, little ones can pore over the beautiful collaged pages and explore under rocks, shells, and seaweed to find out lots of interesting facts about seaside wildlife. This is the perfect introduction to the outdoors.

Our youngest readers will spend a day at the beach, lifting flaps and discovering who and what can be found at the beach in this sturdy board book for preschoolers  by Katharine McEwen.  The text is minimal- a statement  about the beach on one page and a question about the inhabitants on the facing page.  Finding the inhabitants under sturdy flaps with a fact about each animal found, solves the mystery of who lives at the beach. Soft, colorful illustrations done in mixed media add to the fun of the search. STEAM at it’s simplest!  An excellent way to introduce the beach to those who live near one or readers far from the shore. This offering is one of a series which includes Who’s Hiding on the Farm, and Who’s Hiding in the Woods coming next year.

Submitted by Kathy George

Gray Public Library, Gray Maine

 

The Spaces Between Us

The Spaces Between UsThe Spaces Between Us by Stacia Tolman
Published by Henry Holt & Company on July 23rd 2019
ISBN: 1250174929
Pages: 304
Goodreads
four-stars

The Spaces Between Us

 

Serena and Melody Grimshaw have been best friends forever.  This book examines that friendship and, when Melody is murdered in the end, the feeling Serena has that her life is now without meaning.  This book follows the lives of two girls who are starting their senior year in high school and wanting desperately to leave their failing factory town in New York state.  Readers learn about the girls’ family members and the prejudice that has always stung Melody because her family are considered trash.  Along the way there is the Homecoming dance, a stint as a cheerleader, and a trip across country that Serena takes to attempt to save Melody from a horrible boyfriend who has hired her out as a stripper.  Just when it seems that the boyfriend may be finally out of her life she first returns to him and later he follows her from California to Nevada where he strangles her.  As a background to all this drama Serena is studying upward mobility and is interviewing many people along the way in order to fulfill an independent study requirement for a Western Civilization class she had failed.  This is an excellent realistic fiction book that reads very quickly and is recommended for grades 9-12.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

four-stars

Go Green by Fighting Pollution

Go Green by Fighting PollutionGo Green by Fighting Pollution by Lisa Bullard, John Wes Thomas
Published by Lerner Publications (Tm) on August 1st 2018
ISBN: 1541520165
Pages: 24
Goodreads
three-stars

How simple is too simple in non-fiction books for young readers? 

“My family and I ride our bikes.

That way we don’t use our car. 

Driving cars pollutes the air.”

This text from one of this book’s pages needs a LOT more discussion. Living in very rural Maine, statements such as this trouble me: 1) if you want to ride bikes, the safest places require people to drive there in their car and carry the bikes; 2) bikes are great only in summer months when it’s not raining – or in Florida & Arizona only in winter months; and 3) how do you carry your groceries or new furniture or materials to build your house?? The use of electric cars is not mentioned. 

The large, dark, thick easy-to-read font is probably the best thing about this “Early Bird Stories” book. The simple, cartoonish illustrations are adequate and emphasize the topic on each page. One one page, the narrator is shown wearing gloves when planting a tree but not when picking up garbage. Behind him stands a girl, frowning, arms crossed, apparently looking at another child holding a hose in which a dog has tangled itself. The dog looks a little angry, too. Are they thinking the water’s being wasted because the water is not yet going onto the tree being planted? 

The title says, “Go Green…” but the book does not use or explain that phrase again. Even though there are “how” and “why” questions on a few pages, this book is more of a simplistic statement for early elementary readers rather than an invitation to explore or discuss ways to reduce, reuse, or recycle.

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

three-stars