Category: Book Reviews

One-Third Nerd

One-Third NerdOne-Third Nerd by Gennifer Choldenko, Églantine Ceulemans
Published by Wendy Lamb Books on January 29th 2019
ISBN: 1524718882
Pages: 224
Goodreads
four-stars

Fifth grader Liam , a self proclaimed nerd knows 5th grade could be rough and wants to impress the new kid, Moses, in the worst way. Liam’s character has much to offer in this story. The thoughtfulness he has towards his sisters, Dakota a budding scientist and Izzy a second grader with Down’s syndrome, and his newly divorced parents makes this a most compelling story.  Faced with the possible  rehoming of their dog Cupcake because of a bladder problem Liam and the girls join forces to raise enough money to take her to the vet.

A great book for middle schoolers.

Reviewed by Melissa Madigan- retired Youth Services Librarian

four-stars

Microsaurs – Beware the Tiny- Spino

Microsaurs – Beware the Tiny- SpinoMicrosaurs: Beware the Tiny-Spino by Dustin Hansen
Published by Feiwel & Friends on January 8th 2019
ISBN: 1250090350
Pages: 224
Goodreads
three-stars

In this, the 5th installment of this well illustrated Microsaurs series, Vicky Van Varbles, well known for being the most annoying person in school, threatens the safety of the microterium. Danny has a plan to get Vicky to keep that secret. Vicky just needs to pass a test to get into  Microsaur Protection Agency that over sees these very special dinosaurs and their eggs. A task not so easy to accomplish!

A great adventure for the third and fourth grader expanding their reading skills.

Reviewed by Melissa Madigan – retired Youth Services Librarian

three-stars

Let Me Sleep Sheep

Let Me Sleep SheepLet Me Sleep, Sheep! by Leila Rudge, Meg McKinlay
Published by Candlewick Press on April 16th 2019
ISBN: 1536205478
Pages: 32
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Fantasy
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

“Let me Sleep, Sheep,” is an adorable, clever  bedtime tale for the 3-6 year old set.  Amos, a yound child, is “counting” himself to sleep when suddenly he hears  a loud THUD.  And then another. Two fluffy, white sheep land in his bedroom because Amos has called them to his room to be counted! The sheep are not pleased by this and suggest  that Amos count pigs instead. “Where’s the fence?” asks one  sheep. When Amos  is puzzled by their request,  the sheep tell Amos  that there must be a fence becuase “it’s in the rules.” Amos  suggests the sheep  try to jump over the cupboard, but,  for one reason or  another, the cupboard  isn’t suitable.  Amos  then builds a fence (of sorts) , and when he’s finished, the sheep insist that Amos test the fence.  So Amos jumps, and jumps, and jumps until he’s finally exhausted  and falls asleep.

Those  sheep know how to put a kid to sleep afterall!

This “turn the tables” tale  is clever, charming  and satisfying. “Let me Sleep, Sheep,”  makes a great nighttime story  for small children.  It’s  both hilarious and endearing at the same time.  The illustrations are colorful, without being overly  bold and bright, and are clearly delineated.

I recommend this book for Cream of the crop.

 

Reviewed by Connie M. Smith, Breakwater School. Portland, ME

five-stars

Secret Coders Saga

Secret Coders SagaSecret Coders (Secret Coders, #1) by Gene Luen Yang, Mike Holmes
Published by First Second on September 29th 2015
ISBN: 1626720754
Pages: 96
Goodreads
four-stars

The Stately Academy, is a high school that has many mysteries, and whose founder left many clues and puzzles to challenge the students.

New student, Hopper, meets student Eni,  and after a rough introduction, together they discover that many of the mysteries at the academy are based on computer codes. Using binary  and their growing skill with other coding, Hopper and her friend Eni work to solve the mystery of Stately Academy .

When the reader has completed this series (6 books in all), they will have been introduced to computer fundamentals such as binary code, Logo, and the three major ways that code is organized.

A great graphic novel series for the reader looking for adventure in the story and the adventure of learning computer coding.

Reviewed by Melissa Madigan retired Youth Services Librarian.

four-stars

Stonewall

StonewallStonewall: The Uprising for Gay Rights by Jamey Christoph, Rob Sanders
Published by Random House on April 1st 2019
ISBN: 1524719528
Goodreads

Stonewall is an informational picture book from the point of view of the actual building itself. Sanders traces the origins of the building back to the 1840s as two stable houses, through their combination into a restaurant, and finally their opening as a gay nightclub in 1967. Sanders details the importance of the then describes the Stonewall Riots. Sanders doesn’t go into details that would be overwhelming for the young audience that this book is meant for, but doesn’t shy away from truth or accurate definitions. Though no participants are named, Sanders makes sure to give transgender women a particular mention. These women are often left out of the history of the night, though participants often credit them with being instrumental in instigating the event changed the path of LGBTQIA rights.

The illustrations by Jamey Christoph render the events in beautiful detail and color, evoking the emotions of the history of Stonewall in a way that is digestible by young people.

Included in the back of the book are a more in-depth and less narrative history of the Stonewall Inn, photographs from the inn and the uprising, an interview with Martin Boyce (a participant of that night), a glossary (with respectful and accurate definitions), and websites/books/podcasts for further information.

A critical piece of history, perfectly pitched for a preschool-elementary school audiences. A must-buy.

Reviewed by Sarah Cropley, Scarborough Public Library. 

The Tall Man and the Small Mouse

The Tall Man and the Small MouseThe Tall Man and the Small Mouse by Birgitta Sif, Mara Bergman
Published by Candlewick Press on February 12th 2019
ISBN: 1536201685
Pages: 32
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Fantasy, Fiction in Verse/Poetry, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

“The Tall Man and the Small House” is a delightful, imaginative picture book for ages 4 through 8. A very tall man lives in a tall house. But so does a very small mouse. And, the two never seem to meet. The tall man is good at fixing things that are at a very tall heigth and the  small mouse is very good at collecting small “missing” things.   However, one day the tall man encounters a problem that he cannot fix.  He does  not know “how to fix the clock that wiould not tick and would not tock.” That night the very small mouse happened to fall asleep on the  tall man’s long boots, and was discovered in the morning when that tall man woke up.   The tall man  saw all of his  missing  things.  The tall man’s heart began to sing. “Mouse,” he said, “you’re clearly clever, small and nimble. I wonder whether I may possibly borrow you, I’ve a most important thing to do.”

“Squeak, squeak, squeak!

The tall man said,  “we may be two of a different kind, but both of us can fix and find.  I’m your friend and you are mine.”

Soft toned pastel illustrations with detail and expression.This book can be used when discussing friendships and also when pointing out the fact that although we may all in some ways be  different, we each have our strengths and talents.  These, joined together,  may indeed allow one (or two)  to accomplishsh many things.  And friendship may be the best thing of all.

 

five-stars

Chicken Talk

Chicken TalkChicken Talk by Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Patricia MacLachlan
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on January 15th 2019
ISBN: 0062398644
Pages: 32
Genres: Adventure, Animals, Fiction in Verse/Poetry, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

“Chicken Talk” is a humorous picture book for ages four to eight.  Farmer Otis and his wife Abby love their chickens and their children, Willie and Belle.   One morning they arise to find a note from a chicken scratched into the dirt.  The chickens are becoming demanding and bossy, but no one knows which chicken is the guilty party!  Even, Tripp, the mailman is told that he “drives to fast and that cheerful chickens cross the road.”  Now, the suspect becomes Farmer  Otis, himself.  Tripp is then invited by Otis to “come see for Yourself.”

“Chicken talk is a a fun book to read but is  slightly confusing due to the number of chickens  (there are seven chickens all named Joyce) plus four additional chickens with individual names. It might be a bit difficult too,  for a young child to comprehend  just how Otis and his family  knew for certain that it was chicken “Grace” who did the scrathcing.

The illustrations are nicely done and both the chickens and Farmer Otis and his family are expressive. This book would be fun to use when studing farm animals and farms in general.

Reviewed by Connie Smith, Breakwater School, Portland, ME

three-stars

Kiss Number 8

Kiss Number 8Kiss Number 8 by Colleen A.F. Venable, Ellen T. Crenshaw
Published by First Second on March 12th 2019
ISBN: 1250196930
Pages: 320
Goodreads
five-stars

Mads feels pretty good about her life at the moment. Between church with her family, baseball games with her dad, and school with her best friend Cat, high school is going pretty well. Plus, Mads has kissed seven different people. They’ve all been okay so far, but she doesn’t really get the fuss until she realizes that she doesn’t want her eighth kiss to be Adam, her neighbor with an obvious crush on her. She wants it to be Cat. Add to that a family secret that her dad has been hiding, and Mads’ good life has just become seriously messy.

Venable crafts an emotional, realistic story of a girl discovering who she is, how to deal with changing relationships, and finding her place in the world through both familial relationships and new friendships. Chenshaw’s pen-and-ink style illustrations bring to life the emotions of each character, drawing the reader along. Together, they explore themes of sexuality, identity, trust, and belonging. A fantastic choice for all middle and high school collections.

The epilogue strikes a particularly poignant, hopeful, and resonant note that will stay with certain readers for a very long time.

Reviewed by Sarah Cropley, Scarborough Public Library.

five-stars

The Lost Coast

The Lost CoastThe Lost Coast by Amy Rose Capetta
Published by Candlewick Press (MA) on May 14th 2019
ISBN: 1536200964
Pages: 352
Goodreads
five-stars

Danny has just moved to Tempest, California with her mother. She’s quickly adopted into the Grays, a group of friends who explain to her that, actually, they called her to Tempest with a spell. The Grays, as it turns out, are all witches, and they’re missing a member. Imogen was a light in their lives, and now she’s gone. Danny finds herself finally fitting in somewhere, with these four girls who all identify as queer, spanning across many different orientations, and it feels good to be so wanted and accepted. She begins to worry, though, what happens if she can’t find Imogen? And what happens if she does?

A dark, murky mystery chalk filled with magic and authentic queer experiences. Capetta constructs the story through shifting perspectives, jumping back and forth through time as she moves from narrator to narrator. Though slightly confusing at times, this style increases the mystery of the novel. Each character has a distinct voice and a unique perspective on both their queerness and their witchcraft. Recommended for high school readers in all libraries.

Reviewed by Sarah Cropley, Scarborough Public Library.

five-stars

Leaf It to Dot

Leaf It to DotLeaf It to Dot by Andrea Cascardi, The Jim Henson Company
Published by Candlewick Press on April 9th 2019
ISBN: 1536202614
Pages: 48
Goodreads
three-stars

Dot, her friend Hal, and her dad are going on a scavenger hunt. Dot’s dad is dismayed to see Dot and Hal using a tablet to complete their scavenger hunt. Over the course of their hike, Dot and Hal learn the advantage of just looking with their eyes, while their dad learns that technology has it’s advantages, too.

A solid choice for libraries looking for more STEM reader titles. Dot is adapted from a Randi Zuckerberg book and a tv series, which can make some of the text feel stilted. Readers will enjoy the pictures lifted from the animated series.

Reviewed by Sarah Cropley, Scarborough Public Library. 

three-stars