Category: Book Reviews

Bear’s Book

Bear’s BookBear's Book by Claire Freedman, Alison Friend
Published by Templar Books on May 14th 2019
ISBN: 1536205710
Pages: 34
Goodreads
four-stars

This is a story about a bear who loves to read who decides to write his own story. He is stuck on what to write so he goes out for a back scratch on a tree and a series of interactions with friends which inspire him creatively. He goes to the different animals as he takes the time to think about what story to write. The text includes “Bear’s Story” as a two page spread that folds out with different coloring.

The illustrations in this story are very soft with muted colors. They show full detailed scenes to accompany the text. These are thick pages with matte paper.

The theme of this story could be that inspiration for creativity could come from anywhere. I would compare story to Winnie the Pooh with how the bear acts bumbling about and the scenery. The book would be appropriate for upper preschool to kindergarten as it is wordy but the subject matter fits younger children. It would be useful for early school age children who are beginning to write and tell their own stories.

Reviewed by Kathleen Powers, Winslow Public Library, Winslow, ME

four-stars

Honor Bound

Honor BoundHonor Bound by Rachel Caine, Ann Aguirre
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on February 19th 2019
ISBN: 0062571028
Pages: 467
Goodreads
three-stars

Savvy criminal turned skilled Leviathan pilot Zara Cole finds new friends and clashes with bitter enemies in the second book of this action-packed series from New York Times bestselling authors Rachel Caine and Ann Aguirre that’s perfect for fans of The 100 and The Fifth Wave.

Zara Cole was a thief back on Earth, but she’s been recently upgraded to intergalactic fugitive. On the run after a bloody battle in a covert war that she never expected to be fighting, Zara, her co-pilot Beatriz, and their Leviathan ship Nadim barely escaped the carnage with their lives.

Now Zara and her crew of Honors need a safe haven, far from the creatures who want to annihilate them. But they’ll have to settle for the Sliver: a wild, dangerous warren of alien criminals. The secrets of the Sliver may have the power to turn the tide of the war they left behind—but in the wrong direction.

Soon Zara will have to make a choice: run from the ultimate evil—or stand and fight.

Science Fiction can be amazing especially when the characters take various forms.   Many fascinating aliens make appearance within this second book of the Honors series but there is not a tie that binds the first to this second title.   Readers will find the action exciting as they view the hostile behavior and wonder what preceded the urgent need to fight.  Silver is a captivating setting for a science fiction,  there appears to be a trap behind every door.   What is confusing for anyone who did not read the first novel in this new series is the ship/pilot relationship that almost approaches a sexual level.  Although relationships do become clear the first chapter could have provided more hints to newly introduced readers.

This book cannot stand alone.   Libraries who have Honor Among Thieves will want to purchase this sequel for their YA collection.   Science Fiction readers should be directed to the first title.   Followers will anxiously await for the third title in the series.

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

three-stars

Ruby in the Sky

Ruby in the SkyRuby in the Sky by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo
on February 5th 2019
ISBN: 0374309051
Pages: 304
Goodreads
five-stars

Two stories of grief entwine throughout this emotionally-charged story of finding the courage to once again have faith in people and hope in the future.  Ruby Moon Hayes has recently lost her father from a tragic and senseless shooting. Ruby’s mother, in a desperate attempt to cope with their loss, has been moving Ruby around the country searching for their “forever home.”  Ruby has had enough and this most recent move to a small town in Vermont has only worsened Ruby and her mother’s relationship. Against her mother’s expectation to stay away from the old woman down the street, Ruby and her dog Bob are drawn to The Bird Lady, the townspeople’s cruel name for this strange woman who lives in the shed on her property.  Slowly and tentatively, Ruby and Abigail form a sweet and powerful bond that pulls Ruby out of her tightly wound isolation while Ruby offers Abigail a chance to finally share the terrible loss she harbors which prevents her from stepping foot back in her home. While Ruby is an angry and withdrawn teenager, her friendships with Abigail and her ever-forbearing classmate Ahmed, a recent Syrian refugee, keep her from fully shutting down and she proves to be an immensely compelling survivor.  Told through Ruby’s perceptive and intelligent perspective, this is a story that will stay with readers long after they finish. Pair with I love you, Michael Collins and Hidden Figures.  Highly recommended for all middle school collections.

Reviewed by Suzanne Dix, Westbrook School, Westbrook

five-stars

No One Here is Lonely

No One Here is LonelyNo One Here Is Lonely by Sarah Everett
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on February 5th 2019
ISBN: 0553538683
Pages: 352
Goodreads
four-stars

No One Here is Lonely

 

Eden is in a pit of sadness.  Her potential, possible boyfriend, Will, has died in a car accident and her best friend, Lacey, wants her own space and not to always be doing everything together with Eden.  But, when Eden talks to Will’s mom, she learns that she has found a website to which Will has uploaded his emails, texts, and his voice just in case something were to happen to him.  Eden feels like she has Will back.  She calls Will all the time and leaves the phone on for hours to feel like they are together. Finally, Eden gets a job as a grocery cashier and meets new people, as well as reuniting with Lacey’s twin, Oliver, who has always had a crush on Eden.  She finally learns that Will’s real girlfriend was Lacey, Eden’s mother had an affair, and that Eden can go on by herself.

This book seemed odd with what appeared to be a realistic fiction plot with a science fiction element plopped down in the middle with the words from those who have died.  Why, also, was not everyone else using the site?  The intended audience is grades 9-12.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

four-stars

Dreaming in Code

four-stars

Interesting life story of a woman from the 1800s. Great for high school and women studies.

Ada  Byron Lovelace the daughter of Lord Byron was the first computer programmer. In the 1800s Ada Byron Lovelace had a strict divorced mother and poet Lord Byron for her dad. She spent a lot of time alone but was tutored in math problems, mental puzzles, and the scientific discovery method at a time when the industrial revolution was at its hight. When Ada was 17 she met Charles Babbage, an inventor, who she collaborated with. They worked on concepts that were the foundation for computers two hundred years before they became common.

Reviewed by Jeri Fitzpatrick, GNG Middle school, Gray

four-stars

Ivy and the Goblins

Pages: 160
three-stars

Book 2 in the Ivy series. Recommended for grade 3 -6 for reading, the content is young.

The fairy tale village of Broomsweep is the setting. Ivy lives with her grandmother, a dragon, pixies, and a griffin. Grandmother is the town healer, a farmer brings her a sick goat when grandmother heals the goat he gives her an egg for payment. This is where the trouble begins. The egg hatches and a baby goblin is born. Ivy tries to return the egg, but goblins want nothing to do with humans.

Reviewed by Jeri Fitzpatrick, GNG Middle School, Gray

 

three-stars

Secret Engineer How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge

Secret Engineer How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn BridgeSecret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge by Rachel Dougherty
Published by Roaring Brook Press on February 19th 2019
ISBN: 1250155320
Pages: 40
Goodreads
four-stars

This biography is wonderful for all ages. It’s the story of a very smart woman in the times when most women weren’t educated.  Emily married an engineer, Washington Roebling,  who was as bright as she was. John J. Roebling was Emily’s father-in-law. He built bridges for a living. He heard about new technology in Europe. He sent his son who brought along his wife.

They learned about Caisson breaks. It’s like a room built at the bottom of the river. Men can work, dig out the river bed, then they can fill the tube/room with,  cement. Only it made a lot of people very sick including Washington. Emily stepped up and took over the job for her husband.

The illustrations are very easy to understand.

Reviewed by Jeri Fitzpatrick, GNG Middle School, Gray

 

 

 

 

 

four-stars

Maybe a Mermaid

Maybe a MermaidMaybe a Mermaid by Josephine Cameron
on March 26th 2019
ISBN: 0374306427
Pages: 288
Goodreads
three-stars

Maybe a Mermaid

 

Anthoni and her mother are always on the move, from one town to another, as her mother attempts to sell Beauty and the Bee make-up products and recruit other “worker bees”.  Now they have landed at a run-down resort in Wisconsin by a lake.  What Anthoni is always searching for is a “forever friend” and maybe Maddy will be the one.  What isn’t always evident to Anthoni is that your best friends aren’t always who you plan for them to be but, rather, are those who will attempt to be a mermaid and swim underwater or who will go in the water with an arm cast on, if that’s what is needed.  There are many lists of goals and positive thoughts throughout which, in the case of the “True Blue Friend Criteria,” change as Anthoni does, too.  There are mentions of Vaudeville which may be of interest to some.  This book is for students in grades 5-8.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

three-stars

Iron Will Surviving the Mountain

three-stars

Recommended for mature readers. It’s nonfiction.

This book contains 5 true stories of survival, a quiz, activity, glossary, read more, internet sites, and an index. It is part of the Iron Will series Jungle, Dessert, and Sea.

One of the stories is about a plane crash in the Andies and people survived by eating passengers who hadn’t survived the crash. Other stories talked about how some people lost limbs, fingers, and toes. Through determination and the will to live, they did.

Reviewed by Jeri Fitzpatrick, GNG Middle School, Gray

 

 

three-stars

Anything but Okay

Anything but OkayAnything But Okay by Sarah Darer Littman
Published by Scholastic Paperbacks on September 3rd 2019
ISBN: 1338177583
Pages: 352
Goodreads
five-stars

This is great for high school mature audiences. It’s also a great look into city life.

Stella and Farida are best friends  but Stella has “white girl” glasses and really doesn’t understand how hard it is for Farida to fit into American society. Farida was born here, but she is Muslim.

Stella’s brother, Rob<  came home from a tour with the US Marines in Afghanistan. He is paranoid and angry.Then his best friend from the same division killed himself. The war has the same effect as the Vietnam war, no heros and help is hard to get.

Stella thinks she can help him by getting him out of the house. She  didn’t know going to the movies and a food court would freak him out. He sees a person of color being bullied, he steps up to defend a weaker person (like he was taught in service). He breaks the bully’s nose, it was videoed and it goes viral.

Stella decides to run for class president, but everyone thinks her brother is crazy and should go to jail. They spray paint their home, and the Amvets come to help clean up the mess.

Stella’s history teacher asks, “…what do think makes a patriot?” For a school project. Both of Stella’s parents were in the Army.

Reviewed by Jeri Fitzpatrick, GNG Middle School, Gray

five-stars