Category: Book Reviews

A Werewolf Named Oliver James

A Werewolf Named Oliver JamesA Werewolf Named Oliver James by Nicholas John Frith
Published by Arthur A. Levine Books on June 26th 2018
ISBN: 1338254332
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Oliver James has to be home by six for dinner. What he didn’t plan was for people to run away from him yelling werewolf, only to find out he’s the werewolf. It’s a fun read that’s perfect for Halloween or just kids who enjoy spooky fantasy stories with a message of ‘it’s okay to be different’. It’s perfect for 2nd and 3rd graders due to the fact younger readers might not fully grasp the meaning of the story, but they’ll still enjoy the illustrations and the basic idea of it. The story was great at capturing emotions of someone young who might not be scared of what they are, but excited about these new powers only for them to question it when other’s their age is frightened. The illustrations are simple shapes with simple colors following a six-color theme throughout the book, some on top of others to add depth, which works well for this story in adding another spooky layer to it. The flaw is that the message is something you don’t really think about reading unless you’re looking for it. A great Halloween read with a great message that any library would love to have.

Reviewed by Cherise Letourneau, Auburn Public Library, Auburn

four-stars

How to be a Lion

How to be a LionHow To Be A Lion by Ed Vere
Published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers on June 26th 2018
ISBN: 0525578056
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Leonard the lion is not your average lion.  Instead of being fierce and chomping things like the rest of the lions, he likes to writes poems and visit his thinking hill. One day he meets a duck named Marianne and she helps him write his poem, and they become friends.  They spend all their time together watching stars and being happy.  Until one day when the rest of the lions show up and demand to know why this duck has not been chomped.  Leonard defends her, but the other lions tell Leonard that there is only one way to be a lion and that he must be fierce and chomp her.  Leonard and Marianne return to the thinking hill while Leonard ponders whether he must truly change.  They return to the other lions with a message about being yourself.  A pretty heavy-handed message picture book, Vere delivers a story about being yourself and not caving to peer pressure.  Other reviewers have read it as a take on masculinity and an example of a positive male role model.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook

four-stars

Surviving Adam Meade

Surviving Adam MeadeSurviving Adam Meade by Shannon Klare
Published by Swoon Reads on August 14th 2018
ISBN: 9781250154378
Pages: 244
Goodreads
three-stars

Claire starts a new high school her senior year because her dad took a job as the new football coach.  She’s forced to leave behind her friends and an ex-boyfriend who she thought she’d be with forever but who dumped her when she moved.  When school starts, she meets Adam, the womanizing quarterback, who she wants nothing to do with, but can’t seem to avoid.  Adam always gets what he wants until he meets Claire, who doesn’t immediately fall at his feet like all the other girls.  While reluctant to believe it, eventually, they realize that they need each other.  While it does feature seniors, it could easily be read by younger teens, as it doesn’t feature any sex or illicit substances.  This book doesn’t bring anything new to the romance genre, but it’s a satisfyingly sweet high school love story.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook

three-stars

FUM

FUMFum by Adam Rapp
Published by Candlewick Press on February 23rd 2018
ISBN: 0763667560
Pages: 416
Goodreads
three-stars

“Fee fi fo fum” is the giant’s call to action in Jack and the Beanstalk, and FUM  is what Corinthia is called by her classmates because of her condition, gigantism, which has caused her to grow to seven feet, four and a half inches.  Billy Ball is short and immature for his age.  In alternating chapters we learn of the bullying and horrible things that are said and done to them by classmates, school faculty, and family members.  But Corinthia can foresee terrible events that are about to happen to the community, although no one believes her at first.

This is a very strange book with many events happening and then left with no explanations.  Why did Corinthia’s brother, Channing, leave, where has he been, and why does Corinthia foresee him hanging from the water tower in town?  Were the wolves only in the story to kill and eat Billy’s body?  Why did the tornadoes come and only hit the high school?  Corinthia weighed 287 pounds, but she is said to have broken toilets and chairs because of her weight.  The quality of the writing is excellent but the plot left me confused and angry at the discrimination and bullying.  This book would be read by students in grades 10-12.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

three-stars

Funny Kid for President

ISBN: 9780062572912
four-stars

Funny Kid for President by Matt Stanton is the first book in the “Funny Kid” series. It is an illustrated chapter book in the same vein as Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Captain Underpants with parts of it graphic novel and parts of it text heavy. Max, the main character, is a bit of a class clown and has to deal with a duck that’s following him, a teacher who hates him, and a smart classmate who has it in for him. Despite these obstacles, Max decides to run for class president on the basis that he’s the “funniest kid.” There are a few gross-out jokes that kids will find funny (Max being blamed for a poop found in the classroom, a vomit explosion in the library, and some boogers) and the simple, but hilarious illustrations help break up the text for reluctant readers. Kids will want to keep reading to find out who is rigging the election and trying to take down Funny Kid. This book is a fun middle grade read and is a great addition to any library that has lots of fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid-type books.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook

four-stars

Toad on the Road: Mama and Me

Toad on the Road: Mama and MeToad on the Road: Mama and Me by Stephen Shaskan
Published by HarperCollins on March 6th 2018
ISBN: 0062393499
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

Toad on the Road: Mama and Me is the second book in the Toad on the Road series by Stephen Shaskan. Like the first book, this one has bright and humorous illustrations and a fun repeating rhyme scheme and alliteration that will appeal to kids during a read-aloud. In this book, Mama and her son, Toad, are riding in Mama’s tow truck and keep coming across friends on the road who need their help. Goat needs gas! Fox has a flat! Moose is in the muck! Mama and Toad help their friends get on their way and in the end there is a big surprise waiting for them when they get home.

The theme of helping others comes through even if a child can’t read the words yet because the pictures are so clear and funny, so while this book is geared towards kids 4 to 8, younger kids will like it too. The refrain of “Mama and Toad will save the day! Everyone shout: hip hip hooray!” is catchy and readers will enjoy the repeated phrases; this book would be great for a toddler storytime! If you have Toad on the Road in your library’s collection, I would consider this a must-buy.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook

four-stars

Bound to You

Bound to YouBound to You by Alyssa Brandon
Published by Swoon Reads on April 10th 2018
ISBN: 1250101727
Pages: 304
Goodreads
two-stars

At eighteen-years-old Megan is ready to find her mate and be his forever.  This is the way of her werewolf pack, and when she meets James she knows he is the one.  However, James has been hurt and controlled before and wants nothing to do with Megan.  Although there are two battles with the evil wraiths, the major plot conflict concerns whether or not Megan and James will ever fall in love and have sex.

There are grammatical errors throughout.  Megan is an immature girl who is willing to forget her own goal of going to CalTech to follow her “mate.”  She borrows a car and leaves it unlocked and with the door open in a vacant lot.  James is self-absorbed, rude, and entitled.  It was very hard to relate to the characters.  They switch back and forth from werewolf to human but more could have been done with the werewolf angle versus showing them as selfish, immature humans.  Fans of werewolf romance books may be drawn to this one, but there are better stories available This book would be for grades 10 and up..

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

two-stars

I Felt a Funeral in My Brain

I Felt a Funeral in My BrainI Felt a Funeral, in My Brain by Will Walton
Published by Push on May 29th 2018
ISBN: 0545709563
Pages: 304
Goodreads
one-star

Sometimes trying to do too many things at once results in nothing being done well. This book, which chronicles the coming of age of a 17 year old boy named Avery, is a mishmash of themes that at times is hard to make heads or tails of. Written in  verse, which is interspersed with Avery’s poetry, the story swings back and forth between Avery’s alcoholic grandfather’s funeral, his mother’s drinking and road to recovery, his relationship with his best friend/boyfriend Luca, and his own foray into drinking. Adding to the disjointedness, we begin the story at his grandfather’s funeral, then his grandfather is alive and well for a while, then he’s in the hospital on life support. I believe this story would be difficult for an adolescent reader to follow; it’s hard to tell from page to page who is talking about whom, who is dying, who is struggling with alcohol. It left me feeling a little bewildered and unconnected to Avery, whose story is sad but in a distant, confusing sort of way.

Reviewed by Jennifer Lance, Oxford Hills Comprehensive H.S. Library, South Paris

one-star

How We Roll

How We RollHow We Roll by Natasha Friend
Published by Farrar Straus Giroux on June 5th 2018
ISBN: 0374305668
Pages: 272
Goodreads
four-stars

Friend has written another sweet high school romance that’s perfect for both middle and high school students, since it doesn’t feature any sex (only a few innocent kisses), drugs, etc.  What IS different about this book is that both of the main characters suffer from debilitating issues that keep them from making close connections with anyone; until they find each other.  Quinn led a normal life until she started losing large clumps of her hair.  Now fully bald, she suffers from a form of alopecia.  Nick, a former star quarterback, lost both of his legs in a snowmobile accident.  While the story line itself is not groundbreaking, it’s truly refreshing to see two non-traditional characters getting their love story.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook

four-stars

Pocket Bios: Marie Curie

Pocket Bios: Marie CurieMarie Curie by Al Berenger
Published by Roaring Brook Press on July 17th 2018
ISBN: 1250166152
Pages: 32
Goodreads
four-stars

This “Pocket Bios” biography of Marie Curie was written by Patricia Crété and has been translated into English by Catherine Nolan. Illustrations are by Bruno Wennagel and Mathieu Ferret. The book starts with her childhood in Poland and studies in France, then continues on to her marriage to Pierre and scientific discoveries, and ends with her death in 1934 and the posthumous move of their coffins to the Pantheon in Paris to rest with other heroes of France. The book provides a lot of interesting information about Marie Curie at a PreK to 2nd Grade level. The illustrations are simple and humorous and definitely add to the enjoyment of the book. I learned a few things that I did not know about Madame Curie and think this book is a good introduction to her life for a younger child. The back of the book also has a timeline of her life, a map with important places in her story, and “People to Know.” This book is similar to the Brian Meltzer and Christopher Eliopoulos “I Am” series. If you have a Juvenile Biography section at your library or a child who is very interested in learning about historical figures, I would purchase this book.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook

four-stars