Category: Book Reviews

Arfy Has a Ball

Arfy Has a BallArfy Has a Ball (Step into Reading) by Troy Cummings
ISBN: 0593643739
Format: Early Reader
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

This leveled comic reader and its main character, Arfy, will delight new readers. Arfy is a dog who knows what he wants, and what he wants is a ball. Along with Arfy, readers will learn that in the search for a  just-right ball, one needs to be discerning. Some balls are too fast (a baseball zipping by), while others are too bright (a twinkling disco ball). In the end, he’s reconciled himself to a ball-less life, and then sniffs out a stinky, old tennis ball that he deems “perfect”. 

Arfy and his surroundings are cartoonish and brightly colored. The comic illustrations by Cummings and the simple, relatable storyline will keep readers turning the pages, and the repetitive text will give them confidence to keep reading.

Readers who enjoy comics and want to read on their own will love this. Highly recommended for public and school library collections. 

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

four-stars

Animal Albums from A to Z

Animal Albums from A to ZAnimal Albums from A to Z by Cece Bell
ISBN: 1536226246
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

The concept of this compendium is Bell’s “collection” of animal albums. What we get are 26 hilarious, extraordinary double page spreads of these animal albums. Bell’s art in this book is all hand-painted collage with cut paper lettering, embroidery and other handmade elements. Each double page-spread includes an album cover complete with record companies, titles, and lyrics to one of the album songs – all alliterative, amusing and acrobatic in their uniqueness. The type for each ornamental display letter is done in a compatible style. Dodos and discos, Kangaroos and klezmer,  –  Bell’s imagination and scope knows no bounds. For example, Xavier Xoloitzcuintli (Mexican hairless dog) and his “x-traordinary xylophone” sing on XOXO, Xavier on Xanthic Fox Records with songs like Use Your Inside Vox. Each animal artist also has a brief but incredibly detailed bio.  

This would be a great one-to-one read aloud. Each set of lyrics would probably work as a separate session. The book is highly browseable; a QR code on the copyright page allows readers to become listeners and listen to the musical rendition of each of the book’s songs. As Arnie Dillow sings in “My Astonishing Armpit is Astonishing to All”, “Whee!  . . . .  Gee! .. . .  And ‘Glory be!’”

Highly recommended for public and school library collections. 

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

five-stars

Divine Makes a Splash!

Divine Makes a Splash!Divine Makes a Splash! (Afro Unicorn) by April Showers
ISBN: 0593704193
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Showers tells a relatable story set in Afronia, land of the Afro unicorns. Divine, who wants to “make a splash” but is afraid of water, conquers her fear with the help of her fellow Afro unicorns and Uni Mermaids – all the magical creatures are bejeweled with crowned horns and fabulous hair. Many children will snatch the book off the shelf for the cover art alone but the story will keep them engrossed.

Divine’s friends use practical steps (such as blowing bubbles in the water) to help her overcome her fear. She learns that with the help of supportive friends and belief in one’s self, one can do challenging things. 

For children who may be hesitant around the water, especially in Maine, where swimming feels like a necessary life skill, this story and the way it is told, feels important. Showers, the author and founder of Afro Unicorns, has created the Learn to Swim AU initiative to service communities plagued by a lack of access to pools and proper instruction. There are no (as of today) such initiatives active in Maine. 

Highly recommended for public and school library collections.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

five-stars

Richard Scarry’s Best Teacher Ever: A Book for BUSY, BUSY Teachers

Richard Scarry’s Best Teacher Ever: A Book for BUSY, BUSY TeachersRichard Scarry's Best Teacher Ever!: A Book for Busy, Busy Teachers (Richard Scarry Best Ever Books) by Richard Scarry
ISBN: 0593706293
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

This diminutive  picture book is written as a love letter/thank you note to an early elementary school teacher from a young student. It uses the familiar characters of Richard Scarry’s Busy Town in traditional school activities (library visits, painting) and simple rhyming couplets (“You find my talents and help them GROW. You teach me things I didn’t KNOW.”) to depict the daily activities of Miss Honey, Mr. Beak, and their pupils. The illustrations are charming and timeless; the text sweet and occasionally treacly.

Intended as a “perfect gift” for teachers (see back book cover), this is not a good fit for library collections but it is a charming thank you for the educators of young children.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

three-stars

How to Be Brave

How to Be BraveHow to Be Brave by Clara Anganuzzi, Karl Newson
ISBN: 1536232548
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Tackling new experiences can be daunting. How to Be Brave advises readers to approach experiences at their own pace, and to try again when things don’t go as expected. The main character is a young, brown skinned child accompanied by various wild animals. At first, the child seems tentative, standing by and observing others (different wild animals) having experiences. By the end of the book, the child is joining in, taking risks, and enjoying experiences, including  hang gliding with a penguin. 

The soft, watercolor pencil illustrations accompanying the brief text are sweet. The message is gentle and encouraging. Picture books about resilience and a growth mindset are always popular and this story will appeal to younger children who will respond to the simple illustrations and text. Recommended for public library collections.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

four-stars

Rabia’s Eid

Rabia’s EidRabia's Eid (Step into Reading) by Rukhsana Khan
ISBN: 0593706811
Format: Early Reader
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

In this leveled reader, we see Rabia, a young Muslim girl with brown skin, and her family as they enter the last day of Ramadan, and then celebrate Eid. Rabia is not expected to fast, because of her age, but wants to be part of it. The illustrations depict Rabia and her family in observance of Ramadan – in prayer, fasting, and then after sundown, breaking the fast by eating  dates. The view of muslim culture is joyful, and welcome. Other traditions, such as painting henna designs, wearing new clothes, praying as a community and donating money to the poor, are also shown. 

The appealing illustrations will capture the attention of young readers, and the simplicity of the text keeps the story moving along. Much information is offered through the illustrations – Rabia wears a hijab while kneeling on a prayer rug. There are concepts and words that will be familiar to some readers but not all such as Fitr, and the book does not offer additional context (glossary, author’s note, etc.) to deepen understanding. This is a great story for children with knowledge of Eid, who are interested in reading more about other children observing this Muslim holiday. If introducing Eid and Ramadan to young readers through this story, be prepared to answer questions that are not answered in the book. 

There are not enough leveled readers depicting Muslim families observing their faith, making this is a necessary purchase for public and school library collections.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

four-stars

Oops! Rabbit

Oops! RabbitOops! Rabbit (Jo Ham's Rabbit) by Jo Ham
ISBN: 1536233161
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

This is the third in a series of Rabbit picture books by Hamm. Like the others, this story uses whimsical black silhouettes with pops of a singular bright neon color (in this case, hot pink) to relate Rabbit’s escapades. From page to page, Rabbit overreaches (sometimes literally) and then . . . . OOPS! Rabbit tries and is stymied by gravity, the incoming tide, and too many bubbles but eventually Rabbit’s ambition will take the cake, to the delight of young readers. 

Mistakes will happen but also successes. Young audiences will enjoy “reading” the predictable text; each of Rabbit’s  efforts consists of three double-page spreads and “Rabbit on.”, “OOPS!”, and “Rabbit off.” Children will like interpreting the simple text combined with the silhouettes in this pleasant, enjoyable but not particularly outstanding book which would make more sense as a board book, then in its current picture book format.

Recommended for public library collections.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

three-stars

Look How Much I’ve Grown in Kindergarten

Look How Much I’ve Grown in KindergartenLook How Much I've Grown in KINDergarten (A KINDergarten Book) by Joey Chou, Vera Ahiyya
ISBN: 0593643968
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Kindergarten is a time for discovering lots of ways to grow, but it can also be a time when children realize they are learning at a different pace than their peers. In Look How Much I’ve Grown in Kindergarten, the main character is a girl named Mason with freckles, wavy brown hair, and light brown skin,  who is worried “everyone can do everything right and I can’t”, comparing herself to her peers and feeling “small as a seed”. Many kindergarteners will identify with her frustrations: shoe tying, flower drawing, and identifying letter sounds. 

Mason’s kindergarten teacher, Ms. Perry, brown skin and coils of brown hair, helps her understand, “Everyone will grow differently but everyone is growing all the time.” The teacher’s support includes  asking the class of multiracial students to identify ways they would like to grow. The otherwise unremarkable story is buoyed by the charming and cheerful illustrations that support the plant motif running through the book: when Mason is successful at tying her shoes she feels “as tall as a sunflower”; flowers and plants appear on every page; and at the end of the story, Ms. Perry declares to the class that seeds need help to grow, “just like you!”

Ahiyya stresses the importance of the growth mindset, and its components, time and patience. Back matter contains an author’s note for parents regarding patience and practice for developing skills, growth mindset tips, a step-by-step shoe tying diagram, and a template for a thank you card.

Recommended for public and early elementary school library collections where other books by Ahiyya (the Tutu Teacher) are popular.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

three-stars

Great Gusts: Winds of the World and the Science Behind Them

Great Gusts: Winds of the World and the Science Behind ThemGreat Gusts: Winds of the World and the Science Behind Them by Khoa Le, MEGAN BENEDICT, Melanie Crowder
ISBN: 1536224510
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This is an informational picture book that uses brief poetry, evocative illustrations, and detailed sidebars to explain and describe fourteen winds, specific to their geographic location and climes. The poems are rhythmic  and vivid, mostly free-verse but occasionally following the traditional patterns of the geographic area they represent, such as Papagayo Jet, written in the copla form (folk poetry of Central and South America):

Even fierce, howling winds bring
hope, remake this world.
Rest, fragile beasts, where algae
blooms in cooling swirls.

Each wind has a double-page spread that includes a poem, a sidebar that explains how the unique geography forms the wind and its accompanying weather system, and an illustration that brings these  elements together, using “wind lines” to show how the winds blow over landscapes and seascapes.

The back matter contains a world map pinpointing wind locales, glossary, explanations of what makes the wind and how winds are named.

It is an extremely browsable book, with accessible poems and illustrations that strengthen the concept of how and where the winds take shape. Highly recommended for public and school library collections where patrons are keen on geography and weather.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

five-stars

No Dragons for Tea

No Dragons for TeaNo Dragons for Tea: Fire Safety for Kids {and Dragons} by Jean E. Pendziwol, Martine Gourbault
on December 15, 1998
ISBN: 1550745719
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

This picture book conveys important fire safety information in a non-threatening manner through a story about a young white girl who befriends a dragon at the beach and invites him to tea. The rhyming couplets and Prisma color pencils create a dynamic story about a house fire starting in an unreal way (the dragon sneezes on the draperies), focusing on what to do (crawl out, meet everyone at an assigned location, etc.). The dragon makes errors in judgment that the girl sets right:


“Don’t ever go back – that just will not do.
We can get a new bear, but we can’t replace you.”

Everyone (including the teddy bear) is safe and sound. Realistic expectations (“The smoke made a mess, but the fire is out.”) are demonstrated. The book sets up realistic (other than the cause of the fire) expectations and outcomes, and provides many useful safety tips along the way in a story that is dynamic and engaging for young children. 

The back matter includes The Dragon’s Fire-Safety Rhyme and a checklist of discussion points and actions for caregivers to share with children. The story would make an excellent read-aloud at school for Fire Prevention Month (October), or at home to find a way to discuss and make a fire safety plan. Recommended for both public and school library collections.

Reviewed by Deanna Contrino, SLMS/MLIS, Young School Librarian, Saco

four-stars