Category: Cream of the Crop Nominees

Outspoken Paul Robeson Ahead of His Time: A One-Man Show by Carole Boston Weatherford & Eric Velasquez

Outspoken Paul Robeson Ahead of His Time: A One-Man Show by Carole Boston Weatherford & Eric VelasquezOutspoken: Paul Robeson, Ahead of His Time: A One-Man Show by Carole Boston Weatherford, Eric Velásquez
Published by Candlewick Press on 2024
ISBN: 1536212970
Genres: Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

In this first person narration, biographical, picture book in verse, Newbery Honor Winner Carole Boston Weatherford steps into the shoes of the multitalented Paul Robeson.  Those talents expand to All-American Football, baseball, and basketball player, valedictorian of Rutger class of 1919, Columbian Law Degree recipient, actor, singer, and activist.  His impact reached far and wide as he traveled around the world, using his amazing voice and strong influence to, “…speak out against the injustices against the Negro people of this land… fighting for the rights of my people, who are still second-class sitizens in this United States.”  There are so many things to say about this remarkable man, but you just have to read the book to learn more.  

While this is a “picture book,” it is written for a middle grade and older audience.  The verse is layered with lyrics from spirituals and folk songs.  The illustrations by Eric Valasquez are exquisite and add a lot to understanding the wonderful and tragic events of Robeson’s life.  The back of the book contains a timeline of Robeson’s life as well as a bibliography for further reading.

Reviewed by Heidi Kopishke, Camden Hills Regional High School, Rockport, ME.

five-stars

A Pinecone!

A Pinecone!A Pinecone! by Helen Yoon
Published by Candlewick Press on 2024
ISBN: 1536226262
Genres: Adventure, Family, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

In this picture book, Yoon brings back the parent-child relationship from her book Off-Limits.  In this story, the father and daughter go out for a walk.  The father is very distracted as his daughter becomes gripped with the exciting task of collecting pinecones.  Her great enthusiasm is portrayed mostly through the comedic artwork and few words.  The text is bold and easy to read as well as cleverly placed on the page to create whimsey.  The father’s response is to encourage his daughter’s imagination and not lose his temper.  This book is a perfect read aloud to young children, yet entertaining for readers of all ages.    

Reviewed by Heidi Kopishke, Camden Hills Regional High School, Rockport, ME.

five-stars

True Life in Uncanny Valley

True Life in Uncanny ValleyTrue Life in Uncanny Valley by Deb Caletti
Published by Labyrinth Road on March 18, 2025
ISBN: 059370861X
Pages: 401
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Sixteen-year-old Eleanor and her older sister Ros were raised by a single mom. Their father, billionaire tech genius Hugo Harrison, lives in the same city but a world apart, and they have no contact with him. Despite this, or maybe because of it, Eleanor finds herself drawn to his glittery, famous, wealthy world. Accidentally (sort of) she bumps into Aurora, the young, gorgeous social media influencer stepmother she’s never met – and finds herself being offered the position of live-in nanny for her two-year-old half-brother. Eleanor provides a false last name and finds herself catapulted into a summer of secrets: not telling her mother or sister who she’s really working for, and not telling her father’s family who she really is.

As the weeks progress, one thing becomes clear: nothing in this family is as it seems from outside. The idyllic life portrayed on social media and followed by millions isn’t real. As Eleanor digs deeper into the secret of what Hugo Harrison is developing – his next huge, world changing tech reveal – she is horrified to discover both what it is, and how her young half-brother has been being used in the development of it. The titular “Uncanny Valley” is a reference to the instinctual revulsion that humans feel when faced with lifelike AI beings that are undefinably “off” – and ultimately it’s that confrontation that that will define Eleanor’s summer, by challenging the very idea of how humans connect to one another, and what the role of family – most especially parents – really is.

This is a great novel on many levels; Eleanor is a realistic and sympathetic character trying to find her place in a confusing world as a teenager, navigating family drama, a budding romance, and a (one sided) experience of trying to connect with father’s family. It is also a searing look at tech, social media, and AI – both the good, and the bad. Caletti looks hard at tech: both the way new advances are touted publicly, but also the impact on a personal level, and she does this in a highly readable, hard-to-put-down way. Secondary characters are thought out and three dimensional, adding substance and grounded reality to the story.

Highly recommend! Widespread appeal given multiple themes of tech, family dynamics, teenage coming-of-age themes and light romance.

5 stars/cream

Reviewed by Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta

five-stars

Impossible Creatures

Impossible CreaturesImpossible Creatures (Impossible Creatures #1) by Katherine Rundell
Published by Penguin Random House on September 14, 2023
ISBN: 0593809866
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Magical Realism
Format: Middle Grade Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

This magical adventure story follows Christopher, a Scottish boy who discovers he is destined to be a Guardian of the last remaining bit of magic on earth, and Mal, a girl who lives in that hidden land and is determined to save it at whatever cost. Reminiscent of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia – particularly Voyage of the Dawn Treader – and Angie Sage’s Septimus Heap series, characters are varied and well developed, and the story is simultaneously simple and multi-layered, giving it appeal to a wide range of readers. Though it is Christopher’s story first, he and Mal share the main character role in many ways, and the balance makes for a positive reading experience. This is the type of story so many of us read when young but still remember when we are adults; it is the secret land found in the back of the wardrobe or through the looking glass. There is love, risk, fear and terrible loss, but also success in the face of vanishingly small odds. It’s a gem, and gorgeously packaged with a vibrant cover hinting at the dragons within. Highly recommend for every library; an easy book to put in the hands of readers from early middle grade on up.

5 Stars/Cream

Reviewed by: Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library

five-stars

A Constellation of Minor Bears

A Constellation of Minor BearsA Constellation of Minor Bears by Jen Ferguson
on September 24, 2024
ISBN: 0063334224
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Young Adult
Goodreads
five-stars

A Constellation of Minor Bears is about Molly, her brother, Hank, and their best friend, Traylor. All of their lives changed when Hank’s climbing equipment failed and he fell way too far, Traylor helpless to stop his best friend from breaking his body and seriously injuring his brain. Hank spends weeks in a coma and then months in rehab. While his life hung in the balance Molly made a promise to the universe she doesn’t know if she can keep anymore: If he wakes up, she’ll continue on the path her parents set for her to become a doctor but when he wakes up she starts to realize medicine might not be right for her. The plans they all made for their futures suddenly change, especially their plan to hike the Pacific Crest Trail together the summer after graduation.

As the book opens, Molly and Traylor graduate while Hank is stuck in summer school. Molly and Traylor head off on their dream hike without Hank. Molly can’t contain her anger towards Traylor: she can’t help but feel he should have been able to save her brother from falling—but meanwhile Traylor is in love with her, imagines a future for them. Can Molly move on and figure out what she wants next? Or will she continue to carry her anger? As Hank decides to join Traylor and Molly the tension builds between the characters who are all struggling with life that looks different from how they thought it would.

Ferguson’s strategic and artful storytelling bring this story to life. From switching perspectives between the main characters—Molly, Hank, and Traylor—to going back and forth in time, to developing metaphors around song making and bears, to writing about characters who are on a metaphorical journey while also on a literal hiking adventure, Ferguson brings many plot lines, themes, and important conversations together in an engaging and natural way. Reminiscent of Nic Stone, Aiden Thomas, and Angie Thomas, Jen Ferguson uses a character driven story to help readers think about privilege, intersectionality, advocacy, body image, racism, native land, and more. Every library that serves secondary students needs a copy of this book.

There are so many reasons to love this book: It’s a great conversation starter for so many important topics. It also has something that can appeal to so many kinds of readers—those who love hiking, the outdoors, and the wilderness; those who love a romance; and those that love books that are strong on character development, show characters overcoming their grief, or coming of age tales. There is something for everyone! This would be a fantastic addition to any secondary library and would be a great choice for any program, book club, or required or choice reading. Five stars - Can’t recommend enough!

Reasons to read:
-A book featuring Indigenous characters written by an Indigenous author
-Important topics from fat phobia, homophobia, privilege, land back movements, MMIW, grief, disability representation, coming of age, romance, friendship, and found family.
-Something for everyone — romance, outdoors, coming of age, character driven plot, action & adventure
-Written in partnership with We Need Diverse Books and Heartdrum — Cynthia Leitich Smith’s Native focused imprint of HarperCollins
Reviewed by Katy Jones, Gardiner Area High School Library, Gardiner

five-stars

The Kids Book of Black History in Canada

The Kids Book of Black History in CanadaThe Kids Book of Black History in Canada (Kids Books of) by Arden Taylor, Rosemary Sadlier
Published by Kids Can Press on 2024
ISBN: 1525307371
Genres: Cultural / African American, Non-Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars
This update of the 2003 The Kids Book of Black Canadian History is set up similarly to Dorling Kindersley books with short blurbs of text, many illustrations and maps, and numerous brief profiles of Black Canadians. The author points out multiple differences, similarities, and connections to United States Black experiences, revealing new perspectives on American history.

Opening with a definition of Black Canadian history, the book then continues through the 400 years of Black Canada, covering the Atlantic Slave Trade, slavery in New France and British Canada, the Underground Railroad, and Black Canadian involvement in the U.S. Civil War. There are entries on Black Canadian homesteaders, cowboys, domestic servants, railway porters, and World Wars I and II soldiers. The author discusses problems of prejudice and racism, immigration, and the continued fight for rights and representation in society. The final sections of the book include a chronology of Canadian Black Heritage celebrations, a section of mini-biographies, a glossary and an index.

Recommended to introduce young readers (approximately ages 8-12) to a different aspect of Canadian history, another view of the Black experience, and new perspectives on United States history.

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, Gorham Campus Library, University of Southern Maine

five-stars

Pavlo Gets the Grumps

Pavlo Gets the GrumpsPavlo Gets the Grumps by Natalia Shaloshvili
Published by Candlewick Press on 2024
ISBN: 1536235547
Genres: Animals, Emotions & Feelings
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars
A kitten named Pavlo wakes up in a bit of a mood. He doesn’t want to to the park, nor go swimming, nor go to see a movie. His mother observes that he must have the grumps. Mama cat suggests that they go out anyway and Pavlo’s friends at the park gently bring him out of his funk.

With a universally applicable theme and soft, fuzzy-looking images created with acrylics and watercolors, Ukrainian-born author Natalia Shaloshvili has created a fun read-aloud gem. It would be an excellent pair with Laura Dockrill’s Gray, another recent picture book that puts a positive spin on less-than-positive emotions.

Highly recommended!   Suggested reading level: 3-7 year-olds.

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, Gorham Campus Library, University of Southern Maine

five-stars

Olivette Is You

Olivette Is YouOlivette Is You by Nico Tortorella
Published by Random House on 2024
ISBN: 059338153X
Genres: Emotions & Feelings
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars
Simple rhyming text and effervescently cheerful illustrations introduce us to Olivette, a kid who can do, and be, anything. The message of the book is not only that Olivette is “all of it”, but so is everyone else.  One memorable two-page illustration shows a diverse row of children, and even Olivette’s dog, lined up at a table with their own nesting dolls showing the many different aspects of their individual personalities, from artists and athlete to doctors and scholars.
All the illustrations, done with Adobe Photoshop, are exceptionally inclusive.

An example of one of the most representative rhymes is:
“No matter where we come from,
What we look like,
How we speak,
We aren’t that different, after all.
We are equally unique!”

This book would make for an extremely cheerful, positive read-aloud for 4-8 year-olds.

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, Gorham Campus Library, University of Southern Maine

five-stars

The Last Stand

The Last StandThe Last Stand by Antwan Eady, Jarrett Pumphrey, Jerome Pumphrey
Published by Alfred A. Knopf on 2024
ISBN: 0593480570
Genres: Farm Life, Cultural / African American
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars
An unnamed young teen boy helps his grandfather harvest and sell fresh produce at the last remaining farm stand in their all-Black neighborhood. Poignantly, their’s is the last stand open in what was once a thriving five-stall location. When the grandfather becomes ill, his grandson works hard to continue business as usual by loading up a wagon and peddling it to the farm stand with his bicycle. The grateful neighbors bring gifts of jams and baked goods to wish his grandfather well. The grandfather does recover and the last pages show that the grandson takes over the stand as an adult. Significantly, one of the other stands has also reopened by then, showing some signs of recovery for Black farmers, as well.

The author’s note at the end of the book explains the reality of the plight of small-scale Black farmers. He hopes this book will help to bring this issue to light. The illustrations are done with handmade stamps and digitally edited.

Highly recommended as an engaging way to introduce 3-7 year olds to important social issues.

Reviewed by Crystal Wilder, Gorham Campus Library, University of Southern Maine

five-stars

Up, Up, Ever, Up! Junko Tabei: a Life in the Mountains

Up, Up, Ever, Up! Junko Tabei: a Life in the MountainsUp, Up, Ever Up! Junko Tabei: A Life in the Mountains by Anita Yasuda, Yuko Shimizu
Published by Clarion ISBN: 0063242419
Genres: Adventure, Biography/Autobiography
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars
This is an exhilarating look at the life of Junko Tabei, the first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest.  Starting with her early life in Japan, the book profiles a life dedicated to climbing,  and, eventually,  to the care and maintenance  of mountains necessitated by so many people determined to reach the top.  After Junko climbed Everest she continued climbing and achieved all seven major summits of the world.

The illustrations are as colorful as the story, and work in perfect harmony to create a fitting tribute to a trailblazing climber, feminist, and humanitarian. Highly recommended!

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars