Category: Cream of the Crop Nominees

Calvin Gets the Last Word

Calvin Gets the Last WordCalvin Gets the Last Word by Margo Sorenson, Mike Deas
Published by Tilbury House Publishers on October 6, 2020
ISBN: 0884488225
Pages: 32
Genres: Humor, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

“I’m Calvin’s dictionary, and I’m tired.”  Why is Calvin’s dictionary telling this story? Why is it tired? Who is Calvin? This humorous vocabulary-building story introduces the reader to big words, such as mayhem, subterfuge and retaliation. Even though young readers might not remember these words, they will remember and possibly relate to the irritations of siblings.

Full-color illustrations mirror the text as well as give a deeper understanding of the big words used. Green and gray hues are dominant, but the brothers are in bolder colors, and the yellow-with-red-stripe dictionary is easy to locate on each page.

Great to use an introduction to dictionaries, or vocabulary-building, or what’s most important in “family”.  Fun pairings could include “Tony Baloney” (Pam Munox Ryan, 2011), or “Word Collector” (Peter Reynolds, 2018).

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

five-stars

Land of the Cranes

Land of the CranesThe Land of the Cranes by Aida Salazar
Published by Scholastic Press on September 15, 2020
ISBN: 1338343807
Pages: 256
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Betita was born in the US, but her parents are undocumented. When her father is deported, Betita and her pregnant mother are left to figure things out for themselves. In an attempt to see her father, Betita and her mother are also detained. Now living in a family detention camp outside LA, Betita finds strength in her poetry and art. When Betita’s mother goes into early labor, Betita is left in the detention center without her mother.

This book is simultaneously heartwarming and gut wrenching. It is so well written and, at times, so hard to read. The text is in beautifully written verse that perfectly mimics the poetry Betita creates throughout the story. The story effortlessly tackles the difficult subject of family separation through deportation, detention, and immigrations with grace. This is an important and timely book and should be added to most collections. Recommended for readers 5th grade and up and recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

The Left-Handed Booksellers of London

The Left-Handed Booksellers of LondonThe Left-Handed Booksellers of London by Garth Nix
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on September 22, 2020
ISBN: 006268325X
Pages: 416
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Folklore, Humor, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Recommending for cream consideration for High School readers.  Seventeen year old Susan has arrived in 1983 London from the country earlier than her school schedule to seek out the father she has never met.  What happens next changes her view of reality, mythical tales and booksellers as she watches a left-handed bookseller disintegrate the only man she believes could help her with a hatpin.  Susan is immediately catapulted into the magical underworld of Old World beings that continue to collide with her everyday human life in action packed, richly descriptive, dangerously magical and sometimes romantic ways.  With the assistance of Merlin, the seventeen year old left-handed bookseller, who is charming, gender questioning, magically manipulative, and a little hot, and his right-handed bookseller sister Vivien, Susan survives Goblin fairs, meetings with the Ancient Ones, some normal London police action and revelations about her lineage.  Nix spins a fast-paced fantasy that bestows ancient powers and fascinating responsibilities to booksellers, explores unknown myths and sets it all in an alternate London that feels authentic and desirable.  Lovers of fantasy, folklore, everything British and romance will find this book a winner.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Youth Services Librarian

five-stars

Everything I Thought I Knew

Everything I Thought I KnewEverything I Thought I Knew by Shannon Takaoka
Published by Candlewick Press on October 13, 2020
ISBN: 1536207764
Pages: 320
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Senior, Chloe Russell, is in the beginning of what is to be a fulfilling year with AP courses, track and extracurricular activities that would look good on a college resume. Then she passes out a track practice only to find that her heart is failing and the only chance is a new heart. Which only means that someone else has to die in order for her to survive.

After being whisked away in the middle of the night, when the phone call came in to say her new heart is on the way to the hospital, Chloe awakes to realize that she is breathing better, she can feel her hands and feet and that she is thankful to be alive. Then the dreams start coming of blood, and crashing, seeing people that she thinks she knows, but not sure how and the places she remembers even though she has never been there before.

An outstanding book  on a topic that isn’t discussed often — organ transplants and the questions that are asked about how life is fragile, the aspects of death and the possibilities of memories/experiences that might be carried on from donor to recipient.

Recommended for grades 9 and up.

Reviewed by Kristin Taylor, Biddeford High School, Biddeford.

five-stars

Field Notes on Love

Field Notes on LoveField Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith
on March 5, 2019
ISBN: 0399559442
Genres: Humor, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Hugo’s girlfriend, Margaret Campbell, just dumped him. They had planned a trip across the pond to take Margaret to school in California in the fall. She feels bad and tells him to keep the tickets, but the there is only one problem — everything from plane tickets, train tickets and hotel rooms are in her name. So what is Hugo to do? He puts out an Internet search for a Margaret Campbell contest to see if he can locate a new Margaret Campbell

In steps, Mae, aka Margaret Campbell, who was just rejected from USC’s film school and is being encouraged by her grandmother to enter the contest, because you only live once and life is full of experiences that you shouldn’t pass up. She wins the contest based on her video she submitted on why she would be the best Margaret Campbell. Their journey will begin in New York, with many stops in between on their way to California.

Neither Hugo or Mae’s parents know they are travelling with complete strangers. Hugo’s think he is travelling alone to experience life as one person not one of six.Hugo happens to be one of the Surrey Six (sextuplets and are famous in the UK by they own right). His siblings are putting their two  cents worth in from the UK. Mae’s fathers thinks she is travelling with her new roommate to get to know one another.

Needless to say, this book is humorous, awkward, and with young romance abound.

Recommended for grades 9 and above.

Reviewed by Kristin Taylor, Biddeford High School, Biddeford.

 

 

five-stars

All Because You Matter

All Because You MatterAll Because You Matter by Bryan Collier, Tami Charles
Published by Orchard Books on October 6, 2020
ISBN: 133857485X
Pages: 40
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This book is gorgeous, heartfelt, hard, and important. The author notes that she wrote the book for parents as a starting point for discussions with children about the racial climate in the world right now. She also wrote it for the kids from marginalized communities as a reminder that, no matter what, they matter.

The book follows a young brown skinned child into adolescence, but the text is really a letter to children everywhere about how they matter. It covers many situations where kids may think that their worth is lost but reminds the readers of how this isn’t true. It encourages kids to always see the good in themselves. The artwork in this book is realistic, gorgeous, and really builds the story. The portraits of children and their families are life-like and full of emotion. Recommended for all readers. Highly recommended purchase and recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

One Little Bag

One Little BagOne Little Bag: An Amazing Journey by Henry Cole
Published by Scholastic Press on April 7, 2020
ISBN: 1338359975
Pages: 48
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This is a gorgeously illustrated wordless picture book. It follows the life of one paper bag as it is reused and repurposed throughout one person’s entire life. It begins with a tree and ends in a surprising full circle way. Henry Cole’s illustrations are detailed, and full of character. The book is almost entirely black and white, except for the paper bag. Even though the focus is the bag, there are so many other things wrapped up in this story — family, love, environment, compassion, and more. Highly recommended for readers 3 and up and recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

How We Got to the Moon

How We Got to the MoonHow We Got to the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats of Science Behind Humanity's Greatest Adventure by John Rocco
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers on October 6, 2020
ISBN: 0525647414
Pages: 264
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

This book is phenomenal. The book takes the reader from the very idea of landing on the moon all the way to lunar landing and the journey home. The level of research that went into writing this book is evident in the vastness of what’s covered as well as the detail with which it’s presented. Add to the astounding amount of information the gorgeous and detailed illustrations, and this book really has it all. It is definitely for a more advanced reader and someone who is really interested in space. However, even if the reader doesn’t read every word, the illustrations alone are enough to keep interest and increase knowledge. The back pages have more information about the timeline and the lunar mission. It’s worth noting that People of Color and women were given appropriate credit throughout and their efforts, contributions, and necessity were definitely not overlooked. Recommended for readers 10 and up and recommended for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

When You Look Up

When You Look UpWhen You Look Up by Chloe Garcia Roberts, Decur
ISBN: 1592702937
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Graphic Novel
Goodreads
five-stars

I just read this and I can’t even wait to read it to my kids. What a strange and wonderful book. This graphic novel uses drawings and cut paper illustrations to tell the story of Lorenzo, a young boy attached to his phone who is (begrudgingly) adapting to a new house after moving with his mother. He finds a notebook in an old writing desk and becomes more and more intrigued with the stories in it and their author. The stories are vague but disquieting and Lorenzo sets out to discover more about what had happened to the notebook’s owner. The illustrations are striking and surreal and even border on frightening at times and the book continually surprises the reader. Aside from the notebook story line, When You Look Up gently suggests that staring at a screen all day can cause missed connections and experiences but does it in such a unique way maybe it will be taken to heart. I would recommend this for any age as there is so much happening descriptively and visually it will have something to offer every reader.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath

five-stars

I’ll Be the One

I'll Be the One by Lyla Lee
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on June 16, 2020
ISBN: 0062936921
Pages: 328
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Romance
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars
Recommending for Young Adult cream consideration.   In a fresh, first person voice of an aspiring K-pop singer and dancer, Korean- American Skye Haneul rocks the auditions for the latest K-pop competition in Los Angeles.  From an early age in ballet class up to these auditions, she has had a grueling, abusive, daily reminder from her mother that “fat girls can’t dance” and other body shaming behaviors.  Skye’s passion and talent for K-pop fuels her confidence and enables her to shake off the various microaggressions and speak up when they come from the judges of the competition.   Along the way, Skye snags the eye of the fetching young Korean celebrity Henry Cho and their new relationship goes viral.  They are both bisexual, some secondary characters are queer, and the majority of characters are Korean or Korean-American.  A fun romance that will have readers searching to see if there is a real K-pop competition to watch.   The copy reviewed was a library copy.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Youth Services, Springvale Public Library

five-stars