Category: Cream of the Crop Nominees

Let Me Fix That for You

Let Me Fix That for YouLet Me Fix That for You by Janice Erlbaum
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) on July 23rd 2019
ISBN: 0374308101
Pages: 304
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Gladys is a fixer. She spends her school lunch periods helping her peers come up with excuses and cover ups for their problems. But now Glad has a personal issue that needs her attention– putting her family back together. Between home and school, the situations become more complicated and Glad might just find that she needs some help herself.

Perfect for 5th-8th grade readers, this book shows the complications of middle school life and the difficulties of fitting in, making friends, and being yourself. The story is relatable and funny and moves along at a steady pace. Most importantly, it shows that consequences are not avoidable forever and the best thing you can usually do is own up to your mistakes and learn from them.

Recommended for Cream of the Crop

Reviewed by Kerrie Lattari, York Middle School, York

four-stars

Saving the Tasmanian Devil: How Science is Helping the World’s Largest Marsupial Carnivore Survive

Saving the Tasmanian Devil: How Science is Helping the World’s Largest Marsupial Carnivore SurviveSaving the Tasmanian Devil: How Science Is Helping the World’s Largest Marsupial Carnivore Survive by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on August 20th 2019
ISBN: 0544991486
Pages: 80
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Goodreads
five-stars

When author Dorothy Patent caught up with college friend , Jenny Marshall Graves, she was shocked to hear that the symbol of Tasmania- the Tasmanian Devil is on the verge of extinction! Graves, a respected geneticist in her home country of Australia, told her she was part of a group of scientists, including a cancer researcher, ecologist, and a graduate student in genomics that are in a race against time to save this Australian symbol from a fatal disease known as Devil Facial Tumor Disease – DFTD.  Where did it come from, how is it transmitted, is it viral or bacterial She was invited to join the group in Australia to see first hand the what is being done to save these animals.

This new addition to the Scientists in the Field series introduces the reader to the plight of the Tasmanian Devil and the people, from the government down to volunteers in the field in their search for a cure or a vaccine that may save this species. In the meantime, scientists have captured healthy devils and put them into “insurance populations” where they will be monitored and hopefully kept safe until they can be reintroduced into the wild.

This addition has all of the qualities that has made this series a must for libraries. The material is presented in a manner that can be understood by the average reader with  photographs and information boxes to support the information. It is STEM at its best!

Reviewed by Kathy George, Gray Public Library, Gray Maine

five-stars

Piranhas Don’t Eat Bananas

Piranhas Don’t Eat BananasPiranhas Don't Eat Bananas by Aaron Blabey
Published by Scholastic Press on July 9th 2019
ISBN: 1338297139
Pages: 24
Goodreads
five-stars

Though the title will make you want to mispronounce piranha so that it rhymes, this story is a rollicking good time for toddlers.  The front of the book defines piranhas as South American meat-eating fish who will eat anything, even “little children who’ve actually been pretty good.”  Brian the piranha offers his friends a number of different fruits and vegetables to try, but they insist that they won’t, and instead share a part of the body that they love to eat that happens to rhyme with said fruit or veggies.  Peas vs. knees. Plums vs. bums. Brian won’t give up and finally convinces his friends to try some fruit. In the end, though, they still prefer their meat. This book has many chances for audience interaction and using fun voices.  Perfect for a toddler storytime. It would also work well for parents trying to get their kids to try something new. Recommended for ages 3-8.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman,  Maine State Library

five-stars

This Book Just Stole my Cat!

This Book Just Stole my Cat!This Book Just Stole My Cat! by Richard Byrne
Published by Oxford University Press on September 24th 2019
ISBN: 1250206677
Pages: 32
Goodreads
five-stars

Byrne is back with another hit.  This story finds Ben from “We’re in the Wrong Book!” back and having a similar experience to Bella in “This Book Just ate my Dog!”.  He’s taking his cat for a walk.  Suddenly the cat disappears! It has been swallowed up by the gutter of the book. Many people try to rescue the cat, but they all disappear too.  Finally, Ben receives a note from the void telling him that if he tickles the book, it will sneeze and let them all back out. The book encourages interaction by asking the children to tickle it in several places.  Ben finally gets his cat back, but there’s a surprise! Fantastic as a solo or group read-aloud. Combine with “Stuck” by Oliver Jeffers for a storytime about unexpected results. Recommended for ages 3-7.

five-stars

Hack Your Cupboard: Make Great Food with What You’ve Got

Hack Your Cupboard: Make Great Food with What You’ve GotHack Your Cupboard: Make Great Food with What You've Got by Alyssa Wiegand, Carla Delgadillo
Published by Zest Books (Tm) on October 1st 2019
ISBN: 1541578546
Pages: 168
Goodreads
five-stars

Recommending for cream consideration.  Perfect for high schoolers who will be living on their own either in the dorm or with a roommate.  The cookbook is divided into four sections:  First kitchen, Dorm Room Dining, First Apartment and first Solo Kitchen.  The table of contents clearly explains what to expect in each section.  The focus of the cookbook is providing helpful hints or “hacks” that any seasoned parent wants to convey to their teen about cooking, financial tricks and basic cooking skills.  Learn how to set up to cook in a dorm room (brownies in a mug), when to dispose of smelly dishes, roommate etiquette and transforming those magical staples….Ramen Noodles.  Simple popcorn flavors to more sophisticated cooking like Brie, Goat cheese Salad and Herb Braised Pork are included.  Most recipes and the knife kitchen skills presented for each section are accompanied with large, clear photos.  A conversion chart for measurements and temperatures are provided as well as an index.  Reviewed the sturdy, hardcover edition.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Springvale Public Library

five-stars

The Far Away Brothers: Two Teenage Immigrants Making a Life in America

The Far Away Brothers: Two Teenage Immigrants Making a Life in AmericaThe Far Away Brothers (Adapted for Young Adults): Two Teenage Immigrants Making a Life in America by Lauren Markham
Published by Delacorte Press on August 20th 2019
ISBN: 1984829777
Pages: 288
Goodreads
five-stars

In this young adult adaptation of the title by the same name, author Markham tells the tale of twin brothers, Ernesto and Raul Flores, who made the arduous and terrifying journey from El Salvador to the United States. Ending up on the wrong side of the infamous MS-13 gang, Ernesto’s life was in severe danger and the only way out was escaping to el Norte (United States). Getting as far as Mexico, Ernesto finds that Raul is to join him, as Ernesto’s identical twin he is now being mistaken for Ernesto so he is also in danger.

Markham is not only a journalist, but an English teacher at the Oakland (CA) International High School, where she met the boys and describes the legal process that they and many other undocumented youths have to go through not to be deported back to the hell and violence that they escaped from. Informational text at the end of the book discusses the historical context of immigration and provides thoughts and ideas about how this crisis might possibly be resolved.

Recommended for grades 8 and up and highly recommended for all book shelves.

Reviewed by Kristin Taylor,  Biddeford High School, Biddeford.

five-stars

Pie in the Sky

Pie in the SkyPie in the Sky by Remy Lai
Published by Henry Holt and Co. BYR Paperbacks on May 14th 2019
ISBN: 1250314100
Pages: 384
Goodreads
five-stars

Part prose novel, part graphic novel, this debut middle grade novel by Remy Lai captures the feelings of alienation and frustration one feels when trying desperately to figure out how to fit in when transplanted to a place where nothing is what you knew and you don’t understand what is expected of you. When Jingwen moves to Australia, he feels like a martian. Everything is different and he can’t understand the language at all. He is struggling with his dad’s unexpected death and clinging to his sadness like a life raft in an effort to hold on to his father’s memory.   Fortunately for Jingwen, he has something that ties him to his old life and helps diffuse the sadness about moving to the new place: baking. Unfortunately, he is not allowed to use the oven while his mother is at work, and she works the evening shift.  Fortunately, Jingwen has an annoying little brother Yanghao (a constant source of humor), who is happy to break the rules with Jingwen if he is paid in cake.  With or without his mother’s permission, Jingwen is determined to bake all of the cakes on his father’s list, which was to be used when they moved to Australia as a family and opened the Pie in the Sky Bakery. Jingwen equates baking these cakes with his ability to fit in and he truly believes that if he gets through all of the cakes on the list, things will be okay. But reality is different than Jingwen’s dream. With gut-wrenching honesty, Lai brings the reader on Jingwen’s journey as he learns to let go and find his way home. Use with Sean Tan’s “The Arrival” and Patti Kim’s “Here I Am” (with art by Sonia Sánchez) to punch home the isolation and confusion that comes with traveling to a new land, dealing with loss, and learning to let go of the old and find a new normal.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth

five-stars

The Astronaut who Painted the Moon: The true story of Alan Bean

The Astronaut who Painted the Moon: The true story of Alan BeanThe Astronaut Who Painted the Moon: The True Story of Alan Bean by Dean Robbins, Sean Rubin
Published by Orchard Books on May 28th 2019
ISBN: 1338259539
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

Alan Bean was the 4th person in history to walk on the moon.  His experience touched him so, he decided to paint the feeling of being in space.  His impressionist takes on actual experiences and photos became well-known and have been featured in galleries.  The author worked directly with Bean before his passing on this book. The colors used in the illustrations mirrors Bean’s art.  Detailed back matter includes a brief biography of Bean, examples of his paintings, a brief history of space exploration, and a bibliography.  Recommended for ages 4-8.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Maine State Library

five-stars

All the Ways Home

All the Ways HomeAll the Ways Home by Elsie Chapman
Published by Feiwel & Friends on May 28th 2019
ISBN: 1250166799
Pages: 224
Goodreads
five-stars

All the Ways Home is Elsie Chapman’s beautiful middle grade fiction debut novel. After twelve-year-old Kaede Hirano’s mother dies in a tragic car accident, he is left to live in Vancouver with a grandfather he barely knows. Kaede spends his tumultuous seventh grade year in middle school acting out his anger and grief, isolating friends, and risking repeating the grade. When Kaede is sent on a three-week trip to Japan to spend time with his absent father and older half-brother, he embarks upon a journey of what it means to find home. The skill with which this novel is written makes it a pure joy to read. The descriptions of Japanese city life are vivid, transporting the reader to a different culture yet maintaining feelings of comfort and familiarity. Told through Kaede’s articulate and insightful voice as well as his journal entries, the reader is quickly endeared to Kaede, and cheers him on throughout his journey. All the Ways Home is a tender and heartfelt novel that addresses the complexities of grief, forgiveness, acceptance, what it means to be family, and what it means to find home.

Reviewed by Jennifer Benham, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland

five-stars

My Sweet Orange Tree

My Sweet Orange TreeMy Sweet Orange Tree by José Mauro de Vasconcelos
Published by Candlewick Press (MA) on July 9th 2019
ISBN: 1536203289
Pages: 272
Goodreads
five-stars

My Sweet Orange Tree was first published in Brazil in 1968. It has been widely read and studied in Brazil, translated into 19 languages, and has been adapted to film, theater, and television. My Sweet Orange Tree is an autobiographical novel narrated by a grown man, reflecting on his childhood and told from the perspective of a five-year-old boy named Zezé. His mischievousness is treated with severity, and Zezé grows up believing he is worthless. Zezé takes solace in Sweetie, the sweet orange tree in his backyard, having conversations and adventures that take him away from the stark reality of his life. Zezé also forms a tender and unbreakable relationship with Manuel, who becomes the loving surrogate father Zezé craves. Alison Entrekin’s translator’s notes are valuable, explaining that Brazilian storytellers often present characters abruptly, without much information to place them. For a first read of this text, readers should be encouraged not to scrutinize the exact story or relation of characters that appear; rather, place the characters contextually within the storyline without overanalyzing. My Sweet Orange Tree speaks directly and graphically about Zezé’s physical abuse at the hands of his father and siblings, and there is language not intended for juvenile audiences. Although the cover illustration and subject matter (the life experiences of a five-year-old boy) seem to suggest this book for a younger readership, it is most appropriate for teens and adults. This heart-wrenching book is a must-read for any librarian or teacher who is interested in diversifying the voices in their collection, and representing classics from different cultures.

Reviewed by Jennifer Benham, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland

five-stars