Category: Cream of the Crop Nominees

Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules

Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of HerculesDelilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules (Delilah Dirk, #3) by Tony Cliff
Published by First Second on August 7th 2018
ISBN: 1626728046
Pages: 249
Goodreads
five-stars

Meet the female version of Indiana Jones, but set a half of century earlier. This is the third in the Delilah Dirk series and is filled with adventure. Delilah is portrayed and illustrated as a strong in independent female. The illustrations are realistic and well detailed carrying the story line well. In some of the cells there are speech bubbles that depict various forms of mumble that the reader is not retelling told but can imagine the conversation.

Recommended for grades 6 and up and for anyone that enjoys a good action packed adventure.

Review by Kristin Taylor, Biddeford High School.

five-stars

The Boneless Mercies

The Boneless MerciesThe Boneless Mercies by April Genevieve Tucholke
on October 2nd 2018
ISBN: 0374307067
Pages: 384
Goodreads
five-stars

Tucholke uses Norse myth and culture to create mythological fantasy novel  about  four strong young women as they search the kingdoms of Vorseland for the deadly Blue Vee Beast. Their journey along the way is filled with death, of which they long for a different life.  A wonderfully brilliant feminine retelling of Beowulf. Strong female characters that portray ruthlessness along with compassion and humanity.

Recommended for grades 8 and up. A must get for Fantasy collections. Possibility of a continuation.

 

Reviewed by Kristin Taylor, Biddeford High School

five-stars

Totally Middle School: Tales of Friends, Family, and Fitting In

Totally Middle School: Tales of Friends, Family, and Fitting InTotally Middle School: Tales of Friends, Family, and Fitting in by Betsy Groban, Karen Cushman, Lois Lowry, Margarita Engle, Gregory Maguire, Linda Sue Park, Ann Dobbin, Gary D. Schmidt, Mary Downing Hahn, Katherine Paterson, Jordan Paterson, Hena Khan, Joyce Sidman, David Wiesner
Published by Delacorte Press on August 7th 2018
ISBN: 1524772208
Pages: 192
Goodreads
five-stars

Totally Middle School is a heartwarming collection of short stories written by top-notch authors and beautifully compiled by editor Betsy Groban. There are eleven stories all dealing with tweens taking the leap from elementary to middle school. The stories cover a broad range of relatable topics and situations that even older readers will make a connection with.  Who hasn’t dealt with bullying, feeling inadequate, fear of the unknown, or having to deal with people that are very different from you?

Groban has strategically placed a photo of the author as middle schoolers along with a humorous snippet of that time period. These short stories will serve as a vehicle to lead a whole new generation of readers to quality literature.  Some of the more established authors are Karen Cushman, Lois Lowry, Gregory Macguire, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, and David Wiesner.

A fun, playful and heartwarming read, I recommend that every public and middle school library get a copy of this book! This is a cream of the crop nominee.

Reviewed by Liz Davis, Children’s Librarian, Waterville Public Library

five-stars

The Red Ribbon by Lucy Adlington

The Red Ribbon by Lucy AdlingtonThe Red Ribbon by Lucy Adlington
Published by Candlewick Press (MA) on September 11th 2018
ISBN: 1536201049
Pages: 288
Goodreads
five-stars

Lucy Adlington’s historical novel, The Red Ribbon, is set in Auschwitz’s prisoner run, haute couture dress shop. The main character, Ella, is a talented young seamstress and designer who fights her way to work in the Upper Tailor Studio. In the midst of starvation, death, and torture, Ella forges a friendship an imaginative young prisoner, Rose. Daughter of a dutchess, Rose lifts the spirits of those around her with colorful stories and her selfless heart. The desperation of the prisoners and the vanity of their Nazi guards lends to suspense in the storyline as we watch the characters become cutthroat in order to maintain their position in the shop. There are special benefits to be the designer for the Commandant’s wife.

Well written and not glossing over the horrors of the camp, Adlington has made characters that the reader can relate to.  The author’s ability to focus on the struggle of humanity will cause readers to think.  It also shows the power of love, friendship, and hope are more powerful than even the darkest prison.

I would recommend this book for young adult collections in all library settings.

This book belongs with the creme of the crop!

Reviewed  by Liz Davis, Children’s Librarian, Waterville Public Library

five-stars

That Night

That NightThat Night by Amy Giles
Published by HarperTeen on October 23rd 2018
ISBN: 0062495771
Pages: 320
Goodreads
five-stars

That Night

 

That Night was the worst night of Jess and Lucas’s lives when a shooter at a movie theater killed both of their older brothers.  The shooting came out of nowhere and the ramifications continue to haunt both characters.  Jess needs to find a job to earn money to keep her household going as her mother slips further into a debilitating depression.  Lucas is working at a hardware store, partly to escape from his parents’ concern and his panic attacks, and he and Jess meet at her job interview.  Lucas isn’t sure he wants to work so closely with someone else who went through the same thing he did.  But they both soon realize that they are each what the other needs to climb out of the depths of sadness and continue on with their lives.

This book covers what happens after a terrible tragedy when the tv cameras leave and the survivors feel guilt and depression while wondering why they were left alive.  The love story that develops is sweet, optimistic, and a strong part of what will get Jess and Lucas through.  It was refreshing that the conflict wasn’t between the main characters and wasn’t over something silly or half-heard conversations.  From the very worst day will come a positive future.

I would like to recommend this book for Cream of the Crop for young adults in grades 9-12.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

five-stars

Pop!

Pop!Pop! by Jason Carter Eaton, Matt Rockefeller
Published by First Second Books on July 3rd 2018
ISBN: 1626725039
Pages: 42
Goodreads
five-stars

Does your storytime include blowing bubbles? If not, here is the perfect book to introduce such an activity. Dewey likes blowing bubbles more than playing with other youngsters, which frees up his mind to be creative in his methods of capturing a bubble that floats just out of his reach. In spite of his ultimate failure to pop the bubble, it turns out to be a friendship story.    

Wide pages hold double page spreads and some pages show series of smaller images, urging the reader to move quickly along with Dewey. Text is well-placed and well-paced. Librarians might want to leave the dust jacket unsecured – don’t miss the cover image!

Before reading aloud, I would ask youngsters to think of ways they could reach that last elusive bubble that floats just of their reach, or for older students, discuss why bubbles float and pop. If you’re looking for a book to add to your STEM list, this should be on it, mostly because it doesn’t feel like it’s trying to be a STEM book!

Recommended for Cream of the Crop.

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

five-stars

Broken Things

Broken ThingsBroken Things by Lauren Oliver
Published by HarperCollins on October 2nd 2018
ISBN: 0062224131
Pages: 408
Goodreads
five-stars

Recommending this novel for cream consideration.  Oliver has created a suspenseful, mystery novel that will be difficult to put down.  She deftly intertwines the story that the public believes with the pain and manipulation the suspects then victims have as they struggle to cope.  Oliver adds in just the right amount of red herrings.  Brynn and Mia were introduced to Summer five years ago when they were thirteen.  The three became obsessed with the book “The Way into Lovelorn” and role- played the setting, world and characters and created a Fanfic sequel because they didn’t like the way the book ended.  When Summer is found murder in a sacrificial way that matches the Fanfic’s details, the girls and another friend become suspects.  Social media and small town thinking pull the two teens into a notoriety that is difficult to break.  Told in the voices of Brynn and Mia, switching from past to present and instilled with quotes from  “Lovelorn” creates the suspenseful telling of this who- dun-it.  Recommended reading for mystery lovers in grades 10-12.

 

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Youth Services Librarian, Springvale Public Library

five-stars

Wild Buildings and Bridges

Wild Buildings and BridgesWild Buildings and Bridges: Architecture Inspired by Nature by Etta Kaner, Carl Wiens
Published by Kids Can Press on October 2nd 2018
ISBN: 1771387815
Pages: 40
Goodreads
five-stars

This is a great book for the next step of life after legos. The future architects will love this book. It’s a true story of building and bridges from around the world that were inspired by nature. One learns from observing how nature works wetland copycats dirty toilet water turns into a living machine, paint mimics butterfly wings to let the rain keep a round shape to roll right off, turning a desert green,  it’s not cool to be hot, and how to survive earthquakes. The Council House 2 office building in Melbourne, Australia was modeled after termite towers in Africa. They meant for the tower to work like lungs, but discovered they didn’t have it quite right. It still saves a lot of energy in ways that they didn’t expect. The school in San Juan Comalapa thick walls are made from used tires, dirt, plastic bottles stuffed with inorganic trash, this keeps the building cool during the day and warm in the evening.

The book is a mix of watercolor and photos. The stories include the history of some of the architects, the structures, and how they work.

After reading the book, students wanted to learn more about some of the structures, they researched on their own

Review by Jeri Fitzpatrick, GNGMS School, Gray

five-stars

Imagine

ImagineImagine by Juan Felipe Herrera, Lauren Castillo
Published by Candlewick Press on September 25th 2018
ISBN: 076369052X
Pages: 32
Goodreads
five-stars

He Is a distinguished author and activist and the U.S. Poet Laureate from 2015 to 2017, but before that, he was a migrant child moving from town to town, never calling any one place home. He entered school not knowing English  or any of his classmates. This is his story, the story of Juan Felipe Herrera, told in the way he knows best-in poetic verse. In it, he challenges the reader – If I can do this- imagine what you can do! If I can leave my home, move to the city, enter a classroom knowing  no one, learn a new language,sing in front of a  class, hone my craft and become a great poet-think of what you can do. His text is supported and expanded by Castillo’s large expressive pen and foam monoprint illustrations. Imagine  is not only a beautiful book to look at, it carries a message of challenge and hope that we can aspire to be and do anything we wish no matter the odds. Use this with units of immigration, poetry and persons who overcame the odds to be their true selves.

grades 2-6

submitted by Kathy George, Gray Public Library

five-stars

Pip & Pup

Pip & PupPip & Pup by Eugene Yelchin
Published by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) on April 24th 2018
ISBN: 1627793941
Pages: 32
Goodreads
five-stars

Recommending for cream consideration.  This wordless picture book, for readers from birth to 2nd grade, shows the humorous encounter of a just hatched chick and the barnyard puppy.  The title page provides a play by play of the chick getting out of his shell that stays in two pieces.  He explores the farm.  A clever spread has the chick on the left page looking through his wings like binoculars and the opposite page the shadows of those binoculars with the sleeping pup in the center of each optical circle.  After pecking the pup awake and running away, a quick thunderstorm brings them back together in a comical and comforting way.  A new friendship has formed.  Perfect for lap sharing, reading picture practice and sharing with preschool groups.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Springvale Public Library, Springvale

five-stars