Format: Chapter Book Fiction

The Startup Squad

ISBN: 9781250180407
Pages: 176
three-stars

The Startup Squad is a new series about friendship and entrepreneurship!  Resa is starting a lemonade stand competition assignment . She and three other friends agree to work together . The prombles occur with what the idea looks like for all of them, how to listen to each other, and location, supplies, and marketing.

The back of the book has a great section for new entrepreneurs: ideas include Markrting, Marketing tips, sales tips,location tips, and Merchandising tips.

Reviewed by jeri Fitzpatrick

three-stars

For Black Girls Like Me

For Black Girls Like MeFor Black Girls Like Me by Mariama J. Lockington
on July 30th 2019
ISBN: 0374308047
Pages: 336
Goodreads
five-stars

Eleven year-old Keda’s world changes drastically when her family moves from Baltimore to New Mexico. Keda is African American and has white adoptive parents and a white sister. In her new school, Keda is subjected to the silent treatment, ridicule, microaggressions, and overt racism from her new middle school classmates and teachers. When Keda’s mother decides to homeschool Keda and her older sister, Keda feels isolated from her peers. Keda and her sister also struggle to help their mother who has untreated bipolar disorder. Told in first person narrative, this coming-of-age story explores themes of race, identity, family and friendship. Keda’s story unfolds through a series of journal entries and email messages to her best friend in Baltimore as well as song lyrics Keda writes about her experiences. Highly recommended for middle school and high school libraries. (Recommended for grades 6 and up).  Cathy Potter, Falmouth Middle School Library, Falmouth
Recommended for Cream of the Crop

five-stars

Searching for Lottie

Searching for LottieSearching for Lottie by Susan Ross
Published by Holiday House on February 26th 2019
ISBN: 0823441660
Pages: 176
Goodreads
five-stars

Charlie (Charlotte) is a twelve-year-old girl researching her namesake, Lottie (Charlotte) for a school project.  Both share not only a name, but also the love of violin. When Lottie went missing during WWII, all assumed she perished since she was Jewish in a Nazi dominated society.  Charlie follows the trail discovering clues such as an old necklace and relying on researching primary sources to find her missing great aunt. Themes of family, perseverance, facing adversity, aging, and hope flow through this well written novel.  Searching for Lottie is an intergenerational mystery based on true events which explains the history of this time period in an age appropriate manner.  Readers 8-12 will enjoy the suspense while they follow Charlie through her day to day life auditioning, developing a crush, relating to her brother, and visiting elderly family members while learning about a difficult time in history.  Teachers and parents will find this book an enjoyable read aloud with a variety of topics to discuss. Both may also enjoy knowing that the author grew up in Lewiston-Auburn and continues to spend part of her time in Maine.

Reviewed by Heather Hale, Easton School District, Easton

Recommended for Cream of the Crop

five-stars

The Pennypackers Go On Vacation

The Pennypackers Go On VacationThe Pennypackers Go on Vacation by Lisa Doan, Marta Kissi
Published by Roaring Brook Press on June 25th 2019
ISBN: 1250154111
Pages: 272
Goodreads
three-stars

Charlie Pennypacker feels his dreams are finally realized when his penny pinching father agrees to take them on a Disney cruise. When Charlie sets his eyes on the old fishing boat labeled Wisney Cruises, he embarks on an unexpected adventure involving his former best friend (now enemy) and scary looking men (maybe involved with the mob).  Charlie ends up saving the day learning about friendship, forgiveness, teamwork, and second chances along the way. Doan has created a novel filled with eccentric characters, humor, mystery, and adventure.  From the six year old troublemaking sister to a chef who only prepares eggs each meal readers will find something to giggle about. Line drawings interspersed throughout the book assist the reader in visualizing the text.  Teachers and parents may find the mystery to quickly and easily wrapped up and characters relatively static. Readers 9-12 will enjoy this summer read while trying to solve the mystery and being glad they are not on vacation with the Pennypackers.

Reviewed by Heather Hale, Easton School District, Easton

three-stars

House of Salt and Sorrows

House of Salt and SorrowsHouse of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig
Published by Delacorte on August 6th 2019
ISBN: 1984831925
Pages: 416
Goodreads
three-stars

Annaleigh is the daughter of a duke, actually she is one of 12 daughters. Well, there were 12 daughters, but several have died so now there are only 8 left. Some folks on the island they live on think there is a curse but Annaleigh thinks someone has murdered her sisters. This fantasy which has similarities to The 12 Dancing Princesses fairy tale  is filled with dancing at balls, evil gods, good half-gods, maybe-an-evil-stepmother, passionate romantic moments and some creepy almost horror like scenes. Even with all of this going on it was hard to become attached to the characters and care about what was going to happen to them next because it took so long to get the exciting part of the story.

three-stars

Tree of Dreams

Tree of DreamsTree of Dreams by Laura Resau
Published by Scholastic Press on March 26th 2019
ISBN: 0545800889
Pages: 336
Goodreads
four-stars

Coco and her once best friend Leo enter the same dessert contest. They both make a chocolate creation and they tie for the first prize- a trip to go to the Amazon. Coco wants nothing to do with Leo (her former best friend), she only wants to find the treasure she hears whispered to her by the Ceiba Tree deep in the Amazon rain forest. Bits of magic, lots of chocolate chemistry, eating lots of chocolate (really eating a lot of chocolate) and Amazon destruction run throughout the story. I did get a bit tired of the chocolate descriptions and found the treasure a bit hard to believe. But the Amazon deforestation and it’s impact on the people and animals that live there was interesting and something that isn’t often written about in stories for children.

Reviewed by Mary Lehmer, Freeport Community Library, Freeport, Maine

four-stars

Only Ashes Remain

Only Ashes RemainOnly Ashes Remain (Market of Monsters #2) by Rebecca Schaeffer
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on September 3rd 2019
ISBN: 1328863557
Pages: 432
Goodreads
four-stars

Only Ashes Remain

 

This book is a gritty horror story with extremely gruesome details.  Nita has killed many; most for the reason of keeping herself alive.  Her best friend/boyfriend, Kovit, feeds on people’s suffering, the more horrific the better.  He must have this in order to live, a fact that Nita has a hard time accepting.  Nita is searching for Fabricio throughout the book and attempts to kill him many times.  Fabricio had revealed Nita’s whereabouts to people and creatures on the Dark Web who kidnapped her, and Nita is filled with animosity towards him.  This book is the second in a trilogy and I found it somewhat hard to keep abreast of what was happening, even though explanations were given.  I’m not sure that this book stands on its own.  For horror fans and those who want to read about vampires, unicorns, (not the pleasant creatures one might be expecting), kelpies, and zannies, I would suggest reading the first book, Not Even Bones, and then continuing on with this one for an inordinate dose of horror.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

four-stars

Silver Meadows Summer

Silver Meadows SummerSilver Meadows Summer by Emma Otheguy
Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers on April 30th 2019
ISBN: 1524773239
Pages: 240
Goodreads
three-stars

Eleven year old Carolina has moved with her mother, father, and younger brother to upstate New York from Puerto Rico. They moved in with her aunt, uncle, and older cousin, Gabriela. Carolina and Gabriela are in summer camp together on a farm. Carolina is an artist. She doesn’t feel close to Gabriela at first. Gabriela seems too concerned about being popular. Carolina develops a friendship with another girl at camp whose father is an artist. This story about family relationships, friendships, and cultural heritage has well developed characters. The characters in the story grow and learn from each other with the choices they face. The author weaves in poetry from Robert Frost and two Spanish poets to enrich the story. At the end of the book there is information about these poets. Grades 3-5, reviewed by Kris Zuidema, retired school librarian, Standish

three-stars

Good Dog, McTavish

Good Dog, McTavishGood Dog, McTavish by Meg Rosoff, Grace Easton
Published by Candlewick Press on April 9th 2019
ISBN: 1536200581
Pages: 112
Goodreads
four-stars

This is a story of a rescue dog that rescues the family that adopts him. Ma Peachey has decided that since she gets no help from the rest of family with the household chores she is giving up as a mother. She decides to pursue her interest in yoga. McTavish and eight year old Betty work together to get the Peachey family back on track. The charming black and white illustrations add to the humorous text. This short chapter book will delight readers with descriptions of the family members and how McTavish’s clever plans develop.  Grades 2-5  Reviewed by Kris Zuidema, retired school librarian, Standish

four-stars

Spy Runner

Spy RunnerSpy Runner by Eugene Yelchin
Published by Henry Holt & Company on February 12th 2019
ISBN: 1250120810
Pages: 352
Goodreads
four-stars

Jake is twelve years old and lives with his mother near an Air Force base. It is early in the 1950s during the Cold War. His father was declared Missing in Action during World War II. Jake’s mother decides to rent out a room since they could use more income. The renter is Russian and works in photography which greatly concerns Jake. He thinks the renter is a spy and feels he has to find out more about this situation. Jake’s best friend’s dad who is a major in the Air Force becomes involved. This novel is action packed and will keep readers guessing right up to the very end. The numerous black and white grainy and out of focus photographs add to the mystery.  Grades 3-6        Reviewed by Kris Zuidema, retired school librarian, Standish

four-stars