Source: MSL Book Review

The Wolf-Girl, the Greeks, and the Gods: A Tale of the Persian Wars

Format: Middle Grade Fiction, Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
two-stars

A book that blends history and mythology, this is a read that would be appealing to patrons who want to learn a more realistic perspective beyond just Greek gods and their powers. 

The story opens with Gorgo, daughter of the Spartan king whose mother’s dying words are a warning of the Persians coming to take over Greece. Eventually becoming the queen of Sparta herself, the reader is able to gain an understanding of events, both real and fantastical, that lead the small, ragtag army of Spartans and Athenians to defeating the mighty Darius the Great and King Xerxes of Persia. Features of the book include beautiful illustrations, a cast of characters list (though not as extensive as is needed for the story) and multiple maps to track the progression of battles. Though marketed as a graphic novel, the book is actually quite dense and text heavy, making it a slower and un-bingeable read. This along with gory battle descriptions makes it better for tweens and teens instead of the publisher recommended age group of 9-11. Overall, only add this book to your collection if you have exhausted other resources on Greek mythology and ancient wars. 

 

Reviewed by Hannah Doktor, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta

two-stars

Wolf Girl: Into the Wild

Wolf Girl: Into the WildInto the Wild (Wolf Girl, #1) by Anh Do
Series: Wolf Girl #1
Published by Harper on 3/18/25
ISBN: 9780063346024
Genres: Adventure
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
two-stars

Wolf Girl: Into the Wild starts with an unexplained crisis that drives Gwen and her family from their home. When an accident separates them, Gwen must learn to survive on her own in the wild.  She forms a pack with abandoned dogs and Puppy, who turns out to be a wolf.  With them, she learns to hunt, using materials found in cars left on the road.  They keep each other safe, working together to stay alive.  They even rescue an eagle who joins their unusual family.  After years on her own, Gwen decides to try to find her family.  The book ends on a cliffhanger, when the first humans Gwen sees since the accidents, kidnap her, separating her from the animals.

This fast paced dystopian novel would be ideal for readers who enjoy survival stories.  The content isn’t graphic, but some readers might find parts of it disturbing.  There are lots of black and white illustrations and bolded, enlarged words and phrases throughout the text.  The reading level would probably be most appropriate for third or fourth graders, but the content might be better suited for older kids.   Readers who enjoyed this book will want to read the others in the trilogy.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

two-stars

Octavio and His Glasses

Octavio and His GlassesOctavio and His Glasses by Marc González Rossell
ISBN: 1525313789
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Octavio can see the whole world better, thanks to his new glasses. He is now able to see things far away, close up, and all much more clearly. He is even able to see beyond what lies in front of him, as he enjoys reading at bedtime. A new world of possibilities, adventure, and imagination are opened up.

A fresh illustrative style features bold black and sparse white on a rich yellow background. This book will be reassuring for a child who is getting their first pair of glasses, but it will appeal to everyone who adores the journey of a good book. While the pages contain simple text, the meaning is celebratory and will be widely appreciated. A first choice for picture book collections; recommended for grades 1-2.

Reviewed by Kristi Favaloro, Skidompha Public Library, Damariscotta.

five-stars

Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies

Fairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower FairiesFairy Door Diaries: Eliza and the Flower Fairies by Lenny Wen, Megan McDonald
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536201421
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Young Eliza rushes home from school to dive into an imaginary world of fairies, magic, and adventure. After crawling through a tiny door beneath her stairs, she discovers a group of fairies, each named after a different flower. After tumbling through a forbidden hedge, she is faced with a curse cast by a pair of witches and must hurry to find a solution.

The creator of the Judy Moody series brings us a new option to replace or renew early chapter series about fairies. Wen’s charming illustrations are the star in this book, with whimsical and botanical elements gracing the pages. The text itself is sometimes captivating: “Magic is not loud. It is soft, like the fur of a rabbit. Or a whisper.” At other times the wording is somewhat flowery and may be confusing for the targeted age group.

Recommended for libraries who are looking to replace older fairy titles in their first chapter section. Grades 1-2.

Reviewed by Kristi Favaloro, Skidompha Public Library, Damariscotta.

three-stars

All the Best Dogs

All the Best DogsAll the Best Dogs by Emily Jenkins
Published by Delacorte Press on 11/05/24
ISBN: 0593650433
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

All the Best Dogs is a fun book about a group of kids from the same Brooklyn neighborhood…and their dogs.  There’s a lot for readers to keep track of, so fortunately the novel starts off with a labeled picture of the people and their dogs and a map of their neighborhood.  Readers learn right away that the book centers around a wild weekend in June that ends happily.  The story follows four kids, their families, and their dogs. Ezra and Kaleb have a strained friendship and aren’t speaking to each other and then Ezra’s dog goes missing. Jilly is living with her aunt and starting a new and easier life while her mother is in rehab.  And May-Alice is in the school play, but is very nervous and struggles to be understood by her classmates.

What ensues is a fun story, sometimes told from the perspective of the dogs, focusing on the common struggle for sixth graders to navigate their relationships with their peers, while also dealing with family life at home.  This book is perfect for elementary school readers.  The plot is fun and relatable and the chapters are relatively short.  There are black and white illustrations throughout the book that really show the emotions of the characters while breaking up the text.  Although some difficult topics are mentioned, it is done in an age appropriate way that won’t upset sensitive readers.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

three-stars

On the Block

On the BlockOn the Block: Stories of Home by Ellen Oh
ISBN: 0593648447
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“On the Block: Stories of Home” is a collection of short stories about kids living in an apartment building and their different cultures. Edited by Ellen Oh and featuring stories written by many popular middle grade authors, each chapter in this book is about a different kid living in the building and their various situations. All of the stories are interesting and the characters are very realistic. The only critique is that the stories didn’t really feel like they were all set in the same apartment building, but each chapter is great on its own. A must-buy for all middle grade fiction collections.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

four-stars

The Curse of the Dead Man’s Diamond

The Curse of the Dead Man’s DiamondThe Curse of the Dead Man's Diamond by Christyne Morrell
on September 17, 2024
ISBN: 0593707605
Genres: Adventure, Supernatural
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

“The Curse of the Dead Man’s Diamond” is a middle grade paranormal fiction novel about Charlotte, a girl who is forced to move with her dad from New York to a small town in Florida. Their new house is creepy and supposedly haunted by ghosts. There is supposed to be a cursed diamond hidden in the house and Charlotte wants to find it and sell it to move back to New York.

The point of view of the book switches between Charlotte and the ghosts. Kids who have reluctantly had to move will empathize with Charlotte and her single-minded desire to go back “home.” A funny and not really frightening story, this is an additional purchase for libraries where paranormal fiction is popular.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, ME.

three-stars

Is This a Tiger?

Is This a Tiger?Is This a Tiger? (Alex's Field Guides, #2) by Elina Ellis
Series: Alex's Field Guides #2
Published by Kids Can Press on September 3, 2024
ISBN: 1525306758
Genres: Animals, Nature
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Alex, who knows everything about tigers, is going to show one to Atticus, who has never seen one at all. However, Alex is stingy with her details, only divulging one at a time to poor Atticus. When Alex says tigers are stripy, Atticus comes back with a zebra and some lemurs. When she tells him tigers have big teeth, he comes up with a walrus and a shark! Then she divulges that tigers are nocturnal, so he visits with bats and, unfortunately, a stinky skunk.

Interspersed with all the potentially life-threatening (occasionally unpleasant) hints, the reader keeps seeing pages from Alex’s Tiger Journal which does provide important facts about tigers. For example, there are various species of tiger and the remaining ones are endangered. In the end, Atticus finally combines all the clues and finds a real, live tiger. The final colorful, humorous illustration is of Alex pulling her friend to safety. The end of the book includes a guide to the non-tiger animals they met along the way, as well as a list of Resources including ways we can help and where to find additional information about tigers.

This book is recommended for 4-8 year-olds. I think it would make for an uneven read-aloud since the journal pages contain much more information and smaller illustrations than the rest of the book. However, the main story with the two kids is humorous, colorful, and lively.

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

four-stars

The Pharaoh vs. the Felines

The Pharaoh vs. the FelinesThe Pharaoh vs. the Felines (Head-to-Head History, 3) by Anna Kwan, J.F. Fox
Series: Head-to-Head History #3
Published by Kids Can Press on 2024
ISBN: 1525306529
Genres: History, Humor, Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

In a lively depiction of an actual battle between the Egyptians and the Persians that took place in 525 BCE, the author explains how the Persian ruler Cambyses II managed to use cats to defeat the mighty Egyptian army and became the ruler of their country. With a plethora of cat puns and humorous illustrations, Fox explains why cats were so important to the Egyptian people and how felines came to be worshipped as gods within their culture. Cats were regarded as protectors both of their Earthly families and of their afterlives. Had Cambyses not been gravely insulted by the Egyptian Pharaoh Amasis II, he probably would never have come up with the clever plan to use the Egyptian reverence for cats to his very successful advantage.

Fox uses humor and lively illustrations to keep the story interesting. This book is recommended for 5-8 year-olds, especially those who are curious about Egyptian history and, naturally, cats. The end of the book includes a Timeline, Glossary, and Sources.

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

four-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