Source: MSL Book Review

Mr. S

Mr. SMr. S: A First Day of School Book by Monica Arnaldo
ISBN: 0063003953
Genres: Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

It’s the first day of kindergarten, but where is the teacher? The name Mr. S is written neatly on the board above a stack of papers, a steaming mug, and a sandwich that displays face pareidolia with eyes and a tongue that most kids will easily see in the illustrations. The diverse group of kindergartners grapple with questions such as, “Where is our teacher?” and then “Who is our teacher?” before coming together to keep themselves remarkably well occupied in the warm toned classroom. Meanwhile, outside the window in the distance the reader can see the man who wrote Mr. S on the board dealing with some serious issues with his car in a gray toned environment, surrounded by some unlikely supporters.

This book has great examples of everyday diversity of students all participating in the classroom shenanigans. Humorous artwork sets the tone for the two simultaneous scenes, and a silly, yet elevated sense of humor reveals the imagination of the students. Elementary school students in grades K - 3 will likely enjoy this silly story.

Reviewed by Lisa Roberts, South Portland Public Library

four-stars

Simon and the Better Bone

Simon and the Better BoneSimon and the Better Bone by Tabor, Corey
Published by Balzer + Bray on May 9, 2023
ISBN: 9780063275553
Pages: 40
Genres: Animals, Folklore
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

A reimagining of the Aesop tale  “The Dog and His Reflection.” One day looking down into the pond, Simon sees another dog just like him. And that dog has a bone just like his, only better! Simon offers a trade for the bone and a challenge, but when nothing works he pounces into the pond, losing his bone.  There happens to be another bone close by, so a dripping-wet Simon decides to toss the bone to his new friend. Preschoolers will giggle at the silly puppy’s antics. The book opens vertically, allowing viewers to see both the furry hero and his reflection, which is genius implementation of the story. The smudgy illustrations work well to also depict the reflections in the water. Recommended read for Story Times.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas

Dasher Can’t Wait for ChristmasDasher Can't Wait for Christmas by Matt Tavares
Published by Candlewick Press on September 5, 2023
ISBN: 1536230138
Pages: 40
Genres: Holiday
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

Matt Tavares’s sequel to the New York Times best-selling Dasher is a joyful ode to helping others and reminiscent of “The Polar Express” by Chris Van Allsburg . Dasher’s excitement for the holiday gets the better of her and she sneaks off  to follow Christmas carols and twinkling lights. But as snow starts to fall, Dasher realizes she can no longer spot the North Star in the sky to lead her home. A child comes to Dasher’s aid. Dasher makes it back to the North Pole and is reunited with Santa and the rest of the reindeer. While the story is fittingly holiday-ish, the digital illustrations in a realistic style are what makes the book special. I prefer the illustrations in this one to “Dasher” because they are not as dark. They are luminous!  Recommended for holiday collections for libraries and individual families alike. I predict that soon we will be able to purchase a compass with “The North Pole” engraved on its edge to gift to children along with the book. Matt Tavares lives in Ogunquit, Maine.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

We Disagree About this Tree

We Disagree About this TreeWe Disagree About This Tree: A Christmas Story (Ross Collins' Mouse and Bear Stories) by Ross Collins
ISBN: 1536231983
Genres: Humor, Holiday
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

A companion book for “There’s a Bear on My Chair” (2016) and “There’s a Mouse in My House” (2021) by the same author/illustrator. In this Christmas book, Bear & Mouse argue about how to decorate their Christmas tree. Finally, they agree that, “This happens when we disagree. It always ends disastrously!” The silliness is sure to elicit giggles from preschoolers, but the ending illustration is hilarious when they open each others presents – Bear sports the sweater meant for Mouse on his head and Mouse is engulfed in the enormous sweater meant for Bear. A fun read for Story Time!

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

If You Get Lost

If You Get LostIf You Get Lost by Deborah Marcero, Nikki Loftin
ISBN: 0593375319
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

A few years ago I was searching for books to read at Story Time about being lost and practical advice about what you should do if you get lost. I was hoping that this book would be a solution, but alas it was not what I was hoping for. Perhaps this disappointment colored my impression of the book. It begins with a brown-skinned, dark hair girl holding a stuffed rabbit out the car window on the way to a camping trip. The bunny is lost in the woods and then reality and fantasy blur. It seems to come to life accompanied by esoteric language about being “lost” -…find one thing, one place, one smile, one friend. “If you get lost and you might get lost you could get lost – let go of lost…” At the end of the book, the bunny is rejoined with the girl and accompanied by the wild animals around a campfire. The accompanying brightly-colored watercolor-and-ink illustrations  ground the story. The illustrations truly are lovely but not sure if they are enough to carry the obscure text. I am not sure who would be the reader for this book – perhaps someone with depression or anxiety issues.

 

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

three-stars

At the Poles

At the PolesAt the Poles by David Elliott, Ellen Rooney
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536205990
Genres: Animals, Fiction in Verse/Poetry
Format: Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Following his other poetry books,  “At the Pond,” “In the Woods,” and “On the Farm,” Elliot takes readers from the Antarctic to the Arctic in this beautifully illustrated book of fifteen poems about creatures that inhabit the North and South poles. There are the commonest oceanic and land animals, such as penguins and walrus, to some lesser known ones, such as krill, Antarctic shag, tardigrade, and Greenland shark. The poetry is clever and humorous at times but always shows respect for the featured creature. Rooney’s accompanying digital and patterned-paper collage portraits of the animals are beautiful and depict the sparseness of the landscape. In comments at the end, the author expands on the animals in the verses. This book will compliment a unit study about polar regions and perhaps serve as a model for students to write their own poetry.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

Mine!

Mine!Mine! by Candace Fleming, Eric Rohmann
ISBN: 0593181662
Genres: Animals, Humor
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars

“Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!” by Candace Fleming is one of my favorite books to read-aloud. “Mine!” may be a close second. This rhythmic read and the repetition has the makings of a storytime classic. Greedy animals have their eyes on a single red apple that hangs at the “tip-tippy top” of a tree, poised to fall at any moment. The mouse, rabbit, fox, deer, and bear all declare the apple to be “MINE!” when it falls. This is followed immediately by different descriptions of how each animal hides. Clever phrases, such as Mouse “zippety-eeked” beneath a leaf to wait, Hare “hoppety-boinged,” and fox “waggety-dashed,” along with Rohmann’s colorful, uncluttered art make this an ideal read-aloud for preschoolers. In the end, none of the greedy animals end up with the apple. It lands with an opossum who is not unhappy that the apple has a worm in it!

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

five-stars

Bears Are Best!: The scoop about how we sniff, sneak, snack, and snooze!

Bears Are Best!: The scoop about how we sniff, sneak, snack, and snooze!Bears Are Best!: The scoop about how we sniff, sneak, snack, and snooze! by Joan Holub, Laurie Keller
ISBN: 0525645330
Genres: Animals
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

It was difficult to decide if this should be classified as fiction or nonfiction, but there is a lot of factual information about bears so decided on nonfiction. This tongue-in-cheek introduction to the bear family follows a similar design as  I Am the Shark (2021) by the same author and illustrator. Each bear believes it is unique but discovers there are other species. Readers will meet a brown bear, a polar bear, an American black bear, a sloth bear, a spectacled bear, a sun bear, a giant panda, and an Asiatic black bear and learn about their distinguishing physical features, habits and habitats, and favorite foods.  Finally, a bear-masked octopus tries to join the group, which leads to them discussing bears’ many similarities. The author concludes with a summary of the eight species and reminders that bears can be dangerous but are also threatened around the world. Lighthearted illustrations feature cartoon animals with large eyes and makes use of a fair amount of speech bubbles. This book will appeal to ages 5-9 who like information with a dose of comedy.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

Rivka’s Presents

Rivka’s PresentsRivka's Presents by Adelina Lirius, Laurie Wallmark
ISBN: 0593482077
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: Picture Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

This moving historical fiction book is likely one that will appeal more to adults than children. During the flu pandemic of 1918, Rivka can’t start school because her father is sick, so she trades for chores with the grocer, the tailor, and an elderly neighbor in exchange for lessons. It is a charming and beautifully illustrated story  and a lovely addition to a unit study about immigration for elementary-aged students. Rivka’s determination to learn despite her adversity is admirable even if the extremely well-behaved little sister she is minding is a  tad unbelievable. There are Author Notes and Glossaries for English and Yiddish works in the back.

Barb Rehmeyer, Liberty Library

four-stars

The Ghost Job

The Ghost JobThe Ghost Job by Greg Van Eekhout
Published by HarperCollins ISBN: 006325333X
Genres: Horror
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
“The Ghost Job” by Greg Van Eekhout is a thoroughly enjoyable middle grade novel for fans of ghost stories and heist fiction alike. When seventh grader Zenith and her three best friends are killed in an unfortunate science class lab experiment gone wrong, they’ll do anything to try to get out of the afterlife (basically the school auditorium), even if it means stealing a magical device from a very evil, very alive necromancer. Pooling the talents they had when they were alive, and the new powers they find themselves with as ghosts, they pull off a series of heists in preparation for the biggest job of their undead lives. Witty dialogue, snarky humor, delightful side characters (both living and dead), and a few poignant moments between the friends make this a really solid choice for a middle grade collection. This book has universal appeal for all types of readers, and the humor, friendships and bittersweet emotions of the kids make what could be a scary premise a really fun read.

Recommended for grades 5-7.

Lee Remick, York Middle School, York

four-stars