Source: MSL Book Review

Bibsy Cross and the Bad Apple

Bibsy Cross and the Bad AppleBibsy Cross and the Bad Apple by Dung Ho, Liz Garton Scanlon
Series: Bibsy Cross #1
Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on June 11, 2024
ISBN: 0593644417
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Bibsy Cross is an active third grader who loves to share her thoughts. Her teacher, Mrs Stumper, just thinks she goes on too much and that she is a bit extra, and not in a good way. Bibsy also loves her parents, her cat, and her best friend, Natia. She is excited when she and Natia, who is in Mr Moon’s class, not Mrs Stumper’s class, can work together on their science fair project together.Bibsy and Natia work through their project together and Bibsy’s feelings when Mrs Stumper makes her feel rotten for being too extra. Bibsy is an excellent communicator and models how to trust talking to your friends, parents, and teachers.

Bibsy Cross is a chapter book in verse that catches a reader’s interest and moves along quickly. The story has lots of action to maintain engagement until the end. Bibsy and her quandaries are relatable to students. The text is crisp and the pages are bright white making the story easier to read and comprehend for emerging chapter book readers. The illustrations, which are grayscale with pops of red to highlight, are interspersed effectively throughout the book to showcase main features in the story.

Reviewed by MaryAnn Lopes, Lewiston Public Schools, Lewiston

four-stars

Imagine Counting All the Stars

Imagine Counting All the StarsImagine Counting All the Stars by Gabriel Evans, Raewyn Caisley
Published by Candlewick Press, Candlewick Press (MA) on June 4, 2024
ISBN: 1536228311
Genres: Non-Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Maddie loves math and learning about it from her father. Her mind loves thinking and figuring in mathematical terms. The way she feels and thinks about math sometimes separates her from her friends in her class who are interested in seeing things in different ways. When a new girl, Priya, arrives it challenges Maddie to try even harder to be the best she can. Through the process she realizes that Priya is very similar to herself and during a long-awaited trip to the observatory with her father the girls realize their special bond.

This is a book about math, about love, and about finding friends you can be yourself around encompassing both non-fiction and fiction. Beautiful illustrations depict not only the solid facts of the math functions described in the text but also the feelings the characters explore and the world they live in.While math is about facts the illustrations softly guide the reader through the story.

This book could be used for many purposes; be it an introduction to the math principals, an exploration of how differently people think and how they approach the world, the love of family, or the joy and challenges of friendships.

Reviewed by MaryAnn Lopes, Lewiston Public Schools, Lewiston

four-stars

Cooking with the Sneetches

Cooking with the SneetchesCooking with the Sneetches (Step into Reading) by Astrid Holm, Erik Doescher
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on May 7, 2024
ISBN: 0593706242
Genres: Children's Beginning Readers, Fiction in Verse/Poetry
Format: Early Reader
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Cooking with the Sneetches by Astrid Holm and illustrated by Erik Doescher, brings the reader the familiar Seuss characters, the Sneetches, at the beach with a cookout to round out their day. We follow along with the lovable characters in an easy to read format with repetitive and rhyming text whose cadence moves the story along.

The bright yellow Sneetches with their green-starred bellies and smiling faces are a friendly invitation to our youngest readers while having a great time doing all things beachy. This is a great book to help emerging readers navigate new words they can derive from the illustrations on every page. There is the clear and sparse text expected from a Step 1 reader to engage without overwhelming showing the fun and helpful nature of friends at the beach.

Reviewed by MaryAnn Lopes, Lewiston Public Schools, Lewiston

four-stars

Book Buddies: Roger Takes a Chance

Book Buddies: Roger Takes a ChanceBook Buddies: Roger Takes a Chance by Cynthia Lord, Stephanie Graegin
Series: Book Buddies #4
Published by Candlewick Press on 6/11/24
ISBN: 1536213578
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Action & Adventure / General
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

Cynthia Lord’s sweet Book Buddies series continues in Roger Takes a Chance.   Roger, a chick stuffed animal, and his mother Olive, are donated to a local library, where children can check out stuffed animals to read to them.  Roger yearns for adventure away from his mother and gets his big chance when 8 year old Liam accidentally drops him at the airport.  Roger realizes adventure isn’t all it’s cracked up to be as he is picked up by a dog and later almost gets stuck in an escalator.  Finally winding up in the airport’s Lost and Found, Roger feels lonely, until he meets Emmie, a penguin.  Liam and his family eventually check the Lost and Found, only to find Roger attached to Emmie with Velcro.  Liam takes Olive, Roger, and Emmie back to the library, where Emmie permanently joins Roger and Olive, showing children that there are different kinds of families.  This chapter book has black and white drawings on almost every page, which complement the simple text. This book is ideal for young readers who are just beginning to read chapter books independently.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

three-stars

With Twice the Love, Dessie Mei

With Twice the Love, Dessie MeiWith Twice the Love, Dessie Mei by Justina Chen
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on 5/7/24
ISBN: 0063306522
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Dessie Mei is not thrilled to be starting middle school for a second time, after her parents move from central Washington to Seattle mid-year in order to take care of Dessie’s ailing grandmother.  When Dessie arrives at her class, she is shocked to meet a girl who looks exactly like her, with the same taste in music, who can converse with her using no words.  Like Dessie, Donna was born on the same day in China and comes from the same orphanage. They secretly soon learn they are identical twins!  Eventually the truth comes out and Dessie and Donna and their families experience ups and downs as they navigate their new reality.  Dessie and Donna also face typical middle school challenges with friendships and bullies, especially in their class that is learning what it means to be part of a community. Themes of family, racism, and identity are woven throughout this middle grade novel.  This book addresses topics pertinent to today’s readers without being overwhelming and would be a great addition to any school or public library.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

four-stars

Moonstorm

MoonstormMoonstorm (Lancers, #1) by Yoon Ha Lee
on June 4, 2024
ISBN: 0593488334
Genres: Science Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

In this thrilling first entry in the Lancers series, Hwa Young dreams of becoming a Lancer pilot after being rescued by one of the giant mech-suited soldiers as a child during the destruction of her home world. Now Hwa Young is a citizen of the very empire her family fought against. Hwa Young vows that she will become a Lancer pilot in order to never feel as powerless as she did the day her home was destroyed. After a devastating attack on her new home planet, Hwa Young is swept into the complex and violent world of interplanetary warfare even as she finally realizes her dream of becoming a Lancer pilot. As Hwa Young and her squadron of fellow pilots adjust to their new roles, they discover that all is not as it seems in the empire. They must make a devastating decision between betraying their values or betraying the empire. 

The world building and character development in this book are intriguing and give the author lots to play with in future entries in the series. The main character, Hwa Young, is complex and her sense of duty to the empire and longing for a true family shine, giving heart to what otherwise would be considered an action-forward novel. 

This book is a must read for young adults who enjoy sci-fi, especially the Star Wars universe. Readers who enjoyed the sci-fi elements of The Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer will also enjoy this unique space opera.

Reviewed by Rebecca Duquette, Pittston Randolph Consolidated School, Pittston 

four-stars

The Notes

The NotesThe Notes by Catherine Con Morse
on April 30, 2024
ISBN: 0593711386
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars

“The Notes” is a young adult novel by Catherine Con Morse. Claire Wu is a Chinese American piano student at a prestigious music boarding school. When a renowned piano teacher, Dr. Tina Li, joins the faculty, Claire wants to impress her. Things seem to be going well when Claire begins to receive mysterious notes telling her to be careful of Dr. Li and not to fall under her spell. The book does a good job of accurately portraying the pressures of high school and the difficulties that Claire feels about not being “Asian enough” and falling below her high expectations of herself. Some plot points don’t seem to get resolved, but readers will still enjoy Claire’s growth. A recommended additional purchase for YA collections where realistic fiction and mysteries are popular.

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

three-stars

What’s Eating Jackie Oh?

What’s Eating Jackie Oh?What's Eating Jackie Oh? by Patricia Park
on April 30, 2024
ISBN: 0593563417
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction, Young Adult
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

“What’s Eating Jackie Oh?” is a young adult realistic fiction novel by Patricia Park. Jackie is a 3rd generation Korean American high schooler living in NYC. She attends a science school and her parents are pressuring her to be perfect and get good grades so that she can go to an IVY League college, but Jackie actually enjoys cooking. While helping out at her grandparents’ deli, she is scouted for a teen cooking show. Jackie is able to find her own way and learns who she wants to be as the book goes on.Serious topics like hate crimes, undocumented immigrants, and food insecurity are handled briefly, but really well. Jackie is a likeable and smart character and readers will enjoy following her journey. Recommended for YA fiction collections.

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

four-stars

What’s a Germ, Joseph Lister? The Medical Mystery That Forever Changed the Way We Heal

What’s a Germ, Joseph Lister? The Medical Mystery That Forever Changed the Way We HealWhat's a Germ, Joseph Lister?: The Medical Mystery That Forever Changed the Way We Heal by Daniel Duncan, Lori Alexander
Published by Clarion Books on 2023
ISBN: 0358538173
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

This is an intriguing look at the life of Joseph Lister, born near London in 1827, and his dedicated work to discover germs and implement practices that ultimately saved countless lives throughout the world. By integrating a fascinating, sometimes gruesome history of doctors, surgeons, and hospitals of the time, the author gives a lively account of Lister’s childhood education and his decision to become a surgeon. Upon starting work at a hospital, he became obsessed with the alarming death rate of his patients (nearly 50%!) in spite of fully successful operations and started researching the problem on his own. Eventually, by combining his own experiments guided by the scientific method, and utilizing information gleaned from other contemporary medical publications, he came to the conclusion that germs were causing infections in the patients who were dying. His recommendations for sanitizing surgeries, including simple activities that we take for granted today such as handwashing and instrument cleaning, took a long time to become widely accepted. Lister’s tenacity should serve as an inspiration to budding scientists and doctors.

This book is recommended for 8-12 year-olds and includes a timeline, glossary, notes, bibliography, index, and color illustrations throughout. It is a biography I would suggest to readers interested in medicine, the scientific method, and the history of 19th Century medical practices.

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

four-stars

The Wishkeeper’s Apprentice

The Wishkeeper’s ApprenticeThe Wishkeeper's Apprentice by Rachel Chivers Khoo, Rachel Sanson
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536231207
Pages: 227
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Humor
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars

Ten-year-old Felix Jones’s biggest problem at the moment is loneliness. His best (and only) friend has just moved away, and his big sister, who is seven years older, finds him annoying. Then he spots the strange little man fishing pennies out of the wishing fountain in the square. The man explains that he is the town Wishkeeper, and that he is collecting wishes. More importantly, he is invisible! He cannot explain why Felix can see him, but he does offer Felix a job as his apprentice.

In fact, Rupus Beewinkle is a Wishkeeper with a problem, and in desperate need of the help an apprentice could provide. His wishes are hitting snags at an unprecedented rate, and he can hardly keep up with the fixes. Some are going up in flames (literally!) He is afraid there is only one explanation: a Wishsnatcher, thought to be extinct, has moved into town. Wishsnatchers feed on hope, and if it catches Rupus, it will reverse all of Rupus’s granted wishes. That will spell the end of all that is good in the town of Whittlestone.

Things heat up for Felix when he accidentally discovers that Rupus broke a law of magic a decade ago and granted a wish that never should have been allowed. Seven-year-old Rebecca Jones had wished for a little brother, which means that Felix himself…is a wish. Suddenly, defeating the Wishsnatcher is more than just helping Rupus – it becomes a fight for Felix’s very survival!

A gently suspenseful transitional chapter book that will appeal to younger readers who enjoy magical tales and are ready for a longer text and more complex plot, without being overwhelmed. Grayscale pencil/digital illustrations enliven the text and round out the storyline.

4 Stars. A great addition to library shelves. Easy to offer to eager readers transitioning to middle grade books.

– Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta

four-stars