Candy is an elementary school librarian in Shelton, WA at the school where she was a student (so many years ago!). Her library is unique in that she brings her background and love of biology to her students in many ways. Not only does she have an awesome selection of science books; she also has a beaver, bobcat and mink sitting on her shelves and a variety of jarred specimens for her students to study. When she's not in the library, she is taking care of her baby trees on her tree farm and hanging out with her family and many pets.
Zia has a hole in her pocket. This might be a problem for others, but not for Zia. The hole falls out of her pocket and grows. This might be scary for any other child. But, Zia knows that this is her imagination and she is in control. Therefore, there is nothing to be afraid of when she falls through the hole (somewhat Alice in Wonderland-ish). She turns that hole into a whole series of adventures. It transforms from a fishing hole to a swimming hole to a watering hole (complete with lions, giraffes and more) to many more holes and fun. Finally, she decides to take a rest on a tree branch and watches the hole shrink down small enough to fit back into her pocket, thus ending the Whole Hole Story.
This story is a heartwarming take on imaginative play from a child’s perspective and is reminiscent of Harold and the Purple Crayon as Zia directs her tale. She is a confident young Black girl, who blithely moves from one adventure to the next. Illustrations are bright, bold and cartoon-like. Young readers will certainly enjoy hanging out with Zia in this fun, energetic bo0k. Recommended.
One quiet night, the family pup is snoozing in his dog house when something strange happens. The kitchen appliances notice it first. Then, the house looks up. Finally, the pup looks up (yep, that rhymes and so does the book!). A UFO lands and out walks a…robo-dog. The pup is thrilled! A new friend! But, this spacebot is actually a friend of the kitchen appliances, who greet him like a long-lost relative. He points up and they all start to fly, except the pup, who begins to feel a bit neglected. The appliances have a joyous space romp and are finally directed to return to their places in the kitchen, cords trailing. The spacebot turns to enter his UFO and stops to toss a red ball to the pup. This is no ordinary ball, though. It fits on his nose and he begins to fly!
Spacebot is a fun, rhyming frolic of a story. One must smile at the happy group of kitchen appliances as they soar around the night sky. Toaster loopty-loops and refrigerator nearly loses her magnets as they fly around with their electrical buddies. Pup’s disappointment is palpable until he is gifted with the magical red ball. Text is minimal and illustrations are dynamic as the story moves forward. This is a great book for the newly-minted reader and can be used as a read-aloud. Highly recommended.
Squirrel is very possessive – “This is MY tree” and “Those are MY pinecones”. His obsessive greed leads him to wonder about others taking possession of HIS tree and HIS pinecones. In order to protect HIS things, he builds a wall (a very large and long wall). But, he begins to worry anew. What if there is a better, more beautiful tree on the other side or bigger pinecones? Is he missing something that could become HIS? The story ends with him climbing the wall to look over and seeing an entire forest a swarm with happy squirrels.
Short sentences and vivid illustrations make this an attractive read. The squirrel is engaging and the colors are warm. While this story is a fantastic conversation starter about possessiveness and greed, it does seem to end rather abruptly. There is no resolution to the squirrel’s problem and students might be left with more questions than answers. We all want to know – does the squirrel learn that sharing is better? We just don’t know…
Children’s books can be silly, sad, serious or goofy. But, it is not often that you can call a picture book “absolutely weird”! This story is just that – weird! Bernard wakes up one morning and his eyebrows have taken on a life of their own. He tries to smooth them down, but to no avail. They bunch up, grow to crazy lengths, bush out, tie in knots and all sorts of other strange activity ensues. Bernard has no control over his brows and those around him are offended, angered and stumped by their unruliness (and place a bit of the blame on Bernard). Fortunately, things calm down for Bernard when his real eyebrows return. Apparently, they were on vacation. Hmmm…where did the substitute brow go? The answer is on the last page on his baby sister’s forehead. Oh, no!
Cartoon-like illustrations match the weirdness of the text. Characters are diverse, which is one normal part of this book. Hand this to your readers who like some of the stranger cartoons on television, like Gravity Falls or Steven Universe. They’ll understand this book.
It’s a birthday party and Duck comes bearing…nothing! He tells a story of his search for the perfect gift, from socks that took six months to make (and still look pretty bad) to a a really cool rocket ship that some lost aliens needed to use to fly home. But, all is not lost! Duck has the perfect gift – this story! What could be better than a story about your favorite things and your good friend, Duck?
Fans of silly friendship stories like Elephant and Piggie will enjoy this zany duck and his mishaps as he tries to find the perfect gift for his friend. Illustrations are bright and cartoon-like. Duck is animated and engaging as he moves from gift to gift in his search for the perfect one. Recommended.
Mia really wants a puppy! But, her mom doesn’t feel like there is room in their small apartment in a big city. Mia’s grandma lives down the hall with her parrot, Roger and Mia goes there every morning for breakfast. In the elevator one morning, they read a sign about puppies that need homes. Mia hatches a plan and grandma mobilizes her friends. The next morning, grandma and Roger show up at the door and grandma says they have to stay (her apartment is being painted). Then, Mia brings home the class rabbit for the night and neighbors drop off their pets. The next morning, grandma’s book club friends and their pets drop by Mia’s apartment. It is absolute chaos! Mia’s mom is overwhelmed. When they all leave, Mia’s mom remarks that the apartment doesn’t feel so small anymore. That’s when Mia brings out Spot, the puppy she chose from the neighbor’s litter. And, mom agrees that there is room for one small puppy. The final page shows that puppy all grown up into a very large, much-loved Great Dane!
This story is a modern twist on a Yiddish folktale about gratitude for what one has. Illustrations are watercolor and picture a diverse set of characters, both human and animal. This is a fun story for any pet-loving child.
What if? That is the question on each page of this sweet book. A series of scenarios, some silly and small, others really big and thought provoking, provide wonderful jumping points for discussion. Illustrated in pencil with softly rendered animals in various settings.
Read aloud to students “What if you swallowed a seed?” and you will get all sorts of answers. Read “What if we find one thing in common?” and begin to build awareness that we really aren’t that different. This lovely little book has the potential to invoke thoughtful, meaningful discussion and possible change. All of that in 32 pages.
This is the first graphic novel in a series about the adventures of teenage girl Monica and her friend group, “Monica’s Gang.” It’s actually based on a widely-loved comic strip from Brazil that started in the 1960s. While the insanely popular comics were about the adventures of a group of kids, the graphic novel follows the same group as teens as they try to navigate their changing relationships and new challenges while still maintaining their strong friendships with each other.
It’s a fun story very reminiscent of Archie comics, and it was neat learning about the comic’s history at the end and noticing sprinklings of the classic comic referenced in the graphic novel. I found I was able to follow along with the story without having any background in the comics previously. The illustrations were fun and the characters were engaging and animated.
I did find issue with a couple elements in the story that I feel detracted from the book overall. This is intended for kids aged 8-12, but it focused pretty heavily on Monica and her friend J-Five’s growing affection for each other. I wished it was more about their friend group’s random adventures and less about romance. Additionally, Monica’s friend Maggy is really focused on the caloric content of foods. In her character description at the start, the book says she’s “…virtually obsessed with proper nutrition, sports, and exercise…” but instead of showing an interest in nutrition, she just seemed obsessed with how many calories were in what she was eating. There’s also a couple in one scene (page 56) where the girl explains to her date that girls have to care more about calories and fat because “If we were to stop and think like you boys…we wouldn’t have these bodies and we’d have big ol’ bellies!” and then an image is depicted showing a guy with a little bit of a stomach next to a thin girl. She proceeds to tell her date that he should get back to working out more. I know it’s a comic, but these “jokes” fell flat on me and I don’t think they are what we should be encouraging for little kids. I may have felt better if Maggy was shown that eating healthily is about balance (It could have been a good teaching moment.), but instead the other characters just kinda rolled their eyes and got her low-calorie stuff, or they just laughed about it. Pages 12-14 further show strange food comments (“I need to maintain my silhouette, girl!”) and show the girls, all thin with large breasts, in bikinis on the beach.
Overall, it was a cute story and it’s always fun to see beloved comics get reimagined and reintroduced to new audiences. However, it just doesn’t sit well in a 2020 library, and I wish they had updated their perceptions on body image with their updated look and format.
Carol Olivia Clementine lives with Mama Rose and not her parents, who live far away. Although, she misses her parents, she knows she is loved and cared for by Mama Rose. The story progresses through two birthdays with Mama Rose as she and Carol Olivia Clementine go through their days like any other family. Mama Rose combs her and reminds her to do her chores and eat her peas. And, Carol Olivia Clementine refers to Mama Rose as her “home”.
The illustrations are colorful and convey the tender relationship between the two. Both characters are African American. Endpapers show “photos” of Carol Olivia Clementine and Mama Rose as well as photos of her with a man and woman (her birth parents?).
This is a lovely story of a nontraditional family. We don’t know why Carol Olivia Clementine’s parents aren’t with her. We also don’t know if Mama Rose is a foster or adoptive parent or even an elder relative. But, we do know that Carol Olivia Clementine and Mama Rose care for each other very much and that is what matters the most.
This book is perfect to read to students during a family unit or Mother’s Day. It might be relevant to share the author’s end note, which describes her own family as the driving force behind this story. This is a welcome addition in a time when many students live in a nontraditional, non-nuclear family. Highly recommended.
Two little girls look out the window at the snow. One sees only gray. But, as they walk outside, her friend shows her the blues, browns and silvers. They move about, one seeing only a single dull color and the other revealing the beauty of all the colors around it. The story ends with the girls in front of a cozy fire with their blanket and cat, drinking brown (white and grey) cocoa together.
Illustrations are beautifully rendered, with crisply drawn elements on soft background tones. The two friends’ attitudes are clear in their stances. One girl sees only single, drab colors as she stands with arms crossed or a frown. Her friend smiles as she notices all the other colors around them.
This is a story that serves to remind us that there is more than what we first notice. It could be colors or the positive around us. We just have to see them! Highly recommended.
Cowie, the donkey, loved everything about cows (hence, his name). He really wanted to be a cow and tried everything, from chewing cud to “oom-ing”. Whoops, he couldn’t be a cow! He couldn’t say “Moo”! His dear friends, Mousie and Duckie, tried to help him turn his “moo” around and, somehow, do so. After a brief celebration, Cowie (now adorned with his beautiful cowbell) spends the rest of days in contentment.
While the story is a bit silly, the illustrations of pencil and watercolor make up for it. The animals are sweetly portrayed and there’s even a cute little chick that pops in on occasion. Additional purchase.
Ana and Andrew are great kids and their parents have noticed. So, Mama and Papa announce that the siblings can choose a pet to take care of together. They research and narrow it down to three, finally choosing a hamster. Ana and Andrew find the perfect hamster, a golden one that loves to run on his wheel. Now, the fun part comes – what to name their new pet? They decide to name him after someone who runs super fast. Their parents tell them about a famous Black track athlete, Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals in track at the 1936 Olympics. They describe how important his achievement was at a time when people thought skin color made some people better than others. But, Jesse Owens showed that skin color didn’t determine a person’s abilities. Right then and there, Ana and Andrew knew that their hamster would be named Mr. Jesse. And, it was perfect!
At 32 pages, this easy reader chapter book is a great bridge between picture books and more traditional chapter books. Glossy pages and color illustrations are more picture book-like. The characters are diverse. This book is part of the Ana & Andrew series, which introduces an aspect of African American history and culture in each book. Recommended.
Bear and his friends (Squirrel, Other Squirrel and Rabbit) work together to prepare a really big show for their forest friends. This includes a sparkly curtain, tiny hats for birds and shiny tickets. Bear keeps meticulous notes as the self-appointed “note taker”, because he does not want to perform (he’s nervous). Frenzied preparations ensue and bear takes lots of notes. The big night arrives and all the forest creatures are waiting in the audience. There’s one problem, though. They forgot to write a show! Oh, no!!!
Luckily, Bear comes through and mentions that he has a song that he created. They beg him to perform and he finally agrees. The forest creatures love it! The show is a success! Thanks goodness for Bear.
The story moves along at a quick pace, helped along by the illustrations, some in comic panel-like sequences. Colors are bright and energetic and Bear’s notes are front and center a few times, which help with the busyness of the story. Bear’s nervousness is acknowledged and his bravery in going up to the stage to sing is noted. Maybe, this story will encourage some human friends to work together and put on a show! Recommended.
This book, part of the Super simple Magic and Illusions series, is a solid introduction to sleight of hand with cards and coins. It begins with a general introduction to this type of magic trick, discusses props that are needed and then goes into step by step directions for several tricks. Each trick has illustrations to help young magicians perfect their craft. Young magicians pictured are fairly diverse and the materials are simple to acquire. There are added tips to become more polished in your magic. Examples are practice (no surprise) and using distractions. This book will not be on the shelf for long. It’s got some great, simple tricks that are accessible to most young readers. Recommended.
A book about Aye-Ayes is difficult to find, yet here is one that is full of great pictures and information. Readers learn about the characteristics of this animal, as well as its habitat, food sources and population levels. Labeled photos, bolded words, text boxes and short, informative paragraphs make this nonfiction book an engaging read. Other nonfiction features include table of contents, index, glossary and an online resource list. The “bells and whistles” of this book are the QR codes that lead the reader to linked videos and activities online. That is some great extra content!
This books is part of the Weird and Wonderful Animals series. Adding this to your collection will add some dimension to the typical shelves of big cats, elephants whales and so forth. How many librarians can point a student to the Aye-Aye book? Recommended.
This nonfiction book gives a good overview of swimming, including four basic strokes. equipment and safety. labeled photos accompany the simple text, with bolded words that might be unfamiliar. Those words are then defined in the glossary at the end of the book. Typical nonfiction features (table of contents, index, resource list, text boxes, labels) are present. An additional feature, which makes this book stand out over others is the number of QR codes, which link to extra resources. Once accessed, there are activity pages to print, videos and many other extras that take this book a step above the rest. While it is a fine introduction to the sport of swimming for young readers, the extra features will engage students and the adults around them. Highly recommended.
Momo is nervously awaiting her turn on stage at her first piano recital. As she repeats to herself “I’ll be ok”, she looks down and sees a small mouse saying the same words. The mouse tells Momo that she has a recital as well and invites her new friend to come watch. Momo follows the mouse to a wonderful concert hall filled with an audience of attentive mice and an incredible array of performers. There are mouse magicians, dancers, singers and an orchestra. They fill the concert hall with color and excitement. Finally, it is the mouse’s turn to perform and Momo offers to accompany her on the piano. They finish the piece and as Momo stands to take a bow, she looks out and realizes that she has just performed at her own recital!
What a beautiful book that is filled with imagination! Momo expresses the nervousness that many children feel at some point in their lives and that nervousness is alleviated in a sweet, magical way. Charcoal and pencil illustrations with a hint of color in the right places are a beautiful accompaniment to a sweet story. Recommended.
A pair of siblings that seem so different start their day – one grouchy and messy, the other happy and squeaky clean. They play with their respective groups, the “good guys’ and “bad guys”, throughout a day filled with imagination and fun. Near the end of the day, their paths converge and they retreat to their respective homes, tired and happy. The siblings wave goodbye to their friends and head to bed, agreeing to switch places tomorrow for a new day of fun and imagination.
This book is brimming with joy and play as a wonderful mixture of kids use their imagination to make the day so fun. Characters are diverse and the play is full of action and dramatic play. Colors are vivid and there is movement in the illustrations that enhances the short, rhyming text. Young readers will see themselves in the story. Or, at the very least, glean some awesome ideas for their own playtime! Recommended.
This is a sweet, heartfelt story about a child, who feels very deeply the loss of his grandfather. They were buddies and a stopwatch that he is holding (his grandfather’s) is a symbol of their shared memories. The child is honest, though and says, “I don’t want his stopwatch. I want him.” He tosses the item into a drawer and time seems to drag on, dark and lonely. Seasons pass and he finds his grandpa’s watch again. Now, it brings him happy memories, about which he can begin to smile. He starts to use it again and includes his younger sibling in timing some of the same things he did with grandpa.
The story is lovely and a realistic portrayal of the grief that a child feels about the passing of a loved one. Soft, gentle illustrations add to the melancholic tone of the words, with just the right amount of color. The child’s face is expressive and matches the feelings that he expresses. Highly recommended. This will lead to very meaningful discussions when needed.
The girl finds a golden coin, with the words NO WISHING FOR MORE WISHES engraved on it. She spends the day at school dreaming about the one wish she has. Asking friends what they would wish for makes her realize that she already has everything she really wants and the extras can be earned through hard work or time. She then makes a truly wonderful wish – a wish that everyone else’s wish would come true. And, in the end, we see that everyone she asks receives their special wishes. Her teacher get the house she wishes for, her wheelchair bound friend gets a dog and her friend, Mark, has his military dad come home.
This warm, sweet story is a testament to generosity and empathy and will make kids really think hard about what their wishes might be. Soft grey colors with vivid shots of color at the right moments in the story move it along and give importance to important parts of the story.
Characters are diverse and the illustrations work into the story beautifully. This is definitely a book to purchase!
Castle of Books explores all the answers to the question “Why do we need books?”. Spare text and flowing, colorful illustrations give reasons from the realistic “to observe” to the more esoteric “to grow” and “to lose ourselves”. Everything about this book encourages the reader to think to himself “Why do I need books?” and proceed to the many answers he will have!
Dim-witted Donkey has so much difficulty with homonyms! And, there are plenty in this book, which is a follow-up to I Yam a Donkey! by Cece Bell.
Donkey comes up to two characters and greets them as fellow donkeys. Yam corrects him and introduces new friend, Ewe, to Donkey, who replies “That is ME? I yam so cute and fluffy!” And, the comical repartee ensues. Yam tries to be helpful. But, he tends to make things more difficult by showing Donkey signs and examples of Doe/Dough, Moose/Mousse and Hare/Hair. The story ends with Ewe professing her love for Ram over Yam (“Eye Dew”) and a tearful Yam being consoled by his buddy, Donkey. Oh, My!
Bright illustrations organized in blocky comic book style accompany text in word bubbles. Young readers may not understand all the comical missteps on their own. But, this is a great introduction to homonyms and can be useful as a teaching tool as well.
This is a sweet, fresh, bilingual version of the classic Three Billy Goats Gruff. In this story, three brother goats put their heads together to come up with a plan to get past the grumpy troll, where just over the bridge is the most delicious grass. One by one, they pass by the troll, extolling the superior flavor of the next goat in line. The last goat, though, wonders why the troll is so grumpy. That is when he notices the troll’s sore toe with a thorn in it. He mobilizes his brother goats and he pulls out the thorn while they prepare a poultice of herbs to soothe the offending toe. The troll is so happy that she allows them free access the the bridge and declares them all amigos.
Susan Middleton Elya (author) and Miguel Ordonez (illustrator) have taken the story to new heights with a mix of Spanish and English and a dose of cuteness in the three billy goats, with their big eyes and adorable horns. The troll is a big, blue and cartoon-like. So, she’s not really scary, even though she wants to eat the goats. The colors are bright and the story flows rather lyrically.
This is a good read-aloud, with the Spanish words in a glossary in the front, containing pronunciation and meaning. The value of teamwork, empathy and friendship will be a great discussion point with the book. Highly recommended.
You are on the Oregon Trail from Independence, Missouri to either Oregon or the possible riches of California. Which way will you go? That’s up to you in this choose your own story format book. Life on the Oregon Trail is never easy an decisions need to be made at every turn. With twenty-two possible endings, this story will take young readers on a journey filled with danger in the form of wild animals, thieves, difficult travel conditions, possible illness, starvation or death. One of the pathways is the right one and it’s up to the reader to discover it.
Just like the PC Oregon Trail game of years’ past, this book will give the reader a tiny taste of the difficult decisions that pioneers made every day on the Oregon Trail. An introduction at the beginning and a guide with pioneer biographies at the end are highly recommended first reading before the adventure starts for the reader. Pen and ink illustrations enhance the story in Book #7 of this series.
This is a great way to introduce students to life on the Oregon Trail. They follow children their age as they determine the best path for their wagon and family. Parents and teachers will enjoy the nostalgia of the book and remember those times they were attacked by a bear or died of starvation in the computer game of their youth. They might have some pointers for the kids on this one!
Pack your wagon and head out from Independence, Missouri to Oregon City along the Oregon Trail using a “choose your own trail” format. Parents will remember the Oregon Trail PC game of their youth as their children navigate the hazards of daily life on The Trail.
There are twenty-two possible endings to this book, but only one will get you as far as Chimney Rock, the stopping point for this book (one of four). Readers are given choices along the way and turn to the page corresponding to their choice. Do they ford the river or take the ferry? Wild animals, illness, bad weather, break downs and bad guys are along the way to slow them down or kill them. Don’t worry, though, readers can start over and they might make it the next time!
An introduction at the beginning and a guide at the end help prepare young pioneer readers for the dangers they will face on the Oregon Trail. Pen and ink illustrations help move the story along and readers will learn something as they meander through the book (many times). Parents will enjoy the nostalgia of the book, because we have all caught dysentery in the Oregon Trail game. So, why not share that with your kids? Recommended
