This series deals with math and how math can be found everywhere. The math this time, at the art museum, is not as straight forward as younger children might need. This book would best be used as a group read.

“This book is not intended to analyze art from a mathematical perspective. Instead, the intent is to highlight how math often informs art and also influences our daily lives.”

Geometry is the often the easiest form of math to see visualized is the art presented within this book.

Artworks by : Jasper Johns, George Seurat, Wassily Kandinsky, Fernand Leger, Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, Rene Magritte, Kim Jae-hong, Henri Matisse, Giuseppe Arcimboldo, and Salvador Dali are presented in connection with math vocabulary.

Three makerspace projects are given in step-by-step precision, including a list all of the materials needed to complete each project. All three of these projects deal with motion, as the title indicates. Each project is presented with a number of variables so the maker can take their project to a new level or use the variables to make hypothesis for possible science fair entries. “Like all inventors, you will try out your machines. Then you will change your designs to make them even better.” (6)

After the project section of the book, there is a “Masters of Motion” section about six people made famous because of their work with motion. This is followed by a “Timeline: Machines that Move” from 3200 BCE – 2012. And finally a four word glossary and eight entry index.

The projects were photographed with a diverse set of young intermediate school student models.

I am only sorry I did not have access to an elementary age student to try out these projects due to the 2019 Covid pandemic.

This books talks about the importance of consent in relationships, and other topics avoid with their children. Written by a father / daughter duo (father is a physician and daughter is a high school writing teacher), the book does a good job in breaking these topics down into easily understandable lessons and is a good read for any age, especially parents who are wanting resources to teach their children.

Topics include: boundaries, consent, sexuality, friendship, bullying, sex, and trauma.

The authors provide recommended resources for further information.

Victoria just recently found out that her dad has cancer and ever since she was little, she and her dad have been obsessed with finding vampires. After her dad gets diagnosed, she goes to New Orleans to try to find one, as New Orleans was the first place in the United State where vampires were found. Victoria’s goal is to find a vampire, have it turn her into a vampire and save her dad’s life,

This story is a light read. The author does a good job of writing of vampire book that doesn’t make you cringe. She has a unique take on immortality and the cost of living forever.

by Barbara Dee

12-year old Wren has a lot on her plate: her parents’ recent divorce, her dad’s new family in another state, and a new school. Fitting in isn’t easy for Wren. Her Mom copes with her jilted marriage by spending a lot of time sleeping on the couch and behind her locked bedroom door. Wren escapes to her computer, where she watches videos on how to apply special-effects make-up. Trying to appease her mother by getting involved in a school activity, Wren gets the position of being the make-up artist for her school’s musical, Wicked.

This is where artsy Wren begins to shine in front of the cast. Respect is gained, friendships deepen and her confidence grows. But beware the comments about Mom not showing up for work. When Wren and her new friend sneak off to meet her Internet make-up artist at an event in the city, mom is admitted to the hospital for overdosing on pain pills.

I would give this book to those artsy kids who have their unique look. Finally, a book just for them! I think they’d appreciate her talent, her successes, and her introverted life-style.

When four year old Cece came down with meningitis, her whole world changed. Cece entered the world of deafness and all of the challenges that go with it. Cece used hearing aids to overcome some of the challenges, but hearing aids only go so far. This is author Cece Bell’s childhood story dealing with her lack of self-confidence due to wearing a large chest mounted hear aid (she stands out, and not in a good way) and other peoples over compensations when trying to help Cece understand what they are saying. Talking louder does not make her hear it better, nor does talking slowly make it easier to read lips.

Cece slowly develops friends, one is too bossy but seems not to notice her hearing aid, another one talks too loud and too slowly and when a new neighbor girl moves in across the street Cece acquires a true friend.

Cece Bell shares her fun memories, too. Cece’s new hearing aid model for school has her teacher wearing a special microphone. This allows Cece to hear her teacher even when the teacher is in another room, say – the restroom. Now, Cece’s class can goof-off when the teacher is out of the classroom because Cece warns the class prior to the teacher’s return. What a super power!

Cece Bell’s “A Note from the Author” ends with- “And being different? That turned out to be the best part of all. I found that with a little creativity, and a lot of dedication, any difference can be turned into something amazing. Our differences are our superpowers.” ( 237)

AND because this is the Superpowered Edition! Cece Bell has included an additional forty pages of photos from her childhood, early El Deafo sketches, early El Deafo drafts with revisions and storyboards, and ends with items her readers have sent to her.

Poppy, the pit bull, and Hannah, the new girl in town, have similar trials to overcome. Poppy must live with the bad reputation pit bulls have of being vicious. Hannah must overcome the misconceptions new people have of her when they see the “reddish-purple birthmark that covered almost half of her face.” (1)

Hannah’s family moved from Michigan to California the summer before she will start sixth grade. Hannah suffers from the typical dismays young people experience when they move away from their friends and familiar surroundings. Next door to her, Poppy is a rambunctious six month old puppy Hannah’s neighbor, Mrs. Gilly, who is recovering from hip surgery, has for companionship. Poppy is a bit too much for Mrs. Gilly to handle as she recovers from her hip surgery. Hannah suddenly volunteers to take Poopy for walks and eventually to train Poppy, so Poppy won’t be taken back to the shelter.

Poppy and Hannah become inseparable as they both work to fit into their new home situations. Training Poppy helps Hannah develop the confidence she needs. “Hannah and Poppy were totally in sync, as if they’d learned to share different facets of their personalities–as if Poopy had gained some of Hannah’s calm seriousness and Hannah had gained some of Poppy’s happy confidence.” (196-197)

Once the story concludes, Jennifer Shotz has added a three page section – ALL ABOUT THE PIT BULL to inform readers about pit bulls. This is followed by the first two chapters of her book BRAVE, also in the American Dog series.

Written by acclaimed author and Constitutional law scholar Lawrence Goldstone, Separate No More beings with the landmark Supreme Court’s decison of Plessy v. Ferguson and leads up through the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision. Goldstone outlines how Plessy v. Ferguson decision in 1896 upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine, and how the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka unanimous Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation of children in public schools was unconstitutional. Goldstone explains how Brown v. Board of Education served as one of the cornerstones of the civil rights movement, and helped establish the precedent that “separate-but-equal” education and other services were not, in fact, equal at all.

Separate No More introduces the reader to icons of racial justice from Brooker T. Washington and W. E. B. Du Bois whose exacting work finally culminated in the Topeka case. In between, Goldstone introduces the reader to major events in the struggle including the Springfield, Illinois massacre of 1908, the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (the NAACPA) in 1909, the Red Summer race riots in 1919, and the Student Revolt of 1951.

As with other non-fiction books by Goldstone in my library’s collection, including Unpunished Murder: Massacre at Colfax and the Quest for Justice, and Stolen Justice: The Struggle for African American Voting Rights, Separate No More includes substantial source notes, bibliography, photograph and illustration credits (there are many primary sources in this book), and index.

This book would make an excellent addition to a high school library’s non-fiction collection.

Hayden Vargas has the reputation around school of being “experienced“, and she also happens to be extremely attractive. The other girls may be jealous of her looks and hence spread these rumors, but regardless, she is sought out by a wallflower classmate Emmaline Martin, who wants to pay Hayden for lessons in seduction. Coming from a poor family with an alcoholic mother, and a deceased father, Hayden can’t pass up the chance to earn money so takes on the challenge. Emmaline’s handsome, popular jock brother Nolan gets in the way. He doesn’t want his sister’s reputation marred by being seen hanging out with Hayden. Before too long, however, Nolan falls for Hayden. Finally, he begins to defend her.

This story is filled with “slut shaming” of Hayden by the other girls, as well as by the golden-boy jock Nolan. Hayden tries repeatedly to defend herself from this slander but why should she have to? The reader never learns what it is that she actually did to earn this reputation. There is a reference is to making out with a boy in 8th grade. But the rumors have tanked her reputation.

The story is hard to read given the mean girls and the sexist, drunk, vulgar boys. There is also sexually explicit language and images.

Running refers to Marianna Ruiz’ father who is a US Senator running on the Republican ticket for US President. As a 15 year old Cuban American from a family of immigrants, Mariana faces a new reality. Public scrutiny, 60 Minute style tour of their home, tabloids printing doctored photos and made up scandals about the family. Marianna, who has led a sheltered and privileged life to this point, but as tensions rise in her family, Marianna begins to learn things about her father that she did not previously know.

As she learns more about her father’s political positions on environmental issues and immigration, her opinion of him changes. He is not the man she thought he was. It is normal for a teen to disagree with a parent’s views, but iMarianna found it very hard to stand up and speak out against her father with their family in the national spotlight.

Running is a good coming of age story, especially for students who are interested in politics and current affairs.

After the Shot Drops is an contemporary urban story regarding two friends Bunny and Nasir who have been best friends since childhood. But things change when Bunny accepts an athletic scholarship at another school across town, leaving Nasir feeling abandoned and betrayed. It’s not all roses for Bunny, either, as he tries to fit in with his new, privileged mostly white peers. Nasir spends more time with his cousin, Wallace, who is being evicted. Nasir doesn’t understand wonder why the people in their neighborhood are so ramped up over Bunny’s scholarship when Wallace is the one who needs help and support.

Things go south when Wallace makes a sport bet against Bunny, leaving Nasir in a miserable situation. He has to make an impossible, and potentially dangerous decision.

The story is told from alternating perspectives and deals with themes about the responsibilities of great talent, the importance of compassion, the value of friendship, the importance of family, and the need for courage in difficult situations. While basketball may be what hooks in the reader, and there is plenty of basketball in the novel, it is the relationships that make the story. This book will appeal to YA readers who enjoyed Slam, The Hate U Give, Hooper, All American Boys, or The Crossover.

Grace Hansen has once again provided young readers with clear, concise, easy to understand, basic information on a subject without talking down to the reader, this time the subject is IGNEOUS ROCKS.

Igneous Rocks by Grace Hansen explains what igneous rocks are: where and how they are formed- including the rock cycle and what igneous rocks are used for in our lives.

Two or three sentences of information, in large font text, on the left side page accompany large (10.5″ X 9″) full page photos on the right side page.

The book includes: table of contents, index, glossary, and “abdokids.com to access crafts, games, videos, and more!” [GIK551] (24) The same website information can be obtained by using the QR code provided on the same page.

Bulldozers by Aubrey Zalewsk gives young readers basic information on why and where bulldozers are used. Bulldozers level ground, plow snow, build roads, mining, logging and can also be used by farmers.

The three main parts ( tracks, blade, and ripper) are labeled in a photo. The vocabulary words are highlighted in blue throughout the medium sized text of the book. The blue matches the outside spine of the book and other sidebar bits of information.

Bulldozers by Aubrey Zalewski has the added feature of four QR codes – one for each chapter. When the first QR code is scanned the reader will see of short video clip of bulldozers moving earth. The other QR codes will send the reader to more information (links), and activities. The same information can be obtained by going to popbooksonline.com/bulldozer on a computer.

Young readers will discover much about the real life of Clown Fish, made so popular in the movie FINDING NEMO.

Clown Fish by Emma Bassier has the added feature of four QR codes – one for each chapter. When the first QR code is scanned the reader will see of short video clip of the clown fish swimming. The other QR codes will send the reader to more information (links), and activities. The same information can be obtained by going to popbooksonline.com/clown-fish on a computer.

The format is the typical large font text on one page filled with color photos on the opposite page. The spine of the book is in purple, as are the vocabulary words as they are presented within the text.

Joanne Mattern puts the events leading up to the writing of our national anthem into order from the building of Fort McHenry, to the battle observed by Francis Scott Key between the British and the United States’ troops at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812, and beyond.

“when British troops attacked American ships, [President James] Madison had had enough. The War of 1812 lasted about two years. In the end, Madison was seen as a popular President who stood strong against being bullied by the British.” (15) At the beginning of the War of 1812, the United States did not have a trained army and only three large ships in its navy, but Madison had the support of the American people.

The British had already burnt Washington, D.C. and were converging on Baltimore protected by Fort McHenry.

Each turn of the page has the text broken up with interesting side bars, maps, diagrams, illustrations and/or portraits of leaders from the time period, or photos of live re-enactments from Fort McHenry which is part of the National Park Service.

The cover photo of five diverse six year olds with five diverse puppies will draw young readers into this book about owning their very first puppy.

The first nineteen pages alternate through the five joyful children interacting with their various puppies. Sniffing hands, putting on collars, walking on a leash, learning to sit and stay, providing food and fresh water, and cleaning up puppy meshes are some of the subjects written about in huge font short sentences. Then, the final eleven pages are meant to be shared with the child and an adult to get them on the same page with puppy care. ‘A Bed or Crate’, ‘Things to Cuddle’, ‘Sense of Smell’, ‘Choose a Name’,’ Walking on a Leash’, ‘Sit, Stay, and More!’, ‘Going Outside’, ‘Being Patient’, ‘Food and Water’, ‘Checkups’, ‘A Wagging Tail’, ‘Always Be Gentle’, and ‘Stay Safe’ are the topics to be discussed between the child and adult.

Jill Wachter’s minimalistic photos of puppy and child with her illustrated balls, collars, and other puppy items accentuate the corresponding text.

Fans of the Disney channel’s Puppy Dog Pals series will enjoy this retelling of Happy Birthday, Puppy Pals!  from season one in 2017.

Puppy Pals Rolly and Bingo are excited about having a birthday. It never crosses their minds they should be giving each other a gift until their sister Hissy the cat brings it up. In the end, both Rolly and Bingo trade their favorite thing to get a present for their brother in true ‘Gift of the Magi’ fashion. This time though, Hissy trades her own things to get the puppies favorite things back.

Fans of the Disney channel’s Vampirina series will enjoy this retelling of Vee is for Valentine from season one in 2017.

Vampirina, or Vee for short, is part of a vampire family who has moved to Pennsylvania from Transylvania. This is their first Valentine’s Day. They have always celebrated Ghoulentine’s Day, in the past. Vee has made two sets of holiday cards to give out for the occasion. One set for her human friends at school and another different spookier set for her Transylvania friends and family at home. When one card from each set gets into the wrong grouping Vee must retrieve the spooky card from a classmate before it is opened.

“Loving our friends is what monsters do best… and what VALENTINE’S DAY is all about.”