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.

Where the Oceans Meet is an endearing tale of an intergenerational road trip seen through the eyes of a young girl who has traveled with her mother to Southern India to visit her Paati (grandmother). The story symbolically braids together three generations, living oceans apart, who take a trip to visit special friends and places as they eat their way through Southern India heading for the tip of the country where three oceans meet. Highlights abound of a beautiful land full of whimsical patterns in fabrics, foods and gardens. The immigrant experience of a generation returning to their homeland is vividly expressed through illustrations where you feel the love, traditions and intimate relationships regardless of time and distance apart. The book includes a brightly illustrated map bringing to life the route, colorful places and local foods, including boiled peanuts carefully wrapped in folded newspaper cones. Any student who has ventured to visit new places, together with family, will relate to the unexpected and in between moments that accentuate a road trip and fill us all with lasting memories.

We Give Thanks written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier is an exceptional book especially for early readers. The book states why we should give thanks anytime, anywhere and encourages kindness. The creative illustrations add great visuals on how to give thanks. The book rhymes and has a rhythm that flows nicely. The beautiful illustrations make you want to turn the page to see more. Early readers will love this book, as will older, more experienced readers..

The Chicken House written by Doreen Cronin and illustrated by Stephen Gilpin is a sweet and amusing story for beginner readers. Sugar, Sweetie, Poppy and Moosh, an interesting chicken family, hang out in J.J. the dog’s doghouse and play. The chickens’ unique characters are fun to read about and show the value of family, and the cute illustrations make this story even more heartwarming. Early and intermediate readers will enjoy the new vocabulary. All readers will enjoy the one-of-a-kind characters and their corresponding illustrations.

This graphic novel, Barb, The Last Berzerker, by Dan & Jason, is sure to be appreciated by early readers due to its bold colors and silly vocabulary. Barb and Porkchop must save their friends from the evil Witch Head before it’s too late. The readable layout lets the captivating art shine. Both a graphic novel and comedy, this will delight those looking fora casual read while still sneaking in a classic moral. The illustrations are complicated, with fairly intricate line work, yet still simple enough to focus on. Primary readers will gawk at the art and stay tuned until the very last page, and even adults will enjoy reading this to their children. Although this is geared towards early readers, everyone who appreciates a good quest will love this book. Containing a fierce and unique storyline, this graphic novel is a must-read for all early readers.

Snakes Smell With Their Tongues! and Other Amazing Facts by Thea Feldman is sure to appeal to early intermediate readers. Lee Cosgrove complements the documentary images and facts with eye catching comic book based illustrations, backgrounds and text. Snakes Smell With Their Tongues! and Other Amazing Facts, provides an appealing informative, and interesting narrative that describes numerous facts and characteristics relating to snakes. The simple and easy to read text complemented by the vivid images and the bubbly art style of this book provides an engaging and striking read for younger readers. More intermediate readers will enjoy the interesting facts that this book includes, while younger readers will like all the images, art, and easy to read text. This non-fiction book is one that I would suggest to younger readers with an interest in biology, animals, and snakes and reptiles; it’s a nice and easy book to pick up and enjoy.

What are the chances that your father would marry the mother of your secret crush and he would move into your house? But this is not what the cover art falsely sells it to be. It is so much better. Eva Gibson gives us Elaine Jamison — or Lane. Lane is complex. Lane has had a rough go. She found her mother in their bathroom dead from a brutal suicide. This brings nightmares on a regular basis. Then her father does remarry. And her new step-brother, Greyson, whom she secretly infatuates over, is dating her good friend Sadie. Lane doesn’t let her secret be known and continues to hang out with the couple which leads her to meet Connor, Sadie’s older brother. Sparks will fly between Connor and Lane, leaving her overwhelmed with emotions — but not just about the boys. Issues of homelessness, religious fundamentalism, and drug abuse will all rear their heads in addition to the grief around Lane’s mother’s death. Lane is raw and more mature than the average teen. The Connor vs. Greyson battle will come to the forefront eventually but it is not the book’s focus. Situations explode and then take time to resolve, like real life. This reader was happily surprised that the book was better than the cover and title and will recommend it to high school students.

Naaz Khan created a wonderful, rhyming, funny tale of a brother, Musa, and his sister, Dada, on their trip to the beach in the daladala, a bus, in Zanzibar. This book is a fun counting book as they continue to add 1, 2, 3 and up to 10 things and people to the daladala. Musa doesn’t think any more can fit, at each stop he says there is no more room, but his sister believes they can fit everyone who needs the lift. By the end of the story when they are adding 10 divers to the bus, Musa is laughing along with his sister and ready to welcome anyone aboard. Finally, they make it to the beach and as everyone spills out, you count backwards remembering all the people and animals and things Musa and Dada made room for along the way.

One of the things I enjoyed most about this book is the representation of Africa in the illustrations. The pictures show so much joy and movement and all the reader can do is giggle along with Musa and Dada as they stuff as many things as possible onto the daladala bus. I also enjoyed how the text was represented, also with alot of movement, using large type-face for some words and arranging the phrases in different places across the page.

The book does have a glossary at the back for a few Arabic and Swahili words that show up in the text. Although it does explain the words, it does not help pronounce them.

I think many kids would find this book funny and it will spark great conversations about different cultures, countries, and language.

Aaron Slater Illustrator by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts is another great addition to the Questioneers collection. In this rhyming story, Aaron Slater is born LOVING stories, he loves listening to stories and what his heart wants most is to create his own stories. But to write, first he must read, and words are not easy for Aaron to understand – they’re all just squiggles. Aaron struggles to write and read in school and keep up with his classmates, one day when Miss Greer asks the class to write a story Aaron just tells his story. He doesn’t have a single word on his page, but his class sits in rapture as they listen to the words spill out of his mouth. His teacher recognizes this special gift of Aaron’s and thanks him for the beautiful story. Aaron discovers that he can succeed, his path might just be a little different.

I love this story because it highlights a student struggling with dyslexia, and a teacher embracing him for who he is and appreciating his gifts. I know many students will identify with Aaron Slater.

The illustrations are fantastic and its so much fun to find the other Questioneers among the pages. Don’t forget to check out the hardcover under the jacket for more of Aaron’s (Roberts) illustrations!

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.