I kind of had to chuckle as I read this book in August, when my “teacher dreams” are starting to kick into gear. The babysitting scenario that got out of hand seemed to reflect the themes of most teachers’ dreams this time of year. When Henry’s friend stops by and asks if he can watch her sleeping nephew for a bit, she insists it will be no problem, as the baby is sleeping. But word spreads around the neighborhood and pretty soon watching a kitten, an infant, a baby, and a puppy. One thing leads to another until complete chaos is reigning, beyond Henry’s control and his house gets trashed. But eventually they all wear themselves out and are asleep when their parents return to collect them. The last one to leave, who was the friend who had started it all says, “You see, Henry? Babysitting is easy.”
Together We Grow, by Susan Vaught
I really wanted to like this one more than I actually did. The illustrations are fabulous! They’re warm and friendly and inviting. But it’s one of those poetical sort of books that depends on a series of short rhyming phrases to tell its story, but I didn’t think the words really did their job as well as they should have. Some of the vocabulary is likely to be unfamiliar to young children, and I don’t object to exposing kids to rich vocabulary, but sometimes the words chosen seem to be better at meeting the needs of rhythm and rhyme than actually conveying meaning. It maybe almost would work better as a wordless book.
Twinkle’s Fairy Pet Day, by Katharine Holabird
Okay, so I couldn’t quite bring myself to give it an official recommendation, because it’s not like it has anything especially literary to make it stand out. It’s your basic story of girls who get the wishes for pets granted, and then the main character worries that her pet isn’t special enough to win a prize at pet day, but then he surprises her and she decides she loves him no matter what. The story line itself practically mirrors another story I read a few minutes before this one. That being said, this book does have really appealing illustrations featuring lots of big-eyed fairies waving magic wands and flowers and sparkles and PINK, so it will certainly be a popular choice with its target audience.
Sherlock Chick and the Case of the Night Noises, by Robert Quackenbush
It’s a fun introduction to the genre of detective novel. Strange noises in the night keep awakening the barnyard animals, but each evening when Sherlock Chick and the other animals arrive at the location of the noises, only a few clues are found, and no culprit. The cat keeps offering suggestions of what it could have been (ghost, goblin, monster…) and suggesting they all talk it through together, but everyone is too tired to stay up and address the issue, and each night they continue to be awakened. Finally, Sherlock Chick decides to investigate in the light of day when he can see things more clearly, and the culprit becomes obvious.
Counting Creatures, by Julia Donaldson
I’m recommending it with reservations. It’s a lift-the-flap book, which is unlikely to stand up to much hard library use, but if that doesn’t make you squeamish, it’s a really lovely counting book with beautiful illustrations, a repetitive format that asks after each animal, “Who has more babies than that?” It counts to ten and then fifteen and 25, and then the final page tells us that the spider had lots of babies, and asks the reader to count them all throughout the book. Observant readers may notice before they reach the end that most pages seem to include a spider or two, and the final page will invite them to go back and count more thoroughly on their own.
Arnold the Super-ish Hero, by Heather Tekavec
It’s sort of a hybrid picture book graphic novel that tells the story of Arnold, the guy who answers the phones at his family’s superhero business while he’s waiting to discover what his super power is. One day a call comes in when none of the other superheroes are around, so he borrows a cape himself and heads out. On his way to answer the summons he helps an old lady in a wheel chair, a little duck, and the girl who called, with his ordinary human powers of kindness, discovering he is a Super Nice Guy. I really like this one. It manages to stay true to the tone of the typical super hero tale, while reminding kids they have the power to change the world in their own ways. It’s got a good message without being schmaltzy.
Burt the Beetle Doesn’t Bite! by Ashley Spires
It uses the format of a graphic novel and the character of a June bug to share a lot of information about assorted bugs, and June bugs in particular. As the June bug finds itself disgruntled to realize it doesn’t have some of the cool powers that other bugs have, and finally discovers his ability to avoid spider’s web, it makes friends with the other bugs. It’s not exactly packed with insect information, but many students will appreciate the graphic novel format and the personification of the bugs and learn some stuff along the way.
Moon Bear, by Frank Asch
Originally copyrighted 1978, the cover proclaims it “Moonbear’s very first adventure,” a prequel to Happy Birthday, Moon. This one describes how much Bear loved the moon and how concerned he became when he noticed it shrinking smaller and smaller. In all his worry, he stops eating and then notices himself getting thin, which of course leads him to speculate that perhaps the moon isn’t eating enough either, so he puts out some honey for the moon. Birds come and ate the honey while Bear sleeps, and then he notices the moon getting bigger, so he things he’s found the solution, but he continues to help the moon so much that he continues to get thinner himself, because he’s not saving enough honey for himself, which leaves the birds with a bit of a moral dilemma: they could help bear by telling him that they’re the ones eating the honey, but then they’ll lose out on the honey for themselves… Both the words and the illustrations are simple and straightforward, appropriate for young children, and the seeming logical, yet wrong, path of Bear’s thinking provide young readers with an opportunity to bring their own knowledge to the story to explain where Bear is making his mistakes. A solid choice.
I Don’t Want to Be Quiet! by Laura Ellen Anderson
It’s got lots of rhyming and silly illustrations as a young girl proclaims all the ways she loves making noise, even while admitting that her mom and teacher and other library patrons don’t appreciate her noise. After being embarrassed by the complaints of the other library patrons, she decides to open a book and finds that she can be quiet on the outside while all sorts of noisy adventures go on inside her head. And that just turns her life around. The next morning she decides to listen and realizes this allows her to enjoy birdsong and to learn in school. So she decides she likes being quiet some of the time and saving being noisy for appropriate times and places. I think it’s a bit of a stretch to leap from enjoying a book to suddenly delighting in listening at school. It comes across as a bit pedantic — the author’s wishful thinking, maybe?
Peter Easter Frog, by Erin Dealey
It’s cute. It’s fun. And it’s a new look at the role of the Easter Bunny. It’s got a repeating refrain that twists the traditional “Here comes Peter Cottontail…” to describe the adventures of Peter Easter Frog, but it keeps getting interrupted by other animals pointing out that he’s not the bunny. As he pleads his case to each animal — he can hop, he love Easter, etc. — the other animals join in. But when they run into The Bunny, he doesn’t seem too happy with the usurpers, until Frog gives Bunny and Easter egg. No one’s ever given him one before. It’s got rhythm and rhyme and a nice message about making sure those who are always giving get to receive sometimes too.
The Farmer and the Circus, by Marla Frazee
It’s a wordless picture book that shows a child of the circus refusing to wear his clown costume and choosing farmer clothes instead, and after helping to set up the circus tent and welcome guests, the last guest to arrive is dressed just like him. He and his monkey friend seem to recognize this new guest and introduce him to the boy’s clown mom and they all spend a day together full of music and juggling and food and then they wave goodbye to the rest of the clowns and head off to the farmer’s home as a family. The back flap does show that the book is the third book in a trilogy, and it would probably be best as part of the complete set. It works okay as a stand-alone, but would probably be better understood by someone already familiar with the previous encounters between these characters.
A Year of Everyday Wonders, by Cheryl B. Klein
I really like this book, though I freely admit it probably has more appeal for the adults who will read it to the kids and actual kid-appeal. It’s sweet and sentimental, with humor in the illustrations as it chronicles all the firsts of ordinary things in a new year, from first waffles to first fight with your brother, to the first snowfall and on and on through the first halloween mask and the first giving and getting on Christmas morning. Just to keep things from being completely repetitive it tosses in a few other numbers, like the second lost umbrella of the year and the 226th fight with your brother, and wraps up the year with the last waffles, last snowfall, last stories. I like it for the way it celebrates ordinary moments and I could see it sparking some interesting New Year journaling projects. It’s definitely something everyone can relate to.
The Passing Playbook by Isaac Fitzsimons
Main character, Spencer, was born biologically female but identifies as male. His early high school experiences have been riddled with bullying and threats to his life. At Spencer’s new school he decides to keep his transition a secret, passing easily as male. Spencer is a skilled soccer player, but encounters trouble playing for his new school’s team once the coach finds “female” listed as the sex on Spencers birth certificate. At this point, Spencer must decide if keeping his transition a secret is more important than playing soccer.
This book would interest student athletes as well as members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies. The character development is strong, the events unfold in a way that makes the reader want to continue to learn what happens. I highly recommend this book for all high school libraries.
We Are Inevitable by Gayle Forman
This is a book about grief, addiction, family and finding your community. I went into this book with high expectations because I’ve loved every other book by Gayle Forman, but by the end of this read I was left wanting so much more. The main character, Aaron, is boring and had me often wondering why I couldn’t connect to him very well. The events unfold slowly with little development. The one redeeming aspect of the book is the way we see Aaron and his parents dealing with grief in vastly different ways; none of which are coping well, but all are still making their way through it.
The book is appropriate for both upper middle and high school students. There are characters dealing with substance abuse and addition as well as a character who dies of an overdose.
Cow Girl by Amy Cobb, illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis
Libby Wimbley and her friend Becca spend time trying to decide what Libby can enter this year in the upcoming county fair. Libby’s cobbler won’t work, nor will her knitting. The farm animals do not seem to be interested, either. Then, Fred, the calf, ‘nudges‘ his way into becoming Libby’s fair entry.
Libby does not pout or cry when Fred does not win a prize. This is refreshing in a day when everyone receives a prize. ‘ “Looks like we didn’t win. But you did great!” Libby smiled at Fred. Then the judge announced, “And fourth place goes to Libby Wimbley and Fred!” ‘ (31)
Cow Girl is part of the Libby Wimbley series. Libby is a person-of-color, though this book does not address it. I am not sure if it is addressed in any of the other books in the series. Cow Girl is written in five short chapters with a medium-large size font.
Smash!:Exploring the Mysteries of the Universe with the Large Hadron Collider by Sara Latta, illustrated by Jeff Weigel
Smash!:Exploring the Mysteries of the Universe with the Large Hadron Collider by Sara Latta, illustrated by Jeff Weigel uses the graphic novel format to excite readers about physics.
When Nick travels to see his cousin Sophie in “GENEVA, SWITZERLAND–HOME OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST PHYSICS LABORATORY” (8) where her parents are scientists, they will both help each other. Nick needs an idea for a comic contest back home and Sophie knows all about the physics behind the Hadron Collider but is not good at art. An art trade-off for a science trade-off is about to begin. ( Since this reviewer is not good at creating art or physics, the use of ‘kid dialogue’ is an important part of this book’s experience.)
Sophie breaks down the Standard Model consisting of a collection of theories into smaller and smaller parts, while Nick figures out how to turn them into Super Heroes.
“WOW! IT’S LIKE SOMETHING FROM A SECIENCE FICTION MOVIE! [Nick] BELIEVE ME– THE STUFF YOU’RE ABOUT TO SEE BEATS ANY MOVIE YOU’VE EVER SEEN…” [Sophie] (39) Yes, this reminds me of two different Star Wars movies. First, when Darth Vader and Luke face off with Luke falling, falling, down, down the humongous shaft and second, when Han Solo and Kylo Ren face off with Han falling, falling, down, down a humongous shaft. Some of the equipment in the Geneva laboratory remind me of those shafts.
The reader will be familiarized with the particles and forces in physics through the graphic novel format, given five more pages to review once Nick and Sophie are done, a glossary, and given a few books, visual media, and websites to check-out.
The Bug in the Bog by Jonathan Fenske
Just by looking at the cover of The Bug in the Bog by Jonathan Fenske readers will think they know this book’s plot. The frog is slyly looking at the bug with a toothy grin. When I read Jonathan Fenske’s dedication “For Epomis beetles everywhere.” I did not know there are, in fact, beetles that eat frogs. Surprise! Guess what happens to the frog in this book when the fog bank rolls in and nothing is visible?
Chuckle away at the illustrations, too. It is a book of few words. After all, it is a pre-level one, Ready-to-Read book by a Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Winner.
Come In, Zip! by David Milgrim
Can Zip, the young outer-space humanoid, out wit his mother when it is time to go inside for the day and go to bed? David Milgrim has done it again! This very easy to read story set in outer-space will connect with young playful children. It is magical on more than one level.
Parents and teachers will be able to help their early readers succeed in reading this book by using the pre-story tables of sight and bonus words.
“Don’t miss the questions about the story at the end of this book.” is the last thing stated before the story begins, but in this copy of the book there were no questions. Perhaps because this book only contains thirty-nine different words total.
My Bed :Enchanting Ways to Fall Asleep Around the World by Rebecca Bond
My Bed :Enchanting Ways to Fall Asleep Around the World fills the eyes with cultural customs and treasures from around the world through the theme of beds. They are candy for the eye.
Each of the twelve pages, representing twelve distinct regions of the world, are filled with painstakingly made hand sewn, embroidered, figures with sleeping areas created using felted wool as a starting point. The Netherlands’ bed sits in a floating houseboat. “Brazil[‘s], Mexico[‘s], and other countries[‘] of South and Central America” are sleeping in hammocks. Afghanistan’s bed consist of “soft, hand-woven rugs”. Each page is a lesson in culture from the living quarters, to the native plants and animals of the region. They are candy for the eye.
We Love Fishing! by Ariel Bernstein
We Love Fishing! presents the delightfully charming story of the reluctant odd-man-out. “Bear, Porcupine, Otter, and Squirrel love fishing.” Squirrel just wants to hang out with his friends. After all, squirrels do not eat fish, no matter how they are prepared. Squirrel keeps his lack of enthusiasm to himself and goes fishing, to be with his enthusiastic fish loving friends.
Marc Rosenthal’s illustrations gave this reader laughs, chuckles, and giggles throughout the book!
Tell No Tales : Pirates of the Southern Seas by Sam Maggs (author) and Kendra Wells (illustrator)
Inspired by real-life women pirates, this graphic novel, released in February of 2021, promises to be the first of a series. Anne Bonny is the captain of La Sirene, whose diverse crew members each rise to the occasion, showing their individual strengths, when time on the sea puts them in dramatic situations. Told with plenty of humor and action-adventure, the illustrations waiver between retro comic books (X’s in the eyes, WHAM!, KABOOM!) and pop culture (“Oh, [poop emoji] !”) See how this band of misfits battle the more technically advanced, men-driven ship, and be ready for romance to show up in unexpected places.
Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden
Told in four alternating voices, “Flight of the Puffin” has the potential to inspire readers to leave positive messages to peers who may be dealing with a struggle. Our main character, Libby, is a bully who deep down, needs affirmation from her parents that she’s a good person. On an index card, she writes what she needs to hear, “You are amazing.” Realizing that others may need to hear the same message, she gets to work designing more index cards with positive messages, which she leaves around town for others to find. This spreads to putting some in the mail, each with a puffin stamp, to people she reads about around the country. Recipients of the these messages begin to pay it forward to others who need building up as well.
This feel-good story is written by Ann Braden, author of “The Benefits of Being an Octopus.” Besides being a writer, Braden founded the Local Love Brigade, whose purpose is to send “love postcards” to those who are facing hate. Chapters of the Local Love Brigade and popping up all over the country.
Hopefully readers will read the author bio on the book jacket and realize that the storyline’s inspiration doesn’t need to end when they close the book. This is a sweet read which has the reader cheering on the underdogs — one trying to save his small country school from closing, a nonconformist, perhaps on the spectrum, who is a target for bullying, a non-binary homeless teen, rejected by their parents, and Libby who wants to do something big.
The Duck Who didn’t Like Water by Steve Small
Simply looking at the adorable cover of The Duck Who didn’t Like Water will quack you up. The duck is holding an open umbrella in the rain while wearing a lemon yellow macintosh rain slicker and yellow rain hat. Oh yes, and there is a green frog sitting straight legged on top of the umbrella. Duck is a little OCD when it comes to water. When a terrible storm makes a hole in the roof of Duck’s house (on stilts above the cattails) Duck discovers not only a frog on his front porch, but a true friend in the making.
Italy by Amy Rechner
Basic information about Italy is covered from: location with maps, landscape and climate with a seasonal temperature inset, wildlife with photos, communities, customs, school, food, and celebrations.
I found Italy, in the COUNTRY PROFILES series, the easiest to understand when it came to the use of local place names and vocabulary in captions. This is most likely because this is the country I am most familiar with in this series. Also, Amy Rechner does a great job of including definitions within the text.
Students will appreciate the two pages of quick facts containing Italy’s flag, money, capital city and other information they most likely will be required to give in a report on Italy.
The www.factsurfer.com links gave more information from at least three other resources. Most of the links were working today.
What disappoints is the Timeline section. The reader must jump up and down from the top to the bottom of the pages to follow the sequence of Italy ‘s history. Only four of the lines are straight directly connecting to their spot on the timeline. The other eight are lines in three segments giving the appearance of a maze.
Thailand by Emily Rose Oachs
Basic information about Thailand is covered from: location with maps, landscape and climate with a seasonal temperature inset, wildlife with photos, communities, customs, school, food, and celebrations.
Students will appreciate the two pages of quick facts containing Thailand’s flag, money, capital city and other information they most likely will be required to give in a report on Thailand.
The www.factsurfer.com links which should have given more information from at least three other resources were not working very well the day I went to see them. Of the three Scholastic Thailand books shown, only one of them had information. All the links that matched the photo of this particular Thailand title went to other countries.
What disappoints is the Timeline section. The reader must jump up and down from the top to the bottom of the pages to follow the sequence of Thailand’s history. There is not a single line connecting the appropriate picture to the year on the line. There is a three segmented line which usually crosses the book’s ditch from the left page to the right page.
The Wildlife section includes six photos of indigenous animals, but also talks about another five animals that are not pictured.