Basic information about Cuba 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 Cuba’s flag, money, capital city and other information they most likely will be required to give in a report on Cuba.

The www.factsurfer.com links gave more information from at least three other resources.

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 Cuba’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.

Four accomplices, like the four letters of the title Meme, each will question the motives of the others after a wickedly committed murder, a murder they believe has gone viral. It is the fall of their senior year. Cole and Meeka’s relationship has gone south, with Meeka feeling that Cole may cause her physical harm. Cole has had a very rough life and is smarter with computers than with people. Holly, Grayson, and Logan felt there was only one way to protect Meeka. A single picture is taken at the murder site that would connect all of them if one were to confess. It was taken as a sort of security blanket, then all phones were destroyed and left with the buried body. Except the picture began to circulate as a meme shortly after the killing. Who else has the picture? Does that person know what happened that night? Could Cole still be alive? All have a point of view to share as narrators of alternating chapters as the story unwinds. Yet Meeka’s is that last voice. While Aaron Starmer’s title is trite, the writing is pretty good and fans of Gretchen McNeil will enjoy this suspenseful tale.

When four newly hatched dinosaurs imprint on Doc and Denise at a rundown dinosaur tourist trap this graphic novel becoming very interesting with overtones of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Doc and Denise’s landlord- Angus- unknowingly awakens the dreaded Armageddon, (buried a millennia past), from his underground hypercrystal prison. Armageddon, then transforms Angus into “THE MALICIOUS MAN-COMET!”

Armageddon sets Man-Comet out to destroy the manosaurs. Presently, the manosaurs are at the dinosaur museum with Doc and Denise, who want to show them about their earthly history. Mayhem at the museum ensues until Armageddon is once again trapped in hypercrystal.

Do not miss Book #2.

Tara Smith is a driven high school girl, the daughter of successful, driven parents. Then one day in a hurry to get to the school bus on time, Tara does not take her morning handful of daily pills. Everything changes from there! Tara can no longer block out the taunts from bullies. In a moment of rage, Tara transforms into a girl with glowing red eyes who spontaneously combusts.

Tara finds herself swiftly whisked off to a school for extraterrestrial high school girls. “…IF EVERYTHING GOES WELL, YOU’LL (Tara) HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REPRESENT EARTH AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM IN FUTURE GALACTIC ENDEAVORS.” This could very well be Tara’s dream come true.

Now Tara must get used to having a roommate, a new school, and life as an alien living among many other aliens from many other worlds. The BIG question is- ‘can friendship withstand cultural history’? A history where one friend’s world destroyed another friends world.

It seems no matter which world a high school girl is from, there will always be drama.

Lola’s dad, the super secret agent, James Blond, is kidnaped by Max Imum and other Friendly Falls villains. Lola sets out to find him with her dinosaur, James, and her cat Hot Dog. Luckily she brought her pencil and eraser to help her defeat the villains. Along the way she is joined by two skeletons and a scribble monster. In the second story, Lola sets off through the television to save her mom who has gone missing.

This story is full of twists and turns and imagination. As an adult, I had a hard time following and keeping up with the story. I think this story would appeal to 2nd and 3rd grade fans of silly graphic novels.

When their owner, Mrs. Food, slips and falls and is taken away to the hospital, the pets learn they are in serious trouble. The dog, cat, bird, and two rats must come up with a plan to survive on their own. They concoct a plan to become independently wealthy. Their plan involves stealing coins from the Coin Man on the top floor. Along the way, they discover something is going on with the little girl who is taking care of them and discover it might not just be the pets that need saving.

Each of the pets have distinct personalities. Readers will laugh at the animals plans and antics. This is a page turning read.

A boy goes for a walk one morning in search of a couple of things for his breakfast. With the curiosity of a young child, he investigates a gate, a truck, a tractor, a haystack, a cow, a sheep, and a pony. None of these interesting objects lay the eggs he wants for breakfast. All the while, a chicken follows him. Retrieving eggs in the chicken coop, he shows he always knew where to find the eggs.

The illustrations give the book a classic feel. The lines of the sweet illustrations are reminicent of Robert McCloskey and the playful colors bring to mind Gyo Fujikawa’s characters.

A young hawaiian boy grows up hearing his grandfather sing. As they spend time at the ocean and evenings singing grandfather encourages his grandson to listen for a good song. The boy tries again and again as he grows and moves away from home to hear the song. Time passes and so does his grandfather. Still he can’t hear the song. In his sadness, he heads to the ocean, lying back he lets it lull him. In his dreams he hears the whisper of his grandfather on the wind. And he hears the “good song”. Now when the boy hears singing and the strumming of the ukulele he feels the love of the good song in his heart.

The Good Song is a touching story that encourages a reader to slow down, listen, and connect to both the surrounding world and his/her inner heart. The story reflects the culture of the Hawaiian people.

Endpapers include a short biography of IZ (Israel Kamakawiwoʻole), a Hawaiian muscisian famous for his medley of Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World as well as the song lyrics.

Identified as a graphic novel chapter book, this book offers a hybrid reading experience for young readers.

Snail is happy in his rusty bucket home and doesn’t want to ever leave. When he’s dumped from the bucket, his friend ladybug encourages him to look for a new house. Together they explore the different parts of the yard looking for the perfect snail house. Along the way snail makes friends with a gopher and a rabbit too. After narrowly escaping a chicken who wants to eat him for lunch, he discovers the apple orchard is the perfect place to make his home.

A book that incorporates friendship and problem-solving in an adventure to find snail a new home.

Chestnut by Jennifer Li Shotz puts forth the tale of a family living on the financial edge and their daughter – Meg who wants to have a dog more than anything else in the world.

The Briggs Family Christmas Tree Farm is just entering their busiest time of the year as Meg has her twelfth birthday. Meg has been looking forward to this because Meg wants to show her brother, sister, and parents she is no longer the ‘little’ girl of the family. Now, she will be able to truly help daily at the yearly Christmas tree stand. On Meg’s way out to the tree stand, she discovers a hurt dog (Chestnut, a Plott hound, known for its tracking skills) entangled in the farm’s wire fencing. Meg rescues the dog, hides it in an old shed, then goes to work. Meg knows her parents do not want a dog.

Now the lying and the guilty feelings start for Meg. Meg has never lied to her parents before. She wants this dog so much. Surely, she will be able to find a way to support Chestnut so her parents will let her keep him. More lies, more guilt.

Meg’s parents finally discover Chestnut when he escapes from the shed and tracks Meg to the house. Meg’s tears are unending and her heartbreak all encompassing as her family takes Chestnut to the animal shelter.

Later that same day, the sheriff is called to the tree farm when it is discovered 150 trees have been chopped down from the very back lot of the farm. Feelings of financial ruin loom over the entire family.

Meg finds a way to temporarily retrieve Chestnut from the animal shelter with the help of her neighbors. Then, she and Chestnut track the thieves down. Along the way Meg falls through the snow covered ice into a pond. [Here is where my 10+ years, as an actively participating mother of three hiking Boy Scouts, has a problem with this story. From the time Meg falls into the pond until she is rescued by her parents, because of Chestnut’s tracking skills, hypothermia should have been so extreme, I feel, Meg would not have survived.]

Chestnut’s tracking skills saves Meg, the stolen Christmas trees, and the family from financial ruin.

Meg’s emotional roller coaster will ring true with intermediate readers.

If you have seen the Black Panther movie ( or maybe you have read the original comic books) , how could you forget Shuri, T’Challa’s (AKA the Black Panther) younger sister? Shuri wants to work in her laboratory, while her mother – Queen Ramonda would prefer 13 year old, Princess Shuri be fitted for formal wear and have her hair braided for T’Challa’s upcoming Challenge Day.

Princess Shuri struggles throughout the novel with you role in life as a princess, a young woman, gender equality, and a scientist. “…she will prove to Mother and T’Challa– to everyone, really– that she’s more than just some princess history will forget.” (70) Girl readers especially, hold on to your hats, this is going to be a bumpy ride.

When Shuri discovers Wakanda’s sacred heart-shaped herb that gives each new Black Panther his ( or someday perhaps her ) superior abilities is dying out at an alarming rate, Shuri concentrates her time researching the herb’s survival. Not get ready for Challenge Day. Then, Shuri discovers Wakanda is under threat of invasion. Shuri decides to secretly leave the palace with her Dora Milaje body guard in-training, K’Marah, to carry-out her royal duty to protect Wakana.

Get ready for more books in this series already in print.

I can not help but love the fact this book’s text is in purple ink, my favorite color. Also, the color of the heart-shaped herb, but I prefer my reason more.

Intermediate age students/readers are treated to a guided tour of the United Kingdom by a student their own age from London. They are shown the United Kingdom’s world and European location, food, schooling, a folk tale, famous landmarks, and a brief history of the United Kingdom among other things by this local student. A few English words which are different from those in the United States are included and add to the interest of Follow Me Around United Kingdom.

The child’s tour of United Kingdom format makes the factual information less intimidating than other books of its type.

Intermediate age students/readers are treated to a guided tour of France by two French students their own age. They are shown France’s world and European location, food, schooling, a folk tale, Paris, famous landmarks, and a brief history of France by these two French locals. The fact that a few French words, along with their pronunciation, are included adds to the interest of Follow Me Around France.

The child’s tour of France format makes the factual information less intimidating than other books of its type.

Here is the story of a stargazing young girl, Eridani, and the earth-gazing young boy, Acamar,(a constellation) who hold nightly conversations with each other until they both wish to be in each others’ place.

They are opposites: one is a girl while one is a boy, one is of day while one is of night, one is of earth while one is of space, and one wants the stars while one wants the sand.

Their wish comes true in the ironic way of tales. Eridani becomes a constellation and Acamar becomes a real boy and though they are still apart from each other, they are both happy to be in their new homes.

Gorgeous 10″ X 10″ illustrations of the night with the two characters one on earth and one in the sky. The white lines highlighting the constellation are amazing, especially because there are stars within the constellation that are not part of the lines. They might be freckles on the face or definition of the hair, but whatever those points of light are, the illustrator got it just right.

The Author’s Note tells of the constellation Eridanus and its brightest star Acamar.

Here and Now by Julia Denos is as simple or as complex as the person who is experiencing it. It is a mediation in word form, so says the Author’s Note.

“Right here, right now, you are reading this book. The book is in your lap, or in your hands, or in someone else’s… And the Earth is spinning in the middle of space. We don’t know why. But it is.”

Here and Now by Julia Denos takes the reader from very close up and intimate to very gigantic and all inclusive. Each page will be very thought provoking if the reader wants to take the time to make it so.

Bo states, ” ‘ I won’t let hate win.’ ” (316) Bo is the ‘boy’ in the title of The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars by Shivaun Plozza. We meet Bo on the first page, along with the importance of the ‘wolf’ and the ‘stars’. I like, not having to read 80-90 % of the book to understand the title.

Set in a time of castles, kings, scribes, magic, angry villagers, haunted forests, Shadow Creatures ruled by a Shadow Witch, and riddles needing to be solved to save the day The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars by Shivaun Plozza keeps the reader compelled to plunge ahead to eliminate the bad magic that is increasing daily.

Bo, an unlikely hero, is joined by two others. The three of them should all be sworn enemies due to their places of birth, but each of them cannot let harm come to an innocent. “Bo launched into his tale of Mads’s death, the giant wolf chasing him, and his guardian’s last words: for Bo to find and release the Stars.” (75)

Along the way Bo learns important life lessons: once enemies can become friends, all magic is not bad, it is ok to be angry but not ok to take anger out on other people, and it is not what is wrong with you but what is right with you that counts.

As Bo states, ” ‘ I won’t let hate win.’ “

In this sweet story, Ninita a rare pygmy marmoset was born not able to hear. Due to her disability, she was abandoned by her parents when she was just 3 weeks old. A rescue found her, brought her inside and became her new family. Now people kept her safe, groomed her fur, and fed her just like a family should. When she reached adulthood, Ninita was moved to a habitat and introduced to another pygmy marmoset, Mr. Big. Ninita may not be able to understand Mr. Big’s sounds, but she understand friendship – closeness, shared experiences, and affection.

Use when discussing disabilities, pygmy marmosets, or when studying animal sanctuaries and rescues.

Rigel loves living off-the-grid in Alaska. She talks to ravens, hunts rabbits and lives in a two-room cabin with her two sisters, Willow and Izzy; her mom, Lila; and her dad, Bear. Lila and Bear have been fighting a lot lately and one day after coming home with her first rabbit, Lila announces that Lila and Bear are separating and they are moving to Connecticut to live with Grandma and Bear is staying in Alaska. Rigel does not want to leave in Alaska and Bear makes a secret pact with her that she can come back in a year. Rigel hates Connecticut with all of its noise and crowds. She misses nature. She hates school and has a hard time fitting in. Eventually she befriends a crow at school.

There was a definite connection to Rigel and how she tries to navigate this new unfamiliar world.

Spanning almost 120 years, Together We March details how marginalized populations organized protest marches to bring attention to their struggle. The book celebrates this long history – reminding us that protests are not a new phenomenon. The majority of the examples are from the United States, but protest marches in India, Bulgaria, South Africa, Kenya as well as worldwide protests are included. While some physical opposition is outlined, the focus of the narratives is on peaceful, non-violent movements.

Each two page illustrated spread provides background information about the situation and the people involved, a description of the event, and an analysis of the impact of the protest.

In Together We March the multiple examples of organized protest remind students that their peaceful actions in defense of issues that matter to them can make an impact on the world. Pair it with Equity’s Call or Rise Up!: The Art of Protest for a unit on grassroots movements that lead to change.

Interesting and ambitious investigation of different aspects of the night. The book is divided into four sections; human sleep, nocturnal animals, plants at night, and the night sky. Each section contains solid detailed information supported by illustrations and graphics. While all topics involve the night, there is little connection between the different topics. It makes more sense to view each chapter in isolation as each addresses a unique concept (human health, animal senses, plants, and astronomical features visible at night).

Curious young scientists will enjoy the diverse investigations found In the Dark.