By Jason Shiga

This book is a mixture of comic and choose your own adventure. It all starts with selecting a simple choice between chocolate and vanilla. That simple question branches out into a wild ride of different adventures that the story can take you on. The main character, Jimmy, whose every move is under your control, finds himself in a mad scientist’s lab, where he’s given a choice between three amazing objects: a mind-reading device, a time-travel machine, or the Killitron 3000. Each path you follow is filled with puzzles, clues or shocking revelations. The tabs move you through the book in a wholly new way and each read of the text provides tou with a new opportunity for adventure!

I fell in love with the similes Deb Caletti uses to describe various situations. That’s what kept me going until I finally realized The Weird in the Wilds: Tales of Triumph and Disaster! is Book 2. The background information from Book 1- A Flicker of Courage would have made this more enjoyable from the very beginning, but I am glad I stuck it out.

If you are a Harry Potter fan because of the magic and strange creatures, give The Weird in the Wilds: Tales of Triumph and Disaster! a try. The villain Vlad Luxor turns the school yard bully, Jason, whom he thinks insulted him into a gerenuk. Then, the heroes spend a good part of the story trying to turn Jason back into a boy again at the request of their teacher, Ms. Fortune. Our four heroes: Henry, Apollo, Jo, and Pirate Girl, are new to the business of being ‘spell breakers’.

To break the Bizarro Crueltildo spell placed upon Jason by Vlad the group must travel through The Wilds, a place all the locals avoid and for good reason. For one thing, The Shadow lives there. The gerenuk keeps wandering off in his continuous search for food, this makes him just as irritating to the heroes as when he was the bully Jason calling everyone and everything weird.

Deb Caletti has placed some pearls of wisdom along the way – “Weirdness is beautiful…But weirdness is powerful, too”. (208) Also, “Sometimes, cruelty is like a very strong cologne. a person stops smelling it on themselves. Other times, though, a person will tire of seeing everyone else crinkle their nose whenever they walk into a room. And then they decide to change.” (244)

Weirdness equals uniqueness which can be very uplifting and reaffirming. All in all, not a bad thing to be.

Please read Book 1 first because you’ll be sorry if you give up on The Weird in the Wilds: Tales of Triumph and Disaster! especially, if you are a Harry Potter fan.

Deb Caletti has sprinkled odd images throughout The Weird in the Wilds: Tales of Triumph and Disaster! has if taken from a very old Ripley’s Believe it or Not or sideshow acts from the early 1900s. Odd but fun. Yes, odd or weird is a theme of this book, so there you go. Enjoy!

Written by Jasmyn Wright
Art by Shannon Wright

I’m Gonna Push Through is a beautful book with an amazing message. Based on the author’s mantra written for her third graders, the Push Through Organization started. In this book, students will learn the importance of pushing through and what looks like. She introduces the readers to many famous people that had to push through to accomplish their dreams. Resiliency is a global movement and this book puts the idea into kid friendly language. Not only does it represent famous people who have pushed through, but given the diverse collection of student faces and abilities for the reader to relate to within the story. Included at the end is little snippets of the famous people the author introduced that had pushed through. The book concluded with the story of this incredible teacher and how she started the Push Though Organization.

By Jessica Hische

In a follow up to Tommorrow I’ll Be Brave, Jessica Hische introduces children to more inspirational words and ideas. On beautifully written and illustrated pages, she takes students on a journey of how what is done today can be done again and again and have a lasting effect. One spark of kindness will light up the darkness.

By Emma Bassier

Manners on the Playground is a great interactive book with QR codes for extra activities. It relays a good message about manners on the playground. The book includes a lesson plan for those interested in diving deeper with students. This is a great resource for those working with playground conflicts. It is also made in part with recycled materials.

These are not your dragons from fairy tale days. These are dragons on a mission. Dragons who do the bidding of the powerful evil Lennix family from Fortress Lennix. The Lennix want to rule the world and dragons are a huge part our this undertaking. The Lennix matriarch , D’Mara realizes she needs a special silver dragon to achieve her goal because some of the younger dragons are beginning to grumble. In comes poor orphaned Joss who literally has a silver dragon egg dropped from the sky into his life. Thrills, treachery, and hope follow as the silver dragon Lysander hatches, grows, and locks (bonds) with Joss, all while D’Mara is furiously having her family and dragons out searching for THE egg.

It turns out a few dragons are not savage and not all Lennix family members are cruel, but need to keep this hidden and play the part to survive.

The sub-plot plays a small role in this first book in the series. Sirin’s mother has shared centuries old dragon stories with her daughter and given Sirin the precious dragonstone to keep. Sirin is about to loose her mother due to illness. Sirin is able to visit her mother in the (present day) hospital while she lives in foster care.

Sirin’s and Joss’ / Lysander’s worlds come together just as this book concludes. Cliffhanger!

Book includes a set of nine game cards and directions inside the book’s covers.

What a wonderful collection of ten stories by ten different authors and all for the price of $12.99. What a deal! My biggest problem with this book is the title! If a person read each story in five minutes they would totally miss out on the illustrations which make the stories come to life because “A picture is worth a thousand words.” The text and illustrations are by their original authors and illustrators from their first publication dates, which run from 2004 – 2018.

The titles include: A Couple of Boys have the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee, Space Boy by Leo Landry, Happy Belly, Happy Smile by Rachel Isadora, Guyku: A Year of Haiku Boys by Bob Raczka, Mustache Baby by Bridget Heos, Quiet Wyatt by Tammi Sauer, Kid Amazing vs. the Blob by Josh Schneider ( a Theodor Suess Geisel Award winner), Brothers by David McPhail, Curious George and the Firefighters by Margret and H.A. Rey, and Real Cowboys by Kate Hoefler.

By Jesse Wiley

A perfect “choose your own adventure” book for those students who love video games.

The reader picks the path to go on and follows the color trail, turning pages riddle with bright pictures and many choices. The end goal is to make it safe and sound to Oregon City while encountering the same trials and tribulations that the pioneers faced. With more than 50 scenarios, this book will take the reader on a long trek and provide many hours of entertainment.

Written by Einal Tsarfati

This book tells the story of a very imaginative girl who lives on the seventh floor of an apartment building. Daily, as she walks the stairs, she imagines who lives behind the doors of other apartments. She makes up creative stories about the occupants to divert her mind from her own boring apartment, which turns out not to be so boring.

Orginally written in Hebrew, Annette Appel translates this expressive tale for our pleasure.

Written by Kerry Lyn Sparrow
Illustrated by Guillaume Perrault

Kerry Lyn Sparrow introduces us to Duncan, the boy who likes the many preparations of getting ready for bed except the actual act of going to sleep. His exasperated Mom goes one step further one night. When Duncan complain again that he can’t sleep, Mom suggested counting sheep. In this hilarious story, Duncan encounters quite the flock of sheep. Thanks to a particular sheep, Duncan eventaully falls asleep.

Written and illustrated by Rashin Kheinyeh

This book is based on a memory of the author and depicts some of the differences between the United States and Iran.

After moving to New York City, Rashin’s parents take her and her brother to Coney Island. Along the way, Rashin reminisces about her family’s trips to the Caspian Sea and her favorite part, getting saffron ice cream.

Upon arriving at Coney Island, Rashin discoveries that many things are drastically different in America. Will she be disappointed or delighted with her new discoveries?

The bright folkart type illustrations do a good job reflecting the story and the author.

Written and illustrated Jennifer Black Reinhardt

Jennifer Black Reinhardt introduces us to Alfred, a nervous possum that couldn’t excel in most activities. Whenever he encountered an uncomfortable situation, Alfred played dead. Then Alfred notices Sophia an armadillo who curls into a ball when she feels nervous.

Together, they discover thaqt with patience, they no longer are nervous around each other. They start to notice other animals defense mechanisms. They try all sorts of things to overcome the other animals’ nervous habits and become friends.

The author includes a short essay on truth and imagination and a short glossary of animals.

By David Shannon

David Shannon brings back the incorrgible David in this endearing story of little brother antics. Like most older siblings, David’s older brother doean’t want David around him. Therefore, he blames many things on David but not without reason. With simple sesntences, it is an easy reader that younger student will enjoy.

Written by Scot Ritchie

Pedro is moving and he is so anxious. To ease his mind, his mom invites some of his friends for a sleepover. Mrs. Rivera introduces the children to mindfulness to help ease Pedro’s anxiety. This book is a great introduction to mindfulness with tips on how to accomplish it. There are activities in the back that families can practice along with definitions to help really understand the context of the exercises.

Written by Patty Lovell
Illustrated by Davis Catrow

Patty Lovell brings back the adorable Molly Lou Melon in Speak Up, Molly Lou Melon. Instead of her grandmother’s affirmations, she has her mother’s reminders to use her voice for good. Molly Lou’s mother prompts Molly Lou to do what is right even when it is the bully and difficult. This is an excellent lesson for children to learn without them realizing there is a lesson.

David Catrow comes through again with beautiful bright watercolor and ink drawings.

By Jim Benton

This well known author (Catwad, Dumb Diary and Franny K. Stein, just to name a few) creates an all-age graphic novel unlike anything you’ve read before. It is full of puns, bright illustrations and crazy antics. This book hooks you in with its premise and takes you along on an absurd journey with Bill Waddler. It’s a fast read that would draw in anyone who enjoys silly jokes while also following a long-form story from beginning to end.

Written by Doug Paleo

Illustrated by Aaron Blecha

This graphic novel is full of humor and quirky characters. Also, dinosaurs! The pictures are bright, cheerful and draw the reader into the story. This series-opener does revisit some well-worn narrative arcs, but is a solid, quick-paced text that will draw reluctant and voracious readers equally. Readers will be eagerly awaiting the next installation.

Tilly Pages is part fictional character. She along with many of her family and friends have the ability to wander in and out of books. In this third book in the series, Pages and Co., Tilly Pages and her friend Oskar realize that books are disappearing and people are forgetting their favorite stories. They set off a trip to Washington, DC to search for the Archivists to find out what is going on and end up meeting William Shakespeare. Tilly and Oskar and their friends must fight against the evil Underwood siblings and save bookwandering. Although this wasn’t as catching to me as the first book in this series, I still recommend this book.

Three generations of gardeners work side-by-side to care for the grandmother’s garden. First the small child gives her view of her grandmother and grandmother’s garden, then the view of the child’s mother, followed by a key bit of wisdom having to do with gardens, such as, “Gardens help teach responsibility.”

When the reader turns the page, the child is a little bit older, as is the mother, and grandmother, but they again give their impressions of the garden. The child’s impression always comes first followed by her mother’s. This continues until the child is now a mother herself with her own two children helping in the garden with their grandmother. “Gardens connect us across generations.”

The little girl’s words are always in blue ink, her mother’s words are always in green ink, and the words of wisdom are always in an orangey ink.

Children who help with gardening will identify with the passages, whether they garden at home, in a school garden, or with a grandparent.

Carme Lemniscates’ illustrations make each garden in the book come to life just like Grandmother Dorothy would want them to grow.

Also available in a well translated Spanish version: Los Jardines de la Abuela.

Nine dramatic color photos of snow owls in their arctic environment will fill the young reader with awe for these majestic birds. The large font text fills the page opposite the photo with three or four sentences describing the birds physical characteristics, environment, and life.

The photo on page seventeen will take the reader awhile to see the white prey about to be caught by the white and black speckled snow owl in its snowy white environment.

Page twenty-two includes three “More Facts” about snow owls. One being they are awake during the day the opposite of other owls, and two, information on Harry Potter’s owl Hedwig.

Following the glossary and index comes the abdokids.com website using the code ASK8909 to find most of the same text and photos in this book, as well as more information, a craft, a wordsearch, and a coloring page.

Who does not have at least one friend with a name that is impossible for you to pronounce? I do. Poor little Wakawakaloch has that problem, so wants to change her name. She wants to change her name to one that she’ll be able to find pre-printed on a T-shirt. Wakawakaloch’s father tells her it is a family name. Wakawakaloch is taken to the village elder for advice. At first the advice does not make sense, but it does in the end. Wakawakaloch come up with an idea to help all other Neanderthals (her people) who have the same name problem. She starts a business making personalized T-shirts.

Mary Sullivan’s pictures are a cute mix of caveman modern, similar to THE FLINSTONES of the 1960s. For one thing, there are T-shirts, crayons, laptop computers in rock cases, and toast with cereal for breakfast eaten with spoons. On the other hand, they wear necklaces with tooth or claw pendants, bones in their hair for clips, cave drawings on the walls, and big wooden clubs for smashing things.

The book’s inner cover has drawings of seventeen children wearing personalized T-shirts. Their names are all difficult to pronounce, but that is okay because their name is written phonically underneath.

Illustrated by Ana Sender

“Mom, why do we cry?” ask Mario. With poetic language and imagery, Mario’s Mom describes the many feelings behind tears. With each example, the book validates the feelings and accepts the release of tears as a natural extension of those strong feelings. When the feelings are too hard to explain, the author employs simile, metaphor, and Ana Sender’s illustrations to portray the deepness of those feelings and the potential healing power of tears.

Why do we cry? The book ends with Mom’s tears of happiness. “More than anything, sweetheart, we cry because we feel like crying.” Includes both social emotional and scientific information on tears as well as extension activities for self reflection and discussion.

Translated from the Spanish original.