Category Archives: Recommendation

Styx and Scones in the Sticky Wand

Posted on by

by Jay Cooper

Miss Hildy and Miss Hattie, two friendly witches, leave Styx (a purple cat) and Scones (a ginger colored dog) alone in their cottage when they go off to gather some fenfruit. They instruct their pets to leave various magical items alone, including a crystal ball, potions and herbs and the flying brooms. They don’t say anything about the stick on the mantel. So, Scones figures it’s ok to play with, right? Well, mayhem ensues as the two animals scuffle over the magical stick, turning Styx into a variety of purple animals and adding a ship, pirates and many other magical things to the mix. Upon the return of the witches, they learn that the stick is just that, not a magic wand. Yet, they turn Miss Hattie into a jar of peanut butter. So, what is that about?

This hilarious beginning graphic novel is perfect for new readers, who are introduced to the format by Styx and Scones on the first few pages. Cartoon-like illustrations are bright and the text is very accessible. This book will not be on the library shelves for long! Highly recommended.

I’m Going to Build a Snowman

Posted on by

by Jashar Awan

A young boy wakes up to a snowy landscape and decides to build “THE BEST SNOWMAN EVER!” He mulls over the steps to the perfect snowman and about daydreams about the result, so perfect that it will be a dream come true! Well, sometimes the outcome isn’t as perfect as planned. But, this little boy is undaunted. He creates his “BEST SNOWMAN YET!” And, it is.

Bright, bold colors in simple illustrations help tell a story that is full of fun, exuberance and heart. Text is spare, yet moves the story along and readers will enjoy the onomatopoeia along the way. Add this to your collection. It will become a classic!

Happy Spark Day!

Posted on by

by Shane Richardson & Sarah Marino

It’s a special day in Ember City! Young dragons will learn what their “Spark” (special power) is at the Spark Day Ceremony. Among them are Li, Runa and Drake, who are three best friends. At the Ceremony, they see the beautiful disco ball that was created by dragons on the very first Spark Day. During the party after receiving their Sparks, Drake and another dragon, Fizz, get into a bit of tussle and break the special disco ball, ending the Spark Day festivities. Each of the young dragons tries to fix the broken disco ball with disastrous results. Suddenly, Drake remembers something that the mayor said, “Our Sparks shine their brightest when we use them to help one another”. They follow this advice and not only fix the broken disco ball but make it more special, alight with rainbow colors. They had learned a valuable lesson and saved Spark Day!

Brightly colored cartoon-like illustrations in a graphic novel/early chapter book style make this a nice introduction to the genre for young readers. It is not text-heavy and there is a lot of white space on the pages, which makes it even more accessible. The story moves along and the dragons are fun and a little silly. Kids will love it!

The Revenge of Magic

Posted on by

by James Riley

Monsters! Magic! Mystery!

While on a trip to the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., Forsythe Fitzgerald, known to his family and friends as Fort, watches as his father is snatched and pulled underground by a long clawed monster hand. Desperate to rescue his father, he is stopped by a voice in his head telling him to run. Six months later, a depressed Fort is invited to attend a special school to help him overcome the mysterious loss of his father. The school is out in the middle of no where, looks like an army camp and is heavily guarded by armed soldiers. Fort meets other students and instructors and learns that the school is not an ordinary one but one in which to learn magic to defend against the beings that control the monster hands that took his father. He also learns that several different types of magic books have been unearthed and only people no older than Fort can learn and work magic. Fort wants to learn “destructive” magic to get revenge for the taking of his father. Instead he is assigned to learn “healing” magic and has only three days to learn three spells to catch up with the other students or be sent home!  The other students took months to learn just one spell and adults can’t learn any, so how can he possibly learn three in three days? He gets help from an unexpected source…the voice he heard in his head so many months before. This mysterious voice enables Fort not only to learn his three spells but also to master several advanced ones as well. His sudden possession of arcane spells earns him the begrudging respect and the animosity of some of  the more accomplished students as somehow their skills are transferred into Fort. With the help of his new allies, he begins to search for the source of this strange voice despite foot dragging by some of them. Eventually his friends and he uncover the source not only of his mysterious voice but also to whom the books of magic originally belonged and why they want them back. Without revealing any spoilers, Fort discovers the true magic power of healing and that cooperation with others is the real strength of leadership. Does he rescue his father and thwart the aliens controlling the monster hands? Well, those answers and other adventures are in the sequels to The Revenge Of Magic. You’ll just have to read those to find out.

-guest reviewer, Bill Pfender

Lia Park and the Missing Jewel

Posted on by

by Jenna Yoon

All Lia wants is make it into the International Magic School with her friend, Joon. Her overprotective parents, who work mundane desk jobs for the magical organization, won’t let her do anything and she can’t figure out why. In an act of rebellion, Lia attends the party of the popular girl from school and ends up revealing her family’s location (by breaking an ancient protection spell) to the evil diviner spirit, Gaya, who kidnaps her parents and demands a ransom. Lia’s parents manage to get a message to her during the kidnapping and she and Joon are magically transported to Korea. There, they discover Lia’s true lineage as they and Lia’s grandmother desperately fight to save her parents and destroy Gaya before she returns Korea to a vastly different time hundreds of years before.

This book brings together Korean mythology, magic, modern day technology and typical tween feelings in a wonderfully rich, exciting story. Lia is a twelve year old that is feeling a little (ok, a lot) hemmed in by her parents and sets off a chain of events that will change her life (and possibly the world) when she sneaks out to a swim party at the popular girl’s house. This act of rebellion leads to a fast-paced fantasy adventure that will cause you some sleepless nights, because you just can’t put it down. Hand this book to those students that love Rick Riordan’s books. They will thank you!

The Dos and Donuts of Love

Posted on by
The Dos and Donuts of Love

This sweet (pun intended) read is perfect for fans of the Great British Baking show. Shireen, the protagonist, is trying her best to save her family’s donut shop and navigate a love triangle between her ex girlfriend and her new crush. Shireen is Bangledeshi and living in Ireland, which adds an interesting perspective and point of view for young American readers.

Like Jiagirdar’s previous work, it involves queer relationships but is much more lighthearted and moves past acceptance to just pure love and fun; homophobia or intolerance does not have a central place in the story which is refreshingly hopeful.

This is light on romance, more heavily focused on teen drama, and would therefore might be more suitable for middle grade than high school readers who might find the wholesome narration a little childish. But, overall, a light and happy read with a unique perspective and a fun premise!

by Emma-Kate Schaake @hiketothelibrary

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh

Posted on by
Amazon.com: Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburgh eBook : Lippincott, Rachael: Kindle Store

Lippincott is known for writing sweet, sometimes heartbreaking stories involving challenges like illness and loss, such as Five Feet Apart. Her characters’ experiences are relatable and are always refreshingly reflective, which is a perk for adult readers, as seen in The Lucky List. Her first venture into sweet, queer ya romance with She Gets the Girl was one of my favorite and most recommended reads of 2022.

In Pride, Prejudice, and Pittsburgh, she adds some time travel and destiny into the mix. Both modern day Pittsburgh and the 1812 settings are characters themselves and the miscommunications about how life works in these different eras between the two main characters, Audrey and Lucy, are amusing. In the beginning, Lucy is betrothed to marry a man and Audrey was recently dumped by her first love, so both are experiencing romantic woes before the sparks fly between them. As with most time travel stories, Audrey learns to appreciate her life and I especially liked her relationship with her dad and their convenience store that felt very Pittsburgh . 

My one complaint is that the title is misleading! This is not a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, at least not that I (someone who is admittedly not a P&P stan) caught.

By Emma-Kate Schaake @hiketothelibrary

The Hopi

Posted on by

Liz Sonneborn presents excellent information about the past and present Hopi people – the “people who live the correct way”. The Hopi live in present day northern Arizona which is a very dry arid land. The Hopi have devised unique ways to successfully live in this climate, in balance with nature, but present-day draught/climate change is making it more difficult.

The book informs about traditional and present use of the Hopi’s resources, the Hopi’s introduction to European contact, their government, and their use of both English and the Hopi languages.

The book includes: a timeline, glossary, index, and a safe internet web site- FACTSURFER.COM- for further information.

Submitted by Mary Pong

In Between by April Pulley Sayre

Posted on by

April Pulley Sayre uses poetic language to describe both the physical between, between as a description of time and motion, and between as symbol of change.

Sayre’s breathtaking photographs show change, movement, and the potential found in nature. Even for children who are not yet able to understand complexities of the at times abstract “in between” described in words, the photographs will elicit excitement and curiosity.

Our Blue Planet

Posted on by

The Earth’s “ONE OCEAN” is explored by five bio-zones in this take off from the BBC television show OUR BLUE PLANET. The five bio-zones sections: The Deep, Life in the Lost City, Life in the Balance, Superhero, and Worlds Colliding are explored with the hope the reader will become so enthralled they will join in the fight to protect THE OCEAN which is so important to our existence on this planet.

The five bio-zones are described by area/location, then stories of the life from the zone are shared, followed by inhabitants of the zone beginning with the deepest zone going to the shallowest zone. The author’s use of figurative language makes this more for entertainment than for a reference piece. “In the MIDNIGHT ZONE there are creatures that wouldn’t be out of place in your nightmares…” ( 6). The text in each section goes from giant titles, to regular size 12-ish print, to size 8-ish print. The smaller the font the more specific the information.

There is no Index or Glossary to help with animal and plant names in bold set type through out the book. The world map on pages 3-4 shows seven specific locations marked with a red dot, but only six of them are mentioned by name within the book. If I were the red dot for the ‘Mariana Trench’ I would feel slighted because its name could so easily have been mentioned in the section “THE DEEP”.

Submitted by Mary Pong

Sparrow Being Sparrow

Posted on by

Fourth grader, Sparrow, has a way of getting carried away that leads to problems. I kept thinking about a very young Maria Van Trapp from the SOUND OF MUSIC in How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria when reading this book. Like Maria, Sparrow does not go looking for trouble, she is just exuberant and ‘problems’ happens. Sparrow’s parents are trying their best using “Positive Parenting” skills and key phrases without getting too upset, but Sparrow finds this frustrating because often she is only looking for answers to life’s immediate situations.

Sparrow and her parents have just moved into a duplex style house. Their elderly neighbor Mrs. LaRose enjoys caring for Sparrow for the short hour while both of Sparrow’s parents are at work. Mrs. LaRose and Sparrow are outside watching a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. “Unfortunately, when Sparrow got excited, things tended to go wrong.” (4)The two of them were doing a dance of the butterflies in the backyard, when they crashed into each other. Mrs. LaRose falls to the ground breaking her hip. The story begins with the sound of sirens as the ambulance arrives for Mrs. LaRose. Mrs. LaRose’s only immediate concern is for her seven cats. Sparrow promises to take care of the cats. AND the domino effect has begun. How will Sparrow care for the seven cats when the first day of school is tomorrow? What will the consequences be when Sparrow tells her new classmates the seven cats are hers? Who will watch Sparrow after school until her parent gets home now that Mrs. LaRose is in the hospital? How will Sparrow be able to keep Mrs. LaRose’s daughter from taking the cats to the animal shelter?

Life’s situations have a way of working out. Sparrow’s situations are realistically normal and readers will be able to see this, and perhaps even be able to identify with them.

The chapters range from five to eight pages in length with twenty-five pencil illustrations sprinkled throughout the story. The illustration of Sparrow and her mother in a loving embrace on page 170 will warm your heart in this heartfelt moment of connection between mother and daughter.

Submitted by Mary Pong

The Story of a Book by Joy McCullough

Posted on by

This vibrantly illustrated book is a love letter to books and reading. It talks about the magic of books, magic that is, “…sweeter when you share it. More powerful when you choose the book yourself.” Beyond those powerful words, it seems to me that the book misses its mark.

Sadly, the book fails to make a distinction between owned books and borrowed books. The early illustrations clearly place the action in a library. Then there is a spread about books being worn out by being chewed on, slept on, spilled on. It depicts the pages of worn books being used for art projects. Because none of these behaviors are appropriate with books borrowed from a library, I do not recommend this book for a school library.

My Red, White, and Blue by Alana Tyson

Posted on by

Follow a young boy through his community as he walks the reader through his thoughts and feelings about the American flag. The flag invokes feelings pride and hope.The flag symbolizes freedom. The flag is part of the boy’s community every day. Reflecting on the flag reminds the boy of the struggles of Americans in the past and the ways we can work individually and as a group today and tomorrow to make America a better place for all people.

My Red, White, and Blue does a good job showing that the flag represents different things to different people Through images and words, the book reinforces the idea that an individual’s experience and as well as perceptions of the past influence what the flag represents to each individual.

Kin: Rooted in Hope

Posted on by

by Carole Boston Weatherford

Kin: Rooted in Hope

This beautiful, haunting verse novel tells the story of the author’s journey of discovering her ancestors. The author says she asked her ancestors to speak their experiences through her which is what these poems do. The reader is taken back in time through the history of a place that housed slaves and slavers. The building speaks. The ancestors speak through the generations. Some famous people of the day speak, including Frederick Douglas. The people who owned the house and all its horrible wealth speak. The dog speaks.  The key to the house speaks and the cemetery too.  It is a patchwork quilt of images through time and the imagined stories of what life would have been like from all these perspectives. The drawings throughout the book are line drawings or etchings, mostly white lines on black background. The detail is beautiful even when the images are sad or harsh. Students who want a story with a basic plot line may be confused because the timeline jumps around a bit. The multiple perspectives may challenge some readers. And it is a topic that is harsh and raw and often untold. It should be read. 

Retro by Sofia Lapuente & Jarrod Shusterman

Posted on by

Reviewed by OHS Substitute, Megan C.

This is a fast paced thrill-ride where main character Luna competes in a competition to live without technology in exchange for a cash prize that her struggling family needs desperately. As the competition continues the stakes become high when Luna’s classmates begin disappearing. Worried for her safety, Luna must decide to continue with the competition or give up the potential cash prize.

In addition to the fast pace, I appreciated the reference to 80s/90s music. This book also highlights the role of social media in our lives and encourages readers to question it’s value.

This would be a great addition to any high school library.

The Jasmine Project by Meredith Ireland

Posted on by

Reviewed by OHS Substitute, Megan C.

Ireland’s book is a lot of fun – reminding me of the reality show The Bachelor. Main character Jasmine has a cheating boyfriend; after this realization her family goes on a mission to find her a replacement boyfriend while hosting her graduation party.

Not only is this book fun, it includes a lot of valuable voices and representation including mixed race voices and adopted families. In addition to prose, much of the text is written in text messages, which allows for alternating voices to come through. A great example of a YA Rom/Com.

The Dreams We Made

Posted on by

“Every night a little girl and her daddy built dreams out of paper, scissors, and glue.” So begins story of an extra special relationship between a father and daughter that ends suddenly with the death of the father.

The little girl does not understand the concept of death and continues waiting for her father’s return. Eventually she destroys the last unfinished project they were working on together.

‘ “I miss Daddy,” said the little girl. “I do too,” said Mommy. “But Daddy is still with us, even when we can’t see him. We can meet him in our dreams and take him with us as we create new memories.” ‘

Some time later, the little girl starts to rebuild the destroyed project with the help of her mother and daddy looking on in her dreams.

Submitted by Mary Pong

Granny Left Me a Rocket Ship

Posted on by

“When Granny died, there was a hole in our family. Remembering her helped us fill it.” So begins this loving story of how a young boy uses the cane once used by his Granny to keep her close to him.

Ashley Barron’s layered cut paper images show how the young boy uses his imagination and the cane to create a tent, a butterfly net, a beach umbrella, a fishing rod, a stick horse, a flagpole, a knight’s sword, a flying broomstick, a sea monster, and a rocket ship all with Granny looking on. “When Granny died, she left me a world of adventures…”

Submitted by Mary Pong

Take a Chance

Posted on by

Bob, the cardinal, has anxiety about trying new things until Eagle confides “He can take mini chances!” Bob decides to follow Eagle partway up the mountain. Little by little, Bob stopping several times, deciding to go a little farther each time, until Bob arrives at the top of the mountain. “The view is out of this world.” Now, Bob decides he will go back and try each of the activities he passed on with his friends Flamingo, Pigeon, and Crow.

Bob discovers, “Sometimes you don’t know what you’re missing… until you take a chance.”

Submitted by Mary Pong

Cat Sees Snow

Posted on by

written by Laura Gehl and illustrated by Fred Blunt

Cat, Dog and Pig approach the snow in a variety of ways and all enjoy the cold, white stuff by the end. This bright and cheery story is perfect for the brand new reader. The repeated text and short length (less than 100 words), makes this book very accessible for young students. The colorful line drawn illustrations complement the story and move it along. The notes to parents/guardians at the beginning of the book are quite helpful. This is a solid choice for new readers, who will cheer on the characters and cheer for themselves after reading a book!

I Love My Magic!

Posted on by

by Kelly Leigh Miller

Willow LOVES her magic. It is what makes her a witch and she uses it for absolutely everything. After using it at a soccer game and getting a ton of goals, her (mummy) teacher takes away her wand and tells her she’ll get it back at the end of the day. Willow is devastated! How can she function without her wand? Yet, she manages very well and understands that there is magic inside her in the form of her own abilities- she doesn’t have to use a wand for everything!

Bright illustrations and friendly looking monsters add to a simple story about valuing yourself without all the extra ‘stuff’. The message is sweet and, with discussion, is a good lesson for all.

Try a Bite, Trilobite!

Posted on by

by Jonathan Fenske

Bug really wants his friend, Trilobite, to try his snack. But, Trilobite ONLY eats noodles. In the end, Trilobite is willing to take a nibble and eats the whole thing. Fortunately, she has LOTS of noodles to share.

This easy reader is written in the same way as “Elephant & Piggie” and uses speech bubbles to convey the story. Colors are bright and there is a lot of white space on the page. The characters’ emotions are clearly shown in their expressions and the book is simple enough for early readers. This book should fly off the shelves as another option for those kids that love Mo Willems’ books and easy graphic novels. Highly recommended.

The Sioux

Posted on by

Betty Marcks impresses me with the amount of up to date information she squeezes into 32 pages about the Sioux native people. The Sioux call themselves The People of the Seven Council Fires and are composed from three cultural groups: Lakota ,Dakota, and Nakota from the United States and Canada. Marcks shares the early history of the Sioux, their first encounters with white culture, the native uses of their resources, how they continue their cultural traditions, and their current Sioux government.

The book includes a timeline, glossary, a student safe internet site – FACTSURFER.COM, and an index.

Submitted by Mary Pong

The Legend of Greyhallow

Posted on by

by Summer Rachel Scott

Legend of Greyhallow, by Summer Rachel Short
Ainsley and Tobin have moved into a wonderful old house with their parents to make it into a bed & breakfast in the small town famous for its connection to a beloved fantasy film and filmmaker.  In fact, the house used to belong to the vanished director himself. When the siblings discover some magical movie making equipment in the attic, they quickly discover that they can enter the movie and become a part of its world – dangerous monsters, villains, and all! Unfortunately, some of the danger can also get out into the real world. What follows is a crazy magical adventure as they try to save the movie world and their own while attempting to not be killed. I liked that everything was not easy and that the children really had to be creative problem-solvers when the events became pretty dire. I also enjoyed the mixing of realities. It reminded me of  Inkdrinker, by Cornelia Funke, or Between the Lines, by Jodi Picoult, with the boundaries of the story breaking and allowing it to mix with our world – like breaking the 4th wall in theater. It’s a perfect book for anyone who wishes they could disappear into their favorite movie world – both a fun and cautionary tale. I’m not sure it needed the sub-plot of Ainsley’s crumbling friendship with Charlotte, but it did allow for another person to see & come to believe that magical crossover was real. I think upper elementary & middle school students will enjoy this fantasy novel as much as I did.

Bone Smith

Posted on by

by Nicki Pau Preto

Bonesmith (House of the Dead Duology)

Wren Graven is a bone smith valkyr – a ghost-fighting warrior.  She’s determined to prove that she’s got what it takes. When she gets banished,  she has to go to the extreme and work with one of her people’s greatest enemies in hopes of  saving the golden prince. In the process, she learns about her past. This book was a great and interesting read. The fantasy and enemies-to-lovers storyline made it a great plot twister and a fun read. She has to work with Julian, her sworn enemy, who has kidnapped the golden prince. It has a  dramatic twist all throughout the book. I highly recommend this book to people who like fantasy romances and who aren’t afraid of a few ghosts. I love the details, and how the author really put thought into the scenes in the book. I like Wren’s personality and courage. There were a couple parts of the book that were a little unclear. Like for example, it was talking about a boy with the same ring as the one Wren had, and then something about the wren on the ring being Wren and the other bird being the kid.  I didn’t understand until later it was her brother.  I wished it would have been a little clearer with that scene.  Overall, I absolutely loved it and can’t wait for the author’s next book of the series to come out.

Review by 7th grader, Addison K., Komachin Middle School