Rhine Ellery is a 16-year-old girl growing up in the dangerous world that the old generations have left for her.  In this world, women only grow to be twenty and men only twenty-five due to a genetic life-shortening pandemic.  In this first book of the Chemical Garden Trilogy, we experience what it is like for Rhine to be forced into the life of materialism and unwanted polygamy.

This novel will help readers understand the value of time and the years of life one is given.  The author writes in a matter-of-fact tone which adds to the seriousness of the way the reader interprets the story.  This story will compel the reader to go out and try new and different things in order to take advantage of the privilege we call life.  Sci-fi readers and those who just enjoy a good read will be satisfied with this profound novel.

— Tyler Z.

This offers a thorough look at the Civil Rights movement through the opposing eyes of Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth and the Commissioner of Public Safety “Bull” Connor.  These giants of the 1950 and 60’s came head-to-head in the multiple conflicts such as the Bethel Baptist Church bombing, the Woolworth department-store lunch counter sit-in, attacks by the Ku Klux Klan, and other segregation issues.  The picture-book size, laden with photographs is kid-friendly for that student ready to find quick research.

Dolphins is 45 pages of interesting facts accompanied by stunning photographs of various species of dolphins in captivity and the wild.  The book is well-written and interesting, perfect for a student report.  The index and glossaries are helpful features.  I would have liked to see a page that showed a photograph of each of the 37 species of dolphins along with a few basic facts.  A world map that indicates the range of each species would also compliment this book well.

Frankie like to keep his bedroom messy. When his mother gives his permission to not clean his room, Frankie is on cloud nine (or cloud swine). His toys get stepped on, he runs out of clean clothes, he has nightmares about his mess, and his family complains about his aroma which makes him realize that he needs cleaning up as much as his room does. In the night, Frankie uses his imagination when cleaning his room, fighting off lava monsters, snakes, and other hazards. By morning, everything is back in its place, and Frankie sleeps soundly that night. This story is quite fun when Frankie uses his imagination because the story switches to a graphic novel.

Frankie has trouble with his math and is quite concerned about the test he has to retake on Monday. He runs out of time all weekend long when his friend comes over to play several games of Yugimon, and he helps his mom shop for groceries. Then his sister plays football with him and he helps his dad with baking. Suddenly he realizes that his weekend is over and he hadn’t studied!! However, his parents make him realize he has been doing math all weekend long, every day math, and that he is perfectly ready for the test now. This story is quite fun when Frankie’s imagination takes off in comic book form!!

Danny the dragon and his best friend Wendell the Iguana have quite the problem on their hands when Wendell is bitten from a school cafeteria hot dog, and suddenly starts growing back-hair. When the two sneak into the cafeteria to investigate, they find out that the hot dog labels are marked, “Were-Wieners, Product of Transylvania.” They call the 1-800 number on the package and are informed that there is an alpha wurst in the cafeteria, and all students who have been bitten by hot dogs will become its minions. With the help from the potato salad and rats from the sewer, the two arm themselves with silver skewers and slay the alpha wurst! This book is a chapter book that is mixed with illustrations and character voice bubbles, giving it a style that is a cross with a graphic novel that will entice reluctant readers.

Diana Cooper has written 5 books about Tara and her talking kitten, Ash-ting.  In the first chapters of this book, Tara meets her guardian angel who protects her.  “Uncle” Steve came to visit and made Tara and her sister, Mel, very uncomfortable.  Both Ash-ting and her guardian angel encourage Tara to tell her parents.  As she gets to know her guardian angel, the angel helps her relax when struggling to read and protects her from danger when she forgets Dad’s warnings when riding her bike.  Tara and Ash-ting meet fairies, elves, pixies, and brownies.  With their help, she is able to save an old oak tree from being cut down to make room for a new road.  The author writes from her personal experiences, but the overall message is to empower one’s self to help others and how to handle difficult situations.  Diana Cooper has a website about the topics in this book.  A publisher website includes discussion points in the Children’s Corner.  School libraries in conservative districts should preview this series before purchasing.

Joanne Mattern begins with interesting information in her introduction to traditional China.  She discusses Chinese cooking and variations of cuisine within the different climates from north to south.  Eleven recipes include rice and noodle dishes, dumplings, desserts, holiday foods, and tea.  Ingredients and instructions are clear.  When adult assistance is indicated, the text is bold.  Ingredients can easily be found in most grocery stores.  There are colorful photographs of each dish.

Directions for creating successful crafts include hints for gathering materials, preparing, and having fun while being creative.  Materials for each craft are common in most homes or easily purchased.  Instructions are fairly clear.  Photo show some steps in the process and the finished product.  However, the instructions for the kite are confusing.  Some materials were listed but not included in the instructions.  Photographs did not show the kite described.  Information about China and the recipes are excellent.  I recommend this book on that alone.  The craft section is weaker, but each craft can be easily managed by grade school aged children.  There is an extensive list for further reading and several internet sites.  This book is a great resource.

This book examines the role of principal in a school.  It is one of six in the school edition of ABDO’s Going to Work series.  Principals is written simply but with enough information for a 2nd to 4th grader interested in the topic.  This book is full of colorful and complimentary photographs of principals doing various tasks around the school setting, giving the impression of approachability of principals.   There is a glossary, index and table of contents.

This is the first in a fun series reminiscent of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books in format and style.  The unique angle of this book is that it incorporates and defines words which begin with the letter “A”.  Each book in the series focuses on a subsequent letter in the alphabet with definitions in the back.  The second book is titled Bogus while the third is titled Cahoots.  Artsy-Fartsy is written in the context of a mystery, in which the main character, 10 year-old Aldo, receives a red letter sketchbook from his Grandmother so he can draw in it as a summer activity.  Aldo and his buddy Jack discover a great big tree with boughs which hang low and make it a great “fort”.  They fill their new fort with comforts and Aldo hide his notebook there.  Pretty quickly he finds that his notebook had been discovered as mystery drawings appear.  The boys spend most of the story trying to figure out who is getting into their fort and drawing in the notebook.  There are sketches throughout the book which comically illustrate the entertaining antics of the characters.  Written at AR level 3.8, it’s an easy read that could appeal to a wide range of ages from mid-elementary through middle school.