Author Brad Meltzer has written a series of biographies designed for children.  Childhood experiences and observations begin this account of the life of Rosa Parks.  Illustrator Eliopoulos depicts Rosa as a child throughout her life – possibly to emphasize a person is capable to bring about change, no matter how old the person may be.  Her refusal to relinquish her bus seat and subsequent arrest ignited the Montgomery Bus Boycott, one of the major events to begin the focus on civil rights.  “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in.”  “I knew the rules said.  But I also knew in my heart: That’s not how you treat people.”  Information is easily read and in a suitable format for young readers.  Included are photographs of Rosa, of her police photo, riding a bus post boycott, and of a typical segregated classroom in the early 1900s.  This is a great resource as a read alone or discussion starter.  Other books in the series include: I am Amelia Earhart, I am Abraham Lincoln, and I am Albert Einstein.  Consider purchasing the set.

Quite possibly there is a boy like Brian in every classroom – one who is excluded from most activities and ignored.  Illustrator Patrice Barton draws Brian in faint black and white while everything around him is in full color.  The teacher is focused on the louder or ill-behaved students and his classmates leave him out of all conversations and games.  Brian amuses himself by drawing amazing pictures.  When a new student, Justin, arrives, Brian gives him a shy smile while the others are trying to decide if Justin is “cool”.  As the class begins to include Justin in games and activities, Justin invites Brian to join in.  As Brian interacts with the others, color begins to slowly seep into him.  By the time a school project is completed, Brian is at last in full color.  This is a thought-provoking story and a great resource for conversations on friendship.  Included are several discussion questions as well as recommended reading list for adults and another for kids.

The cover of every book in this series is quite colorful and appealing.  However, upon opening the book, the reader is taken-a-back by the stark textbook-like style of the interior…with single spaced, old-style typerwriter font and black and white diagrams that harken back to nonfiction books of another era.  Given that students can actually use the book for the information,  it delivers accurate and effective science projects.  The introduction includes excellent information on Science Fairs, Safety First and the Scientific Method, as well as specific tips on writing a Science Fair Report.  Experiments with seeds, leaves, roots and stems, flowers and whole plants are covered in the six chapters. Back Matter includes Further reading and Index.

The cover design is colorful, and quite appealing…yet open the book and you get wordy, single-spaced, old-styled font with black and white “textbook” graphics that make you want to close the book before you go any farther.  If you can overlook the unappealing interior (and maybe older students can) you will find impressive magical looking experiments with underlying solid physics and chemistry.  The unattractive black and white diagrams and illustrations do a great job of clarifying and supporting the text.  Included in the contents is air magic, visual magic, chemistry magic, light and “sticky” water magic, and motion magic.  Also included in the Back Matter is Further Reading and an Index.

Appealing to the grade 5-9 crowd of perpetual procrastinators, this series offers science projects that can be done in one hour or less, 30 minutes or less, 15 minutes or less and even 5 miniutes or less.  An explanation of the scientific method is front and center, as well as a discussion of science fairs.  I especially liked the suggestion for keeping a scientific notebook containing ideas you may have as you experiment, as well as sketches, calculations, hypothesis…and much more.  Each experiment covers “What’s the Plan”, “What You Need” (which sometimes may not be found in an hour, such as oleic acid), “What You Do”, “What’s Going On?”, “Keep Exploring-If You Have More Time!”.  I will be giving this text to our science teacher to try out the experiments on elementary students to see how effective they are for the younger level…as “science fairs” seem to be more prevelant in elementary schools.  Words to Know, Further Reading and Internet Addresses are included in the Back Matter.

For starters, the “simple machine” topic is typically better suited for the primary grades.  This text is geared for grades 5-9, with an older girl visual on the cover.  The title certainly appeals to the procrastinators of that older developmental age.  If science projects can be done in an hour or less…great!!  However, on closer inspection, some materials needed to perform the experiments might not be able to be found within the hour…such as a toy wagon or a spring balance.  Also, many of the formulas included require the students to have prior knowledge, as many terms used are not definied.  Although the design layout of the book is attractive, it is not very user friendly.

Dyamonde Daniel is an outspoken third grader who covet’s the stylish, pink, hight-top shoes of a classmate.  In response to her daughter’s inablility to see the difference between wants and needs, Dyamond’s mother empties Dyamond’s closet, leaving only the  necessities.  When a devastating fire leaves a classmates’s family with virtually nothing, Dyamonde shifts her thinking into helping others in need.  This award-winning author provides us with engaging characters and powerful lessons that can drive discussions on important life lessons.  Bold, pencil-like illustrations pepper the text and engage the Take-Off Stage reader.

Based on the true story of Luis Soriana, who lives in a remote town in northern Colombia, this colorful, primary version, of his amazing saga of bringing books to villages leaves the reader inspired and uplifted.  Starting in 2000, Luis and his two burros began bringing a collection of 70 books to the villagers.  Three hundered people, more or less, look forward to weekly visits of the self-made burro librarian.  Luis understands about the power of story.  “People around here love stories, I’m trying to keep that spirit alive in my own way.” – Luis Soriana.  The illustrations are done in a bright folk art style that is delightfully charming and connects to the ethnicity of that part of the world.  My son-in-law just finished building a book lending box in his Northgate neighborhood, of Seattle.   Luis, I believe, would be very happy.

This book is one of the best books I’ve read in quite some time.  The subject matter, cooking, is a refreshing topic and I believe, totally overlooked but appealing to young adults.  The stars refer to the quality of food and experience given to a restaurant by a newspaper restaurant critic, with four being the best.  Gladys, age 11 and in sixth grade, loves to cook and got her love for food from her aunt who lives in Paris.  She watches the Food Network, reads cook books and is friends with Mr. Eng,  a Chinese grocer, who lets her sample different food.  The spices and herbs in his store play a big flavor difference in turning ordinary food into fine cuisine.  This book is also one of the funniest I’ve ever read because Gladys parents don’t cook.  Their dinners are mainly takeout food from fast food places, some of which are pretty questionable.  When they do attempt cooking, food is burned or nuked beyond recognition and flavor.  Plus foodies know that cooking with sub-par ingredients is a total waste of time and money.  Gladys has a journal in which she writes summaries of meals she’s either created or eaten, including those of her parents.  Her teacher assigns an essay for a contest being held by a New York City newspaper and convinces Gladys to write what she is passionate about.  Gladys’ essay ends up on the food editor’s desk of the newspaper and Gladys is contacted to fill in for the injured food critic.  How Gladys gets herself to NYC is quite an achievement.  With the popularity of television food shows and food stars, as well as Master Chef Junior, this book will resonate with aspiring chefs.  The story line and writing is snappy and funny and moves along quickly, making it a real winner.

Pacific Northwest zoologist turned author- Roland Smith has done it again. This is the third book in his cryptid series. Chupacabra is fast paced. It keeps you wanting more even if you have not read the first two books in the series.  The introductory pages includes: a definition of ‘cryptozoology’, a running list of characters and their ties in the story,  background on chupacabra creatures, an introduction to the series, and a prologue, prior to the first chapter bringing the reader up to date on the events of the previous book – Tentacles.

Teenage Grace is living with her grandfather, Noah Blackwood, in his mansion connected to the Seattle Ark, a wildlife zoo in Seattle, WA. Grace, who  has just met her grandfather, is anxious to find out about a family she has never known. Can Noah Blackwood be as awful as her cousin Marty thinks he is? She has decided to find out firsthand. Marty and his friends Dylan and Luther, are bound and determined to get Grace away from Noah and the pair of dinosaur hatchlings Noah’s men stole from Marty’s Uncle Wolfe in the previous book. When they enter Seattle Ark they are immediately watched  on security cameras. Soon Noah’s top right-hand man, Butch is drugging Luther and taking him into the Ark’s labyrinth of secure underground laboratories. Marty and Dylan hide out in the Ark until after it closes to the public before their search for Grace, Luther, and the dinosaurs begin. Little be little Grace has masterfully played her grandfather’s employees to uncover information revealing her grandfather’s true character. The world sees Noah Blackwood for his efforts to save the world’s rarest animals, when in reality, Noah is collecting these animals for profit and his own private collection. Luther escapes from Butch by going into the ventilation system. Noah has his genetically engineered chupacabra placed into the ventilation system to hunt Luther down and get rid of him permanently. The chase is on. Technologically savvy teenagers verses the technologically savvy secret world of a greedy self-centered billionaire. Who will survive?

Published in England, The Queen & Mr. Brown, refers to Queen Elizabeth and her Corgi, Mr. Brown.  On a bad weather day, the Queen decides to walk to the Museum of Natural History to spend the day.  Mr. Brown isn’t so happy to go out into the weather.  At the museum, there is a dinosaur display which they find interesting.  The illustrations in this book are reminiscent of the Madeline series.  Information about a few dinosaurs, such as bone length, are given, as well as the cause of their extinction.  The Queen falls asleep on a bench and has a funny dream, then awakens and walks home with Mr. Brown.  A gentle story that appeals to young listeners.

Willow discovers that there is more to a book than jut what is written on the page.  When she uses her imagination Willow is able to find ANOTHER story inside the one in her book.  Detailed and delicate color illustrations entice readers to use their imagination with this story as well as any others they may have read.

I highly recommend this picture book for all ages and levels.  It is both entertaining and enlightening.

Colorful pen and ink pictures are found in each 2 page spread adding depth and dimension to this version of the classic fairy tale about the Pied Piper of Hamelin. Detailed historical information is included in the Afterword information at the end of the text.  It includes speculation that the Pied Piper story may have been created to disguise an attack of the plague.

This book would be a great addition to a picture book or fairy tale collection.

When their grandmother dies, 17 year old twins Violet and Luke continue to live in her crumbling house on a cliff above the Atlantic Ocean.  While the kids try to keep up with the overdue house repairs, utilities and food costs their artist parents leave them abandoned and without funds.  To get money for basic survival Violet ends up renting the guest house to the new stranger in town who also happens to be only 17 – River West.

With River’s arrival strange and unusual things start happening around town including sightings of the “devil” in the cemetery.   River seems to have the ability to make others see what he wants and not only does he confuse Violet but she thinks she may be falling in love with him.  Could he be the “devil” that towns people are seeing?

The story has violence mixed with witchcraft and some minor adult language.  Overall it was a very good read.  I would have preferred a different ending!

— review by student Taylor H.

For those familiar with DC Super Heroes, this may just be the Green Lantern book for you. “ Hal [Jordan, aka Green Lantern] had been assigned the task of overseeing the signing of a peace treaty between the planet Juray and the planet Talesca.” (page 5) The two delegates are squabbling and Hal is refereeing. Along comes a third party, the Yellow Lantern, who secretly traps both the Talescian’s and the Juran’s fleets  inside a “net made of yellow energy beams” inside an asteroid belt where they can’t be seen. (page 14). Both delegates are even more outraged with the other side than before. Enter the Orange Lantern. Now the Green Lantern and the Yellow Lantern work together because “There’s nothing like a common enemy to bring people together.” (p. 26) The Orange Lantern losses the fight, the Talescian and the Juran fleets are released and their delegates are now beginning to work together. Hal’s job is done, at least, for the time being.

Graphic novel and comic book readers will enjoy the quality of the 9 full page illustrations and the 15 – 1960s style Batman television show graphic onomatopoeia  words interspersed through out the book’s five chapters in this hybrid between graphic novel and traditional short chapter book.

Primary grade readers will see a variety of stem types in this introductory book on plants. What seems so obvious to us as adults is an eye opener to young children. This seems to become more true everyday as we become more urban, especially for children living in apartments without yards. In this 8′ X 7″ book, the top 5 inches of each page is a color photo of a plant  with the bottom 3 inches of the page containing one or two sentences typed  in a bold large font.

Page 10 states, “ Stems move water and food around a plant.”   Then on the last page of the book, below the Index, in the Notes for Parents and Teachers section in small font is the activity for demonstrating this by placing a freshly-cut white carnation into a vase of water with food coloring added to it. I hope children do not miss out on this activity, though I fear they will. This activity holds fond childhood memories for me.

At our school we call it The Giving Tree and needy families tie a slip of paper with their wants and needs they’d like for Christmas.  Our staff and other families pretty much fulfill every want and need on that tree.  It makes for a happy Christmas for both those who receive and who give.  The Angel Tree is the same concept, only it’s for the whole town.  Before Christmas a fully decorated tree would appear in the town square, no one knowing who it was that was responsible.  Townspeople wrote their Christmas wishes and tied them to the tree, and by Christmas each wish was granted, regardless of difficulty or cost.  Of course, there’s a mystery in and of itself as to who started all this benevolence.  And as with our giving tree, The Angel Tree is no different–you don’t see the struggles simply by looking at people.  The Christmas spirit isn’t just stuff, it’s family, and The Angel Tree shows us just how important family is to us.  Having wishes granted and having a good mystery to solve makes for good reading.

Well-known jewel thief, Alfie McQuin, has lots of secrets.  The biggest one is that he has twin 12-year-olds, a boy and a girl, who don’t know about each other.  Alfie falls to his death before he can reunite his family.  His son, March, who was his accomplice, must work together with newfound friends and sister, to sort through the cryptic messages and momentos left by Alfie, in order to move on.  There is a lot of action going on in this book.  Watson does a great job in giving bullets of information and moving the story in short chapters.  There isn’t a lot of text describing everyone and everything, just what the reader needs to know to follow the story.  The result is a ‘can’t wait to turn the page’ type of thriller.

A companion to Jokes for Boys, Jokes for Girls has jokes and humor that isn’t too dated or too British.  The humor is more geared for girls and, I believe, funnier because it isn’t so obvious.  The table of contents helps to guide the reader as to subject matter.  The book itself is stereotypical because it is purple (the boy’s book is blue) and the image of the girl on the cover as well as a small amount of illustrations is circa 1950’s.  It seems to be that this image on the cover would limit checkouts only to girls.  Maybe no image would be best as well as a generic cover color.

Jokes for Boys is a British product with humor more oriented towards sports but with all subjects included, including gross humor.  The book measures 5 1/2 inches by 8 inches and is well bound, a great size for kids to carry around.  Some jokes are for older readers (those with a long memory for events) and many jokes use British vocabulary which will leave young American readers not getting the punchline.

I like the illustrations.  They’re kind of soft pastel colors, and there’s something rather friendly about them.  The story is okay, too: Leo is a postal carrier (who looks like he might be a weasel or something)who longs to receive a letter himself; when he finds a baby bird who seems to have lost his flock, Leo takes him in for the winter, and after the little bird grows big enough to fly off in the spring, he sends Leo a letter.  It’s not bad.  I just couldn’t quite say I got excited about it enough to give it an actual recommendation.

I do like this book. And I do think it’s a good book to have in any library.  I think it does a good job of handling some sensitive material with compassion.  But I would recommend some degree of caution in choosing the audience you share it with.  It begins with Sophie and Maddi playing together in the park, when hunger sends Sophie running to Maddi’s apartment for a snack, despite Maddi’s protests.  Upon opening Maddi’s fridge to see what she’s got, Sophie finds only some milk, which Maddi says needs to be saved for her baby brother.  After being sworn to secrecy, Sophie goes home to her own full fridge and her mother fixing a healthy fish dinner, which her little brother complains about.  Sophie decides to save some to take to her friend the next day, only to realize that though fish may be good for kids, it’s not good for backpacks.  The next day she discovers eggs don’t keep well in backpacks either. She eventually finds some food she is able to share with her friend without spoilage, but decides she can’t really help her friend alone, so decides to tell her mom, despite her promise.  Throughout the story, as Sophie is looking for ways to help Maddi with food, Maddi is also helping Sophie with her climbing, which helps to keep a sense of balance, with both friends having something to offer the other.  Still, knowing that 93% of my students qualify for free lunch, I hesitate to think how they might feel if they identify too strongly with Maddi.  On the other hand, in my old school with a solidly middle-class population, this would be a great tool for helping students to recognize that not all families have as much as theirs’ might.

Targeting the very youngest readers, the text is a simple list, written in first person, of “things I like about me,”  specifically things I can do, finishing with, “the think I like best about me is that I can be with you.”  There is a repetitive pattern to the text which offers a sentence frame for young writers to imitate, and the illustrations support the text for young readers.  Besides, it’s just plain really sweet, without being cotton candy.

The illustrations are gorgeous!  The setting is a small African village.  The problem is universal:  the smallest girl in the village getting picked on and teased by her peers.  The solution is found in the magic of imagination:  every night Imani’s mother tells her stories, and upon hearing the tale of the goddess of the moon, Imani dreams of touching the moon herself; she continues to endure the teasing of the other children as she persists with assorted failed attempt including climbing or flying to the moon.  After watching a celebration involving warriors in a traditional jumping dance, Imani jumps to the moon, meets the goddess, and receives a gift of a small glowing moon rock, and has her own story to tell.  The logical part of my brain that finds scientific fault with the way the story ends is charmed anyway by the beauty of the story.

A nearly-wordless book, this is an ABC book of noises (I won’t pretend I know how to spell oneomonopeia).  A=Ahoogah, B=Beep Boop, etc.  The illustrations show some fun, colorful, cute robots manipulating large metallic letters on a grassy field until the final page shows the whole gang gathered around the fully assemble alphabet.