This book is a fun way of introducing elementary students to the scientific method. Plus, it teaches – if at first you do not succeed, try, try, again.

“Charlotte solved problems by conducting experiments that followed the scientific method.” Charlotte found herself squished with too many little bunnies [genius on the part of illustrator Brianne Farley] around for her to be able to find room, time, and equipment to work on experiments at home. Charlotte used the scientific method to help her solve her problem. First- she asked a question, second- she formed a hypothesis, third- she tested her hypothesis with an experiment or two, fourth- she made and recorded her observations, and fifth- she drew her conclusions. Charlotte’s question has her screaming, ” ‘ How can I get some space around here?’ ‘ Charlotte’s hypothesis has her writing down,” ‘ If I can get rid of my brothers and sisters, I will have room to be a real scientist.’ ” Charlotte’s experiment does not work, so she tries to make herself disappear. That does not work either. Then Charlotte determines she should go into space to get the space she needs. [One carrot-shaped space ship appears thanks to Brianne Farley.] Charlotte is happy with all the space she now has! Her hypothesis was correct. Her conclusion  confirms it, but now she is lonely. Back to step 2- writing a new hypothesis. ” ‘ If I can have friends in space THEN I won’t be lonely, and I can be a real scientist.’ ”  The chocolate bunnies were too delicious, the bunny-shaped balloons floated away, “and the robot bunnies were poor conversationalists…she tried one last experiment”. Charlotte’s conclusion – go back to Earth and just get her own space for her experiments, in her case, Charlotte used her space ship for the space she needed.

The last two pages include a review of the scientific method with helpful tips for each of the 5 steps. PLUS, there is an address (both- pencil/ paper and email) for young school-aged scientists to send Charlotte their experiments using the scientific method to tell her all about it.

Overdrive, by Dawn Ius, deals with the importance of family and the effects of loss, while taking the reader on a wild ride through the Las Vegas underworld of auto theft.  Jules is “The Ghost,” a seventeen-year-old lost in the Foster Care System.  She boosts cars to sell to make extra money to help give her little sister Ems a better life.  The Ghost lets her looser boyfriend talk her into a jacking that doesn’t feel quite right and it lands her in police custody.  The only way she can stay out of jail and not be separated from Ems is to accept the offer of a mysterious benefactor, Roger, and join three other teens at his palatial home as his “family.”  The situation in which Jules finds herself is a bit fantastic, but the characters are believable.  The language, while rough, fits the situation and the characters.  It is a good romance story, and the romance is not restricted to person to person.  There is also the romance between people and cars, people and thrills, and people and their memories.  The story is well written and fast paced.  It deals sensitively with loss and how different people cope in different ways.  Overdrive features a blistering pace, numerous clever plot twists, characters that surprise with unexpected behaviors, muscle cars to boost, and a surprise ending.  Recommended.

Part history lesson, part biography, part social commentary, part of our lives — Saturday Night Live is an institution in American television history and author Arie Kaplan opens the doors of the who, when and what this sketch comedy show has done for American culture in the past 40+ years.  After an opening chapter that chronicles sketches/characters decade by decade, Kaplan delves into the best chapter of the book, “Diversity…’Yeah, that’s the ticket!'” to shed light on the lack of diversity in the faces and roles on SNL.  While there were women and black men had roles in the show from the beginning, they weren’t leading roles.  Eddie Murphy broke out in the early 1980’s but other black male comics on the show weren’t given prominent sketches. 2 black female comics had one season each in the 80’s.  The 90’s witnessed minimal improvement with one black female cast member lasting 6 seasons.  Even Tina Fey didn’t become the 1st female head writer for the show until 1999, after nearly 25 years in production, though only her 3rd season on the show.  But where are the Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and Native Americans?  Saturday Night Live has more representing to do “fu-shur”.  A 3rd chapter about SNL’s foci on politics throughout its time on the air makes the contention that SNL swings popular opinions, using Sarah Palin’s Vice-Presidential candidacy as the prime example.  The 4th chapter nestles back into noting the most memorable comedians and what they went on to accomplish after SNL.  In addition to this accessible look into the life of Saturday Night Life, the physical presence of the book is also “Live” so to speak.  Well chosen, full-color pictures pop on the high quality, glossy paper.  The author also added a “Catch Phrase Quiz as well as other resource lists that lend to this text’s appeal for young adults.  Twenty-First Century Books did an A+ job for this 7-12 grade non-fiction title.  Highly recommended.

Sadie Bell is going into a wonderful summer where she gets to take a photography class in the mornings using a camera her father gave her as a gift — a father she has set up on a pedestal though she barely knows him because he lives in California and she lives in New York.  Sadie’s mother’s down to earth, yoga filled lifestyle seems to have kept Sadie grounded but this photography class will push Sadie in directions she didn’t see coming through her traditional viewfinder.  New friends will challenge the relationship with her best friend.  Boy drama will muddy the waters of Sadie’s usually smooth flowing river.  And the father figure Sadie longs to have will influence her in ways she hadn’t anticipated.  Juliana Romano does a fine job keeping Sadie multi-dimensional, surprising the reader with some choices that keeps Sadie as an authentic, somewhat angst filled teen trying to navigate the “streets” of New York city.  This reader likes how secondary layered personalities of characters come out onto the playground of the characters’ lives.  Recommended.

Want an idealistic, goodie two shoes, happy ending story to make you feel warm and fuzzy as the hormones of high school begin pouring out in spring?  Welcome to We Can Work it Out, the next part of Elizabeth Eulberg’s The Lonely Hearts Club.  Penny Lane is a high school student whose Lonely Hearts Club was created to give girls a group to hang out with and be independent of boys.  But when Penny finds herself attracted to and then dating a boy, she has to make hard choices as to which one will get her attention.  The boyfriend is very understanding at first, but as simplistic conflicts build, he turns away.  Will Penny be able to juggle her love for the club with her desire to get the boy back?  Full of many, many, many references to Beatles tunes, We Can Work It out is a perfect read for that 9th grade, boy obsessed person if they realize that everything doesn’t always time up in pretty bows in the end.  It wouldn’t surprise this reader if this became a Disney or Hallmark movies. This is an additional purchase and can be easily read without having read The Lonely Hearts Club.

Patricia Polacco has related another heart-warming story based on true events.  Johnnie Wallen left home at the age of 15 to join the army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  Known for his sharp-shooting skills, he soon earned the nickname, Kentucky Jo.  After many dangerous missions, his unit was stationed in the jungles of the Philippines.  There he met a shy little girl he named Little Heart for the birthmark on her arm.  She could only say “Tucky Jo”.  As their friendship grew, he met her English speaking grandfather and helped their village find food.  When they need to evacuate, he convinces his sergeant to save the village, too.  Many years later, after marrying and settling down with his large family, he began having to spend more and more time at the veteran’s hospital.  One day a new nurse came and assisted with new medicines and procedures.  When he questioned why all of a sudden he was able to get such special treatment, she showed him a birthmark on her arm and replied that it was her turn to care for her “Tucky Jo”.  An epilogue completes the story of Tucky Jo and Little Heart.  Polacco relates the story using many expressions that are common in southern dialects.  Her trademark artistic style using pencils and watercolor accurately portray the emotions and conditions of war, family, and love.  This is another winner from Patricia Polacco.

This is a terrific “how-to” book for fly fishing.  Beginning with a description of the equipment and lures, one learns the appropriate gear to use for hooking a variety of fish.  Tips are given for specific techniques required for a successful catch.  Fly fishing is done in both salt and fresh water, wherever the water is fairly shallow along coastlines and shores.  Some of the fish included are trout, steelhead, salmon, tarpon, bonefish, permits, and bass.  Colorful, close-up photos are large, some crossing the gutter, and informative.  There are dangers, so anglers need to be cautious of the conditions of the water, wildlife (ex. bears), and weather.  Glossary and index included.

Ari lives quietly on a small island.  He collects the interesting debris washed up by the sea.  One day, a large ship stops by and the captain shares wonderful stories about other people and places.  Ari decides to creatively display all his found treasures.  When the captain returns, he’s amazed with all Ari has gathered.  From then on, Ari welcomes friends and visitors from many lands and is never lonely.  The charm of this book is in the unique acrylic illustrations.  The combination of this simple story and intriguing artwork enhance a secondary message of using one’s creativity to beautify their surroundings.