Nine eyewitness accounts of suspected bigfoot encounters, from across the United States, eight of which occurred within the past seventeen years.  These occurrences took place in Pennsylvania, Washington state, Alaska, New Jersey, Texas, Oregon, Ohio, and California. One sighting was by a postal work delivering mail, another by a snowmobiler, another by a man fishing his favorite fishing spot along a river, another by an experienced deer hunter, and yet another by a family hiking.

The book leaves the topic open ended, saying this is what these people think happened. “What do you think the men saw?” (7) “Or could it have been something else?” (9) “But could he have been mistaken about what he saw on that dark night?” (11)  And there is a disclaimer on page 3 saying, “Stories in this book are taken from eyewitness accounts and cannot be proven true or false.” The majority of the accounts were told to the Bigfoot Field Research Organization (BFRO) who found them to be credible.

The graphic novel presentation of this topic will appeal to readers. Especially since there are so few actual photos of bigfoot and most encounters seem to be short and visual.

This reprint of a classic tells of a neglected tree that just needed someone to care.  The young girl clears away the rubbish, rakes, hoes, and plants flowers so that in spring the now proud tree flourishes like never before. It’s branches, leaves and blossoms give way to apples until its producing, “Plenty of apples/delicious to eat/juicy and crunchy/crisp and sweet.”  Apples keep coming, “The more we ate/the more they grew/the more we wondered/what to do.” Finally at the Apple Festival they made a pig of themselves eating apples prepared in so many different ways.  And you’re invited next year.

A good choice to celebrate fall and harvest time.

Using simple text, this book focuses on the science and technology behind boats.  It starts with the physics concept of density and why boats float followed by how different forces such as wind, paddles, propellers and engines can make a boat move .  The engineering concepts focus on how differences in the shape of the hull affect its ability to cut through the water.  Math is incorporated when discussing relative wind strengths in relation to sailboats.

This book effectively balances the need to simplify difficult science concepts and the opposite need to maintain enough complexity to communicate complicated concepts.  A solid choice for a library looking for STEAM titles for young readers.

Contains a table of contents, glossary, online links and a index.

This is an cheerful portrayal of the first day of kindergarten.  Starting with excitement and nerves at home before school and moving on to the activities that take place in kindergarten.  Kindergarten is described more by the activities than the learning that takes place.  Nervousness makes way to optimism, “Now you’re BIG! You’re in school! And…. It really is cool!”

Colorful appealing illustrations portraying diverse smiling children.  I good choice for pre-school transition and the early days of kindergarten.

Reading can lead to curiosity and passion. Priscilla talks about gorillas “morning, noon and night” after her dad gives her an All About Gorillas book for her birthday.  Her love of gorillas becomes part of everything thing she does, from school to the grocery store to her cloths.  Sometimes her love for gorillas interferes with school.  Priscilla’s gorilla-like antics mean she’s spending a lot of time in the class’s thinking corner getting her the label of troublemaker. Priscilla’s dad points out that her book says that gorilla’s cooperate and if that she’s going to be a troublemaker she should choose a different animal, like a skunk.  After much thought, Priscilla apologizes to her teacher.  On a trip to the zoo the impact of her love of gorillas is clear when her classmates can share many interesting facts about gorillas.  When Priscilla demonstrates her gorilla dance, the gorilla responds with a dance of his own.

With photographs and simple text, this book provides an introduction to lizards.  The informational text on lizards includes common characteristics, habitat, and diet.  It also includes some specific information about the blue-tailed skink, gecko, and iguana.  The book would benefit from captions on the photographs.

Contains table of contents, glossary and index.

Linked online resources include photographs with a brief description of lizards.  Also included are downloadable print activities, links to elementary level informational websites, and a 4 minute video.  All links to external websites were dead links.

With photographs and simple text, this book provides an introduction to penguins.  The heavy use of pronouns, make the simple text less effective. Bold words defined in the glossary include waddle, webbed and flippers, but skips the word krill.

Contains table of contents, glossary and index.

Linked online resources include a more in depth description of penguins with more photographs.  Also included are downloadable print activities, links to elementary level informational websites, and a 1 and a half minutes video.  One of the website links was dead link.

With photographs and simple text, this book provides an introduction to the White House.  The heavy use of pronouns, particularly the word “it” make the simple text less effective.

Contains table of contents, glossary and index.

Linked online resources include a more in depth description of the White House with photographs.  Also included are downloadable print activities, links to elementary level informational websites, and a 2 minutes video of still animation, music, and textual information.  All online material are more appropriate for grades 2-5 so it does not match the audience of the actual book.

Is there anything a dog loves more than a treat? Woken from a dream of treats by an encouraging smell, the dog races off for the chance to earn any sort of treat. He tries all his best tricks first for a toddler eating cheerios, then a young girl with a hot dog, a young boy coloring with no food, grandma with dentures in a glass, grandpa brushing his teeth and finally an infant with a bottle.  His discouragement is evident until finally he’s called to his bowl for a treat, only to find it filled with toys not treats. Dejected, he retreats to pile of laundry to dream of his lost treats.  As the dream turns into a nightmare of monstrous dentures chasing him, he wakes to the call of “treeeeeeat….” The 2 girls have created a masterpiece of topped with dog bones and chunks of dried dog food.  What a treat!

The word, “treat” is the only word in the book.  The tone and expression in the repeated word, “treat”is seen in the expression of the dog and supported by the punctuation, font size and style.  Sure to be a hit as a read aloud but also a good example of the power of expression to convey meaning.

What readers are looking for! A smart girl who is good at math and does not take guff about it from anyone!

Summer vacation will start any minute. Alice can hardly wait to begin her vacation. Alice plans on using vacation to prove the Goldbach’s Conjecture. Twelve year old Alice loves math! When she gets upset, instead of counting to ten, she counts using prime numbers to calm herself down.

Just prior to the last bell ringing, Sammy invites Alice to his house for a very important press conference. Sammy’s father owns Delgado Industries and an invention is about to be unveiled. Alice turns Sammy down, but gets forcefully transported to the event in a black towncar, with a, “Mr. Delgado would like to see you.” (8)

Mr. Jones, Alice’s father who writes for the Philadelphia Daily News, is also at the press conference. Mr. Delgado begins the press conference by announcing his friend and scientist inventor, Dr. Adrian Learner, is missing. The press conference will only take place once Dr. Learner has been found. Sammy is deeply disturbed. Dr. Learner might be Sammy’s only friend. Sammy wants his father to hire Alice to find Dr. Learner. Mr. Delgado hires Alice, but as a way to get publicity, as a joke. This ticks Alice off! Alice only accepts to prove to Mr. Delgado she CAN find him. Plus, her father will get the exclusive story.

Alice takes on the investigation to find Dr. Learner. She visits his top secret lab, visits his super messy apartment, and eventually pieces together Dr. Learner should be at the University of Pennsylvania where Mr. Delgado and Dr. Learner first met. In the meantime, a silver Mercedes begins to follow Alice. The FBI becomes involved, too.

When Alice does find Dr. Learner, it is not enough for Alice. She still needs to prove to herself how he disappeared. Alice’s math equation needs to be  solved,   ” (one exit)+(security camera footage)+(disappearing man)=x”.  Then, maybe the equation should be “(one exit)+(disappearing man)= x-(security camera footage) … or maybe…(one exit)+(security camera footage)= x-(disappearing man) ” . (page 258)  Little by little Alice discovers Dr. Learner’s missing medical prescription was for an experimental drug to slow down Alzheimer’s disease.

Alice holds a press conference stating Dr. Learner’s disappearance was a scam. It turns out Mr. Delgado had staged the entire disappearance to help out his friend Dr. Learner keep his disease a secret, or at least until Mr. Delgado signed a government contract for Dr. Learner’s work.

The book’s cover illustration of Alice needs some revamping, if middle schoolers are going to pick it up and read it. The existing cover is fine for fourth and fifth graders.

The animal world is a diverse interesting place.  What do things as different as a zebra and a bumblebee or a hedgehog and a chameleon have in common?  This book explores differences while highlighting the similarities.  Each two page spread contains four illustrated animals and a description of how they are different in some way; appearance, behavior, or habitat. Then readers are invited to look closer.  Each spread closes with the unifying similarity, “We all have…”

The animal illustrations have expressive cartoon-ish expressions. The back matter contains explanations of why animals have each of the similar characteristics described in the book.

Use this title to invite young children to think critically about the world around them. Use in a science lesson or to help students recognize their similarities to the many diverse people of the world.

Whoosh is science success story of an African American man made particularly accessible to students by their first-hand knowledge of one of his inventions, the Super Soaker. The story begins with Lonnie’s childhood in Mobile, Alabama and the challenges he faced in pursuing his love of invention. Lonnie wanted to be an engineer, but an exam he took said he would not be a very good one. He was not discouraged by this challenge either.  At a 1968 science fair at the University of Alabama (only 5 years after allowing their first African American students), Lonnie’s home-made robot named Linex won his team first place.  From there he studied engineering at the Tuskegee Institute before working at NASA on the Galileo probe to Jupiter.  And still Lonnie tinkered with his own inventions at home. He came up with the Super Soaker idea while investigating refrigeration and air conditioning systems that were better for the environment than than those that used R-12.  One toy company after another refused to produce his invention.  His attempt to produce his inventions on his own flopped, leaving him in a discouraging and difficult financial situation.  He asked yet another toy company and they said “Wow” and now Super Soakers are sold everywhere.  With the money Lonnie earned from the sale of each Super Soaker, he now has an even bigger workshop where he continues to invent because, “facing challenges, solving problems, and building things is what Lonnie Johnson loves to do.”

This book belongs in every elementary library.

A single unhatched egg rests in a nest surrounded by four fluffy goslings.  Mother goose nudges the egg, “Hello in there! Are you aware…how long we’ve all been waiting?” A mother’s cajoling is picked up by the coots and crows. The world is moving through spring and life is brimming. The wait is measured by the bursting of buds and sprouts are breaking through.  The journey begins with, “A nest. An Egg. A chick like you.”  The four fluffy goslings look on as a beak breaks through the egg.  Finally the egg hatches a bewildered, bedraggled chick with a piece of shell still stuck to its beak. The gosling is urged out of the nest to discover, “The whole wide world is waiting.”

Warm colors and up close pictures lend the story intimacy and closeness.  The more panoramic views show the expanse of the world waiting to be explored.  The short rhythmic phrases feel like the baby steps picking up momentum until you’re running to catch up with spring.

On the first day of summer, Shaggy, Scooby, and their friends in Mystery, Inc., join their friend Fred on a trip to his boyhood camp.  The camp is pretty run down but Jasper, the owner, appreciates all the help he gets from Hank, the handyman.  After setting up the tent, having a meal, and telling scary stories, they relax for the evening.  Later that night a thunderstorm shakes the tent.  Looking out, they see a looming creature.  Racing off to the woods, they hide and wait out the storm.  In the morning, they follow tracks to a cave.  Although warning signs say to stay away, the kids decide to investigate.  With quick detective work, they discover the rocks are painted diamonds and the “wild ape-man” is really Hank.  Jasper is relieved and thankful.  Now he has the money to fix up the old camp.  The cartoon artwork is colorful and illustrations and text are well placed.

In this graphic novel, Shaggy’s Aunt Isabelle is a judge for the Chocolate Art Show.  It is being ruined by an unknown phantom.  She enlists Shaggy and friends to help solve this mystery.  They search for clues and eventually set a trap to catch the one responsible for stopping the show.  As in most graphic novels, many details are added in the illustrations.  One point that is disturbing to me is that Scooby is shown to enjoy eating chocolate.  Chocolate can be toxic to dogs depending on the type of chocolate and the size of the dog.  A young reader may get the idea it is okay to feed chocolate to their pet.

Back in the 1930s, Earnie Seiler was a tireless promoter of what was to become the Orange Bowl, one of the final major football contests of the season.  Seiler enticed top teams, the Oklahoma Sooners and the Tennessee Volunteers, to face off in the first game played in Miami.  The other chapters highlight noteworthy competitions and athletes from 1939 to 2012.  Anecdotes, sidebars, and photographs accompany the fact-filled pages.  Also included are a timeline of memorable  events, Orange Bowl records, and quotes.  Additional resources include books, websites, and a place to visit are in the back with the glossary, index and note about the author.  Extraordinary players and remarkable plays throughout add interest to this fact-filled book.

The sphinx and the pyramids in Egypt’s Sahara Desert have intrigued people for thousands of years.  Scientists, archeologists, and scholars have studied, excavated, repaired, and wondered about the creation and purpose of the sphinx.  Which came first, the sphinx or the pyramids?  The sphinx is carved from a single rock.  How old is it?  Why does it have the head of a man and the body of a lion?  Why has it eroded as it has?  What ties does it have to the pharaohs’ pyramids?  Does it contain hidden chambers?  People are concerned with the future preservation of the sphinx.  Erosion, some natural and some man-made, have caused cracks and flaking.  All-in-all, this remarkable structure has created more questions than answers.  Primary sources, sidebars, diagrams, comprehension questions, pros and cons of particular theories, as well as points to consider fill this interesting book.

This biography is of Dr. Charles Drew and his amazing contributions to science concerning blood.  Born in 1904 in Washington DC, Drew, an African American, had more opportunities for a solid education.  Because of DC’s large African American population, schools were good.  He excelled in sports, was a dedicated student, and received a scholarship to Amherst.   Wanting to begin school before fall, he instead attended McGill University in Montreal.  There he realized a dire need for a reliable blood supply.  He returned to Wash. DC as a doctor and surgeon.  He was chosen to study and train with renowned doctors and in 1939, learned how to preserve blood for transfusions.  This led to the life saving creation of the blood bank.  During WWII, Dr. Drew experimented with plasma, the fluid in blood.  It could be preserved and used more easily than whole blood.  The Red Cross organized a donor program and a blood mobile was used for transportation.  Because of racism, the military refused to accept blood from non-whites.  Drew left the Red Cross and returned to teaching, becoming chief of staff, and medical director at Freedman Hospital.  Dr. Drew died at 45 as a result of a car crash.  Some speculate about his care as hospitals were still segregated at the time.  A remarkable story about a remarkable man.  Photographs and sidebars are on every page.  One can read and respond to primary sources.  Diagrams, questions to ponder, glossary, resources, and index included.

Using short simple sentences, this book starts by introducing the concept of biome as a large area with certain plants, animals and climate. It then explains that marine waters are biomes.  Of the three main marine biomes, oceans are the largest.  Coral reefs and estuaries, the other main marine biomes, are glossed over and never clearly identified in the text with headings or bold font.  Nor do the three main biomes appears in the glossary. Confusing the reader more, coral reefs are part of the ocean, yet in the book are considered separate from ocean biomes. The book would benefit from the use of non-fiction text features to clarify the complex concept of biomes without adding complexity to the text.

A few examples of plants and animals are given.  The climate of coral reefs is described.

Contains Table of Contents, Glossary, and Index.

The book starts with a 18th century Japanese Haiku about a butterfly dreaming while folding its wings. The remainder of the pages contain alternating 3 and 4 line rhyming verses for snake, deer, newt, rabbit, mouse, and turtle. For each of the 6 dreaming animals in the book, the first page is a 4 line recounting of the animal’s activities during the day; the second page is 3 lines describing where the animal shelters at night to dream; the third page is 4 lines describing the animal’s dream; the fourth page is always a 3 line refrain, “Sleep, Little (animal)/ Safe and warm/ Dream until the light of morn.”  The Little Dreamer can be found exploring on each of the pages describing the animals day.  The book ends with the child, Little Dreamer asleep in bed dreaming of the six animals joining her until morn.

Rather than using this book as a bedtime read-aloud, use it for writing lessons focused on clear concise descriptive language and the use of text structure to reinforce a message.

Several sports are represented in which players exhibit strange superstitions based on achieving a perfect performance.  In this book, all players are male, both from team and individual sports.  Tennis star Rafael Nadal has a whole routine he follows before and during the game.  A football coach eats grass to “keep himself grounded”.  Hockey players don’t shave until the Stanley Cup playoffs are over.  Baseball’s Wade Boggs ate chicken daily before games.  Basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian chewed a water soaked towel to stay cool.  The layout is pleasing with photos and well-spaced text.  An extra page at the end provides a few additional superstitions.  Packed with trivia, this will be popular with sports fans.  Two other recommended books on sport superstitions are mentioned, as well as a website, index, and note about the author.

An odd mixture of animals, Pandora, a cat, Seabold, a dog, and three mice, Whistler, Lila, and baby Tiny, have come together to form the lighthouse family.  One day, while collecting shells, Lila and Whistler hear the crying of a baby beluga whale.  They learn his name is Sebastian and that he cannot find his mother.  Pandora suggests they enlist the aid of Huck, a cranky cormorant.  With encouragement, Huck is persuaded to fly over the ocean to try to locate Sebastian’s mother.  By the time they spot the beluga pod, Huck is too exhausted to fly home.  With praise about being noble, Huck allows himself to ride home on the back of a whale.  Mother and son are reunited, the lighthouse family had a successful adventure, and cranky old Huck was secretly pleased by praise for being a hero.  McDaniel’s soft, sepia-like graphite illustrations give a pleasant old-fashioned quality to the book.  His artwork charmingly portrays the traits and character of each individual.  Rylant’s books are good for those readers who are reluctant to move from picture books to longer chapter books.  This is a reissue of book number three in a series of seven adventures of the lighthouse family.

Outdoor adventures can be fun for everyone and being prepared is a must.  Caring for our environment and suggestions for packing suitable gear are mentioned on the first pages.  Eight basic knots, with simple directions how to tie them, are described next.  Four designs for using a tarp for a shelter are shown.  Also in this informative book, are instructions how to make a raft, how to safely cross streams, escape quicksand, and build dams.  Safety is always paramount.  Signs to mark a trail are pictured as well as Morse code and semaphore illustrations.  Should an injury occur, several methods to apply first aid until help arrives are explained.  Finally, some fun outdoor games and activities are included with a Did You Know page, index, and paragraph about the author and illustrator.  Many comic critters offer comments from the margins.  Colorful cartoon artwork and a variety of type fonts create an attention-getting outdoor activity (and potential survival!) book for young adventurers.  Lots to learn and think about in this 32 page book.

Like sappy love stories — this is not it.  The Last True Love Story does not take place in a high school.  The Last True Love Story does not have a female protagonist.  The Last True Love Story does not have an amazing happily-ever-after ending.  The Last True Love Story is about love that is deeper than the superficial stuff most teens crave.  And that is why this book can succeed.  Teddy has a lot on his shoulders.  His mother travels for work.  His father drove off a bridge when he was much too young to remember anything about him.  His Gpa, whom he visits on a regular basis, is battling Alzheimer’s.  But Gpa does remember how much he loved his wife and the last thing he wants is to lose her again.  When fate allows Teddy to meet Corrina, an acoustic guitar playing, non-theatrical music buff who desperately wants to go to New York City, causes Teddy’s mom to be out of town but the car left behind, and proposes the chance to drive across country to take Gpa back to his long-lost home in Ithica, New York, Teddy takes a leap of faith like he’s never done before.  The love themes explored in this book is veiny, deep, and rings more true than most hokey love stories for young adult fiction.  And while this is such a huge part of the book, this reader is afraid the title alone will keep males from reading it.  Well-versed musicians and music history fans will appreciate all the references to decades of songs.  This is a good read that might be overlooked.