Set at Storm Cliff Stables, a camp “for girls crazy about horses” (4) Aunt Jane, the owner/director  of the camp, asks the camp girls to plan her wedding at the camp, when Aunt Jane announces she will be marrying Clyde in two days. Khadija, whose parents are currently in Pakistan for a wedding, is overjoyed to help. All the fun of planning a wedding, while learning about Khadija’s Pakistani Muslim culture, are rolled into one. Plus, there is the mystery of who seems to be thwarting Khadija’s plans for a Pakistani style wedding while also including Aunt Jane’s three requests: red velvet cake, flowers in her hair, and “to ride down the aisle[ in the horse arena] on Sapphire.” (26)

“Family isn’t just who you’re related to. It’s who you spend your time with and who you love to be around. I miss my family. I wish I could have been with them in Pakistan, but I’m thankful to be with my family here.” (111)

This book has all the fun of camp life, horses, and a wedding, to boot!

Each of the ten chapters has an illustration by Paula Franco

Bruno needs to take a bath. But, there is one problem…the whale in the bathtub! This whale loves bubble baths and warm water. He uses dad’s back scrubber and takes hours to bathe! What will Bruno do? He tries to tell his parents, sister and brother that a bath is out of the question because of the whale. But, they don’t believe him. Apparently, Bruno has told some tales before (involving a walrus and a bear).

In the end, it works out. The whale helps Bruno by giving him a shower – blowholes come in handy, don’t they? Bruno heads to bed and his mom says he smells a bit fishy (must be the krill). The last page will delight young readers as Bruno’s big sister enters the water-logged bathroom and gets a surprise!

Readers will enjoy the simple text and illustrations that fill the pages. This book will elicit some giggles and guffaws from kids that might just wish they had whales in their bathtubs! Recommended.

Engineer It! Bridge Projects is part of The Engineer It! series for budding civil engineers or any other kids that like to build and possibly, destroy popsicle stick, cardboard and clay structures. How cool is that?

The book opens with descriptions of several types of bridges, their uses and parts. The next section is the fun part – a list of possible materials and directions for five bridges that can be made with household items. The directions are clear with several accompanying photos to illustrate steps. Each bridge type has some extra information in boxes, ranging from added history to the physics of what makes that bridge work so well.

This is a wonderful addition to the STEAM classroom. Materials are readily available and inexpensive. It will lead to some amazing bridges and associated learning. Buy it! Highly Recommended.

Pig the pug is back in a sassy book about sore losers and cheaters – both are Pig. Pig can’t stand to lose and he will cheat to win or worse, cry and whine until the winner gives in. His friend, Trevor (a sweet-tempered dachshund) puts up with his terrible friend (apparently, dachshunds will be friends with anyone).

One evening, they were about to eat dinner when Pig yells that it is a contest to see who can eat fastest. Trevor doesn’t want to compete; he just wants to eat. But, Pig starts chomping down kibble and sausages and…his bowl! Thankfully, Trevor knows the Heimlich maneuver and saves Pig’s life, only to hear Pig screech “I win” just before said bowl hits him on the head (good riddance). The story ends with Pig (bandage on head) and Trevor playing a game of cards. Pig seems to be a much better sport now and has learned his lesson…or has he?

This book is a wonderful read-aloud and discussion starter with young children, some who probably could learn some lessons themselves from Pig the pug. The text is simple and rhyming and the illustrations are outrageous and fun. Kids will love this book and learn something along the way. Recommended

Thelma didn’t start out as a unicorn. She was a rather plain pony hanging out in a field with her friend, Otis the donkey. She was sad, though. She wanted so badly to be unicorn – beautiful, magical, sparkly and adored by all.

One day, she tied a carrot to her forehead and thought “I’ll say that I ‘m a unicorn. It might just work…who knows?” Well, just at that moment, a truck fortuitously loaded with pink paint and glitter happened to drive by and the driver was so startled by Thelma that he swerved and dumped paint and glitter on her!

Thelma was an instant star – a beautiful, glittery, pink unicorn. Life was wonderful…for awhile. She loved the attention and fame. But, it didn’t take long for Thelma to realize that her life was no longer her own. Her fans were a rabid lot, following her EVERYWHERE! And, some people were actually quite mean.

Thelma, the unicorn, wished she was back to being Thelma, the pony. So, she washed off all that paint and glitter and walked right past the crowd of fans to her friend, Otis. And, she told him that she would rather just be herself.

This is a lovely book about self-acceptance and true friendship. Thelma can teach kids a thing or two. The text is rhyming and the illustrations are hilarious. Kids will love Thelma, the pony – turned unicorn-turned back to pony! Recommended.

This book is part of the Cool Makerspace series and details the steps to making six pop-up projects using readily available tools and materials. It begins with a definition of the notion of ‘makerspace”. Following that are details about supplies, art tips and techniques. Projects are shown in six to seventeen steps, some with helpful color illustrations. Typical nonfiction elements of Table of contents, glossary and index are included.

Adult supervision might be necessary for the younger crowd as a craft knife is required for a few of the projects. Kids will love the ideas presented and can use them as jumping-off points for further crafty exploration of pop-ups. Recommended

Maisie Hitchins, a young girl living with her grandmother in Victorian England, is an intrepid detective, solving cases from her grandmother’s boarding house.

In this fourth book of The Mysteries of Maisie Hitchins series, she sets out to solve the mystery of the stolen Amazonian mask for her friend, Professor Tobin. He had travelled the world collecting wonderful artifacts, which Maisie spends countless hours dusting in his room at the boarding house. He decides to donate items to the British Museum, when the prized mask disappears! Maisie is on the job with her helpful friend, George, and loyal dog, Eddie.

Through their investigation, they learn that a boy (Daniel) from the Amazonian tribe from whom Professor Tobin procured the mask is in England to retrieve said mask. He is part of a side show while he searches for the mask, which he needs to take back to the Amazon rainforest in order to remove the bad luck that befell his tribe when his grandfather gave mask away. Together the three children find the thief and the mask. Daniel sets said from England with the mask as Maisie, George, Eddie and Professor Tobin wave goodbye.
This is a sweet little mystery with a strong female character.

Maisie is smart, resourceful and brave. The setting and some of the language will be unfamiliar to younger readers, but where better to get an introduction to Victorian England than in a mystery? This part of a series, yet this particular book can stand alone.

Max, a 3rd grade boy, is getting used to his new life as a boy with two homes. One home is with mom – the home in which he has always lived. The other home is his dad’s new apartment, with a bedroom for Max and boxes everywhere.

Max isn’t so sure about this new home arrangement and sometimes fells sad. But, as he gets to know the people in dad’s apartment building and neighborhood and starts some new weekend routines, he realizes that home can be in more than one place.

The main characters are Caucasian, but many of the secondary characters, including Max’s best friend, are multiethnic. The illustrations capture the gentle tone of the book, done in black and white.

This story is very relevant to today’s children, many of whom are living the life that Max shares with two parents and two homes. The emotions that he feels are normal and the reader will understand that those feelings are okay and things can get better, because mom and dad still love Max – even if they are in two different places.

Recommended

A year has passed since Shiloh has become part of Marty’s family.  It’s almost Christmas but the holiday spirit is low.  Judd, Shiloh’s previous owner, is trying to be a better person, a new minister preaches more fire and brimstone than love, and a severe drought has made life harder.  Marty and his family suspect the new pastor of hiding abuse of his daughters when they discover Rachel locked in a toolshed.  A sudden wildfire destroys several houses and although Judd’s home is also burned, he is blamed for setting the fire.  Marty’s parents offer Judd a place to stay while he rebuilds his house and searches for his dog.  While uncomfortable, with the support of his family, Marty begins to see his community in a new light.  As in the other books, the warm feelings of love, compassion, and family mingle with messages of tolerance and forgiveness.  Despite being the last in a quartet, this book can stand on it’s own.  Another wonderful read!

Dav Pilkey’s third installment in the Dog Man series is a, “tale of oppression…a tale of redemption…a tale of rebirth…a take of hope…a tale of two kitties.”  The three story lines of Dog Man, Petey the Cat, and Mecha Flippy converge when good comes out on top.  Petey’s clone, a kitten joins the story, but refuses to take up his creator’s evil.  The story ends with Mecha Flippy in jail but turned to the side of good by the friendship of the kitten. Petey has escaped the Police Chief and is off to create more havoc.

Step by step direction on drawing the characters is at the end of the book.  Also included is a comic explaining the benefits of reading to a pet.

Sure to be a hit, especially with reluctant readers.

Josh, the oldest of three boys, has always admired Vikings.  He is brave and afraid of nothing.  However, his younger twin brothers are getting bigger and wilder, which does worry him.  While staying with their grandparents, they all take an adventure to Viking World.  At the same time, Thor and the gods in Asgard are watching over them.  As the twins get into mischief, Josh spies them on a Viking ship just as archers with flaming arrows are about to demonstrate a Viking funeral.  A similar problem is happening in Asgard as the dragon, Fafnir, is about to attack.  Josh finds an inner strength to protect his brothers – in a way that also helps the gods protect Asgard!  The large, colorful illustrations add many details to the story.  Throughout Viking World are runes on wooden beams.  A key in the back helps decode the messages.  They are quotes about dragons and bravery from Tolkein, Neil Gaiman, John Lennon and Churchill.  Awesome addition!  This book is a real treat on many levels.

A very successful baseball player became quite unhappy with his life.  One day, while visiting a zoo, he enjoyed watching a walrus.  The more he thought about it, the more he wanted the walrus in his life.  The zoo would not sell it to him until he could prove he could take good care of it, so he created a huge, complete environment for it.  All went well, until baseball season started.  He missed his walrus so much he decided to quit the team to spend more time at home with his friend.  However, he discovered taking care of a walrus was expensive and soon ran out of money.  The walrus was returned to the zoo.  When the player tried to re-join the team, he found he had been replaced.  Sadly he went to the zoo to say goodbye to his friend  As he entered, he noticed a sign requesting an experienced caretaker for the walrus.  He knew his prayers were answered.  Simple, cartoon-like illustrations are colorful and expressive.  This provides a good look at the responsibilities of owning a pet and being happy.

Filled with magical realism reminiscent of Isabel Allende, Maggie Steifvater takes readers to the fantasy of town of Bicho Raro, Colorado, where strangers find themselves coming to “find themselves”.   Three cousins, who act more like siblings, Beatriz, Daniel and Joaquin, all possess the family power to bring out the inner darkness in people but it is up to the visitors themselves to find their own miracle cure in defeating their inner demons.  Young adult readers who are used to plot-driven contemporary coming of age novels will need to be patient with Steifvater’s writing and try to look at it via the lense of good art rather than entertainment.  Motifs of owls and roses, conflicts of inner powers vs outer perceptions, and landscapes both real and fantastical will swoon some readers and surprise previous Stiefvater fans. Plus, the gorgeous cover will sell this as well.  Recommended for upper middle and high school libraries.

Interesting, although sometimes creepy, creatures of the Central and South American rainforests are described in this 32 paged book..  One interesting feature in this series shows the comparative size of the creature to a hand or an average adult height.  Another, is a rating scale of each being for size, power, strength, aggression, and deadliness.  The tiny Brazilian treehopper, has an odd-shaped helmet to ward off predators.  Other animals include the poison dart frog (which isn’t poisonous when raised in captivity!), the Brazilian wandering spider whose bite is 30 times more deadly that of a rattlesnake, as well as the Hercules beetle, which eats 24 hours a day.  Also included are the vampire bat, the singular mammal whose diet is only blood (a sanguinivore), the Goliath bird-eating spider, larger than your dinner plate, and the Goliath tigerfish, with 32 sharp, one inch long teeth! The last three include the electric eel, whose electrical impulses can knock a horse off its feet, the green anaconda, which can weigh up to 500 lbs., and the harpie eagle, a huge bird whose 5 ” talons can be the same size as a grizzly bear’s.  Each page includes full color photos, a paragraph about habitat or behaviors, and a fact box.  Additional facts are presented in the back with an index.

The terms carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore are defined on the first page.  The text is large and although there are only a couple of sentences per page, young readers will appreciate the information included.  Beautiful close-up photos show a variety of carnivores.  Some of the carnivores mentioned may be a surprise, for example, spiders.  These meat eaters use venom to soften food in order to eat.  Also, the Venus fly trap is a plant that ingests insects.  A picture glossary is in the back with a book and internet resource, and an index.  The format is pleasing and information is plentiful.  This is a great nonfiction resource for primary readers.

Told in a rhyming text, AAAB format, a young girl narrates the zombie-like qualities of her best friend.  “She’s my best friend, but I won’t lie, Penelope smells like something died.”  Epelbaum’s artwork does a great job showing classmates and adults being repulsed by Penelope.  The young, blonde narrator tries to get Penelope involved in activities, but things just don’t go well.  Penelope starts biting things and people, including the narrator.  Penelope is hungry, but only for brains!  As the story continues, the young girl begins to change… into someone very much like her gross, in-dead friend.  Just the book for a creepy read-aloud!  Zombie vampires!  Yikes!

What a great nonfiction book about sunshine for young readers!  Large, colorful, illustrations show animals enjoying springtime sun.  The rhyming text informs the reader about all the ways the sun affects our lives.  Verb word choice “beams”, “sparkles”, and “glimmers” add another dimension of interest to this attractive book.  The acrylic and digital artwork uses a warm palate of colors to create a joyful arrival of spring.  The last pages add further facts along with an internet site.

This is a gentle, rhyming story of a little girl whose family was poor but loving.  The Christmas ball was approaching and all the school children were looking forward to something new to wear.  Mabel had been dreaming of a dress the same beautiful color as her lavender blue sheets.  As her classmates joyfully raced home to prepare for the dance, Mabel slowly walked with her mom.  Once home, her parents and grandparents surprised her with a gorgeous gown they had created while she was at school.  Mabel’s dress was a success but the love of family is what made it the best.  The artwork, in cool pastels, is a good match for this tender story.

Detailed, colorful watercolor illustrations enhance this story of a dinosaur-loving family.  Son Carl wants to be a dinosaur and the entire family gets involved with choosing a dinosaur with particular qualities or characteristics.  Twelve dinosaurs that walk, fly, or swim are emphasized as each family member tries to make a decision.  The artwork is large, ample, and vibrant.  The last pages provide additional facts about each dinosaur in the story.  An interesting feature is a timeline of periods from the Permian to the Cretaceous so one can see in which period each dinosaur live.  This is a great mix of fact and fiction.

Hip-Hop Culture, part of the Hip-Hop Insider series, takes one on an informative, fast-paced and fascinating trip through hip-hop history up to today’s influences such as Lin-Manuel Miranda’s use of hip-hop in Hamilton. Written by history teacher/author Judy Dodge Cummings, readers quickly see the widespread influence hip-hop has had since 1973 with its birth by DJ Kool Herc trying to fulfill a need for new school clothes by throwing a “concert” at a local rec center where he and his sister charged admission.  Here he began combining songs during drum sections and this form of hip-hop became deejaying – one of four connected touchstones.  From ghetto to global stage, from need to commercialization, Cummings lays out the influence of deejaying as well as the other three –emceeing, dance, and graffiti — have had in cultivating hip-hop culture and likewise how hip-hop has influenced our word, dance, music, dress, and politics.  Complete with bright color photos and historic side-bars, a timeline, essential facts, glossary, resources, and notes for each chapter, the 112-page text maintains an upbeat feel.  While written for the young adult audience, Hip-Hop Culture provides provocative food for thought and discussions at a higher level that one would initially imagine.  Recommended for libraries who need a more recent copyright date.

At first glance, I was impressed with the illustrations that accompany the text.  It’s almost a cross between a middle grades book and a graphic novel, which makes it a great option for students to bridge that gap.  The main character, Dexter Drabner, has an active imagination, and I think students will connect with him.  The story begins with a dream sequence and continues with Dexter filling in for one of his favorite superheroes, Toby Falcon, who is a skateboard-riding spy!  An accident in Dexter’s science classroom causes a large, mutant rat to be on the loose.  The only turn-off was the emphasis on “rat gas power” (flatulence) to produce electric power.  Overall, though, this is an engaging book designed for students grades 2-5.

This informational text about the Hubble Space Telescope covers how the telescope works, what missions it is has been apart of and what it is. Informational text features complement the text and add to the learning. There is even a diagram of the Hubble Space Telescope. The end of the book includes a section of books and websites to learn more about it.