Reviewed by Kristi Bonds, on April 26th, 2013 Author: Kody Keplinger Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Poppy ISBN: 0316084239 Year Published: 2010 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: 11th-12th Rating:
- ISBN: 0316084239
- Author: Kody Keplinger
- Publisher: Poppy
- Price: 16.99
- Year Published: 2010
- Grade Level: 11th-12th
Bianca struggle for self-control is edgy and probably a bit too sexy for a school audience in Kody Keplinger’s The Duff (Designated Ugly Fat Friend). The storyline is pretty predictable but the redeeming value is Bianca’s reflective, smart, sometimes in-your-face voice as the narrator. Bianca is best friends with two girls she believes are much . . . → Read More: The Duff
Reviewed by Carrie Dye, on April 25th, 2013 Author: Pinkwater, Daniel Illustrator: Series: Publisher: HM 2012 ISBN: 978-0-547-38539-6 Year Published: 2012 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: grade 7 and up Rating: additional purchase
- Author: Pinkwater, Daniel
- Publisher: HM 2012
- Price: 16.99
- ISBN: 978-0-547-38539-6
- Grade Level: grade 7 and up
- Rating: additional purchase
- Year Published: 2012
Summary: This is the story of Harold Knishke, a Chicago teenager growing up in the 60s. He loves “Bushman,” the famed recently departed gorilla of the Lincoln Park Zoo. “Bushman lives” is a common greeting among his friends! After his flute teacher convinces Harold that he has no musical talent, he sells his flute for . . . → Read More: Bushman lives!
Reviewed by Mary Pong, on April 21st, 2013 Author: Ghigna, Charles Illustrator: Series: My Little Planet Publisher: Picture Window Books / Capstone ISBN: 978-1-4048-6791-8 Year Published: 2012 Price: $21.32 Grade Level: PreK, K, 1, & 2 Rating: R-
- Author: Ghigna, Charles
- Grade Level: PreK, K, 1, & 2, Ag Jatkowska
- ISBN: 978-1-4048-6791-8
- Length: 24 pages
- Price: $21.32
- Publisher: Picture Window Books / Capstone
- Rating: R-
- Reading level: AD 720 Lexile
- Series: My Little Planet
- Year Published: 2012
Eight little couplets for young learners to recite and enjoy about dividing used packaging for curbside pickup, donating goods to second hand stores, and using old odds and ends to make toys and crafts.
Cheery vibrantly colorful pictures of young children placing plastic bottles, cans, and paper into recycling containers create the idea that children . . . → Read More: Recycling is Fun
Reviewed by Christine Evans, on April 18th, 2013 Author: Lois Lowry Illustrator: Eric Rohmann Series: Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children ISBN: 978-0-547-39009-3 Year Published: 2011 Price: 15.99 Grade Level: 2-5 Rating: A
- Author: Lois Lowry
- Grade Level: 2-5
- Illustrator: Eric Rohmann
- ISBN: 978-0-547-39009-3
- Price: 15.99
- Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
- Rating: A
- Year Published: 2011
This is a novel set in Saint Bartholemew’s Catholic church. The main characters are mice who scurry around foraging for food and trying to avoid detection by Father Murphy and his congregation in fear of “The Great X” (exterminator). A few careless mice draw attention to their presence and the exterminator is scheduled. Hildegarde, the . . . → Read More: Bless This Mouse
Reviewed by Julie Hitt, on April 14th, 2013 Author: Harness, Cheryl Illustrator: Molinari, Carlo Series: Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co. ISBN: 980807549902 Year Published: 2013 Price: $16.99 Grade Level: 3-5 Rating: A
- Author: Harness, Cheryl
- Grade Level: 3-5
- Illustrator: Molinari, Carlo
- ISBN: 980807549902
- Length: 32 pages
- Price: $16.99
- Publisher: Albert Whitman & Co.
- Rating: A
- Year Published: 2013
Mary Walker was raised to think for herself. She became one of the first female doctors, was against slavery, and spoke out for civil rights. She defied the traditional fashion of women wearing uncomfortable dresses and wore pants, which allowed more freedom of movement, in public. She helped treat wounded soldiers during the Civil War, . . . → Read More: Mary Walker Wears the Pants: the True Story of the Doctor, Reformer, and Civil War Hero
Reviewed by Donna Dannenmiller, on April 14th, 2013 Author: Nancy Tuminelly Illustrator: Series: Cool Recipes for Your Health Publisher: ABDO ISBN: 978-1-61783-584-1 Year Published: 2013 Price: Grade Level: 3-6 Rating: AD
- Author: Nancy Tuminelly
- Reading level: Grades 3-6
- ISBN: 978-1-61783-584-1
- Length: 32 pages
- Publisher: ABDO
- Rating: AD
- Grade Level: 3-6
- Series: Cool Recipes for Your Health
- Year Published: 2013
Having eaten a 100% raw food diet for three years, I was interested in how raw food recipes would be presented to elementary students. Raw food “cooking” typically requires using kitchen equipment like blenders and juicers…which need close adult supervision. A two page spread on The Basics covers getting permission from an adult, clean hands, . . . → Read More: Cool Raw Food Recipes
Permalink Reviewed by Janet Enlow, on April 13th, 2013 Author: Mass, Wendy Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Scholastic Press ISBN: 978-0-545-31003-1 Year Published: 2011 Price: $16.99 Grade Level: 4th, 5th, 6th Rating: A
- Author: Mass, Wendy
- Grade Level: 4th, 5th, 6th
- ISBN: 978-0-545-31003-1
- Length: 339 p.
- Price: $16.99
- Publisher: Scholastic Press
- Rating: A
- Reading level: 4th, 5th
- Year Published: 2011
When Tara makes the trip to stay with extended family in Willow Falls, she loses all her cash forcing her to accept an odd job from an odd woman in an odd antique shop. While working for this woman, Tara makes new friends, has adventures, and makes connections with people from her parents’ past. All . . . → Read More:
Reviewed by Kristi Bonds, on April 12th, 2013 Author: Michael Carroll Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Philomel Books ISBN: 9780399256240 Year Published: 2011 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: 5th - 12th Rating: Ad
- Author: Michael Carroll
- Grade Level: 5th - 12th
- ISBN: 9780399256240
- Price: 16.99
- Publisher: Philomel Books
- Rating: Ad
- Year Published: 2011
Michael Carroll’s success with his Quantum Prophecy series continues to spill over with this second book of a trilogy that is a prequel to the 1st series. The evil Krodin was gone, or so the superhumans Roz, Abby, Lance and Thunder thought 3 weeks earlier when walked away into their separate lives again. But overnight . . . → Read More: The Ascension: a Super Human clash
Reviewed by Raina Sedore, on April 12th, 2013 Author: Barnhill, Kelly Illustrator: Series: Publisher: Little, Brown ISBN: 9780316056700 Year Published: 2011 Price: $16.99 Grade Level: 4-8 Rating: A
- Author: Barnhill, Kelly
- Publisher: Little, Brown
- ISBN: 9780316056700
- Year Published: 2011
- Price: $16.99
- Grade Level: 4-8
- Rating: A
Jack is easy to forget. He doesn’t make friends easily, and his own parents seem to ignore him on a regular basis. Then, one day, he goes to spend the summer with relatives in a small town in the Midwest. In this town, the very walls of the house where he’s staying seem to respond to . . . → Read More: The Mostly True Story of Jack
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 8th, 2013 Author: Rebecca Weber Illustrator: Series: Health and Your Body / Pebble Plus Publisher: Capstone Press ISBN: 978-1-4296-7694-6 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-2 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Rebecca Weber
- Grade Level: K-2
- ISBN: 978-1-4296-7694-6
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Capstone Press
- Reading level: K-1
- Series: Health and Your Body / Pebble Plus
- Year Published: 2012
- Rating: Additional Purchase
I like the size and the sturdy binding and the color photos, and I like that most pages include 2-4 sentences rather than some early readers that only have 1-2 sentences per page, but I think it’s trying to be more than it can be. Given the limitations of the early-reader format, it perhaps needed . . . → Read More: Safety Basics
Reviewed by Julie Hitt, on April 7th, 2013 Author: Gunderson, Jessica Illustrator: Wood, Katie Series: Jake Maddox Girl Sports Publisher: Stone Arch Books ISBN: 9781434232922 Year Published: 2012 Price: $17.99 Grade Level: 3-4 Rating: A
- Author: Gunderson, Jessica
- Grade Level: 3-4
- Illustrator: Wood, Katie
- ISBN: 9781434232922
- Length: 62 pages
- Price: $17.99
- Publisher: Stone Arch Books
- Rating: A
- Reading level: 3.1
- Series: Jake Maddox Girl Sports
- Year Published: 2012
Ramona loves to play beach volleyball and dreams of playing in the Olympics. When a developer plans to build on their court, Ramona must learn how to be a team player instead of just a skilled one. Each chapter has black and white illustrations. In the back are: a glossary of volleyball terms, brief information . . . → Read More: Volleyball Dreams
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Erika L. Shores Illustrator: Series: Joke Books Publisher: Capstone Press ISBN: 978-1-4296-7563-5 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: 2-5 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Erika L. Shores
- Grade Level: 2-5
- ISBN: 978-1-4296-7563-5
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Capstone Press
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Series: Joke Books
- Year Published: 2012, 2012
I very nearly gave this a “recommended.” The riddles are generally quite clever (all school themed, as the title indicates), and these types of play on words are good for developing children’s vocabulary. The reason I hesitate is based on bang for one’s library buck — given the cost of reinforced library binding, I’d like . . . → Read More: Silly Classroom Jokes
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Patricia Reilly Giff Illustrator: Diane Palmisciano Series: Fiercely & Friends Publisher: Orchard Books / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-545-43369-3 Year Published: 2012 Price: 16.99 Grade Level: K-2 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Patricia Reilly Giff
- Grade Level: K-2
- Illustrator: Diane Palmisciano
- ISBN: 978-0-545-43369-3
- Length: 40
- Price: 16.99
- Publisher: Orchard Books / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Series: Fiercely & Friends
- Year Published: 2012
I’m afraid I didn’t like it as much as I hoped to, given that it was by Patricia Reilly Giff. It’s one of those early reader books that tries to build a bridge between picture books and chapter books, about a girl and her friend who notice something new happening next door, and jump to . . . → Read More: The Big Something
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Fran Manushkin Illustrator: Kirsten Richards Series: Publisher: Picture Window Books / Capstone ISBN: 978-1-4048-7137-3 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: PreK-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Fran Manushkin
- Grade Level: PreK-1
- Illustrator: Kirsten Richards
- ISBN: 978-1-4048-7137-3
- Publisher: Picture Window Books / Capstone
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Year Published: 2012
Every library needs to have some books in the new-baby-joining-the-family line, for parents to help prepare big brothers and sisters. If you’re looking for something to fill this niche, this one is adequate, though the very simple, short sentences limit the target audience to the very young.
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Christina Goodings Illustrator: Claudine Gevry Series: Publisher: Lion Children's ISBN: 9780745969275 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: K-3 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Christina Goodings
- Grade Level: K-3
- Illustrator: Claudine Gevry
- ISBN: 9780745969275
- Length: 29 p.
- Publisher: Lion Children's
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Year Published: 2011
I’ve started noticing most Bible stories have a similar look to the illustrations, and this one shares that same typical artistic style. I found the text of the story a little stilted, lacking story-telling fluency. It’s fine, but I think there are better options available in this line if you look harder.
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 6th, 2013 Author: Judy A. Winter Illustrator: Series: Pebble / Joke Books Publisher: Capstone Press ISBN: 978-1-4296-4998-8 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: 2-5 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Judy A. Winter
- Grade Level: 2-5
- ISBN: 978-1-4296-4998-8
- Length: 24 p.
- Publisher: Capstone Press
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Series: Pebble / Joke Books
- Year Published: 2011
If there were more jokes for your money, it would probably have gotten a “recommended” rating, but hard-back books aren’t cheap, and there’s only 20 jokes in the whole books (though I believe technically they’re actually riddles). Most of them are really quite clever, but there are a few duds that fall flat, so you’re . . . → Read More: Jokes about Monsters
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Illustrator: Eduardo Garcia Series: Jake Maddox Sports Stories Publisher: Stone Arch Books / Capstone ISBN: 978-1-4342-3288-5 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: 2-4 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Authors: Jake Maddox / Thomas Kingsley Troupe
- Grade Level: 2-4
- Illustrator: Eduardo Garcia
- ISBN: 978-1-4342-3288-5
- Length: 65 p.
- Publisher: Stone Arch Books / Capstone
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: 2.4
- Series: Jake Maddox Sports Stories
- Year Published: 2012
It’s a rather flat little story that feels like something you read as an assignment, rather than because you’ve been drawn in to care about the characters. In the last week of the swim season, shortly before the final meet, a foreign exchange students joins the team. As soon as the announcement is made, one . . . → Read More: Gold Medal Swim
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Lisa Trumauer Illustrator: Steve Gray Series: Rookie Ready to Learn en espanol Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26117-0 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Lisa Trumauer
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Steve Gray
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26117-0
- Length: 32 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn en espanol
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Un diente esta flojo
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Illustrator: Series: Publisher: ISBN: Year Published: Price: Grade Level: Rating: To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Just Like Always
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Kathy Schulz Illustrator: Sanja Rescek Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26525-3 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Kathy Schulz
- Illustrator: Sanja Rescek
- Grade Level: K-1
- Length: 40 p.
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26525-3
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2011
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: I Do Not Want To
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Zachary Wilson Illustrator: JoAnn Adinolfi Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26123-1 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Zachary Wilson
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: JoAnn Adinolfi
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26123-1
- Length: 40 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Un circulo en el cielo
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Zachary Wilson Illustrator: JoAnn Adinolfi Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-26446-1 Year Published: 2011 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Zachary Wilson
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: JoAnn Adinolfi
- ISBN: 978-0-531-26446-1
- Length: 40 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2011
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: A Circle in the Sky
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Catherine Matthias Illustrator: Eileen Mueller Neill Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-25642-8 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Catherine Matthias
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Eileen Mueller Neill
- ISBN: 978-0-531-25642-8
- Length: 40 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Out the Door
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Charnan Simon Illustrator: Jan Bryan-Hunt Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-25643-5 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Charnan Simon
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Jan Bryan-Hunt
- ISBN: 978-0-531-25643-5
- Length: 40 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Pumpkin Fever
Reviewed by Courtney Morgan, on April 5th, 2013 Author: Sydnie Meltzer Kleinhenz Illustrator: Mick Reasor Series: Rookie Ready to Learn Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic ISBN: 978-0-531-27179-7 Year Published: 2012 Price: Grade Level: K-1 Rating: Additional Purchase
- Author: Sydnie Meltzer Kleinhenz
- Grade Level: K-1
- Illustrator: Mick Reasor
- ISBN: 978-0-531-27179-7
- Length: 30 p.
- Publisher: Children's Press / Scholastic
- Rating: Additional Purchase
- Reading level: Emergent
- Series: Rookie Ready to Learn
- Year Published: 2012
To be honest, I’m not particularly a fan of the Rookie Ready to Learn series in general: I find the activities in the back of each are often formulaic and only tenuously related to the story; each one ends by telling you someone’s version of what you just learned by reading this story (besides being . . . → Read More: Work and Play
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