Author Archives: Candy Ranney

About Candy Ranney

Candy is an elementary school librarian in Shelton, WA at the school where she was a student (so many years ago!). Her library is unique in that she brings her background and love of biology to her students in many ways. Not only does she have an awesome selection of science books; she also has a beaver, bobcat and mink sitting on her shelves and a variety of jarred specimens for her students to study. When she's not in the library, she is taking care of her baby trees on her tree farm and hanging out with her family and many pets. * 2025 WA Library Association School Librarian of the Year

What If I’m Not a Cat?

Posted on by

written by Kari-Lynn Winters and illustrated by Kelly Collier

Donkey is a cat – or so he thinks. He acts like a cat. He cuddles the other kitties in the barn, he pounces and he perches. But, sometimes things don’t feel quite right. He doesn’t like cat food and climbing? That’s hard. One day, the farmer said something that made him question himself. She said “Donkey, you’re acting like a cat.” What? Is this true? He and his kitty friends start to wonder. Sadly, Donkey walks away to sleep under a tree by himself. Suddenly, he heard a kitten meow in distress and ran to the rescue, kicking at a fox and saving the day. Upon his return to the barn with the kitten, the other cats cheerfully welcome him back, whatever he is. He decides that he is happy with who he is – a don-kitty!

This book tells a story of friendship and being who you are. Speech bubbles and cartoon-like illustrations help us grasp the personalities of the characters. The story is humorous, sweet and a great kick off to everything from lessons on animal traits to self-acceptance. Given its many possibilities, this is a great book for your library. Highly recommended.

There Might be a Kazoo Emergency

Posted on by

written by Heidi E.Y. Stemple; illustrated by Selom Sunu

Gregory James is on his way to school when he is knocked over by two bigger boys. As he picks up the items that spilled out of his backpack, Lola (who becomes his new friend) stops to help him. He explains the odd contents of his backpack (duster, strainer and kazoo) and they walk to school, because they missed the bus. They come upon their school bus being attacked by a dinosaur AND flying aloft under a rainbow balloon. Fortunately, Gregory James has the tools necessary to save the day and rescue the bus and the bigger boys from earlier. Then, he and Lola continue on their way to school.

This early reader graphic novel starts with a nice tutorial about graphic novels, Speech and thought bubbles are explained as are panels. Minimal text and clean, simple cartoon-like illustrations make this an easy read. The story line is rather strange. But, a beginning reader will feel quite successful with this simple book.

What’s in Your Body? (Ready-To-Read: Level 2-Super Gross)

Posted on by

written by Ximena Hastings; illustrated by Alison Hawkins

Blood, boogers, pus, gas and other bodily excretions and their origins are discussed in this early reader. Do you want to know how many skin cells you shed per hour? How about the mites on your eyelashes? You’ll learn all about those topics and more in this short, but informative, book.

Cartoon-like illustrations and photographs accompanied by simple informative text pack a lot of stuff into a relatively short book. A glossary, bold-faced type and a skeleton craft at the end will help would-be scientists learn basics of the messier parts of human anatomy and physiology. It might be too much information for its target audience. But, they’ll be happily ‘grossed out’ and will certainly share what they’ve learned.

The Doggie Defendant(Ready-to-Read Graphics: Level 3-Judge Kim and Kids’ Court)

Posted on by

written by Milo Stone, Shawn Martinbrough and Joseph P. Illidge; illustrated by Christopher Jordan

Digger, Kim’s dog, is accused of ruining Neil’s birthday party. So, Digger has his day in court with Miles defending him and Neil as the prosecutor. Judge Kim presides and the truth is discovered!

This simple graphic novel is a wonderful introduction to the format of comics, with helpful tips for reading, such as the difference between speech and thought bubbles, panels and direction of the storyline on each page (left to right, top to bottom). Diverse characters round out a simple, fun story that will engage early readers. They will ask for more!

Sabrina Sue Loves the Sky

Posted on by

written and illustrated by Priscilla Burris

Sabrina Sue, a precocious and somewhat silly chicken, wants to fly. Her farmyard friends try to tamp down her enthusiasm. But, she is not to be held back. She and her ever-present froggy sidekick jump into Farmer Brown’s truck and take a bumpy ride followed by a trek through trees and tall grass. She finally sees the sky, She and the froggy strap on their sky gear and run until they take off into the sky. After a quick selfie, she returns to her farm friends, eager to go again flying again one day.

Cute cartoonish illustrations and simple text make this a fun book for early readers. Speech bubbles are mixed in with short sentences. The story moves from single scenes to dual scenes throughout the story, which moves the story along at a quick pace. This is one of four Sabrina Sue books and is a fun addition to your library where early readers are in demand.

Lumber-Jackula

Posted on by

written by Mat Hearty and illustrated by Sam Owen

Lumberjackula (or Jack, for short) is at a critical time of his life. He is aging out of of under-school and must decide whether to become a lumberjack like his mom and attend Mighty Log Lumberjack Prep or a vampire like his dad and attend Sorrow’s Gloom Vampire Academy. His parents are very supportive from the start and will be proud of his choice no matter what he does. Yet, Jack is feeling pressure, because he’s not sure he wants to go to either school and follow in his parents’ footsteps. Truthfully, his real passion is dance, which he sneaks of and does when he has the opportunity.

As he is visiting both schools and agonizing over his choices, a new friend enters his life. Plenty is a student at Tip Tap Twinkle Toes Dance Academy and stumbles upon Jack during one of his secret solo dances. She is so impressed that she makes him a map to the dance academy and invites him to come. He makes his way there (past some monsters and a very cool manatee that provides most excellent advice) to discover that dancing is what he is born to do. But, how can he? He as to follow in his parent’s footsteps, doesn’t he?

The rest of the story involves a lot of sneaking around, dancing and a climactic dance recital where Jack’s parents and grandparents discover his talents. They are, as we knew they would, very supportive and excited about Jack’s choices. The end of the story shows students from all three schools and the adults in Jacks’ life connecting through an after-school enrichment program, learning some wonderful skills like hip hop and axe-throwing.

This delightful graphic novel uses accessible text and varying panel configurations and illustrated with clean, boldly colored artwork. While the storyline is somewhat predictable (we readers knew all along that Jack’s parents were supportive and would be fine with his choice), it allows us to enjoy a gentle story of a child (vampire/lumberjack), who is struggling with his view of expectations versus his needs. It’s a lesson on finding your way and being who you really are, not who you think the people around you want you to be. Follow your dreams – be a dancer, a vampire, or a lumberjack. it’s your life and your choice! Highly recommended.

The Best of Iggy

Posted on by

written by Annie Barrows and illustrated by Sam Ricks

Iggy gets into trouble and this book details three incidents in Iggy’s life to illustrate this in ascending order of ‘badness’. The disembodied narrator presents the incidents in 20 short chapters with some humorous color commentary. Nine year old Iggy isn’t a bad boy. He just doesn’t think before he acts and that gets him into trouble. Incident #1 involves a rather snooty guest, a trampoline, skateboard and shed roof. Incident #2 involves shaving cream, lipstick and an eyebrow pencil and Incident #3 (the worst) involves a ‘race’ with desks and friends that (slightly) injures his beloved teacher. Typically, Iggy feels misunderstood and there are extenuating circumstances. In the case of the incident involving his teacher, he is sooooooo very sorry even years later.

The story is told in short chapters with accessible language and accompanying black and white illustrations. Students that enjoy realistic and funny stories will check out all the Iggy books. Give this to kids that aren’t quite ready for “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” or the Middle School series. They’ll love it! Highly recommended.

Barb and the Ghost Blade

Posted on by

by Dan Abdo & Jason Linwood Patterson

This is Book #2 of the Barb the Last Berzerker series and we rejoin Barb, her pal Yeti and various other sidekicks as they continue their quest to save Bailiwick from the evil Witch Head. Barb is a Berzerker, an elite fighter, like her mother and fellow warriors. Her goal is to keep the magical Ghost Blade away from Witch Head, so that he doesn’t destroy Bailiwick. Barb manages to survive a trip to a monster village and rescue her fellow Berzerkers that had fallen under the Witch Head’s spell. Unfortunately, Barb is captured and the story “ends” with her being carried into the Witch Head’s lair. To Be Continued in Book #3.

Fantasy and humor are combined in this brightly drawn graphic novel. The quest is solid and the humor is on the side of ‘potty’ with farts and ‘full moons’. This book and the others in the series might appeal to those students that giggle over that type of humor. It’s unfortunate that the story feels so incomplete without Books #1 and #3. The purchase is a commitment and I’m not sure it’s worth it.

A Sweet New Year for Ren

Posted on by

written by Michelle Sterling; illustrated by Dung Ho

Ren jumps out of bed, ready for a busy day in preparation for Lunar New Year. She wonders if she is old enough this year to help her family make the special foods or decorations for the festivities. She asks to join family members in their tasks – Baba with decorations, Mama and Uncle Jian with the dumplings and Auntie Weili with the noodles. It’s not going to happen this year, because she’s too small. But, things change when her brother, Charlie, enters the home. He patiently shows her how to make the traditional pineapple cakes, rolling, patting baking and sometimes, cleaning up a little mess. The cakes turn out beautifully and are part of a wonderful family Lunar New Year celebration. At the end, there is a recipe for those special pineapple cakes. Yum!

Bright cartoon-like illustrations accompany simple text in this wonderful book about an event that is culturally significant to many people around the world. An author’s note discusses the holiday and her connection to it, while the recipe at the end of the book is an invitation to join the festivities. Highly recommended for those libraries looking to increase their diverse literature selection.

Night Frights: The Haunted Mustache

Posted on by

by Joe McGee, illustrated by Ted Skaffa

Parker, Lucas and Samantha live in a relatively quiet, normal town, except on October 19th. That is the day (and night) that the entire town shuts down early and people lock themselves away in their homes, wearing mustaches. Wait….what? Since the kids are now fifth graders, they hear the truth surrounding this mysterious tradition. Their teacher tells the tale of Bockius Beauregard, a man with a luxuriant mustache who died in a a huge explosion. He died, but his perfectly groomed mustache terrorized the town on the anniversary of the date he was “vaporized”. It had been the only part of him left to bury and it reappeared each year, hunting for an upper lip to which to attach.

Parker and Lucas, fifth grade sleuths who ran the Midnight Owl Detective Agency, decided to sneak out and investigate this eery phenomena in order t to end the paranormal grip this scary mustache had on their town. Classmate Samantha, a rather gothic young poet from their class, demanded to be part of the investigation and they met in the local cemetery after a quick visit to the local (scary) library to research. They find the grave that holds the Beauregard’s mustache, armed with mustache wax, salt and fake mustaches. What ensues is a ghostly chase that ends with the mustache trapped forever in it’s old home, surrounded by salt…or is it? Read this mystery to find out!

This story is well-written with widely-spaced text and accentuated with black and white illustrations that move the story along at a nice pace. It is slightly scary and rather comical and perfect for those students that are ready for chapter books. Samantha and Lucas appear white, while Parker seems to be darker skinned. Since it is part of a series, there will be more mysteries to come. And, you never know – the mustache might return! Highly recommended.