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

The Frog Book

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The Frog Book is a 33 page mix of glorious illustrations and amazing facts about some of the over 6,000 (that we know of so far) amphibians that inhabit most parts of the world. Information is presented in small bites under such page headings as “What is a frog?” and “Finding a mate”. While this information could tend to be somewhat dry if presented in a flat, fact-filled tome, it is nothing short of incredible in this incarnation. Many of the pictures are presented half life-sized, except for a few notables (the largest and smallest, fore example). Some of the illustrations are labeled and there is a fine two page spread of the life cycle of a typical frog. Students will love the detailed information given in this book and, I am sure, will ask to share some of the more ‘interesting’ facts such as the facts that the golden poison frog has enough poison to kill ten adult humans and the hairy frog (yes, it does look a little hairy!) can break its own finger bones that penetrate its skin and act like claws. Wow! I want to learn more about frogs now! This magnificent book will enthrall your young scientists and turn your non-scientists into frog experts hungry for more!

Astronomy You Can Nibble

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Apparently, science and food go together very well. This was a fact I didn’t realize until I picked up the book, Astronomy You Can Nibble. This slim and colorful book begins with a definition of “Astronomy”, moves through the current study of the subject and continues through six easy, recipes that illustrate the subject. Each recipe has numbered steps, many with corresponding photos along with lists of ingredients and tools. Students will certainly enjoy this topic when they can eat the constellations while they study them or discuss the eclipse while munching or cookies that illustrate the phases of a solar eclipse. I know that I would remember my astronomy lessons if I had eaten my way through them!

This book is part of six book set that touches on geology, math, engineering, technology, chemistry and the above-mentioned astronomy. Purchase these books for your K-2 students. Theses books will not be on the shelves for long1

Mallory McDonald, Super Sitter

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Mallory and her friend, Chloe Jennifer, agree to take a job with Mallory’s new next door neighbors, the Goldmans. They will babysit twin five year old boys for two hours each day after school for three weeks. The girls are excited about the prospect and things go well until the twins decide to have some real fun – jumping off the the outdoor toy and coloring on the walls. Mallory is also feeling a time squeeze as her homework builds up and she has no time to put together a cool poem for the upcoming poetry slam.

Things start to fall apart for Mallory until she learns to manage her time and be responsible for commitments. Along the way, she has some rather painful experiences and discovers that she can finish what she starts even when the going is tough. This is a nice, sweet book for those would-be babysitters out there – although it might scare them off! Recommended

Field Tripped

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Fifth graders Eddie, Aaron and their classmates from Liberty Falls Elementary School are on a field trip to the town’s famous inventor’s home – Minks’ Mansion. Eddie, a Minks descendant, has a plan and map. He wants to find hidden inventions that might help his family keep their home. The original Mr. Minks donated his mansion and inventions to the town of Liberty Falls when he died several generations ago. There is another mystery as well. Jessie overhears the tour guide and his helper talking about moving the inventions and believes they plan to steal everything. She just needs to convince her classmates that this is a real thing.

The students, their teacher and principal are touring the mansion and barn when a huge snowstorm hits and forces them to stay the night. Unfortunately, the group is split up and all the adults end up in the barn with a class, while the other class stays in the mansion without adult supervision. Not surprisingly, mayhem ensues. Students get lost, break inventions, scare each other, have a snowball fight and catch a couple of thieves…actually, an innocent tour guide and a principal.

In the end, there is a perfectly good explanation for everything, new friends are made and a mean girl gets her comeuppance. Along the way, the students discover their strengths and make some crazy discoveries of their own.

Each chapter is told in a student’s voice and switches between four different students: Eddie, Jessie, Chloie and Aaron. It takes some time to differentiate between the students. But, as the story unfolds, their voices are stronger and more easily determined. The adults are goofy and the terrible puns are somewhat painful. This is a light, humorous adventure, with a touch of mystery. Additional purchase

Pug Meets Pig

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Pug has the good life – a great home, yard, food and a bed. Things are going great until the day a Pig moves in. All of sudden, life isn’t so great as the Pig takes over all of Pug’s stuff! Well, life isn’t too good until a doggy door is put into the house door and Pig doesn’t fit. Suddenly, life is great. Except…Pig is sad! So, Pug decides to help him by gnawing through the doggy door to make a larger Pig door and the (now) friends are together and having fun.

This is a sweet little story with simple illustrations and text. There are many books out there with animal friendships. But, pugs are popular and and who doesn’t love a cute pig? Buy it if you need to refresh your dog picture books.

My Adopted Family

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Lenny visits his classmate, Adam, and his family to report on this Student of the Week. Along the way, he discovers that Adam and his sister are adopted and are part of a loving, normal family, much like his own.

This book is part of a series on different types of families and the story introduces this particular family type in a very natural way. The illustrations are somewhat cartoon-like and colorful. My Adopted Family, along with the rest of the books in the My Family series would be a sweet introduction to units on families in the primary grades. Recommended

Agatha Parrot and the Thirteenth Chicken

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Agatha Parrott and her school mates are tasked with caring for thirteen chicks after their heated box at school breaks down. Unfortunately, one goes missing and Agatha is sure that it’s her fault. Mayhem ensues as she and her friends search high and low for chick #13. Do they find it at the end?

This book is fast paced and in Agatha’s voice, which makes it a fun read for those ready for chapter books. The language is accessible and the black and white illustrations are hilarious. Agatha and her friends manage to make even losing a chicken great fun. Recommended

If You Were a Kid in the Wild West

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This book is a blend of fact and fiction as we read the story of Nae (cowboy) and Kate (storekeeper’s daughter) as they navigate life in the wild west. Along the way, there are text and photo boxes with facts about that time period. There is a timeline and map included, as well as index, glossary and table of contents.

While the mix of facts and fiction is interesting, it is somewhat confusing that the fact boxes often do not coordinate with the fictional story line presented on the same pages. For example, Kate’s brother is really sick and the doctor is at a ranch five miles away. Yet, on the same two page spread there is a fact box with information about the Pony Express. The facts are great, but the story is a bit weak and doesn’t really mesh with some of the facts (as mentioned previously). And, elements are (very) briefly mentioned in the story line, but a have a big presence in the accompanying fact box.

This might be a decent book to rouse student interest for more substantial information. But, don’t rely on it. Not recommended.

Let’s Visit the Evergreen Forest

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Let’s Visit the Evergreen Forest is an introduction to the plants and animals that are part of this particular biome. Pictures are engaging and accompanying text boxes have extra information. A map details where this biome is located. And, information is presented in simple terms, with a glossary to explain the more difficult words.

This book leads the reader to believe that an evergreen forest biome is simply a stand of towering trees, which is incorrect. There are many parts to this ecosystem, some of which are pictured but not discussed in the text. Meadows, wetlands and immature stands of trees as well as the mature forest are all part of a healthy evergreen forest biome. Different animals thrive in different parts of that biome and that is not described in the text. I would not recommend this book for purchase unless it is used in conjunction with instruction on all aspects of an evergreen biome.