Whereas most chameleons like to blend in, Chamelia likes to stand out.  She tries so hard to stand out that some of her efforts lead to problems: fancy outfits that get caught in the school bus doors, high heels that fall off during her soccer game, friends who don’t appreciate her creative costuming for the class play.  In the end she decides it’s okay to join in some, too, and to look for more subtle ways to express her individuality.  The illustrations reflect the substance of the story by showing all the other chameleons in soft pastels and Chamelia in vibrant prints.

Be careful what you wish for. Annabelle is tired of ordinary birthday parties so she talks her parents into letting her have her birthday party on the moon, but discovers this leads to all sorts of problems:  it takes too long to get there, they can’t light the candles on the cake since there’s no oxygen, the kids can’t eat the cake through their space helmets, etc. In the end she decides next year she’ll have a down-to-earth party instead.  Charming illustrations.

This book sends an absolutely horrid message to children — that they are not accountable for their own actions — that anytime they feel like doing something mean they can just blame it on their “Little Troublemaker.” It’s out of their control; they can’t help it; it’s not their fault.  Ugh! Plus it’s nauseatingly pink.

The illustrations are really quite fun and unique and interesting.  Unfortunately, the story does not live up to them. It’s kind of long and rambling and underdeveloped.  It starts with a mean and cranky pet shop owner with a shop full of sad animals; when a local girl goes in to rescue her rabbit which somehow ended up inside, she lets all the animals loose, and the mean owner won’t go after them because he’s too vain to go out without his wig; overcome with loneliness without his animals, the shop owner turns to creating stuffed animals and all the free animals come back to help and they’re all happy.  But there’s nothing in the telling of it that actually makes the reader care.

The glittery cover and the cartoon-like illustrations will capture readers’ attention, and it’s got a good message about the true value of grades — after much hoping and wishing for straight As, Louise learns that the value of the grade is diminished when it’s given out too freely and finds she’s happier with Bs from a teacher who really pushed her to do her best.  The only problem is that so many elementary schools no longer use letter grades; some students may find themselves puzzled.

Simple rhyming text and beautiful collage illustrations combine to share the story of kittens walk through the woods on a winter day, and what all the animals she passes are up to.  It’s a very simple story, but it’s charming, and it’s useful for teaching rhyming as well as nouns & verbs.

The text is simple and straight forward, and does a thorough job of describing different aspects of this career, from different roles aboard ship, dangers faced, and living conditions.  Full-color photos support the text.  Especially here in the Northwest, it’s informative both for people who want to consider possible careers, as well as folks who want to know more about where their food comes from.

This is an important book for all school counselors, and school libraries to have access to, for those kids who need it.  The main character is a young bunny rabbit sharing his own story of what he experienced when his dad was arrested.  Without going into any details as to what his father was accused of, he very matter-of-factly describes what he saw, the people he encountered, and how he felt along the way.  Sidebars share information about what laws are, statistics about parents in prison, etc. The story continues on through the teasing he experiences at school, visiting his dad in jail, and how his life has changed since.  It is realistic and comprehensive, and will be useful for sharing with students who may face similar circumstances.

This volume does a good job of thoroughly covering a mysterious topic, without getting too bogged down in speculation.  Beginning with the first references in the works of Plato, this book traces the different descriptions and theories about this mythical island, right up through those of twentieth century spiritualists & her celebrity followers.  It includes the viewpoints both of those who believe Atlantis is real as well as skeptics.

Text all in Spanish.  This is an early reader non-fiction describing different ways we have of measuring time.  One to two sentences per page are supported by full-color illustrations and diagrams to convey the meaning of key vocabulary, making it useful both to emergent readers or for those just learning Spanish. And it’s got a really sturdy cover/binding