This is the fourth book in a non-fiction series “The Superpower Field Guide.” I confess I’ve never been a big fan of eels, but this book really held my interest. I wanted to know about Olenka’s migration. Black and white line drawings and more realistic colored illustrations help tell the story of “Olenka, migrating mistress of mystery.”
Olenka is a freshwater eel and her saga is divided into her ten “superpowers.” The author prefaces the superpower section with an introduction to eels in general and hooks the reader with the mystery of European eels, specifically one named Olenka. Having a specific eel to follow engages the reader in a story rather than just providing a list of facts.
A true-false quiz (with answers) adds some facts about a third of the way through the book. A second quiz at two thirds is a ‘Where’s the Eel?’ picture with the answers at the end of the book. The end of the text also includes a glossary and bibliography. Sadly there is no Table of Contents or Index provided.
Author Archives: SSBRC Former Member
Descent by Roland Smith
This is Bk. 4 in the Peak Marcello Adventure series and the final installment. The “outdoorsy” cover will attract readers who love climbing / survival stories. Welcome into the novel, also, those with an interest in international politics. Peak’s famous mountaineering father, Josh, and his climbing partner, Zopa, are on the run from Chinese government, wanted for questioning by the People’s Liberation Army. The setting is Tibet, the goal is to safely descend while not being discovered, while at the same time facing the usual survival challenges of avalanches, food and drink scarcity, and unpredictable weather.
Having not read the previous three books in the series put me at a disadvantage, especially in the lack of character development, probably established in the earlier books. The pacing was sometimes slow, typical for a survival story, but often action-packed as well.
As Many Nows As I Can Get by Shana Youngdahl
From looking at the attractive cover, one may predict that this will be a cute love story. The cover is deceiving. While it is the love story of two teens,Scarlett and David, during the summer before they leave for college, there are much deeper themes. Note: there are mature topics that may be triggers for some students.
LGBTQ Service In the Armed Forces by Duchess Harris, JD, PHD
LGBTQ Service in the Armed Forces by Duchess Harris, JD, PhD. looks at enlisted LGBTQ people and legislation that made their experience in the US military difficult. It also discusses how LGBTQ soldiers served during times of war but were often discharged for their gender identity or sexuality after the war. The book includes include a glossary, further readings, websites, source notes, sidebars, and an index. Period and modern photographs put faces to the historic characters and modern service members discussed in the text. LGBTQ Service in the Armed Forces is appropriate for use in school curriculums and is aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards.
LGBTQ Service in the Armed Forces is part of a series which includes Being Transgender in America, Growing up LGBTQ, LGBTQ Discrimination in America, LGBTQ Rights and the Law, and LGBTQ Social Movements in America.
Just One Itsy Bitsy Little Bite / Solo uan mordidita chiquitita
Written by Xavier Garza with vibrant illustrations by Flor deVita, this bilingual picture book is fun both for young children as well as older student learning Spanish. It is a cute Day of the Dead counting story: one skeleton, then two, and more and more, come to the Joaquin’s door wanting his mother’s traditional pan de muerto. They eat it all up, not leaving even one itsy bitsy little bite for Joaquin.
EL Crossover by Kwame Alexander
This is the Spanish edition of Kwame Alexander’s award winning novel in verse, Crossover. This is the story of two 12 year old brothers, Josh and Jordan Bell, who live and breathe basketball. They are whizzes at the crossover dribble (a player dribbling the ball switches the ball rapidly from one hand to the other, to make a change in direction in an effort to deceive the defender). Things start to fall apart when Jordan meets the new girl at school.
Crossover won the Newbery Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, and the Passaic Poetry Prize.
Having a Spanish edition of this popular title will be a real asset to our school libraries, and is relevant to upper elementary, middle school and high school students.
Beastly Brains: Exploring How Animals Think, Talk, and Feel
In Beastly Brains: Exploring How Animals Talk, Think, And Feel environmental educator and photographer Nancy Castaldo explores the minds of animals and explores how animals communicate, use tools, live in social societies, and show empathy. Using interviews and historical information, Castaldo looks at the researchers from Charles Darwin to Jane Goodall, and many others, to look at the minds of animals. The reader will discover all kinds of fascinating information, including that dolphins are the animals with largest brains relative to body size next to humans. But dolphins have more folds in their cortex than any other animal, including man. Scientists believe that the folds provide more room for neurons.
There are many more interesting facts and stories of animals, accompanied by wonderful photographs. The book includes sidebars, a glossary, source notes, an index, lists of recommended videos, books, and a Nobel Prize lecture, in addition to an extensive bibliography.
For those enjoying science non-fiction, Castaldo has two other books of interest, Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (And Their Noses) Save the World, and The Story of Seeds: From Mendel’s Garden to Your Plate, And How There’s More of Less to Eat Around the World.
Cold Day in the Sun
The protagonist, Holland Delviss, is an excellent hockey player, growing up with three brothers playing the same sport. One of her brothers is the co-captain of the boys team at her high school. While it would be predicted that she would excel on the girls team, she wants to play at what she considers a more competitive level and so she tries out and makes the boys team. And this is when the trouble starts. Holland has to endure the prejudice and disapproval of many of the citizens of her town, Halcyon Lake. She also has her own inner struggles, worrying that other people think that she is not good enough. When her school team is selected to be featured on television as part of a regional HockeyFest, her status as the only girl on the boys’ team makes her the lead story. But not everyone is excited about her new fame. One person fiercely supports her, and it’s the last person she expects: the other co-captain of the team, the bossy and domineering Wes.
The best parts of the story involve Holland’s struggle for equity and justice for female athletes, her drive to be known as an excellent hockey player, not just as a girl hockey player. The less satisfying parts are the romance that rapidly develops between Holland and Wes. The story would have been satisfying without teen romance. Nonetheless, Cold Day in the Sun is an enjoyable YA novel.
Unnatural Disasters
For teen readers who enjoy dystopian – post-apocalyptic novels as well a rom-com, Unnatural Disasters fills the bill. Taking place in the future, we meet the main character Lucy and her boyfriend who have been planning an epic post-graduation trip for months. Even though world is unstable with climate change wrecking havoc, religious extremism is spreading, refugees have no safe haven, and terrorism is widespread, the young couple plan to embark on their adventure. But their plans are altered when everyone’s phones being to ring during Senior prom. Something terrible has happened. They wonder, “Is the world coming to an end?”
The premise of this story is a good one, and there are some frightening moments, to be sure. If only Lucy wasn’t such an annoying character. There are also some unresolved plot issues that left me hanging.
Sherlock Bones and the Natural History Mystery by Renee Treml
Sherlock Bones leads the reader step-by-step through his thought process as he attempts to find who stole the museum’s Royal Blue Diamond. Sherlock Bones is a Tawny Frogmouth bird skeleton from one of the museum’s exhibits and his partner Watts is a stuffed Indian Ringneck Parrot, Blue Mutation from another exhibit. Together Sherlock Bones is sure he and Watts will be able to solve the mystery of the stolen diamond, otherwise all of the museum exhibits will be packed up and put into storage. They definitely do not want that to happen. Watts never says a word or moves, for that matter. Sherlock Bones has to carry Watts everywhere. But that does not stop Watts from being a great partner. Sherlock bounces questions off of Watts and either ‘hears‘ Watts’ answer ( no one else can hear Watts) or comes up with an answer on his own. Sherlock is suspicious of everything that moves in the museum after closing hours: the raccoon- Grace, the rats, and even the security guard.
While Sherlock Bones, Watts, and even Grace try to solve the mystery the reader goes on a very nice walking tour of the museum after hours. Educational, perhaps. There are several false leads before the mystery is solved on this inside job. The question now is, who solved the mystery first?
The graphic novel format makes for a hilarious tongue-in-cheek read.