Written by Axel Maisy
The main character, Tim Possible, is an adventurous boy who worries a lot. He and his best friend, Tito, run into a time traveling T-Rex whose time machine has turned evil. This humorous and adventuresome book will be a great addition to a library that may see a need for more books along the vein of “Captain Underpants”, “DogMan” or “Diary of a Wimpy Kid”.
In this book written by Margriet Ruurs and illustrated by Wenjia Tang, you travel around the world to see how and where kids live. The book begins with a quick introduction to maps, going over a Compass Rose, Legend, and Scale Bar. After this, each page introduces a friend, their real neighborhood, describes their community, and gives you a word or two in their language.
This is a great book to introduce maps to your class. It has beautiful illustrations incorporating the maps with animals and the friends who live there.
I can see this book being used for social studies, introducing mapmaking, and when talking about community – it is a beautiful addition to your library.
by Maria Hinofosa
This book is a powerful story that discusses the challenges of an immigrant Latina woman in the United States. Maria Hinojosa tells her story about the challenges of being an immigrant to the United States, arriving in this country in 1962. This book not only tells the story of Hinojosa finding herself as a Latina woman but also tells the story of finding out who she is, as a person. The story of Hinojosa’s life is compelling and draws you back time after time. The story of her feelings pull at your own self conscience and make you feel as if you know the author personally. It included photographs of the author at various young ages before she became well-known in her career in journalism. I enjoyed how the book connected with my own feelings even if our experiences were different. I did not like how there was some Spanish in the book without translation, but it was a very small amount and did not take away from the story. Overall, I would highly recommend this book and give it a 5 out of 5 stars. [This review written by a Komachin staff member , Erica C. ]
This book is also available in a Spanish edition. (ISBN: 1665920882)
by Imogen & Isabel Greenberg
The story of the ones who came before Zeus and his siblings, this origin story graphic novel begins with the goddess Gaia, the creator of Earth, according to the ancient Greeks. It shows the development of conflict between her desire for peace on Earth and her husband, children and grandchildren’s desire for chaos and dominance over the Earth. The book begins with introducing the reader to Gaia and her offspring. While this was helpful, I kept wanting to see a family tree to show some of the more convoluted family connections. Much of the book is about the various conflicts in each generation for leadership, all while Gaia looks on sadly as peace is constantly challenged by her descendants. You see battles with the Titans, Zeus overthrowing his father, Giants trying to wrestle control from Zeus… so much conflict! The artwork is bold, dark, autumny colors & stylized characters. Facial expressions say a lot about how the characters are feeling. The book includes a glossary and a brief bibliography. Fans of Greek mythology will enjoy this prequel to so many of the more familiar myths and legends that came after these earlier struggles.
by Darcy Marks
Mal and his friends are just regular teens, except that their quiet suburban neighborhood is located in an unusual place – Hell. They are currently under lock down during their last vacation together for a while because of an escaped prisoner from the 8th circle of… Hell. The friends end up “falling” into another dimension – Earth – and realize they have to help bring the escaped prisoner home if they want to get back to their regular lives. This funny story was full of adventure and turned the stereotypical ideas of Hell=bad/Heaven=good a bit on its head. As it turns out, BOTH do the world a pretty important service & by working together, they just might accomplish their goals more efficiently. Similar to the recent popularity of mythology books by Rick Riordan and others, this tale melds a bit of the horror genre with the mythology of the hereafter. Much of the story takes place on Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts (& in Hell), so it’s also a perfect October read! There is a slight hint of a possible lgbtq romantic relationship in Mal’s future, but it’s very subtle. Mal has romantic interest in both a girl and a boy in the book – neither of which really develops in the story until a romantic letter he writes at the very end to one of his interests. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am sure my students will eat it up!
by Justin Madson
Fenn, a lonely boy, meets Campbell, the tin man in a junkyard while looking for spare parts for the rocket ship he’s building in his garage and they instantly become friends. Fenn also finds a metal clock/heart part that he assumes belongs to the tin man & hands it to him. So begins the twisted, modernized tale of the Wizard of Oz, complete with a yellow brick road, a tornado, and a wizard of sorts. Fenn’s sister, his once-helper of the rocket, is struggling with her own problems – the loss of their grandmother, a jerk of a boyfriend, and flagging hopes and dreams. She, too, finds help from the tin man struggling with his own problems and broken heart. Even without knowing the original story of The Wizard of Oz, I think modern readers will enjoy this graphic novel. The art work is done in bold colors and subtle facial expressions, but add to the poignancy and rough times all the characters are striving to get through. I enjoyed all the little “Easter eggs” scattered throughout the story that refer back to the original story. In one scene you see two women talking. One is clearly Glinda & the other, clad in black & white striped tights & red shoes, is a nod to the Wicked Witch of the West. A lion appears on a movie poster and a sweater. The Flying Monkey taco truck. Even the town name forms the initials O.Z. This is a clever graphic novel that has much to offer. I think readers will enjoy it.
by Sylvia Liu
I really enjoyed this action-packed, futuristic story of a plucky twelve year old heroine whose curiosity and determination save her and her classmates from becoming manipulated by adults who should have been protecting and training them. The story shows Hana and her friends in a recently accelerated program to learn how to use a technology that will mesh their minds with the internet and each other. She quickly realizes that something is not right with the program and begins to investigate. She does this while grieving her father and the splintering, distant feelings of her immediate family. Readers who love technology or video games will enjoy the action scenes in the virtual world as the students train with their new tools. I liked that Hana also loves OLD technology, particularly animatronics that she builds from scraps in the junkyard. The pacing of the story is solid and the characters are all multi-ethnic. Even the cover draws you in. I think this title will be a hit with middle school readers who enjoy a fast-paced novel of intrigue and action.
Three different ways in which different animals in the wild to make it through the winter are named and given very brief descriptions. The illustrations provide added details.
There are the animals which hide: snakes, snails, bumblebee queens, chipmunks, wood frogs and more.
There are the animals which seek warmer or different areas: Canada geese, elk, pronghorn antelope, Ruby-throated hummingbirds, green darner dragonflies and others.
There are the animals which find a way to stay throughout the winter: white-tailed deer, red foxes, mice, gray jays and more.
The Author’s Note includes definitions for diapause and brumation, as there is no glossary.
(M.K.P.)
Ten celestial phenomenon which often emanate ooohs and aaaahs from viewers are presented and explained in the gorgeous vibrantly illustrated book. The phenomenon include: sunrise, sunset, lightning, rainbows, solar eclipse, volcanoes, fireflies, meteors, auroras, and the moon.
(M.K.P.)
Fly by Alison Hughes is a novel in verse that is sure to leave a mark. Felix Landon Yarrow or more commonly known as FLY sits in a wheelchair at the age of 14. Although this makes life harder FLY sets out to save his crush from a drug-dealing boy named Carter. When his original plan falls apart he realizes it’s time to rock the boat. The creative format of the verses generates an interesting, more inventive way of understanding the words on the page. This book would appeal to fiction and YA readers. The representation of FLY’s feelings as a teenager is both relatable and comforting. Even for readers who aren’t attracted to young adult fiction, the adventure in verse will pull them in. (Reviewed by a WMS student)