The debut novel of young author, Jared Files, is an action, adventure, science fiction thriller, which after a somewhat slow opening, jets off at a rapid-fire pace that keeps the reader sitting on the edge of their seat to the very last page. The seven spheres, as the title suggests, are seven different globes, each the size of a mango, that have fallen to earth in various locations. These spheres attach themselves to the persons picking them up and gives them supernatural powers using the elements of the earth. A high-tech alien race, which claims ownership of the spheres, has waged war against the world as we know it–they need a new planet to call home, and the retrieval of these spheres are the key to their success. The seven people who now have earthly and unearthly powers must learn to use their new skills to their advantage, and work together, to save the world and those they love. Although many books have been written about the earth’s elements, this novel is unique in the idea that the elements’ powers can be contained within a small sphere and can attach itself to a human body, and also be transferred to a different body. The action jumps in chapter to chapter, from character to character, location to location, detailing the learning and action of each of the seven ‘superhumans’ in parallel time, and how they are using their new found powers to learn about each other and how to save the world. As a side note, there is a commentary from Eskylious, the alien ‘general,’ that rings true: humans are destroying their own planet through wastefulness and greed. Files’ book is a winner that every school library should have on it’s shelves–it’s entertaining and perhaps a glimpse into what our future holds.
Egyptian Maus are the Best
This book gives facts about the Egyptian Maus breed of cat. This book explains all the great things about the cat, including its history and specific characteristics. Large phptos are found on each page.
The Quick Quarterback
Andre was an all-star quarterback, but then was in a bike accident and broke his arm. He missed practice for six weeks, but when he returned to practice none of his family members would help him throw. He ended up playing with his dog and chasing him around his yard. In his first game back he struggled, and couldn’t throw as far as he used to. However, on the winning touchdown of the game, Andre ran the ball into the end-zone! This book is a primitive graphic novel.
The Quiet Book
This book explains all the different kinds of quiet throughout a child’s day. The illustrations uses colors that are more relaxed.
Bobby Baboon’s Banana Be-Bop
This a cute story about a baboon named Bobby who is bringing bananas to his class. On the way he goes through adventures with his friends, while trying to find out how many bananas he needs to feed his whole class. The illustrations are bright and colorful.
Always
A dog explains all the things he will do to protect his house and the child he lives with. The illustrations are simple but adorable.
Pierre the Penguin
Pierre is a penguin that lives in a zoo and has no feathers. Pam finds a way to keep Pierre warm using a wet suit, and six weeks later Pierre’s feathers grew. This book is told through rhymes. The illustrations are attractive water color. It is based on a true story.
Harlem Renaissance Artists and Writers
The Harlem Renaissance, the period of time when art and literature of the African American culture flourished, is briefly explored in the preface of this book. The chapters are devoted to well-known artists and writers such as Duke Ellington, Langston Hughes, and Josephine Baker, in addition to others with whom I was not familiar such as Aaron Douglas, Arna Bontemps, and Alain LeRoy Locke. I was disappointed that there were no excerpts of any of the authors’ works or reproductions of the artists’ works. There were photographs of the people profiled and further resources.
Hank Aaron: Groundbreaking Baseball Slugger
This is an excellent biography of the man often called “Bad Henry” because no one pitcher could stop him. It begins with the story of his life before baseball, back to the time when his father played for a local team. Aaron played both football and baseball in high school, but it was when he saw Jackie Robinson play for the first time that Aaron told his father that he would play professional baseball while Robinson was still playing ball. It goes on to describe Aaron’s career, particularly when he approaching Babe Ruth’s home run record. Instead of it being a time of joy, it was one of the most stressful times in his life because of the hate mail and death threats he received. The work he considered even more important was opening doors for others, helping African Americans move into management and executive positions in baseball. Filled with pictures and sidebars, this is an excellent addition to the sports section in any school library.
The Box Jellyfish
This book tells facts about jelly fish. It explains real life encounters such as a 10 year old girl who had her leg stung and injected with deadly venom by a Box Jellyfish.