This biography combines descriptive and interesting text with illustrations and photographs of Egyptian relics, treasures and land.  Hatshepsut, the first female Pharaoh, is a fascinating figure of ancient Egyptian history and is well-depicted in this book.  Boys as well as girls will enjoy this book, an observation proven when my 12 year-old son saw it on my reading table and devoured the book in minutes.  Providing plenty of information for curious students as well as those writing a report, I expect this book to circulate well.  I did not find an Accelerated Reader test to date but perhaps that will be created later.  The other books in this series include:  Artemisia of Caria, Sorghaghtani of Mongolia, Qutlugh Terkan Khatun of Kirman, Isabella of Castile, and Nur Jahan of India.

The series is titled The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames but I think this book would appeal equally to boys and girls.  The biographical information about Mary Tudor is presented with engaging and interesting text, drawings and photographs.  The cover art is appealing and grabs the reader from the beginning.  This series reminds me a bit of the Wicked History series in terms of bringing historical figures to life in a way that young people become intrigued and want to read more.  I anticipate this book will circulate well and draw readers to pursue other non-fiction and fiction books about the subject and time period.  I was not able to locate an Accelerated Reader test for this book.

This is a terrific 32 page non-fiction book about Mexico.  The text gives a nice overall review of Mexican life with a few pages covering each of the following:  history, climate and soil, farming, culture, religion, major local holidays, regional cuisines and a quick review of the way Mexican food is featured around the world.  The pictures are bright and good quality, featuring the beauty of the land, towns, foods and peoples.  Colorful text boxes add interesting information throughout and recipes are sprinkled in to allow the reader to taste a bit of authentic and traditional Mexican dishes.  The only disappointment I felt as a reader was at the end of the book when the author features Taco Bell with text and a photo, noting the chain’s expansion around the world.  I felt this could have been left out as it seemed more of an advertisement than relevance to Mexico.  Regardless, still an R* book.  Our middle school students will find it very useful for their reports.

Our library has all the Tacky the Penguin books and they are a hilarious series.  Wonderful to read-aloud, my students always enjoy story time when we read Tacky.  Tacky is a penguin who although wacky and a bit of an odd-ball, always ends up saving the day and proving the hero.  His unique perspective on life is enthusiastic, friendly, and creative.  This book includes a Christmas music CD ala Tacky.  These funny songs will delight the reader.

I enjoyed this middle elementary level chapter book sequel to The Lemonade War.  Each chapter was titled with a legal term related to the progression of the story line.  The main characters are 4th grade students (which is perfect for AR level 4.5) who suspect a classmate of stealing over $200 from another classmate’s shorts pocket while they were all off swimming.  They decide to have a trial on the playground and planned extensively for it.  Although the defendant was not found guilty, the main characters learned a lot about friendship and the deception of appearances.  The story does resolve well with the money returned and significant character development.  I read this book quickly because I wanted to keep reading.  It is very appropriate for grades 3 – 5 and I will recommend it to my students.

Three teenage girls from different lifestyles come together to study French at a summer school in Switzerland.  Ingrid is the wild child.  Shirin is the brain and the bookworm.  Vivien is trying to find herself.  The three girls find themselves staying in the same dorm room.  At first, they are very hesitant to become friends, but eventually they come to find out over the summers that they are meant to be best friends.  This is the story of how three different young ladies were able to bring out the best in each other through friendship.

The author writes from three different perspectives; one for each main character.  The reader will appreciate how diverse the author’s writing is because she is able to communicate the three different personalities believably well.  With the exception of no closure to the characters’ stories, this novel sends the message that true friendship can come from the most unlikely people.

— Christina D.

In a fantasy world where humans primarily travel in airships powered by creatures called bestia, two twin slaves are sold along with a new airship to the emperor of the Shinzo land.  These twins are the ship’s bestia keepers and as the ship is stolen from the emperor, they are caught up in the excitement and join the new crew as freed people.  The twins are not normal bestia keepers; they each possess their own special power.  Soon the new captain’s quest to save the Blue Dragon of the East becomes apparent, and the twins are the only ones who can unlock the magical weapon, the quillblade. With it’s untamed power, one of the best crews in the land, and two better than average bestia keepers, the race is on to save the world from the demonic wastelands and it’s dark taint. This non-stop action novel will keep the reader at the edge of their seat. The author’s fast paced writing draws the reader into the ups and downs of the characters and keeps the reader guessing what will happen next at every turn.

— Michael S.

This is a retelling of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale, Rapunzel.  The text of the story is geared for elementary aged students and follows the classic story closely.  The illustrations have a cartoonish feel but utilize rich colors and cloth-like textures.  Many elementary girls enjoy princess stories making this is a nice addition to our library collection.

This picture book features the journey of Moses and the Israelites through the desert including God’s gift of the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai.   The beautiful and brightly painted illustrations bring this story alive.  The characters of the story are very human, making it easier to relate to in the present day.  I especially enjoyed the Author’s notes at the end of the book which further explain the biblical references.  This book is a lovely addition to our catholic school library and I’m happy to have it as a resource for elementary teachers focusing on the Old Testament stories about Moses.

This terrific magic book includes 8 easy to follow card tricks as well as an introduction so the budding magician can deliver the tricks with finesse.  The tricks are easy to learn due to the clear explanation and demonstrative photographs for each step of the trick.  This is so helpful for the magician to really refine the delivery of the trick.  The cover of the book has an engaging photograph as well.  The author is a currently performing magician which adds credibility to the work.  I expect this book to circulate well and perhaps we’ll see some of these tricks in the school talent show!