Category Archives: Reviewer’s Library Type

Fairy Spell: How Two Girls Convinced the World that Fairies are Real

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In this day and age of computers and photo shop here is an amazing true story of how innovative young people can be when they want “to get back at the adults for scolding…” one of them. (29)

Elsie (16 yrs. old) and Frances (9 yrs. old) only wanted to play a prank on their parents. Cameras for the general public were still rare in 1920. Elsie’s artwork was very good. Put the two together and the girls took a photo of Frances with fairies out in the woods of Northern England. It was never intended for anyone else to ever see the photo(s).

Just like today, some people yelled, “Fake,” while others believed. I will compare it to Big Foot photos. You decide which side of the fence you are on.

The book makes me smile and chuckle because it has similar applications to today’s photos of Big Foot and UFOs.

from author’s note: The difference now is that we are trained not to accept automatically but rather to question, and when possible, to investigate on our own to determine the truth. Though the internet is a powerful tool in trying to confirm or deny a suspicious story or photo, it can also spread misinformation just as easily. Having the internet doesn’t mean you can kick back and think less. On the contrary, it forces you to think more.”

Gymnastics Superstar Simone Biles

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2016 Olympic Gold Medalist Simone Biles just makes you want to smile every time you see her smile, which seems to be all of the time! This book concentrates on Simone Biles’ enjoying what she does, being good at jumping and then striving through hard work to get even better at it. There is not much ‘meat’ to the text (only two short sentences per page turn) but this is a ‘feel good’ book all the same. The nine photos just make the reader want to ‘ooh’ and ‘ahhh’ at Simone Biles’ form, concentration, and the happiness she is experiencing.

Pro Wrestling

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Pro Wrestling is a high/low book that describes the sport, gives some history and sprinkles in some fun facts. All of this information is presented in short paragraphs with highlighted words that might be unfamiliar and are defined in the glossary. Photos typically spread over two pages and text is attractively inserted within. Wrestlers are varying in ethnicity and gender. This book is part of the Arena Events six-book series.

Pro wrestling is a big deal, even among the younger crowd. Many students are avid fans and this book will be a favorite. Written as a high interest/lower level volume, it will certainly attract its target audience of 3rd-6th graders, as well as those above and below. Pro wrestling has been around for sixty years and it doesn’t appear to be diminishing in popularity. So, the pop culture aspect of this book is somewhat moot. It should be relevant for some years to come. Update your sports section with this one!

Harley-Davidson

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Harley-Davidson, part of a six book series, gives the reader some history and some great photos of this iconic American motorcycle. Photos are on two page spreads with one to three sentences. Unfamiliar words are boldface and defined in the glossary in at the back of the book, which also has an index and table of contents.

This is a great book for the early readers. It should keep them reading and they will certainly enjoy the ‘coolness’ of the Harley-Davidson motorcycles! I don’t think this book will stay on the shelves.

Fear the Bunny

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A tiger happens upon a group of woodland animals listening to the hedgehog reading a book about scary bunnies. That doesn’t sit well with the tiger. So, he tries to explain to them that HE is much more fierce than bunnies. What will they do – cute him to death? He scoffs until a band of headlamp wearing bunnies begin to chase him and the story ends with the tiger reading a story about scary bunnies to a group of animals, including other tigers!

Cartoon-like illustrations accompany a cute story that vaguely references the poem “The Tyger” by William Blake, which is printed at the end of the book. Students will enjoy this slightly scary and cute story, although they might not appreciate its connection to the poem.

Not Your Nest!

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What a fun book! Wait, I should tell you about it first, shouldn’t I? Well, this story is about an industrious, little yellow bird in the African Savanna and his adventures in building a nest. This shouldn’t be a difficult endeavor. But, every time he is returns to his newly completed nest, he is greeted by an animal visitor that plans to claim it as his own. So, he builds another nest and the same thing happens. Nest after nest is claimed by animal after animal (gazelle, gorilla, zebra and so forth), until the poor little bird can take it no longer. He enlists the aid of a wildebeest and in one big “BAM” knocks the animals and nests out of the tree. He sadly looks at his ruined nests and the other animals seem to finally realize the error of their ways. They work diligently to build a huge nest in the tree and gently place the little bird into it. He watches them walk a way dejectedly and shouts “Wait!”, invites them to join him and they gladly do so. The story could end here, but the industrious little bird finishes the story by finishing the project he started a the beginning…building his own nest, which is next to his new animal friends.

This story is brimming with fun and comic wit. While the text is spare, it and the illustrations do a fantastic job of giving us a sense of the animals’ attitudes and feelings. The bird’s growing frustration and fatigue as he tries over and over to just build a nest for himself is perfectly pictured in his expressions and words. The zebra is a little bit pompous and the elephant is a little apologetic. And, we can’t help but be satisfied at the end when the bird finishes what he starts and get the nest he really wanted.

Buy this book and wait for the giggles as you read it out loud to your students. It’s that good!!

Cleo and Cornelius : a tale of two cities and two kitties

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Cleo and Cornelius are living the high life in ancient Egypt, where cats are treated like gods and their days are filled with lounging, eating, napping and being worshiped. One day, Cornelius accidentally boards a boat for Rome, which is a very different place than his home. Here, dogs are revered and cats are supposed to keep mice out of houses. But, there is adventure, as he and Cleo discover when she comes to Rome to find him. They race chariots, dip their paws in a Roman bath, perform in a theater and so many other activities. Exhausted, they hop a ship back to Egypt and their luxurious lives of eating, napping and being worshiped, which is fine with Cornelius. Cleo, on the other hand, grows bored and the heads back to her adventurous life in Rome.

This story is loosely based on Aesop’s “Town Mouse and Country Mouse” fable and is full of richly illustrated scenes of the ancient worlds of Egypt and Italy…and Cleo and Cornelius! There are two pages of notes for the reader, explaining life in those two societies. Photos of artifacts are included. This is a fun romp of a story and we learn some things along the way.

Cat Wishes

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Cat is very hungry as he wanders around the woods and catches a snake. This snake is magical, though, and offers Cat three wishes if he releases the snake. Cat doesn’t believe in wishes, but lets the snake go. He is still hungry and wishes for a fish, which he catches. Still skeptical, he wishes for a house when he becomes cold and wet in the rain. A lovely, warm house with a cushion for him to lie appears before him. He still doesn’t believe in wishes, but as darkness falls he wishes for a friend and a little girl quietly enters the room. She describes a wiggly snake that granted her three wishes – a picnic basket, a coat and a friend, the Cat.

Gentle illustrations accompany spare text to make this fairy tale come a sweet story to share with young students. This a great addition to your library.

4 X 4 Trucks

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All kinds of 4×4 trucks are shown in various crazy driving situations, whether they involve lots of dirt, mud or water. This informative book is a high interest- low level book, so it is written for a 3-6 grade interest level and a 2.6 grade reading level. There is a timeline, labeled vehicle and typical nonfiction features (glossary, index, table of contents, extra resource list, etc.). This book is part of the Full Throttle series that includes eight different vehicles and it is a certainty that none of them will be on your shelves if you buy them!

Journey Across the Hidden Islands

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Twins Seika and Ji-Lin were two princesses whose destiny was known to them, or so they thought. Seika would become the Queen and Ji-Lin would be her royal protector along with the winged lions. They also both knew that one day they would travel to the Hidden Island of the dragon to ask for her protection against monsters and invaders, just as their ancestors had for many generations. Yet, this was not what was to happen. They began their journey before their training was finished and so began an adventure of epic proportions. Along the way, they picked up a helpful young boy and used strength and intellect they didn’t know that they possessed. But, would it be enough to save their land and people from those outside that would destroy them? And, why is the ever-protective dragon allowing this to happen?

This book is a wonderful fantasy with strong, young female characters. They are likable and realistically ‘snarky’ at times, as tweens tend to be. Their loyalty to each other and their bravery is remarkable. Buy this book!