This book is a basic account of Toucan facts. It includes information on the Toucans’ physical appearance, classification, habitat, and food sources. It includes a table of contents, glossary, index and learn more pages. Colorful photographs accompany each page spread.
Category Archives: Reviewer’s Library Type
This book is a basic account of eagle facts. It includes information on the eagles’ physical appearance, classification, habitat, food sources and development of their young . It includes a table of contents, glossary, index and learn more pages. Colorful photographs accompany each page spread.
Alligators
This book is a basic account alligator facts. It includes information on the alligators’ physical appearance, classification, habitat, and food sources. It includes a table of contents, glossary, index and learn more pages. Colorful photographs accompany each page spread.
The Strangers
When 12 year old Olive Dunwoody goes trick-or-treating, Strangers come to see Olive, and they are very interested in her house with the portals to Elsewhere. Suddenly her parents go missing. Olive vows to get them back, but does not know who to trust. Her mission gets more dangerous as she encounters dark magic with the three talking cats. Olive courageously brings her parents back while learning even more about the stone house she loves on Linden Street.
Thirteen-year-old Mina Masako Tagawa is a Japanese-American girl who lived in Seattle with her family until the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. Simply because Mina’s father is of Japanese descend, he is imprisoned. Mina is confused to see that Japanese Americans have become the enemy and are spat upon as well as viciously called “Jap.” Each family member reacts differently to their new life. Her brother’s frustration and anger are the reasons he disappears for days somewhere in the confines of the camp. Eventually Mina’s father is released from prison and is sent to rejoin his family in Idaho. However, her family is further troubled when her brother decides to prove his patriotism by enlisting in the military. For three years the family is torn apart while kept captive in Idaho. This fictional account of an effect of WWII is written in verse and is a quick read.
Binky: License to Scratch
Binky the cat and Gordie the dog are panicked as their humans pack suitcases for a trip. Suitcases can only mean one thing – their humans are leaving them behind! They are told not to worry, that they’ll be in a pet hotel and their friend Gracie the cat will be with them. But, horror of horrors, the pet hotel turns out to be boarding at the vet clinic! The trio hatch a plan of escape only to tumble into trouble with Professor Tuffy – a cat who has a grudge against humans and a plan to get even with them.
This graphic novel is drawn in muted tones, is easy for young readers to follow the sequence of panels and is a fun read. The addition of many different sound effects will have readers giggling as they read and the story line will make them read without wanting to put this book down.
This is book five in the Binky Adventure series. Spires nails the cat-titude that every cat lover will be able to identify with.
Year of the Jungle: Memories From the Home Front
Collins bases this story on her own experiences as a child.
Set during the summer of 68/69, Suzy’s father is sent to Viet Nam. She is told he will be gone for one year. But these statements, while simple to an adult, are very difficult for a young child to comprehend. What does her Dad’s going away mean exactly? What and where is Viet Nam? Why does he have to go there? How long is a year?
As the story unfolds we follow Suzy to the start of first grade and throughout the year. We follow along too, with postcards that Dad sends to Suzy. Holidays come and go as Suzy wonders how much longer Dad will be gone. Confusion sets in and worry mounts as the postcards become few and fewer, to the point that months pass without word from Dad. Will her father come back at all?
Collins examines the feelings that young children go through when a parent deploys. The happy ending helps alleviate tension that does build when reading this book. The cartoon like images also help soften the edge on an otherwise difficult situation and topic.
This would be a good book to facilitate discussion for military children during large, extended deployments; although, I would tend to choose select portions of it to foster discussion. I wouldn’t want to needlessly build any extra fears in young ones’ thoughts. That being said, reading after deployment, and a safe return, would be a good use of this story as well.
Written for grades K – 3, I feel this book would work well for grades 2 – 4.
Scaredy Squirrel Prepares for Halloween
Scaredy Squirrel is ready to teach readers about the perils of Halloween and how to avoid them.
As his name implies, Scaredy Squirrel is afraid of many things. In this book he guides readers in celebrating a non-threatening Halloween. Tongue-in-cheek tips include: how to make your house look festive with a ghoulish (but not too ghoulish) interior, how to safely carve a jack-o-lantern (always go with a friendly look), costume choices (with a scare factor rating for each), acquiring candy (always have an inspection before attempting to eat any…do not attempt to eat a toad that is stuck to your candy) and rational excuses for not entering a haunted mansion. Full color drawings riddle the pages making this series fun to read and entertaining.
This is the eighth book in this series and like the others, it generally will not make it back to the shelf before it is checked out again.
The Haunting of Apartment 101
Jinx, a high school girl, spends her time planning to use technology to investigate paranormal activity. When a girl Jinx dislikes asks for help with mysterious events in her family’s apartment, Jinx is extremely skeptical. But Jinx’s friend, Jackson, convinces Jinx that they should take the case. Jinx uses the equipment and her research to solve the mystery. This ghost story will grab reluctant readers with its intristing plot.
Unbroken
In this second book of the Ruined series, Rebecca Brown returns to New Orleans to enjoy spring break with her father, best friend and boyfriend. However, a handsome, blue-eyed ghost named Frank appears to her, explaining his need to retrieve a locket from an old, abandoned house. Rebecca knows she has to help. Since Frank was supposed to have delivered the locket when he was murdered, he must complete the delivery soon or else be trapped in the ghost world forever. Unfortunately there’s another ghost, the very one who murdered Frank, plus her personal enemy, Toby Sutton, who continue to threaten her each step of the way. Rebecca outsmarts both of them, keeping her promise to Frank, and returning the locket to its rightful owner.
In the book, the locket contained a painting by the artist, Edgar Degas. According to history, Degas spent a some time in New Orleans in the same time period as Frank, the ghost. Paula Morris took the opportunity to weave history into the book.