Fans of the original Not Quite Narwhal by Jessie Sima are sure to like this Pre-Level 1, Ready to Read early reader. Kelp meets up with his friend Pixie to help walk Crabbie. When Crabbie gets lost, Kelp and Pixie use their problem solving skills to find him. Characters are also in the Netflix adaptation of Not Quite Narwhal.The text uses short sentences with easy text. The cute and colorful illustrations mimic the animation from the Dreamworks series.
Category Archives: Reviewer’s Library Type
Lawrence and Sophia by Doreen and Brian Cronin
Lawrence is a boy who is scared to venture out of his yard. Sophie is a bird who is scared to venture down to the ground. One day Sophie is feeling brave and walks down to the end of a branch and finds Lawrence. They start spending time together in the yard – Lawrence on the ground and Sophie in the tree – sharing things they love with each other. Sophie moves her nest to be closer to Lawrence. Lawrence builds a tent to be closer to Sophie, but still neither will venture beyond their comfort zone. When a big storm hits, both are worried enough for the other to go beyond their fears to find and protect their friend.
By Doreen Cronin, the author of Click, Clack, Moo: Cows that Type and Diary of a Worm. A precious story of how the strength of friendship can bolster someone to step into situations outside their comfort. Highly recommended.
Just Snow Already! by Howard McWilliam
A young boy gets excited one morning when he’s told it might snow. He checks outside – nothing yet. He fixates on the idea of snow and all the fun he will have. Outside the house, the day goes on with increasingly exciting people and occurrences. The mail carrier spills her mail, the fire truck comes to get a cat from a tree, a Safari Park Truck crashes, and monkeys escape. The rest of the neighborhood is caught up in the excitement, but still the boy’s day is ruined because there is no snow. Finally, SNOW! The neighborhood has become a fun carnival, and at last, now that there’s snow, the boy is ready to dive in.
Impatience and fixation leads the young boy to miss all the excitement happening in his neighborhood. Colorful animated illustrations become increasingly entertaining. A fun winter read.
Prince in Comics
The graphic novel Prince in Comics by Tony Lourenco is an odd mix. It is part of a publishing series about worthy topics that seeks to meld graphic novels, comics, and textbook prose/articles and in doing so results in an unsatisfying reading experience. The work is a distant though detailed act of storytelling that misses the visual vibrancy of a graphic novel and defeats the intent of the genre by relying deeply on long text.
The book takes a painstakingly (and sometimes painfully) thorough tour of the commercial life of the artist once known as Prince. The detail is perplexing as it is a tedious slog filled with minor characters in Prince’s life who enter and quickly disappear. They discuss record deals or band deals but they become a blur and it is difficult to dissect just why their inclusion adds import to the story of Prince’s life.
Prince is a worthy topic to explore. He led an interesting life and was an important artist. But that can be difficult to take away from this work. The book is cluttered with boring details and hampered by odd style choices.
One value of a graphic novel is its visual vibrancy. But this work has contributions from many artists resulting in confusing visual inconsistencies. Characters drawn by different artists are difficult to recognize as the same character. Changes in visual style can be jarring and take the reader out of the story.
Another value of the genre is to hear directly from characters. But this work relies so much on text over dialogue that the immediacy of the first person is lost. Even worse the comic format is interrupted by large sections of block text. Those who came looking for a graphic novel are confronted with pages of textbook-style paragraphs defeating the joy and purpose of the genre.
Prince as a person never really comes through. The text and other characters talk a lot about him and his music but he speaks rarely himself. He seems more of a silhouette than an artist or a person.
Unfortunately because of a reliance on contradictory design, style, and genre decisions the work fails in its purported aim – to bring Prince alive and show the meaning of his artistry, something he never failed to do. – David Johnston, retired English teacher.
The Year My Life Went Down the Toilet
By Jake Maia Arlow
Al is having a really rough school year. After a few close calls with needing to poop during the school day, her mortifying embarassment with this issue, and her own questions about who she’s crushing on, life has gotten really complicated. It doesn’t help that her mom is all in her business about her health and her diagnosis of Crohn’s disease. She’s also struggling with her best friend and neighbor who has taken a sudden interest in the drama club and balancing new friends in a IBS support group. This is a good book for anyone dealing with severe medical issues, particularly the embarrassing poop-related ones, but also anyone trying to just feel comfortable in their own skin. Al learns to deal with her shyness with personal issues as she tries to be her most authentic self – not an easy task! I liked that it normalizes IBS and “poop” and shows someone struggling to come out of the silence to advocate for herself. Al also deals with coming to terms with her own sexuality and those of her friends and mother. I imagine all the poop talk will cause some readers to giggle or be uncomfortable, but in the end, I think it shows just how many hidden issues students are dealing with on any given day. Some may even see their own struggles in some of Al’s – especially her difficulties with communication with her mother and friends.
Ever Since by Alena Bruzas
This book was really difficult to read because of the content; it’s very powerful, but will need content warnings if added to a high school collection.
The main character, Virginia, is a victim of sexual assault and abuse – but she is keeping it hidden. Instead, she displays risky behaviors with drinking, drug use, and sex. As the reader, we are not made aware of the extent of the abuse, and the fact that there are multiple abusers, until much later in the book. Instead we follow Virginia’s journey of self-loathing desire to feel love.
As details about Virginia’s story unfold, other victims come forward – all of which are close friends of Virginia’s and all were groomed by the same abuser.
This book should be considered for high school libraries only.
It is set in Washington State and has some local references, which I always appreciate.
Book Review of “Writing in Color”
Dreams of becoming a writer? Want to tell the real story of who you are, to share a fantasy world of your creation, or to write a family saga in your native language? Writing in Color is a collection of essays from 14 writers of color who have made that dream become a reality. Each entry is in the voice of a successful writer who has ‘made it’ and the consequences of that accomplishment. The book explores the craft of writing and publishing. The style of writing for each author is very unique. With hopeful encouragement, each author shares their experience of anxiety, nervousness, elation, and confusion. Reading the essays is like having a friend holding your hand to inspire and assist in making a dream come true. Writing in Color is especially aimed at high school teenagers in the choice of writers presented. A valuable resource to propel the reticent writer and it would be an excellent gift!
You: The Story. The Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory
You: The Story. The Writer’s Guide to Craft Through Memory is a how-to guide for aspiring writers. The book draws from the author’s personal experiences as a writer and the methods they have used to add detail and depth to their characters, setting, and dialogue– specifically using personal memories to create the details and emotion that go with storytelling. The book covers eleven elements essential to storytelling such as plot, character development, developing a writer’s voice, perspective, setting, dialogue, how to do research for a story, surviving the revision process, and how to find the courage to tell your story. The author uses personal experiences to illustrate each element of the writing process. Chapters end with a recap of ideas and concepts presented in the chapter for easy reference, writing prompts to help initiate each part of the process, and a unique “Stories to Uncover and Discover” page where a little research about the person/group/thing could open a fountain of ideas to write about. Since Sepetys is famous for her historical fiction novels, it is so intriguing to see how she incorporates her passion for research into sparking creative opportunities for writers this way.
The book is easy to read. The chapters are not too long or short but provide the right amount of information without weighing the reader down with too many details. The book flows easily from concept to concept and provides sufficient detail to help new, reluctant writers understand the process, get started, and survive the writing and revision process. This is an excellent book for all libraries, and to give as gifts in this graduation season. It is highly recommended.
This review was written by William Grantham and edited by Kristi Bonds
Nina Simone in Comics
The graphic novel Nina Simone in Comics, by Sophie Adriansen, dramatically tells the life story of the brilliant musician and political activist, Nina Simone. Using music as a “weapon” to express the pain and emotion of being black in America in the 1950’s and 60’s, Simone creates a unique life of meaning and substance. Her initial dream of being a concert pianist was thwarted due to the color of her skin. Forced to support herself, she begins performing in nightclubs and town halls where her amazing talent leads to fame, record contracts, and international recognition. Simone’s long life is a roller coaster of success vs failure, wealth vs poverty, romance vs abuse, acclaim vs obscurity. Her natural abilities as a musician, a singer, and a songwriter are motivated by her fierce determination to use her talents for social justice. She writes the anthem: ‘Young, Black and Gifted’. Her lifelong resilience is admirable. The graphic illustrations portray the vibrant, emotional aspects of jazz music and social unrest, and the text inserts clarify the historical timeline of those tumultuous times. This book would appeal to both middle school and high school students.
She Persisted: Deb Haaland by Laurel Goodluck
“Deb Haaland (She Persisted Series)” by Laurel Goodluck is a captivating addition to elementary libraries. As part of the inspiring “She Persisted” series, this book introduces young readers to the remarkable life and achievements of Deb Haaland, the first Native American woman to serve as a United States Secretary.
Goodluck’s accessible storytelling bring Haaland’s journey to life, highlighting her resilience, determination, and commitment to making a difference. Through Haaland’s story, children are not only introduced to an influential figure in American politics but also encouraged to pursue their dreams and stand up for what they believe in.
With its empowering message and engaging narrative, “Deb Haaland” is a valuable resource for sparking conversations about diversity, leadership, and the power of perseverance. This book is sure to inspire young readers to embrace their own potential and make a positive impact on the world around them.