Category Archives: Reviewer’s Library Type

I Am a Tornado by Drew Beckmeyer

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Tornado is coming through without a care of what it destroys. When the tornado picks up a cow, the very patient cow notices that the tornado seems upset and listens to the tornado. As the cow and tornado talk, the tornado starts to get smaller and smaller with the cow promising to stay until the tornado blows away.

While the focus of the book seems to be on anger and having someone listen to you there is a little bit of science about tornadoes thrown in in the middle. This would be a good book for SEL because the tornado did not realize that it was upset and just felt powerful destroying things until the cow took the time to listen.

The Bright Side by Chad Otis

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A young boy lives on the bus with his family. He showers outside, they snuggle to stay warm, and he uses his imagination. One day his mom decides that it is time for him to go to school. He struggles to make friends and to follow the expectations that all of the other students seem to know. It’s hard to stay positive and look at the bright side, but using the skills that his parents taught him he discovers that he can do new things.

A gentle look at houselessness with a message of perseverance. Many readers can empathize with the main characters desire to fit in and make friends.

Danbi’s Favorite Day by Anna Kim

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Children’s Day is here and Danbi cannot wait to invite her friends to the party just like she did in Korea. Danbi tells them there will be kites, magic castles, tigers, train rides, and chocolate chip cookies. Danbi’s party does not live up to the hype and she must get creative to save her favorite day.

The artwork in this book is outstanding. The characters are expressive and personalities distinct. The colors are delicate and vibrant in complement to the story.

Ramen For Everyone by Patricia Tanumihardja

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Hiro loves ramen and he wants to make the perfect bowl of ramen just like his dad. His dad makes ramen every Sunday and Hiro has been studying how his dad makes ramen. When he turns 7, Hiro decides that he is ready to make ramen. He follows all of the steps, but his ramen did not turn out like his dad’s. Hiro and his dad come up with a way to save dinner.

Shiho Pate’s illustrations are colorful and expressive bringing in the feelings of hope and frustration in Hiro. The end pages include notes about ramen, rules for the kitchen, and a recipe for Easy Miso Ramen.

Contenders: Two Native Baseball Players, One World Series by Traci Sorell

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Two Native American baseball players, Charles Bender and John Meyers, face off in the 1911 World Series that newspapers recounted as “Indian against Indian.” The story bounces back and forth between the World Series games, their different backgrounds and life growing up, and the racism that they faced and how it is still apparent today. Charles is Ojibwe and grew up on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota. He was taken to an Indian boarding school where he learned the game watching older boys play. John grew up on the Cahuilla tribe’s reservation in Southern California. He learned to play baseball on the reservation. The two experienced racism inside and outside of the ballpark and the author goes on to explain that over 100 years later Native athletes still face those challenges. Then end pages also include and author’s note, time line, quotes and sources.

Worm and Caterpillar are Friends by Kaz Windness

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Worm and Caterpillar are best friends. Worm thinks they are alike, but Caterpillar keeps trying to tell Worm that they are different. One day Caterpillar suddenly changes. Worm sticks by Caterpillar while it changes, but wonders if they can still be friends.

This is a Ready to Read Graphics and explains how to read a graphic novel at the beginning of the book. Worm and Caterpillar explain speech bubbles, thought bubbles, panels and what direction and order to read the text. For younger readers who want to read graphic novels, these would be a good introduction. The beginning does have the feel of a picture book because after explaining about panels, the first four pages of text are two page panel spreads and readers do not get to multiple panels on the page until the 6th page.

The life cycle of a worm and a butterfly are included at the end. The author also has included steps for how to draw a worm and how to draw a butterfly on the last page.

Isla of Adventure: Welcome to the Island by Dela Costa

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Isla Verde has a secret. She can talk to animals. Her best friend is an gecko named Fitz. No one else on the island new she could talk to animals, except the animals. Isla loves her island home. One day Isla notices that a new girl was moving in next door. Isla can’t wait to show Tora Rosa, who is from a big city, her island home. Isla and Tora seem to be opposites. Will Isla make a human friend?

This beginning chapter book has black and white pictures on almost every page and would be great for those starting to read chapter books.

The Boys Who Woke Up Early

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Spanning the last two years of high school for Stony Shelor, this fictional tale puts a sad light on a small town named Early in Appalachian U.S.A. Stony is a boy who is not only figuring out his own life but those of many in his town — from the town drunk to the bully, from the illegal moonshine makers to the racist acts by the Klu Klux Klan. Stony is coming into adulthood realizing that his father’s job as mayor of such a town is not easy. But Stony is a boy at heart who loves a good chase and when the new kid comes to town with swagger, Stony is drawn to his style. The two set off to be private detectives for the town, which gets them into touchy situations. He’ll be shot at multiple times but risking his life seems to be his purpose for living, even at his young age. More often than not he works with the local sheriff’s office, though it may not have been legal 100% of the time. There are many examples of racism that Stony has to deal with and while this is the obvious social message of Hopkins writing, it feels more like a Huckleberry Finn than a To Kill a Mockingbird story. It’s more about the action Stony gets himself into. This librarian will put it on the shelf and try to sell it to a few key students but it may not have an audience with today’s youth.

Architect (Careers in STEM) by Kate Moening

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“Architect” by Kate Moening is part of the Careers in Stem collection from the Blastoff Readers series. This series was designed for early-fluent readers to help advance them toward fluency through increased text load, less reliance on photos, advancing concepts, longer sentences and more complex text features.  

The Blastoff Readers series has been a captivating addition to our elementary library. With its engaging content and accessible language, this book introduces young readers to the world of architecture and design. The well-structured layout captures imaginative minds while nurturing their interest in creating spaces. 

“Architect” not only imparts knowledge about buildings but also encourages creativity and problem-solving. Ideal for curious learners and classroom discussions, this book seamlessly blends education and engagement, enriching our students’ understanding of structures and inspiring a lifelong appreciation for the art and science of designing spaces that shape our surroundings.

Climate Scientist (Careers in STEM) by Elizabeth Noll

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“Climate Scientist” by Elizabeth Noll is part of the Careers in Stem collection from the Blastoff Readers series. This series was designed for early-fluent readers to help advance them toward fluency through increased text load, less reliance on photos, advancing concepts, longer sentences and more complex text features.

The Blastoff Readers series has been a valuable addition to our elementary library. With its engaging content and accessible language, this book introduces young readers to the world of climate science and environmental awareness. The well-structured layout captivates curious minds while nurturing their understanding of climate patterns and their impact. 

“Climate Scientist” not only imparts knowledge about Earth’s changing climate but also encourages a sense of responsibility towards the planet. Perfect for budding learners and classroom discussions, this book seamlessly blends education and engagement, enriching our students’ comprehension of global environmental challenges and inspiring a lifelong commitment to sustainability.