Category Archives: Additional Purchase

I am a Great Friend!

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By Lauren Stohler

Baby Capybara is a happy, fun-loving soul that enjoys playing the drums (on rocks), blowing bubbles and making obstacle courses. Unlike the other capybaras, he has no bird friends that stay on his back. His mother explains that he needs to be calm and relaxing in order to gain friends like birds. He tries to do these things and eventually is successful. Will his new friends enjoy the high energy activities that he wants to share with them or will he always be a lonely capybara?

The author has created a cute story that gives readers a message that while there are times finding and making friends can be challenging. She also sends the message that being yourself will make you a happier person in the long run. With adorable a pleasing illustrations, this picture book will make young readers smile.

The Greedy Worm

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by Jeff Newman

In this (pretty much) wordless picture book, a worm finds a beautiful, huge apple. When others come along he has to make a decision. Will he share or not? As the title says, this worm is greedy. He quickly eats it all so others don’t get any. This makes him a very plump and pretty much immobile worm that a hungry bird is VERY interested in. Do the others choose not to help? Or do the step in even though he decided not to share? This is a very simply illustrated book that all will understand.

There Might be a Kazoo Emergency

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written by Heidi E.Y. Stemple; illustrated by Selom Sunu

Gregory James is on his way to school when he is knocked over by two bigger boys. As he picks up the items that spilled out of his backpack, Lola (who becomes his new friend) stops to help him. He explains the odd contents of his backpack (duster, strainer and kazoo) and they walk to school, because they missed the bus. They come upon their school bus being attacked by a dinosaur AND flying aloft under a rainbow balloon. Fortunately, Gregory James has the tools necessary to save the day and rescue the bus and the bigger boys from earlier. Then, he and Lola continue on their way to school.

This early reader graphic novel starts with a nice tutorial about graphic novels, Speech and thought bubbles are explained as are panels. Minimal text and clean, simple cartoon-like illustrations make this an easy read. The story line is rather strange. But, a beginning reader will feel quite successful with this simple book.

What’s in Your Body? (Ready-To-Read: Level 2-Super Gross)

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written by Ximena Hastings; illustrated by Alison Hawkins

Blood, boogers, pus, gas and other bodily excretions and their origins are discussed in this early reader. Do you want to know how many skin cells you shed per hour? How about the mites on your eyelashes? You’ll learn all about those topics and more in this short, but informative, book.

Cartoon-like illustrations and photographs accompanied by simple informative text pack a lot of stuff into a relatively short book. A glossary, bold-faced type and a skeleton craft at the end will help would-be scientists learn basics of the messier parts of human anatomy and physiology. It might be too much information for its target audience. But, they’ll be happily ‘grossed out’ and will certainly share what they’ve learned.

Happy Holidays! Veteran’s Day

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By Betsy Rathburn

Veteran’s day is an important holiday in January for our country. This title is a good introduction to what the day means with basic concepts for better understanding. The graphics are bright and welcoming. Each page has one to three simple sentences. There are many illustrations emphasizing celebrating as a community and as a family. Basic history of the Veteran’s Day is also explained. There are many titles focusing on this holiday and thus, it is recommended as an extra purchase unless your school is limited on the amount of books on this topic at a lower reading level. It is also extremely simplified and allows for readers to get the basic information they need in order to broaden understanding and appreciation in the future. It is recommended for libraries where there is a need for lower reading level books about holidays such as this one.

The Blastoff! Beginners Happy Holidays! series contains informational chapters including but not limited to: simple information about what individuals do for the holiday, when the holiday is and what it is about, the importance of the holiday and facts. These books also include a glossary with terms and definitions that are in bold throughout the book as well as an index and a section with links and books to learn more about the country. These books are recommended for grades Pre-K to 3rd. They are at “Level 1″ which offers early readers information through simplified sentences for better understanding.

When Impossible Happens

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by Jane De Suza

A girl in an apartment looking up at the moon.

During the pandemic lockdown, Swara, a nine year old girl living in India, has lost her beloved grandmother to the COVID virus. Being in denial of her loss, she begins investigating the disappearance of her grandmother from her apartment window only to stumble upon a neighborhood mystery just below her. With the help and support of other children in her building that also find themselves locked in their apartments, Swara attempts to solve the question of what men are doing across the street in the clothing shops. Within the story are many reminders of the pandemic experience that readers can make a connection with such as: not being able to see family and friends, being detained in your own home, the possibility of parents losing their jobs, and the threat of not being able to pay rent, the loss of loved ones without an opportunity to have closure and say goodbye. This poignant mystery can be a wonderful addition to any library that may be in need of more multicultural/international chapter books. It also is one of what can soon be many books about the COVID lockdown experience for a child. Because the story is based in another country, there are times where young readers may not understand some cultural differences and yet, these differences may promote questions and more acceptance.

Barb and the Ghost Blade

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by Dan Abdo & Jason Linwood Patterson

This is Book #2 of the Barb the Last Berzerker series and we rejoin Barb, her pal Yeti and various other sidekicks as they continue their quest to save Bailiwick from the evil Witch Head. Barb is a Berzerker, an elite fighter, like her mother and fellow warriors. Her goal is to keep the magical Ghost Blade away from Witch Head, so that he doesn’t destroy Bailiwick. Barb manages to survive a trip to a monster village and rescue her fellow Berzerkers that had fallen under the Witch Head’s spell. Unfortunately, Barb is captured and the story “ends” with her being carried into the Witch Head’s lair. To Be Continued in Book #3.

Fantasy and humor are combined in this brightly drawn graphic novel. The quest is solid and the humor is on the side of ‘potty’ with farts and ‘full moons’. This book and the others in the series might appeal to those students that giggle over that type of humor. It’s unfortunate that the story feels so incomplete without Books #1 and #3. The purchase is a commitment and I’m not sure it’s worth it.

Linty: A Pocketful of Adventure

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Pocket lint is a common experience for children and adults alike. Linty is a humorous story of a piece of pocket lint in graphic novel format. With a low reading level and some repetitive text, this is good introduction to graphic novels for young readers working on reading independently.

Linty is content with the narrow confines of his life and his repetitive days living in the pocket of neatly folded jeans.. He’s a bit disconcerted when a boy puts on the jeans and his world starts to move. His new adventures include meeting new friends added to his pocket home and a ride through the wash. He finally recognizes the value of both his pocket home and the friends he’s made.

Board Games

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Chess, Clue, Monopoly, and Catan – board games have entertained and brought friends and family together for thousands of years. Board Games describes the origin of early games and the development and evolution of more modern games.

Of the books in the Favorite Toys Series, this title has some less than ideal formatting issues. The map references Egypt from the previous page, but not India which is on the map page. Additionally, unlike the other books in the series, the timeline does not reflect the whole history covered in the book – the oldest games are not on the timeline. Finally, on the page with board game types, the game name precedes the game type and the type is in parenthesis, implying it is the less significant information.

Bellwether Epic Favorite Toys series is sure to appeal to young readers. The short sentences and simple text are enhanced with colorful images. Familiarity with the toy will make many of the names recognizable for young readers while new details and historical information will expand a reader’s knowledge. Pictures include young people, historical figures, and toys. Early in each title, a map highlights the geographic location of the toy’s origin. Each title also includes a timeline of the toy’s evolution. In addition, by showcasing an event celebrating the toy, each title demonstrates how toys and games nurture a community of shared interests.

Bold terms are defined in the glossary. Endpapers also include a To Learn More Section with both print and digital resources. Digital resources are found through accessing the title on factsurfer.com. Three curated age appropriate digital sources are available for each title. Index included.

Bad Drawer by Seth Fishman

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Seth has a great story idea but there is just one problem, he can’t draw. He does have a lot of friends that are really good at drawing, but Seth is a bad drawer. What if he teams up with his friends to tell his story about the mouse named Bailey and Catbird half cat, half bird?

Different illustrators contributed to the making of this book and are the friends that are good at drawing mentioned in the story. The illustrations showed the different styles of the illustrators as they were introduced to the story.

The theme of working together and playing to each others strengths was effective. I do wish that it was emphasized that even his simple drawings were clear and we all can draw, especially considering the audience the book is geared towards.