Category Archives: Recommendation

Walter Had a Best Friend

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Deborah Underwood, Author Sergio Ruzzier, Illustrator

Walter and Xavier are best friends until they meet Penelope. Soon, Walter no longer Is Xavier’s best friend. He is sad and lonely because his friendship is not the same now that Penelope is in the picture. He feels like there is a hole in his heart where Xavier used to be. Eventually, he decides that one sunny is going to be a good day. Walter goes out on his own to create his own adventure only to find that one can find friends in the most interesting places. This is a wonderful book about how friends come and go and that’s okay. I would highly recommend this picture book for elementary school.

Dark on Light

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Dianne White, Author, Felicita Sala, Illustrator

Children adventure out at dusk to see the world in a different way. These siblings discover things in the dark that are beautiful and mysterious and thus diminish their fear of the nighttime. This is a beautiful story with folk style art in which the rhythmical text blends in a way that young readers would enjoy.

Stories to Keep You Alive Despite Vampires

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By Ben Acker

This is the next book you should read after you have read and enjoyed “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark”. As the reader you are being held captive in the house of vampires where you have found this book. Our narrator (and author) intertwines his story and experience with the vampires within the short stories written. The end has a great twist that will make you laugh. This collection of spooky short stories will be enjoyed by any student who likes to be scared and laugh about it. I would highly recommend this book for upper elementary and middle school students.

The Sleepever

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By Michael Regina

When Matthew and his mother and sister return home from a family vacation the find that their nanny has passed away suddenly. Ruby cannot be easily replaced and the entire family grieves. Things seem to be getting back to normal when Miss Swan arrives wanting the job. Still mourning, Matthew’s friends decide they want to come over for a sleepover to cheer him up. Miss Swan allows them to eat anything they want and do pretty much anything but soon, Matt starts to wonder if she is a witch with evil intentions. Will Matt, is sister and his friends survive the night? This is a suspenseful graphic novel that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. This book is recommended for 4 grade to 8th grade.

Busy Betty

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Written by Reese Witherspoon, Illustrated by Xindi Yan

Betty is a whimsical go-getter who is always on the move. When she is getting ready for a playdate she realizes that her dog, Frank, really needs a bath. This is where things go a little crazy. In her attempts to clean Frank, Betty makes things messier than ever. But when her friend, Mae, arrives with even better ideas, success is in the future. This book shows that even the best laid plans can go not as planned but that with resilience and ingenuity, one can be successful.

Azar on Fire

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By Olivia Abtahi

Reviewed by Lucas H. 12th grade – I gave Azar on Fire by Olivia Abtahi 4/5 stars because it had great disability representation, diverse characters, and an enjoyable story, but the pacing and some of the plot points felt a bit off.”Azar on Fire” follows 14-year-old Azar Rossi, a disabled and multiracial teen who accidentally damages $1000 worth of school property and is given the ultimatum to pay the school back or join the battle of the bands, leading her to form a band with diverse members to win the competition. The realistic fiction genre of this book brings to life the struggles of LGBTQIA+ characters in a way that is relatable and emotionally impactful for readers. The author’s skillful use of descriptive language and attention to detail transports readers into the characters’ world, making for an engaging and thought-provoking read.I enjoyed the book’s diverse representation of characters, including the protagonist Azar, who is multiracial and has a disability, as well as her bandmates, who are all people of color. The author also did a good job of portraying Azar’s gradual acceptance of her disability throughout the story. I didn’t like how some parts of the story felt out of place and didn’t contribute much to the plot. Some scenes felt awkwardly inserted, such as Azar’s visit to Eben’s house and the sudden mention of her demisexuality.

We Deserve Monuments

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By Jas Hammonds
Reviewed by Arianna S.11th grade
The overall concept of this book was a good one, although the execution of it could have been better. Avery Anderson was a high school girl who was up and moved to Washington D.C. with her mother to live with her severely ill grandmother. Tensions were high due to Avery’s mother and her grandmother having past issues that were never talked about or resolved.  The anticipation of finding out the past of Avery’s mother and her grandmother’s past makes this fictional mystery worth reading for those who like slow burners. This book was relatively easy to read, with the content and the way it’s written. This book had many things going on and at times the plot would jump around to the point where some topics or ideas in the book seemed pointless.  

Sunshine

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A little science meets fun outside in the warmth of sun in this part of the Weather Forecast series by author Kirsten Chang.

Sunshine provides warmth and light ,and also helps plants grow.

There is a graphic on HOW EARTH GETS SUNSHINE, a two word glossary with a photo for each word, and more information safely provided on FACTSURFER.com website.

Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong

Snow

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A little science meets fun outside in the beauty of snow in this part of the Weather Forecast series by author Kirsten Chang.

Snow provides water once it melts, but before that happens it is frozen ice crystals.

There is a graphic on HOW SNOW FORMS, a five word glossary with a photo for each word, and more information safely provided on FACTSURFER.com website.

Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong

Animal Battles: Mantis Shrimp vs. Lionfish

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Mantis Shrimp vs. Lionfish is part of the Animal Battles series. In this series, two animals face off against each other. Each book starts off with a description of the two competitors, their attack moves, their secret weapons and then finally the battle. The narrative text at the end describes the fight scene and will certainly catch the reader’s’ attention. The book has 4-5 sentences per page for each animal and color photographs.

Text features such as bold words, text boxes, maps, a table of contents, glossary and an index are incorporated to aid the readers. Profiles of animal statistics include the height and weight as well as the physical advantages of each animal and habitat.

In Mantis Shrimp vs. Lionfish, the lionfish is hunting the mantis shrimp. Each animal has unique characteristics that could lead to it winning this face-off. Which animal will come out on top? This series is perfect for fans of Who Would Win.