Category Archives: Recommend

GLACIER NATIONAL PARK

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Chris Bowman takes on an impressive undertaking of providing elementary age readers with the who, what, where, when, and why of the Glacier National Park in 32 pages of color photos and text.

Bowman gives basic facts and visuals on Glacier National Park while not being a vacation travel advertisement.

Bowman includes: plants and animals (p 12-15), history of peoples in the area (p 16-21), how the glaciers formed (p 8-9), top sites (p 22-23), and perhaps most importantly protecting the park (p24-27) from too many visitors and climate change. “Many of he park’s glaciers have started to disappear in recent years”(p 24).

Bowman also includes graphics of 6 Glacier National Park facts, food web, and a timeline (p28-29).

More information on the Glacier National Park can be gotten safely through Factsurfer.com..

Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong

A Seed in the Sun

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Aida Salazar

Cover art

This book is a great read for people who love learning about struggles and how they overcome it in history. Despite her father’s mood changes which mostly cause aggression and her mother’s sickness, Lula finds the strength in herself to find her voice to fight for her community’s rights. The story is an enthusiastic read for people to help them find the strength inside and their voices. I like the main character’s heroism, even though her father told her not to do certain things. Lula didn’t cowardly stay away. When her friend said,  “Let’s go; we are the people that this is affecting, too!” They went to the Labor Union Protest and met the Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong, and other real labor rights activists in the 1960s. I disliked the verse novel format since this is the first verse novel that I’ve read. I prefer paragraphs. I found it could be a bit confusing to find where sentences and ideas start or continue. For readers who like verse novels, this probably wouldn’t be an issue. Overall, I’d give this book a 4 out 5 stars.

Reviewed by 6th grader, Addison K.

Wind

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Gentle breezes to stronger winds are shown and talked about from cooling, to creating power, to causing damage in this book for emergent readers..

Big beautiful color photos of wind blowing through palm trees and meadows of grass let young readers vicariously feel the benefits of wind.

There is a 3 step graphic on “How Wind Forms” (p 15) , a “Question” (Have you ever felt a very strong wind?”) [p21], and a graphic “Windy Day Activities” chart (p 19) . Six science vocabulary words, appropriate to the topic (example- turbines), are given in the glossary each with a definition and color photo.

There is more information available on-line through Bellwether Media’s safe “factsurfer.com” website.

Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong

Black Internet Effect, by Shavone Charles

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Black Internet Effect (Pocket Change Collective)

A tiny-in-size, mighty-in-voice book in the Pocket Change Collective, I enjoyed this quick modern biography about a young black woman’s journey into the technology industry. As a writing and communications major in college, she knew she wanted into the lucrative tech industry, knew there were jobs for more than engineers and coders, and knew there were not many in the big tech companies who looked like her. She had to create a new path for herself where few had gone before. She chronicles the many steps she took in finding a job that allowed her to be authentically herself as a Black woman in an industry that is not very racially diverse. The book is an inspirational guidebook for others trying to get ahead in places that may feel out of reach. She worked hard. She took every opportunity to learn and grow. It’a quick 62 page, 4 ½”x 6 ½” book. My only criticism with this and others in the Pocket Change Collective series (& I have a few)  is that because of their tiny size, they can get a bit lost on the shelf with other books. They are perfect for a reluctant reader who wants a quick read by an authentic author who will hopefully inspire them.

Thunderstorms

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Thunderstorms should not be frightening for young readers once they learn how they are formed and the storms are part of nature.

Big beautiful color photos of lightning, wind blown trees, and driving rain will let young readers see the lightning bolts that disappears so quickly as it happens in real time . One young observer has his fingers in his ears from the thunderous ‘booms’, while another is watching out a window wide-eyed in shear amazement to the storm outside. These two boys do not look scared.

There is a 4-step graphic on “How Thunderstorms Form”, “Question” ( Have you heard thunder or seen lightning during a thunderstorm? [p 19]) , and a graphic “Stormy Day Activities” chart .

Six science vocabulary words, appropriate to the topic, are given in the glossary each with a definition and color photo.

There is more information available on-line through Bellwether Media’s safe ‘Factsurfer.com’ website.

Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong.

Zion National Park

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The expanse of Zion National Park comes to life in the scenic beauty of its landforms, to the inclusion of its wildlife, to our responsibility to preserve it for ourselves and future generations, all while being able to see and enjoy Zion first hand comes through loud and clear in this 32 page book.

Zion National Park has me yearning to revisit this national park. The ‘Factsurfer’ websites on page 31 include: Britannica Kids, National Geographic Kids, and the National Park Service. The National Park Service site includes a 23 minute video that deepens this yearning all the more.

This book is a job well done by Chris Bowman and the various photographers who gave us the ability to see and experience Zion National Park vicariously.

Submitted for Annette McQueen by Mary Pong

How to Survive Your Murder by Danielle Valentine

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Reviewed by OHS Library Secretary, Mikel D.L.

For readers who equate “corn maze” with dread, this is your book.  This perfect Halloween season story is narrated by Claire, a teenager who is about to testify in her sister’s murder trial. She’s a horror movie fanatic, but a total scaredy-cat of anything that moves in real life. The plot twists in cryptic ways and I certainly couldn’t have predicted the conclusion. It’s a real nail-biter and readers will have a hard time putting it down …to go to sleep (!?).

The Lost Dreamer by Lizz Huerta

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Does the intrigue into the lives of kings and religious temple life from distant tropical islands interest you?  How about gifted women who possess spiritual powers, enabling them to gain knowledge and secrets of the unseen world make for an interesting read?  Lizz Huertauses flowery, descriptive words to bring you into the hearts and minds of her characters as they interact with Indir, the Dreamer, the seer.

Royalty passes the throne of power from the father to the son and song with this succession, comes change.  Immediately, the new king tells his audience of the old traditions that, “I am here to usher in a new age.”  The tradition of Dreamers is now threatened.  What does Alcan, the new king want?  Power.  He believes power means having control over others. 

But Alcan is also an angry person.  Indir escapes from Alcan’s threats.  Not until three quarters into our story is Indir told the source of this anger, the secret brother of Alcan.  Even kings are not spared from the consequences of unfaithfulness in a family.  You’ll just need to read for yourselves how Indir’s lost Dreamer is found.

Reviewed By: OHS Substitute

The Counselors by Jessica Goodman

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The author, Jessica Goodman, is a New York Times best selling writer – and like her other titles, this book does not disappoint. 

Have you ever been sent to summer camp for 8 weeks?  Our main character, Goldie, in this book has, but for the first time she returns to camp as a counselor.  You will learn the secrets that haunt Camp Alpine Lake, previously a very safe place. She has had a very hard year and her reputation has followed her to camp.  The real mystery and thrill ride begins when Goldie’s ex, who broker her heart, turns up dead in the lake. Put yourself in her shoes and try to get used to being hated by some, loved by others. An exciting read.

Reviewed by OHS Substitute, James D.

Marcel’s Mouse Museum

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It’s a good tool for introducing young artists to some of the most famous artists of the last 100 years. Using the device of touring a mouse museum (each of whom appear to have been the companions/apprentices of the famous human artists of the last century), it exposes young readers to some big art concepts, vocabulary, and biographies, without being intimidating or high-brow. Each two-page spread is dedicated to a different artist or movement, with the left side offering a bit of an explanation of their work, and the right side offering ideas for young artists to attempt their own exploration of that artistic style. In the back there a couple pages dedicated to offering more formal information about the human artists the mice emulate, as well as a glossary of vocabulary.