Yo Ho Ho Halloween

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 13, 2016

Review

Yo Ho Ho Halloween is part of the Tony Baloney series that is geared towards readers in K - 3. This particular installment is probably best suited for the older end of that age spectrum, as it is divided into several "chapters" and contains a fair amount of multi-syllabic words (i.e. catastrophe, announcements, responsible). The story begins with the main character, Tony (a macaroni penguin) looking forward to his school's Halloween parade. He wants to make sure he stands out this year so he spends his allowance money on a brand new pirate costume, complete with an eye patch and pretend sword. His teacher, however, has a set of rules for costumes that he, one by one, inadvertently breaks (wearing his costume before the parade, bringing an unsafe prop to school) so by the day of the parade, he has nothing left to wear! After some "advice" from his favorite stuffy friend, Tony tells his family what has happened and they rally around him to make a costume even greater and more elaborate than the first, balancing the relatable humor of the story with a useful lesson. This book would be best for children who are already reading independently and are ready for a more complex story structure, as well as longer, more challenging words.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Munoz Ryan, Pam

Illustrator: Fotheringham, Edwin

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Scholastic

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780545908856

Price: 6.99

Hal & Al

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 13, 2016

Review

This is a really great book for beginning readers who are comfortable with longer sentence structure and some bigger words. The text is large enough to easily read and the cartoon-like illustrations are detailed and colorful. There is even a small glossary in the back with discussion questions and the definitions of some of the longer words in the book. The story follows Hal, a seasoned forklift in a warehouse as he goes about his day arranging, lifting, and sorting incoming boxes. A great aspect of this book is its use of positional and descriptive words ("He lifted the huge red boxes from the middle shelf and placed them on the warehouse floor.") It also progresses smoothly from one page to the next with transitional words like "next" and "then," before explaining each task throughout his shift. As Hal is finishing up his work day, however, a new arrival comes to the warehouse: a brand new forklift named Al. Hal becomes worried because Al "doesn't need a break" and can lift more weight then he can, and begins to think that his beloved job may be in jeopardy. His supervisor, however, is quick to confirm that his job is safe and that Al is there to work with him, instead of replacing him. Nice overall storyline, good for both one-on-one and independent reading. Will be anticipating more additions to this series.

NOTE: The price for this library edition is listed as $19.99 on both Barnes and Noble and Amazon - pricey for an easy reader book. Paperback is more affordable at $4.99.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Bowser, Ken

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Red Chair Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9781634400688

Price: 19.99

I Am a Story

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 12, 2016

Review

This is a wonderful picture book about the social and cultural history of storytelling and its power to connect, teach, and inspire. It begins in "first person" narrative (in the same style as the title) with the first recorded instances of communication, in an illustrated depiction of our human ancestors gathered around a fire, and progresses through time to cave paintings, papyrus, ink and woodblocks, woven tapestries and - eventually - bound print. The story also takes a look at the various narratives throughout history, including a (Shakespearean-esque) production and discusses how stories can inspire a range of reactions and emotions. Perhaps the most poignant aspect of the story is how books were "censored, banned, and burned, but did not die," and how - no matter the circumstances - always seem to persevere. The text and sentence structure is decidedly simple (with a few longer, multisyllabic words throughout) and corresponds well to the accompanying illustrations. I would recommend this for Cream of the Crop review.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Yaccarino, Dan

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Harper/Harper Collins

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780062411068

Price: 17.99

Quit Calling Me a Monster

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: December 12, 2016

Review

This is a humorous book about fuzzy purple creature who resents being called a monster, despite all of the obvious evidence that he quite likely is one. He begins the book by making his case - that just because he has horns, wild eyes, clompy feet, long toenails, crazy hair, fangs, and a "huge toothy smile that glows in the dark" does not mean he should be called a "monster." He continues to claim why it is wrong to categorize him as such, even though he "roars, whoops, cackles, hollers, and screams," not to mention hides in all the places any given child might suspect a monster to be hiding. The text also makes really great use of positional words this way, as he hides in the back of the closet, under the bed, behind the shower curtain, and in the glove compartment - always with a claw or fang exposed, of course. The illustrations complement the text nicely, giving it an added element of humor; at one point during his discourse, he claims that it's not his fault if he lets a claw slip out or growls in his sleep, and that "you should see you when you sleep" (complete with a picture of a drooling, green-faced child making all sorts of silly, snorty noises in her sleep). Perhaps his best assertion is that it hurts his feelings when people call him a monster - a nice lesson for children that deals with elements of bullying/labeling others and reinforces the importance of empathy. The funniest part of the book is when he formally introduces himself by his actual name, Floyd Peterson, and proceeds to hide in a child's closet. When the child expresses his worry that there be a "monster" in there, his dad replies - very casually - "No, son, it's just Floyd Peterson." (I laughed out loud at this bit.) Kids anywhere from PreK - 3rd would enjoy this story, and it would be especially entertaining as a read-aloud. Great addition to any picture book collection.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

John, Jory

Illustrator: Shea, Bob

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Random House New York

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780385389907

Price: 17.99

I'll Wait, Mr. Panda

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 19, 2017

Review

I was so thrilled to find that Steve Antony did a sequel to his 2014 book "Please, Mr. Panda," one of my all-time favorites. This cute, quirky story follows a gruff but lovable panda who is in the midst of whipping up some sort of treat (judging by his apron, and perhaps the central theme of his first book, readers may guess donuts). A variety of animals stop by, one by one, to ask Mr. Panda what he is making, to which he always replies, "Wait and see, it's a surprise." All of the animals (except for the perpetually persistent penguin who stands by and repeats that he is waiting, even though he continues to go unnoticed) decide that they are not ready - or willing - to wait. The penguin's patience eventually pays off, though, as he is rewarded at the end of the story with one giant donut all for him! The sparse, simplistic text make it a quick read but an effective message about the values of both patience and perseverance. This makes a great read-aloud story, especially paired with the original Mr. Panda book. I'm crossing my fingers that there will be a third!

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Antony, Steve

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9781338028362

Price: 16.99

King Baby

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: January 19, 2017

Review

I absolutely loved this book. King Baby - as he proclaims himself - comes bursting onto the scene as a swaddled, egg-shaped bundle, surrounded by what appears to be divine light. His presence has been graciously bestowed on an array of "subjects" (parents & grandparents, family & friends). He begins his story by inviting all to come and see him (for they have been waiting), promising to give them many blessings, for King Baby is generous. The King, however - despite his generosity - has many demands: he must be FED! BURPED! CHANGED! BOUNCED! and CARRIED! Alas, he says in his high chair next to two clearly exhausted caretakers, it is good to be king. King Baby, however, has growing needs - he wants his "thing" (a toy across the room) and he wants it now! His father brings him *a* thing, but not *the* thing, sparking a special new rage in King Baby yet ultimately prompting him to try something he's never done before - crawl! And now that he's mastered crawling, why stop there?! He vows to walk, and talk, and MORE! The following two-page spread shows King Baby becoming...a big boy! But what of his poor subjects? King baby wonders - who are they without a king? His hand on his mom's belly gives a charming twist, introducing on the very last page, "Queen Baby" - his new little sister. This book is laugh-out-loud funny and entertaining for readers of all ages. Perfect addition to any collection. Recommending for Cream of the Crop!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Beaton, Kate

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Scholastic

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780545637541

Price: 17.99

Where Did All the Dinos Go?

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 2, 2017

Review

This is a bright, colorful book appropriate for kids preschool and younger. The story starts out asking , simply, where all the dinosaurs went. Readers are encouraged to turn the page to "find" the missing dinos...then things start getting silly! The cute, cheeky dinosaurs appear first in a multitude of colors, "blue with lots of spots, or red and green with polka dots," then anthropomorphized as a cowboy ("way out west and a fancy vest") and a businessman casually walking down a city street ("just blending right in with the crowd"). Young readers will delight in seeing these silly, sneaky dinos driving cars and playing ball alongside children in a park. Though the text is spare and the story short, it's a really great option for littler kids who may not be ready for full-length picture books. This would be a perfect choice for a baby or toddler story time, or just for 1:1/lap-sit reading.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Benton, Jim

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Scholastic

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: other

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780545647892

Price: 7.99

The Grizzly Bear Who Lost His Grrrrr!

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 3, 2017

Review

This is a delightful story about a grizzly bear named Fred who, for "as long as the forest has stood," has won the annual bear contest in events such as fish-catching, hula-hooping, and, perhaps most significantly, "human-scaring" - all while wearing his signature sweatband, of course. Fred's "grrrrr" can scare the sandwich right out of a human's hand which, thanks to years of training, has earned him prizes and trophies, medals and plaques - but at a cost: it turns out that Fred doesn't have much time for friends, though he claims that he's perfectly fine without them. Then, one day, a new, turtleneck-clad bear moves to town. His name is Boris: he's fast, he's strong, and he's clever - and he's out for Fred's crown. Instead of trying to win honestly, though, he sneaks into Fred's cave in the middle of the night to steal his "GRRR!" Upon waking, Fred realizes that his prized growl has been swiped in the night, and he sets off alone to find it. He looks everywhere to no avail, until - one by one - the other animals of the forest begin to help in his search. Though the GRRR remains lost, Fred's new friends urge him to carry on in the competition, pledging their support and eventually helping him win. They also soon discover that Boris is the culprit when Fred's GRR! comes tumbling out from under his turtleneck. Admitting his guilt, Boris explains he really only did it because he's new in town and lonely, and that if he was a "winner," maybe he could earn a few friends. Fred ultimately forgives Boris, seeing a bear that isn't so different from himself - a bear who is, in a Grinch-like twist, "not totally bad." Fred, in turn, offers his paw as a gesture of friendship. There's a great message of honesty, friendship, and forgiveness woven through the lines of this rhyming book. Great illustrations, really fun in a story time setting. One of my favorites so far.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Biddulph, Rob

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Harper/Harper Collins

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780062367259

Price: 17.99

Where Did They Go?

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2017

Review

This "seek-and-find" style book is a beautifully rendered and creatively imagined exploration of critically endangered animals. Structured like any typical spotting book, each page depicts a landscape with one animal blending in with its surroundings. The search aspect, however, comes with a twist: each animal is truly difficult to find, not only inside the book, but in the realm of the real world. The book explores a sizable collection of animals, from giant pandas to sloths, red squirrels to gray wolves, with a rhyming poem introducing and describing each one. The back of the book features a glossary with an enlarged picture of the animals, along with a deeper description of their habitat and why there are so few of them left. I found this idea to be quite a profound and clever way to introduce the idea of endangered species to children, as the concept and wording are easy to grasp even for young readers. This book comes at a pivotal point in our history, as we enter an age of unbridled environmental destruction throughout the world. I loved this idea not only for its lovely illustrations and straightforward text, but for the impact it could have on an entire generation. One of the best picture books I've seen.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Bornoff, Emily

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Big Picture Press

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780763689209

Price: 14.99

Wolf Camp

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2017

Review

This is a really cute, comical story about Homer, a dog who secretly pines to be a wolf. The story is told from Homer's point of view and follows him as he gets a surprise letter in a bag of his food inviting him to spend a week at "Wolf Camp." With some persistence and puppy dog eyes, his family fulfills his wishes and bids him farewell as he boards a bus with a collection of other dogs, reminiscent of a child heading off to summer camp. Homer and his fellow campers are greeted by his counselors- two real-live wolves, aptly named Fang and Grrr. After a safety talk, they begin by learning how to howl (with little luck, at first) and set off on their first real "hunt" (as a pet dog, Homer would regularly hunt moose - a stuffed toy moose, that is). The dogs partake in the wolves' catch (only implied through word bubbles, nothing graphic) and are surprised by the "unusual" flavor (he subsequently writes home and asks his family for a bag of Grandma Polly's Pampered Pooch bacon-flavored Doggie Snacks, claiming the food at Wolf Camp is gross). Homer and his fellow canine campers don't get much sleep their first night in the wild, but instead spend it huddled in a pile, kept awake by the mysterious sounds of the forest. With each day, however, they begin to adjust to life in the wild, eventually earning certificates that declared them "honorary wolves." Returning home proves bittersweet, though he is visibly excited as he runs towards his family. The story ends sweetly with Homer curled up at home (under a heated blanket), certificate proudly displayed, reflecting on his experience and howling - convincingly this time - out the window. Really cute story, nicely illustrated, and humorous for both children and adult readers. Fun for any story time setting.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Zuill, Andrea

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780553509120

Price: 16.99

A Hat for Mrs. Goldman

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2017

Review

This is a sweet, meaningful (and cross-cultural) story about love, empathy, and altruism. Mrs. Goldman is always busy knitting hats for everyone in the neighborhood, including Sophia, the main character of the book. Sophia, a young girl (presumably of Jewish faith; she and Mrs. Goldman discuss how knitting is their "mitzvah," a good deed done from religious duty) who thinks knitting is too difficult yet dutifully assists Mrs. Goldman in the process by creating the pom-pom toppers. Winter arrives and Sophia realizes that Mrs. Goldman has spent so much time knitting hats for others (and, as she states, giving her own away to people who need them) that she doesn't have a hat for herself! This gives Sophia the determination to continue trying to knit, but after several attempts, she is nearly ready to give up. Defeated, Sophia remembers what Mrs. Goldman told her: "your pom-poms add beauty, and that's a mitzvah too." She gathers a collection of pom-poms that she has made over the years and proceeds to attach them all to her initial project, surprising Mrs. Goldman with a unique, fluffy hat that ultimately brings her to tears. The story ends with Mrs. Goldman wearing her special new hat, as she and Sophia take her dog Fifi for a walk down a snowy street. The softly colored illustrations compliment the cozy feel of the story, while the text is relatively spare and thoughtful. Overall a great addition to any children's book collection.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Edwards, Michelle

Illustrator: Karas, G. Brian

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780553497106

Price: 17.99

A Firetruck Named Just Red

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2017

Review

Rowan wants a shiny new toy firetruck for his birthday - but instead receives a (visibly) vintage version that belonged to his grandfather when he was young. His grandfather, whom he calls Papa, assures Rowan that the two of them can fix it up even better than it used to be, then recounts all of the times he played with it as a boy. The tales are realistic at first - like when the firetruck, dubbed "Red," helped him rescue his pet cat from a tree - but quickly become much more imaginative! Papa paints a very vivid picture of when he and Red helped water elephants at a circus, and put out a blaze at their local library, sparking the boy's imagination as he listens. All of the sudden, Rowan is able to "hear Red's siren" and "see his lights through the fog," and before he knows it, Papa has introduced a new version of Red with brand new paint, wheels, and a ladder. "Red," Rowan thinks, "will never be new...but we could be a great team." The story ends with an elated Rowan riding on the back of spiffed-up Red, undoubtedly anticipating creating his own new adventures. The story is simple but charming. Young readers will delight in the fantastical storytelling while adults are sure to appreciate the overall message of gratitude and giving.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

De Seve, Randall

Illustrator: Staake, Bob

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux Books

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780374300739

Price: 16.99

Perrazo y Perrito (Big Dog and Little Dog)

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 6, 2017

Review

This is a great and comprehensive easy reader for children who are - or are becoming - bilingual. It is labeled on the back cover by guided reading level (D), Reading Recovery Level (5-6), Age (4-6), and lexile level. Written in both English and Spanish (with each sentence translated directly underneath), it tells the story of Perrazo (Big Dog) and Perrito (Little Dog) as they go about their day together. The story starts with the two of them then, once full, taking a nap together. The end of the book highlights the friendship between the two dogs, as it shows them "lonely" in their separate beds, and subsequently hopping into one bed together. The illustrations are delightfully appealing, and the cartoonish quality works well for this age group. The book also has a "match the sentence to the picture" section in the back, a sequencing activity that invites readers to put the scenes (5 in all) in the right order, and an introduction to identifying nouns and verbs. The fact that this book is bilingual makes it stand out from a lot of easy readers that I've seen and would work well for children who are ESL or those who are simply getting a jump-start on learning a second language.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Pilkey, Dav

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: paperback

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780544813243

Price: 3.99

Winnie and Waldorf Disobedience School

Reviewed by: Melissa Madigan MB - Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 7, 2017

Review

This book is a follow-up to the book Winnie and Waldorf about a Kindergarten-aged girl and her very best canine friend. In this tale, Waldorf, Winnie's lovable (albeit mischievous) bulldog gets into one heap of trouble after another. From eating Winnie's stuffed animals, to knocking people over as he chases pigeons through the park, Waldorf finally gets "enrolled" in Winnie's Disobedience School - a classroom set up via a desk in her bedroom. Winnie introduces him to his cubby (a cardboard box), "where he can put all his personal stuff during class," and assumes the role of teacher by reading him picture books, teaching him his ABC's, and - of course - music class, where Waldorf's low howl proves to be an excellent baritone. In math class, Waldorf excels at subtraction (by eating, one by one, a row of dog bones) - but for the same reason, has a bit of trouble with addition. Winnie's school even includes art and gym class, where the two of them paint and play tennis. But, during their outdoor play, they notice that the neighbor's dog is loose - and heading right for the street! Waldorf, knowing that no dog can resist joining in a game of tennis (or, rather, fetch with a tennis ball), passes the dog his ball and saves him from the dangers of running too close to the road. Humor abounds in the playfulness of this story, and readers of all ages will delight in the special friendship between the pair. Charming illustrations and bold text make it a fun choice for both a read-aloud or a lap-sit storytelling. Hope to see more books about these two!

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Hites, Kati

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: paperback

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9780062311627

Price: 17.99