Worst In Show

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 2, 2016

Review

This funny picture book about a pet monster contest is sure to appeal to the sense of humor of preschoolers. The pet monsters are to compete in 5 categories, including "Hairiest Warts" and "Smelliest Farts", but Albert's monster Sidney doesn't do that well, even though Albert thinks he is the best pet monster in the world. After all, he baths with lots of soap and bubbles and his diet of frosted cookies and cupcakes means he only musters a sugary whiff. Albert is embarrassed but appreciates Sidney for who he is, even when he sets a new record for the lowest score and he earns a very small trophy for "worst in show". The detailed illustrations are colored drawings that offer many different views of the contest that is televised live on TV, like the cameras and lights behind the scenes and the hilarious effects of the competition on the judges. It has a nice message about accepting someone for who they are and is bound to elicit lots of giggles!

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Bee, William

Illustrator: Hindley, Kate

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: library binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763673185

Price: 15.99

Who Wants Broccoli

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 2, 2016

Review

This is a delightful children's book about a dog who he is left at the doorstep of Beezley's Animal Shelter in a broccoli box and thus is named Broccoli. He has lived most of his life at the shelter because his exuberant tail-chasing, bowl-balancing and loud barking scares off potential families. Mrs. Beezley's philosophy is that "There's a lid for every pot and a pot for every lid", but Mr. Beezley relegates Broccoli to the back room because "This noisy, messy pot will never find a lid". Broccoli almost doesn't get to meet the boy of his dreams who is looking for a very fun, energetic dog and of course turns out to be the dog's "lid". The beautiful watercolor and colored pencil illustrations nicely complement the story and show the variety of sweet, happy animals who live at the shelter. The childlike excitement Broccoli exhibits and the expressions he makes are clearly conveyed and will surely bring smiles to the young reader/listener. I liked the fact that the setting is identified as an animal shelter and not a pet store. Although it isn't told in a particularly original story line, I would recommend this book because the message that there is a place for everyone to fit in is an important children's theme, and the illustrations would make this a favorite read-aloud.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Jones, Val

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780062303516

Price: 17.99

Animal Colors What They Mean

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 2, 2016

Review

This non-fiction picture book is not about identifying colors, but rather how colors help animals in the wild. The nicely composed colored photographs filling the pages and the large font text will engage the early reader. The excellent quality of the cover and binding will ensure years of use in the library or classroom. There is also an added section in the back with more information and resources, including a short picture glossary and a matching activity. However, I felt that the six vocabulary words that they chose to bold on some of the pages and then include in the glossary were a bit random. I also felt that the part about flamingo chicks changing from white to pink as they grow should have included the "why" because the fact that animals can change color due to diet could be a very interesting fact for children. The book is short and colorful which makes it a good first reader but with a little more attention to detail, the teaching potential of the book would have been greater.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Sawyer, J. Clark

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Bearport Publishing Company

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781627243216

Price: 23.93

When the Sky is Like Lace

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 8, 2016

Review

This book is a nonsensical tale about magical things that happen on bimulous nights when the sky is like lace including singing otters, sulking snails, dancing trees and grass that smells like gooseberry jam. There are lots of silly things you can do on these evenings like eating spaghetti with pineapple sauce, exchanging presents of three fireflies in a jar or pretend to be a helicopter. It uses some interesting vocabulary like the fictitious bimulous and I had to look up kissing gourami to see if was a real thing so I learned something. How many children's books use the color chartreuse? The soft muted water color illustrations set a lovely dream-like mood of a warm, stormy summer night. The Victorian-era details in the clothing and architecture were appealing and set an old-fashioned tone to the story. The illustrations were my favorite part of the story. The silliness of the verse could be appealing to children as a read-aloud, but it was didn't flow as I hoped it would.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Horwitz, Elinor

Illustrator: Cooney, Barbara

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Islandport Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: fantasy

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9781939017475

Price: 17.95

This Book's Maine Connection: Maine illustrator

Luna & Me: The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Choose Library District

Review Date: February 8, 2016

Review

Luna & Me The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest retells the story of how Julia "Butterfly" Hill courageously fought to save an ancient redwood by living in the tree for 738 days. The author does a wonderful job of making a very complex topic and story understandable for a child. She clarifies in the Author's Note that Butterfly is portrayed as a young girl instead of a woman in her early 20's to make it easier for children to relate to the story. The story shows what it was like to live in the tree and how hard it was to succeed in her quest to save the tree. The platform she lived on "was the size of a sandbox" and for exercise "she climbed barefoot to the very top of Luna every morning". It took a lot of teamwork and support from Butterfly's friends to succeed and that point is made as well. Kostecki-Shaw's acrylic and watercolor illustrations are beautiful with wonderful details of Luna and the nature of the forest. She writes in her author's note that camping with her family in the redwoods and spending a day at the base of Luna "fueled my illustrations with detail and magic". I would certainly agree. The changing layouts of the illustrations add even more interest to the story. This book would be an excellent resource for teachers to introduce environmental issues to children. The story also empowers children to make a difference and stand up for what they believe in.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Kostecki-Shaw, Jenny Sue

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780805099768

Price: 21.99

A Passion for Elephants the Real Life Adventure of Field Scientist Cynthia Moss

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 10, 2016

Review

This engaging book tells the story of how scientist Cynthia Moss became interested in saving the elephants of Africa from being killed for the ivory trade. The narrative starts with a description of Cynthia as a seven year old riding a "great, tall horse" because she "was not afraid of BIG things".; a theme that is continued through the story. We learn of her trip to Africa as a journalist taking pictures of the "most ENORMOUS land animals on planet Earth" and how she fell in love with the gentle creatures whom she decided to devote her life to studying. The book does a wonderful job of showing what she learned of the social/emotional life of the elephant families and explaining what ivory is and why she joined the fight to make the trade illegal all over the world. The beautiful mixed-media illustrations are very detailed and draw the reader in with wonderful colors and textures. The eyes of the elephants show great emotion. The book includes a picture and more detailed biography of Cynthia Moss as well as further reading suggestions and additional sources, although nothing is more recent than 2010 with the exception of the website for Cynthia's Amboseli Trust for Elephants. This book is a wonderful introduction to an animal rights activist who mad a difference and could inspire children to educate themselves about what goes on in other parts of the world where they could make a difference if they are "not afraid of BIG things."

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Buzzeo, Toni

Illustrator: Berry, Holly

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Penguin Group

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre: biography / autobiography

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780399187254

Price: 16.99

This Book's Maine Connection: Maine author,Maine illustrator

The Great Ice Engine

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 8, 2016

Review

This is the fourth entry in the Frozen series of early chapter books that explore further adventures with Anna & Elsa. Frozen fans are bound to love it, although it certainly isn't great literature. The story centers around the classic man vs. machine, old-fashioned physical labor versus new technology. The hilarious character of Oaken from Frozen has invented an ice cutting machine powered by a mouse to challenge Kristoff and the other ice harvesters. What ensues is a bit of mystery due to misinformation but is solved with a bit of magic and sisterly cooperation. It will be a popular choice at libraries with Frozen fans and is geared towards 2nd - 4th grade readers, but would be a great read aloud for younger kids.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

David, Erica

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Random House

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: adventure,fantasy,mystery

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780736434317

Price: 9.99

The Wishbone Wish

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 10, 2016

Review

A Thanksgiving themed entry in the Judy Moody & Stink series centered on the town's annual Turkey Trot race which both Judy and Stink are training for. Judy is so sure that she will win the first prize of the fat, juicy turkey, especially after the wishbone breaks in her favor over Stink, that she tells Grandma Lou to skip buying a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. McDonald's funny dialogue and sister/brother antics will make this a sure-fire hit with readers. The well-done, colored illustrations will help pull in reluctant readers and the large font on white background make it easy for early readers to transition to chapter books.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

McDonald, Megan

Illustrator: Reynolds, Peter

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: realistic fiction

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763672065

Price: 14.99

The Missing Zucchini

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 8, 2016

Review

Zeeta and Zelda Zamboni are missing their giant zucchini that was sure to win first prize in the vegetable competition at the Harrow Harvest Fair. It is up to Max and his Uncle Larry, who happens to be a ghost and can only be seen by Max, to solve the mystery before it's too late. A 200 pound zucchini can't be easy to steal but there are a host of suspects in this early chapter book mystery. It is a clever "whodunit" with an Agatha Christie-style gathering of suspects at the end of the story. Kid humor abounds (the first chapter is called "The Biggest Poop I Have Ever Seen") but a quickly moving plot with twist and turns kept me guessing until the end. It is an engaging story for readers transitioning to chapter books with large font on white pages and numerous pen and ink drawings enhancing the characters development. Sure to be popular with 2nd to 4th grade readers.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Falcone, L.M.

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: good

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: mystery

Audience: grades k-3,grades 4-6

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781771381543

Price: 12.95

Out of the Woods: A True Story of an Unforgettable Event

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: February 8, 2016

Review

This almost magical story tells the tale of an event which has been passed down from the grandfather of the author. Antonio Grioux grew up in the early part of the 20th century and lived in Gowganda, Ontario at a lakeside hotel in the wilderness where travelers, outdoor sportsmen, lumberjacks and miners stayed. He was always interested in the animal signs he saw in the forest around him and wanted to see more animals but realized that "the safest place for animals was a distant, hidden one" due to the livelihood of the men staying in the hotel. The summer of 1914 was a dry one and a forest fire forces the animals and the residents of Gowganda to come together for everyone's salvation and it gave me shivers when reading what happened. The detailed pen and ink illustrations are water colored washed with sepia ones and add to the primitive feel of the story. Perhaps Rebecca Bond has taken some liberties with this story as it is a remembrance of a child, but she has an author's note in the back stating it is true. It is a great launching point for talking to children about what life was like for early settlers and pioneers, and how different creatures could come together for everyone's benefit.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Bond, Rebecca

Illustrator: ,

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Margaret Ferguson Books

Book Type: picture book nonfiction

Genre:

Audience: grades k-3

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780374380779

Price: 17.99

Nil Unlocked

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: March 9, 2016

Review

Nil Unlocked is a science fiction story told from the view of the two main characters, Skye (the heroine) and Rives (the hero) who eventually come together to try and save the lives of teens who have been kidnapped and transported to a tropical island. The premise of gates mysteriously appearing and kidnapping teenagers as well as wild animals from all over the world and transporting them to an ancient pacific island called Nil pulls you into the story. Rives and Skye tell their survival tale in diary form allowing you to get to know the characters through their self-talk, but it is not always well written. There is some appropriation of native islander traditions that may be controversial to some, but it was a good enough read that I would read the continuing story that seems to be set up by the ending.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Matson, Lynne

Illustrator: ,

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co.

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: science fiction

Audience: grades 7-9,grades 10-12

Binding Type: Choose Binding Type

Binding Quality: good

ISBN: 9781627792936

Price: 17.99

Pirate's Lullaby: Mutiny at Bedtime

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: March 10, 2016

Review

Pirate's Lullaby: Mutiny at Bedtime is a super cute story about a little pirate who won't go to bed and Papa Pirate is extremely patient as Little Ned pulls all the stalling tactics every child and parent will relate to. It is filled with detailed, colorful illustrations of the pirate ship, room furnishings and the characters pirate attire. Even Ned's Captain Teddy sports an eye patch, head bandanna and peg leg! A couple of the picture spreads use rope rigging to outline picture bubbles very effectively portraying clean up activities and the search for Captain Teddy. Even though it is about bedtime, the book may be a bit too rollicking for getting kids to settle down at bedtime. The rhyming story is filled with lots of pirate lingo and grammar so I would practice it a bit to use as a read aloud during story time. The tale would definitely be a fun story for parents, particularly dads, to read to their kids. The last page with Papa Pirate snoring and Ned smiling up at him while cuddled in his arms is sure to bring a smile to readers of all ages.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Wessels, Marcie

Illustrator: Bowers, Tim

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: fiction in verse / poetry

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780385385329

Price: 16.99

A Lullaby for Little One

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: March 14, 2016

Review

A Lullaby for Little One is a sweet story about "Big Daddy Rabbit" and "Little One" going out to play at the end of a summer day. After they "raced", "chased", "whooped","swooped", "whirled" and "twirled", it was is a bit too much "hullaballoo" for teary Little One and Daddy knows it is time for a "lullaballoo". Every parent will recognize the tired tears that can erupt at the end of the day and the rabbits go home to curl up and go to sleep together. The watercolor illustrations go along nicely with the story and do a wonderful job expressing the emotions of the animals who happen to run on their hind legs like people. I found this a little strange looking in a couple of places, but probably won't bother children. The rhyming text and calming ending make this book a nice addition to a bedtime story library.

Overall Book Score: very good

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About the Book

Author:

Casey, Dawn

Illustrator: Fuge, Charles

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Candlewick

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre: fiction in verse / poetry

Audience: preschool

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763676087

Price: 12.99

Pookins Gets Her Way

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: March 14, 2016

Review

Pookins Gets Her Way tells the story of Pookins who uses bad behavior like yelling and throwing apples to get everything she wants. Adults are noticeably absent from the story but obviously ignore her behavior and meet her demands. The illustrations nicely portray the impudence of the urchin and even her boredom in her messy room filled with toys. Pookins meets a magic gnome who grants the wishes she demands including becoming the prettiest flower in the world. She discovers it isn't fun being potted as a flower and because she shelters the gnome with her petals, he turns her back into a girl again as long as she puts her bad behavior and apples into his "magic hat forever". She keeps one apple, "just in case". This is billed as a "story about being considerate" but that is a stretch as Pookins' change of heart is minimal, considering the amount of bad behavior on her part and the fact that she actually gets what she wants in the end.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Lester, Helen

Illustrator: Munsinger, Lynn

Illustration Quality: very good

Publisher: Houghton Mufflin Harcourt

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780544324060

Price: 8.99

Lovely Old Lion

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: April 10, 2016

Review

Lovely Old Lion is a lovely story about the relationship between King Lion and his grandson Lenny as King Lion shows signs of dementia. Grandpa forgets the rules of the board game, can't remember what a soccer ball is and seems to have thrown his crown away in the trash. Lenny also notices that his grandpa used to look "proud and kingly" and now he looks "worried and tired". When Grandma says Grandpa's not himself today, Lenny thinks "King Lion is still Grandpa!". He defends his beloved grandfather to his friends when he sings the same song over and over. When Grandpa's friends explain to Lenny that the King's brain isn't working as well as it did, the cub is determined to do something to help. By prompting his Grandpa to remember events about his past, Lenny is able to spend happy moments with King Lion even if it doesn't stop his brain from "wearing out". The story deals sensitively with the issue of dementia and the importance of intergenerational relationships. It even shows that encouraging the person to tell stories from the past can be a way to connect. The soft-colored illustrations nicely complement with story with good white space behind text. This would be a nice story for parents and librarians to share with children to gently explain dementia without delving into the issue of death.

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Jarman, Julia

Illustrator: Varley, Susan

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Anderson Press USA

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: trade edition

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9781467793100

Price: 17.99

Ten Thousand Skies Above You

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: April 10, 2016

Review

This intriguing young adult novel is told by 18 year old Marguerite Caine who travels to alternate dimensions using the Firebird, her brilliant parents' invention, with the objective of collecting the splintered consciousness of Paul, the love of her life. It is a sequel to "A Thousand Pieces of You" but brief explanations of past events made it understandable even though I had not read the first Firebird novel. The splinters of consciousness have been hidden in the versions of Paul that exist in parallel worlds by the evil Triad Corporation head who wants the Firebird for his own purposes. The main characters change their persona in some way in each dimension as Marguerite searches for the pieces of her boyfriend and questions her ideas about destiny. Readers may wonder how they might act differently in a different universe. Although the splintering of a person is reminiscent of a Harry Potter theme and the rules of travel to the other dimensions seem a little forced, it is an entertaining read. The imaginative elements of the other worlds are a good mix of familiar and fantasy. The fast-paced science fiction story keeps you guessing until the cliff-hanger ending and blends suspense, thrills, and romance so it should appeal to a broad base of high school readers.

Overall Book Score: good

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About the Book

Author:

Gray, Claudia

Illustrator: ,

Publisher: Harper Teen

Book Type: chapter book fiction

Genre: science fiction

Audience: grades 10-12

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: very good

ISBN: 9780062278999

Price: 17.99

Swap!

Reviewed by: Michelle Brenner - Casco Public Library, Casco, Choose Library District

Review Date: September 20, 2016

Review

Swap! by Steve Light is an appealing tale about bartering to obtain the items needed to fix up a broken-down sailing vessel. A button is traded for teacups which are soon traded for rope and then some of that is traded for oars, and the swapping continues until everything needed is obtained. The idea to swap comes to the child character in the story who wants to help the captain, "his sad friend", so the hero will surely appeal to young readers and listeners. The child has a pirate-like peg leg which I felt was a bit sad at first, but upon reflection realized that it may make the character relatable to children with a physical limitation and it in no way affects the child's ability to negotiate trades and navigate a row boat from island to island in search of all the needed supplies. The charming and intricate pen-and-ink illustrations have punches of brilliant color and deftly show the process of trading items to people who need them to get something that the sea captain and his pint-sized friend need. The story offers lots of opportunity to talk about how all things used to be hand made as the pictures show oars being carved from trees, anchors being hammered by a blacksmith, and sails being sewn by hand. It is a perfect read aloud with limited text on white space and a repetitive mantra of "SWAP!", making it a fun read for early readers as well. It will surely appeal to preschool teachers and all the pirate-lovers out there!

Overall Book Score: excellent

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About the Book

Author:

Light, Steve

Illustrator: Light, Steve

Illustration Quality: excellent

Publisher: Candlewick Press

Book Type: picture book fiction

Genre:

Audience: preschool,grades k-3

Binding Type: reinforced trade binding

Binding Quality: excellent

ISBN: 9780763679903

Price: 16.99