Month: March 2016

Our Moon: New Discoveries About Earth’s Closest Companion by Elaine Scott

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Clarion Books

 

Summary:  Everything you ever wanted to know about the moon but were afraid to ask..  From the earliest ancient astronomers who observed Earth’s satellite with the naked eye to the scientists today who are trying to figure out a way to colonize the moon, Our Moon traces the history of humans’ lunar interactions.  It also looks at how the moon has also been studied to learn more about the history of the solar system, particularly after rocks and dust were brought back to Earth from the Apollo missions.  Back matter includes an extensive glossary and index and sources for further information.  72 pages; ages 10-13

Pros:  This book is positively dripping with information. The engaging writing style will appeal to researchers and browsers alike.  Filled with color photos, diagrams, and sidebars, this is nonfiction at its best.

Cons:  The subtitle makes it sound like this is a book about new discoveries about the moon, while that is actually only one small part of the whole.

 

The Great Pet Escape by Victoria Jamieson

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Published by Henry Holt and Company 

Summary:  GW (real name, George Washington) has been stuck in his hamster cage for three months, two weeks, and one day.  He and his friends, Barry the bunny and Biter the ferocious guinea pig used to be the Furry Fiends until they were captured and turned into classroom pets.  As the story opens, GW has just figure out a way to unlock the cage.  At the end of the school day, he makes his break and goes off in search of his companions.  To his dismay, Barry seems pretty happy in first grade, and Biter has completely gone over to the dark side of kindergarten, calling herself Sunflower and practicing yoga to handle her anger issues.  GW finally convinces them to return to their previous life, but their plans are interrupted by Harriet, the fourth grade mouse, leading an army that includes the fifth grade snake and ten more mice (or wait, is it nine and a well-fed snake?).  War breaks out in the halls and cafeteria of the school, and a single food fight could change the course of class pet history forever.  64 pages; ages 6-10.

Pros:  Victoria Jamieson is a genius. Roller Girl was a Newbery winner and one of my favorite graphic novels of 2015.  Now she’s gone in a totally new direction with a hilarious new graphic.  Unlike some “humorous” kids’ books that just seem silly, this one had me laughing out loud on every page.

Cons:  I can’t decide which sequel I want to see first…Roller Girl 2 or another installment of Pets on the Loose.

Emma and Julia Love Ballet by Barbara McClintock

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 Published by Scholastic Press

 

Summary:  Emma and Julia both love ballet.  Emma goes to her beginners’ class, while Julia takes a class with the company she’s part of.  When Emma warms up and stretches, Julia is doing the same in her class.  Both work hard at the barre, then soar through their dance moves.  At the end of the day, Emma is excited to be going to a ballet performance.  Afterwards, she gets to go backstage, where she meets some of the dancers, including Julia.  Emma gets a big hug, and some words of encouragement that Julia was also once a little girl who loved ballet.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Young ballerinas will love seeing the dancers of all ages on these pages.  The illustrations are simple, yet detailed enough to give a real feel for the world of ballet.  Bringing the two ballet fans together creates a satisfying and inspiring ending.

Cons: How did Emma get to go backstage? Readers might think this is a standard part of every performance.

 

The Almost Terrible Playdate written and illustrated by Richard Torrey

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Published by Doubleday Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  A boy and a girl ask each other, “What do you want to play?”  Unfortunately, neither one has an answer the other one likes.  The boy wants to a dinosaur or a dragon or a race car driver; the girl a magical wizard or a ballet instructor or queen of the universe.  As each one makes a suggestion, the other one’s imagined interpretation of the idea is shown in a crayon cartoon bubble, purple for the girl and green for the boy.  Finally, unable to agree on anything, they go their separate ways.  Each one starts creating with blocks, but is unable to keep from looking at what the other is doing.  Finally, they break down and tell what they’re making; this inspires them to make up a game that includes both creations, and by the end of the playdate, they’re ready to make plans to get together another time.  40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  A good lesson on the art of compromise.  Kids will enjoy the illustrations of what the two characters are thinking.

Cons:  The ideas for games were a little gender stereotypical.

The Nine Lives of Jacob Tibbs by Cylin Busby

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Published by Alfred A. Knopf 

Summary: Narrator Jacob is the runt of his litter, born to seafaring wonder cat Mrs. Tibbs, a champion ratter who also can predict when a storm is coming. All his brothers and sisters find homes on other ships, but Jacob stays behind with his mother.  He’s devoted to Captain Natick, but not so fond of Archer, the new first mate, who’s the son of the shipping company’s owner and doesn’t have a clue about sailing.  On the first day out, Archer persuades the captain to ignore Mrs. Tibbs’ warning of bad weather.  Disaster follows, setting in motion a chain of events that eventually results in accusations of mutiny, and several sailors, including Jacob, being cast adrift.  It’s one adventure after another in this tale of life on the high seas in a nineteenth-century sailing vessel.  272 pages; ages 8-12.

Pros:  From storms to mutiny to shipwreck, the action never stops.  Jacob is an endearing narrator.  This would make an engaging classroom read-aloud.

Cons:  Beloved characters die.

 

Always Remember by Cece Meng, illustrated by Jago

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Published by Philomel Books

Always Remember: Meng, Cece, Jago: 9780399168093: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  When Old Turtle takes his last breath and swims his last swim, the waves carry him away, and his friends remember him.  The young turtles remember how he taught them how to swim; the otters remember how he loved to play and have fun; the manatee remembers how he rescued him when he was tangled in a fishing net.  At the end, they conclude that Old Turtle lived a life filled with kindness, love, and helpfulness, and his legacy will live on through their own lives.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  A beautifully illustrated simple story that celebrates a life well-lived and gives children a way to look at death as the completion of life.

Cons:  Another three-Kleenex read-aloud.

Before I Leave by Jessixa Bagley

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Published by Roaring Brook Press 

Summary: A hedgehog learns she is moving to a new home, and is heartbroken to be leaving her anteater best friend. They decide to play together one last time just the way they always have.  The two friends are sad, and the hedgehog is scared about moving some place new, but they manage to have one more day of fun together before they have to go their separate ways.  When the hedgehog starts to unpack at her new house, she finds that her friend has snuck pictures and notes into her suitcase.  The last pages shows her sitting in her room, the papers clipped to a clothesline, beginning a letter to her friend.  40 pages; ages 4-7.

Pros:  This simple story would be a good way to help children express their feelings about a move or a friend who is moving.  The sweet illustrations show the fun the two friends have shared.

Cons:  The hedgehog’s face is so small sometimes it’s hard to see her expressions.

 

Fabulous Frogs by Martin Jenkins, illustrated by Tim Hopgood

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Published by Candlewick Press 

Summary:  “Did you know that there are more than 5,000 kinds of frogs?” begins this book, and then proceeds to describe some of the more unusual ones.  There are big frogs and little ones, poisonous frogs, and frogs that can jump sixteen feet, appear to fly, and live buried underground for years.  The last two pages include eight more frog portraits, a very short index, and a recommended website for learning more.  32 pages; ages 5-8.

Pros:  This would be a great nonfiction read-aloud for young animal lovers.  The big, colorful illustrations (by Tim Hopgood, how perfect is that?) nicely complement the conversational text.

Cons:  My curiosity at how the Australian water-holding frog lives underground for “years and years” in a very small hole was not satisfied.

What Are You Glad About? What Are You Mad About? by Judith Viorst, with art by Lee White

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Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  These mostly humorous poems are divided into eleven sections, such as How Are You Feeling Today?; School Stuff; About the Family; Home and Away;  and Friends and Other People. As the title suggests, there are poems about glad topics, like a perfect day, home, and a fun “arithmetrick”, and others about mad/sad topics, like divorce or an ex-best friend.  Black, white, and blue illustrations are on every page.  112 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  Published a week after Judith Viorst’s 85th birthday, this fun collection shows she still excels at writing for an elementary audience.  The subjects are perfect for kids, and the poems have a good blend of humor and poignancy.

Cons:  Some of the lines of poetry were a little uneven, so the poems didn’t flow quite as smoothly as they could have.

 

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Frank Morrison

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Published by Chronicle Books 

Summary:  Alta’s pretty sure she’s the fastest kid in Clarksville, Tennessee, until Charmaine comes along and challenges her to a couple of races.  Charmaine’s got new sneakers, and Alta’s toes are poking out of hers, but the contest ends in a draw.  Alta’s unhappy about the new girl, until the next day, when she’s racing to get herself and her banner to the parade in time to see Olympic medalist Wilma Rudolph go by.  The two girls work together, and end up with a curbside seat to the parade.  Wilma gives them a wave and a smile, and the two girls find themselves smiling at each other as well.  An author’s note gives a brief history of Wilma Rudolph and her victory parade, which she insisted be open to all races, making it the first major integrated event in Clarksville’s history.  40 pages; ages 5-8.

Pros:  A fun story of friendship, served up with a slice of history.  Frank Morrison occasionally channels Hilary Knight in his action-packed illustrations.

Cons:  Kids will need a little background on Wilma Rudolph before reading this book to fully appreciate the story.