Month: December 2019

The Great Shark Rescue: Saving the Whale Sharks by Sandra Markle

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published Millbrook Press

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Image result for great shark rescue markle

Summary:  Opening with a story of two young whale sharks getting caught in a fishing net, Sandra Markle introduces readers to the variety of problems these animals face, all of them created by humans.  She looks at efforts to protect them, as well as some of the technologies scientists use to study them. While knowledge of these giants of the shark world has increased over the years, there are still discoveries to be made.  She describes how scientists have learned more in recent years about the way the sharks reproduce, but how they still don’t know exactly how young sharks survive in the ocean. The last page features the whale shark’s famous cousin, the great white shark, and provides information about its endangered status.  Includes an author’s note; a timeline of the scientific study of whale sharks; a glossary; additional resources; and an index. 48 pages; grades 4-6.

Pros:  Markle has produced another excellent science book, choosing a topic with lots of kid appeal and presenting science as a fascinating career choice.  There are plenty of photos and maps, and also a fair amount of text; definitely no dumbing-down here.

Cons:  All the books in this series (Sandra Markle’s Science Discoveries) seem to only be available as e-books or with library bindings, $25.00 on Follett; $32.00 on Amazon.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

The Story That Cannot Be Told by J. Kasper Kramer

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

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Summary:  “He’s gone.  They’ve killed him,” announces Ileana’s father on page one.  Slowly, we find out that “he” is Ileana’s uncle, a poet who has written protests against the Romanian government.  It’s 1989, and the secret police are everywhere. When Ileana allows an “electrician” into their home and later discovers a bug in her bedroom, her parents decide she must leave the city for her own safety.  Ileana is a storyteller, and her move to a remote village to live with the grandparents she’s never met fires up her imagination. As she tells the facts of her stay there–making a new friend, learning how to do farm chores, observing the Securitate slowly close in on the community–she weaves in a story about Brave Ileana, a princess who must find the courage to save her family.  As the villagers begin to hear of the revolution taking place in the city, they must all band together to save themselves–and Ileana is at the very center of their plan. 384 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  This debut novel grabs readers from page one and pulls them right into the drab world of Communist Romania–but also shows the beauty and imagination of the country through the stories Ileana hears and tells.  

Cons:  It’s taken me awhile to get to this book.  The cover didn’t appeal to me, nor did the idea of having fairy tales mixed in with historical fiction.  I’m glad I made time for it before the end of the year.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

From a Small Seed: The Story of Eliza Hamilton by Camille Andros, illustrated by Tessa Blackham

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Henry Holt and Co.

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Interior Image

Summary:  Eliza is introduced as a strong girl, growing up in a big brick house with loving parents.  She likes to run and climb, but is also compassionate. She often sees an orphan boy and feels sorry for him, sharing her food when she can.  Later, she meets another orphan (Alexander Hamilton, although he’s not identified in the text), marries him, and works to help him found a new nation.  When tragedy strikes, and she and her eight children are left on their own, she remembers the orphan boy and starts the Orphan Asylum Society and the Hamilton Free School.  Throughout the story, trees are used as symbols from the young saplings Eliza sees as a child to the grove of tall trees that overlook her grave. Includes notes from the author and illustrator and three additional sources.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  This is a brief and lovely introduction to the inspiring life of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, a bit more accessible to younger readers than Margaret McNamara’s 2018 book Eliza.  The tree symbolism works well, as do the muted illustrations.  

Cons:  The author’s note reveals that few details are known of Eliza’s life, and that her interactions with the orphan boy at the beginning are fictional, making this book straddle the line between biography and historical fiction.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Remarkables by Margaret Peterson Haddix

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Katherine Tegen Books

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Summary:  Marin’s family is dealing with a move from Illinois to Pennsylvania and a new baby in the family; Marin’s also grieving over the loss of her two best friends after a fight right before the move.  Exploring the woods behind her new house one day, Marin sees a group of teenagers and watches them have fun together until they abruptly disappear. A few days later she meets Charley, an unfriendly neighborhood boy who reluctantly admits that he has seen the same group of teens.  He calls them the Remarkables, and he eventually reveals his connection to them. He believes they’re time travelers from the past; he’s pretty sure one of the boys is his father, whose drug addiction was fueled by guilt over having inadvertently caused the death of one of the girls. The transitions in Marin’s life becoming interwoven with the events of two decades ago as she and Charley try to figure out if they can change the past without upsetting the present and the future. 304 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  While there’s a touch of the supernatural here, Margaret Peterson Haddix moves away from her usual science fiction to focus more on family relationships and friendships.  The different strands of the story hum along at a pace that will keep readers turning the pages to find out how everything is resolved.  The happy ending celebrates friends and family with all their imperfections.

Cons:  Haddix fans may miss her usual cliffhanger chapter endings.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Henry Holt and Co.

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Summary:  A brave group of seven kits ventures into a nearby den to hear what their mother has warned them will be the scariest story ever.  A mysterious storyteller begins with a story about a kit named Mia whose brothers and sisters contract a disease that turns them mad.  It’s pretty scary, and at the end of it, one of the kits decides to leave. The next story is about a kit named Uly who only has three paws, and who is terrorized by a fox named Mr. Scratch–who turns out to be his father.  That drives another kit from the den. And so it goes, with the stories of Mia and Uly eventually intersecting as they manage to escape from one harrowing situation after another. By the end, only the littlest kit is left. When she and the storyteller start talking, their identities are revealed, which neatly ties up the book with an unexpectedly happy ending.  320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  The scare level is just right for elementary kids, and animal lovers will enjoy it as well.  It’s a pretty long shot, but this book is so unique and so well-written, it would be fun to see it get some Newbery recognition.

Cons:  Beatrix Potter fans might want to skip the story entitled “House of Trix”. 

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

The Quest for the Golden Fleas (Zeus the Mighty, Book 1) by Crispin Boyer

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Under the Stars (imprint of National Geographic)

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Summary:  Zeus the hamster lives with his friends Demeter (grasshopper), Athena (cat), and Ares (pug) at the Mount Olympus Pet Center.  Artie is the human who runs the center, but when she’s not around, the animals live a secret life, re-enacting the myths they hear on Artie’s  “Greeking Out” podcast.  When Zeus hears the story of Jason and the Golden Fleece, he hears it as Golden Fleas, and becomes determined to go on a quest for the Fleas. But when a dragon (lizard) gets loose in the pet shop, it seems as though Demeter and her insect pals may be in danger.  Zeus has to choose between his quest and helping his friend. It’s one adventure after another as the animals survive dangers and learn the true meaning of friendship. Includes additional information on Greek mythology and the gods and goddesses referenced in the story.  187 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Combining Greek mythology with a bunch of lovable pets is sure to be a winning formula for elementary readers.  Lots of illustrations add to the appeal. Look for book 2 coming in May 2020.

Cons:  Zeus isn’t exactly the brightest bulb in the chandelier.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

A Race Around the World: The True Story of Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland by Caroline Starr Rose, illustrated by Alexandra Bye

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Albert Whitman and Co.

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Summary:  In 1889, reporter Nellie Bly declared she could travel around the world in 75 days.  She convinced her boss at the New York World to let her try, and on November 14, she set off from New Jersey.  When Elizabeth Bisland’s boss at Cosmopolitan magazine read about her trip, he convinced her to take a train to San Francisco that night and try to beat Bly back to New York.  The two women, traveling in opposite directions, took trains and ships from one destination to the next, as readers followed their adventures.  Nellie returned on January 25, 1890, to cheering crowds and a ten-cannon salute. Elizabeth made it back on January 30 to a much smaller crowd. But both women had made it in under 80 days, breaking the previous record.  Elizabeth, who had been something of a homebody before, traveled and wrote for the rest of her days. Includes an author’s note and three additional sources. 32 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  My daughter loved Nellie Bly when she was younger.  Come to think of it, I wrote in my eighth grade diary that I wanted to be a reporter like Nellie after reading how she went undercover to report on insane asylums.  So I know Nellie’s story is captivating to kids.  I didn’t know about Elizabeth Bisland, but it makes a great tale to follow both women’s adventures as they hurried around the world.

Cons:  Photos and/or more research material would have made a nice addition, so here’s one for you now.  Elizabeth is on the left, Nellie on the right.

Image result for elizabeth bisland nellie bly photo

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Little Libraries, Big Heroes by Miranda Paul, illustrated by John Parra

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Clarion Books

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Summary:  Even when Todd struggled in school, his mom told him he could be whatever he wanted to be.  After she died, he remembered her teaching neighborhood kids to read and decided to build a box shaped like a small schoolhouse and fill it with books.  His neighbors noticed it during a yard sale, and their enthusiasm inspired Todd to build more boxes. When sales remained flat, Todd and his friend Rick traveled around the midwest, planting boxes in Wisconsin, Illinois, and Minnesota.  Their efforts made the news, and little libraries became a big thing. There are now libraries all over the U.S. and around the world. Todd was a hero, the people who were inspired by his idea are heroes, and maybe one day you will start a little library and be a hero too.  Includes an author’s note and additional sources of information. 40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  I always enjoy Miranda Paul’s inspiring nonfiction picture books, and I like how this one emphasizes that even ordinary people can become heroes.  Readers will come away with an idea of something they can do today to help others.

Cons:  You’d think I would be all over the little library idea, but somehow it has never really grabbed me.  Guess I just prefer big libraries.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Greenwillow

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Summary:  Lalani lives in a village suffering under a drought.  She takes a trip up the forbidden mountain near the village, and meets a strange man there who grants her wish for rain.  Unfortunately, he causes the rain to fall without ceasing, and when flooding begins, the villagers blame Lalani. Meanwhile, her mother has fallen ill with mender’s disease, an illness that is nearly always fatal.  Lalani decides to travel over the sea to the fabled land of Isa. Many men from her village have sailed away in search of this land, but have never returned. Her voyage turns out to be perilous, but she is kind to all the strange creatures she meets, and they help her get the help she’s seeking.  Her friends at home take care of some difficult situations there, so that everyone is reunited for a happily-ever-after ending. 400 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  I wouldn’t be surprised to see this win the Newbery medal or honor.  It’s a beautifully written book with amazing world building that is based on Filipino folklore.  There are many interesting characters (human and otherwise), settings, and legends that fans of folklore-inspired fantasy are sure to love.

Cons:  While I can appreciate the mastery at work here, this genre is just not my cup of tea, so I really had to push through to the end.  If you liked The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill or Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin, you will undoubtedly love this.  If you didn’t, come sit next to me.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Pokko and the Drum by Matthew Forsythe

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Simon and Schuster

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Image result for pokko and the drum

Summary:  “The biggest mistake Pokko’s parents ever made was giving her a drum.”  Pokko’s playing is so loud they can’t hear each other talking.  One day, her dad suggests she take it outside, reminding her, “We’re just a little frog family that lives in a mushroom, and we don’t like drawing attention to ourselves.”  As Pokko bangs her drum through the forest, a raccoon is seen lurking. A banjo-playing raccoon, that is, who joins in. Next comes a rabbit with a trumpet, and a wolf who just enjoys the music. When the wolf eats the rabbit, Pokko sternly informs him that is not allowed, opening the way for all members of the food chain to join the band.  At the end of the day, the group sweeps into Pokko’s house and carries her parents along. “I think that’s Pokko down in front!” exclaims her father. “And you know what? I think she’s pretty good!” 64 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I found this book pretty hilarious, and the message of literally marching to the beat of your own drum is deftly delivered.  The watercolor illustrations give the story a slightly surreal, slightly retro feel.

Cons:  The wolf eating the rabbit felt like an unnecessarily disturbing detail.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.