Fans will love the fourth novel of the “Hunchback Assignments.” Modo is off to France with Octavia to search for his real parents. The Clockwork Guild is in a race to find them first as Modo’s parents are the key to his strength and transformational capacities. After the heart-wrenching and botched mission in France, Dr. Socrates and the teens are off to join their forces in Canada to prepare for the final battle with the Guild. Tension and suspense and conflict in this novel is as high as in the first. The deaths of important characters and the horrors of Dr. Hyde’s laboratory inventions add to the nastiness of the conflict and to the intrigue. Who knew that Modo’s little finger held enough power to sustain and strengthen a cadaver monster.
Reviewer: Joan Enders, Robert A. Long High School http://bookbevy.wordpress.com
Smith, L. J. TITLE: The Vampire Diaries The Hunters: Moonsong RATING: R PUBLISHER: Harper Teenã 2012 PRICE: $17.99
ISBN: 978-0-06-201770-3 INTEREST LEVEL: 7th & up ILLUSTRATOR: NA PAGES: 392
This is the second book of The Vampire Diaries with Elena, Stephan, and her friends all heading to Dalcrest College a few hours away from Fells Church. After the horror of the Dark Dimension life with Stefan is looking better than ever and Elena is looking forward to college life. Soon students are disappearing or turning up dead. Panic spreads through the college and Elena and her friends struggle to keep each other safe. A secret society is soon discovered and with the discovery comes the evil vampires. When Matt is almost turned into a vampire, Stefan trades him places and hopes that his brother Damon will come to his rescue. Elena has a hard time keeping Stefan as her boyfriend and Damon as her friend because she really cares about them both. Will it be Damon or Stefan who saves her?
REVIEWER: Vicki White, Cascade Middle School
Smolka, Bo TITLE: The Negro Leagues’ Integration Era RATING: R
The Negro Baseball Leagues series. This informative text describes the history of Negros integrating into major league baseball. It focuses on Jackie Robinson, but includes many other players of historical importance. It shows the hardships that these players endured and overcame in order to play in the majors. The photos are eye-catching and appealing. Includes timeline, glossary, references and index. This is a great read for upper elementary and middle school students interested in baseball and the history of baseball. While overall this is a great read, it would be better if the text on the right hand pages would end at the end of a sentence. There are many insets with additional information and it is challenging to stop reading mid-sentence to read the added information before turning the page. Like-wise turning the page to finish the sentence and then turn back to read the inserts is cumbersome. The information is great and the reader doesn’t want to miss any of it.
REVIEWER: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School
Spinelli Eileen TITLE: Together at Christmas RATING: R PUBLISHER: Albert Whitmas PRICE: $15.99
ISBN: 978-0-8075-8010-3 INTEREST LEVEL: K-4th ILLUSTRATOR: Bine Lee PAGES: NA
This is an elimination book starting with ten little mice huddle in the snow. One by one each mouse finds shelter and warmth. But they realize that even though they each have a warm place to stay they don’t have each other so they brave the cold sing Christmas carols and find a log that can house all of them together.
PUBLISHER: Albert Whitman and Company PRICE: $7.99
ISBN: 978-0-8075-1043-8 INTEREST LEVEL: K-2 ILLUSTRATOR: Anne Kennedy PAGES: 30
Sweet Callie Cat’s true love is iceskating! There is nothing she enjoys more! She learns about the Honeybrook Ice Skating Contest and couldn’t be more excited! The winner receives tremendous prizes! Callie practices hard for the competition and along the way learns that enjoying what you’re doing is more important than winning. This book teaches a valuable life lesson and captivates the reader with its illustrations and fun dialogue. I can’t wait to read more books about Callie Cat!
Stead, Rebecca TITLE: Liar and Spy RATING: R PUBLISHER: Wendy Lamb Books ã 2012 PRICE: $15.99
ISBN: 978-0-385-73743-2 INTEREST LEVEL: 6th - 8th ILLUSTRATOR: NA
Life is not going well for Georges. First he is an only child whose parents have to sell their house and move into an apartment and his former best friend stands by while Georges is bullied. Soon Georges meets one of the new neighbors, Safer, who is an amateur spy and his sister, Candy, who Safer has to babysit. As homeschooled siblings they have a different perspective about public schools and especially what happens in Science with the taste bud theory. Soon Georges is recruited to help investigate and observe by using the lobby cam a mysterious tenant and binoculars to monitor a nest of parrots across the road. There are some hilarious details in parts of the book and makes you think about what making friends.
REVIEWER: Vicki White, Cascade Middle School
Steinberg, D.J. TITLE: Kindergarten, Here I Come! RATING: A+
PUBLISHER: Grosset & Dunlap, 2012 PRICE: $3.99
ISBN: 978-0-448-45624-9 INTEREST LEVEL: PreK-K
ILLUSTRATOR: Chambers, Mark PAGES: 32
A wonderful book highlighting big steps in Kindergarten is what this book is all about! Each page covers a different Kindergarten topic, from the teacher to the subject of line leaders. The fun rhyming text and colorful pictures make for a very fun read for this age child!
Reviewer: Nikki Williams, Castle Rock Elementary
Stier, Catherine TITLE: Today on Election Day RATING R
PUBLISHER: Albert Whitman PRICE: $16.99
ISBN: 978-0-8075-8008-0 INTEREST LEVEL: ILLUSTRATOR: David Leonard PAGES: NA
The book very simple talks about what goes on in an election day, it has vocabulary to explain different things such as polling, democracy, etc. An excellent book to help tell your class about the elections.
Penelope Crumb has a big nose! This would be a problem for most girls, but not for Penelope. She embraces her large nose when she learns it is inherited from a side of her family she knows little about. It leads her on an adventure to find a grandfather she has never met and renew some family relationships. This is a story that many young girls can relate to. It focuses on a young girl’s curiosity and longing for adventure, as well as touching on strained familial relationships in a light-hearted manner. It also sends a positive message to girls regarding body image and self-esteem.
REVIEWER: Rachel Kerker, St. Helens Elementary Kenney, Sean
Sullivan Rake, Jody TITLE: Why Rabbits Eat Poop and Other Gross Facts About Pets RATING: R
If you are looking for disgusting facts about various pets, this book if for you! From information about why rabbits eat poop to why a ferret plays in its litter box, this book is full of grotesque facts and details about pets you may have in your own home. This book has colorful illustrations, bold vocabulary throughout, a glossary, and a page where you can find other resources about disgusting pet facts. A perfect read for the lover of the disgusting!
This is a simple, yet entertaining counting book. Beginning with ten guinea pigs at a birthday, it counts backwards as something happens to each of the guests, leaving the birthday guinea pig wishing its friends would return. And they do! The simple rhyme will appeal to toddlers and beginning readers will enjoy reading it independently. The illustrations are colorful and eye-catching and I appreciate that the guinea pigs have the correct number of toes!
REVIEWER: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School
Swain, Gwenyth TITLE: World War I: An Interactive History Adventure RATING: A
You Choose: History series. This interactive novel allows the reader to choose which path they’d like the main characters to take as World War I develops and is fought. There are three main topics: helping with the Belgian resistance movement, fighting as a British soldier and volunteering with the American Field Service, and several different paths to follow within each topic. The information is historically correct and the paths are short, only a few pages each. The topics are interesting, but it would be nice to have more depth and development to the different paths. It seems expensive for a short read. Elementary students looking for short war stories will enjoy this.
REVIEWER: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School
Swanson, Jennifer TITLE: Body Bugs: invisible creatures lurking inside you RATING: R+
This full color paperback graphic novel is one of the best graphic novels I’ve read in a long time! A down and out dad remembers his son’s birthday, but is only able to buy him some cardboard. The vendor tells him they will have great fun building things together and tells him a few rules to remember about the cardboard. The pair makes a life-sized cardboard boxer that magically comes to life and they are thrilled! The boy begins making other projects out of the scraps and the neighboring teen bully decides he wants some of that cardboard. The boy has built a cardboard maker from the scraps and the bully steals it. The bully makes his own creations that proceed to overtake the bully and claim the house as their own. The boy tries to help and with the help of his dad they defeat the magical cardboard creations. This graphic novel will appeal to middle school boys and girls alike. It shows the power of creativity and perseverance and leaves you rooting for the underdog.
REVIEWER: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School
Thomas, Elizabeth TITLE: Snapping Turtles RATING: Ad
PUBLISHER: Capstone Press, 2011 PRICE: $23.99
ISBN: 978-1-4296-6644-2 INTEREST LEVEL: PreK-2
ILLUSTRATOR: photographs PAGES: 24
The photographs are what make this book. They are close-up and clear. My favorite photograph is when the baby turtle is making its way out of its
shell. The text is simple and provides basic information about the snapping turtle and how it survives in its habitat. This book could be used to teach
about the features of nonfiction text especially to younger children because of the minimal amount of information given.
REVIEWER: Holly James, Barnes Elementary School, Kelso, WA
Thomas, Peggy TITLE: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson RATING: R+
PUBLISHER: Calkins Creek, 2011 PRICE: $16.95
ISBN: 978-1-59078-764-9 INTEREST LEVEL: 1st -
ILLUSTRATOR: Jacques, Laura PAGES: 40
This is a fun yet serious story about the life-long love that Roger Peterson had for the learning about and love of birds. The story carries us from his
childhood through his entire life. We learn that his love of birds started off early in his childhood. He began sketching, painting and documenting his
learnings about birds. He started out by attending art classes, being a camp guide, was asked to join bird clubs, became director of education for the
National Audubon Society and Bird-Lore. He wrote and illustrated the Field Guide to the Birds, and several additions since. This book was
important because it was the first book of this type that was created for people who knew nothing about birds; it was useful for the average person.
later he discovered the effects of DDT and was a major contender in t getting the government to banned the use of it. He accomplished these things
and so many more that have shaped our knowledge and understanding about birds and nature. This book was inspirational because it portrayed a real
sense of who Roger Peterson was and how much he accomplished in his life. It reminds us about what we can do with our lives and about the
importance of following our passion but also the importance of enjoying and protecting nature. The illustrations are beautifully elaborate and soft;
they bring out the details and serenity found in nature. Each illustrated page deepens the feelings and understanding of the passage and what Mr.
Peterson was working for. This book was a pleasure to read and one that I am sure I will be returning to myself and recommending to others.
REVIEWER: Holly James, Barnes Elementary School, Kelso, WA
As part of the series, Explore the United States, this book focuses on the 42nd state to join the nation: Washington. It covers all the usual things a state book covers, including its history, famous Washingtonians, general facts, important cities and places to visit, amongst other things. None of the sections is very long, but I did enjoy the timeline and the way the Tour Book section was set up. It talks about places to cheer, play, discover, view and see. There are lots of pictures which is a very important feature.
Reviewer: Nikki Williams, Castle Rock Elementary
TITLE: Baby Sounds RATING: A PUBLISHER: Penguin Group ã 2012 PRICE: $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3831-7 INTEREST LEVEL: infant-toddlers ILLUSTRATOR: Joy Allen PAGES: 14
Baby Sounds is a board book that introduces all the new sounds that baby can hear in his daily experiences. Baby hears sounds in his room when first wakes up to the kiss sound when going to bed. The illustrations look like pastels with soft colors and smiling faces. While there is nothing wrong with this book, it is not the type of book that I would put in my infant library. The educational value is not enough for me to spend this money in this economy for this type of book.
REVIEWER: Tyra K. Smith, Head Start/EHS/ECEAP
Tougas, Shelley TITLE: Weapons, Gear, and Uniforms of the Iraq War RATING: R
Equipped for Battle series. This text provides a brief introduction to the Iraq War and then goes into detail about the various weapons and gear troops used there, It also describes the various aspects of the uniforms. It concludes with a look at airplanes, assault weapons and new technologies that were developed. Includes glossary, index, and references. This book will be popular with upper elementary and middle school boys. The rich photos are balanced with descriptive and concise text. Boys will surely look for others in this series.
REVIEWER: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School
Tougas, Shelly TITLE: The Science of Weapons RATING: A
Part of the Science of War series. This book discusses a variety of military weapons and the basics of how they work. Rather than going into lots of depth on each weapon, it gives enough information to satisfy the reader and then moves on to the next topic. While the content of the book is good, the small font size makes it challenging to read. There is plenty of white space on the pages to increase the font size. The photographs are interesting and the inserted text boxes have larger print, leaving many readers to skim through this read.
REVIEWER: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School
Tourville, Amanda Doering TITLE: My Friend Has Autism RATING: R PUBLISHER: Picture Window Books ã 2012 PRICE: $18.99
This is not a new book to my library, and I reviewed this book last year. The book size has been modified they made it a little smaller. Also, this book has been made into bi-lingual edition using English and Spanish. I love that they are writing more non-fiction in both English and Spanish this is lacking in the early grades. This is still a recommend for me.
REVIEWER: Tyra K. Smith, Head Start/EHS/ECEAP
Trueman, Terry TITLE: Life Happens Next RATING: R PUBLISHER: Harper Teen, 2012 PRICE: $17.99
ISBN: 978-0-06-202803-7 INTEREST LEVEL: 9 - 12
ILLUSTRATOR: NA PAGES: 129
It’s been twelve years since Trueman published Stuck in Neutral. One would worry that readers would have lost interest, but I suspect that this amazing little book will be the catalyst for a whole new generation of young adults to check out Shawn’s story and that of his brother, Paul, in Cruise Control. Shawn is 15, and suffers from Cerebral Palsy (CP). His disability is so profound that he can’t communicate or even take care of his own basic needs. Shawn’s body imprisons a mind that catalogues everything he hears perfectly. That same body utterly betrays him and eclipses a fine mind and sharp wit. The comparison is so painful that readers can’t help but look at CP and even autism through a whole new lens. The story starts with Shawn’s discovery that he has fallen hopelessly in love with one of his sister’s best friends—Ally. He must watch as Ally falls for Shawn’s older brother and continually demonstrates that she is worthy of the adoration that Shawn feels. The realization that he will never be able to have the kind of loving relationship that Abby and Paul share combined with the hopelessness caused by being unable to do even the most basic of tasks for himself is enough to make him wonder if his father’s previous attempt to kill him wouldn’t have been more merciful. When Debi comes to live with Shawn’s family and brings her overly aggressive dog, Shawn begins to learn that there is more to humanity that intellectual ability and that connections can be made even when communication is limited. This book provides an educational opportunity for students to learn about and make comparisons between Cerebral Palsy and Down’s syndrome. It also provides a complex look at the qualities of humanity. The Common Core State Standards are emphasizing argument, and this story provides ample opportunity for students to grapple with conceptually challenging information in a fairly easy-to-read format. It’s setting of Seattle will especially appeal to those students living in the northwest.
REVIEWER: Jodi Kruse, R. A. Long High School, http://krusereviews.wordpress.com
Tsiang, Sarah TITLE: Warriors and Wailers: One Hundred Ancient Chinese Jobs… RATING: A
This oversized paperback non-fiction text discusses one hundred ancient Chinese jobs. Its twelve chapters cover everything from jobs of the Imperials and Nobles, to jobs of the lesser peoples like merchants and services workers. Each chapter begins with and overview of the category and then describes a variety of jobs in detail. The full color illustrations are relevant and playful, adding charm and interest to the text. This would make a good read aloud or teacher share when a class is studying Ancient China, but I’m not sure that students would otherwise pick it up on their own.
REVIEWER: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School
Tuminelly, Nancy TITLE: Let’s Cook With Apples! RATING: R
PUBLISHER: ABDO @ 2013 PRICE:
ISBN: 97816178341899 INTEREST LEVEL: Kdg-5th
ILLUSTRATOR: PAGES: 32
ABDO Publishing does such a nice presentation of their nonfiction books. There are five other books in the series – cereal, popcorn, eggs, noodles and cheese. Table of contents provides all 8 recipes besides safety tips and cooking basics. Of all the recipes the apple sandwich sounds the best to me. Photographs are excellent. That apple sandwich looks like I could grab it off the page.
