Lots of adorable lambs should be the name. The illustrations are very cute. This is a very run board book. I would love to have this book in my infant library with its pop-ups, touch and feel, and the flip parts.
REVIEWER: Tyra K~Smith, LCC Head Start/EHS/ECEAP
Nylund, Eric TITLE: Operation Inferno RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Yearling, 2013 PRICE: $6.99
ISBN: 9780307978554 INTEREST LEVEL: 4th-8th
ILLUSTRATOR: NA PAGES: 270
The 4th installment of the “Resisters” series by Eric Nylund is packed with non-stop action. Ethan, the main character and leader of the Sterling Unit, has to come to terms with his own self-doubts about command, while being challenged on all sides by overwhelming enemy forces. This is the second “Resister” book that I have read, and I previewed the first one to my students with great enthusiasm. While Operation Inferno is number 4 in the series, it stands alone as a great science fiction story. The characters are human and have well developed relationships. The technology is interesting and not overly complicated for our younger readers.
Reviewer: Rhonda Lowe, Castle Rock Elementary
O’Connell, Caitlin TITLE: A Baby Elephant in the Wild RATING: R
We follow a new baby elephant born in the wild as she learns the ropes of elephant society. Concise, but informative text accompanies the stunning photographs for a product that will attract a wide age group. Information about the ecology and habitat pressures informs the reader without belaboring the subject or lecturing. This will be a popular choice for our students.
Reviewer: Rhonda Lowe, Castle Rock Elementary
O’Connell, Rebecca TITLE: Baby Parade RATING: R PUBLISHER: Albert Whitman & Com., 2013 PRICE: $15.99
ISBN: 9780807505090 INTEREST LEVEL: Infant-Pre-K ILLUSTRATOR: Susie Poole PAGES: 20
Wave to the babies in this colorful book! Each page has a new color and you are encouraged to wave to the babies that are on parade. Some are riding in wagons other on their momma, there are even some that crawling and walking by themselves. The illustrations are very colorful water color. And everyone is enjoying the sunshine, so read and go out and have a baby parade of your own.
REVIEWER: Tyra K~Smith, LCC Head Start/EHS/ECEAP
O’Connor, George TITLE: If I had a Raptor RATING: A
This is a very cute story about a young girl and her pet raptor. Imaginative and fun, it would be a good read-aloud for very young students. The illustrations bring personality and humor and can be used in foreshadowing with the students. I’m looking forward to the conversations that will occur while sharing this book.
Reviewer: Rhonda Lowe, Castle Rock Elementary
O’Connor, Jane TITLE: Fancy Nancy and the wedding of the century RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Harper, 2014 PRICE: $17.99
ISBN: 9780062083203 INT LEV: Gr2
ILLUSTRATOR: Robin Preiss Glasser PAGES: <30>
Fancy Nancy’s uncle is getting married and she loves, loves weddings and all the fancy gowns, tuxes, and the fancy hotel in
Which weddings are performed. Finally, the day to leave has arrived and she rides in the car dreaming of the glorious venue.
When she awakens she is surprised to see her family has stopped at a cabin in the wilderness. Her uncle and his bride have
chosen an informal style ceremony which Nancy calls p-l-a-i-n. Also she finds out the wedding is in the morning and the
fancy meal will be breakfast. However, the wedding is lovely, and Nancy still dresses up to the be fanciest and there is
tons of wonderful food and a glorious party. Such a fun story!
REVIEWER: Debbie Johnson, Wallace Elementary School, Kelso, WA
O’Connor, Jane TITLE: Secret of the silver key RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Harper, 2014 PRICE: $9.99
ISBN: 9780062082992 INT. LEV: Gr3
ILLUSTRATOR: Robin Preiss Glasser PAGES: 121
Nancy buys a new desk at a tag sale and finds a silver key in the drawer. It fits nothing so she is curious about where it
came from. She traces the key to Miss Simon who had worn it as a young girl around her neck to remember her best friend.
Although the key did not fit a special treasure box it did leave to a treasure of a good friendship. Miss Simon was a long lost
friend to Nancy’s neighbor, Mrs. DeVine. Each has lost touch and Nancy surprises them planning a secret rendezvous.
Nancy Clancy is a young and modern Nancy Drew that readers will enjoy reading more. This is book #4.
REVIEWER: Debbie Johnson, Wallace Elementary School, Kelso, WA
O’Hara, Mo TITLE: My big fat zombie goldfish: the seaquel RATING: R PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan), 2013 PRICE: $12.99
ISBN: 9781250029201 INTEREST LEVEL: Gr 3-6 ILLUSTRATOR: Marek Jagucki PAGES: 201
O’Hara’s cartoonish farce MyBFZ Goldfish has a sequel—no seaquel containing two short adventures: The mystery of the zombie vacation, and To be a zombie or not to be a zombie…that is the question. In the first installment Tom and Pradeep’s families are headed to the Eel Bay lighthouse where a monster evil electric eel is reported to be scaring folks away. Tom’s older brother, Mark, wants to capture the eel to turn it into a zombie eel, but their little sister Sami, makes peace between Frankie the goldfish, and Zarky the eel. Together they use their zombie powers to rescue the dads who are in a rowboat, searching for Mark in a storm. The second episode has Pradesh and Tom auditioning to become Merry Men in the class production of Robin Hood. Pradeep gets the title part and it goes to his head, until Frankie ends up in director Mrs. Flushcowski’s teacup and she believes it is Pradeep’s prank and awards the role to Tom. Meanwhile Mark has a plan to upstage everyone so that special guest Talent or No Talent creator Solomon Caldwell, will notice his evil scientist rap performance. It will take Frankie fish to defeat Mark and help the class deliver the most original Robin Hood ever performed. Silly yeah, but that’s what the reader will be expecting.
REVIEWER: Carol Blix, Cathlamet Public Library
O’Hara, Mo TITLE: My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish RATING: R PUBLISHER: Feiwel & Friends PRICE: $12.99 ISBN: 978-1-250-02919-5 INTEREST LEVEL: 2nd-5th ILLUSTRATOR: Mo O’Hara PAGES: 179
Tom’s big brother get chemistry set for his birthday and decides to become an evil scientist. He pollutes the goldfish bowl. His little brother Tommy tries to save the goldfish. He is turned upside down and not breathing. Tommy tries to give him electric shock with a battery. It works but the goldfish becomes a zombie. Tom’s big brother and friend realize that if you stare in the goldfish eyes you become a zombie. They decide to take over Tom’s school by having everyone look at the goldfish’es eye on the video for morning announcements. Can Tommy with the help of his best friend stop them? Read and see. I really enjoyed this book. The students love it. Zombies are so big and this is a fast paced fun book.
REVIEWER: Tracy Robinson, Robert Gray Elementary
O’Neill, Gemma TITLE: Oh dear, Geoffrey! RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Templar Books, 2013 PRICE: $15.99
ISBN: 9780763666590 INT. LEV: K-1
ILLUSTRATOR: PAGES: <30>
Poor Geoffrey the giraffe is tall, leggy, and clumsy. He wants to be friends with animals lower than he, but is clumsy
and falls. When he heads to his favorite tree he finds monkeys and birds up high who want to be his friend. The colorful,
whimsical illustrations enhance the sweetness of the giraffe character.
REVIEWER: Debbie Johnson, Wallace Elementary School, Kelso, WA
O’Reilly, Bill TITLE: The Last days of Jesus: His life and times RATING: A PUBLISHER: Henry Holt, 2014 PRICE: $19.99
ISBN: 9780805098778 INTEREST LEVEL: Gr 6-10 ILLUSTRATOR: William Low PAGES: 298
This is the children’s version of his Killing Jesus, which O’Reilly explains in the foreword was written strictly from a historical, rather than spiritual perspective. Unfortunately that produces a less than satisfactory result for those who do believe that the deity of Jesus was part of His essential nature. Some of the explanations of facts O’Reilly delivers are derived from Roman Catholic doctrine and are a bit jarring to Protestant readers. This title tends to raise more questions than it answers.
REVIEWER: Carol Blix, Cathlamet Public Library
Odyssey, Shawn Thomas TITLE: The Magician’s Tower: An Oona Crate Mystery RATING: R
Oona Crate is running a detective agency using her magical abilities. It is not successful so she decides to take the challenge of the Magician’s Tower Contest such as defeating angry apes or flying carpets. A magic punch bowl has disappeared and it may be able to help Oona understand about her Mother and sister’s deaths. Was she to blame? This book has a combination of magic, fun and mystery all in one.
REVIEWER: Ginny Flegel, Beacon Hill Elementary
Oxlade, Chris TITLE: Planes, Trains, and Automobiles RATING: A PUBLISHER: Big Picture Press, 2014 PRICE: $17.99
ISBN: 9780763671211 fold-out INTEREST LEVEL: Gr K-6 ILLUSTRATOR: Lemanski, Mike PAGES: 20
This Design Line chart/book folds out in an accordion fan to illustrate the history of the world’s transportation from the industrial revolution to 2010, in 100 vehicles. The opposite side of the 6.5’ fan-fold gives the year, country, and a brief description of the significance of each vehicle. Such a broad topic in a limited package makes the choice of vehicles somewhat subjective. An interesting presentation, but it would be hard to manage as circulating material.
REVIEWER: Carol Blix, Cathlamet Public Library
Parish, Herman TITLE: Amelia Bedelia storybook treasury RATING: A
Five Amelia Bedelia stories in one book with puzzles and games makes a winning text. This one will be difficult to keep
on the library shelf. The new and remodeled Amelia Bedelia young one is a hit with readers. Beginning with the popular
story of Amelia Bedelia’s First Day of School where she glues herself to the chair after the teacher told her to quit getting
out of her seat and glue herself down. So he did. She takes all language very literally and is so silly. Kids giggle reading
about her adventures.
If you have fans of Amelia Bedelia you will want to add this to your collection.
REVIEWER: Debbie Johnson, Wallace Elementary School, Kelso, WA
Patrick, Denise Lewis TITLE: A matter of souls RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Carolrhoda LAB, 2014 PRICE: $16.95
ISBN: 9780761392804 INTEREST LEVEL: 9-12
ILLUSTRATOR : NA PAGES: 186
I am not a fan of short story collections, but this book would be an exception for me. Each of the eight stories tells the story of the Black experience during different times in history. Each is self-contained and complete and paints a picture of the individuals involved. There’s Hazel who has the darkest skin of her family and nearly kills herself using a skin cream to lighten her complexion that contains mercury. There is Mamie who goes out searching for her gifted son Freddie who has been beaten and left for dead. She can’t imagine him surviving in the state she finds him and relinquishes him to her dead husband who has appeared to help her on that horrible night. I think my favorite is the first, when young Elsie Timmons “accidently” goes through the wrong door into the “Whites Only” side of the doctor’s office. Her mother’s frantic reaction shames her, but when her mother subsequently collapses in the hot, overcrowded “Colored” waiting room and nobody will respond from within, she opens up the frosted window to reveal the staff eating their Dairy Queen take-out. She feels real power when it is the doctor’s turn to be shamed into action and her mother is taken to the hospital. There are few dates and only a few place names; but the narratives are compelling and educate in a way that simple recitation of facts cannot. Reviewer: Lisa Sudar, Mark Morris High School
Ponti, Claude TITLE: Chick 7 Chickie Play All Day RATING: R PUBLISHER: Candlewick Press, 2008 PRICE: $4.99
ISBN: 9781935179290 INTEREST LEVEL: Pre-K-2nd ILLUSTRATOR: NA PAGES: 32
This is from Toon into Reading. This is rated at a level 1 in complexity. These comics are filled with short sentences and repetition. There are 1 to 2 panels per page. This is a great toon book that introduces the letter A. Two young chicks called the fitting names of Chick and Chickie are playing games with their new friend the letter A. This is a book that young readers can feel very successful reading and spotting all the jokes that lay in the drawings.
REVIEWER: Tyra K~Smith, LCC Head Start/EHS/ECEAP
Potter, Alicia TITLE: Jubilee! : On Man’s Big, Bold, and Very, Very Loud Celebrate of Peace RATING: R
PUBLISHER: Candlewick Press, 2014 PRICE: $16.99
ISBN: 9780763658564 INTEREST GR: 1-3
ILLUSTRATOR: Matt Tavares PAGES: [40]
This colorful non-fiction picture book is a biography about Patrick Sarsfield Gilmore and his love of music. His love of music was so big that at the end of the Civil War he wanted to create the world’s largest concert and set about creating the National Peace Jubilee. It was indeed the largest concert of its time. This is an interesting story that will appeal to children interested in music and/or history.
This is a picture-book biography of Josephine Baker done in toe-tapping rhythm. It centers on Josephine’s efforts to escape poverty and racism and become a successful entertainer. The most enjoyable aspect of the story for me was the melodic verbiage which sings Josephine’s story. The illustrations are appealing, brightly colored and stylistic. The length and content of the book puts it in the upper elementary category.
Reviewer: Rhonda Lowe, Castle Rock Elementary
Prelier, James TITLE: Scary Tales; Good Night Zombie RATING: R PUBLISHER: Macmillan PRICE: $5.99 ISBN: 978-1-250-01891-5 INTEREST LEVEL: 3-5th ILLUSTRATOR: Iacopo Bruno PAGES: 86
Three elementary students enter their school during after hours. They get locked out, none of the phones work, nor the internet. They are trapped and can’t get out. They find the janitor to get the keys to get out. He says they don’t want to go outside it isn’t safe. They take the keys anyway. When they look outside they see hundreds of crows and zombies. One of the boys who live close to the school tries to go outside to run home. As soon as he gets outside a crow attacks him with others close behind. He manages to get back in.. The students find out from the janitor the story of what is happening. Read this book to find out if they make it out. This was a very fun, slightly scary, can’t put down book. So manyof my students want to read scary stories. They will love this.
Poems by Jack Prelutsky are original, charming and precious in this book. I think they will be enjoyed best by a new mother
reading to a new baby or a toddler ready to fall asleep. The illustrations are soft and flowing to add to the ambiance of the
tone of the words.
I recommend this as your next baby shower gift.
REVIEWER: Debbie Johnson, Wallace Elementary School, Kelso, WA
Press, J TITLE: The Doodles of Sam Dibble Doouble Trouble RATING: R PUBLISHER: Grosset & Dunlap PRICE: $4.99 ISBN: 978-0-448-46108-3 INTEREST LEVEL 2nd-5th ILLUSTRATOR: Michael Kline PAGES: 122
Sam loves to doodle. In school they were having an election for class president. Sam was running against two other classmates. They each had to make a poster, and give a campaign speech. One of Sam’s opponents was playing dirty. In the end Rachel wins with Sam coming in 2nd place. Rachel makes Sam her vice-president. This book was entertaining. There are doodles all over the book as Sam tell the story and illustrate with his doodles.
REVIEWER: Tracy Robinson, Robert Gray, Elementary
Press, J. TITLE: The Doodles of Sam Dibble RATING: R PUBLISHER: Grosset & Dunlap PRICE: $4.99 ISBN: 978-0-448-46107-6 INTEREST LEVEL: 2nd-5th ILLUSTRATOR: Michael Kline PAGES: 113
Sam’s birthday is in one day. He wanted a new bike and new pens for his doodling, but most important, he wanted Demo Dan to come to his party.
Demo Dan is the best wrestler ever. He told his classmates he was coming to his party. Everyone could hardly wait to see him. Now the problem was inviting Demo Dan and waiting to see if he shows up. His party was finally started and everyone kept asking where he was. His grandpa left his cake in the oven, and the whole house was in smoke. The firefighters came, and guess who one of the firefighter was, Demo Dan. So he came to the party after all and the party was a huge success. This was a fun, easy to read book filled with Sam’s doodles.
REVIEWER: Tracy Robinson, Robert Gray Elementary
Prins, Marcel TITLE: Hidden Like Anne Frank RATING: R Steenhuis, Peter Huis PUBLISHER: Arthur A Levine Books, 2014 PRICE: $16.99
ISBN: 9780545543620 INTEREST LEVEL: 6th-12th gr
ILLUSTRATOR: N/A PAGES: 235
Anne Frank’s story has inspired readers around the world for 70 years. This book looks at 14 other Jewish children that went into hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands during World War II. Told in their own words, each chapter is the true story of a child that was hidden in order to avoid deportation to the Nazi death camps. These whose stories are a varied as the children were themselves. Ranging in age from 2 years old to 19, these children were separated from their families and hidden with foster families, oftentimes more than one family. Each story is different, filled with danger and suspense, but, unlike Anne Frank, all these children did survive the war and, and as of 2009, were alive. Their stories give the reader another look into this dark time that still has repercussions for the people that lived through it. Translated into English, it was originally written in Dutch and published in 2009. There is an excellent map in the front and each chapter begins with a photo of the storyteller as a child and a more detailed map showing their routes into hiding. An excellent glossary is also included. Although there are current pictures of each of the children, there is no follow-up story of what became of them after the war, and how and where they spent their adult lives. This book would be of interest to students who enjoyed reading The Diary of Anne Frank, or could be used as a primary source for a World History class or research paper.
Reviewer: Linda Solberg retired, Castle Rock High School, Castle Rock, Washington
Twins Gus and Leo, along with their younger sister Ila, struggle as they watch their mother’s sudden illness progresses very quickly. They are gathered up by their grandmother and learn that their mother’s ill because she’s using her strength to protect them from the evil King of the Black Lakes. They also learn that they have special powers that enable them to turn into animals. The children focus their strengths together and help overcome the King of the Black and heal their mom. While the ending wraps up rather quickly, this is a strong fantasy adventure that will appeal to a broad audience.
REVIEWER: Debby Iverson, Coweeman Middle School
Rabinowitz, Alan TITLE: A Boy and a Jaguar RATING: R
This book took me by surprise on several levels. I wasn’t expecting it to be autobiographical or about stuttering. The descriptions of growing up as a stutterer are heartfelt and poignant. The journey to find his own voice, and then use it as a voice for animal rights is awe-inspiring. This book will not only go out to our general population, but will be flagged for special uses. I loved it.
Reviewer: Rhonda Lowe, Castle Rock Elementary
Raschka, Chris TITLE: Everyone can Learn to Ride a Bicycle RATING: R PUBLISHER: Schwartz & Wade, 2013 PRICE: $16.99
ISBN: 9780375970078 INTEREST LEVEL: Pre-K-2nd ILLUSTRATOR: same PAGES: 30
This book rides you through how to ride a bike, from the picking out a bike to finally riding without training wheels. The father encourages the child to keep trying. The watercolor art work is different and a little strange. However, it is a great read simple text and very helpful to explain to children the steps it takes to learn to ride a bike.
