Summary: Emily Dickinson’s life story is told from beginning to end, with her poetry woven into almost every page. Her internal life is explored, how she loved books and sought answers when confronted with deaths of people near her. As she grew older, she withdrew more, focusing on her writing and only interacting with a […]
Wild Symphony by Dan Brown, illustrated by Susan Batori
Published by Rodale Kids Summary: Maestro Mouse is your guide through this musical romp starring the animal kingdom. Each page includes a poem or two about the featured animal, concluding with a sign held by Maestro Mouse offering a lesson that can be derived from the poem. Sharp-eyed readers will also spot letters in each […]
Review: Grow: Secrets of Our DNA
What is DNA and how does it work? Grow: Secrets of Our DNA is a simple explanation of this scientific concept which is responsible for the growth of all living things. Written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Emily Sutton, it’s pitched at early primary aged children (although also suitable for all ages) and explores […]
Review: Who is at the Zoo?
A delight to look at and to read, this highly entertaining book turns daily situations on their head. Imaginative, humorous and creative, and with charismatic characters, everyone who opens this book will discover a magical world whose reality is limited only by their imagination. Rhyme and rhythm make it the perfect book for reading out […]
Turtle Walk by Matt Phelan
Published by Greenwillow Books Summary: A family of turtles sets off for a walk one spring morning. “Turtle walk. Nice and slow. Here we go. Are we there yet? No.” This refrain is repeated as they continue to travel through a landscape that turns into summer, fall, and then a snowy winter. On each page […]
The Paper Boat: A Refugee Story by Thao Lam
Published by Owlkids Books Summary: Thao Lam and her family escaped from Vietnam in 1980 when she was two years old. This wordless book shows her family’s journey, starting with a dinner in their Vietnam home where they’re planning their escape. The author’s note explains how, as a child, her mother used to rescue ants […]
Becoming Muhammad Ali by James Patterson and Kwame Alexander
Published by Jimmy Patterson Books (Little, Brown) Summary: Round One: Cassius Clay’s friend Lucky and the rest of Cassius’s friends and family are awaiting the results of the 1958 Golden Gloves championship. 16-year-old Cassius is in Chicago, 300 miles from his home in Louisville, KY. The phone rings, and the story shifts to Cassius’s voice, […]
Catching Emotions by Artun Bekar
CATCHING EMOTIONS by Artun Bekar Middle Grade Fantasy 92 pages ages 8 to 12 Willy, a very rational boy, is forced to grapple with his unpredictable emotions on an adventure with a classmate. On a journey through a nearby forbidden forest, he discovers nine primary emotions that put him in hazardous situations, then help […]
Millionaires for the Month by Stacy McAnulty
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers Summary: When Felix and Benji find a wallet belonging to billionaire Laura Friendly, they return it–after first “borrowing” $20.00 to buy themselves hot dogs and ice cream. As a reward/punishment, Ms. Friendly offers the boys $10 million. But there’s a catch: first they have to spend $5,368,709.12 […]
Don’t Judge Me by Lisa Schroeder
Published by Scholastic Press (Released November 10) Summary: When Hazel finds an abandoned pet tortoise, she discovers that the two of them are alike in some ways. Both want to hide when they are scared, and Hazel finds herself feeling anxious about almost every aspect of middle school. She’s shy and wants nothing more than […]
Love Is Powerful by Heather Dean Brewer, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Published by Candlewick Summary: Mari and her mother get out crayons and poster board to make signs: “Be Kind”, “Love Is Powerful”. From their apartment, they can see crowds gathering in the streets. Mom explains that they are sending a message to the world. “How will the whole world hear?” asks Mari. “They’ll hear because […]
Review: Ten Sleepy Sheep
Ten Sleepy Sheep is an adorable board book set on a farm in the Australian bush. Gently counting animals who are ready for bed down from ten sheep to one snuggly, sleepy joey, this new book from Renée Treml is as sweet as they come. Each spread features a group of gorgeous, very sleepy animals […]
Review: 1,001 Creatures
1,001 CREATURES by Laura Merz and Alino Jarvinen Translated by Emily Jeremiah Merkat Press Yonder Picture Book Non-Fiction/ Zoology 64 pages ages 4 to 8 From the dung-beetle to the blue whale, no creature is too humble or huge for Finnish author and illustrator duo Laura Merz and Aino Järvinen in 1,001 Creatures, a […]
Review: Piper Picks the Perfect Pet
Piper’s dilemma is which pet to choose. So many types of dogs: ones that prance, others that dance, one that is flouncy or another that’s bouncy. Or perhaps a cat? A tabby? A Persian? A Manx or Siamese? One that sleeps all day long, or the kind that are poetry in motion. What about other […]
Peter’s War: A Boy’s True Story of Survival in World War II Europe
Published by Holiday House Summary: Peter was born to a wealthy family in Berlin, German in 1930. All that changed when Hitler rose to power, and his Jewish family had to escape, first to Belgium, and then to France. In the summer of 1942, Peter’s parents sent him to summer camp. While he was there, […]