Monday Children’s Book Reviews for February 27, 2017

One Minute 

Somin Ahn, author and illustrator

In one minute, you can blink your eyes twenty times, hug your dog, plant seeds, say good-bye, watch the rain, or even save a life. So much can occur in this sliver of time—one minute can feel like a singular experience. This poignant picture book is at once an introduction to time for young readers, an ode to living each moment with purpose, and a thoughtful exploration of how children experience one minute (may it seem short or long) playfully, profoundly, and with a boundless sense of possibility.[JPB Ahn]

Under the Sea

written and edited by Joanna McInerney; illustrated by Paul Boston

An interactive introduction to coordinates and how to navigate around a map invites children to imagine a mode of transport and embark on adventures through fantasy worlds where they must navigate around sleeping sea dragons, across gorilla-guarded bridges and through pesky road obstructions that require readers to solve math problems.[J526 McInerney]

A Texas Year : Twelve Months in the Lfe of Texan Kids

written by Tania McCartney and Tina Snerling

Meet Luis, Alexis, Christopher, Ethan, and Mia – Texan kids representing a blend of culture and race that typifies this amazing state. They’ll take you through a year in the life of Texan kids, from celebrations, traditions and events, to the everyday way of life and the little things that make childhood so memorable. A Texas Year is a picture book bursting with state pride. It’s a snapshot of who Texans are, blending modern-day culture and lifestyle with past traditions and multicultural heritage. Its pages feature meandering text, dates and gorgeous illustrations showcasing five Texan children at play, at school, at home, and enjoying the sights and sites of this great state. From the plains and canyons of the Panhandle to the beaches and wetlands of the Gulf Coast, vibrant cities and friendly country towns, this is the Texan childhood.[J305.23097 McCartney]

Monday Children’s Book Reviews for February 13, 2017

 

Margo Thinks Twice / written and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo by 

“Margo is an imaginative, adventurous little girl who has just one problem worry has found its way into her life. She sometimes feels nervous and uncomfortable, especially inside the wild world her imagination creates. Whenever her mom gives instructions, Margo’s mind turns the everyday advice into worst-case scenarios. Luckily, Margo’s mom comes up with an idea to ease her daughter’s anxieties and encourage her inventive spirit in a positive way.”

I’m a Veterinarian  / written and illustrated by Brian Biggs

“In I’m a Veterinarian (a just-released board book), we see what it’s like in a day in the life of a town animal doctor. Tinyville Town’s veterinarian begins her day at home with her two cats, two dogs, and one fish. Once at work, she examines a firefighter’s dalmatian, who is not feeling well at all. Follow along as the vet runs tests and makes a surprising discovery! This book will comfort a child bringing a beloved pet to the vet for the first time, and satisfy an inquisitive child’s curiosity about what an animal doctor does, how they are able to diagnose so many different kinds of pets, and how their office is different from their own doctors.”

A Forever Friend / by Judy Katschke ; illustrated by Serena Geddes

“Misty Inn is up and running, and the Dunlaps have a full house. Willa is thrilled that Kate, her best friend from Chicago, is going to come to Chincoteague for a visit. But it’s been a whole year since they’ve seen each other, and Willa soon realizes their friendship is not as easy as it had once been. Adding to the tension is the fact that aChincoteague friend, Sarah Starling, is away at camp for the week, not to mention the fact that Ben seems to disappear early in the morning and not show up again until dinner. So Willa is on her own to figure out how to start anew with her oldest friend“

Monday Children’s Book Reviews for February 6, 2017

A Dark, Dark Cave by Eric Hoffman

“On a cold night, under a pale moon, a brother and sister explore a dark, dark cave. Strange creatures skitter along the walls while bats brush past. A wild howl makes the cave feel just a teensy bit darker. But readers are in for a delightful surprise when a beam of light reveals a softer side of the cave.”                    [JPB HOFFMAN]

My Dad at the Zoo by Coralie Saudo

“The long-awaited follow up to My Dad Is Big and Strong, My Dad at the Zoo, is another tale of role reversal in which dad reverts to the unsocialized, wild ways of childhood. Probably tired from all of his wearying antics around bedtime, here Dad heads off to the zoo with his son and goes completely zany.”             [JPB SAUDO]

My Dog’s a Chicken by Susan McElroy Montanari

“Lula Mae wants a puppy, but times are hard and she’ll just have to make do. Her family has plenty of chickens, so she decides maybe a chicken can be a dog.

“Pookie, as Lula Mae names her, is an ordinary chicken, but Lula Mae thinks she is very doglike indeed. With a bow in Pookie’s hair, Lula Mae declares her a show dog. When she runs circles around the other chickens, Pookie is a shepherd dog. And when Cousin Tater sneaks up with a snake and Pookie starts bawk, bawk, bawking, well, she’s a guard dog, too. Then Lula Mae’s brother, Baby Berry, wanders away, and who do you think comes to the rescue?”                         [JPB MONTANARI]

Dipper and Mabel and the Curse of the Time Pirates Treasure by Jeffrey Rowe

“Once upon a time . . . travel, Blendin Blandin searches for the legendary Time Pirates’ Treasure, and he needs Dipper and Mabel’s help! They journey through time, exploring the dragon-infested medieval era, the weird-and-wild west, and the laser-and-giant-baby-filled future. Will they make the right choices to find the greatest treasure ever known? Or is it only a matter of time before the twins and Blendin are clutched by the hands of time?! This book features 272 pages of hilarious and thrilling adventures and original artwork!”                                    [J ROWE]

Ticket to India by N. H. Senzai

“A trip to India turns into a grand adventure in this contemporary novel about the Great Partition, from the award-winning author of Saving Kabul Corner and Shooting Kabul.

“A map, two train tickets, and a mission. These are things twelve-year-old Maya and her big sister Zara have when they set off on their own from Delhi to their grandmother’s childhood home of Aminpur, a small town in Northern India. Their goal is to find a chest of family treasures that their grandmother’s family left behind when they fled from India to Pakistan during the Great Partition. But soon the sisters become separated, and Maya is alone. Determined to find her grandmother’s lost chest, she continues her trip, on the way enlisting help from an orphan by named Jai.”               [J SENZAI,N]

Emergency Vehicles by Rod Green

“Lift the flaps and look inside to learn all about amazing emergency vehicles!

“Look inside an ambulance, police car, fire engine, rescue helicopter, lifeboat, and more to discover their inner workings. With more than forty flaps to lift, Stephen Biesty’s award-winning and best-selling artwork brings these rescue vehicles to life in a whole new way.”                    [J629.225 GREEN]

This is my last Monday Children’s Book Reviews blog entry. I have enjoyed sharing them, and I hope you have enjoyed reading them!

Monday Children’s Book Reviews for January 30, 2017

Library Day by Anne Rockwell

“One day, a young boy visits the library for the very first time. While he’s there he listens to stories, reads books and magazines, and learns that there are also movies, crafts, chess, and puppet shows—something for everyone! With simple, lyrical text and bright illustrations that jump off the page, Library Day brings the joys of reading vividly to life.”            [JPB ROCKWELL]

Bounders by Monica Tesler

“In the first book of a brand-new adventure series, 12-year-old Jasper and his friends are the first team of cadets—Bounders—to be trained as high-level astronauts, but they soon learn that Earth Force, the space-military agency that trained them, has an ulterior motive for sending them into space and they must decide whether to rebel against the organization that brought them together, or fulfill their duty and protect the planet at all costs.”                 [J TESLER,M]

It Can’t Be True! 2 by Margaret Parrish

“How many bees does it take to make a jar of honey? Did you know sharks are so sensitive that they can detect the current from batteries 1,000 miles apart? Believe it or not, it’s true!

“Discover more amazing and seemingly impossible facts in It Can’t Be True 2! By combining hard to believe facts with CGI renderings and photographs, this book places information with visual aids that puts everything to scale. Kids will love the weird, out-of-this-world facts for just about anything, and they will be excited to share them with everyone!”     [J031.02 IT]

Monday Children’s Book Reviews for January 23, 2017

Love is My Favorite Thing by Emma Chichester Clark

“Plum has lots of favorite things—catching sticks, her bear, her bed—but really, LOVE is her absolute favorite thing. She loves her family and all the things they do together. Sometimes, however, Plum’s exuberance causes trouble, and she just can’t help being naughty. But fortunately, love is such a great thing that even when she makes mistakes, Plum’s family still adores her.”                          [JPB CLARK]

Every Single Second by Tricia Springstubb

“Twelve-year-old Nella Sabatini’s life is changing too soon, too fast. Her best friend, Clem, doesn’t seem concerned; she’s busy figuring out the best way to spend the ‘leap second’—an extra second about to be added to the world’s official clock. The only person who might understand how Nella feels is Angela, but the two of them have gone from being ‘secret sisters’ to not talking at all.

“Then Angela’s idolized big brother makes a terrible, fatal mistake, one that tears apart their tight-knit community and plunges his family into a whirlwind of harsh publicity and judgment. In the midst of this controversy, Nella is faced with a series of startling revelations about her parents, friends, and neighborhood. As Angela’s situation becomes dangerous, Nella must choose whether to stand by or stand up. Her heart tries to tell her what to do, but can you always trust your heart? The clock ticks down, and in that extra second, past and present merge—the future will be up to her.”                                 [J SPRINGSTUBB,T]

Hello Ruby: Adventures in Coding by Linda Liukas

“Meet Ruby–a small girl with a huge imagination. In Ruby’s world anything is possible if you put your mind to it. When her dad asks her to find five hidden gems Ruby is determined to solve the puzzle with the help of her new friends, including the Wise Snow Leopard, the Friendly Foxes, and the Messy Robots.

“As Ruby stomps around her world kids will be introduced to the basic concepts behind coding and programming through storytelling. Learn how to break big problems into small problems, repeat tasks, look for patterns, create step-by-step plans, and think outside the box. With hands-on activities included in every chapter, future coders will be thrilled to put their own imaginations to work.”         [J005.13 LIUKAS,L]

The Random House Book of Fairy Tales adapted by Amy Ehrlich

“Nineteen of the best-known fairy tales, including ‘Rapunzel,’ ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ ‘Hansel and Gretel,’ and ‘Thumbelina’.”              [J398.21 EHRLICH,A]

Monday Children’s Book Reviews for January 16, 2017

I Am Not A Number by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer

“A picture book based on a true story about a young First Nations girl who was sent to a residential school. When eight-year-old Irene is removed from her First Nations family to live in a residential school she is confused, frightened, and terribly homesick. She tries to remember who she is and where she came from despite the efforts of the nuns to force her to do otherwise. Based on the life of Jenny Kay Dupuis’ own grandmother, I Am Not a Number brings a terrible part of Canada’s history to light in a way that children can learn from and relate to.”             [J DUPUIS,J]

Treasure of Maria Mamoun by Michelle Chalfoun

“Twelve-year-old Maria lives a lonely, latchkey-kid’s life in the Bronx. Her Lebanese mother is working two nursing jobs to keep them afloat, and Maria keeps her worries to herself, not wanting to be a burden. Then something happens one day between home and school that changes everything. Mom whisks them to an altogether different world on Martha’s Vineyard, where she’s found a job on a seaside estate. While the mysterious bedridden owner—a former film director—keeps her mother busy, Maria has the freedom to explore a place she thought could only exist in the movies. Making friends with a troublesome local character, Maria finds an old sailboat that could make a marvelous clubhouse. She also stumbles upon an old map that she is sure will lead to pirate’s plunder—but golden treasure may not be the most valuable thing she discovers for herself this special summer.”             [J CHALFOUN,M]

One Half From the East by Nadia Hashimi

“Forced to move from Kabul to a small village after her father lost one of his legs in a bomb explosion, Obayda, the youngest of her sisters, dresses as a boy to bring her family luck and encounters an entirely different outside world of play and exploration alongside a fellow bacha posh.”                               [J HASHIMI,N]

Monday Children’s Book Reviews for January 9, 2017

Because of an Acorn by Lola M. Schaefer and Adam Schaefer

“Because of an acorn, a tree grows, a bird nests, a seed becomes a flower. Enchanting die-cuts illustrate the vital connections between the layers of an ecosystem in this magical book. Wander down the forest path to learn how every tree, flower, plant, and animal connect to one another in spiraling circles of life. An acorn is just the beginning.”             [JPB SCHAEFER,L]

Hurry Up, Henry by Jennifer Lanthier

“Henry’s mother and father and sister are always telling him to hurry up, and his best friend, Simon, never slows down. Henry doesn’t like to be late. But he doesn’t want to hurry, either. He likes to take his time and often sees things that his family miss in the rush. For Henry’s birthday, Simon arranges for a special present that lets Henry take the time he needs — with his whole family!”         [JPB LANTHIER,J]

Freddie Ramos Rules New York by Jacqueline Jules

“Freddie and his mom are visiting Uncle Jorge in New York City! Just before they leave, Mr. Vaslov gives Freddie a new pair of zapatos to replace the ones that were getting too small. But Freddie worries if his new zapatos will work as well as his old ones. Will Freddie be able to save the day when Uncle Jorge misplaces an engagement ring in the middle of a New York City traffic jam?”                           [J JULES,J]

The Best Bear in All the World: in Which We Join Winnie-the-Pooh For a Year of Adventures in the Hundred Acre Wood by Paul Bright, Brian Sibley, Jeane Willis and Kate Saunders

“The Trustees of the Pooh Properties have commissioned four authors to write in the timeless style of A.A. Milne to create a quartet of charming new adventures for Winnie-the-Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their friends. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall: take a trip back to the Hundred Acre Wood with a collection of tales sure to delight year-round.

“One story finds Winnie-the-Pooh and Piglet on a quest to discover the ‘Sauce of the Nile’ (they suspect it’s apple). And in another, all the animals rally around poor Eeyore when he thinks he sees another donkey eyeing his clover. Readers of all ages will love rediscovering old friends and making new ones in this essential new volume of Pooh stories.”       [J BEST]

Vanished: True Tales of Mysterious Disappearances by Elizabeth MacLeod

“No one loves a mystery more than Elizabeth MacLeod, author of the award-winning Bones Never Lie and Royal Murder. In her newest book, she presents six compelling stories about some of the world’s most bewildering disappearances.

Readers will be captivated by such true tales as the Alcatraz prison break, where three dangerous convicts engineered a daring escape. Did they live to see freedom, or did they perish in the icy waters surrounding the prison? And will anyone ever know what happened to the captain and crew of the SS Mary Celeste? In 1872, it set out from New York for Genoa, Italy, but everyone on board disappeared for no apparent reason.”         [ J031.02 MACLEOD]