Lolo's Light by Liz Garton Scanlon - ADVISABLE

Lolo's Light by Liz Garton Scanlon, 232 pages. Chronicle/Blue Apple. 2022 $17. 

Language: G (1 swear); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY  EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

When 12yo Millie’s high school aged sister has a piano recital and can’t tend the neighbor’s 4 month old baby, the Acosta’s ask Millie. Millie is a responsible older sister, and loves baby Lolo. Everyone does, she is so cute and sweet. The Acosta’s put Lolo to bed before they go, and Millie checks on her, and everything is fine when the Acosta’s return, but sometime in the night Lolo stops breathing and by morning she has passed away. Millie is beside herself with grief, and feels responsible. It only gets worse when her science teacher assigns the students to incubate a clutch of eggs. 

I cried, for both the Acosta family as well as for Millie. A well written, heartbreaking story about grief and loss. The culture or race of the main characters was not evident. 

Lisa Librarian

Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good Louie Stowell - HIGH

Loki: A Bad God's Guide to Being Good Louie Stowell, 228 pages. Walker Books US Candlewick.. 2022. $15

Content: G.
 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

The God, Loki, has been sent to earth as a punishment. He must demonstrate that he can show moral improvement to return to Asgard. If not, he will spend eternity in a pit of angry snakes. Thor has accompanied Loki as well and they have been transformed into 11-year-old mortals. The guard god, Heimdall and the giant Hyrrokkin are along to pretend to be Loki and Thor's parents. 

 This is a wildly hilarious look at what Loki and Thor might be like as middle schoolers. I wasn't prepared to like it as much as I did. Loki has to write in a magic journal that keeps track of his virtue score, which steadily decreases. There are fun line drawings throughout that add to the story, and Loki's descriptions of school, cell phones, and gaming are great. The book ends satisfactorily but leaves it open for a sequel which I will be lining up for. The main characters are Norse gods. 

Michelle in the Middle

City of Spies: City of the Dead James Ponti - ESSENTIAL

City of Spies: City of the Dead James Ponti, 390 pages. Aladdin (Simon and Schuster). 2023. $19 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

The City Spies are back with Kat leading out. Kat is a math whiz who can spot patterns anywhere. Their first mission isn't what they think and it raises more questions than answers. The team heads to Egypt to solve cyberattacks against key London targets and possible connections to ancient Egyptian artifacts. The action picks up when a new player could help them or undermine their whole operation. 

Ponti keeps the action going, but offsets the tension with humor and the interactions of the City Spies team. There is something oddly addictive about this series. Once you pick it up you have to finish. The characters are a delightful mix of different personalities and ethnic backgrounds, and we all wish we had some of their sweet skills. In this book, it was nice to see Kat get to take the lead in a mystery that will make you already want to read the next book in the series. (already mentioned) 

Michelle in the Middle

The Night Ride by J. Anderson Coats - ESSENTIAL

The Night Ride by J. Anderson Coats, 216 pages. Atheneum (Simon), 2021. $8 (paperback)

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ESSENTIAL; MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: EL - HIGH; MS - AVERAGE

Sonnia is working hard at her family's pony ride business, taking turns with her sister. Sonnia saves all her money for the day she has enough money to buy beautiful Ricochet. She adores and loves the horse and spends every available moment with it. Life is hard for people in the village, often they do not have enough food to eat. By some good luck she is offered a job in the royal stables. She will live in the bunkhouse and get three meals a day and earn money. She works hard and spends every spare minute with Ricochet. The others working in the stables participate in The Night Ride - people in the village bet on the horses and the kids riding the winning horse gets the winning purse. A lot of money. At first Sonnia does not want to participate, She knows it is illegal, and she knows that the horses could get hurt riding through the forest in the dark. She worries somebody other than her will take beautiful Ricochet out for the night ride.

The setting for this story is a society during the Middle Ages. The characters are well written and believable. Sonnia has to make some very mature decisions, knowing that her life is on the line. I highly recommend this book, and I read it in one sitting! The characters are default white.

Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

Creepover: Ready for a Scare? by P.J. Night - ADVISABLE

Ready for a Scare? The Graphic Novel (You're Invited to a Creepover: The Graphic Novel #3) by P.J. Night, 150 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Simon Spotlight (Simon and Schuster). 2022. $21

Content: G  

BUYING ADVISORY EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Kelly Garcia is going to have a slumber party for her birthday. Unfortunately, her parents are delayed by snow so the party is off. Going for a virtual sleepover, Kelly, the queen of all things creepy, tries to scare her friends, but it seems that calling up the ghost of a teen who died tragically in their town might backfire when her friends start to disappear. 

 The Creepover series is just right for reluctant readers or anyone who needs a quick but satisfying read. The art is colorful and haunting and the plot is just the right amount of scary. None of the Creepover books need to be read in order and they have a different cast of characters for each one. I will read any and all of them. The main character is blonde with a wide ethnic variety of friends. 

 Michelle in the Middle

Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn - ESSENTIAL

Honestly Elliott by Gillian McDunn, 255 pages. Bloomsbury, 2022. $17

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Middle schooler Elliott is struggling – with his ADHD, with missing his best friend and with his parents’ divorce. Every other week end he stays with his dad and his new wife, Katie, who is pregnant. Elliott is upset at his mom and dad, especially his dad for leaving them and for getting married again and for having a new baby that will probably replace him. He loves being in his mom's cozy kitchen where he can cook and create foods with fun and exciting flavors. He loves to cook and wants to be the best chef ever. At school his friends do not want him on their team when it comes time to do a special group project. Elliott and Maribel, a super smart, and super organized girl are put on a team together. Elliott wants people to see him how he is. Maribel is also wanting to show people her true self. Can these two student work things out and cooperate on a project?

I loved this book and highly recommend it. The characters are believable and very well written. I felt for Elliott, I was rooting for Elliott and cheering him on. The same with Maribel. What these two come up with is ingenious. Elliott and Maribel both realize that sometimes you have to make mistakes in order to figure out how to do something right. I loved this book and read it in one sitting. The characters are default white.

Ellen-Anita, Librarian 

The Universe In You: A Microscopic Journey by Jason Chin - ADVISABLE

The Universe In You: A Microscopic Journey by Jason Chin. NON FICTION PICTURE BOOK. Neal Porter Books (Holiday House), 2022. $19. 9780823450701

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

A calliope hummingbird is the smallest bird in the United States. But they are not as small as the smallest butterfly. The smallest bee is still smaller, but its antennae is bigger than the smallest hairs on your body. Cells on your body are still smaller. And the parts of a cell are still smaller. Melanin, organelles, Mitochondria, Lysosomes, Cytoskeleton, ribosomes, nanometers and nuclear pores are smaller still. Smaller still are molecules. Smaller still are DNA. Smaller still are atoms. Smaller still are Protons and Neutrons. Still smaller are electrons. Still smaller are quarks. All these particles are what makes up the universe and a unique human like you.

I enjoyed how Chin immediately aroused my curiosity by leading me down a trail of smaller and smaller living animals, cells, parts of cells, and ending with the elementary particles of the universe. His illustrations were interesting and informative helping the reader realize the vast universe within each of us.

PGPowers

Polar Bear by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann - ADVISABLE

Polar Bear by Candace Fleming and Eric Rohmann. PICTURE BOOK / NON FICTION. Neal Porter Books (Holiday House Publishing), 2022. $19. 9780823449163

Content: PG (polar bear cubs in danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

It is April in the Artic, and the frozen world stretches awake. A mother polar bear emerges from her den. She has given birth to two cubs over the winter. It is now time for them to find the ice and start hunting. The cubs can’t walk very much so it takes them six days to get to the ice. Along the way wolves go after the cubs, but mother polar bear is able to scare them away. When they get to the ice, the cubs watch their mother hunt for seals. The little family is stuck on some ice that floats out to sea. They have to swim many miles back to shore. The little cubs almost don’t make it.

Polar Bear creates an endearing story to tell us true facts about the life of a mother polar bear and her two cubs with more in depth fact sheets and diagrams at the end. I enjoyed learning about the challenges that polar bears face and the ways that we can help them. Rohmann's realistic and masterful illustrations bring Fleming's text to life.

 PGPowers 

Prince of Song and Sea by Linsey Miller - OPTIONAL

Prince of Song and Sea by Linsey Miller, 345 pages. Disney, 2022. $18

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (two battles)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Prince Eric has been cursed – if he kisses anyone who is not his true love, he will die. That makes finding a queen a huge problem. When he is rescued by a mystery girl with a beautiful voice, he is sure that she is his true love. Eric needs to track down the witch who cursed his mother – an evil sea witch who has been the cause of not his kingdom’s problems, but of kingdoms up and down the coast for many years.

A look at the Disney Little Mermaid tale through the eyes of the Prince, with some added depth to Eric’s story. Interestingly, the book gives Eric’s mother (who is missing) a large role in the plot. If your students are liking the Disney Twisted Tales, then this should be an easy add to your collection. One of the characters presents as non-binary; there is an LGBT couple.

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS 

Herbert on the Slide by Rilla Alexander - ADVISABLE

Herbert on the Slide by Rilla Alexander. PICTURE BOOK. Hippo Park (Astro for Young Readers), 2022. $10. 9781662640117

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Herbert the Hippo loves everything about the slide. First the climb, then getting comfy. Then he sends his teddy bear down for a test run. He then sends down his truck and other toys. Then Herbert goes down himself with a tickle in his tummy. He also likes to use his imagination while climbing up and down the slide. He does it again and again. Herbert needs to give everyone else a turn.

Herbert on the Slide is a cute story that embraces the fun of a slide but also teaches children to share and take turns. The illustrations are very simple yet powerful in conveying this important message.

PGPowers 

In Honor of Broken Things by Paul Acampora - ESSENTIAL

In Honor of Broken Things by Paul Acampora, 197 pages. Dial, 2022. $18 

Content: G

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Three eighth grade students are thrown together in pottery class. Oscar is the star of the football team, but he just lost his little sister to cancer. Ellie feels her mom dragged her to this tiny town from Philadelphia and Noah has been homeschooled his whole life. These three students bond over ceramics and things that are broken in their lives. They form a very unlikely friendship and realize that some things that are broken will never be fixed. 

The story of these three young people was both fascinating, heartwarming and heartbreaking. They stick together and do things they might not have normally done, just to support each other. I loved the story that showed that no matter what your background, you can make friends, do your best and live a good life. It really helps them that they have each other. I loved the story and highly recommend it.  The main characters are American and Mexican. 

Ellen-Anita. Librarian 

Counting in Dog Years and other Sassy Math Poems by Betsy Franco, illustrated by Priscilla Tey - ADVISABLE

Counting in Dog Years and other Sassy Math Poems by Betsy Franco, illustrated by Priscilla Tey. NON FICTION Candlewick Press, 2022. $19. 9781536201161 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

They were not wrong when they called their poems sassy. The poems are simple and yet clever and funny. They explain math concepts in a simple way that clarifies the math concepts functions. The illustrations are very fun and inviting. There are silly robots, animals, people, and other unique items to help tell the story. There's so much to see you can spend time just staring at the pictures. 

 I recommend this book to math teachers everywhere. I loved the illustrations and the poems are very silly. There is not anything I didn't like about this book. The ethnicity is very diverse. The male and female genders are equally represented as well as young and old. 

Emilee-School Librarian

The Littlest Elephant by Kate Read - ADVISABLE

The Littlest Elephant by Kate Read. PICTURE BOOK. Peachtree, 2022. $18. 9781682634943

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Ellie the littlest elephant had just learned to swim and was in a big hurry to get to the pool of water in the jungle. She ran through the jungle calling out to the other animals forgetting to be careful and listen. She knocked over and almost squished the chameleon, monkeys, mangoes, spider, butterflies, birds, and landed on a tiger’s tale. Ellie stopped just in time before she squashed a tiny mouse. Ellie apologized to everyone and said she would try to be more careful. Then Ellie invited everyone to come with her to the pool. Ellie needs to be more patient and careful with the other animals. 

The Littlest Elephant is a charming story that teaches children to be more careful, patient, and think more of others around them. I enjoyed her whimsical illustrations depicting a lush and colorful jungle.

 PGPowers 

The War to Save the Worlds by Samira Ahmed - ESSENTIAL

The War to Save the Worlds (Amira & Hamza #1) by Samira Ahmed, 356 pages. Little, Brown and Company/Poppy. 2021. $17.

Language: PG (30 swears (God) 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG - monster violence (i.e. green blood) warlike battles, dangerous challenges, peril. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ESSENTIAL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

12yo Amira and her 10yo brother Hamza are the chosen ones. On a visit to a museum on a special night (Super Moon, Blue Moon Blood Moon - all on the same night) Hamza is drawn to an ancient object, and it begins to work. At the same time, they discover that everyone else is kind of frozen and a group of Jinn arrive on a golden throne and tell the kids that they are the Chosen Ones and are needed to save both their own and the world of the Jinn. 

Exciting and engaging, The War to Save the Worlds is the first in a series. Amira really likes science, and I love how she used that knowledge to work through some of the problems the faced with magic. The kids work with a group of Jinn and other characters from Urdu and Persian stories and myths to stop the moon from coming apart and destroying both worlds. 10yo Hamza was just the perfect little brother turned hero. His character will be highly appealing to 4th-5th graders and gives this big a larger audience. The children are Islamic.

Lisa Librarian

A Tulip in Winter Kathy Stinson and Lauren Soloy - HIGH

A Tulip in Winter by Kathy Stinson and Lauren Soloy. PICTURE BOOK, NON FICTION, BIOGRAPHY Greystone Kids, March 2023. $19. 9781771649513 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL  - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL - HIGH 

When Maud Lewis was young, she loved playing the piano. Soon it became too hard to play and her hands were bent and stiff. She also was smaller than the other children. Maud’s mother gave her a paintbrush to see if she could paint. Maud instantly fell in love with painting. Maud painted the world around her in joyful colors even though as she grew up her life was hard. She couldn’t get a job because she was very small, walked crooked, and her hands looked deformed. When her parents died, her brother sold their house and moved away. She was left without a place to stay and penniless. She asked a fisherman if she could be his housekeeper. He agreed. He helped her keep up her painting by getting her paint and supplies. She painted many surfaces of the house inside and out. Today she is known as a iconic beloved folk artist. The fisherman’s house was rebuilt in a museum. She was able to triumph through much adversity. 

Stinson's text simply and enjoyably grasps Maud Lewis's life story. It is easy to understand, yet compelling, and tugged at my heart. This story is great for all of us, and especially meaningful to others with disabilities. Soloy's illustrations whimsically brought the story to life done in Maud's own folk art style. 

PGPowers

Mrs. Blisswhiskers by Joseph Kayne and Brittany Gneiting - ESSENTIAL

Mrs. Blisswhiskers by Joseph Kayne and Brittany Gneiting. PICTURE BOOK World of Nin, 2021. $25. 9798218010157 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

We follow the delightful and whimsical Mrs. Blisswhiskers as she waters the fantastic and different plants in her garden. She has to water them all with moon water. We follow her as she digs her way to the moon to collect moon rocks. Then we watch as he squeezes the moon rocks to extract the precious moon water. 

Mrs. Blisswhiskers is very original and fun. The art is beautiful and the story is told in both illustrations and words. It is whimsical and original. I have read this book to many classes of children from K - grade 5. They all loved it, wanted to look loser at the pictures and they loved the easy flowing, original language. This book is a great gift to all children and I look forward to the third book from this author/illustrator combo. The book is just delightful. A treasure of words and illustrations. A "must have" for home and school! Fantasy characters and plants. 

Ellen-Anita. Librarian

The Edge of Everywhen by A.S. Mackey - OPTIONAL

The Edge of Everywhen by A.S. Mackey,  230 pages. B & H Publishing, 2020. $15. 

Content: G 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL - AVERAGE 

13yo Piper and her autistic 10yo brother Phoenix must move from Atlanta to Maine when their mother dies. Their father has been missing for two years. Piper and Phoenix have to go live with their aunt who treats them badly. Their aunt has an extensive collection of books. One of these books calls to the children. The magic begins as they read the unusual book. 

 I enjoyed the book but it took me a few chapters to get used to the writing style. It is written like the magical book is talking to the reader and the book kept using references from other children's books. I did not recognize all of the references and I have read a large number of children's books. This might be confusing for elementary-age readers. Also, belief in God is a big theme in this book. Both children are white. 

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian

A Place for Pauline by Anouk Mahiout and Marjolaine Perreten - OPTIONAL

A Place for Pauline by Anouk Mahiout and Marjolaine Perreten. PICTURE BOOK Groundwood. 2020. $19. 9781773066097 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Pauline lives in a busy, noisy house. 5 people live there (almost 6 as her mother is expecting) and Pauline, the eldest sibling, would like a quiet spot of her own. She finally discovers a place under the stairs and her parents let her make it her own, with a mattress and bookcase, and everything she needs. It's her place and her imagination can run wild. Even better though, she imagines she could run away and jump on a passing ship and travel the world but then discovers that her family would miss her. 

Translated from French, I'm sure some kids could certainly relate. I found the story charming. The illustrations are a cross between traditional picture books and graphics and sometimes the story is told in panels. Pauline's grandmother and father are French, and some of the dialogue is in French. 

Lisa Librarian

Revenge of the Raccoons by Vivek Shraya, and Juliana Neufeld - ADVISABLE

Revenge of the Raccoons by Vivek Shraya, illustrated by Juliana Neufeld. PICTURE BOOK Owl Kids. 2022 $19. 9781771474382 

BUYING ADVISORY  EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

There are raccoons everywhere, in the trash and all over, doing things raccoons do - like eating donuts and getting into things. They've taken over! Guess what? There's a reason. I guess it's an ecological statement - that they were here first. Hence, Revenge of the Raccoons. 

 Neufeld's illustrations do justice to the raccoons. They certainly look wild and scary and bothersome. I think kids will like this. The text rhymes, and it would make a fun read aloud - especially at Halloween! 

Lisa Librarian  

Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence - ADVISABLE

Sweet and Sour by Debbi Michiko Florence, 304 pages. Scholastic Press (Scholastic). 2022 $18.00 Language: G (2 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G (2 kisses); Violence: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Mai and 13yo Zach have been friends since they were little kids. Their moms are best friends and they spend their summers together in a vacation home in Connecticut. But Zach and his family have lived in Japan the last 2 years, and that previous summer something happened between Mai and Zach and Mai is still really mad about it. When Mai finds out Zach did some modeling in Japan and now has an Instagram, she wonders if she can enact her revenge by taking his photo and posting embarrassing pictures on his account. 

A lite romance, it’s more about creating, maintaining and repairing friendships. Mai spends the bulk of the book angry at Zach, and plotting revenge while the flashbacks slowly unfold what had happened. Some are sweet - times when she and Zach were best friends and others are sour - when they were 10/11 and Mai felt Zach betrayed their friendship. Sweet and Sour is a cute story perfect for upper elementary and middle schoolers. Mai and Zach are Korean, his family has lived in Japan for the last 2 years so they speak some Japanese 

Lisa Librarian 

What We Saw: A Thriller by Mary Downing Hahn - ADVISABLE

What We Saw: A Thriller by Mary Downing Hahn, 208 pages. Clarion (Clarion Books). 2022. $18. 

Language: G (3 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (description of violence - not on-page, also peril). 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Abbi and Skylar live across the street from each other and have been best friends since 3rd grade. It's the summer between 7th and 8th grade and the girls discover an abandoned tree house in a "bad" part of town, the perfect place to read on a hot day. When a couple of cars drive up, and they overhear what sounds like a meeting between a man and a woman, Abbi takes pictures of the cars and their license plates - in case they are spies or something. But when one of the meetings turns into a fight and the woman runs into the woods, Abbi and Skylar think they may have important information that could help solve a murder. 

I was thrilled to see a new Mary Downing Hahn - my students can't get enough of her books, and while this isn't a creepy ghost story, it's certainly an exciting murder mystery. There are some bullies their age that are pretty scary, as well as some dangerous adults. Note: I listened to the audiobook while reading along with the ebook and there were some pointed differences - the chapters didn't line up, as well as additional or missing text and some scenes played out much differently. 

Lisa Librarian 

Virtually Me by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown - ADVISABLE

Virtually Me by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown, 256 pages. Shadow Mountain Publishing, 2023. $17.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The school district is trying a new virtual reality school – with VR technology mailed to each student’s home. Bradley is excited for a fresh start, Edelle’s mom thinks Edelle is too worried about being outwardly beautiful, and Hunter has a secret to hide. In their new junior high school full of avatars, can they really get to know anyone if no one wants to simply be themselves?

The journey that these students go on is all about learning to love yourself and being willing to look beyond outward appearances. I love that the story is told through different perspectives because it allows readers to see that people can mess up while still having good intentions. And maybe sometimes they don’t have the best of intentions but they are struggling, too. Everyone wants to be the hero of the story, but the truth is that we become heroes when we work together to be kind.

White, Black, and Asian characters are mentioned. The violence rating is for bullying and descriptions of a RV shooting game (players versus giant bugs).

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen 

Calling the Wind by Trudy Ludwig and Kathryn Otoshi - ADVISABLE

Calling the Wind: A Story of Healing and Hope by Trudy Ludwig and Kathryn Otoshi. PICTURE BOOK Knopf (Random House). 2022 $19.00 978-593426401 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

A family's mother has passed away and they are grieving. When the young boy sees a flyer about a special phone, he finds the place and talks to his mother - it's a one-sided conversation, and she's not really there, but it makes him feel better and he starts to heal - bringing home her favorite color flower and telling others about the comforting phone. As other family members try the special phone, the feeling of peace happens to them too. 

Based on "The Wind Phone" a glass-paned phone booth in a garden in Japan. Originally built as a quiet and safe place for the artist to grieve, soon others found out and now many people have visited "The Wind Phone". This is one of those times that I wish the author's note had come first - the story felt odd, but now it makes more sense and is a lovely story about healing, and remembering. The characters are Japanese. 

Lisa Librarian

I Cannot Draw a Horse by Charise Mericle Harper - ADVISABLE

I Cannot Draw a Horse by Charise Mericle Harper. PICTURE BOOK Union Square. 2022. $18. 9781454945949 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

An illustrator draws a shape, and when the shape says it is a "nothing shape" the illustrator turns it into a cat. But the cat wants a horse. The illustrator says that a horse is too hard to draw, and then proceeds to demonstrate things they can draw - even helping the cat drawing escape the dog drawing. But will the cat ever get the wished for horse? 

Kids will want to try to draw all these things. I loved that the background is graph paper! I don't always like when the characters talk to the author or illustrator, but this one works. I called AJ over right away to read this with me and she loved it, too. She pointed out the simple changes that made the the shape into a cat, a squirrel, a beaver, a bunny and a dog and then looked for how that shape was incorporated into the other drawings. A bunch of fun. 

Lisa Librarian

Welcome to Feral (Frights From Feral #1) by Mark Fearing - HIGH

Welcome to Feral (Frights From Feral #1) by Mark Fearing, 232 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL Holiday House. 2022. $22 

Content: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

The town of Feral, population just over 16,000, is a creepy place to live. A resident of Feral invites the reader to experience some of the dark side of the town through five spooky stories. 

 The first in a series, these stories are delightful and have great twists. The art is vibrant and fun and totally makes the stories come alive (or dead). I love Fearing's sense of humor and will most likely read anything he writes. If spooky stories with a dash of humor are your jam, then this book will not disappoint. Characters represent a variety of cultures, depending on the story. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Choosing Brave by Angela Joy and Janelle Washington - ESSENTIAL

Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy, illustrated by Janelle Washington. BIOGRAPHY Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan). 2022 $20. 9781250220950 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Mamie Till-Mobley was the mother of Emmett Till. She grew up in a town outside Chicago called Argo, where she graduated from High School top of her class. Emmett was her only child. He was a good boy, helpful, happy and responsible. After contracting Polio, Emmett had a stutter. His mother taught him to whistle to get his mind and tongue unstuck. When he visits family in the south and is killed, Mamie is brave, and does the hardest thing - she has his body sent back home and spends the rest of her life working for social change. 

There are other stories about Emmett Till for young readers (A Wreath for Emmett Till, Getting Away with Murder) but I especially loved Choosing Brave, as the focus was on Mamie and what she did rather than on the murder itself. Perfectly appropriate for a younger audience. I must say, I didn't love the illustrations, as they are a less traditional style, but they didn't detract from the story - just a personal preference. I think Choosing Brave is an important addition to both the middle school and elementary library. The characters are Black 

Lisa Librarian

Yonder by Ali Standish - ESSENTIAL

Yonder By Ali Standish. 368 pages. HarperCollins. 2022. $17. 

Language: G (0 swears 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (physical bullying, descriptions of injuries). 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Danny Timmons has a hero. An older boy named Jack Bailey. Jack saved twins from drowning during a flood, and he also stepped up and stopped a bully who was hurting Danny. They are friends of a sort, delivering newspapers together in their small Appalacian town, but Jack is a loner - his father is abusive, and when he doesn’t show up for his route one morning, Danny is frantic, certain Jack’s father has done something. 

Danny’s own father is overseas fighting in WWII.  Danny is collecting scrap metal, there are food rations, a draft board, service stars in peoples windows, prejudice against a German widow and a black family.  Although there is a lot going on, Yonder is an honest look at WWII and how it affected the people in the United States.  I was thoroughly engaged right from the start. Ali Standish tells some of the story in flashbacks - which are easily identified as the pages are grayish and the text is italics. I haven’t read many stories about American children during WWII, and I loved Yonder. Includes an authors note on some of the history of WWII that isn’t in the history books like how long our government knew about the extermination camps and our response to German refugees. Danny and Jake and most of the town is white. 

Lisa Librarian

Santiago! Artist, Scientist, Troublemaker by Jay Hosler - ESSENTIAL

Santiago! Artist, Scientist, Troublemaker by Jay Hosler, 218 GRAPHIC NOVEL BIOGRAPHY Margaret Ferguson Books Holiday House. 2022. $23 

Language: G (0 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G;  Violence: PG (child abuse) 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

Santiago Ramon y Cajal, wanted to grow up to be an artist, but his father said he had to be a doctor. Santiago was forbidden to paint and because of that, was often in conflict with his father. However, Santiago never gave up on his dream and began painting brain cells to unlock their secrets. Santiago won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1906. 

Told as a graphic novel, this format makes Santiago's story accessible and relatable. His antics as a child almost got him killed, but readers will be impressed at how he never gives up on his dream. The source notes for each chapter at the back of the book are just as interesting as the chapters themselves. It's fascinating to learn what Santiago accomplished to advance brain surgery. Santiago Ramon y Cajal is Spanish

Michelle in the Middle 

Krazyland by Mar Romasco-Moore - OPTIONAL

Krazyland by Mar Romasco-Moore, 266 pages.  Delacorte Press Penguin. 2022. $17. 

Language: PG (10 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

13yo Nathan has relatives who run the Krazyland Kids Indoor Play Place. He's pretty sure he'll be doomed to work there eventually. Nathan is there under duress for his younger cousin's birthday when a kid goes missing. Nathan discovers a hidden dark side to Krazyland; one that sucks kids under and seems to be getting stronger and more dangerous the longer the rip in reality goes on. 

I like the idea of a dark side to a fun center. Think Five Nights at Freddy's meets the down-under on Stranger Things but a calmer, nicer version. I did like that Nathan actually involves an adult, though the adults in this story are largely useless. While there is a lot going on that will probably interest younger readers, the void ultimately got too trippy for me. Maybe it was the chicken wing sharks, I don't know. Lots of creative action. 

Michelle in the Middle 

Sometimes I Grumblesquinch by Rachel Vail and Hyewon Yum - ADVISABLE

Sometimes I Grumblesquinch by Rachel Vail and Hyewon Yum. PICTURE BOOK . Orchard Books (Scholastic), 2022. $19. 9781338751161

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Katie is a really nice kid. She always goes along nicely. She’s a good sport when she looses and never puts up a fuss if she can’t get what she wants. Her parents call her a pleasure. But inside, Katie has problems with her baby brother and sometimes she GRUMBLESQUICHes. She has to push her negative feelings down. One morning her brother does too many things to her, and she finally screams out her feelings. She thinks she has ruined everything with her parents. Will her parents forgive her?

Sometimes I Grumblesquinch is a great way to open up a conversation about having negative feelings. Most kids want to be good and this book normalizes sometimes feeling frustrated with others. Cute illustrations capture the concept.

PGPowers 

Holi Hai! by Chitra Soundar and Darshika Varma - ESSENTIAL

Holi Hai! by Chitra Soundar and Darshika Varma. PICTURE BOOK. Albert Whitman & Company, 2022. $17. 9780807533574 

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3), EL - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

An Indian girl named Gauri is preparing to celebrate Holi, the Festival of Colors, with her family. They each draw a color to prepare, and Gauri is upset to draw red instead of her favorite color yellow. The grandfather tells the tale of Prahlada from Indian mythology to explain why they celebrate Holi. Gauri realizes she needs to stop being angry in order to enjoy the celebration.

I had heard of the Indian Festival of Colors but had no idea why it was celebrated or what it meant. This book is a brilliant explanation of the mythology and current traditions surrounding the festival. Young children will be able to understand and appreciate the significance of this event in Indian culture. After the story, there is an additional explanation about the festival and a glossary for the Indian words used.

J. Smith, Teacher Librarian 

I Don't Care by Julie Fogliano, +Molly Idle and juana Martinez-Neal - ESSENTIAL

I Don't Care by Julie Fogliano, illustrations by Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal. PICTURE BOOK Neal Porter (Holiday House). 2022. $19. 9780823443451 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

These two girls don't care about each other's hair, or what their clothes look like or where they live or even about how they sing or draw. but they do care about the things that make them friends. I want to buy a copy for all of my childhood girlfriends! 

A beautiful book about friendship - and a guide for what makes a good friend. Molly Idle and Juana Martinez shared the illustrations (and they are actual friends.) AJ really liked it too - she thinks it would be a great book for her classroom, so the kids could see the best ways to be friends. 

Lisa Librarian and AJ (age 7)  

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman - ADVISABLE

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel and Trina Schart Hyman. PICTURE BOOK. Holiday House, 2022 (reprint, gift edition with a poster and 25th anniversary afterword). $25. 9780823452552

Content: PG (goblins, scares, gambling)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Hershel of Ostropol came into town on the first night of Hanukkah tired and hungry. But when he arrived, the village was silent and dark. Not a single Hanukkah candle could be seen. The villagers explained that they cannot have Hanukkah because of the Goblins haunting the synagogue at the top of the hill. Hershel decides to help the village. They tell him that he must spend eight nights in the old synagogue. The Hanukkah candles must be lit one by one each night. On the eighth night, the king of the goblins must light them himself to break their power. Hershel goes up to the synagogue and each night tricks each goblin and lights the candles. On the final night, will Hershel be able to trick the King of the goblins into lighting the candles himself?

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins is delightful and clever. I enjoyed finding out how Hershel tricked each scary goblin. Hyman’s illustrations were magical and masterful.

PGPowers 

Drawing Outdoors by Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng - OPTIONAL

Drawing Outdoors by Jairo Buitrago and Rafael Yockteng. PICTURE BOOK. Greystone Kids, 2022. $19. 9781771648479

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Our school has almost nothing except a blackboard, some chairs, and a teacher. It is in the middle of nowhere. Today we are explorers and bring paper and pens to draw outside. The teacher points out a Brontosaurus. As we explore more we see a Triceratops, a Stegosaurus, a Triceratops, Pterodactyls, and a tyrannosaurus rex. On the way back to school we see other animals. As a little girl goes home she realizes that even though her school has nothing, it has a brontosaurus that’s as big as a mountain.

Drawing Outdoors has potential, but leaves the reader puzzling about the message of the story. It is too vague in conveying the message that any school with a dedicated teacher can take you on fantastical adventures and make school interesting.

PGPowers 

The World Belonged to Us by Jacqueline Woodson and Leo Espinosa - ADVISABLE

The World Belonged to Us by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Leo Espinosa PICTURE BOOK Nancy Paulsen (Penguin). 2022 $19. 9780399545498 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

It's the last day of school - the teachers told the kids to have a good summer, and they certainly will. Playing in the streets together from Breakfast until dinner was how the kids spent their summer days in Brooklyn. With the older kids looking out for the younger ones, the street is alive with kids. 

What an exciting time! Woodson doesn't say when, but the illustrations are evidence that it's the 60s-70s. The clothes, the bikes, the skates, the hairstyles - so nostalgic. I didn't grow up in Brooklyn, but I certainly remember having a similar experience in the summers of my childhood. Would make a fun conversation starter - do kids still play together like this? The characters are very diverse - the author is black and mentions kids speaking Spanish, English, Polish, German and Chinese. 

Lisa Librarian

My Name is Saajin Singh by Kuljnder Kaur Brar, illustrated by Samrath Kaur - ADVISABLE

My Name is Saajin Singh by Kuljnder Kaur Brar, illustrated by Samrath Kaur. PICTURE BOOK Annick. 2022 $19.00 9781773217055 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Saajin is so excited to start school. He's certain he will make a bunch of new friends. On the first day, when the teacher calls roll, she mispronounces Saajin's name. Soon all the kids are calling him Say-jin rather than Sah-jin. He doesn't correct anyone, but doesn't like the way his name sounds at school. When his dad hears him introduce himself as Say-jin they have a talk about how important Saajin's name is, and what it means. Sometimes grown-ups make mistakes and it's OK to correct them. 

Names are so important, and this is a perfect story about honoring a student's name pronunciation. Great adults, I loved the teacher's appropriate reaction when he finally said something. Kids will like this, but the message for teachers is essential. Learn to say their names! Saajin is Sikh. 

Lisa Librarian

The Twilight Library by Carmen Oliver and Miren Asiain Lora - OPTIONAL

The Twilight Library by Carmen Oliver and Miren Asiain Lora. PICTURE BOOK. NorthSouth Books, 2022. $19. 9780735844964

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

After the sun sets the animals are called to a story time. They enjoy listening to the story and then go home at dawn.

This is a dream-like reverie about story telling set in the forest woodland. The watercolor illustrations are beautiful and mesh perfectly with the small amount of text to create the night time dreamlike atmosphere. There is no plot or activity in this story that will make young children interested in reading it more than once.

J. Smith, Teacher Librarian 

Sometimes Love by Katrina Moore and Joy Hwang Ruiz - ADVISABLE

Sometimes Love by Katrina Moore and Joy Hwang Ruiz. PICTURE BOOK. Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin), 2022. $15. 9780593323823

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

A young African American girl receives a puppy. The love between the girl and the dog grows as the girl gets older. The girl's mother is in the military and they have to move and leave the dog with someone else. Will they ever be reunited again?

I really enjoyed the beautiful message and pictures in this book. There are very few words but the words are very powerful. The message of the book comes from this line, "love through changes makes love grow. The author actually went through a similar experience and that is why she wrote the book.

Tracie, Elementary School Librarian 

My Moms Love Me by Anna Membrino and Joy Hwang Ruiz - ADVISABLE

My Moms Love Me by Anna Membrino, illustrated by Joy Hwang Ruiz. PICTURE BOOK Orchard Books (Scholastic). 2022. $18. 9781338811964 

BUYING ADVISORY: PRE-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

A baby gets so much love from their mommies! Mommy and Mama each show how much love and care they give this baby in just one day. Feeding them, cleaning up after them, holding them and dancing, a car ride a bath, and all the wonderful things that accompany bedtime. Yes, this baby is certain "My Moms Love Me." 

Oh gosh! So nice. The illustrations were so sweet, a baby will love this - I read an ARC (thank you Scholastic for providing) and I hope they make a board book version. Adorable! Mommy and the baby are white, Mama is black. 

Lisa Librarian

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd - ADVISABLE

Hummingbird by Natalie Lloyd, 368 pages. Scholastic. 2022. $18. 

Language: G (0 swears, 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: G. 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

12yo Olive has been home-schooled and wants more than anything to go to Macklemore Middle School and find a BFF. But, Olive is "fragile” because she has osteogenesis imperfecta, otherwise known as brittle bone disease. Her mother is worried, her teachers are worried and even some of the students are worried, but she is allowed to go as long as she stays in her wheelchair, which adds a layer of protection. Her first day isn't great - all the kids avoid her and she has an aide who pushes her slowly around the building and won't let her choose where to eat lunch. She's thrilled to see there are play auditions, but the drama teacher won't even allow her up on the stage - and there is no ramp. But when a rumor that a magical bird may be back to grant a "once in a generation" wish, Olive hopes to find the bird, and prove herself worthy. 

I really loved the touch of magical realism, it was a great surprise and changed the story from being about Olive's frustrations at not fitting in, to a hopeful look at what it really means to be fragile. The friendships Olives build feel genuine and sweet, and I loved her supportive - yet careful parents and I don't blame them for being protective. The author also has OI, so details about Olive's condition and feelings were perfectly authentic. I will certainly be buying a copy and letting my theater kids know about it. Olive is white. 

Lisa Librarian 

I Want That! by Hannah Eliot and Ana Sanfelippo - HIGH

I Want That! by Hannah Eliot and Ana Sanfelippo. BOARD BOOK. Little Simon (Simon and Schuster), 2022. $10. 9781665911993

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

What does each baby want? What does the first baby want to eat? She chooses whatever food you choose for her to have by turning a wheel on the side of the book. The choices on this page are bananas, yogurt, cookie, cake, or avocados. What does the next baby want to wear on his head? What does the next baby smell that is stinky? What toy does the next baby want to play with. What will the next baby bring to play with him in the tub? The reader gets to choose each time.

I Want That! is very cute and interactive for a young child. A child can turn the wheel on the edge of each page until he finds the object that he wants the baby to choose. A child can read the book again and again and make different choices each time learning names of objects. I enjoy the creative illustrations where the object that the child chooses turns up on the next page with the baby using it.

PGPowers 

The Stars Will Be My Nightlight by Jen Halpern and Chiara Fedele - ADVISABLE

The Stars Will Be My Nightlight by Jen Halpern and Chiara Fedele. PICTURE BOOK. Kar-Ben (Lerner), 2022. $9 (paperback). 9781728439044

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

A Jewish mom and her son talk about how they are going to sit in the sukkah that they have made to remind them that they are part of the Jewish people. The young boy asks if they can turn on the lights that decorate the sukkah. Then they read his bedtimes story and decide to sleep in the sukkah. It rains and the boy cries. The mother comforts him and tells him that the sukkah will keep them safe and warm like it did for their ancestors while they wandered the desert after leaving Egypt.

The Stars Will Be My Nightlight is a gentle, educational book on one of the Jewish traditions of Sukkot. I enjoyed learning about this religious tradition through a tender family story and beautiful, heartfelt illustrations.

PGPowers 

Hug a Bug: How You Can Help Protect Insects by Bonnie Worth and Aristides Ruiz - ADVISABLE

Hug a Bug: How You Can Help Protect Insects by Bonnie Worth, illustrated by Aristides Ruiz. PICTURE BOOK, NON-FICTION, Random House. 2022. $10. 9780593487211 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

The Lorax (Dr. Seuss' environmental hero) is back to teach us about insects. They pollinate, the eat other pests or weeds, and some are even food for larger animals. Insects, like monarch butterflies are losing their habitat. Butterflies are pollinators as are bees. Weed killer can also kill bees. Ladybugs help control aphids, other insects help break down dead animals. 

The text is reminiscent of Seuss rhymes, as are the illustrations. I liked the "did you know" text boxes that also show photographs of the insects. Pictures are also incorporated into the illustrations which is cool. Includes tips for how you can help, instructions for making a bee house, link to relevant organizations and websites as well as a glossary and an index. 

Lisa Librarian

The Youngest Sister by Suniyay Moreno and Mariana Chiesa - OPTIONAL

The Youngest Sister by Suniyay Moreno and Mariana Chiesa. PICTURE BOOK Greystone, 2022. $19. 9781771648752 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Picu is the youngest sister, so when jobs are assigned, she is sent on a two hour walk to pick up a soup bone. She arrives and picks up the bone, but returning home Picu is distracted by a shady tree and a flock of butterflies and loses sight of the path. By the time she finds her way home, it's much later that it should be and she knows she's in bad trouble. 

I liked that this was a depiction of an indigenous family, and I think children will relate to Picu getting distracted, and hoping to win a prize. Translated from Argentine Spanish, but written as though it were spoken in Quechua made the writing style different, the story felt choppy and disconnected. I was glad for the translators note and the glossary. 

The characters are an Argentinean Quechua community 

Lisa Librarian

Beneath the Trees: A Fine Summer by Dav - OPTIONAL

Beneath the Trees: A Fine Summer by Dav. PICTURE BOOK. Magnetic Press, 2022. $17. 9781951719548

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Owl's treehouse is right next to a swimming hole. Young animals come to swim and make quite a bit of noise. How will Owl solve this problem?

This is the third book of a four book series. Each book takes place in the same forest but is set in different seasons with different animals as characters. Each book can be read independently. Dav has written in graphic novel form with illustrations that are reminiscent of older Disney movies (like Robin Hood and The Rescuers). The book was sweet and would be engaging for younger readers, I am just not sure that I would spend my library money on it.

Tracie, Elementary School librarian 

What to Bring by Lorna Schultz Nicholson and Ellen Rooney - NO

What to Bring by Lorna Schultz Nicholson, illustrated by Ellen Rooney. PICTURE BOOK. Owl Kids, March 2023. $22. 9781771474900 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, (K-3) EL - NO 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW 

A wildfire is coming and the little girl’s family is packing up to leave. She wants to bring everything, because everything is important to her. But, in the end, she whispers to her mom what she wants to bring. 

I am so confused! I have read this three times – my assistant read it three times and we still don’t see what she wanted to bring. If it was her family, then clue us in, please. No need to be so secretive. While a class might discuss this and have their own ideas, I am not a fan of the guessing game for this particular book. 

Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS