Sleepover at the Museum by Karen LeFrak – ADVISABLE

Sleepover at the Museum by Karen LeFrak, illustrated by David Bucs. PICTURE BOOK. Crown (Penguin/Random House), 2019. $18.  9781524771409

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Mason is having a birthday party/sleepover at the local natural history museum. Part of the fun is a scavenger hunt with his two best friends, during which time Mason is supposed to decide which hall they are going to sleep in for the night. Most rooms are too scary and still others Mason has random problems with. But first they must solve all the riddles!

This is a fantastic book for reading before a natural history museum field trip. It features maps of the building and will pique students curiosity. It could lead to an after field trip assignment of writing about which place they would want to sleep in overnight. The artwork is top notch and readers will have fun trying to figure out the clues along with the characters.

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.

Rosie and Rasmus by Serena Geddes – OPTIONAL

Rosie and Rasmus by SerenaGeddes. PICTURE BOOK. Aladdin (Simon), 2019. $17. 97811481498746

BUYING ADVISORY: EL(K-3) – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Rosie is a lonely girl and Rasmus is a lonely dragon. One day, under Rasmus’s tree, they meet. They become instant friends and play together. Rosie helps Rasmus to learn how to fly. When he flies away, will Rosie have the confidence to make new friends?

This is a simple friendship story that sort of left me feeling sad. It was sweet and simple though. The illustrations are soft and lovely. It could be read as a starter for how to make friends.

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.

The Rabbit, the Dark, and the Cookie Tin by Nicola O’Byrne - ADVISABLE

The Rabbit, the Dark, and the Cookie Tin by Nicola O’Byrne. PICTURE BOOK. Nosy Crow (Candlewick Press), 2018. $16. 9781536205763

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

A rabbit does not want to go to bed, so he decides to capture the dark and hold it in his tin until he is ready. The dark is persuasive though, explaining all the animals and plants that rely on him to survive and thrive.

There is a fold out page in this book that will be destroyed after not too many readings. It folds out in a lot of different directions and was hard to put back. This book would be fun for a bedtime story and, with the added benefit of a little nature information slipped in, teaches young readers about nature at nighttime.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Fangsgiving by Ethan Long – OPTIONAL

Fangsgiving by Ethan Long. PICTURE BOOK. Bloomsbury, 2018. $27. 9781681198255

BUYING ADVISORY: EL(K-3) – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Its time for a thankgiving feast and Vlad’s family shows up. Even though all of Vlad’s friends (from the book by this author: Fright Club) already each have a dish they are making, Vlad’s family members are determined to help. For example Vlad’s Uncle Gus wanted to electrocute the Turkey, which turns it into a crispy pile of ash. Vlad will have to learn an important lesson if he wants to have a good time.

I sort of felt like an outsider since I hadn’t read Fright Club. I also thought it was kind of an odd concept that Vlad wasn’t having Thanksgiving with his family in the first place. I think readers will enjoy the gross foods and the idea of having Halloween characters celebrating a holiday that is unexpected.

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.

Be A Maker by Katey Howes - ADVISABLE

Be A Maker by Katey Howes, illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic. PICTURE BOOK. Carolrhoda Books (Lerner Publishing), 2019. $18. 9781512498028

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This story is told in a list-like form of all the things that a person can build in a day. You can make a mess or make a sound. By the end of the book the kids in the book’s illustrations have made a community playground.

This book is pleasant, but lacks a certain energy that motivates the reader to put the book down and then “make” things themselves. The illustrations feature children and families of a variety of ethnicities.    

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

It’s a Girl Thing: Smart, Fierce, and Leading the Way by Pri Ferrari – OPTIONAL

It’s a Girl Thing: Smart, Fierce, and Leading the Way by Pri Ferrari . PICTURE BOOK. Starberry (Kane), 2016. $19. 9781635921243

BUYING ADVISORY: EL(K-3) – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This book answers the question What do girls like to do and what can girls be. It have statements with little captions and a corresponding illustration. For example: Girls are Pilots. “They can fly helicopters, airplanes, rockets..and even dragons.” The illustration shows a girl riding a dragon. It goes through a variety of careers like chefs, mechanics, doctors, mountain climbers, and more.

Adding this book to your library collection would be on a case by case basis. I don’t feel like the demographic in my school would need this, girls already know they can be anything they want. (Our need was more of stereotypical boy/girl characteristics thing –like boys can wear pink and have long hair, girls can have short hair, etc.. and its just great). There are some mistakes, I guess, as well. On the archaeologists page, the illustration shows a girl and woolly mammoth, but that would be Paleontology not archaeology. I also thought the girls are “gamers” page was kind of sad, why can’t they be the video game creators and programmers instead? 

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.

I'm Not Trick-or-Treating by Laura Gehl - ESSENTIAL

I'm Not Trick-or-Treating (Peep and Egg) by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Joyce Wan. PICTURE BOOK. Farrar Straus Giroux (Macmillan), 2016. $17.00. 9780374301224

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

It's time to go trick-or-treating, but Egg is frightened of all the scary things he might see. Peep wants his friend Egg to join in the fun, but Egg refuses to go.  Peep tries telling Egg fun Halloween jokes to help him be less frightened, he even tries coaxing him to come and see all the other animals in their costumes, but Egg still won't budge.  When Peep heads off to the Halloween festivities without him, Egg discovers that being all alone is a much scarier thing to be.

Peep and Egg's Halloween adventure is a cute and endearing story about friendship and facing our fears. The illustrations add humor and fun to the story.  This is an excellent holiday read for pre-k and kindergarten ages.

Gina, Media Specialist

On No Bobo! You’re in Trouble by Phil Gosier - ESSENTIAL

On No Bobo! You’re in Trouble by Phil Gosier.  PICTURE BOOK. Roaring Brook, 2019.  $18.  9781250176837

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Bobo the monkey has sneaked away with the zookeeper’s flashlight.  When it stops working, Fifi the koala says she is going to tell. Bobo scampers all over the zoo looking for help, but he may just have to confess to his crime.  Maybe.

While you may not like the sub-message that Bobo gets away with his mischief, the bright illustrations and Bobo’s silliness are so much fun that you’d just better have a talk about telling the truth after you make a mistake when you reading of this to your charges.  

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Nests by Pepe Marquez - OPTIONAL

Nests by Pepe Marquez, illustrated by Natalia Colombo. PICTURE BOOK. StarBerry Books (Kane Press), 2019. $18. 9781635921267

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Nests are built in a variety of places and this book walks the reader through some of these places. Some of the spots are obscure and harsh and some of the spots are cozy and welcoming.

This book is simple in a way that may have appeal as a goodnight story, but not very engaging beyond that. The colors is the book are limited to red and teal, which is pretty but does get a bit repetitive.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Doctor Esperanto and the Language of Hope by Mara Rockliff - ADVISABLE

Doctor Esperanto and the Language of Hope by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Zosia Dzierzawska. PICTURE BOOK/NON-FICTION. Candlewick Press, 2019. $17. 9780763689155

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

In Biatystock, the people of the town spoke a variety of languages and because they couldn’t understand each other, often had arguments. Young Leyzer has an idea and starts to create a language that combines all the languages of his town. After medical school, he starts to share the language with a larger audience and it takes on some momentum.

I had never really considered the idea of a global language, so I found the idea behind this story and Leyzer’s life fascinating. That said, I thought the execution here was a little bit messy. It was never very clear exactly where he lived and why there were so many languages and why the new language didn’t take off to a greater degree.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Undercover Ostrich by Joe Kulka - ADVISABLE

Undercover Ostrich by Joe Kulka. PICTURE BOOK. Carolrhoda Books (Lerner Publishing), 2019. $18. 9781512497878

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

The speaker of this book claims that there are ostriches all over that are blending in so well we can’t see them. They are blending in as lamps and hiding on power lines.

The sarcastic humor in this book is really on point. It is subtly funny and my kids loved that they caught on to the fact that the author is saying something unbelievable in such a believable tone.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Hissy’s Big Day - ADVISABLE

Hissy’s Big Day. EARLY READER. Disney Press (Disney Book Group), 2018. $5. 9781368047098

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

The dogs and cat in this book are from the Disney Junior show “Puppy Dog Pals”. In this story, the dogs are trying to provide an exciting day for a cat who is visiting, but their plans don’t go well. The cat, Hissy, just wants to play at the house with her dog pals.

The dogs and cat in this book are great models for trying to serve and be kind to our friends. The story is fast paced and funny and a young reader will have an easy time staying engaged in the story.  The reading levels seems to be appropriate for about early first grade.

Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher