A Lion is a Lion by Polly Dunbar- ESSENTIAL

A Lion is a Lion by Polly Dunbar. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2018. $15. 978-0763697310

BUYING ADVISORY: - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Asking the question "Is a lion still a lion if..." and then listing different scenarios of possible danger is the premise of this book.. In the story, the lion is polite, wears a hat, dances, and seems pleasant. Then the lion shows his true colors as a lion, and you see that a lion will still eat you if it can.

A Lion is a Lion had great illustrations and was captivating. Overall, I felt this book approaches a very difficult topic in a fun and kid-friendly way. A parent could read this book with a child, and then discuss important life lessons such as stranger danger, or even being cautious towards animals. This book can be a very positive, helpful tool to help teach young children necessary life-skills.

Reviewer: SL

I Thought I Saw A Lion! By Lydia Nichols-ESSENTIAL

I Thought I Saw A Lion! By Lydia Nichols. BOARD BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2018. $8. 9780763699468

BUYING ADVISORY: ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Similar to  I Thought I Saw A Dinosaur! this board book is an interactive book focusing on playing a game of hide-and-seek. There are very few pages due to the complex nature of creating the hide and seek mechanisms but well worth the price! This is a unique book unlike any other I have read.  Children use a “dial” or slider on each page to move the dinosaur into view. The dinosaur is a bright green neon color that makes hunting easy and fun.

I Thought I Saw A Lion!  is a perfect combination of fun and learning  Not only will children love looking for the dinosaur, each page has multiple illustrations that could be used to reinforce counting and some color recognition.  I can see parents spending many hours with this fun interactive board book. 

Reviewer: SL

I thought I Saw A Dinosaur! By Lydia Nichols- ESSENTIAL

I Thought I Saw A Dinosaur! By Lydia Nichols, BOARD BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2018. $8. 9780763699451

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

I Thought I Saw A Dinosaur! is an interactive book focusing on playing a game of hide-and-seek. There are very few pages due to the complex nature of creating the hide and seek mechanisms but well worth the price! This is a unique book unlike any other I have read.  Children use a “dial” or slider on each page to move the dinosaur into view. The dinosaur is a bright green neon color that makes hunting easy and fun.

Nichols creates a  perfect combination of fun and learning  Not only will children love looking for the dinosaur, each page has multiple illustrations that could be used to reinforce counting and some color recognition.  I can see parents spending many hours with this fun interactive board book. 

Reviewer: SL

Ramadan: Celebrate the World Series by Hannah Eliot- ADVISABLE

Ramadan: Celebrate the World Series by Hannah Eliot Illustrated by Rashin. Board Book. Simon & Schuster, 2018. $9. 9781534406360

BUYING ADVISORY: PRe-K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Eliot and Rashin do a great job explaining the significance and events associated with Ramadan.  In this easy to read board book readers can learn details about this religious celebration including proper names for feasts, etc.  The end of the book states: “Ramadan may be over, but we will remember what it taught us.  We will remember to love our family, pray and give back to others all throughout the year.” 

The colors are bright and fun.  The illustrations are detailed and give a sense of warmth and love.  In this simple board book much can be learned about this culture and the importance of celebrating this religious family event. This book could be used to help teach about cultures and celebrations around the world. 

Reviewer: SL

A Dog Called Bear by Diane and Christyan Fox- OPTIONAL

A Dog Called Bear by Diane and Christyan Fox. PICTURE BOOK. Henry Holt and Co. (Macmillan),2018. $17. 9781627798679

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

Lucy wanted to get a dog, and already had everything a dog would need to be happy. A bear came and told her she was a dog, and asked to come live with her. She and Bear went home together. After a while, his bear behaviors started to wear on Lucy, and Bear starts to get tired of pretending to be a dog. Bear leaves. They each miss each other, and then are reunited.
 
I thought the story was cute, especially in the beginning. However, I felt it could use more detail in the illustrations, and the story line felt like it slowed a lot after she took Bear home only a quarter of the way into the book. This is a book I would not normally buy for my kids with my own money, but instead borrow it from a library if my children found it interesting.

Reviewer: SL

See Hear by Tania Mccartney, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft- ADVISABLE

See Hear by Tania McCartney, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft. PICTURE BOOK. EK Books/Imprint of Exisle Publishing, 2018. $18  978-1925335675

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

See Hear is a great introduction to the senses hearing and seeing. The first half of the book talks about all the wonderful things you can see. When you reach the halfway point in the book where the pages are upside down, you close the book, flip it over, and start again. When you start with the book flipped over, it introduces the child to things we hear. 

The book uses very descriptive words to describe what one would see or hear. The illustrations are colorful and detailed, and the words are easy enough for a beginning reader. I have taught the 5 senses to preschool aged children more than once, and this book would have been an excellent teaching aid. 

Reviewer: SL

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal - ADVISABLE

Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal.  PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2018. $16. 978-0-7636-93558

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

 Alma has a very long name, and doesn't understand why. Her father teaches her where each of her 6 names were chosen from. He tells her about each person she was named after, which helps her to see her genealogy. She can see and compare similar interests she has with interests those from her past have had. Her first name, Alma, was not a name that came from someone else. Her father explains that she is the first Alma, and can now create her own story.

Alma and How She Got Her Name is soft in its looks, and has very little color, but is still inviting. It approaches the topic of genealogy and importance of learning and cherishing our heritage quite well. It is an excellent story to help children understand that they are made-up of their past, but also that they can become whoever they would like to be and be unique.

Reviewer: SL

My First Number Board Book by DK Publishing- ESSENTIAL

My First Number Board Book by DK Publishing, BOARD BOOK. DK, 2011. $6. 9780756688561

BUYING ADVISORY: ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

My First Number Board Book will not only help children learn number but is full of bright, colorful photos.  DK goes beyond a simple counting to 10 book and adds photos of 20, 50 and 100 items.  The book then continues on to asking questions and creating interactive communication between reader and listener. 

We recommend this board book for every home and library.  The photographs are eye-catching.  The easy to read text will help beginning readers recognize numbers.  We really enjoyed this great book. 

Reviewer: SL

The Chancellor and the Citadel by Maria Frantz –NO

The Chancellor and the Citadel by Maria Frantz. 130 pages. GRAPHIC NOVEL.  Iron Circus Comics, 2018 $15

Language: G ; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – NOT RECOMMENDED

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Everyone lives in the Citadel and humans live outside of it. The mysterious Chancellor, a clocked and hooded woman, protects the Citadel. But even she needs healing on occasion and has a trusty friend Olive. When humans outside of the Citadel rebel, they Chancellor is in danger and uses violence to resolve the situation. She starts to question who is good and who is evil.

I put this as elementary since the publisher recommends it for 8-12 year olds but the book has an older feel with more of a political spin that might be better for older readers. That being said, I thought it was incredibly boring, confusing (humans live outside but the characters that live inside look human to me too), strange rather than mysterious or intriguing, and just depressing. I can imagine the cover appealing to young readers, but the content was not up to par. I am not saying there shouldn’t be graphic novels that question violence, but this one just doesn’t accomplish that goal for young readers.

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author

Far Away by Lisa Graff – OPTIONAL

Far Away by Lisa Graff, 266 pages. Philomel (Penguin), 2019 $17

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

CJ has an unusual life. She lives on the road with her Aunt Nic, who makes her living as a psychic medium –contacting spirits for their loved ones. CJ loves her life and especially her Aunt’s ability, which allows CJ’s dead mother to talk to her. When her mother ends their communication and says goodbye, CJ is determined to find an item that will allow her Aunt to still make contact, a tether. This starts her on a journey of discovery that turns her world upside down.

There is too much to give away by revealing more of the plot. Lisa Graff is an excellent author and this is no exception –the story moves at a great pace, with excellent characters and lots of surprises. That being said, I felt like young readers might not understand what the concept of mediums or if they did, not have a grasp on why people would be so desperate to talk to their dead relatives. (or any of the controversy about mediums). 




(Spoiler alert:) 





I have learned over the years that young readers don’t like to be tricked with 'fantasy books' that turn out to be just plain realistic fiction either.

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.

Moon Mission: The Epic 400-year Journey to Apollo 11 by Sigmund Brouwer –OPTIONAL

Moon Mission: The Epic 400-year Journey to Apollo 11 by Sigmund Brouwer, 127 pages. NON-FICTION. Kids Can Press, 2019 $18 Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL  - OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This book puts the reader into the drivers seat of the Apollo 11 mission, using second person perspective. Each chapter has a small chunk of the astronaut experience in sequential order, a bit of history of the space program and little ‘solve the mystery puzzles’. Filled with lots of illustrations, photographs, and diagrams.

This would be a fun read for an upper elementary student who is interested in space travel, sadly I mostly see interest around this topic from younger readers. It draws out the story of the flight to the point where I think some readers would give up. The solve the mystery puzzles are challenging to the extreme and students would just have to do research to solve them (maybe that was the intent). They were interesting mysteries, but then by the time the solution is presented later on in the book, I had forgotten the original mystery that is went with. The photos that fill the book are excellent and well chosen. I like the author chose to address, point by point, the conspiracy that the whole mission was faked.

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.

Which One Doesn’t Belong: Playing with Shapes by Christopher Danielson –OPTIONAL

Which One Doesn’t Belong: Playing with Shapes by Christopher Danielson. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2019. $16.  9781580899444

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

This book features pages with four shapes and the simple questions of which shape doesn’t belong and why. It provides an example at the beginning with lots of interesting perspectives. It asks readers to be creative and think outside of the box. The pages seem to get more challenging as the book goes on and will require even more creative thinking.

Don’t get me wrong, this book requires some excellent thinking skills. That being said, its boring. I think most students would rather solve who do-its, riddles, and puzzles. I can see a teacher using this book selectively as a challenge at the start of a shape lesson, but as a whole I think a student would read this book and feel like they were doing homework.

Reviewer: Stephanie MLS & Author.