Missing Mike by Shari Green - ESSENTIAL

Missing Mike by Shari Green, 248 pages. Pajama Press, 2018. $17. 

Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Cara’s best friend is Mike Wazowski, her one-eyed dog. She’s devastated when he runs off just as her family are fleeing the wildfires threatening her neighborhood. Her father insists that it’s too dangerous to go after him. While staying in temporary housing, Cara has one thing on her mind. Finding Mike. She contacts all the shelters and posts a photo on social media. When Mike still doesn’t turn up, there’s only one thing left to do. Ignore the evacuation order and return home.

I can’t say enough good things about Shari Green’s verse novels. She chooses words carefully to make an emotional connection and teach you a valuable lesson. Cara is not upset when her home is destroyed, because she realizes that a home is not defined by the physical dwelling, but by the people in it. Cara’s home is wherever Mike is. Most people identify with the strong urge to save a pet. That, combined with the recent wildfire disasters, make this a book kids will thoroughly enjoy. 

Valerie McEnroe, Media Specialist

Escape the Underdark by Matt Forbeck - ADVISABLE

Escape the Underdark by Matt Forbeck, 122 pages. Candlewick Entertainment, 2018. $8.99

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

You are the main character of this story, and you have a lot of difficult decisions to make as you try to find your way back home from the Underdark. While it may not be easy, your adventure will never be boring as you find the right creatures to ally with and the right creatures to slay before they eat you!

Choose your own adventure books are the video games of literature. This story is compelling as you make escape plans and figure out if you would survive such a predicament. I was surprised how some choices led me in directions I didn’t expect—Forbeck kept me on my toes the whole time.

Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Ella Unleashed by Alison Cherry - ADVISABLE

Ella Unleashed by Alison Cherry, 197 pages. Aladdin (Simon & Schuster), 2018. $18. 

Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

BUYING ADVISORY: EL – ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Ella loves competing in dog shows, but it’s not the same without her dad there to cheer her on. 

She’s convinced he’s staying away to avoid her mom and stepdad. She figures a girlfriend is just what her dad needs. She puts on her matchmaker hat and creates an account on a dating website. Posing as her dad, she picks out a few likely candidates and arranges the dates. What follows is a hilarious adventure of less than perfect outcomes and one that just might work.

Anyone who is curious about what it takes to show dogs in competition will want to read this one. Ella makes many mistakes with her dog, but she is determined. By the 3rd show she has a nearly flawless performance, but what makes this book so entertaining is Ella’s determination to find her dad the perfect girlfriend. The jams she gets herself into while pursuing these dates is downright cute. There’s a lesson to be learned when all is said and done. Don’t’ make assumptions, because they’re probably wrong. Unfortunately, the cover makes this book look like it’s for younger kids. That assumption is incorrect. Definitely for upper elementary.

Valerie McEnroe, Media Specialist

The Unteachables by Gordon Korman - ESSENTIAL

The Unteachables by Gordon Korman, 288 pages.  Balzer + Bray (Harper), 2019.  $17.

Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G (some mild anger management problems)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Kiana, Parker, Elaine, Aldo, Rahim, and Barnstorm – they are the 8^thgrade Unteachables. And their teacher, Mr. Kermit? If he can make it until June, he will be able to retire from a school and town that gave up on him long ago, through no mistake of his, so he also checked out too. But the superintendent has it out for him.  Is there something about these kids that can remind him what he loved about teaching? Is there something about him that can reach these kids?

Korman’s book is pure joy! I can’t think of a single kid, or adult who works with kids for that matter, who wouldn’t love reading this. What an awesome read aloud for any class.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Story of Rock, illustrated by Lindsey Sagar

The Story of Rock, illustrated by Lindsey Sagar.  BOARD BOOK. Silver Dolphin, 2018.  $9.  9781684125098

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Teach your baby early about the origins and figures of rock and roll, from its blues roots through to The White Stripes.  This is just a board book, so many greats are left out (where’s U2?) and the adults can argue about who should have been there, but it is still a fun tribute to the big picture of rock.  Get your playlist ready!

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

The Strangers by Margaret Petersen Haddix - ESSENTIAL

The Strangers (Greystone Secrets #1) by Margaret Petersen Haddix, 416 pages.   Katherine Tegen (Harper), APRIL 2019.  $18.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

Finn, 8, Emma, 10, and Chess (Rochester), 12, live with their mother; their father dies several years earlier.  Their life is quiet and loving – until the day they here about three children who were kidnapped – named Finn, Emma, and Rocky (Rochester) – the exact same names, the exact same birthdates, and even the exact same mother -- ? Now Mo has to go away for work and the children are staying with strangers – Ms. Morales and her angry daughter Natalie.  The kids can feel that something is wrong with their mother.  They are determined to unlock the secrets she left behind and Natalie insists she can help.  When they do figure out the first secret, they could have never anticipated where it would lead them.  

Even without the #1 in the title, you knew this had to be a series!  And you will be on tenterhooks until #2 is published.  Haddix brings high energy and excellent mystery-solving to the table.  

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

Class Action by Steven D. Frank - ADVISABLE

Class Action by Steven D. Frank, 253 pages. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019. $17.

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

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE   

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE        

Sam realizes with his large homework load he has very little time for anything else in his life.  He dearly loves to play the piano, but no time. He tries unsuccessfully to stage a protest in his middle school classroom but gets expelled instead. While serving his time out of school he befriends his neighbor a retired lawyer. The lawyer, Sam’s sister, Sam and several friends take on the school establishment to have homework declared unconstitutional.  It is an interesting romp through the legal system.   

It feels a bit stereotypical, all teachers are demanding and unfair, administrators are sneaky and corrupt. While reading this I was trying to get several classes through research papers, I hate to judge, at a different time or maybe a different reader the dialogue would come across as clever and bright and the story educational and informative. For me it felt unconstitutional to have to deal with whining all day at work and then come home and read it.        

Lisa Moeller, Teacher Librarian       

Little Fox in the Snow by Jonathan London - OPTIONAL

Little Fox in the Snow by Jonathan London, illustrated by Daniel Miyares. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2018. $17. 9780763688141.


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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

A young fox spends the day exploring in the snow outside his burrow--chasing down meals, seeking out another fox, and even escaping a dangerous wolverine.

This is a book written in verse that is beautiful in its tone and illustrations. The words capture the quiet excitement of a fox's daily life and the illustrations are really gorgeous. That being said, this is not the sort of book young readers will likely enjoy. Adults nature lovers will likely find it appealing, but I doubt it will have a ready audience among kids.

Reviewer: TC

Podcast 3: A.G. Howard, Weaver of Fantasy

Anita Howard stopped by to talk about her latest book - Stain

Listen to the episode on Spreaker

Go here for the show notes

Princess Arabella and the Giant Cake by Mylo Freeman - OPTIONAL

Princess Arabella and the Giant Cake by Mylo Freeman. PICTURE BOOK. Cassava Republic Press, 2018. $17. 9781911115663.


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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Princess Arabella loved her birthday party and is excited to celebrate her grandmother's upcoming birthday as well. Her friends--who also love Grandma!--all want to bake Grandma a cake for her birthday. Each child bakes a cake but Princess Arabella declares that hers will be the biggest and yummiest of all! The creator of the biggest and yummiest cake will be revealed at the party, and the end result is an unexpected surprise! 

The best thing about this story is the variety of cultures represented amongst Arabella and her friends. The illustrations are bright and colorful and its wonderful to see different nations celebrated and portrayed as royally as the next. The story itself feels a little stilted--probably because its a translation from an original story in French--but the main fun still comes across. Its not the greatest book I've ever read, but it was still nice.

Reviewer: TC

I'm Done! by Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan - ADVISABLE

I'm Done! by Gretchen Brandenburg McLellan, illustrated by Catherine Lazar Odell. Holiday House, 2018. $18. 9780823437054.

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW

A young beaver is tasked with building a dam but his paltry efforts keep getting interrupted by friends and other exciting adventures. Each time he drifts away, his parents bring him back to complete his task. Beaver eventually realizes the importance of a job well done and finishes the dam to form a beautiful pond.

This is a nice story and the illustrations are my favorite part. The story itself lends itself to the "I need to teach kids an important lesson about working until we finish something!" but I don't think a lot of young readers would love this book on their own. My son loves animals and enjoyed seeing Beaver's various friends but the lesson required me to point it out a bit. Still, this would be a good option to have in libraries.

Reviewer: TC

Five Flying Penguins by Barbara Barbieri McGrath - ADVISABLE

Five Flying Penguins by Barbara Barbieri McGrath, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2018. $13. 9781580898058

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

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Five little penguin are sitting on the ice when they see a seal coming after them. So they take to the ocean and swim as fast as they can to escape. The ending is unexpected and fun.

This is a simple story written in a classic rhyme kids will recognize. The text is short and the illustrations are excellent. This is a nice pick for anyone who loves penguins or animal stories. The rhyming patterns makes it a fun one to read aloud.

Reviewer: TC