Could Be Worse by James Stevenson Picture book * * * Stars (Pretty good) Grandpa always says the same thing, “could be worse,” whenever his grandkids tell him something. They assume that it’s because he leads a very uninteresting life. To spice things up, he tells them a story of his previous evening – when he was abducted from his bed, horrible things happen to him, and he finally returns shaken, but alive. Their response? … Read more
The Boss Baby by Marla Frazee Picture book * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) When the Boss Baby arrives, he immediately takes control of his parents’ lives – “He put Mom and Dad on a round-the-clock schedule, with no time off.” Dressed in black footie pajamas that look just like a power suit (with a convenient flap at the back) and a tie, the Boss Baby proceeds to throw his weight around. It’s truly … Read more
The Case of the Vanishing Golden Frogs: A Scientific Mystery by Sandra Markle Juvenile Non-fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) In the space of just a few years, biologist Karen Lips noticed a serious decline in the population of golden frogs living in the mountain forests of Panama. She discovered massive quantities of dead frogs and was perplexed and concerned about the cause of their deaths. Sandra Markle follows Lips’ investigation into the near-extinction … Read more
A House in the Woods by Inga Moore Picture book * * * * Stars (Great!) Once upon a time there were two pigs living in the woods in homes they had built for themselves – a den and a hut. When they return after a walk, they find that a bear and a moose have moved in, respectively. Due to their large size, they destroy the pigs’ homes when they get up to greet … Read more
The Aviary by Kathleen O’Dell Juvenile Fiction Mystery * * * * Stars (Great!) Eleven year old Clara lives with her mother in the old Glendoveer mansion, where mom and another caretaker (Ruby) look after old Mrs. Glendoveer. Clara has never been to school, nor is she allowed to leave the house or have any friends because of her poor health. She has a weak heart, her mother tells her, so it isn’t good for … Read more
A Place to Call Home by Alexis Deacon illustrated by Viviane Schwarz Picture book * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) A group of (what appears to be) hamsters outgrows their hidey hole home in the junkyard and the seven of them decide that they must find new digs. They are afraid to venture out into the world without some kind of protection (very, very small portable holes that they can take with them on … Read more
Only the Mountains Do Not Move: A Maasai Story of Culture and Conservation by Jan Reynolds Nonfiction * * * * Stars (Great!) The Maasai are a group of semi-nomadic people who live in Kenya and Tanzania. In the past they traveled thousands of miles with their herds, following rain and growing seasons and seeking out new pastures for their animals. They do not believe in land ownership. Their way of life has had to … Read more
The Princess and the Pig by Jonathan Emmett Illustrated by Poly Bernatene Picture book * * * * Stars (Great!) This is one of those books where two infants are switched at birth (or close enough) and raised by unsuspecting families until they come of age and all is revealed! Because of all of the stories they’ve read (where that sort of thing happens all the time) it’s not surprising to the King and Queen … Read more
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin Fantasy * * * Stars (Pretty good) Minli lives in a small, poor, rural village in the shadow of Fruitless Mountain (called so because it is barren of life). Her parents – Ma and Ba – work hard cultivating crops, but barely manage to get by. Ma is bitter and resentful about their misfortune and poor circumstances, and when Minli uses one of her copper coins … Read more
Saving Audie: A Pit Bull Puppy Gets a Second Chance by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent photos by William Munoz Nonfiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Michael Vick, NFL quarterback, was running an illegal dog-fighting ring and raising “fighting dogs” at his appropriately named “Bad Newz Kennels.” When information about his crimes came to light, the dogs were seized, as evidence, and spent many months in isolation in an animal shelter. In the past, fighting dogs … Read more