The Terrible Plop by Ursula Dubosarsky Picture book * * * * Stars (Great!) A group of bunnies is picnicking by a lake when they hear the most terrible plop. They flee from the noise and are joined by every other animal they encounter as they try to get as far away from the plop as possible. When the animals nearly trample a bear, however, he grabs the tiniest bunny – the one who can’t … Read more
Love, Aubrey by Suzanne LaFleur Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) After reading Love, Aubrey, I’d like to meet her! She is someone who tells you how it is, doesn’t sugarcoat the truth. She’s the kind of friend each of us needs during a difficult time or the best of times. When we first meet Aubrey, she is alone and doesn’t know where her Mom is. She is tough and ready to survive … Read more
Ruth and the Green Book by Calvin Alexander Ramsey with Gwen Strauss Historical Fiction Ruth and her family take a trip in the 1950’s from Chicago to Alabama to visit her grandmother. Traveling out of the city and seeing the hills and trees appear and the streets and buildings disappear are something new for Ruth. Along the way Ruth sees, for the first time in her life, that others are not always friendly to those … Read more
Spirits of the Season Saranormal #4 by Phoebe Rivers Supernatural Saranormal Spirits of the Season by Phoebe Rivers is part of Rivers’ Saranormal series. In this book Sara and her father have moved back to New Jersey and are living with an eccentric old woman, Lady Azura. Sara takes a liking to her because the two of them have so much in common. As it turns out, they can both talk to the dead. In … Read more
The Girl in the Castle Inside the Museum by Kate Bernheimer and Nicoletta Ceccoli Picture book The Girl in the Castle inside the Museum is an interesting piece of writing for the young reader. It is certainly a concept that will stir the imagination. In the book there is a museum and in the museum there is a globe which houses a castle in which a little girl lives. If one looks really hard the … Read more
I Hatched! by Jill Esbaum illustrations by Jen Corace Picture book * * * * Stars (Great!) A killdeer chick hatches and starts exploring the world. Everything is new and he is full of curiosity about himself and all of the things he encounters as he races around on his gangly legs at full speed. Fun, rhyming text, and adorable illustrations capture the essence of these busy birds. Young readers/listeners will likely have similar energy … Read more
Rabbit and the Not-S0-Big Bad Wolf by Michael Escoffier illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo Picture Book * * * * Stars (Great!) The narrator of this book asks Rabbit if he is familiar with the Not-So-Big-Bad Wolf. When Rabbit draws a picture of the wolf on his blackboard, the narrator guides him in making alterations until he has it just right. And that’s when the Not-So-Big-Bad Wolf shows up and Rabbit must RUN and HIDE. … Read more
Undead Ed Book #1 by Rotterly Ghoulstone Funny Supernatural * * * * Stars (Great!) Thirteen year old Ed is pretty unlucky. After being hit by a semi, he comes back as a zombie and his left arm immediately detaches from the rest of him, crawls away, and vows to kill Ed if it ever sees him again. Uh-oh. Ed’s whirlwind introduction to “life” as one of the newly undead is fraught with dangers and … Read more
Wanted: A Guinea Pig Called Henry Rainbow Street Shelter #3 by Wendy Orr Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Sam really wants a pet for her birthday, but because her family lives in an apartment, her choices are limited. She and her family visit the Rainbow Street Shelter and meet some of the small pets there – including the guinea pigs – and Sam later returns to adopt “Henry,” an adult guinea pig … Read more
My Snake Blake by Randy Siegel illustrated by Sergei Bloch Picture book * * * * Stars (Great!) A little boy receives a pet snake for his birthday. Blake the snake is long and green and perfectly mannered – also, he can write (with his body), cook, and answer any homework question. He is the best of pets and the best of friends. Charming and funny story, with messy, hurried illustrations in black, white, red, … Read more