Bats: Biggest! Littlest! – Sandra Markle, Boyds Mill, 2013

Rating: 5

Genre:  Non-fiction 500s

What did you like about the book? A better book about bats for this age group is hard to imagine.  Markle’s photographs of the bats are absolutely astounding and the information provided describing a few unique features of the individual bat is fascinating.

What didn’t you like about the book? Definitely N/A!

To whom would you recommend this book?  Recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about just how fascinating and diverse bats are.

Who should buy this book? Public libraries and elementary schools

Where would you shelve it and why? Non-fiction 500s

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Yes.

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Gardner HS

Date of review: 5/10/2013.

          The Skeleton Pirate – David Lucas, Candlewick, 2012.

Format: Picture book

 Rating: 3.5

What did you like about the book? This is a rather strange story of a pirate who happens to be a skeleton and looks like a wooden puppet.  He vanquishes sea monsters and furious storms vowing “I’ll never be beaten!” (How did he become a skeleton, one might wonder?) However, he is beaten by a shipload of pirates, chained and tossed in the sea where he is rescued by a mermaid only to be swallowed by a whale!  The adventures inside the whale are cute and exciting.  The illustrations are colorful and simple with just the right amount and size of text.

What didn’t you like about the book? The fact that the pirate is a skeleton puzzles me.  Perhaps children will just accept it without question.

To whom would you recommend this book?  Pirate lovers, of course, the obvious choice and Kristin Kladstrup’s “Gingerbread Pirates.

Who should buy this book? Day-cares and public libraries

Where would you shelve it and why? Picture books

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Pirate fans, maybe.

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City:  Katrina Yurenka, Gardner HS

Date of review: 5/9/2013

Format: Picture

Rating: 5

Genre:  Fantasy.

What did you like about the book?This is a search-and-say type book for a very young child. The pictures are bright, clear and not overwhelmingly stuffed with things as other search books are. There is a strip at the bottom of each page saying “Can you see” and the words are accompanied by a picture. It also goes farther than other search books, as there is a question on each page which engages the child. There are prediction questions, and questions to further engage the child.

What didn’t you like about the book? I liked everything about this book, as it could be used with multiple groups of children.

To whom would you recommend this book? This book would be appropriate for non readers, early readers who might need help recognizing words and for ESL students.

Who should buy this book?All libraries

Where would you shelve it and why?Picture books

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles?yes

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City:Sandra Pacheco, Gardner Public Schools

Date of review:May 9, 2013

Format: Picture

Rating: 1

Genre:  Fantasy

What did you like about the book?The book jacket and the illustrations were eye catching.

What didn’t you like about the book?This is a story about 2 cats who have opposite personalities, one good and one bad. As the story unfolds,one cat turns the other cat into the police for doing something bad. We find out that it is the same cat with a split personality. I didn’t like the story line at all.

To whom would you recommend this book? No one

Who should buy this book?I can’t recommend this book for any library

Where would you shelve it and why?Picture book

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City:Sandra Pacheco, Gardner Public Schools

Date of review:May 9, 2013

Format: Hardcover, Non-fiction

Rating: 5

Genre:  Non-Fiction.

What did you like about the book?This is a wonderful adaptation for young people of the original book by Tracy Kidder. The font is larger, there are fewer pages, and the language is not as dense as it was in the original. It is in a format which is accessible to a low reader, or an ELL, but it doesn’t present the material in a childish style.

What didn’t you like about the book?I liked everything about the book.

To whom would you recommend this book?  Great for English Language Learners, middle school students or low level high school students.

Who should buy this book? Middle schools, high schools, all libraries.

Where would you shelve it and why?Non-fiction, health, development

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles?yes

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City:Sandra Pacheco, Gardner Public Schools

Date of review: May 9, 2013

Format: Picture

Rating: 2

Genre:  History

What did you like about the book?This book gave an inside glimpse into the great friendship of these two people. There is an in-depth section at the end of the book that gives historical data on the lives of Washington and Lafayette.

What didn’t you like about the book?This picture book is clearly written for either an adult or an advanced student. The language is sophisticated, (Washington was prepared to discount Lafayette). The pages have a great deal of text on each page and it is written in small font. Because an adult wouldn’t be looking in a children’s room at the library for a book about Washington and Lafayette, it would be unread. A child would never pick up this picture book.

To whom would you recommend this book?  The only possible audience I could see for this book would be middle school or high school students who would need to find a biography to write about. It could also be a supplemental reading in an American history course.

Who should buy this book?Middle schools, high schools,

Where would you shelve it and why? Biographies, American History section

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles?No

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Sandra Pacheco, Gardner Public Schools

Date of review:May 9, 2013

Format: Picture, Non-Fiction

Rating: 4.5

Genre: Science

What did you like about the book?This is a picture book which uses both illustrations and photographs to explain the behavior of the very strange frog called Darwin’s frog. As a book which highlights the only frog where the male incubates the babies inside his vocal sacs for 2 months, it is a fascinating study in adaptation, and survival. The story traces the discovery of the frog to the current time where scientists talk about saving the habitat of this frog to prevent extinction.

What didn’t you like about the book?I liked everything about this book. I didn’t give it a 5 as I thought it would have been geared for younger children when I first picked it up. Once I started reading it, I realized it was geared for a much older child.

To whom would you recommend this book? High elementary age children. Although this book is written in scientific terminology, it is understandable and clear.

Who should buy this book?All School libraries

Where would you shelve it and why?Science, ecology

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles?yes

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Sandra Pacheco, Gardner Public Schools

Date of review:May 9, 2013

Wash-a-Bye Bear – Thomas Docherty, Templar books (Candlewick), 2012.

Format: Picture book

 Rating: 3

What did you like about the book? When Mom decides that Flora’s teddy needs a wash, Flora sits in front of the washing machine remembering all the good times she and Bear had that got him dirty.  When he is clean and dry, he no longer looks or smells like Bear – but that can soon be remedied!  The illustrations are nice without being special.  This is a very nice story about a close relationship between a child and her stuffed friend.

What didn’t you like about the book? N/A

To whom would you recommend this book?  Elizabeth Winthrop’s Bear and Mrs. Duck stories would go well along with Sarah’s Bear by Marta Koci.

Who should buy this book? Public libraries and day-cares

Where would you shelve it and why? Picture books

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No.

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Gardner HS

Date of review: 5/9/2013

Doggone Feet! – Leslie Helakoski, Boyds Mill Press, 2013.

Format: Picture book

 Rating: 3.5

What did you like about the book? This story is told from the dog’s viewpoint – literally.  A dog follows a man home, enjoying his happy new life – until the girlfriend’s feet arrive, and then babies, one, two, three.  The dog resists each new set of feet until he finds there are pluses with each as well such as scratches, dropped food and spilled milk.  The illustrations are colorful and exuberant with plenty of kid appeal.

What didn’t you like about the book? N/A

To whom would you recommend this book?  Good book for dog-lovers.  You could pair it with Bob Graham’s The Trouble with Dogs and Let’s Get a Pup, Said Kate.

Who should buy this book? Public libraries and day-cares

Where would you shelve it and why? Picture books

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No.

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Gardner

Date of review: 5/9/2013

Speed – Nathan Clement, Boyds Mill Press, 2013.

Format: Picture book

 Rating: 4

What did you like about the book? You really are at an auto race with this book.  The colors of the cars are vibrant and alive, the print is large and sparse; you can feel the action!

What didn’t you like about the book? N/A

To whom would you recommend this book?  Nathan Clement also wrote Drive and Job Site.  Definitely worth a look.

Who should buy this book? Day-cares and public libraries.

Where would you shelve it and why? Picture books

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No.

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Gardner HS

Date of review: 5/9/2013.

, Boyds Mill Press, 2013.

Format: Picture book

 Rating: 4

What did you like about the book? You really are at an auto race with this book.  The colors of the cars are vibrant and alive, the print is large and sparse; you can feel the action!

What didn’t you like about the book? N/A

To whom would you recommend this book?  Nathan Clement also wrote Drive and Job Site.  Definitely worth a look.

Who should buy this book? Day-cares and public libraries.

Where would you shelve it and why? Picture books

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? No.

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Gardner HS

Date of review: 5/9/2013.