Money Out Loud: All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us by Berna Anat

Money Out Loud: All the Financial Stuff No One Taught Us by Berna Anat. Quill Tree Books, 2023. 9780063067370

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5

Format: Hardcover

What did you like about the book? Anat has divided up the topics of this book on understanding finances and presented them with illustrations and conversations as they appear on a cell phone, thus making them easy to understand and approachable. She urges the reader to visit their own history for clues in understanding their personal attitudes and how they developed.

Her conversational manner explains investing (with emphasis on socially responsible investing), taxes, debt, credit, budgeting, saving accounts and student loans. She provides footnotes, and an extensive glossary.

Anything you did not like about the book? No.

To whom would you recommend this book?  Students in grades 9-12 would benefit greatly from reading this book, maybe picking out the areas of most interest to them.

Who should buy this book? Public and high school libraries

Where would you shelve it? YA 332.4

Should we (librarians) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Maybe not the top, but in the top ten

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Retired Librarian, Contributor, Youth Services Book Review

Date of Review:  May 31, 2023

Lia Park and the Heavenly Heirlooms by Jenna Yoon

Lia Park and the Heavenly Heirlooms by Jenna Yoon. Aladdin, 2023. 9781534487963

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 3.5

Format: ARC (Publication date 5/30/2023)

Genre:  Fantasy/Adventure

What did you like about the book? Lia Park is ecstatic to finally join the International Magic School, where she will learn advanced martial arts and hone her magic with other amazing students. Joon will be there as her partner-agent, and she’ll finally make friends. Of course, though, her school year starts off in disaster. First, during her initiation ceremony, her magic fails her completely, making Lia look pathetic in front of her whole class. Then, Joon decides to hang out with Vic, a student who is out to embarrass her, and Lia can’t understand Joon’s betrayal. Lastly, the nine-headed monster Jihagukdaejoek, King of Darkness, infiltrates the school and steals one of the three Heavenly Heirlooms of light and fire, using a school project that Lia and her team built, making all of them – especially Lia herself – the prime suspects. To stop Jihagukdaejoek from stealing the rest of the Heavenly Heirlooms and plunging the world into darkness, Lia must team up with Joon, Eugene, her fellow Hwarang-in-training, and Chloe, the mechanic whiz, to track down the remaining heirlooms and bring them to safety. But with Lia’s magic acting up and a traitor among the students, can the four heroes travel to the great landmarks of Seoul and prevent the King of Darkness’s return? Or will someone lurking in the shadows get the heirlooms first?

Lia Park and the Heavenly Hierlooms is the action-packed sequel to Lia Park and the Missing Jewel, this time centering around a magic-school setting before venturing out across Korea to battle legendary monsters and deities. Lia and Joon are back and this story tests their relationship with themes of betrayal, support, and faith. Eugene and Chloe are good supporting characters who elevate the dynamics of the group, and both enemies and side characters add different flavors to the story. All characters are Korean. 

Anything you didn’t like about it? Many times throughout the story, the text will have a lot of inconsistencies. I did read an ARC, so maybe these will be fixed, but sometimes I got confused as to which character was speaking and who they were talking to. Also, like the first book, the pacing is very fast, especially toward the end. This does three things: 1) it makes it hard to reflect on different characters’ actions or dwell on Lia’s internal thoughts; 2) Lia will seemingly switch back and forth between opposing feelings and opinions very quickly; and 3) characters will seem inconsistent because on one page they are acting/saying one thing and then 3 pages later they will do/say something completely different. It can be jarring. 

To whom would you recommend this book? Kids who like mythology adventure or magic school books. The Last Shadow Warrior by Sam Subity, Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun by Tola Okogwu, and Kelcie Murphy and the Academy of the Unbreakable Arts by Erika Lewis are all good read-a-likes. 

Who should buy this book? Middle Schools and public libraries

Where would you shelve it? J Fiction or J Fantasy

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

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Laila Carter, Cheltenham Township Library System, Glenside, PA

Date of review: May 30, 2023

Clarice Bean, Scram! by Lauren Child

Clarice Bean, Scram! by Lauren Child. Candlewick Press, 2023. 9781536231120

Rating:  1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Realistic fiction

What did you like about the book? It’s summer, and an oppressive heat wave has everyone in Clarice Bean’s family feeling bored and cranky.  Clarice and her older sister Marcie can’t stop bickering, and she is annoyed by everything her little brother Minal does.  Their parents go away for the weekend, leaving Grandad in charge; Clarice tries to be helpful but feels like she can’t do anything right.  And then there is the matter of the sweet dog that starts following her everywhere.  She knows that Marcie wants a dog more than anything, so decides that she is going to secretly take care of this stray and figure out a way to convince her parents to keep him when they get back.  Of course, Clarice Bean is not known for her subtlety, and it’s not easy for her to keep the dog comfortable and quiet, even in the backyard shed.  Nosy neighbors start asking questions, and soon enough Marcie uncovers Clarice Bean’s secret.  All of their recent disputes forgotten, the sisters agree that it’s up to them to take responsibility for this pup and make him part of their family for good.

The first person narration in Clarice Bean’s quirky, authentic voice brings humor and light to this sweet animal rescue story. She is a likable heroine with whom many will identify.  Readers will appreciate Clarice Bean’s well-meaning and earnest efforts to make everyone happy and prove herself responsible; it is so heartwarming when she and Marcie reconcile and conspire together.  Series fans will love being reunited with this family and their neighborhood, and enjoy the back story about how Cement came to the family, while newer readers get a quick introduction to the characters and setting before Clarice launches into the story.  Lauren Child’s trademark style of mixed media illustrations (in black-and-white with frequent pops of vibrant color) and fluctuating font size and style make the book even more entertaining. 

Anything you did not like about the book?  No

To whom would you recommend this book? Readers who have enjoyed other Clarice Bean chapter books or picture books will love it, and it’s a good fit for fans of Junie B. or Clementine who are looking for a slightly more challenging read.

Who should buy this book? Public and elementary school libraries

Where would you shelve it?  Fiction

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

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City:  Leigh Russell King, Lincoln Street School, Northborough, Massachusetts.

Date of review: May 25, 2023

10 Things I Love About School by Samantha Sweeney, illustrated by John Joseph

10 Things I Love About School by Samantha Sweeney, illustrated by John Joseph. Tiger Tales, 2023. 9781680102932 

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 5

Format: Hardcover picture book

What did you like about the book? Filled with colorful and inviting illustrations, this book lists a student’s favorite things about school; a kiss from dad at drop off (even if the little girl pretends to be embarrassed), learning, being told she’s doing a great job, playing with friends, lunch, exploring nature in science, PE, Music, storytime, and pick up. But the best thing about school is that she gets to do it all again tomorrow! The excitement and fun in this book might help calm nervous kids starting out or help more experienced students remember that there are good things to look forward to about school.

Anything you didn’t like about it? Not one thing!

To whom would you recommend this book? Children starting school or preschool as well as those who might not be enjoying school at the moment (ages 3-8)

Who should buy this book? Elementary schools, public libraries, and day-cares

Where would you shelve it? jFiction Sweeney 

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

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Vicky Tandy, Athol Public Library, Athol, MA

Date of review: May 24, 2023

Liar’s Beach by Katie Cotugno

Liar’s Beach by Katie Cotugno. Delacorte Press, 2023. 9780593433287

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 3.5

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Mystery

What did you like about the book? Having gotten into a prestigious private school in Massachusetts with a full scholarship because of his excellence in Lacrosse, Linden (his last name which he goes by, his first name is Michael) is the son of a single mother with whom he lives in a two-bedroom apartment, his mother supporting them by house cleaning. He has kept his origins hidden from everyone at school, feeling that he will not be accepted. Since he has hurt his ankle very badly at the end of his junior year he is worried that will be the end of his sports scholarship.  This summer, however, he has been invited by his roommate, Jasper, to spend a couple weeks at their home in Martha’s Vineyard where Linden hopes to get closer to Jasper’s twin sister Eliza. There is much intrigue going on not only within Jasper’s family but with residents of the island as well.  In fact, one of them, Greg, is found floating in the pool, ending up in a coma.  Each chapter explores another person who just might be the one who purposely harmed Greg.

Anything you did not like about the book? I found it slow-moving at times, the chapters too drawn out.

To whom would you recommend this book? Readers who like who-dun-its with a bunch of twists and turns will be drawn into this one.

Who should buy this book? Public and high school libraries

Where would you shelve it? YA fiction

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

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Retired Librarian, Contributor, Youth Services Book Review

Date of Review:  May 28, 2023

Cranky Chicken: Crankosaurus by Katherine Battersby

Cranky Chicken: Crankosaurus by Katherine Battersby. Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2023. 9781665914550

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4

Format: Hardcover graphic novel

Genre: Fantasy

What did you like about the book? Five chapters starring Cranky Chicken and Speedy the worm. In the first, Cranky just wants to take a nap with her favorite rabbit softie but Speedy’s help is more hindrance than help.  The second chapter is a gem showing all the costumes, likes and dislikes that the two share. In chapter three Speedy ponders just who he is.  The soft pastel illustrations were created digitally using custom chalk, pastel, and watercolor brushes. Speedy and Cranky make a great pair!

Anything you did not like about the book?  No.

To whom would you recommend this book? This one is for the younger crowd who like graphic novels.  Those who read the first two Cranky Chicken books will definitely like this one as well.

Who should buy this book? Public and lower elementary school libraries

Where would you shelve it? J graphic novels

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

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City: Katrina Yurenka, Retired Librarian, Contributor, Youth Services Book Review

Date of Review:  May 31, 2023

Every Day by David Levithan, illustrated by Dion Mbd

Every Day by David Levithan,  illustrated by Dion Mbd. RH Graphic, 2023. 9780593428986

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4

Format: Hardcover graphic novel

Genre: Speculative fiction, romance

What did you like about the book?  Dion Mbd enhances Levithan’s 2012 bestseller with this full-color graphic novel treatment. If you haven’t read the original (I hadn’t), the story follows an entity named A who wakes up everyday in a different body. After floating along aimlessly for 16 years, they memorably inhabit Justin and meet his girlfriend, Rhiannon. The magical day the two teens spend skipping school to go to the beach gives A new direction. From then on, no matter what body they inhabit, they find a way to see Rhiannon every day, eventually telling her the whole story. At first she’s incredulous, but with repetition, comes to accept this bizarre situation and to recognize A, no matter their visual manifestation. Levithan uses the body shifting to explore how external image influences perceptions; A inhabits teens of different genders, orientations, races, and body types. Turning the story into a graphic novel makes perfect sense because we actually get to visualize A’s existential nightmare (their hand repeatedly going to the alarm clock, the cell phone, the digital array on a computer) and then the surprise of seeing each unfamiliar face.  Levithan’s original text supplies variety to shake things up. One day, A awakens in the body of a girl suffering from depression and we see her thoughts obscured by dark, smudgy clouds. Another encounter features Rhiannon surreptitiously sneaking into her uncle’s hunting cabin with A, eager to consummate their love, but A pulls back, not wanting to subject his current host Xavier to contact without consent. A subplot focuses on Nathan, one of A’s earlier replacement experiences. A devout Christian, Nathan thinks the day he lost to A was the result of demonic possession, leading him to eventually connect A with a “preacher”, who is, in fact, another shape-shifter. 

Anything you didn’t like about it? As a speculative novel fan, I was disappointed by the failure to explore the phenomenon itself. It’s possible that the book and its two sequels would provide more explanation. Spoiler alert: the ending, in which A sets up Rhiannon with a good guy to replace the undeserving Justin before going after the supernatural entity, struck me as controlling. Looking at this plot through a 2023 perspective, I have to say that A seems stalker-ish, and the high-handedness exhibited at the book’s conclusion would be consistent with that interpretation. Is this what Levithan was trying to convey? No idea.

To whom would you recommend this book?  The original has many fans who will enjoy seeing the beloved characters brought to life. I think after reading this, rather than waiting for further graphic novel installments, many will jump right to the print sequels, Another Day and Someday. Another speculative fiction read alike that messes around with time and identity would be Opposite of Always (2019) by Justin A. Reynolds.

Who should buy this book? High school and public libraries

Where would you shelve it? Graphic novels

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

Reviewer: Susan Harari, Keefe Library, Boston Latin School, Boston, MA

Date of review: May 28, 2023

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli. Balzer + Bray, 2023. 9780063045873

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4

Format: Hardcover

Genre: Realistic fiction

What did you like about the book?  Imogen takes her allyship seriously, attending Pride Alliance meetings at her high school and supporting her sister Edith (a lesbian), BFF Gretchen (bi), and other BFF Lili (now a college freshman and pansexual). Sweet, girly, shy, and straight – that describes Imogen. Now that she’s been accepted at nearby Blackwell College, she’s going to spend the weekend there with Lili and meet all her cool college gay friends. But Lili drops a bomb when Imogen arrives; eager to seem more worldly, Lili’s told her gang that they’re exes and that Imogen is bi. Always a people-pleaser, Imogen goes with the flow but the flutters she’s feeling around Lili’s hallmate Tessa signal that maybe she’s not as straight as she thought. The narrative alternates between Imogen’s often tentative first-person voice and long strings of text messages, including increasingly flirty ones with Tessa. All of the action takes place in one week, between the college visit weekend and a dark academia queer house party six days later. Albertalli asks and has her characters answer a series of thought-provoking questions. Is gaydar real? Who can pass for straight? Who would want to date a bi girl? Is the closet a valid choice and who gets to decide? Who gets to apply labels and why do we listen to them? Gretchen represents a queer gatekeeper, and not always in a flattering way. Having experienced homophobia firsthand, she looks for certainty and rejects Imogen’s questioning about her sexuality. Teens who are on their own journeys will find Imogen’s confusion relatable and compelling. Adorable cover art and Albertalli’s prior hits will make this a popular checkout. Imogen presents as White, Lili and her brother are Brazilian-American, and Tessa is Jewish. Others in Lili’s friend group are intersectionally diverse.

Anything you didn’t like about it? I don’t like instalove as a plot device and this was instalove on steroids. Just one meeting in the hall and they’re smitten! Imogen is quite tenderly developed as the main character, but Tessa is basically a tomboyish manic pixie dream girl. I would have liked to see the relationship evolve more naturally, with more emphasis on what the two girls actually like about one another.  I found the college weekend unrealistic, with nonstop banter, puns galore, and no discussion of classes or homework. Plus, Imogen’s been accepted at the school but had never visited? Even though it’s 20 minutes from home? An annoying side plot that involved a series of pranks with sausages could safely have been eliminated.

To whom would you recommend this book?  Albertalli’s fans will want to get their hands on this ASAP. 

Who should buy this book? High school and public libraries

Where would you shelve it? YA fiction

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

Reviewer: Susan Harari, Keefe Library, Boston Latin School, Boston, MA

Date of review: May 28, 2023

Disagreement by Nani Brunini

Disagreement by Nani Brunini. Tapioca Stories, c2021, 2023. 9781734783971

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 3

Format: Hardcover picture book

What did you like about the book?  A cryptic and elegant wordless look at disagreements. Against a stark white background, a group of small, scribbly adults argue, with their contrary words represented by messy, stabbing swirls of orange or blue paint, hovering over their heads. Gradually, the angry words mass into one giant cloud, which then morphs into a monster, gobbling up all the grown-ups plus a hapless boy and his dog. Everyone’s trapped in the black belly of the beast, but one of the adults crafts an escape route, changing his words into a beautiful white horse that leads the group to a graceful hot air balloon, waiting to carry them safely back to reality and the world of color. The open-ended nature of the narrative will leave room for interpretation.

Anything you didn’t like about it? I was confused; is Brunini saying that disagreement is always problematic? Sometimes people disagree and that’s OK.  Once everyone gets gobbled up, the narrative becomes even more confusing, with the impetus for resolution unclear. The pictures were interesting, but with the fine lines and shift to all black with the small figures appearing in white, the book will work best one-on-one.

To whom would you recommend this book?  Children who have questions about why grown-ups fight. It could have value as a discussion starter.

Who should buy this book? Public libraries

Where would you shelve it? Picture books

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

Reviewer: Susan Harari, Keefe Library, Boston Latin School, Boston, MA

Date of review: May 25, 2023

I Remember by Maidah Ahmad, illustrated by Kristina Swarner

I Remember…: A Recognition of Muslim Loyalty and Sacrifice in WWI by Maidah Ahmad, illustrated by Kristina Swarner. The Islamic Foundation, 2022. 9780860378976 

Rating: 1-5 (5 is an excellent or a Starred review) 4

Format: Hardcover

What did you like about the book? Each page starts with “Dear Great-grandpa, I remember” and then goes into some aspect of what it meant to be a Muslim soldier during WWI and asks a question to the fallen soldier/Great-grandpa. Ie: “Halal food was made for you. Did you share?” “Did fellow soldiers find the turban strange?” It’s a great look into the difficulties Muslim soldiers faced during the war and remembrance of their sacrifices. Glorious illustrations are both amusing and somber at times.

Anything you didn’t like about it? Not really, war is clearly a sad subject. It may help littles to be warned that the Great-grandfather dies in the end, but that’s often how it was so it’s very appropriate.

To whom would you recommend this book? Children ages 4-8

Who should buy this book? Elementary schools and public libraries

Where would you shelve it? jNon-Fiction picture books

Should we (librarians/readers) put this on the top of our “to read” piles? Not really

Reviewer’s Name, Library (or school), City and State: Vicky Tandy, Athol Public Library, Athol, MA

Date of review: May 22, 2023