Audrey’s Tree House by Jenny Hughes - ADVISABLE

Hughes, Jenny and Jonathan Bentley Audrey’s Tree House.  PICTURE BOOK.   Bloomsbury, 2015. $17.99

Content: G

Audrey is getting big. She is bigger than she was yesterday.  She asks her dad for a tree house with a winding staircase, a bathtub, a stove, tea spot and a bed.  He finishes the project just in time for bed.  As he is leaving the tree house, Audrey begins to have second thoughts on living on her own and finds many excuses on why she can’t stay in the tree house alone.  Her dad reminds her that she does have a nice warm place with hot soup waiting for her inside their house.  This is a cute story of kids wanting to grow up, but not quite ready to be alone.  The characters are likeable and the illustrations are creative.

EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE Reviewer: SM

Spy Guy The Not-So-Secret Agent by Jessica Young - ADVISABLE

Young, Jessica Spy Guy The Not-So-Secret Agent. Illustrated by Charles Santoso.  PICTURE BOOK.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015. $16.99

Content: G

Spy Guy is not a good spy.  He is not sneaky and if he not talking then he is bumping into things or walking noisily.  He tries and tries to get help from the Chief, but things just don’t seem to go right for Spy Guy.  Chief says he needs to figure it out on his own, but will he?  The relationship between Spy Guy and the Chief is tender.  It is hard to tell who is enjoying the spy business more: the kid or the adult.  The illustrations are boldly colored, yet muted to not overpower the emotion of the characters.

EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE.  Reviewer: SM

First Flight Around the World: The Adventures of the American Fliers Who Won the Race - ADVISABLE

Grove, Tim First Flight Around the World: The Adventures of the American Fliers Who Won the Race, 88 pgs. NON-FICTION Abrams, 2015. $21.95. Language: G ( 0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.   

In April of 1924, 4 small airplanes left Seattle, Washington beginning the race to make Americans the first to accomplish an around the world flight. Competing against Great Britain, France, Portugal, Argentina, and Italy, this is the story of the 4 pilots and 4 mechanics from the Army Air Corps and their journey of diplomacy, sightseeing, danger and cultural exploration. It was a test of their skill and courage, and not an easy trip, which included crashes, engine failures, dysentery, terrible wind and weather and the loss of more than 1 plane. 

Quoting from one of the mechanic’s journals, this account includes pictures from the historic journey, maps, examples of artifacts, a glossary, itinerary, bibliography and index.  This is another publication from the Smithsonian.  I have really appreciated these non-fiction stories of the items in the national collection.  Can’t wait to go back to DC and see the plane on display at the Air and Space Museum.  That’s what non-fiction is all about.  

EL, MS, HS - ADVISABLE  Lisa Librarian

Gwendolyn Grace by Katherine Hannigan - ADVISABLE

Hannigan, Katherine Gwendolyn Grace.  PICTURE BOOK.   Greenwillow Books, 2015. $17.99.  Content: G

Gwendolyn’s sister is sleeping. She wants desperately to play and make noise and since she’s told to be quiet, she asks her mom all kinds of clarifying questions about what she shouldn’t be doing.  She wants to make sure she can’t play music in the kitchen, swim in the bathtub, slide down the stairs or jump on the bed.  Each time her mother patiently answers in the affirmative.  Gwendolyn can’t wait for her sister to wake up so they can play together.  

The story is simple one of children following directions, but putting their own spin on how they interpret the directions.  Gwendolyn definitely is a little on the naughty side, but is also super sweet and loving.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE.  Reviewer: SM

Who Wants a Hug? by Jeff Mack - ADVISABLE

Mack, Jeff Who Wants a Hug?   PICTURE BOOK.  Harper, 2015, $17.99.  Content: G

Bear loves to give hugs, but that really angers Skunk.  Skunk wants nothing to do with Bear or his hugs and tries desperately to sabotage him.  After all the mean things Skunk does to Bear, he still continues to offer him hugs.  This is a great story to help young ones deal with a bully or even someone who is just different from them. My six year old loves the funny things Skunk tries to do to Bear and understands that the story is trying to tell her to love people regardless of how they treat you.

EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE.  Reviewer: SM

Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn - OPTIONAL

Dunn, Pintip Forget Tomorrow, 336 pages.   entangled TEEN, 2015. Language-PG (0 swears 0 "f"s) Mature Content-PG; Violence-PG; 

Callie lives in a world where people receive a memory from their future self when they turn 17. When Callie is of age she receives a memory of her killing her younger sister, with no explanation, let alone one that is justified. Callie now has to figure out why she would do something so awful, and keep it from happening. However the pull of fate is very strong. Additionally, if Callie does not fulfill her future, many others' future might change, others who don't want their future to change. 

I was so excited for this book, and I loved it right right up until the very end. I did not like the end. It stomped all over my heart and left me dazed the rest of the day. 

MS, HS - OPTIONAL. Reviewer: MMH