The Country Bunny and the Little Gold Shoes by Du Bose Heyward: 75th Anniversary Edition- ESSENTIAL

Heyward, Du Bose The Country Bunny and The Little Golden Shoes. Pictures by Marjorie Flack.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014. $14.99. PICTURE BOOK. REPRINT

Most bunnies aspire to one day be one of the five Easter Bunnies specifically called to deliver Easter Eggs to the world’s children.  Cottontail, the mother of twenty-one little bunnies, is no different.  Although her number one job is to teach, train and love her children, she continually dreams that one day she will be chosen for the job.  When Grandfather Bunny begins his search for a new Easter Bunny, he is looking for characteristics that most mothers possess. Grandfather Bunny says to Cottontail, “You have proved yourself to be not only wise, and kind, and swift, but also very clever.  Come to the Palace tomorrow afternoon, for that is Easter Eve, and you shall be my fifth Easter Bunny.”

And so begins a whimsical tale that will thrill children of all ages.  The illustrations are bright and beautiful.  The story is timeless and will be enjoyed as much today as it was back in 1939 when the story was originally published.  This 75^th anniversary edition contains a bonus audiobook download as well.    

EL (K-3).  EL.  ESSENTIAL.  Reviewer: SL.

Trial by Fire (Smash Book #1) by Chris Bolton –ESSENTIAL

Bolton, Chris Trial by Fire (Smash Book #1) 160 pgs. Candlewick, 2013. $18.99  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: G.

Andrew is a normal kid, a bit picked on, a mean big brother, and parents who don’t live together. And of course, aspirations to be a superhero. Luckily he lives in a world of real superheroes and his very favorite is Defender. Through an accident Andrew finds himself with Defenders powers. Luckily he already has the true hero desire to help out. But being a new hero without any help can be tricky and Andrew is in a lot of danger!

I am always on the hunt for a great graphic novels for elementary students. The catch is that they must have quality artwork and a quality story, all while staying G rated. It’s a tricky bill to fit and this graphic novel does a fantastic job. The cover art itself is so great that students are going to be fighting over this it. The illustrations are top notch: bright, fun, action packed, and creative. The story will relate to any student who would like to try to their hand at superhero powers. Hooray, this book made my day! A must have for any graphic novel collection!

EL –ESSENTIAL Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan - - ADVISABLE

Sloan, Holly Goldberg Counting by 7s, 380 pgs. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2013 $16.99.  

Language: G (0 swears); Violence: PG; Mature Content: PG.  

12-year-old Willow Chance is a gifted gardener and medical diagnostician but her middle school experience is trying (for her and her teachers). When she is sent to a district counselor for cheating on a test, she meets a friend, her first, an older high school girl named Mai.  But then Willow’s world is hit by tragedy when both her parents are killed and Willow is literally left alone in the world. Willow is an outsider looking in.  

Relationships are something she examines, rather than experiences.  Her fight for survival is more mental than physical.  Told in both 1st and 3rd person, the differing points of view labors the reading a bit.  Although Willow is young, and the content is clean, I would recommend this for upper middle school and high school as it is a very thought provoking examination of character and society.  

MS, HS - ADVISABLE  Lisa Librarian

 

A Tangled Thread (Sew Zoey #6) by Chloe Taylor –ESSENTIAL

Taylor, Chloe A Tangled Thread (Sew Zoey #6) 176 pgs. Simon Spotlight, 2014. $15.99 Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: G.

Sew Zoey has obviously not learned her lesson from book 5 as she still puts too much on her plate. She opens an Etsy shop with a friend and it turns to be quite a bit of work. Then she promises custom outfits for two of her best friends. Zoey has a big test to study for too! Worst of all, her sewing machine breaks. What will Zoey do? Can she make everyone happy?

The fun technology keeps going with the introduction of the artisan online shopping website called Etsy. Who wouldn't love to have an Etsy shop!? I really appreciate that despite the overall wholesome happiness of the series, there are many real world problems addressed. For example, one of Zoey’s designs is copied and manufactured to be sold in India, without her permission. What librarian doesn't love the inclusion of copyright issue awareness. These are incredibly fun read!

Elementary –ESSENTIAL Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Cute as a Button (Sew Zoey #5) by Chloe Taylor –ESSENTIAL

Taylor, Chloe Cute as a Button (Sew Zoey #5) pgs. Tundra Books, 2013. $15.99 Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G Violence: G.

Zoey discovers that she can make adorable outfits for dogs. Not only that, but everyone in the neighborhood wants one for their dog. When she learns about Crowdsourcing, with her brothers help she submits her project. When her new dog outfit project is more successful than she can manage, she doesn’t know what to do. Will she find time to balance her success and still make those who paid her happy? Zoey must also deal with a pets death and managing to make time for her friends too.

What can I say, I adore Sew Zoey. Its been a popular series at my elementary school! I love how well the author blends technology, like the Sew Zoey blog and crowdsourcing, with Zoey’s creative ideas, school, friends, and personal problems. It’s extremely well written and wholesome. I do think the series is just perfect for elementary level despite the fact that the main character is in middle school. I still don’t care for the cover art, but the students don’t seem to mind it.

EL –ESSENTIAL Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Minnie and Daisy: Best Friends Forever: Friends on Ice by Jessica Ward - ADVISABLE

Ward, Jessica  Minnie and Daisy: Best Friends Forever: Friends on Ice, 128 pgs.  Illustrated by Davide Baldoni, Roberta Zanotta, and Gianluca Barone  Disney Press, 2013.  $6.99  Content: G.  

This book is about Daisy who wants Minnie to be in a ice skating competition with her.  Minnie joins Daisy, but they need one more person and they pick Nancy to be on their team, but Nancy doesn’t know how to skate.  They teach her how to skate and in the end they win the competition.  

I like the pictures and the cute outfits they were wearing.  They had funny parts that talked about pop culture “Justin Beakber” and “Twifright” and “Gigantic”.  I didn’t like that Minnie and Daisy said some mean things about Nancy.  

EL-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, Isabelle, age 10.

A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd -- ESSENTIAL

Lloyd, Natalie A Snicker of Magic, 320 pgs. Scholastic Press, 2014. $16.99. Content: G.

When twelve-year-old Felicity Pickle and her family roll into Midnight Gulch, she knows there's no use getting comfy because they're just going to roll right back out again when her mama gets the urge -- and that will be sooner, rather than later. But before she knows it, Felicity finds herself settling in, taking on a best friend, practicing random acts of kindness, and eagerly learning the legends of this once-magical town. Felicity soon realizes how hard it will be to leave this special place, but how can she break the curse that dooms her family to wander the country so they can settle down once and for all?

Like the town of Midnight Gulch, this book feels almost magical. Felicity's ability to see words dancing, strutting, and sparkling through the air feels so alive I swore I could see words of my own above people's heads after a session of reading. The legend is intriguing, and the feeling that something special is coming at the end of the book kept me eagerly turning the pages...or, well, hitting the "Next Page" button on my Kindle, to be precise. As an adult reader, I particularly enjoyed the good example set by Felicity and her best friend, both of whom value helping others and have an infectious love of words. Would be a fun read for students who like ice-cream-sweet stories with a little magic woven in.

EL, MS -- ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: Caryn

You Can't Have Too Many Friends! by Mordicai Gerstein -- OPTIONAL

Gerstein, Mordicai You Can't Have Too Many Friends! PICTURE BOOK. Holiday House, 2014. $16.95. Content: PG.

Duck is known for growing prize-winning jelly beans, but when the king dupes him into loaning out his candy collection and doesn't give it back, Duck knows he has to take matters in his own hands. Thus he sets off on a quest, along with his friends, including a dog with a hurt paw, a ladder, a brook, and a horde of wasps. But when Duck arrives, the king repeatedly orders his mother to kill Duck. Unfortunately for the king and his mother, Duck brought along his trusty friends! At the end, does Duck have room for forgiveness, so he can let one more friend into his life? That's right -- the king himself wants Duck's companionship.

The varying rhyme that appears throughout is quite catchy, and it's fun to see how each companion takes turns helping Duck with his quest. However, it's a little hard to believe that duck had no idea that "loaning" out his jelly beans to the juvenile king would mean he'd never get them back. Also, the king's mother's repeated attempts to kill Duck are a bit violent, and it's difficult to believe afterward that Duck would shrug it all off and become friends with the king -- or that the king would want to do so after Duck's various retaliations. Perhaps less stilted and confusing illustrations would have helped with story buy-in.

EL (K-3) -- OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Caryn

Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems by Paul B. Janeczko -- ESSENTIAL

Janeczko, Paul B. Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems, illustrated by Melissa Sweet. PICTURE BOOK. Candlewick Press, 2014. $16.99. Content: G.

A collection of 30+ very short poems, all just a few lines long and perfectly accompanied by gorgeous artwork. Includes selections from William Carlos Williams, Ralph Fletcher, X. J. Kennedy, Carl Sandburg, Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Ted Kooser, and many others.

The poems themselves are juicy bites of language, proving that it doesn't take many words to capture an image or feeling. The superb melding of text and illustrations adds to the reading pleasure. For teachers and librarians, Firefly July provides endless curricular possibilities. The obvious choice, of course, would be as an accompaniment for a unit on poetry, or for discussions of various literary devices. Because the poems are short, though, they would also be fun to use as a daily writing prompt, or written up on the board as a daily treat, or shared with a class via projector so students can enjoy the illustrations, too. The possibilities are endless. Highly recommended for all ages.

Pre-K, EL, MS, HS -- ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: Caryn

Ed and Kip by Kay Chorao -- OPTIONAL

Chorao, Kay Ed and Kip. PICTURE BOOK. Holiday House, 2014. $14.95. Content: PG

Ed, Kip, and a beetle friend are playing when their stone rolls down into the river. When they go in to retrieve it, a crocodile emerges from the water and opens its mouth, showing its huge teeth. Scared, the beetle bites the crocodile's tongue, and Ed and Kip throw the rock into the crocodile's mouth. Then they run off to play some more.

This book feels unnecessarily violent to me. Either the crocodile was truly a threat (in which case it is quite scary for young children), or it was simply minding its own business (in which case Ed, Kip, and the beetle attacked it for no reason at all except that they were frightened). Also, it is difficult to follow both the speech bubbles and the text, as sometimes the dialogue is meant to come before the text, and sometimes afterward. This makes it very awkward for read-alouds.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) -- OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Caryn

Be Empowered! Eat Chocolate with Breakfast by Jan Bethancourt -- GIFT

Bethancourt, Jan Be Empowered! Eat Chocolate with Breakfast, 96 pgs. Janbeth Designs LLC, 2011. $14.99. Content: G

What started out as pick-me-up notes to the author's college-aged daughter turned into a little book of original sayings designed to instill confidence and gratitude. The axioms are interspersed with illustrated hearts, and their conciseness and spirit reminded me of daily affirmations. The book left me smiling and feeling uplifted. It could work well as a gift, or, if in a class, to inspire students to write their own affirming statements to themselves or others. Note: Due to religious overtones, it may not work in every classroom.

GIFT. Reviewer: Caryn

Better off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg -- ADVISABLE

Eulberg, Elizabeth Better off Friends, 288 pgs. Point, 2014. $17.99. Sexual content: PG; Language: PG (1 swear); Violence: PG.

Macallan and Levi disliked each other the moment they met that first day of seventh grade, but after a chance conversation they became friends. And then best friends. From that moment on, they did everything together, leaving everyone around them to ask the same question that's been pondered since before Harry met Sally: "Is it possible for boys and girls to be 'just friends'? Or does it always blossom into more?"

Weighing in at only 288 pages, this is a very fast (and quite simple) read, and the question of what will happen to Macallan and Levi's friendship keeps the pages turning. The characters' banter is a lot of fun, and their growth is nice to watch. Because of its clean nature and long time span (from seventh grade to well into high school) it would work for both middle school and younger high school students. Would be especially appealing for fans of romance.

MS, HS -- ADVISABLE. Reviewer: Caryn

How to Be a Pirate by Sue Fliess - OPTIONAL

Fliess, Sue  How to Be a Pirate  Illustrated by Nikki Dyson  A Golden Book, 2014.  $3.99  PICTURE BOOK  Content: G.  

A pirate invites the reader to come aboard his pirate ship and he explains the different parts of his ship.  He also explains the behavior or being a pirate and their lack of manners.  Then the pirates go on a treasure hunt and in the end the book claims that the reader is a pirate now.  

There are 2-3 sentences per page and the illustrations are bright and cute.  There are a few pirate terms, like landlubber that little readers might not understand, but my boys like to get their hands on any pirate books and this is a cute simple introduction to pirates.  

PREK, EL (K-3)-OPTIONAL.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Extraordinary Jane by Hannah E. Harrison - ADVISABLE

Harrison, Hannah E.  Extraordinary Jane  Dial Books, 2014.  $16.99  PICTURE BOOK  Content: G.  

Jane is an ordinary dog that feels ordinary around all of her amazing circus family and friends.  Her siblings can shoot themselves out of cannons or walk tightropes, but Jane cannot.  Jane tries many different circus acts and fails.  Lucky for Jane the ringmaster appreciates her because she is a very good dog.

This is a cute story that teaches the moral that being yourself is enough.  The illustrations are fun with circus acts depicted in bright colors.  There are only 1-2 sentences per page spread, so it’s a quick read with a good point.  

EL (K-3)-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices by Mitali Perkins - ADVISABLE

Perkins, Mitali Open Mic: Riffs on Life Between Cultures in Ten Voices, 127 pgs. Candlewick Press, 2013 $15.99. Language:PG (6 swears 0 F); Violence: G; Mature Content: G; 

This collection of short stories about the experience of living a mixed culture is a nice cornucopia of storytelling including, poetry and  even a graphic story from authors David Yoo, Gene Luen Yang, Cherry Cheva, Debbie Rigauld, Mitali Perkins, Varian Johnson, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, G. Neri, Francisco X. Stork and Naomi Shihab Nye. 

Although very short, this would be a good addition to your Middle or High School short story collection.  

MS, HS - ADVISABLE  Lisa Librarian

Little Lost Owl by Chris Haughton-ESSENTIAL

Haughton, Chris Little Owl Lost. Candlewick Press, 2013. Board Book Edition. $7.99. PICTURE BOOK. Content: G. Little Owl has fallen from his nest right onto the ground below- bump…bump…bump.  Afraid and unsure of his next move, he is comforted when a friendly squirrel asks if he is O.K.?  “I’m lost. Where’s my mommy?” Together Squirrel and Little Owl set off to find Owl’s mother.  Little Owl carefully gives one describing characteristic of his mother on each page- “Very Big.  Like THIS!  Pointy Ears.  Like THIS!” Little Owl describes, Squirrel patiently finds a possible mother that matches Little Owl’s description, but it seems that they might never find his mother.  This is a tender story about relationships, friendship, patience and love.  Perfect for a baby gift! Pre-K.  ESSENTIAL. Reviewer: SL.

Tib and Tumtum #2: My Amazing Dinosaur by Grimaldi - ESSENTIAL

Grimaldi  Tib and Tumtum #2: My Amazing Dinosaur, 48 pgs. Illustrated by Bannister  Graphic Universe, 2014.  $7.95  GRAPHIC NOVEL  Content: PG.  

This story is about a boy named Tib and his dinosaur named Tumtum.  They are best friends. There are some kids who make fun of Tib for being friends with Tumtum and because Tib has a birthmark on his face. Tib tries to get in a club by doing scary things.  

I liked this book because the dinosaur was really funny and he made me laugh.  I liked the story because they shared a good friendship and had fun together.  The pictures made the story funny and it seemed more real.  It is PG because it has some potty humor in it.  

EL-ESSENTIAL.  Reviewer, Isabelle, age 10.

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder - ADVISABLE

Kidder, Tracy  Mountains Beyond Mountains, 272 pgs.  Adapted by Michael French Delacorte Press, 2013.  $16.99  Content: Language: PG (2 swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG-13.  

Dr. Farmer specializes in infectious diseases and has a soft spot for Haiti.  The author follows Dr. Farmer’s quest to bring the poverty stricken Haitians medical care.  As Farmer finds a good system for Haiti, he begins help further charity’s throughout the world.  This book covers some of Farmer’s childhood and school years, but focuses mainly on his work as a doctor.  

The glimpses of history in Haiti were fascinating and the dedication of one man to love and care for a part of the world that at times feels forgotten was moving.  I really loved the first 2/3 of the book and then felt like the last 1/3 got bogged down in all of the charity work and politics of charity work.  Although they were interesting aspects to what Dr. Farmer accomplished, I think young readers would get bored and lose interest.  Also, this book was adapted for young readers in 2013, but originally written in 2003 so there is a small update in the back of the book, but I felt like I wanted to know more of what happened recently.  There isn’t anything inappropriate for a middle school library, but I think it would hold high school kids’ interest better.  

MS, HS-ADVISABLE.  Reviewer, C. Peterson.

Cuckoo by Fiona Roberton-ESSENTIAL

Roberton, Fiona Cuckoo, Putnam Juvenile, 2014. $16.99 PICTURE BOOK Content: G

When Cuckoo is born, all seems well until his family chirps a beautiful, “Too-too-weet!” and Cuckoo can only answer, “Cuckoo!” Unable to communicate Cuckoo strikes out on his own to find someone who can understand him. He travels far and wide and does his best to learn the languages he hears, but despite his best efforts he cannot be understood. Then one day he finds the one who can finally give an answer to his call.  

This is a perfect read aloud book with many fun animal sounds to amuse young readers. The illustrations are clean and simple and utterly charming. The themes of finding where you belong and accepting your uniqueness instead of trying to change provide teachable moments for many ages.

EL (K-3)—ESSENTIAL AEB

Poor Doreen: A Fishy Tale by Sally Lloyd-Jones ESSENTIAL

Lloyd-Jones, Sally Poor Doreen A Fishy Tale illustrated by Alexandra Boiger Schwartz & Wade Books, 2014. $17.99 PICTURE BOOK Content: G

Miss Doreen Randolph-Potts is on an outing to visit her second cousin twice removed and her 157 new babies. Poor Doreen needs to be careful! There is a fisherman and hungry heron just waiting to snatch her up. Watch out, Doreen!

This is a fun book that is highly enjoyable. The story is humorous and the antics of dim Doreen will bring giggles and cries of warning alike from young readers. The illustrations are a true compliment to the story, which is written with lovely prose colorful in both the literal and figurative sense.

EL (K-3)—ESSENTIAL AEB