Reviews for school librarians
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS - ESSENTIAL
APPEALS TO: MANY
The Vampire walks into the smoothie shop for a little blood to end his day. However, the server behind the counter tells him all about how important blood is for humans, instead.
McAnulty has taken something as basic as blood and turned it into fun! I would have loved this as my text for any science class on any level! She has such a talent for turning information into something intriguing.
Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS
Language: R (40+ swears, 7 ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
After comforting Caterina at the winter dance, socially awkward Rahul really thought he had a chance with her. Caterina, as snobbish as ever, even after humiliation, doesn’t see it happening. However, she needs a date for the very important Hindman Gala, so she takes Rahul under her wing. He is, of course, willing. It isn’t until they are fitting Rahul for his glam threads and the boutique owner gives Rahul a special (VERY special) hair gel that Rahul - or, please call me RC - emerges as a much closer to a prince. But are Rahul and Caterina relying too much on the RC character - could Rahul be losing his sense of self? Who does Caterina really want to spend her time with - the suave RC, or the endearing Rahul?
This one is much more loosely based on the Frog Prince tale than Menon’s first Rosetta Academy was to its fairy tale. The secondary story about Caterina and Mia, a new girl who enters her life and seems to glide past all of Caterina’s defenses is distracting. Not as strong as the first.
Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS - ADVISABLE; ADULTS - ESSENTIAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
In the early 1900’s, traveling while black was a risky proposition. But with automobiles becoming more accessible, Blacks wanted to travel just as much as anyone. Victor Green, a mailman in New York, saw the need for guidance - safe towns, good motels, welcoming restaurants - and created his first booklet in 1936 and it quickly grew to cover the entire US and even international destinations.
The beginning of the book is quite wordy and seems to try to be poetic. As a teacher, I would skip Green’s personal history and go straight to why there was a need for The Green Book. The end also glosses over the fact that the Civil Rights Act didn’t actually end the need for The Green Book. I am curious why the last Green Book was published in 1966 - seems to me its advice could come in handy even today.
Victor Greene and most of the other people in the illustrations are Black.
Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS
Language: R (50+ swears, 25+ ‘f’); Mature Content: G; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
DE (Daphne Elizabeth) is still reeling from her “break-up” with Alaric - she may have only been a “side piece” to him, but for DE the investment was real. When Xander arrives near the end of the year - a mysterious, new boy - her friend group tries to point her in his direction. Xander doesn’t have time for the beautiful, sad girl - he is only at Rosetta Academy to solve a decades old mystery that has brought only misfortune to his family. When students around the school start falling asleep, with no known way to wake them up, DE and Xander must combine forces to solve that mystery and Xander’s personal mystery, if there is any chance to save them all.
Definitely liked this one better than #2, but I was not amused by the amount of “f’-words thrown around - very grating. Not a single thing would have been lost from any of these books without the swearing. For the series as a whole, leave it for HS libraries with strong fantasy circulation.
Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS
Language: R (50+ swears, 10+ ‘f’); Mature Content: PG-13 (lots of teen drinking mentioned) ; Violence: PG (undescribed deaths)
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - NOT RECOMMENDED
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
17yo Liv and Will kind of thought it was a joke when they were both accepted into the exclusive SeaMester program - the chance to spend six weeks living and learning on a cruise ship just feels like a dream. But from the outstart Liv feels that something is off about the whole cruise. When Will disappears, she can’t shake the bad feelings, but she also can’t find answers. The only person who even kind of believes her is spoiled rich boy Constantine. By the time Liv finds actual answers, it will already be too late for several people on board.
I was actually bored with this book. The author spends so much time keeping the mystery shrouded from us and Liv - in fact Liv is clueless until 388 pages in. And then after wanting to get off the ship for so long she suddenly doesn’t want to leave it. You should read Lifestyles of Gods and Monsters by Emily Roberson instead - a much better modern take on Mythology. Or Hide by Kiersten White
Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS
Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (Just talks about what happens inside your body. There are no real pictures); Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS, HS, ADULT - ESSENTIAL
APPEALS TO: MANY
Gardy walks you through step by step what happens in your body when you eat. First, it gave an overview of all the different organs that are in your digestive system. Then talked about how food moves through your esophagus. Then it explained how your stomach turns food into chyme. After, it explained the process of throwing up during a retroperistaltic wave. Lastly, it talked about the small and large intestine.
I really like how clear Gardy made things and broke down the information. It also had good illustrations and diagrams. Lastly, I liked the author’s writing style.
Student Reviewer: SR, 9th Grader Reviewer
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Sandler explains many major shipwrecks from history. First, the Antikythera shipwreck was found by sponge diving. Next, the Cape Gelidonya shipwreck was found on the coast of Turkey. The Shinan shipwreck had lots of porcelain in it. The Mary Rose shipwreck was a ship used by King Henry VIII. It also told the story of the Sao Jose Paquete De Africa which was a slave ship taking slaves to be traded. It went on to explain lots of other shipwrecks and the technology that has been developed.
I liked that Sandler talked about a variety of shipwrecks and showed how the technology improved. I also liked all the pictures and diagrams that were included. One thing I didn’t love is how each wreck had a chapter, but at the end, there were a bunch of short excerpts of other wrecks but no conclusion.
Student Reviewer: SR, 9th Grade Reviewer
Language: PG (4 swears, 0 “f”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
13yo Freya’s dad died eight months ago, but the pain is still fresh—especially because Freya is struggling to enjoy playing her viola. Her dad loved that she played the viola. As she struggles to make decisions moving forward, Freya looks for a sign that her dad is still there. And he shows up—as a pair or lucky red birds.
Through Freya’s story, Shen tells readers it’s okay to not be okay. Another important message conveyed is that finding reasons to be happy and chasing new dreams while the world feels like it’s falling apart are good things. As humans, punishing ourselves for the sake of grief can feel like the right thing to do, even when it isn’t. Using support systems and moving forward with life helps more than self-punishment and guilt.
Freya and her family are Chinese, and Gus and his family are Korean. The violence rating is for mild description of blood and fantasy violence in a movie that triggers Freya, as well as some non-serious mentions of murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
Language: G (0 swears, 0 ‘f’); Mature Content: PG (abuse mentioned, not described).; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Ada Byron Lovelace grew up a very curious girl who loved adventure. Ada grew up without really having a connection with her mother and never knowing who her father was. She loved mathematics and science and she loved to read books and invent and try things such as flying machines . As she grew older she got married and had kids. She then started work with Charles Babbage on the Difference Engine.
I liked how McCully had a lot of detail in the book. It went through her life and really made me there and imagine what she would do and what it would look like if I were here. I struggled with the explanation of the machine she worked on as an adult.
Student Reviewer: Sarah- 9th grade
BUYING ADVISORY: ADULTS - ADVISABLE; HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
Song has always been an essential part of human life and the birth of America and its history is no exception. Meacham, with a small assist from country star Tim McGraw, has created a wide ranging and insightful look at American history through its iconic songs. With more than 200 songs mentioned, Meacham has created a very satisfying panoply of music.
Now I need to read the original version of this book! While it is billed as Young Reader’s Edition, I don’t think many of our students will sit and read the entire book. But the adults around who teach American History will LOVE it! Buy a copy just to share with that whole department. The Hudson Public Library has created a playlist of all of the songs mentioned, some with several different versions, in the order the songs are presented in the book.
Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS
Content: G
BUYING ADVISORY: MS, HS, ADULTS - ADVISABLE
AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE
From the very beginnings of WWII. England had to find a way to crack the codes created by the German Enigma machines if they wanted any chance of surviving, if not winning, the war. Hundreds of young women from all over the country were called up and hired as computers, cipher crackers, and radio operators. Not only during the war, but after also, they weren’t allowed to breathe a word about their essential jobs.
Fleming has created a beautiful, highly readable book about these mostly teenage women. I often forgot that I was reading a non-fiction book, as the words and action flowed along. While it is chunky at 300+ pages, it is a book you could hand sell in a school that covers the topic. Or send this out to your history teachers to help them build their personal background knowledge.
Cindy Mitchell, Library Teacher, MLS
Language: R (137 swears, 48 “f”); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: G
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: MANY
High school has been just okay with Riley’s best friend, Tom, having moved to New York City shortly before they would have started together. They made big plans for meeting up during breaks, but something always came up, so they added the activities to their “getaway list.” Now having both graduated, 18yo Riley is going to New York to do all the things on their list—but four years apart have changed things, and it seems like everyone has a secret.
Riley has inspired me to want to go on some mini adventures—too bad my town doesn’t have the same kind of opportunities as readily available as fictionalized New York. Nevertheless, I think it’s important to go out and do fun things with other people because you want to figure out who you are—no matter your age. The characters, their adventures, and little mysteries along the way are written in a dynamic way that made the book itself feel like it had personality. I enjoyed my time spent reading it.
Riley and Tom are depicted as white on the cover. Mariella is Puerto Rican. Jesse is part of the LGBTQIA community. The mature content rating is for underage drinking, innuendo, and for mentions of drugs, illegal activity, and sex.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
Language: R (21 swears, 3 “f”); Mature Content: PG-13; Violence: PG
BUYING ADVISORY: MS - OPTIONAL
APPEALS TO: MANY
Typical school days, typical time at home, and typical hang outs with her friends are starting to get complicated. Alma (13yo) doesn’t know what to do with new feelings for a boy or what to do about her parents arguing or how to stop her friend from moving away. She makes lists, listens to music, and writes letters that will never be responded to as she tries to make everything simple again.
The entire book is written in poems, and I was struck by how much you can learn about a person with only snippets of their thoughts and of the major events going on in their lives. Alma’s struggles and disjointed thoughts are relatable as she deals with loss and confusion—loss of different kinds of relationships and confusion regarding several different topics. Beauty is in how her thoughts on the different topics start to overlap. Some endings are final, but others allow for the opportunity of a new beginning.
The characters are a wide variety of ethnicities. Josh is part of the LGBTQIA community. The mature content rating is for mentions of alcohol, drug use, innuendo, partial nudity, and mentions of condoms, prostitutes, rape, and sex. The violence rating is for mild assault and mentions of guns and death.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen
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