No, No, Gnome! by Ashlyn Anstee - ADVISABLE

Anstee, Ashlyn No, No, Gnome!  PICTURE BOOK.  Simon & Schuster, 2016.  $18.  Content: G. 

Gnome is very enthusiastic, but he is not always helpful.  When it is almost harvesting time, Gnome’s antics are a problem and he almost ruins everything,  After everyone gives him the cold shoulder, he realizes he is going to have to work hard to make it up to everyone. 

Gnome is so adorable, it was hard for me to stay mad at him.  With some heavy handed guidance even small children can understand that randomly destroying other people’s hard work is a bad thing.

Pre-K – ADVISABLE.  EL (K-3) – OPTIONAL.  Cindy, Library teacher

Placebo Junkies by J.C. Carlson - NO

Carleson, J.C. Placebo Junkies, 298 pages.  Knopf (random), 2015.  $18.  Content: R.

Note:  I did not finish reading this book.

“Teenaged Audie pushes her mind and body to the breaking point when she participates in a series of clinical drug trials for cash.”

I am 31 pages into this book and I have already counted 28 swears and 6 ‘f’-words and a mention of pornography.  I skipped to the end to find out where this book was going and found out that it is running itself right off the rails.  All I can figure is that this is a piece of speculative fiction, because it doesn’t contain any of the hallmarks of quality realistic fiction.  I am not going to read one more word.

NOT RECOMMENDED.  Cindy, Library teacher

Bloom by Doreen Cronin - ESSENTIAL

Cronin, Doreen Bloom, illustrated by David Small.  PICTURE BOOK.  Atheneum (Simon), 2016.  $18.  Content: G.

A long time ago there was a fairy who helped builD a fabulous kingdom.  But because she tracked dirt wherever she went, she was asked to leave.  When the kingdom starts to fall apart, neither the king nor the queen can seem to find the fairy.  But the smallest, quietest, most ordinary girl in the kingdom may be able to do what no other could.  If she is willing to get dirty.

Cronin has done a lovely job of writing a new fairy tale with an excellent message about ordinary hard work.  And Small’s artistic stylings hit a perfect complimentary note.  I love adding new tales to my classic fairy tale canon.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library teacher

Meg Goldberg on Parade by Andria Warmflash Rosenbaum, illustrated by Christopher Lyles - ADVISABLE

Rosenbaum, Andria Warmflash.  Meg Goldberg on Parade, illustrated by Christopher Lyles.  Kar-Ben Publishing (Lerner), 2015.  $17.99.  PICTURE BOOK.  Content-G. 

 Meg Goldberg attends the Israel parade in New York City and imagines that she is a part of it all.  She walks with the mayor and then walks with the children holding posters of Israeli things.  She tosses out samples of Jewish food and then dances with the folk dancers.  She carries the Israeli flag tightly, walks with the floats, and plays with the band.  She’s so important that they crown her Grand Marshal and invite her back next year.  She heads home with her family and remembers all of the fun things that she dreamed about the parade.  You don’t have to know much about the Israeli or Jewish culture to enjoy this book.  Meg is a dynamic and imaginative character and everyone loves a parade.  There is a short glossary in the back in case there are any words or terms unfamiliar to the reader.  The illustrations are busy, colorful, and absolutely brilliant. 

 Pre-K, EL-ADVISABLE.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.   



 

A Bear's Year by Kathy Duval, illustrated by Gerry Turley - ADVISABLE

Duval, Kathy.  A Bear’s Year, illustrated Gerry Turley.  Schwartz & Wade, 2015.  $17.99.  PICTURE BOOK

In read-aloud rhyme, the author gives an overview of a mama bear and her cubs.  Winter bears sleep.  Springtime bears wake up and the cubs climb trees and wrestle.  Summer bears eat berries, catch fish, and the cubs learn everything they need to know from their mama.  Autumn bears dig a den, their coats get thick, and the weather gets cold.  Then the cycle starts again.  

The illustrations are a unique combination of drawing and screen printing, pieced together digitally.  The illustrations bring the different seasons to life and help tell the story of what a year in a life of a bear is like. 

Pre-K, EL-ADVISABLE.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.   

How to Mend a Heart by Sara Gillingham - ADVISABLE

Gillingham, Sara.  How to Mend a Heart.  Random House, 2015.  $16.99.  PICTURE BOOK

To mend a broken heart you need some thread, patches, and helping hands.  Sometimes a heart must be mended many times, but the more patches, the stronger the heart.  

It is a sweet story, but the analogy will probably be lost on its audience.  Parents or educators will have to explain that like the cloth heart, our human hearts can get hurt, but they can be fixed.  The cloth illustrations combine several patterns and colors that are sketched together in perfect harmony.  The children are multicultural and are simply, yet sweetly rendered.  Its companion book is “How to Grow a Friend.”

Pre-K-ADVISABLE.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.   

Bradford Street Buddies: Block Party Surprise by Jerdine Nolen and illustrated by Michelle Henninger - ADVISABLE

Nolen, Jerdine.  Bradford Street Buddies: Block Party Surprise, illustrated by Michelle Henninger.  Green Light Readers (Houghton, Mifflin, Harcourt), 2015.  $12.99.  42 pages.  Content: G.  EARLY CHAPTER BOOK. 

Jada and Jamal can hardly wait to see the surprise out the window for the Fall Block Party—it’s robotic dinosaurs!  They’re friends Josh and Carlita come outside to try out the robotic dinosaurs by using their remote controls.  All the friends go to the park to help their parents set up for the party.  Oh no!  The truck that is supposed to bring the robotic dinosaurs has broken down.  The kids come to the rescue with a dinosaur parade (they put the dinosaurs on wagons, wheel barrows, etc.) to the party.  This multicultural block will appeal to many readers and their parents.  The kids are energetic, great helpers, and most importantly, problem-solvers.  The illustrations are bright and cheerful and full page.  The text is appropriate for independent readers. 

EL-ADVISABLE.  Samantha Hastings, MA, MLS.   

Shadows of Sherwood by Kekla Magoon - ADVISABLE

Magoon, Kekla Shadows of Sherwood, 355 pgs. Bloomsbury, 2015. $16.99.  Language: G; (1 swear 0 “F”); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG13.  

When Crown takes over control of the government, Robyn Loxley's parents disappear, and a large pool of blood in the kitchen makes Robyn fear the worst.  Escaping into Sherwood Forest,  Robyn is discovered by the military police and quickly thrown into jail where she meets Laurel, a young friend who is very clever and resourceful and the two of them escape.  Now they are on the list of the Crown’s Most Wanted. Other allies appear including Tucker, a young man training to be a minister, Scarlet, an ex-MP, Key, a mysterious boy and Merryan - the niece of the new governor - Crown.  

This exciting tribute to the Robin Hood stories was great fun. No need to know the originals, it stands on it’s own - the connections are a treat. Short chapters keep the action moving, and Robyn is both likable and full of faults, which her friends never cease to get mad at her about.  The cover suggests this will soon be a series - A Robyn Hoodlum Adventure. There is a subplot, about moon lore and pendants and secret societies - totally unnecessary.  Maybe it is needed for the sequel.

EL, MS - ADVISABLE  Lisa Librarian

Macbeth #killingit by Courtney Carbone - ESSENTIAL

Carbone, Courtney Macbeth #killingit, 81 pages.  Random House, 2016.  $10.  Language: PG (uses several abbreviations that included F for the ‘f’-word.)

How would Macbeth play out with modern social media?  Carbone does an excellent job of translating the classic play into texts, notes, and other social media repartee.

What a great way to look at what students consider old, stodgy material.  While you might think this would be most useful for a resource class or such, you should not rule it out to read with a document camera to any Language Arts class to help the understand the flow and themes of Shakespeare’s works before they tangle with the Bard’s own words.  There are now four books in this series.

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library teacher

Bear is Not Tired by Ciara Gavin - ESSENTIAL

Gavin, Ciara Bear is Not Tired.  PICTURE BOOK.  Knopf (Random), 2016.  $17.  Content: G.

Ever since the ducks moved in with Bear (Room for Bear), things have been going on swimmingly.  But when winter arrives, Bear is determined to stay awake so that he won’t miss a thing!  The ducks will have to convince him that he needs his sleep, and that they will not let him miss anything during his hibernation. 

I love that Gavin has added a second book about Bear and his ducks!  And such a great continuation of their story.  The pictures are as delightful as the story and they would be great fun to read back to back.

Pre-K, EL (K-3) – ESSENTIAL.  Cindy, Library teacher