“‘You see, everything changes, the world and everything in it. Everything but me. Goodby, little friends.’ They stood openmouthed, but no words came to them. There was so much they wanted to say. They wanted to persuade him to remain, to explain how much he had done for them, and to assure him that the…
Category: Book Reviews
The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek
What child wouldn’t love to discover a living dinosaur in the backyard? What if that dinosaur could talk? That’s what happens to Joey and Joan Brown, freckled, red-headed twelve-year-old twins. On the first few pages of the story, we are made aware of the family Problem. The Problem is money. Mom, a widow, has inherited…
The Crab Ballet
Someone gave me a couple of readers from All About Learning, and I had never seen that series before. I also had never heard of the author, Renee M. LaTulippe, so I went to her website and discovered this book. Miraculously, our public library had it. This illustration made me laugh out loud. I know…
Blackout and All Clear
I read this 1,400-page story last summer and then again this winter. I missed my friends in WWII England, and I needed to visit them again. I am sure I will revisit once more before the year is out. This story really was that wonderful for me.
The Mark of the Thief Series
The Mark of the Thief series is a clear example of fantasy, and it is very enjoyable. I particularly appreciate it because it is clean, the story is well-built and doesn’t go on too long, it has both strong male and female teen characters, it has a lovely historical flavor, and it is a great tool I can use to wean my patrons off of series I loathe like Keeper of the Lost Cities. It is written in first person (which I do not love) but Nic is re-telling his story from the other side of it, so it is less whiny than Nielsen’s first-person stories usually are.
The Fifth of March
I am frustrated. And disappointed. Some may call me a pearl clutcher for this review, but I think it is important that I share my thoughts on this historical fiction novel as honestly and directly as possible so that mothers and librarians can decide whether or not to consider this story for their particular readers.
Casey Over There by Staton Rabin
“When Aubrey was seven, his brother Casey joined the army.” Aubrey lives in Brooklyn, New York. Casey is fighting in the Great War in France. Aubrey writes letters to his brother and waits and waits for an answer. It takes a long time for mail to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Casey waits for packages Aubrey…
The Shakespeare Stealer
One day, a dark stranger arrives and interviews Widge carefully. At the end of his inquiries and tests, the stranger pays Dr. Bright £10 for the transfer of Widge’s apprenticeship to his own master, Simon Bass. Widge soon discovers that Mr. Bass wants him to steal William Shakespeare’s new play, Hamlet.
Because Barbara
There are many kinds of wonderful picture books. But my favorite, has always been the kind that invites me into a beautiful world that is lush with color, alive with whimsy, and still grounded in something substantial and firm. Because Barbara by Sarah Mackenzie and illustrated by Eileen Ryan Ewen is just such a book.
The Wonders of Donal O’Donnell
Any storyteller who tells folktales looks for ways to show how such tales speak powerfully to new listeners. Sometimes they speak powerfully when several of them come together and, in coming together, show something that any one of them alone might not have shown. – Gary D. Schmidt
Finding Winnie
Recently, I reviewed a delightful picture book about the true story behind Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally Walker. I love that book and think that every fan of Winnie-the-Pooh would appreciate it. Shortly after discovering that book, I learned of this book by Lindsay Mattick (the great-great-granddaughter of Harry Colebourn) and illustrated by Sophie Blackall. Like Winnie, Finding Winnie is absolutely charming. And, for older readers, there is a rich chapter book also by Mattick and Blackall.
A Packet of Seeds
Why is this book out of print!? I just cannot fathom how this beautiful and heartwarming prairie story was allowed to slip out of print.
A Packet of Seeds by Deborah Hopkinson is a tender tale of a family who moved West because as Pa told Momma, “folks around here are getting as close as kernels on a cob.” Momma is grieved by the decision and does not want to leave her sister and friends.
Show Notes: Our Librarian Life – February, 2024
Join us as we chat with Librarians Sherry Early and Kristi Stansfield about inventory, contract renewals, making space, organizing historical fiction, and organizing picture books.
Life Story
This book is a marvel. It is the very definition of a living book. It invites our children (and ourselves) into the wonder and awe of life. And it does it with beautiful, thoughtful, teaching illustration and exceptional storytelling. It is science the way science should be taught.
Winnie
In 1914, Army Veterinarian, Harry Colebourn, was on a train traveling through Ontario, Canada when he saw a man sitting at the train station with a bear cub. Harry bought the cub from the man for $20 and named her Winnipeg after his company’s hometown. Winnie, as she came to be called, quickly became a mascot for the entire section. This is a must-have for all Winnie-the-Pooh fans.