Written by Frank Cammuso

In this less than inspiring graphic novel, Arthur King battles an obnoxious sister, school bullies, and administrators during the first day of school. Arthur's kind-hearted mother is the only redeeming character when she encourages Arthur to try out for dodgeball at his new school.

Review by Amy Gerritsen, Library Media Assistant, Stansbury Elementary School
Rating: ★★✩✩✩
Interest Level: 3-6

Students will like this book. This shows graphics and tells all about Artie's first day of Middle School.

Review by Kaye Derrick, Library Media Assistant, Fox Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 2-5  

Written by John Marsden

Review
It is difficult to figure out where this story is supposed to be taking place, but hints indicate it might be on the island of Tasmania. Even the nearby town of Wirrawee sounds like "Where are we?" Ellie Linton is a teenage girl who has fought in their civil war. Now there is an uneasy peace and she lives near the border. One day her father, mother, and a family friend are killed by a private army from across the border. Ellie decides to keep the farm, although everyone says she will eventually lose it and all her money invested in it. Mix in 2 ex-boyfriends, liberation raids into enemy territory, and trying to keep up in school, and things get pretty hectic. On top of that, her trustee wants to cheat her out of her farm.  Because of adult language and content, this book is not necessarily recomended even for a high school library collection.
 

Written and Illustrated by Vera Rosenberry

Review
Vera was so excited to go trick-or-treating.  She knew the costume she wanted and who she was going with. Then everything goes wrong, and her Halloween isn't quite what she expected.

Kaye Derrick, Fox Hills Elementary Library Media Assistant

 

Written and Illustrated by Joann Sfar

Review
Two things kids will like -- graphic novel and vampires. Likeable characters. Illustrations were a little dark.

Laura Schmidt, Fox Hills Elementary Library Media Assistant

 

Written and Illustrated by Hyewon Yum

This is a book without words. Very easy to follow along with the stories and use your own imagination as to what you think is happening in the story. At first I did not like the illustrations because they were not sharp and clear. The second time looking at the pictures I decided that, because of the blurry effect, you feel like you are part of the dream.  

Written and Illustrated by Laura McGee Kvasnosky

A little girl gets into some trouble with an imaginary friend that is a dog.  

Written by Ruth White

Review
Little Audrey is a tough character for such a young person. At the age of eleven, she has to endure an alcoholic father, poverty, the death of her baby sister (and later, another family member), and hunger - along with other everyday issues, like younger siblings who still wet the bed, bullying classmates, and making friends. The story takes place in 1948 in a coal-mining town where most hope for a better life. Told in the first person, and based on the author's family, Audrey dares to imagine a better life and we are left cheering for her in the end.  

Written and Illustrated by Charlotte Voake

Review
This book is based on the traditional folk song "The Green Leaves Grew Around." It is a very simple story about the tree in the woods.  In the tree there is a branch, and on the branch there is a nest, and in the nest there are some eggs, etc. A very cute way to tell the story of the song. It even has the music in the back. Charlotte Voake along with being the author is the illustrator. She has done an excellent job with the illustrations. They are not really bright, but they are fun to look at. This will make an excellent read-to story for the younger students. It would also be fun to get them to sing it with you as you show the pictures.  

Written by Laura McGee Kvasnosky

Review
The stories are a good length for young kids. However the kids that I read it to said that they thought the stories ended without a real end.  

Written by Kate Banks, Illustrated by Tomek Bogacki

Review
I liked the story line in the book, however the illustrations are more sketches than pictures. To hold a child's attention the pictures could be brighter. I like having a summary in the beginning of the book, easy to choose a topic.  

Written by Meg Rosoff, Illustrated Sophie Blackall

Review
"Beloved disgusting" wild boars cook up a horrid treat and display all kinds of bad manners in doing so.

Funny and not too gross, it's a good way of showing how not to behave.  

Written by Wendy Corsi Staub

Calla thinks her world is at an end when her college boyfriend breaks up with her with a text message. Two weeks after the break up Calla's mother Stephanie dies in a freak accident, the life as she knew it is no longer. Overwhelmed with her drastically changing life, Calla decides to go to her mother's home town, Lily Dale, to be with her grandmother that she hardly knows.

Lily Dale is nothing to be expected. The small secluded old Victorian style community is full of psychics -- her grandmother among them. The longer she is in Lily Dale a strange unsettling feeling of being watched becomes more apparent.

After a dream of her mother and grandmother by the mysterious lake she awakes suddenly. The room is cold, the clock that has never been set glows 3:17, and the room has the aroma of lilies of the valley. To her surprise there is a woman standing by the window, or was there? She was gone as soon as she appeared. This event leads Calla to believe there is something more about her mother's relationship with her grandmother, and leads her to wonder whether she has inherited her grandmother's unique gift. Will Calla be able to deal with what she learns about her mothers past?

This book contains some language, and appeals more to a high school level. The Lily Dale series is full of twists and unexpected turns leaving the audience captive.  

Written and Illustrated by Susy Cousins

Review
Very easy "trip to the library" book. Good for Pre-school or Kindergarten. Maisy and her friends go to the museum on a rainy day. In the museum they explore the different rooms. This book is done very simply with few words and bright pictures.  

Written by Nikki Giovanni, Illustrated by Chris Raschka

Review
In this Aesop's fable revisit, the grasshopper sues the ant for one half of his summer bounty beacuse the grasshopper had made music for him to listen to all summer and therefore deserved to be paid.  

Written by Alison McGhee, Illustrated by Drazen Kozjan

Review
The story is about a young girl who is afraid of finishing a book she is reading because she doesn't think it will have a happy ending. It tells how she deals with this and the other things that frighten her. It took me a long time to finish this book because I found I didn't enjoy reading it. It seems to jump from idea to idea. The illustrations were well done though!  

Written by Lois Lowry

This strange little novel is a take-off on famous "orphan" novels such as Pollyanna, Oliver Twist, James and the Giant Peach, and Hansel and Gretel. It is about a family of four children, including the eldest, Timothy, twins Barnaby A and Barnaby B, and the youngest, Jane, and their parents. It is a twisted tale of parents ignoring their children and eventually trying to get rid of them, and children who dislike their parents so much that they wish they were orphans. The siblings are rather nasty to each other, (especially Timothy), but they stick together in their desire to rid themselves of their parents.

This book reminded me of Roald Dahl's humor, much of which will not be understood by the children who read this story. The author also compares these children with other orphan stories such as Mary Poppins. Children who are unfamiliar with these stories may be confused. I thought the story line was okay. It was a short read with very dry Monty Python type humor. If you like this type of humor this is a book for you.  

Written and Illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark

Review
Melrose decides to give Croc a lovely surprise for his birthday, but things do not go as planned. In fact, Melrose ends up being rescued at sea by Croc after a storm comes up. If you are looking for a nice "feel good" type book on friendship, this might fit the bill. I found it to be about average. The paper it is printed on is not wonderful. It has a slight yellow tint. The illustrations are engaging, but might not be large enough if you tried reading it to a whole class. In Utah where students are not often exposed to the sea, would they relate to the story? I'll try it and see.  

Written by Mal Peet

It's 1995 and 15 year old Tamar's grandfather's suicide bewilders her, as does the collection of things that he has left her in his apartment. There is a mystery, she knows, and her grandfather loved puzzles, as does she. Her father, his son, has disappeared, and she talks a distant relative into helping her solve the mystery -- which is related to the other part of the story, that of two undercover operatives who parachute into the Nazi-occupied Netherlands late in 1944 and encounter both the starving winter and an array of plots, relationships and dangers.

I liked this book a lot. I did find it confusing at times, but that might be because I was trying to read two books at once.  

Written by Elisa Peters

This book is a very beginning nonfiction book on caterpillars.  The text consists of one sentence per page in large letters. The photographs are very good and match the text well.  I would recommend this book for the easy nonfiction area.
 

Written and Illustrated by Jean Marzollo

A counting-down book in which ten friends get a Christmas gift from a secret Santa. Wonderful Christmas book for the little ones.  

This book is an introduction to mythology, with 11 classic myths and legends from ancient times. It is intended for ages 6 and up. I feel the amount of writing is more appropriate for 3rd or 4th grade. The pictures are somewhat primitive, but colorful and they are plentiful. There are pictures on every page. Every other page is also covered in writing with pictures in the margins. This book will be helpful for older elementary students who speak Spanish, or for the Latin parents to read to their young students.  

Written by Dick King-Smith, Illustrated by Nick Bruel

An intelligent duck and a bright sheep dog have had it with obnoxious pigs. Havoc results. The pigs escape, but don't know what to do with their freedom. The duck and sheep dog rescue them. Cute beginning book, but illustrations are black and white. The drawback is on p.5 when one snooty pig calls a sheep an "ass". I wouldn't have picked this book to review if I'd known about this.  

Written by Rachel Vail, Illustrated by  Yumi Heo

Jibberwillies are imaginary creatures that fill Katie Honor's bedroom at night. The illustrations are not three dimensional but the story line was o.k. I was left with a marginal feeling at the end.  

Written by Lynne Rae Perkins

This book is about three friends on the brink of adolescence. There's Debbie, who makes a wish that, "something different will happen. Something good. To me." There's Hector, who listens to someone playing the guitar and decides that he wants to learn how to play the guitar also. Then there's mechanical-minded Lenny who finds himself attracted to Debbie. The characters spend spring and summer wandering about their neighborhood, "criss crossing" paths. The downside to this book was that it jumped around a little which made it difficult, at times, to follow. I still thought the book was fun and gave me a little insight to how young adults think and feel.  

Written by Jenny Meyerhoff, Illustrated by Jill Weber

Polly is a 3rd grader who has all her baby teeth. Zachary, a new boy in school, teases her and calls her babyteeth. Polly wonders if she really belongs in 3rd grade. Excited for a visit from the tooth fairy after she finally loses a tooth, Polly learns that most 3rd graders don't believe in the tooth fairy. Problems seem to escalate as she struggles with growing up. A fun, delightful book about friendship and growing up. The story line flows smoothly with plenty of misunderstanding as Zachary tries to make new friends and continually sends the wrong message. A good read for second and third graders.

Gerry Ewing, Pioneer Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-3

Third Grade Baby
Farrar, Straus, and Geroux
105 pages
ISBN: 978-0-374-37482-2
Release Date: September 2008





 

Written by Sepp Bauer, Illustrated by Else Wenz-Vietor

Christmas is coming and Fritz' father is very ill.  

Written by David Martin, Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev

The pictures in this book are eye catching. Primary grade students would enjoy viewing the pictures. This book also has great predictive text that could be used in connection with lower reading level students that require intervention instruction. The predictive text allows students to be exposed to repeated phonics skills while further exposing them to an authentic reading experience. The font used in this book may be a little confusing--particuarly the 'g', which may cause students some consternation.

Review by Brooke Deardorff, Bennion Elementary 3rd Grade Teacher
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Preschool-Grade 3

All for Pie, Pie for All
Candlewick Press
26 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3891-7
Release Date: August 2008
 

Written and Illustrated by Liz Pichon

The illustrations in this book are fabulous. They are colorful and very attractive. The text is simple and perfect for a primary grade read, especially during fluency instruction. Students would enjoy the penguins getting a hold of the camera--that would really pique their interest and sustain their attention. The drawback of this book is its moral implications. It teaches students that it is okay to use something that does not belong to them, have an illusion that it's broken, and then just put it back where they found it without assuming responsibility.

Review by Brooke Deardorff, Bennion Elementary 3rd Grade Teacher
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Penguins
Orchard Books/Scholastic
19 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-02215-6
Release Date: October 2008  

Written by William B. Rice

A collected biography of Geologists. The illustrations and charts are colorful. It reads a bit like a textbook, not very engaging. It leaves the reader asking, "why should I care about this?"

Review by Catharine Armstrong, Jim Bridger Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

Geologists: From Pythias to Stock
Capstone Press
40 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7565-3966-5
Release Date: October 2008
 

Written by Diane Webber and Laurie Mandel

The stories were well told and the subject matter is relevant to today's issues. The book is short and different stories can be used as examples in many subject areas. The main goal is understanding prejudice and what teenagers can do to stop it when it occurs. The best thing about this book is all the different examples.

Review by Erin Tanner, Cyprus High Social Studies Teacher and School Technology Specialist
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 6-12

Totally Tolerant: Spotting and Stopping Prejudice
Scholastic
112 pages
ISBN: 978-0-531-13867-0
Release Date: March 2008
 

Written by Mary R. Dunn

This book gives a brief overview of what is involved in making a movie. The key here is brief. I would have liked a little more detail. One of the nice things about this book is that it explains some of the different jobs people do to help bring movies to the big screen. This book comes from a series of "I want to be..." titles that includes such topics as fashion designer, race car driver, and author. I do think the set would be a nice addition to a library, though I think the contents of these books will leave those children who are really interested wanting more.

Review by Keri Crane, James E. Moss Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

I Want to Make Movies
Rosen Publishing Group
24 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4042-4473-3
September 2008
 

Written by Carole Lexa Schaefer, Illustrated by Pierre Pratt

Little Monkey wants to play, but everyone else wants to sleep. He goes and finds some other animals to play with.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Valley Crest Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Big Little Monkey
Candlewick Press
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-2006-6
Release Date: September 2008

 

Written by Jack DeMolay, Translated by Jose Maria Obregon

This a graphic novel, the pictures are really good to help with the story, even if you can't read Spanish.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Valley Crest Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6
Spanish

Bigfoot: La Leyenda del Hombre-Monstruo
Rosen Publishing Group
24 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4358-2536-9
Release Date: September 2008


 

This book is filled with inspiring illustrations. It contains bedtime stories from North America, Africa, China, France and many other countries and cultures. Although a few stories are a bit graphic and great wrath is portrayed in others, it provides the reader a cultural experience, showing the traditional folklore and so called bedtime stories that are common in the different cultures represented in this book. I would recommend this book to teachers who could selectively share the tales in connection to cultured lessons that they might incorporate in their classroom. Just a side note: there is a concern with some of the illustrations of a few stories. Chances are that kids might find some of them disturbing or inappropriate.

Review by Emily Ericson
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3
Spanish

Mi Primer Larousse de Historias para Dormir
Larousse / Kingfisher
186 pages
ISBN: 978-970-22-1632-2
Release Date: October 2008
 

Written by Joanne Randolph

This small riddle book (71/2 x 8) is a part of the "Animal Clues" series. A two page spread has a question and a photograph of the creature's back. The following two pages answer the question with a fact or two and include a photograph of the animal. This type of book has proved popular with the very young who love to guess the answers.

Review by Dian Morrison, Woodstock Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Whose Back Is This?
Rosen / PowerKids Press
24 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4042-4454-2
Release Date: September 2008  

Written by Trisha Speed Shaskan, Illustrated by Sara Gray

I was not overly impressed with the format of this book.  It does explain what a compound word is, but the idea of it traveling around the United States is confusing to me. I realize there are other books in this series and I have not read them. Maybe that would help me understand better the way the book is laid out. The illustrations have a colorful cut paper look, and the book does let the reader find the compound words on each page, they are highlighted in a different color.  There is a cute page at the end of the book where the reader can make their own compound words and compose a story.

Review by Sandy Brigman, Robert Frost Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-3

If You Were a Compound Word
Picture Window / Capstone Press
24 pages
ISBN: 978-1-40484-771-2
Release Date: July 2008  

Written by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Douglas Carlton Abrams, Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

This book is really cute. There is a religious tone to it. It talks about what God dreams about; when he is happy with the way we act, we will see him smile through the rainbow.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Valley Crest Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-2

God's Dream
Candlewick Press
30 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3388-2
Release Date: August 2008
 

Written by Amy Ehrlich, Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand

Baby Dragon is supposed to wait for his mom, but instead he goes with the crocodile. When he realizes he is in trouble, he finds his way back to wait for his mom.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Valley Crest Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-2

Baby Dragon
Candlewick Press
28 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-2840-6
Release Date: August 2008
 

Written by Chris Lynch

Cyberia is a fun to read science fiction novel. Zane lives with his Mom (a TV news reporter) and Dad (a famous radio personality) in the future. The house is completely wired so that Zane is constantly being monitored. His parents always know where he is and even if he ate all of his dinner. Sometimes they receive too much information. Zane's dog talks him (yes, he can hear the dog) into helping the animals escape from the evil veterinarian. This is a cute story with a lot of adventure and wonderful things to think about.

Review by Irene Taylor, Vista Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Cyberia
Scholastic
158 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-02793-9
Release Date: September 2008



 

Written by Salamanda Drake

In order to join the Guard Flight, Breen must win the dragonriding competition and defeat her best friend, Cara. Can their friendship overcome the competition and jealousy?  This is the 2nd book in the Dragonsdale series, but nowhere on the cover or anywhere else does it mention that this is book #2 or even part of a series. Information from the previous book would have been helpful here, as this book really doesn't stand on its own.

Review by Shannon Bishop, Academy Park Elementary
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

Riding the Storm (Dragonsdale Series #2)
Scholastic Inc.
305 pages
ISBN: 978-0-439-87174-7
Release Date: June 2008  

Written by Jake Maddox, Illustrated by Tuesday Mourning Staff

After being injured, Amy has a hard time running again. When Amy has to compete against her biggest rival, Natalie, in the first school year meet, it's even more difficult. A simple story that shows how our enemies can become our friends. (About par for a graphic novel).

Review by Kathy Loewy, Twin Peaks Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 4-6

Running Rivals
Capstone / Stone Arch
65 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4342-0778-4
Release Date: July 2008
 

Written and Illustrated by Craig Frazier

This is a story about a snake named Hank and a man named Stanley who each have a problem. To help solve their problems they each decide to go to the city and look for inspiration. The story follows Hank's quest for inspiration and where he finally finds it, thanks to Stanley. This is a cute story that shows how everyone has a different way to find inspiration. The story doesn't really explain what inspiration is, so children might get confused. If the children don't know what inspiration is they would not understand why Hank is being sent to different places. I recommend this book only if you read it to the students before they can check it out.

Review by Vicki Lewellyn, Pleasant Green Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 2-4

Hank Finds Inspiration
Roaring Brook Press
31 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59643-358-8
Release Date: September 2008

 

Written by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Natalie Gordon's mother walked out on her four years ago, leaving her wondering who she is and emotionally scarred. She sets out on a journey involving a twenty-four hour bus ride to find not only her mother, but herself. Along the way she meets other people who also have stories that have never been told.

This novel will resonate with young people, as many face situations similar to Natalie's. Questions on friendship, love versus sex, and a desire to fit in are explored with insight, and the ending leaves you feeling hopeful.  Recommended for middle grades, 8-11.

Review by Jane Crockett, Cottonwood High School Library Secretary
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 8-11

All We Know of Love
Candlewick Press
201 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3623-4
Release Date: August 2008  

Written and Illustrated by Emmanuel Guibert, Color by Walter Pezzali, Translated by Edward Gauvin

This graphic novel about pirates in space adventures reminded me of Captain Underpants. It has silly, slapstick humor that the kids really like. Pictures were bright and colorful and full of action.

Review by Laura Schmidt, Fox Hills Elementary Library Media Assistant
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

Sardine in Outer Space, Vol. 5
First Second
102 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59643-380-9
Release Date: June 2008

 

Written and Illustrated by Sergio Ruzzier

This is a book about a dog named Amandina Goldeneyes. Even though Amandina was very talented she was also very shy. Because of her shyness she was all alone. Amandina made a promise to herself to stop being so shy and she planned to give a great performance and invite everyone. She went to a lot of work to make posters and invitations. She also sewed costumes and repaired and fixed up the theater. When time came for her to perform, no one showed up, but Amandina decided to do the performance anyway. A little cockroach who was wandering around noticed Amandina and was astonished by what he saw. He then called up all of his friends to come see Amandina. As Amandina bowed at the end of her performance, she was surprised to see all those who had come to see her, which made her very happy!

Review by Marjorie Briggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Amandina
Roaring Brook Press
29 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59643-236-9
Release Date: September 2008  

Written by Amanda Miller

A very simple book describing the game of basketball, defining elements of the game like a fowl, a free throw, a brick, and the point system (one, two or three point shots).

Review by Kathy Horne, Library Media Assistant, Redwood Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-2

Let's Talk Basketball
Scholastic Children's Press
24 pages
ISBN: 978-0-531-13829-8
Release Date: September 2008
 

Written by Denny Von Finn

The book told all about the different kinds of hot rods.  A very simple book with some great pictures of hot rods.

Review by Kathy Horne, Library Media Assistant, Redwood Elementary
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 2-4

Bellwether Media
24 pages
ISBN: 978-1-60014-210-9
Release Date: August 2008





 

Written by Scott Westerfeld

Tally is a teenager living in a community with other "Uglies," waiting to turn 16 show that she can have the surgery to make her beautiful and join the other "Pretties." While waiting, she meets another 15 year old and they become good friends, frequently causing trouble in the middle of the night. Before the surgery happens, Shay, the friend, tells Tally that they should escape to a new community called the Smoke. Tally doesn't want to go and they have a fight. Shay leaves without Tally, but leaves her hidden instructions to go to the "Smoke" if ever she wants to meet her there.  When Tally finally goes in for her surgery, she is not allowed to complete it. The controlling leaders insist that Tally find her friend and then the leaders can reclaim all the rebels, who have left their community.  Tally now becomes a traitor and a spy so that she can have the surgery and become beautiful. This is a great read.

Review by Lori Draney, Library Media Assistant, Gourley Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 4+

Uglies
Simon & Schuster
425 pages
ISBN: 978-0-689-86538-1
Release Date: 2005  

Written by Ellen Rene

This book presents very nicely the importance of rain and explains in a very understandable way the water cycle. The photographs that accompany each page are very good.

The glossary and website information in the book would be most helpful if this book were being used for research.

Curriculum Ties: 4th Grade Science

Review by Diane Sonzini, Library Media Assistant, Pioneer Elementary
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 2-4

Investigating Why It Rains
PowerKids Press
24 pages
ISBN: 978-1-40424-483-2
Release Date: September 2008  

Written by Anna Florin

Tells us ways to save money. I doubt teens would do many of the suggestions because they require work and sacrifice. There is good mortgage information available here.

Review by Joy Brown, Language Arts Teacher, Granite Peaks Alternative High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: High School

Living on a Shoestring
Featherwood Publishing
60 pages


 

Written by Terri Willis

This is a typical facts and figures type of book that gives lots of information about the country. Some of the images are not so inspiring and seem a bit dated. It doesn't grab you to want to pick it up and read unless required for a report. There is a lot of text here which may turn off some students. There is not a lot of information about why Libyans are different from other Arab cultures although there is a lot of information about the Muslim religion. It does talk about the leader Qaddafi and his 'republic of the masses' in a matter of fact way but doesn't truly give a sense of the true dictatorship he controls and how human rights are violated. It is only given cursory mention but doesn't draw a very accurate picture of the government and political situation.

Review by Lorraine Wyness, Library Media Specialist, Taylorsville High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-12

Libya (Enchantment of the World Series)
Scholastic Children's Press
144 pages
ISBN: 978-0-531-12480-2
Release Date: September 2008  

Written by Ellen Warwick, Illustrated by Bernice Lum

I didn't really like this book, but then again I am a male. The book is geared to young girls. It helps them come up with easy and inexpensive ideas for jewelery and accessories. Lots of illustrations with easy instructions.

Reviewed by a student at West Lake Jr. High
Rating: ★★★✩✩

Everywear
Kids Can Press
81 pages
ISBN: 978-1-55337-799-3
Release Date: September 2008  

Written by Michael Dahl

At first glance at the title I thought this book was somehow linked to Disney’s High School Musical, but it has no connection. I guess that’s one way to get kids to pick it up. Anyway, as I read it I thought it was interesting enough to continue.  Hopefully the kids will do the same.

The story is about a boy named Kyle who is a new student at Harrison Ford High School and is in the school play. Kyle has made friends with a girl by the name of Mindy. One day during a play rehearsal there is an accident with one of the props and one of the actors in the play almost gets hit by a heavy light.  Kyle and Mindy are suspicious because of some unusual clues they have found and decide to look into it further; the story is continued with them looking for other clues to who would have wanted the play to fail. In the process Kyle learns about some of the other kids in the play and develops friendships with them.

I liked the story line and I think 4th through 6th graders would read it; they just need to know up front that it is not at all related to Disney’s High School Musical.

Review by Marjorie Biggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 4-6

Curtains!: A High School Musical Mystery
Stone Arch / Capstone Press
105 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4342-0801-9
Release Date: August 2008  

Written and Illustrated by Richard Horne and Tracey Turner

101 inventions from watches, matches and cell phones, to room 101 (from Orwell's 1984) where we could discard all the unwanted inventions. Each page is a quick look at an invention with facts about the invention. The facing page includes activities the reader can do that are associated with the invention. This would be a fun rainy-day activity book.

Review by Fay Mason, Library Media Specialist, Churchill Jr. High
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-7

101 Things You Wish You'd Invented . . . and Some You Wish No One Had
Walker & Co.
101 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8027-9788-9
Release Date: August 2008

 

Written by Sean Stewart Price

A small book that chronicles the life of Henry VIII painting him as a powerful but despotic ruler who brought England to power and glory while the people suffered much from his reign. The illustrations are black and white. The book includes a time line, glossary, and index.

Review by Fay Mason, Library Media Specialist, Churchill Jr. High
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5+

Henry VIII: Royal Beheader (A Wicked History Series)
Scholastic Children's Press
127 pages
ISBN: 978-0-531-18550-6
Release Date: September 2008  

Written by Efraim Karsh

A discussion about the causes and effects of the Iran-Iraq War. This book has an index, glossary, and maps.

Review by Dayanne Coombs, Library Secretary, Granite Peaks Alternative High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 8-12

The Iran-Iraq War
Rosen Publishing Group
96 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4358-7499-2
Release Date: September 2009



 

Written by Dara Dokas, Illustrated by Bernadette Pons

This book is about a very outgoing and cheerful duck that is very attached to a certain lovable red sweater. Throughout her travels, her sweater slowly becomes unraveled with the help of her playful puppy. The climax of the story is when Muriel discovers the disintegration of her precious sweater. Her friends show their empathy for her loss and present her with a new sweater (however the new one is blue) at a surprise birthday party that they throw in honor of her. The book has great colorful illustrations which are very inviting to the prospective reader. It contains a great narrative plot with several opportunities to stop and discuss elements of problem solving. The story line carries strong themes of community and meaningful friendship. Young beginning readers would find this book very inviting and engaging.

Review by Brooke Deardorff, 3rd Grade Teacher, Bennion Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-2

Muriel's Red Sweater
Penguin
22 pages
ISBN: 978-0-525-47962-8
Release Date: February 2009  

Poems by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Illustrated by Marcellus Hall

This is a book of poems Boo about living in a City. They are fun poems.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Library Media Assistant, Valley Crest Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

City I Love
Abrams Books for Young Readers
30 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8109-8327-4
Release Date: April 2009
 

Written and Illustrated by Jeremy Tankard

Little Bird gets hurt and all of his friends try to make his boo boo go away.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Library Media Assistant, Valley Crest Elementary
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-2

Boo Hoo Bird
Scholastic
26 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-06570-2
Release Date: April 2009  

Written by Nathan Olson

Show different things about the country of India using colors. Beautiful pictures.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Library Media Assistant, Valley Crest Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-4

India in Colors
Capstone Press
32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-42962-223-3
Release Date: January 2009  

Written by Lisa E. Greathouse

This is a nice book on the Solar System. It tells how Pluto is currently classified. The photos are beautiful and make you wish for warm summer nights so you can go out and observe the night sky. Due to the in-depth details regarding the Solar System, only upper grade students will enjoy it. The page set-up is a little difficult to follow. When there's more than one side bar on a page, it's hard to focus. I wouldn't recommend this book for A.D.D. students, but it's really nice to have an up-to-date Solar System book!

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 4-6

Solar System
Compass Point / Capstone Press
40 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7565-4071-5
Release Date: January 2009
 

Written by Cari Meister, Illustrated by Cori Doerrfeld

This is a simple graphic novel that begins with an explanation of how to read graphic books. Although I'm not a big fan of graphic novels, this one had a nice moral to it. The main character learns how to deal with the pressure of being a goalie and ends up being better at the game. I'm not sure if I would buy this book, but if you have funds available, it's worth considering.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-2

Goalkeeper Goof (My First Graphic Novel Series)
Stone Arch / Capstone Press
32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4342-1292-4
Release Date: January 2009  

Written by Paula Danziger, Illustrated by Tony Ross

This book was not appealing to me, but it does have its merits. The story teaches readers how to be positive and accept the changes that come along in life. Amber has an interesting way of telling about her experiences.

Review by S. Hiskey, William Penn Elementary
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-3

Amber Brown Sees Red
Puffin / Penguin
116 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-241261-9
Release Date: February 2009 (reprint)


 

Written and Illustrated by Dick Bruna

Miffy learns about art and discovers that she has a talent for drawing. Very simple art work and writing.

Review by Kim Jensen, Library Media Assistant, Diamond Ridge Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten - !st Grade

Miffy the Artist
Tate Publishing / Abrams
14 pages
ISBN: 978-1-85437-823-1
Release Date: March 2009
 

Written and Illustrated by Aileen Leijten

Drew (or Drool as she likes to be called) has her first sleepover at Grandma's house. She worries that her parents will forget to come back. She stays occupied by spending time with Grandma and the pet chicken, Kip. The art work was quirky, the story a bit disjointed. Just okay for me.

Review by Kim Jensen, Library Media Assistant, Diamond Ridge Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Pre-Kindergarten - 3rd Grade

Hugging Hour!
Philomel / Penguin
29 pages
ISBN: 978-0-399-24680-7
Release Date: January 2009  

Written by Nancy Loewen, Illustrated by Christopher Lyles

I really liked the layout of the book. It takes the reader step by step through the process of writing a fairy tale. The example story of Little Red Riding Hood was creepy. I hadn't read that one before.

Review by Kimberly Jensen, Library Media Assistant, Diamond Ridge
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Once Upon a Time: Writing Your Own Fairy Tale
Capstone Press
30 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4048-5335-5
Release Date: January 2009
 

Written by David Orme, Illustrated by Peter Richardson

This is a graphic novel in which a wizard is trying to steal the minds of scientists. Billy Blaster and his friend Rika team up to search for their friend, Wo Hoo, retrieve his mind, and destroy the bad guy.

Review by Kaye Derrick, Library Media Assistant, Fox Hills Elementary
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-4

Mind Thief (Billy Blaster Series)
Stone Arch / Capstone Press
40 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4342-1276-4
Release Date: January 2009  

Written and Illustrated by Daniel Kirk

Part of the Library Mouse series, which tell of Sam, a mouse that lives in the library.  He is shy, but is attracted to the elements in the library. He writes books and leaves them for the students to read. One night he falls asleep writing and barely gets out of sight before the children arrive. He leaves his book behind, and it is found by a student. The student makes friends with Sam by leaving a book he has written and a snack. they collaborate to write and illustrate. This is a cute book that would be a good introduction for the k-2 ages for library science and author/illustrator concepts. Also, many illustrations in this book are of books the children may recognize.

Review by Sandy Brigman, Library Media Assistant, Robert Frost Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades Pre-K-2

Library Mouse: A Friend's Tale
Abrams Books for Young Readers
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8109-8927-6
Release Date: March 2009
 

Editors of Larousse, Illustrated by Cathy Delanssay and Elodie Again

This book is filled with different fairy tales and short stories of princesses and fairies. The illustrations are fabulous and are sure to attract the reader's attention. On the other hand the vocabulary found in this book is very advanced and students may find some words difficult to read and to make contextual connections. Overall it is a great read with new and interesting stories.

Review by Emily Ericson, Teacher, William Penn Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Language: Spanish

Historias de Princesas y hadas
Larousse
116 pages
ISBN: 978-970-22-1449-6
Release Date: October 2008  

Written by Jonathan London, Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

Many of our students play T-Ball. They love "Froggy" and will be able to relate to the difficulties of learning a new sport. The First Grade class I read it to this morning ran right to the shelves and took every "Froggy" book they could find. it's definitely still a popular series. It would have been nice to have a larger format, though.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Froggy Plays T-Ball
Puffin / Penguin
30 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-241304-3
Release Date: February 2009  

Written by Sheri Bell-Rehwoldt

This is a nice "Edge" book that would add to your Dewey 745s. The illustrations are helpful and the instructions simple. Anyone from 3rd grade on up can make a hot dog cooker, a kite, a bird feeder or a boat in little or no time here. For the most part, adults are not needed to supervise children. Busy parents as well as students will love it. A great asset to have in any library.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3+

The Kids' Guide to Building Cool Stuff
Capstone Press
32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-42962-276-9
Release Date: January 2009  

Written by Mary Labatt, Illustrated by Jo Rious

The concept and idea for this book are great and our kids do like mysteries. The outside of the book is an enticing graphic. The problem is that the inside is in a black and white comic strip format. I don't think it will appeal visually to our readers. I hope I'm wrong. The short, choppy sentences left me with a disjointed feeling, also. I'm grateful for any new book, but I wouldn't buy this one.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

Dracula Madness (A Sam & Friends Mystery)
Kids Can Press
95 pages
ISBN: 978-1-55453-418-0
Release Date: February 2009  

Written by Robin S. Doak

It's always difficult to find biographies or Civil War books that are appropriate for elementary students. They tend to be too long for their attention span or the reading level is too high. This book is great because it is long enough to give detailed information and the reading level is appropriate for elementary students. I also liked the double spacing used as the print format. Any "We the People" book, especially a "good" biography is appreciated at our school.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 4-6

Confederate General: Stonewall Jackson
Compass Point / Capstone Press
48 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7565-4110-1
Release Date: January 2009  

Written and Illustrated by Chris Case

If meeting new people makes children apprehensive, this story could help. It effectively deals with fear of new people and a child's wonderful imagination. Since the main character, Sophie, is "quite" human, our younger grades will relate to her. I read it to classes this week, and they seemed to like it.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Sophie and the Next-Door Monsters
Walker & Company
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8027-9756-8
Release Date: September 2008  

Written by David A. Adler, Illustrated by Barbara Johansen Newman

This is a Level 2 Easy-to-Read, so it's not really a picture book, nor a beginning reader. Since most of our boys go through a dinosaur phase, it will be widely read. It's a paperback, however, which is a real drawback. The story is cute, but about average. I'm appreciative of the opportunity to have a new book, but probably wouldn't go out and buy it. Also on page 23, the 5th sentence on the page has the word "I" left out of it.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 2-4

Bones and the Dinosaur Mystery
Puffin / Penguin
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-241341-8
Release Date: February 2009
 

Written by Robin Nelson

The best thing about this book is the wonderful, bright photography! The simple text gives a one-sentence fact about the salamander life cycle on each page. The book includes an index, glossary and interesting diagram. Also included are some pages of salamander facts. I recommend this book for young readers.

Review by Dian Morrison, Library Media Assistant, Woodstock Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-1

Salamanders (Life Cycles)
Lerner Publishing Group
24 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7613-4065-2
Release Date: February 2009  

Written and Illustrated by James Proimos

The illustrations in this book are wonderful. I also enjoyed the added expressions of the girl, Patricia. However, I did not really enjoy the book. I thought that, for the age of children this book is designed for, the story line is a bit too choppy. Overall a nice book with some funny pictures to laugh at.

Review by Susan Seegmiller, Library Media Assistant, Roosevelt Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-2

Patricia Von Pleasantsquirrel
Dial Books for Young Readers / Penguin
46 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3066-3
Release Date: March 2009  

Written by Mary Finn

Orphaned Anila, daughter of an Indian mother and Irish father, takes a physical, emotional and spiritual journey to discover her roots and to find her father. Take place in 18th century India.

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Junior High / High School

Anila's Journey
Candlewick Press
305 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3916-7
Release Date: October 2008



 

Written by Elizabeth Siris Winchester

Features numerous accounts from real teens dealing with family issues revolving around siblings. It has an appealing page layout, but has only one color, blue...no color pictures.

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

Sisters and Brothers: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Your Siblings and Yourself
Scholastic
112 pages
ISBN: 978-0-531-13870-0
Release Date: March 2008

 

Written by Lauren Child

I like Lauren Child's books. However, this one was a little boring.  On the upside, children will love the pictures in this Charlie and Lola series.

Review by Amy Gerritsen, Library Media Assistant, Stansbury Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: K-2

You Won't Like This Present as Much as I Do! (Charlie and Lola Series)
Grosset & Dunlap / Penguin
16 pages
ISBN: 978-0-448-45087-2
Release Date: March 2009



 

Written by Hugh Brewster, Illustrated by Alan Barnard

Tells about the dinosaur bones and fossils that have been found in the United States. Has great information and illustrations.

Review by Kathy Horne, Library Media Assistant, Redwood Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

Dinosaurs in Your Backyard
Abrams Books for Young Readers
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8109-7099-1
Release Date: October 2008  

Written by Connie Colwell Miller

This is a very easy book. There is not as much information given as in other UFO books. It brings up points but doesn't give any real explanations as to whether they are real of not.

Review by Karen Manning, Library Media Assistant, Lincoln Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-9

UFOs: The Unsolved Mystery
Capstone Press
32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4296-2331-5
Release Date: January 2009
 

Written by Micol Ostow

Student Erin Bright, sixteen years old, decides to run for student body president against her boyfriend, who is also running, to try to protect a historic park from being replaced by a gas station. It was a very quick read and the main character had to make some hard choices...and of course, they were the right ones.

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 7-10

Popular Vote
Scholastic
216 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-07521-3
Release Date: September 2008


 

Written by Jean Van Leeuwen, Illustrated by David Gavil

This is a delightful little story about little Chickie and the other animals that live on the farm.  It starts with animals whispering to one another the latest news involving the farmer's wife, "Mrs. Farmer is taking down her big pot!" This causes all the chickens run and hide.  Poor little Chickie is not feeling well and has a difficult time finding a safe place to hide from the farmer, which includes a topsy-turvy chase around the farmyard.  A surprising and happy ending is sure to provoke laughter from the reader.

Review by Bonnie Prime, Library Media Assistant, Taylorsville Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Chicken Soup
Abrams Books for Young readers
40 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8109-8326-7
Release Date: May 1, 2009  

Written by Christopher Forest

Describes various symbols, numbers and sayings found on a dollar bill. It also gives some history of paper currency. The book provides interesting facts, but is a bit busy.

Review by Kay Thomas, Library Media Assistant, Eastwood Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

The Dollar Bill: What It Really Means
Capstone Press
32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-42962-794-8
Release Date: January 2009
 

Written by Caroline Lawrence

Roman Chariot horses are bolting during races and the consequences are deadly for some drivers. Four friends prove adept at solving the mystery. The language in the book would be difficult and a stumbling block for our students. The print in the text is also far too small for elementary students. Unless students are into this series, I wouldn't buy it. In a tight budget year, we can't afford to buy anything "average". Although the reading level isn't as high, "The Time Warp Trio" series is much better.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 4+

The Charioteer of Delphi (Roman Mysteries Series, #12)
Roaring Brook Press
224 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59643-085-3
Release Date: October 2007  

Written by Blake A. Hoena, Illustrated by Steve Harpster

Eek and Ack, two bumbling aliens, attempt to invade earth on Halloween. However, their plan is ruined when they meet up with a young wolfman who is out enjoying the holiday. With a comic book format and a topic that interests most students, this book is just silly enough to be entertaining. This book is available in a classic monster series or with other Eek & Ack offerings. These aliens may be just the thing to fill a library nitch.

Review by Keri Crane, Library Media Assistant, Moss Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-4

Eek and Ack vs the Wolfman
Stone Arch / Capstone Press
40 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4342-1189-7
Release Date: January 2009  

Written by Darlene R. Stille

These environmental topics are arranged by “links.” That is, if this change happened in the environment, what would it in turn change in the environment. Discussed are food chains and the affect of soap phosphorus added to natural water sources. The text is easy to read, if not too easy for those in junior high.

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

Nature Interrupted: The Science of Environmental Chain Reactions
Compass Point / Capstone Press
48 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7565-3949-8
Release Date: October 2008  

Written by Tamora Pierce

This story was originally published as an audiobook and then a year later was published as a printed book. This is about Evvy, a young stone mage in training. Evvy goes to an island where all the plants are dying. She soon discovers that "volcanic spirits" are going to erupt. The story is about Evvy trying to save the island. This was not my favorite Tamora Pierce book, but it was still a good read.

Review by Cindy Moyle, Granite District Media Specialist
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 7+

Melting Stones (Circle Reforged Series #2)
Scholastic
312 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-05264-1
Release Date: October 2008
 

Written by John H. Ritter

This reminded me of a tall tale, incredulous but entertaining, especially for boys. The story is about an orphan who, with a young Billy the Kid, represent their small California mining town (in the 1880s) in a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox. I do think that some of my junior high school's boys will enjoy this book.

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

The Desperado Who Stole Baseball
Philomel / Penguin
257 pages
ISBN: 978-0-399-24664-7
Release Date: March 2009
 

Written by Judith Levine

This is a good reference book for junior high and high school students covering the topics of depression, teenage depression, bipolar disorder, etc. I think it would be helpful in a health class as well as by individual students wishing to learn more about this topic.

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

Depression and Mood Disorders
Rosen Publishing
48 pages
ISBN: 978-1-40421-798-0
Release Date: September 2008
 

Written by Ann Arnold

German scientist Georg Steller set out across Siberia in the mid 1700s to Alaska. He met the indigenous people and identified many plants and animals of the region. The author tells Steller’s story by using his journal entries. There are numerous line sketches that are on nearly every page. This would be a particularly good book for 5th grade U.S. history students. Includes a bibliography and index.

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

Sea Cows, Shamans, and Scurvy: Alaska's First Naturalist, Georg Wilhelm Steller
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
227 pages
ISBN: 978-0-374-39947-4
Release Date: October 2008
 

Written by Lisa Thompson

This book deals with what one needs to do, day-to-day, when they work as a magazine editor. Even though our school puts out a newspaper, not a magazine, the information contained in the book gives the step-by-step overview from concept design to printing a publication. It is written at a lower level than where I think our 9th grade journalism students read, but the book’s colored pictures and page layout may give them some ideas on how to set up our school newspaper.

Curriculum Ties: Journalism

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

Cover Story: Have You Got What It Takes to Be a Magazine Editor?
Compass Point / Capstone Press
48 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7565-4080-7
Release Date: January 2009  

Written by Natalie M. Rosinsky

This book, like others in this series which I have purchased for my school library, contains writing tips on how to get started writing nonfiction.  It gives info on setting the scene, creating the viewpoint, etc. The English teachers have found the other books in the series helpful; I’m sure they will appreciate the addition to the library.

Curriculum Ties: Journalism, English

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 7-10

Write Your Own Nonfiction
Compass Point / Capstone Press
64 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7565-4130-9
Release Date: January 2009  

Written by Philip Wolny

This is an attention-getting book about construction jobs that take the worker high into the sky while building skyscrapers and deep into the ground while burying cables. It also covers the types of classes one might take in school to prepare the student for these types of jobs. This book could be used in the shop-type classes as well as by the counselors when they present their career lessons to students.

Curriculum Ties: Careers, Construction

Review by Althea Bennett, Library Media Specialist, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

High Risk Construction Work: Life Building Skyscrapers, Bridges, and Tunnels (Extreme Careers)
Rosen Publishing
64 pages
ISBN: 978-1-40421-789-8
Release Date: September 2008  

Written by Chris Everheart, Illustrated by Arcana Studio

This is a graphic novel, but I enjoyed it because it wasn't too dark or violent. A fun story about a group of high school students who must unravel a secret plot.

Review by Laura Schmidt, Library Media Assistant, Fox Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

Shadow Cell Scam (Recon Academy Series)
Stone Arch / Capstone Press
55 pages
ISBN: 978-1-43421-166-8
Release Date: January 2009  

Written by Mark Haddon, Illustrated by Christian Birmingham

A boy (the author) dreams of being an astronaut one day and studies all about the possibility of landing on the moon. The moment in history happens and that night he dreams that he walked with the astronauts on the moon. Beautiful illustrations.

Review by Margo France, Library Media Assistant, Morningside Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-2

Footprints on the Moon
Candlewick Press
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4440-6
Release Date: March 2009  

Written by Jessica Scott Kerrin, Illustrated by Joseph Kelly

Martin Bridge: Onwards and Upwards contains two stories. In the first story, his two best friends have just been grounded for causing an accident with the neighborhood ice cream truck. His summer looks bleak without his friends. In the second story, a girl from school wants to join the Junior Badgers, which at this point are all boys. This book reminded a me a little of Judy Moody - for boys. The stories are simple, and have a good moral ending to them.

Review by Vala'dee Tanner, Library Media Assistant, Rosecrest Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-3

Onwards and Upwards! (Martin Bridge)
Kids Can Press
111 pages
ISBN: 978-1-55453-160-8
Release Date: February 2009
 

Written by David Bergen Brophy

An interesting but somewhat incomplete biography of Michelle Obama.  While it gives the general outline of her accomplishments, it is somewhat short on interesting details.  A lot of the book is general background information about conditions and the universities she attended.  The book was a good first look at a very talented, intelligent person.

Review by Fay Mason, Library Media Specialist, Churchill Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 4-8

Michelle Obama: Meet the First Lady
HarperCollins
114 pages
ISBN: 978-0-06-177990-9
Release Date: December 2008



 

Written by Brian James, Illustrated by Jennifer Zivoin

A group of young pirate children, who are attending pirate school on the ship, Sea Rat, meet up with another pirate ship. They are given the opportunity to go for a week on the Bone Rattler and look for treasure. They are told all they need to do is play. The soon find out if you don't keep up on repairs and pay attention to rocks and other hazards you can find yourself in very hazardous circumstances.  These books are very easy to read and can be read very quickly.

Review by Karen Manning, Library Media Assistant, Lincoln Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 2-6

Shiver Me, Shipwreck! (Pirate School #8)
Grosset & Dunlap / Penguin
64 pages
ISBN: 978-0-448-44888-6
Release Date: January 2009



 

Written by Julia Hoban

Willow, a teenage "cutter" is filled with guilt about an accident in which she kills her parents. Through an unexpected friendship she is able to overcome the most difficult things in her life. It is a great story about the power and necessity of friendship.  My only wish is that the friend had been a female friend as I think too much emphasis is often placed on teens for "romantic" friendships.

Review by Rachel Murphy, Library Media Specialist, Kearns High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: High School

Willow
Dial / Penguin
352 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3356-5
Release Date: April 2009



 

Written by Cate Tiernan

I found the scenes with magic well done and captivating. The entire rule system, if you will, for the magic used in this book has been believable and brilliant. The plot I found slow going at the beginning, but the book itself picked up quickly. Overall I enjoyed the book's plot and mystery very much.

Reviewed by a student at Cyprus High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Junior High / High School

Reckoning (Sweep, Book 13)
Speak / Penguin
158 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-241028-8
Release Date: March 2009 (Reissue)

 

Written by Mari Schuh

The illustrations are attractive. I wonder what would draw a student to this book. Why would she care about an old house made of logs?

Review by Kate Armstrong, Librarian, Jim Bridger Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Look Inside a Log Cabin
Capstone Press
24 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4296-2246-2
Release Date: January 2009
 

Written by Nathan Olsen

A good book about opposites with great pictures.  Bilingual: Spanish and English. Review by Stefanie Meier, Library Media Assistant, Valley Crest Elementary School Rating: ★★★✩✩  Interest Level: Grades K-2, Bilingual (English/Spanish) Pesados y Ligeros / Heavy and Light

Capstone Press
32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-42963-252-2
Release Date: January 2009

 

 

Written by Roald Dahl, Illustrated by Quentin Blake

This story is fun in its combination of people and animals. There is a little boy who lives next to an old candy store, "The Grubber," but the building is sold to a ladder-less window cleaning company. His life will never be the same. Read and see how. 

Review by Nancy Jenkins, Librarian, William Penn Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me
Puffin / Penguin Group
79 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-241384-5
Release Date: January 2009 (reprint)


 

Written by Donna Jo Napoli and Elena Furrow, Illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft

On a trip to Australia, Ally tries to draw all the new animals she sees. An Aboriginal woman, also an artist, teaches Ally that there is more to art than what you can carry in a backpack.  The illustrations were excellent. This would be a good book to teach art concepts of creativity, risk and originality.

Review by Terrie Bishop, Librarian, Academy Park Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 2-6

Ready to Dream
Bloomsbury
32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59990-049-0
Release Date: Jan 2009   

Written by Elissa Haden Guest, Illustrated by Paul Meisel

Harriet doesn't want to pick up her toys.  After she has an argument with Mom about it she decides to run away. Dad and Grandma help her learn that everybody has work to do and it is more pleasant if we all work together.  Great concept, but very average illustrations and writing.

Review by Terrie Bishop, Librarian, Academy Park Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades PreK-4

Harriet's Had Enough!
Candlewick Press
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3454-4
Release Date: May 2009

 

Written by John R. Erickson, Illustrated by Gerald L. Holmes

Drover, another dog on Hank's ranch, tells how he came to the ranch. Drover is the least motivated dog you will ever meet and it takes the author 2/3 of the book before he "cuts to the chase." This isn't as cute or engaging as the other books in this series. In fact, I'd skip this one. The Bat that befriends Drover is the best part of the story! I'm glad to have any new book, but I wouldn't buy this one.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Librarian, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Drover's Secret Life (Hank the Cowdog Series #53)
Viking / Penguin Group
118 pages
ISBN: 978-0-670-01118-6
Release Date: Mar 2009

 

Written by Jamie Michalak, Illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

Joe, the Giraffe, thinks he's won a contest and the prize is a sporty convertible. He and his friend Sparky, the turtle, have several adventures around town. They discover that while new adventures are nice, there's no place like home. The writing was just O.K. for me. The illustrations were fun and bright.

Review by Kimberly Jensen, Library Media Assistant, Diamond Ridge Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Joe and Sparky Get New Wheels
Candlewick Press
41 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3387-5
Release Date: Mar 2009

 

Written by Cece Meng, Illustrated by Melissa Suber

Some not ordinary chicks help save the farm.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Library Media Assistant, Valley Crest Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Tough Chicks
Clarion / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-618-82415-1
Release Date: Feb 2009
 

Written by James Otis Thach, Illustrated by David Barneda

What do you do when the tickle monster is coming? How do you hide? Where do you hide? Cute book.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Library Media Assistant, Valley Crest Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades K-3

The Tickle Monster is Coming!
Bloomsbury
26 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59990-011-7
Release Date: Sep 2008

 

Written by Valerie Gladstone, Photographs by Jose Ivey

A cute book about a young girl and her dancing, her school, practices, and performances.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Library Media Assistant, Valley Crest Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 3+

A Young Dancer: The Life of an Ailey Student
Henry Holt
44 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8233-3
Release Date: Mar 2009

 

Written and Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev

One of the baby chicks is missing and everyone helps to find him. He wasn't lost after all, he was just taking a nap.

Review by Stefanie Meier, Library Media Assistant, Valley Crest Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-3

The Missing Chick 
Candlewick Press
30 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3676-0
Release Date: Apr 2009

 

Written by Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott, author of Secrets of Droon, creates a fast paced, suspenseful, four volume series called The Haunting of Derek Stone.

The first book, City of the Dead, introduces Derek, his older brother, Ronny and their Dad. After a train accident, which Derek survives, strange things begin to happen, starting with the appearance of assumed to be dead Ronny and others. Are they zombies? Why are they chasing Derek? Can this relate to a train wreck in the 1930s?

The second book, Bayou Dogs, reveals more of the mystery of who these spirits are and what they want. 

The story takes place in the Louisiana Bayou and New Orleans, a perfect locale for an eerie ghost tale. Easy to read, but lots of details hit you really quickly. Probably for 5th grade and older because it is really pretty scary. I think the students will love this.

Review by Terrie Bishop, Librarian, Academy Park Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 4-8

City of the Dead (The Haunting of Derek Stone, #1)
Scholastic
134 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-03429-6
Release Date: Jan 2009
www.tonyabbottbooks.com



Bayou Dogs (The Haunting of Derek Stone, #2)
Scholastic
117 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-03430-2
Release Date: Mar 2009  

Written by Deborah Noyes

In this book the setting, the Kerfol Estate, is the centerpiece of the story. The book is separated into five different stories, all of which take place in the home at Kerfol. The first story, where we are introduced to the character that will become the ghost, was very interesting. I found it a little more difficult to read the remaining stories. It was a nice, quick read. It is appropriate for high school students.

Review by Cindy Dunn, Elementary Library Media Specialist, Granite School District
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 9-12

The Ghosts of Kerfol
Candlewick Press
176 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3000-3
Release Date: Aug 2008
www.deborahnoyes.com


 

Written by Maite Carranza, Translated by Noel Baca Castex

Two groups of witches are at war. The Odish, those witches that want eternal life, riches and beauty, are fighting the Omars, who use their powers to benefit humans, in a battle to overpower each other. The Chosen One is here to make the Omar the victors. The book had many twists and turns that weren't always explained very well. The ending was weak and expected. It offered too many ideas and powers that seemed contrived to fit the plot. 

Review by Warren Child, Library Media Specialist, Cyprus High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: High School

War of the Witches
Bloomsbury
352 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59990-102-2
Release Date: May 2008

 

Written by Sarah Quigley

Becca tends to give too much information (tmi). She is constantly talking and saying just exactly what she thinks. She hates to be interrupted or told to do otherwise. James Irving is new in the school and joins Becca and her friend Katie. He gets her to talk about her boyfriend and their kisses that included a lot of tongue. She loses this boyfriend who finds out she has told her friends such intimate details. Becca eventually decides to reform, placing her comments and thoughts on a blog rather than say everything out loud to everyone. Unfortunately, she does not understand how quickly a blog can become public. She is sorry for what she does, but it's difficult to take things that public back! OK if you like lots of graphic details. Recommended only for high school.

Review by Fay Mason, Library Media Teacher, Churchill Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 10-12

tmi
Dutton / Penguin Group
302 pages
ISBN: 978-0-525-47908-6
Release Date: Apr 2009
www.sarahquigley.com  

Written by Nancy Springer

This is the third book in the Enola Holmes Mystery series.  Enola is the young sister of Sherlock Holmes. In this book Dr. Watson has gone missing and she follows the clues to find him. For some reason that is not explained in this book she is hiding from her brothers. The mother has left her and only communicates through codes in the personal ads of the newspaper. The mystery was good but I was confused by the side story, having not read the first two books. Some of the language was Old English and a little hard to understand.

Review by Jane Walton, PTA Board Member, Diamond Ridge Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

The Case of the Bizarre Bouquets
Puffin / Penguin Group
170 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-241390-6
Release Date: May 2009


 

Written by Lauren Tarshis

Emma-Jean is a super smart nerdy seventh grader that has a couple of good friends who are excited about a school dance. This story is of friendship and teen crushes. It was cute and I would read this author again.

Review by Jane Walton, PTA Board Member, Diamond Ridge Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 5-9

Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell in Love
Dial / Penguin Group
169 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3321-3
Release Date: May 2009


 

Written by Bruce Hale, Illustrated by Shane Hillman

Fat Cat is #4 in a series. With this series it's important to read at least #1 first. I was lost as to why things were happening a great deal of the time. One positive about the book, and I assume the whole series, is that it is written in a half comic/half novel format which is kind of fun. Children will enjoy it. I'm interested enough that I will read the first one.

Review by Kimberly Jensen, Library Media Assistant, Diamond Ridge Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

Fat Cat of Underwhere
HarperCollins
167 pages
ISBN: 978-0-06-085133-0
Release Date: Apr 2009

 

Written and Illustrated by Sara Varon

Okay for inferring.

Review by Liz Goodwin, Library Media Assistant, Silver Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

Chicken and Cat Clean Up
Scholastic
39 pages
ISBN: 978-0-439-63408-3
Release Date: Mar 2009  

Written by Nicola Davies, Illustrated by Neal Layton

This book tells of different kinds of animals that can live in very extreme conditions from cold to hot and lack of food. It describes what physical traits these animals have in order to live in such conditions. The reading level is about sixth grade and the pictures contain some humor that would be lost on a younger child.

Curriculum Ties: animal adaptations, habitat, climate.

Review by Jane Walton, PTA Board Member, Diamond Ridge Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

Extreme Animals
Candlewick Press
61 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-4127-6
Release Date: Apr 2009


 

Written by Jackie French, Illustrated by Bruce Whatley

This book was a lot more interesting then most non fiction books. The author lived surrounded by wombats and gave many interesting stories about her personal encounters with wombats as well as all the usual facts. I enjoyed reading this book. But, I almost didn't. On page two the author tells us she is living in a shed because the contractors messed up the foundation to her house, she is broke, pregnant and headed for divorce. This was not information that needed to be included in a children's book.

Review by Jane Walton, PTA Board Member, Diamond Ridge Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades K-4

How to Scratch a Wombat
Clarion / Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
86 pages
ISBN: 978-0-618-86864-3
Release Date: February 2009


 

Written by Sally Warner, Illustrated by Jamie Harper

Emma wants to be excellent.  When her school PTA decides to do a winter games she works really hard to win. She wants her dad to notice her and see how good she is. When she does win she realizes that there is more to winning . . .

Review by Stefanie Meier, Library Media Assistant, Valley Crest Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 2-3

Excellent Emma
Viking / Penguin Group
130 pages
ISBN: 978-0-670-06310-9
Release Date: Mar 2009


 

Written by Michael Northrop

"Michael, Tommy, Mixer, and Bones aren't just from the wrong side of the tracks-they're from the wrong side of everything." Mr. Haberman, their remedial English teacher calls them "Gentlemen." One day Tommy just vanishes. Michael, Mixer and Bones think that Mr. Haberman has something to do with Tommy's disappearance and go to his home to confront him. Things go badly and Bones beats Haberman until he is knocked unconscious. The book has some language and some sexual content.

Review by Cindy Moyle, District Library Media Specialist, Granite School District
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: High School only

Gentlemen
Scholastic, Inc.
234 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-09749-9
Release Date: Apr 2009


 

Written by Kate Banks, Illustrated by Tomek Bogacki

Max and his older brother Pete discover much about the universe. The most important thing they learn is about themselves. Although Max and Pete are very different they discover that there is a place for both of them in this wonderful universe.  This book would be a great supplement to a space unit or a unit on the family.

Review by Diane Sonzini, Library Media Assistant, Pioneer Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 1-2

Monkeys and the Universe
Frances Foster / Farrar, Straus & Giroux
48 pages
ISBN: 978-0-374-35028-4
Release Date: Mar 31, 2009


 

Written by Kate Banks, Illustrated by Lauren Castillo

A father and daughter go on a fishing outing. Each has their own way of doing things and although they do things differently they each have a wonderful time. They do have one thing in common: they both love each other. A sweet story of a father and daughter relationship that emphasizes the individuality of the person.

Review by Dianne Sonzini, Library Media Assistant, Pioneer Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades K-2

That's Papa's Way
Frances Foster / Farrar, Straus and Giroux
30 pages
ISBN: 978-0-374-37445-7
Release Date: Apr 27, 2009


 

Written and Illustrated by Nick Bruel

This book has more pictures than words.  It does have informative info about cats, but mostly little pictures that tell the weak story line. It might be good for a kid that does not really like to read, they might find it more enjoyable to get the story from the pictures than reading.

Review by Angela Pratt, Library Media Assistant, Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 3-5

Happy Birthday, Bad Kitty
Roaring Brook Press
159 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59643-342-7
Release Date: Sep 1, 2009



 

Written by Xavier W. Niz, Illustrated by Jesus Aburto

Skateboard enthusiasts will probably enjoy this book; those who aren’t may not understand some of the vocabulary used or appreciate the description of the skateboarding moves. Besides being about skateboarding, this story deals with friendship and loyalty. The use of graphic novel format and traditional text is a good way to introduce students to the graphic novel genre. 

Review by Keri Crane, Library Media Assistant, James E. Moss Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 3-9

Drop in to the Deep End: Skateboarding with the Z-Boys
Stone Arch / Capstone Press
50 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4342-1581-9
Release Date: Aug 15, 2009


 

Written by Nicola Davies, Illustrated by Neal Layton

This book explains why giants and large versions of creatures just can't exist using math. It also explains why the only real super strong heroes are tiny creatures. It was hard to get through the first third of the book. It explains weight, mass, volume, length, outside, and cross section. It uses math to help illustrate each form of measure. The pictures are great but the math at the first will make many students stop reading.

Review by Sue Woods, Library Media Assistant, Cottonwood Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 7+

Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little
Candlewick Press
61 pages
ISBN: 978-0-7636-3924-2
Release Date: Jul 28, 2009


 

Written and Illustrated by Leonid Gore

About a little boy who wonders what he will be when he grows up. Other things such as rain tell him what they will be when they grow up. He figures it out in the end.

Review by Kathy Munson, Library Media Assistant, Farnsworth Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades K-1

When I Grow Up
Scholastic, Inc.
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-08597-7
Release Date: May 1, 2009


 

Written and Illustrated by James Warhola

This book has wonderful illustrations that are very exciting for young readers to look at as they read this book. The text is basic and simple and excellent for any beginning and/or remedial reader. The biggest draw for this book is that it is about animals, which is very attractive for most students. Children enjoy seeing how the family of Hester and Sam continue to grow exponentially.

Curriculum Ties: Math -- understanding the concept of numbers growing in value.

Review by Brooke Deardorff, 3rd Grade Teacher, Bennion Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Uncle Andy's Cats
Putnam / Penguin Group
29 pages
ISBN: 978-0-399-25180-1
Release Date: Jul 9, 2009


 

Written by Candice F. Ransom, Illustrated by Jenny Matheson

A girl spends the day going on errands with her father in his old pickup truck. They have a real adventure as the truck is a restaurant, a hardware store, a toolshed and several other places. Father and daughter have a wonderful bonding experience, The illustrations are bright and very eye-catching.

Review by Dianne Sonzini, Library Media Assistant, Pioneer Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Preschool - Grade 1

The Old Blue Pickup Truck
Walker & Co.
32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8027-9591-5
Release Date: Jun 9, 2009



 

Written by Jennifer Sturman

Delia lives with her mother and enjoys a pretty normal teenage life. She is an only child. Her mother runs her own company and her father is dead. One day Delia's life completely changes when her mother disappears and everyone believes she is dead. Delia goes to live with an aunt that she had never met. While adjusting to a new life, Delia searches for and believes her mother is still alive.

Review by Aimee Ungricht, English Teacher, Matheson Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Junior High

And Then Everything Unraveled
Point / Scholastic
244 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-08722-3
Release Date: Jul 1, 2009


 

Written and Illustrated by Philip Christian Stead

This is a silly book about Jack and the dish he hates the most: creamed tuna fish and peas on toast. See what happens when his wife serves him the dish he hates the most.

Review by Jodie Uriarte, Library Media Assistant, Copper Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades K-3

Creamed Tuna Fish & Peas on Toast
Roaring Brook Press
30 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59643-401-1
Release Date: Sep 29, 2009


 

Written by Scott R. Welvaert, Illustrated by Brann Garvey

This was an OK book. I had a hard time following everything that was going on. Buck and Agate are the main characters. They try to prevent the Mosquito King from taking over. Buck and Agate are spirit hunters. They belong to a group that has special powers and they are once again faced with an old enemy named Coyote. It may have been easier to follow if I had been more aware of old indian legends.

Review by Karen Manning, Library Media Assistant, Lincoln Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 5-8

The Mosquito King
Stone Arch Books / Capstone Press
105 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59889-857-6
Release Date: Sep 1, 2007


 

Written by Eliot Schrefer

This is the story of a high school girl who has been a troublemaker and whose parents, as a last resort, have sent her to a special high security / highly disciplinarian school to be reformed. Once she gets there, she discovers that all is not as it should be. She and her friends proceed to expose the injustices which are occurring at the school.

Review by Becky Davis, Library Media Clerk, Olympus Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 8-12

The School for Dangerous Girls
Scholastic Press
341 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-03528-6
Release Date: Jan 1, 2009



 

Written by Charles Dickens, Introduced by Roddy Doyle

A tale between two cities, one in the midst of a bloody revolution, and one man caught between two worlds. Charles Darnay flees from France to escape the revolution, but returns to save a dear servant from death. By doing so, he puts his own life at risk and gets captured. He needs to escape, but who does he trust in a world where everyone wants you dead. A gruesome but fairly entertaining book to read, readers will be disturbed, entertained, and made curious about the French Revolution by this book. People like Madame Defarge, who knits her enemies’ names into whatever she’s knitting, and Jacques Three, who is a member of a corrupt tribunal with the only goal to see how much blood they can have running through the streets of France, increase the appeal of this book even more to whoever reads it. With a funny, but true to Charles Dickens’ style of writing, introduction, Roddy Doyle makes readers think twice about the events that happen in this book. With a glossary of terms and a who’s who guide to the characters in the book, readers will be able to not only enjoy this book and all it has to offer, but understand it as well.

Review by Jessica Moody, Library Media Specialist, Olympus Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 7+

A Tale of Two Cities
Puffin Classics / Penguin Group
446 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-132554-5
Release Date: Mar 5, 2009 (reprint)


 

Written by Sarah Dessen

After being abandoned by her mother, seventeen-year-old Ruby is taken in by her older sister and brother-in-law and is enrolled in a private school. With a promise of a good education and new clothes, she starts to see a future for herself. Hurt by her mother’s abandonment, she has trouble not seeing small abandonments around every corner in her life. When she meets Nate, the hottie next door, things start to look up and she starts to trust again. She can’t help but wonder, however, if Nate is hiding something behind his genial nature. Will Ruby ever be able to trust completely again? Will she start to fit in in her new life? Will she ever see past her past and be able to embrace the happiness her new life offers? Although depressing in parts, this book turns out to be a heart-warming, realistic fiction story that girls will relate to. The characters and plot are unique. Readers will enjoy experiencing joy and sadness with her as she comes to terms with her mother’s abandonment. Fans of Sarah Dessen and Joan Bauer will enjoy reading this book.

Review by Jessica Moody, Library Media Specialist, Olympus Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 7 and up

Lock and Key
Speak / Penguin Group
432 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-241472-9
Release Date: May 14, 2009


 

Written by Brian Mallow

Molly, the soon to be high school valedictorian in her small town of Le Sueur, MN, just found out that she was accepted to Columbia in New York City. Molly is a good student, heavily into science, and has a major crush on her mysterious science lab partner Mark. Molly discovers that they will both be going to New York after high school graduation. Then she figures out that she is entirely wrong for Mark, even the wrong gender. While at Columbia, Molly makes good friends and discovers a lot about herself. The beginning was very shallow and it took until about page 100 to start pulling me into the story.

Review by Cindy Dunn, District Library Media Specialist, Granite School District
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 9-12

Twelve Long Months
Scholastic Press
316 pages
ISBN: 978-0-439-87761-9
Release Date: Jun 1, 2008


 

Written by Susan Vaught

Chan Shealy, 16, has had her reputation destroyed by an ex-boyfriend that left her with an STD. She turns to online chats to meet a new boyfriend. She wants to meet someone that isn't familiar with her past and how everyone at school sees her. She meets Paul, and a friendship develops. Soon Chan discovers the dangers of meeting someone online. She finds herself and her sister in trouble. This is a scary but timely topic.

Review by Cindy Dunn, District Library Media Specialist, Granite Schools
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 9-12

Exposed
Bloomsbury
330 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59990-161-9
Release Date: Nov 25, 2008


 

Written by Cate Tiernan

A story about the struggle between bloodwitches and dark magic. Before you read this book be sure to read the previous thirteen books first.

Reviewed by a student at Cyprus High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: High School

Full Circle (Sweep Series, Book #14)
Speak / Penguin Group
190 pages
ISBN: 978-0-14-241029-5
Release Date: Mar 19, 2009





 

Written by Justine Larbalestier

This was an interesting book. It caught me off guard once it got towards the middle of the book. I liked it, but I wish the boyfriend had stayed alive. The ending was still happy, though.

Reviewed by a student, Cyprus High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩ 
Interest Level: Grades 10-12

Liar
Bloomsbury
376 pages
ISBN: 978-1-59990-305-7
Release Date: Aug 1, 2009









 

Written by Maggie Stiefvater

When Grace was a small child she was dragged by wolves into the woods surrounding her home.  She is bitten but her life is spared because one wolf with yellow eyes carries her to safety.  Grace becomes obsessed with watching the wolves around her home, especially the one with yellow eyes. Then one day she comes home to find an injured boy collapsed at her door. A boy with yellow eyes. I liked the story line but was disappointed because of the sexual content.

Review by Cindy Moyle, District Library Media Specialist, Granite School District
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 10-12

Shiver
Scholastic Press
400 pages
ISBN: 978-0-545-12326-6
Release Date: Aug 1, 2009





 

Written by Tracey West

This is a "decide your own destiny" book- that means you can make your own decisions that lead to your own ending to the book. This book is a Star Wars adventure, so it helps to be a fan of the movies and stuff. You start out as a clone in training for the clone army. Even if you are not a big Star Wars fan (like me), that's ok; I still really liked it. Mainly for getting to choose my own endings to create almost my very own story. There is a choice of between 25 endings! 

The end of every chapter was what I looked forward to because I wanted to become a "Clone Trooper". It made me want to keep reading and reading. Now I could go back and try another adventure or two! You sure can't do that every day in the books you read .  So,"choosing your own destiny'' fans by themselves will also like this book. If you are a fan of both "Star Wars" and destiny books you will really love this! I did good choosing MY destiny- I got to become a real clone trooper!

Reviewed by a student at Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 3-6

The Lost Legion (Star Wars: The Clone War - Decide Your Destiny #3)
Grosset & Dunlap / Penguin Group
160 pages
ISBN: 978-0-448-45036-0
Release Date: Jul 23, 2009



 

Written by Steve Lohr

This is a book about the evolution of the computer.  It talks of all the majoir computer inventors such as Bill Gates

Review by Student at Cyprus High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: 7-12

Digital Revolutionaries: The Men and Women Who Brought Computing to Life
Roaring Brook Press
pages 176
ISBN: 978-1-59643-532-2
Release Date: September 2009

 

Written by Kathy Allen

Olivia Kidney has another exciting adventure in New York City. Olivia is dealing with a new school and family drama as she embarks upon a new escapade in the subways beneath Manhattan. This book was okay but younger readers might enjoy Olivia’s silly life.

Review by Kathy Loewy, Library Media Assistant, Twin Peaks Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: 3-5 grades

Olivia Kidney and the Secret Beneath the City
Penguin Group
pages 32
ISBN: 978-1-4296-3338-3
Release Date: January 2009

 

Written by Elizabeth Scott

Amy is in emotional, physical and mental anguish. Her best friend, Julia, is dead, and Amy blames herself.

Amy is leaving rehab and returning to life she no longer knows. Her parents are now involved in her life, she's in honors classes at school and she's seeing a therapist weekly. Before Amy drank; she drank to fit in, drank to feel numb and empty, drank to just be. Now, she doesn't have Julia or a drink to help her cope. She feels all alone, until she meets Patrick.

Patrick is dealing with his own loss which has left him withdrawn and aloof. Both Amy and Patrick are drawn to each other as they continue to move forward with their lives. Each struggles with his/her own loss in a different way.

Amy begins to process the events that occurred the night Julia dies. Amy is adamant that she caused Julia's death. It's with the help of Patrick and her therapist that she begins to see the truth about that night and her friendship with Julia. The fog that her grief left behind is slowly lifting and Amy is able to finally accept what happened that night: the choices she and Julia made.

Love You Hate You Miss You is about the emptiness, loneliness, guilt and regret one feels after someone has died. You wake up one morning to a life that you no longer know, a life that no longer makes sense. Written in Amy's perspective and her letters to Julia, Love You Hate You Miss You is a compelling read. Ms. Scott writes a touching story bringing together two people who cannot see beyond their hurt and pain.

Review by Heidi Williams, Library Media Specialist, Skyline High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: 9-12 grades

Love You Hate You Miss You
HarperCollins Publishers
pages 288
ISBN: 9780061122835
Release Date: May 2009

 

Written by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, & Alexis Frederick-Frost

A humorous lesson in creating comics which incorporates a storyline into the instruction. We learn about the elements of a cartoon (panels, backgrounds, word and thought balloons, lettering, etc.) while following the story of a brave knight in pursuit of a bubblegum-chewing dragon. Readers may want to consider creating their own comic strip after reading this one!

Review by Karen Migacz, Library Media Assistant, Howard R. Driggs Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: 3-6 Grades

Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics
First Second Books
pages 109
ISBN: 978-1-59643-369-4
Release Date: March 2009

 

Written by Mark Karlins, Illustrator Sandy Nichols

This book is about a boy named Lorenzo Fortunato, who does not feel that he fits in with his family who are performers in the theater. He is more interested in numbers and space and is ignored by his parents and twin sisters. But one night Einstein attends the theater and notices a formula on Lorenzo’s hand and shoes. Lorenzo is surprised to find out that Einstein is interested in him and his project where Lorenzo shows him the spaceship he has made. They go off to outer space where everything reminds Lorenzo of home. Lorenzo becomes homesick and when they travel back home he find his family has missed him too!
This book would be a good story for children who feel they don’t fit in and that your family always loves you no matter how different you are.
The illustrations are very imaginative.

Review by Marjorie Briggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: 1-3 grades

Starring Lorenzo and Einstein Too
The Penguin Group
pages 28
ISBN: 0803732201
Release Date: April 2009

 

Written by Mark Karlins, Illustrated by Sandy Nichols

This book is about a boy named Lorenzo Fortunato, who does not feel that he fits in with his family, who are performers in the theater. He is more interested in numbers and space and is ignored by his parents and twin sisters. But one night Einstein attends the theater and notices a formula on Lorenzo’s hand and shoes. Lorenzo is surprised to find out that Einstein is interested in him and his project, where Lorenzo shows him the spaceship he has made. They go off to outer space, where everything reminds Lorenzo of home.  Lorenzo becomes homesick and when they travel back home he finds his family has missed him too!

This book would be a good story for children who feel they don’t fit in.  It also teaches readers that your family always loves you no matter how different you are.  The illustrations are very imaginative.

Review by Marjorie Briggs, Library Media Assistant, Oquirrh Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 1-3

Starring Lorenzo and Einstein Too
Dial / Penguin Group
28 pages
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3220-9
Release Date: April 2009



 

Written by Holly Black, Illustrated by Ted Naifeh

This is a black and white graphic novel. It was a little hard to understand because it is book two in the Good Neighbors series.  Rue, who is half fairy/human, has a group of friends and terrible things start happening and Rue uncovers events in her family's past that is causing these mishaps... maybe in book one it lets you in on what her family did but I could not pick it up from this book.

Review by Diana Moosman, Hillsdale Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Jr High - High School

Kith (The Good Neighbors, Book 2)
Graphix / Scholastic
111 pages
ISBN: 978-0-439-85563-1
Release Date: Oct 2009








 

Written by Mari Schuh

Fun, easy book to read about the very simple way to plant a garden.

Review by Jodie Uriarte, Library Media Assistant, Copper Hills Elementary School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades K-1

Growing a Garden
Capstone Press
24 pages
ISBN: 978-1-4296-3984-2
Release Date: Jan 2010






 

Written by Eva Ibbotson

The Reluctant Heiress was a good book. I enjoyed the development of the setting and the characters. Ibbotson’s writing style is very entertaining, but predictable. Those students who are already fans of Eva Ibbotson will, I’m sure, find this one to be very appealing, also.

Review by Linda Lamoreaux, Library Media Clerk, Wasatch Jr. High School
Rating: ★★★✩✩
Interest Level: Grades 7-10

The Reluctant Heiress
Speak / Penguin Group
325 pages
ISBN: 9780142412770
Release Date: Apr 2009