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Book reviews for children by library staff and guest contributors
Leslie Patricelli is a staple in this librarian’s house. She’s taught our two year old such valuable lessons already, like haircuts don’t hurt (Hair), how to make our mad go away (Mad, Mad, MAD), and possibly most important… that all toots are funny! (Toot) This summer, she’s back with an exciting trip to the beach in Splash!
Step into this wonderland of words! Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play among Figures of Speech by Ted Kooser & Connie Wanek, illustrated by Richard Jones, definitely feels playful, fun – and so delightful! Poems are grouped into four sections featuring the four elements (fire, water, air, and earth). They offer unique spins on everyday objects like trees, marshmallows, and flyswatters. Some poem titles include “Butterfly Luck,” “Why Pets Don’t Write,” and “Winter Ponies.” Softly painted illustrations add a dreamy feel to the collection.
The 2022 Charlotte Zolotow Award winner for best writing in children’s picture books, this new book by Meg Medina is a gem. Evelyn is Daniela’s best friend and they do everything together. Even as Evelyn’s family is packing boxes and loading the truck, these two besties don’t waste a single minute of their time together, playing together until the very last second of having to say goodbye.
Move over Boxcar Children, the Mighty Muskrats are on the case!
I highly recommend this enjoyable story and exciting mystery set in present day Canada. Realistic, multifaceted protagonists Chickadee, Otter, Atim and Samuel are inseparable cousins. They are known all over their reservation as “the mighty muskrats,” a nickname given to them by their oldest uncle.
Twelve year old Maisie Cannon is all about ballet. But now, after an accident and surgery, she is recovering rather than dancing. And all is not well. Her grades are slipping, she is growing distanced from her friends, and she is being uncharacteristically snippy with her family. All that Maisie wants is to get back to dancing. While on a family trip to the Olympic Peninsula, Maisie learns about her Native heritage as well as about some of her own personal family history. And that it is ok to ask for help.
Kimêtawânaw! We all play! Animals hide, peek, swim, chase, wiggle, and yawn in this gorgeously illustrated book by Cree-Meetis author, illustrator, and artist Julie Flett. And we play too! Children follow along with the fun, running and rolling in fields, climbing up snowy hills with their sleds, and winding down for a nap at the end of the book.
Adorable Bunbun looks for a friend and finds the perfect companion in sugary Bonbon. They have a lot in common including their ability to hop, their positive outlook on life and their love of all things fancy. Their adventures include picnics, wearing costumes, eating donuts and super sparkly fun times meeting new friends. There's no limit to the kindness and helpful ways of this vibrant duo and I hope they star in many more books. For now, there are three:
This realistic fairy tale follows Beatryce, a young girl with no memory of who she is and being hunted by the king because of a prophecy that she will unseat him, as she threads together a small band of allies with the strength of her love and courage. These friends include a very disagreeable goat, Answelica, a timid and kind monk, Brother Edik, an adventurous errand boy, Jack Dory, and a mysterious sage, Cannoc.
Are you looking for a book that is slightly quirky, and will leave you thinking about it even after you have finished reading? Then Magic Candies by Heena Baek may be just what you have been looking for.
Newberry Medalist, Avi, writes a gripping story of the American Revolutionary War through the eyes of Sophia Calderwood. Sophia, a well-educated young lady, lives with her parents in British occupied New York. Her beloved older brother is a captured soldier in the Continental Army and her parents are secretly committed to the cause of the American Patriots. Sophia, herself an ardent Patriot, wants nothing more than to help the cause and free her brother from a horrific British prison. She is enlisted as a spy; however, the plot she uncovers is almost too outrageous to believe!
