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FANTASTIC FRIDAY: The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln

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THE NIGHT LIBRARIAN by Christopher Lincoln with color assistance by Bonnie Rosado Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-593-61765-6 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK A graphic novel adventure in which two siblings, a mysterious Night Librarian, and a motley cast of book characters try to save the New York Public Library Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work. But a secret mission involving their dad’s rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula uncovers a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous heroes (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction. REVIEW Paige and Turner spend much of their t
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WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY: The Boy and the Elephant by Freya Blackwood

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  THE BOY AND THE ELEPHANT written & illustrated by Freya Blackwood Random House Studio, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-593-70766-1 Source: publisher through Blue Slip Media Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & illustrations & author/illustrator bio provided by Blue Slip Media. ABOUT THE BOOK The powerful new picture book from Greenaway Medallist and seven-time CBCA winner, Freya Blackwood The boy lives in a city, where everything is fast and loud. But amidst the bustle and the noise, the boy has a secret ... In the overgrown lot next to his apartment building, deep within the green, he has a friend. But one day progress arrives, bringing with it plans for something new, and the boy must find a way to save his friend before it's too late ... From award-winning illustrator and storyteller Freya Blackwood comes a magical and tender wordless picture book about the world we live in and our ability to change it. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR Freya Blackwood fell
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AUTHOR INTERVIEW & BOOK REVIEW: The Rise of the Spider by Michael P. Spradlin

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  RISE OF THE SPIDER Web of the Spider #1 by Michael P. Spradlin Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2024 ISBN: 9781665947206 Source: publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, author photo & bio, and book summary provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK 1929, Heroldsberg, Germany. Rolf might only be twelve years old, but he’s old enough to know that things have not been good in his country since the end of the Great War. Half of Germany is out of work, and a new political movement is taking hold that scares him. Every night, Rolf’s father and older brother, Romer, have increasingly heated arguments about politics at the dinner table. And when two members of the new Nazi Party, Hans and Nils, move to town as part of the Hitler Youth, Rolf is uneasy to see how enamored Romer is by their promises of bringing Germany to glory. Rolf doesn’t trust Hans and Nils for a moment. For all their talk of greatness, they act more like bullies, antagonizing sho
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WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY: The Iguanodon's Horn by Sean Rubin

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  THE IGUANODON'S HORN: How Artists & Scientists put a Dinosaur back together again & again & again! written & illustrated by Sean Rubin Clarion Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-06-323921-0 Source: purchased Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Highlighting the role of artists in the scientific process, this crowd-pleasing look at dinosaurs explores how new discoveries deepen our understanding of the world. Ever since mysterious bones were found in 1822, scientists and artists have tried to figure out what the creature they came from looked like. But it seems that every time they’ve made up their minds, someone makes a new discovery, and they have to start all over. That’s only fair, though—after all, it’s how knowledge advances! With an inviting tone and detail-filled art, Sean Rubin traces the process of defining—and redefining—the dinosaur called Iguanodon . Entertainin
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PICTURE BOOK REVIEW & AUTHOR INTERVIEW: I Want to Read ALL the Books by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

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  I WANT TO READ ALL THE BOOKS written & illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 9781481416313 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, summary, author bio & interview, provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK An insatiably curious girl decides the only way to answer all her questions is to read all the books in this funny and charming picture book in the spirit of The Library Fish and Tom Chapin’s The Library Book.Hana wants to know everything about the world around her. When she starts asking questions, her mother gives her a book. She learns so much, but now she has even more questions! She also has a big she will read all the books—every single one! She reads every book in her house…and then her friends’ houses…and then the whole block. Nonfiction, fiction, romance, mysteries, and science fiction. But when her mother takes her to the downtown library, she realizes there ar
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PICTURE BOOK REVIEW: Bear's Big Idea by Sandra Nickel & Il Sung Na

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BEAR'S BIG IDEA written by Sandra Nickel, illustrated by Il Sung Na Carolrhoda Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-8-7656-1017-6 Source: publisher through Blue Slip Media (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, illustrations, & bios provided by Blue Slip Media. ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR Sandra Nickel is the author of picture book biographies about the inventor of nachos (Nacho’s Nachos), the discoverer of dark matter (The Stuff Between the Stars), and the first woman meteorologist (Breaking Through the Clouds). She is the winner of a Christopher Award, the winner of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Crystal Kite Award, a finalist for the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction for Younger Readers, a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection honoree, and a Charlotte Huck Award Recommended author. Sandra has an MFA in writing for children and young adults and has presented workshops on writing for children and young adults throughout E
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PICTURE BOOK REVIEW: Let the Light In by Laurie Ann Thompson & Adriana Predoi

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  LET THE LIGHT IN written by Laurie Ann Thompson, illustrated by Adriana Predoi Worthy Kids, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5460-0647-3 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Help little ones move from sadness to brighter days with this hopeful and encouraging look at a universal emotion. It’s normal to feel sad, but for kids, sadness can often feel overwhelming and confusing. Let the Light In meets children in their moment of sadness and offers empathetic ideas on how to navigate it. Concrete and simple ideas include creative expression, going for a walk, paying attention to the world around them, and visiting a friend. Little ones will be left with the uplifting message that, whether it happens in big ways or small, all at once or over time, sadness will eventually fade, and better days will come. REVIEW This lovely little book with it's sweet rhymes and
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THREE EARLY READER REVIEWS with lots of rhyming fun!

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OG FINDS THE COG Monster Og series written by Amy Dyckman, illustrated by Elio Simon Spotlight, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-6659-4147-1 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-6 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW Og, a monster, and Mog, a giant cat, build a robot together. Dog, being jealous, runs away with a cog from the robot. Can Og and Mog recover their cog and make up with Dog before it's too late? There is something so innately delightful about reading a book chock full of rhyming words. Elio's bright, colorful, fun illustrations nicely complement the large, easy to read text. Perfect for children just learning to read, this would be a fun book for an adult and child to read together. Children are likely to enjoy the way the rhymes feel on their tongue. Og, Mog, and Dog all make for relatable characters as well. Recommended. NAT THE CAT HAS A SNACK written & illustrated by Jarrett Lerner Simon Spotlight,
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PICTURE BOOK REVIEW: Tate's Wild Rescue by Jenny Turnbull & Izzy Burton

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TATE'S WILD RESCUE written by Jenny Turnbull, illustrated by Izzy Burton Crown Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN:978-0-593-56907--8 Source: publisher through Blue Slip Media Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary & author/illustrator information provided through Blue Slip Media. ABOUT THE BOOK A sweet, funny picture book about an animal-loving girl who invites wild animals to live in her house and be her best friend--with mixed results! Back matter also offers ideas for children on how they can help both wild and companion animals! Tate loves animals, but she worries about the ones who live in the wild—aren’t they cold? Hungry? Lonely? She is determined to help and comes up with the perfect she’ll offer one a better life and they will be best friends! To her surprise, none of the wild animals she invites to live with her are impressed with her offerings—Orca is not interested in the kiddie pool, and Tiger would rather hunt than settle for c
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FOUR PICTURE BOOKS ABOUT BOOKS!

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  THIS BOOK IS DEFINITELY NOT CURSED written by Megan Woodward, illustrated by Lisa Rodil Aladdin, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-6659-2798-7 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW The monster in this book explains that the book really is cursed and that the reader will be cursed for reading the book. The monster then explains what it's like to be cursed (having been cursed for many years) and how to break the curse. Young listeners or readers are highly likely to be giggling long before the book ends (giggling is a symptom of being cursed according to the monster). Fun for reading at Halloween or anytime really, the variety of silly words is bound to make for an enjoyable story time. Although I suspect some young listeners/readers will actually try some of the things in the book (like smelling your own or someone else's foot). But that isn't so bad, right? It would definitel
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