Geo Librarian

KELSEY GREEN, READING QUEEN Franklin School Friends #1 by Claudia Mills, pictures by Rob Shepperson Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2013 ISBN: 978-1-250-03405-2 Middle Grade Realistic Fiction Grades 3-5 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Kelsey Kline is the best reader in the third grade--well, maybe tied for best with know-it-all Simon Ellis. When the principal Mr. Boone announces  a school-wide reading contest, complete with a pizza party for the winning class and a special certificate for the top readers in each grade, she knows she's just the person to lead Mrs. Molina's third graders to victory. But how can they win when her classmate Cody Harmon doesn't want to read anything, and even Kelsey's best friends Annika and Izzy don't live up to her expectations? And could Simon possibly be reading all of those books that he claims he is, or is he...

SUPERMAN VERSUS THE KU KLUX KLAN: The True Story of How the Iconic Superhero Battled the Men of Hate by Rick Bowers National Geographic Children's Books, 2012 ISBN: 978-1-4263-0915-1 MG/YA Nonfiction Grades 7 and up Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK This book tells a group of intertwining stories that culminate in the historic 1947 collision of the Superman Radio Show and the Ku Klux Klan. It is the story of the two Cleveland teenagers who invented Superman as a defender of the little guy and the New York wheeler-dealers who made him a major media force. It is the story Ku Klux Klan's development from a club to a huge money-making machine powered by the powers of fear and hate and of the folklorist who--along with many other activists-- took on the Klan by wielding the power of words. Above all, it tells the story of Superman himself--a modern mythical hero and an embodiment of the cultural reality of his times--from...

I've been on a graphic novel kick lately, here is the first of several posts to come specifically on graphic novels. DELILAH DIRK AND THE TURKISH LIEUTENANT by Tony Cliff First Second, 2013 ISBN: 978-1-59643-813-2 Graphic Novel Grades 7 and up Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Lovable ne'er-do-well Delilah Dirk has travelled to Japan, Indonesia, France, and even the New World. Using the skills she's picked up on the way, Delilah's adventures continue as she plots to rob a rich and corrupt Sultan in Constantinople. With the aid of her flying boat and her newfound friend, Selim, she evades the Sultan's guards, leaves angry pirates in the dust, and fights her way through the countryside. For Delilah, one adventure leads to the next in this thrilling and funny installment in her exciting life. A little bit Tintin, a little bit Indiana Jones, Delilah Dirk is a great pick for any reader looking for a smart an...

Today, I have three civil rights related books to share.  I thought it would be appropriate to share them now because the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Summer murders was just two days ago. I hope that none of us ever forget the sacrifices that have been made to achieve civil rights. MARCH Book One by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, & Nate Powell Top Shelf Productions, 2013 Graphic Nonfiction Grades 5 and up Source: Library copy All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Congressman John Lewis (GA-5) is an American icon, one of the key figures of the civil rights movement. His commitment to justice and nonviolence has taken him from an Alabama sharecropper’s farm to the halls of Congress, from a segregated schoolroom to the 1963 March on Washington, and from receiving beatings from state troopers to receiving the Medal of Freedom from the first African-American president. Now, to share his remarkable story with new generations, Lewis presents Mar...

HUNTER MORAN HANGS OUT by Patricia Reilly Giff Holiday House, 2013 ISBN: 978-0-8234-2859-5 Grades 3-5 Realistic Fiction Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK When Hunter and his twin brother Zack, of the chaotic Moran family, hear there's going to be a kidnapping in their town, the two boys are on high alert. But this isn't the only threat they're facing-- there's a probable axe murderer in an abandoned house, definitely dead bodies in the pond, and their Mom is heading to the hospital to give birth to a new sibling, in this hilarious sequel to Hunter Moran Saves the Universe. REVIEW I've got some rather mixed feelings about this book. On one hand the book is funny with all the shenanigans that Hunter and his twin, Zack get themselves mixed up in.  On the other hand, as an adult I winced at some of the antics of the brothers.  Luckily things all work out in the end, but I had a hard time with the...

Mouse Math is a fun series by Kane Press that shares fun stories with math mixed in.  Here are two books in the series. THE RIGHT PLACE FOR ALBERT by Daphne Skinner, illustrated by Deborah Melmon Kane Press, 2012 ISBN: 978-1-57565-438-6 Picture Book PreS-Grade 1 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Today is the day: Alberts very first trip to the People Kitchen! With help from his big sister, Wanda, Albert will hunt for all kinds of crumbs, treats, and goodies. But first he has to find a hiding place from the cat! (Math topic: One-to-One Correspondence) REVIEW Math is a subject that many children find it hard to relate to because they don't see it as being relevant to their own lives.  This book shows that math is indeed a part of our lives by sharing a story about Albert and his need to find his very own hiding place.  One creature can hide in one hiding place.  This creates a fun story but al...

D-DAY: The Invasion of Normandy, 1944 by Rick Atkinson Henry Holt & Co, 2014 ISBN: 978-1-62779-111-3 Grades 7 and up YA Nonfiction Source: Purchased copy All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Adapted for young readers from the #1  New York Times –bestselling  The Guns at Last Light ,  D-Day  captures the events and the spirit of that day—June 6, 1944—the day that led to the liberation of western Europe from Nazi Germany's control. They came by sea and by sky to reclaim freedom from the occupying Germans, turning the tide of World War II. Atkinson skillfully guides his younger audience through the events leading up to, and of, the momentous day in this photo-illustrated adaptation. Perfect for history buffs and newcomers to the topic alike! REVIEW With the 70th anniversary of D-Day having recently passed, I thought it appropriate to highlight this title this month.  Overall, I thought the book was beautifully design...

DEAD STRANGE The Bizarre Truths Behind 50 Unexplained Mysteries by Matt Lamy Zest Books, 2012 ISBN13: 9781936976270 Grades 7 and up Source: school library All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK This amazing collection contains entries on everything from the bizarre to the horrific, and from the spooky to the just plain confounding. The book gives essential background information on the events and the people involved, discusses the impact of particular myths and beliefs, and provides updates on the latest investigations being undertaken in an attempt to find answers to these baffling phenomena. From Loch Ness to Bigfoot, spontaneous combustion to Roswell, each entry is supported with sidebars related to pop culture, and comes with a wealth of photographs. REVIEW I found this book to be rather fascinating.  Humans do seem to find the strange and mysterious rather compelling and the number of things covered in the book makes that clear. ...

MILLIE FIERCE SLEEPS OUT by Jane Manning Philomel, 2014 ISBN: 9780399160936 Picture Book K-2 Source: Publisher for review (Thanks!) All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Little girls can be strong and fierce and brave—and sometimes their ferocity is just the thing they need to save the day. Millie is strong. Millie is fierce. But Millie has learned to keep her fierceness in check. And since she’s been sweet all summer long, Millie gets to have a sleepout with her friends. One where she promises to be well behaved. But things don't go as Millie planned, and our fierce little heroine is not happy.  Still, she tries her best to keep her fierceness inside. But when the scary dog from next door howls at the girls' tent, Millie's ferocity saves them all! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Illustrator of many books for children. Her memories of being a young girl riding her favorite horse, Killarny, provided some of the inspiration for Cindy Ellen. She ...