Geo Librarian

THE WALRUS WHO ESCAPED by Rachel and Sean Qitsualik-Tinsley, illustrated by Anthony Brennan Inhabit Media, 2014 ISBN: 978-1-927095-68-3 Picture book Ages 4-8 Source: Myrick Marketing & Media All opinions expressed are solely my own. Walrus has beautiful spiraled tusks and can catch and eat clams with ease.  Raven must search through the mud to find clams not being willing to try becoming a walrus for fear of embarrassing herself.  But her envy turns to rage when Walrus notices her efforts one day and makes fun of her.  Calling out to the Strength of the Land, Raven turns the surface of the ocean to ice trapping Walrus inside.  Raven encourages other creatures to join her in tormenting Walrus who can no longer search for clams.  When Walrus can't take the torment any more he in turn calls on the Strength of the Land to aide him in making his escape.  This Inuit folktale not only highlights the beauty of the Arctic environment but the pow...

THE RACE TO THE BEACH by Anna Shuttlewood little bee books, 2015 ISBN: 978-1-4998-0099-9 Picture Book Ages 4-8 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. REVIEW The animals at the zoo take off for the beach for a nice summer holiday. After boarding the train and enjoying various individual activities at the beach the animals start to get bored.  When seal proposes a race the other animals all agree, except for Giraffe.  The animals speculate about why Giraffe won't join the race.  The winner is to be the one who swims the farthest out into the ocean.  But when Crocodile starts calling for help, Giraffe can't just sit by.  I found the story quite fun with the bright, colorful illustrations.  I especially liked the fact that the text refers to specific things going on in the illustrations, I couldn't help looking at the pictures to find the referred to activities.  The overall feel of the story is upbeat and...

GUTS & GLORY: The American Civil War by Ben Thompson Little, Brown and Company, 2014 ISBN: 978-0-316-32050-4 MG/YA Nonfiction Ages 10 and up Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Tremendous battles, dangerous operations, fearless spies, and legendary heroes from America's deadliest conflict! From courageous cavalry rides deep into enemy territory to harrowing covert missions undertaken by spies and soldiers, the events of the American Civil War were filled with daring figures and amazing feats. This exhilarating overview covers the biggest battles as well as captivating lesser-known moments to entertain kids with unbelievable (and totally true) tales of one of America's most fascinating conflicts. History buff, Civil War reenactor, and popular blogger Ben Thompson uses his extensive knowledge and vivid storytelling style to bring the Civil War to life in this first book in a thrilling new series featuring incredib...

100 MOST DESTRUCTIVE NATURAL DISASTERS by Anna Claybourne Scholastic, 2014 ISBN: 978-0-545-80859 Ages 8-12 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Gigantic, powerful, devastating--these are the 100 most destructive natural disasters ever. Next in the successful 100 MOST series, 100 Most Destructive Natural Disasters Ever will feature the world's most devastating hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. This book will investigate Mother Nature's worst moments, from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed over 200,000 people to the historic 1900 Galveston hurricane. It's everything you ever wanted to know about natural disasters and a whole lot of things you didn't.   REVIEW Reading this book was eye-opening.  Natural disasters occur on an annual basis, some worse than others. This book highlights the worst natural disasters from recorded history.  It's awe-inspiring to read about what Mother E...

LITTLE BIRD TAKES A BATH by Marisabina Russo Schwartz & Wade, 2015 ISBN: 978-0-385-37014-1 Ages 3-7 Source: author for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. REVIEW Little bird hates rain, but loves to take baths.  After sleeping through the night and the rain, little bird goes looking for a puddle in which to take a bath. But he struggles to find the perfect puddle.  When the perfect puddle presents itself, little bird starts taking his bath only to be interrupted over and over. Will little bird find the perfect place to take a bath or will he have to fly home without?  Russo has created an adorable story about a cute little bird.  Close-ups of little bird alternate with shots of little bird flying through the city making this a great book for talking about perspective.  Also, the story and illustrations are arranged perfectly for giving young readers a chance to predict what's coming, there's even some foreshadowing once little b...

FATAL FEVER Tracking Down Typhoid Mary by Gail Jarrow Calkins Creek, 2015 ISBN: 978-1-62091-597-4 MG/YA Nonfiction Ages 12 and up Source: ARC provided by publisher All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK In March 1907, the lives of three remarkable people collided at a New York City brownstone where Mary Mallon worked as a cook. They were brought together by typhoid fever, a dreaded scourge that killed tens of thousands of Americans each year. Fatal Fever: Tracking Down Typhoid Mary is the first middle-grade trade book that tells the true story of the woman who unwittingly spread deadly bacteria, the epidemiologist who discovered her trail of infection, and the health department that decided her fate. This gripping story follows this tragic disease as it shatters lives from the early twentieth century to today. It will keep readers on the edges of the seats wondering what happened to Mary and the innocent typhoid victims. With glossary, timeline, l...

THE OCTOPUS SCIENTISTS Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Keith Ellenbogen MG/YA Nonfiction Ages 10 and up Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK With three hearts and blue blood, its gelatinous body unconstrained by jointed limbs or gravity, the octopus seems to be an alien, an inhabitant of another world. It’s baggy, boneless body sprouts eight arms covered with thousands of suckers—suckers that can taste as well as feel. The octopus also has the powers of a superhero: it can shape-shift, change color, squirt ink, pour itself through the tiniest of openings, or jet away through the sea faster than a swimmer can follow.         But most intriguing of all, octopuses—classed as mollusks, like clams—are remarkably intelligent with quirky personalities. This book, an inquiry into the mind of an intelligent invertebrate, is also a foray into our own unexplored planet. These...

WHY'D THEY WEAR THAT by Sarah Albee National Geographic, 2015 ISBN: 978-1-4263-1919-8 MG/YA Nonfiction Ages 12 and up Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK From the invention of needles made from woolly mammoth tusks in 10,000 B.C., to the evolution of armor from chain mail to modern-day bulletproof vests, to the controversy surrounding contemporary outsourcing, Albee looks at history through the lens of fashion as a way to engage young readers. Each chapter focuses on a major period of world history, from the Neolithic era to the present day, and explores the evolution of fashion as a reflection of the politics, class hierarchies, religion and economics of the time.  This highly visual collection is full of colorful sidebars that answer questions that are not usually addressed in the classroom: How did people keep their clothes on before zippers or buttons were invented? How did soldiers go to the bathroom when w...