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THE REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF COYOTE SUNRISE by Dan Gemeinhart Henry Holt, 2019 Middle grade contemporary Source: eARC from Netgalley Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Five years. That's how long Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, have lived on the road in an old school bus, criss-crossing the nation. It's also how long ago Coyote lost her mom and two sisters in a car crash. Coyote hasn’t been home in all that time, but when she learns that the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished―the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box―she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state in four days...without him realizing it. Along the way, they'll pick up a strange crew of misfit travelers. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. And then there's Gladys... Over the

BONNIE AND CLYDE The Making of a Legend by Karen Blumenthal Viking Children's Books, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-451-47122-2 Source: purchased Ages 14 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Bonnie and Clyde may be the most notorious--and celebrated--outlaw couple America has ever known. This is the true story of how they got that way. Bonnie and Clyde: we've been on a first name basis with them for almost a hundred years. Immortalized in movies, songs, and pop culture references, they are remembered mostly for their storied romance and tragic deaths. But what was life really like for Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker in the early 1930s? How did two dirt-poor teens from west Texas morph from vicious outlaws to legendary couple? And why? REVIEW I found this book to be a compelling tale of two people who made some really bad decisions that lead eventually to their deaths.  I'd heard of Bonnie and Clyde before, who hasn't? But I kn

PIP AND POSY: THE CHRISTMAS TREE by Axel Scheffler Nosy Crow, 2018 978-1-5362-0276-2 Source: publisher for review Ages 3-5 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK It's Christmastime, and Pip and Posy are busy decorating the tree with gingerbread and a beautiful sugar star. But the decorations keep mysteriously disappearing from the tree until there are none left at all. . . . Oh, dear! What will happen when Posy finds Pip lying on the sofa, feeling sick? Is it possible Pip might know what's happened to all of the ornaments? A charming and funny new Pip and Posy story about honesty, with gentle lessons about friendship. REVIEW Pip and Posy decorate their Christmas Tree with yummy-looking sweets.  When Posy leaves the room to run various errands, the edible decorations start to disappear.  The illustrations make it clear where the ornaments have gone, and young listeners will be delighted to point it out .  Eventually the tree is bare

THE BIG BOLD ADVENTUROUS LIFE OF LAVINIA WARREN by Elizabeth Raum Chicago Review Press, 2018 ISBN: 9780912777504 Source: eARC from publisher for Cybils Ages 10 and up Middle grade biography All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK   Lavinia Warren never let her height—or the lack of it—prevent her from leading a full and adventurous life. Although she never grew more than three feet tall, she became a beloved teacher, a world traveler, an entertainer and the friend of many powerful figures. Lavinia was teaching at a local school when she heard about an opportunity to travel doing shows as a “human curiosity” on a Mississippi River boat. Eventually she met P. T. Barnum and worked at his American Museum. It was there that she met Charles Stratton, a little person known to the world as “Tom Thumb.” Their wedding, which took place on February 10, 1863, brought joy to a nation at war. President and Mrs. Abraham Lincoln held a reception for th

NEVERTHELESS WE PERSISTED 48 Voices of Defiance, Strength, and Courage compiled and edited by In This Together Media Alfred A. Knopf, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-5247-7196-6 Source: public library YA inspirational/short story collection Ages 14 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK A powerful collection of essays from actors, activists, athletes, politicians, musicians, writers, and teens, including Senator Amy Klobuchar, actress Alia Shawkat, actor Maulik Pancholy, poet Azure Antoinette, teen activist Gavin Grimm, and many, many more, each writing about a time in their youth when they were held back because of their race, gender, or sexual identity--but persisted. "Aren't you a terrorist?" "There are no roles for people who look like you." "That's a sin." "No girls allowed." They've heard it all. Actress Alia Shawkat reflects on all the parts she was told she was too "ethnic"

CHAMPION The Comeback Tale of the American Chestnut Tree by Sally M. Walker Henry Holt & Company, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-250-12523-1 Ages 12 and up Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK American chestnut trees were once found far and wide in North America's eastern forests. They towered up to one hundred feet tall, providing food and shelter for people and animals alike. For many, life without the chestnut seemed unimaginable—until disaster struck in the early 1900s. What began as a wound in the bark of a few trees soon turned to an unstoppable killing force. An unknown blight was wiping out the American chestnut, and scientists felt powerless to prevent it. But the story doesn't end there. Today, the American chestnut is making a comeback. Narrative nonfiction master Sally M. Walker tells a tale of loss, restoration, and the triumph of human ingenuity in this beautifully photographed middle-grade book. REVIEW

TOUGH COOKIE A Christmas Story by Edward Hemingway Henry Holt and Company, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-62779-441-1 Ages 4-8 Source: Blue Slip Media All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK   When a cookie discovers he does NOT taste delicious, he has to find a new identity in this clever picture book twist on a holiday classic. Once upon a time, while Fox was visiting the land of Holiday Treats, a little cookie—still warm from the bakery oven—burst out the front door looking sweet and ready to be devoured. But, as it turns out, Cookie is not as fast as he thinks and when Fox finally catches him, they’re both in for a big surprise: Sugar Cookie does not taste delicious—and he’s certainly not fit to be eaten. What’s an unsavory cookie to do? Is there another option for this not-so-sweet treat? This inventive story celebrates the joy of being accepted for who we are. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR   Edward Hemingway is the creator of  Field Guide to th

FAILING UP How to Take Risks, Aim Higher, and Never Stop Learning by Leslie Odom, Jr. Feiwel and Friends, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-250-13996-2 Source: public library Ages 14 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Leslie Odom. Jr, burst on the scene in 2015, originating the role of Aaron Burr in the Broadway musical phenomenon Hamilton . Since then, he has performed for sold-out audiences, sung for the Obamas at the White House, and won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. But before he landed the role of a lifetime in one of the biggest musicals of all time, Odom put in years of hard work as a singer and an actor. With personal stories from his life, Odom asks the questions that will help you unlock your true potential and achieve your goals even when they seem impossible. What work did you put in today that will help you improve tomorrow? How do you surround yourself with people who will care about your dreams as much as you d

THE WRIGHT BROTHERS: Nose-Diving into History Epic Fails #1 by Erik Slader and Ben Thompson Roaring Brook Press, 2018 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade nonfiction (history) All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Although Orville and Wilbur Wright are celebrated today as heroes for their revolutionary contributions to science and engineering—they are acknowledged as the first men to successfully achieve powered, piloted flight—their success was hard-earned. (Spoiler alert: there were a lot of nosedives involved.) In fact, it took the self-taught engineers years of work and dozens of crashes before they managed a single twelve-second flight! In this first installment of the brand new Epic Fails series, Ben Thompson and Erik Slader take readers through the Wright brothers' many mishaps and misadventures as they paved the way for modern aviation. The Epic Fails series takes a humorous and unexpected view of history, exploring the surpr

THE FAITHFUL SPY A True Story! Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix Amulet Books, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-4197-2838-9 Source: purchased Ages 12 and up YA Graphic Nonfiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK   Interweaving handwritten text and art, John Hendrix tells the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and his fight against the oppression of the German people during World War II. Bonhoeffer was a German Lutheran pastor and theologian who was shocked to watch the German church embrace Hitler's agenda of hatred. He spoke out against the Nazi party and led a breakaway church that rebelled against racist and nationalist beliefs of the Third Reich. Struggling with how his faith interacted with his ethics, Bonhoeffer eventually became convinced that Hitler and the Nazi Party needed to be stopped--and he was willing to sacrifice anything and everything to do so. REVIEW Wow! Hendrix has really out done himself with

THE LAW OF FINDERS KEEPERS Mo & Dale Mystery #4 by Sheila Turnage Kathy Dawson Books, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3962-8 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade mystery/contemporary All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Pirates, family, and the truth about Mo's Upstream Mother collide in the conclusion to the Newbery Honor and New York Times bestselling Three Times Lucky. When the Colonel and Miss Lana share the clues about Mo's watery origins that they've been saving, it seems the time is finally right for the Desperado Detectives (aka Mo, Dale, and Harm) to tackle the mystery of Mo's Upstream Mother. It's the scariest case Mo's had by far. But before they can get started, Mayor Little's mean mother hires them to hunt in her attic for clues to Blackbeard's treasure, which could be buried right in Tupelo Landing. Turns out, the Desperados aren't the only ones looking. A prof

A Dastardly Plot A Perilous Journey of Danger & Mayhem #1 by Christopher Healy Walden Pond Press, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-06-234197-6 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade speculative (alternative history) All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK It's 1883—the Age of Invention! A time when great men like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Nicola Tesla, and George Eastman work to turn the country into a land of limitless opportunity. And it all happens at the world famous Inventor’s Guild headquarters in New York City—a place where a great idea, a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck can find you rubbing elbows with these gods of industry who will usher humanity into the future. Unless, of course, you’re a woman. Molly Pepper, daughter of brilliant but unknown inventor Cassandra Pepper, lives with her mother in New York. By day, they make ends meet running a pickle shop; but by night, they toil and dream of Cassandra taking her pl

DIET FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE Food for Thought by Christy Mihaly & Sue Heavenrich Twenty-First Century Books, 2018 ISBN: 9781512481211 Source: eBook from public library Ages 14 and up YA Nonfiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK The United Nations supports a compelling solution to world hunger: eat insects! Explore the vast world of unexpected foods that may help solve the global hunger crisis. Weeds, wild plants, invasive and feral species, and bugs are all food for thought. Learn about the nutritional value of various plant and animal species; visit a cricket farm; try a recipe for dandelion pancakes, kudzu salsa, or pickled purslane; and discover more about climate change, sustainability, green agriculture, indigenous foods, farm-to-table restaurants, and how to be an eco-friendly producer, consumer, and chef. Meet average folks and experts in the field who will help you stretch your culinary imagination! REVIEW This book was a t

MRS. CLAUS TAKES THE REINS by Sue Fliess, illustrated by Mark Chambers two lions, 2018 ISBN: 978-1503936980 Source: publisher for review (Blue Slip Media) Ages 4-8 Picture book All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK It’s Christmas Eve morning, and Santa Claus is still in bed! He’s feeling stuffy and sneezy and slow as a yeti. Will Christmas have to be canceled? Not this year! Because Mrs. Claus is ready to take the reins in Santa’s place. With a plan in mind, Mrs. Claus assembles the crew, maps out the route, and preps the sleigh. Then, with a snap of the reins, she shoots off into the night. Delivering gifts all over the world without Santa’s magic won’t be easy, but Mrs. Claus proves she has some holiday sparkle of her own… With lively rhyming text and adorable artwork, this delightful Christmas adventure will get kids into the holiday spirit. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR Sue Fliess is the author of more than twenty children’s books

MARY SHELLEY The Strange True Tale of Frankenstein's Creator by Catherine Reef Clarion Books, 2018 ISBN: 9781328740052 Source: eBook through public library Ages 14 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK   On the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein, comes a riveting biography of its author, Mary Shelley, whose life reads like a dark gothic novel, filled with scandal, death, drama, and one of the strangest love stories in literary history.  The story of Frankenstein ’s creator is a strange, romantic, and tragic one, as deeply compelling as the novel itself. Mary ran away to Lake Geneva with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley when she was just sixteen. It was there, during a cold and wet summer, that she first imagined her story about a mad scientist who brought a corpse back to life. Success soon followed for Mary, but also great tragedy and misfortune.      Catherine Reef brings this passionate woman, brilliant writ