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KICK IT, MO! by David A. Adler, illustrated by Sam Ricks Penguin Young Readers, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-425-28981-5 Source: purchased Ages 6--8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK The soccer season is starting, and Mo has been working hard on his kicking skills so he can help his team, the Billy Goats, score a goal. But when he gets on the field on game day, it seems like all he gets to do is run back and forth. Will Mo ever get the chance to show his team what he can do? REVIEW David Adler's Mo is at it again, except this time, he's playing soccer.  As in previous volumes, he struggles to develop the skills needed to play well.  His kicks tend to send the ball flying through the air, instead of along the ground.  During his team's game, he gets the chance to score a goal.  Will he kick the ball correctly or will it be another miss?  Mo is such a lovable character, with his love for sports and his willingness to do his best, even if h

  Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2019 (1/25/19) is in its 6 th year and was founded by Valarie Budayr from Jump Into A Book and Mia Wenjen from PragmaticMom . Our mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves while also working diligently to get more of these types of books into the hands of young readers, parents, and educators. MCBD 2019 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board Medallion Level Sponsors Honorary: Children’s Book Council , The Junior Library Guild , TheConsciousKid.org . Super Platinum: Make A Way Media GOLD: Bharat Babies , Candlewick Press , Chickasaw Press , Juan Guerra and The Little Doctor / El doctorcito , KidLitTV , Lerner Publishing Group , Plum Street Press , SILVER: Capstone Publishing , Carole P. Roman , Author Charlotte Riggle , Huda Essa , The Pack-n-Go Girls , BRONZE: Charlesbridge Publishing , Judy Dodge Cummings , Author Gwen Ja

SASQUATCH AND THE MUCKLESHOOT The Unicorn Rescue Society #3 by Adam Gidwitz & Joseph Bruchac, illustrated by Hatem Aly Dutton Children's Books, 2018 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade speculative (fantasy) All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK All Elliot wants is a nice, normal day at school. All Uchenna wants is an adventure. Guess whose wish comes true? Professor Fauna whisks the kids--and Jersey, of course--off to the Muckleshoot territory in Washington, where film crews have suddenly descended en masse to expose Bigfoot to the world, and the Schmoke logging company is bringing in some awfully large machinery. Can the Unicorn Rescue Society escape the blades of the Schmokes' chain saws? Outsmart a cable news team? And are those big, hairy creatures running through the forest really Bigfoot? REVIEW This third book in the Unicorn Rescue Society series is hilarious.  At least I found it so.  I'm not sure if I found

FREDDIE RAMOS HEARS IT ALL Zapato Power #7 by Jacqueline Jules, art by Miguel Benitez Albert Whitman and Company, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-8075-9500-8 Source: purchased Ages 7-10 Middle grade speculative/science fiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Freddie Ramos loves his new Zapato Power—super hearing! He can listen in on conversations and find hero jobs. But soon Freddie realizes the temptation to eavesdrop on everyone is too great. Can Freddie find a way to use his super hearing without snooping?   REVIEW   Jacqueline Jules has created a delightful series for early chapter book readers who have a love for superheroes.  Freddie Ramos has several devices that give him superpowers (his shoes, a watch, etc.).  He tries to use his superpowers for good, such as when he helps a lost little boy at the beginning of the story, but like most humans, he's tempted to use them at other less appropriate times.  When he n

WE ARE NOT YET EQUAL Understanding Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson with Tonya Bolden Bloomsbury, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-5476-0076-2 Source: publisher for review for CYBILS Ages 14 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Carol Anderson's White Rage took the world by storm, landing on the New York Times bestseller list and best book of the year lists from New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and Chicago Review of Books. It launched her as an in-demand commentator on contemporary race issues for national print and television media and garnered her an invitation to speak to the Democratic Congressional Caucus. This compelling young adult adaptation brings her ideas to a new audience. When America achieves milestones of progress toward full and equal black participation in democracy, the systemic response is a consistent racist backlash that rolls back those wins. We Are Not Yet Equal examines five of these moments: The end

JACK MONTGOMERY World War II: Gallantry at Anzio Medal of Honor series by Michael P. Spradlin Farrar, Straus, Giroux BYR, 2019 ISBN: 9781250157065 Ages 9-12 Source: eARC from Netgalley  All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK   Jack C. Montgomery was a Cherokee from Oklahoma, and a first lieutenant with the 45th Infantry Division Thunderbirds. On February 22, 1944, near Padiglione, Italy, Montgomery's rifle platoon was under fire by three echelons of enemy forces when he single-handedly attacked all three positions, neutralizing the German machine-gunners and taking numerous prisoners in the process. Montgomery's actions demoralized the enemy and saved the lives of many American soldiers. The Medal of Honor series profiles the courage and accomplishments of recipients of the highest and most prestigious personal military decoration, awarded to recognize U.S. military service members who have distinguished themselves through extr

WEDGIE & GIZMO VS. THE TOOF by Suzanne Selfors with illustrations by Barbara Fisinger Katherine Tegen Books, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-06-244765-4 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade animal fantasy All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Wedgie LOVES the new micro-pig next door. And she LOVES him! They both like to go for walks and roll in smelly things. They are going to be in the school pet parade together. They are best friends. But Gizmo knows the truth. The pig is Wedgie’s new sidekick. Super Wedgie and the Toof have teamed up to stop Gizmo from taking over the world. But they will not win! Gizmo is an evil genius. He is smarter than most comic book villains. And more powerful than even Darth Vader! He ordered a flying machine online and he will use it to set free all the guinea pigs at the pet parade. Then they will crush both dog and pig and make all humans feel their wrath. Muh-ha-ha!! REVIEW Gizmo, the cavy, called a guinea pig by

DEAR SISTER by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Joe Bluhm Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-4814-5142-0 Source: publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK What do you do when you have an incredibly annoying little sister? Write her letters telling her so, of course! Whininess, annoyingness, afraid of the darkness, refusal to eat lima beans, and pulling brother's hair. This is the criteria on which little sisters are graded. Inspired by the notes Alison McGhee's own kids would write each other, this heavily illustrated collection of letters and messages from an older brother to his little sister reveal the special love--or, at the very least, tolerance--siblings have for each other. REVIEW Anyone who has grown up with a sibling should be able to relate to this book.  This quick read is presented as a collection of notes written by an older brother to his little sister over an eight year period of

ELEANOR ROOSEVELT Fighter for Justice Her Impact on the Civil Rights Movement, the White House, and the World by Ilene Cooper Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-4197-2295-0 Source: purchased Ages 12-16 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Eleanor Roosevelt, Fighter for Justice shows young readers how the former First Lady evolved from a poor little rich girl to a protector and advocate for those without a voice. Though now seen as a cultural icon, she was a woman deeply insecure about her looks and her role in the world. But by recognizing her fears and constantly striving to overcome her prejudices, she used her proximity to presidents and her own power to aid in the fight for Civil Rights and other important causes. This biography gives readers a fresh perspective on her extraordinary life. It includes a timeline, biography, index, and many historic photographs. REVIEW This well-written biography focuses on the work that

The Language of Spells • Hardcover: 256 pages • Publisher: Chronicle Books (June 26, 2018)  Grisha is a dragon in a world that's forgotten how to see him. Maggie is a unusual child who thinks she's perfectly ordinary. They're an unlikely duo—but magic, like friendship, is funny. Sometimes it chooses those who might not look so likely. And magic has chosen Grisha and Maggie to solve the darkest mystery in Vienna. Decades ago, when World War II broke out, someone decided that there were too many dragons for all of them to be free. As they investigate, Grisha and Maggie ask the question everyone's forgotten: Where have the missing dragons gone? And is there a way to save them? At once richly magical and tragically historical, The Language of Spells is a novel full of adventure about remembering old stories, forging new ones, and the transformative power of friendship. Purchase Links Chronicle Books | Amazon | Barnes & Noble About Garret Weyr Writ

THE POLARSHIELD PROJECT Super Sons #1 by Ridley Pearson, illustrated by Ile Gonzalez DC Zoom, 2019 ISBN: 978-1401286392 Source: e-ARC from Netgalley Ages 9-12 Graphic Novel All opinions expressed are solely my own. COMING IN APRIL 2019! ABOUT THE BOOK The polar ice caps have nearly melted away, causing devastation to coastal cities. Erratic, deadly weather forces everyone inland, tearing families apart. Earth is facing its greatest crisis--and Superman and Batman are nowhere to be found. Jon Kent and Damian "Ian" Wayne are opposite in every way except one--they are the sons of the World's Greatest Heroes! To uncover a global conspiracy, this unlikely dynamic duo will need to learn to trust each other and work together to save the Earth. But who is the mysterious Candace, and what secrets does she hold that could be the key to everything? REVIEW  Jonathan Kent wants to be like his father, Clark Kent, aka Superman, and he is, more than an

THE GRAND ESCAPE: The Greatest Prison Breakout of the 20th Century by Neal Bascomb Arthur A. Levine Books, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-338-14034-7 Source: purchased Ages 14 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK At the height of World War I, as Allied and German forces battled in the trenches and in the air, any captured soldiers and pilots were sent to a web of German prisons. The most dangerous POWs, the ones most talented at escape, were sent to the camp of Holzminden--better known as "Hellminden." Protected by every barrier imaginable, its rules enforced with cruel precision, the prison was the pride of a ruthless commandant named Karl Niemeyer. This is the story of a group of ingenious and defiant Allied pilots and soldiers who dared to escape from Holzminden, right under Niemeyer's nose. Leading a team that tunneled underneath the prison and far beyond its walls, these breakout artists forged documents, smuggled in supplies, and b