Geo Librarian

MOON! EARTH'S BEST FRIEND by Stacy McAnulty, illustrated by Stevie Lewis Henry Holt and Company, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-250-23983-9 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK From writer Stacy McAnulty and illustrator Stevie Lewis, Moon! Earth's Best Friend is a light-hearted nonfiction picture book about the formation and history of the moon—told from the perspective of the moon itself. Meet Moon! She's more than just a rock—she’s Earth’s rock, her best friend she can always count on. Moon never turns her back on her friend (literally: she's always facing Earth with the same side!). These two will stick together forever. With characteristic humor and charm, Stacy McAnulty channels the voice of Moon in this next celestial "autobiography" in the Our Universe series. Rich with kid-friendly facts and beautifully brought to life by Stevie Lewis, this is an equally charming and irresistible companion...

THE REVENGE OF MAGIC by James Riley Aladdin, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-4814-8577-7 Middle grade speculative (fantasy) Source: publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK When long-dead magical creatures are discovered all around the world, each buried with a book of magic, only children can unlock the dangerous power of the books in this start to a thrilling new series from the author of the New York Times bestselling Story Thieves! Thirteen years ago, books of magic were discovered in various sites around the world alongside the bones of dragons. Only those born after “Discovery Day” have the power to use the magic. Now, on a vacation to Washington, DC, Fort Fitzgerald’s father is lost when a giant creature bursts through the earth, attacking the city. Fort is devastated, until an opportunity for justice arrives six months later, when a man named Dr. Opps invites Fort to a government run school, the Oppenheimer School, to lear...

THE CHUPACABRAS OF THE RIO GRANDE The Unicorn Rescue Society #4 by Adam Gidwitz & David Bowles, illustrated by Hatem Aly Dutton Children's Books, 2019 ISBN: 978-0-7352-3179-5 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade speculative (fantasy) All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Elliot and Uchennna have only just returned from their most recent Unicorn Rescue Society mission when they (along with Jersey!) are whisked away on their next exciting adventure with Professor Fauna. This time, they’re headed to the Mexican border to help another mythical creature in need: the chupacabras! The Chupacabras of the Río Grande is co-written with David Bowles, author of the Pura Belpré Honor-winning book, The Smoking Mirror! REVIEW Elliot and Uchenna, along with Professor Fauna, are off on another adventure.  This time they are investigating reports of a rogue chupacabras.  Meeting a former colleague of the professor's complicates things a bit...

HISTORY'S MYSTERIES FREAKY PHENOMENA Curious Clues, Cold Cases, and Puzzles from the Past by Kitson Jazynka National Geographic Kids, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-4263-3164-0 Source: Media Master's Publicity Ages 9-12 Middle grade nonfiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Curious kids itching for real-life Indiana Jones-like intrigue will get swept away with the next book in this spine-tingling series about solving puzzles of the past--from whole civilizations that have vanished to mystifying monuments and urban legends. Fans of Night at the Museum and the Indiana Jones saga will be fascinated by these real-life mysteries: Is there any truth to the legend of Bigfoot? Why have planes and ships suddenly disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle? Is there really a lost city of gold in the jungle of Central America? The next book in this exciting new series will cover even more of history's most fascinating head-scratching conundrums, including t...

I'LL SHOW YOU, BLUE KANGAROO! by Emma Chichester Clark HarperCollins Children's Books, 2019 ISBN: 978-0-00-826627-1 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Lily and Blue Kangaroo are inseparable. Whatever Lily does, Blue Kangaroo is there to see. But sometimes he wishes he wasn't, because Lily has started to show off. Will she ever learn to do as she is told? REVIEW I'll admit that I didn't love this book.  The characters are cute enough, especially the blue kangaroo.  But Lily's behavior is out of control.  As a teacher librarian I was shocked at the dangerous activities that her family let her get away with, at least at first.  She's showing off for her toy kangaroo, and of course, young children don't usually think about how risky things can be, so the behavior isn't too unusual.  And Lily's actions do eventually have consequences (she loses Blue Kangaroo and her moth...

GRENADE by Alan Gratz Scholastic Press, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-338-24569-1 Source: purchased Ages 12 and up Middle grade historical fiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK It's 1945, and the world is in the grip of war. Hideki lives on the island of Okinawa, near Japan. When WWII crashes onto his shores, Hideki is drafted into the Blood and Iron Student Corps to fight for the Japanese army. He is handed a grenade and a set of instructions: Don't come back until you've killed an American soldier. Ray, a young American Marine, has just landed on Okinawa. He doesn't know what to expect -- or if he'll make it out alive. He just knows that the enemy is everywhere. Hideki and Ray each fight their way across the island, surviving heart-pounding ambushes and dangerous traps. But when the two of them collide in the middle of the battle, the choices they make in that instant will change everything. From the acclaimed author of Re...