Geo Librarian

WORDS ON FIRE by Jennifer A. Nielsen Scholastic, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-338-60606-5 Source: Scholastic Book Fair Preview copy Ages 9-12 Middle grade historical fiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Danger is never far from Audra's family farm in Lithuania. She always avoids the occupying Russian Cossack soldiers, who insist that everyone must become Russian -- they have banned Lithuanian books, religion, culture, and even the language. But Audra knows her parents are involved in something secret and perilous. When Cossacks arrive abruptly at their door, Audra's parents insist that she flee, taking with her an important package and instructions for where to deliver it. But escape means abandoning her parents to a terrible fate. As Audra embarks on a journey to deliver the mysterious package, she faces unimaginable risks, and soon she becomes caught up in a growing resistance movement. Can joining the underground network of book smugg...

WILDFIRE by Rodman Philbrick Blue Sky Press, 2019 ISBN: 9781338266900 Middle grade adventure/survival Ages 9-12 Source: book fair All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Newbery Honor author Rodman Philbrick sends readers straight into the nightmare of a raging wildfire as 12-year-old Sam is trapped by explosive flames and deadly smoke that threaten to take his life. Can he survive?   Flames race toward Sam Castine's summer camp as evacuation buses are loading, but Sam runs back to get his phone. Suddenly, a flash of heat blasts him as pine trees explode. Now a wall of fire separates Sam from his bus, and there's only one thing to do: Run for his life. Run or die. Lungs burning, Sam's only goal is to keep moving. Drought has made the forest a tinderbox, and Sam struggles to remember survival tricks he learned from his late father. Then, when he least expects it, he encounters Delphy, an older girl who is also lost. Their unl...

PJ MASKS SAVE HALLOWEEN! Based on the episode "Halloween Tricksters" adapted by May Nakamura Simon Spotlight, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5344-4058-6 Source: publisher for review Ages 1-4 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Catboy, Owlette, and Gekko celebrate Halloween in this action-packed board book based on PJ Masks , the hit preschool series airing on Disney Junior! The PJ Masks have to protect all the kids from Luna Girl, Night Ninja, and the Wolfy Kids who team up to steal everyone’s treat bags. It’s up to the PJ Masks to save the day—and Halloween! REVIEW To put it simply, if you have children who love the show, they will probably love this book.  Admittedly, the story feels truncated which is natural when creating a short board book from a 20-minute TV show.  But most children who hear or read this will have probably already seen the episode it is based on so its not a huge issue.  There is more text in this sort of book than ...

TAKING COVER : One Girl's Story of Growing Up During the Iranian Revolution by Nioucha Homayoonfar National Geographic, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-4263-3366-8 Source: Media Masters Publicity Middle grade nonfiction/memoir Ages 12 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK This coming-of-age memoir, set during the Iranian Revolution, tells the story of a young girl who moves to Tehran from the U.S. and has to adjust to living in a new country, learning a new language, and starting a new school during one of the most turbulent periods in Iran's history. This true story of Nioucha Homayoonfar offers a window into an at-once familiar yet foreign culture. Religion classes are mandatory at her new school. Nioucha has to cover her head and wear robes. Her cousin is captured and tortured after he is caught trying to leave the country. And yet, in midst of so much change and challenge, Nioucha is still just a girl who listens to music and idolizes...

TRUMAN written by Jean Reidy, illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5344-1664-2 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK After his best friend Sarah leaves for her first day of school, a tortoise named Truman goes on an adventure across the living room and learns to be brave in this thoughtful and heartwarming twist on a first experience story. Truman the tortoise lives with his Sarah, high above the taxis and the trash trucks and the number eleven bus, which travels south. He never worries about the world below…until one day, when Sarah straps on a big backpack and does something Truman has never seen before. She boards the bus! Truman waits for her to return. He waits. And waits. And waits . And when he can wait no longer, he knows what he must do. Even if it seems… impossible ! REVIEW This cute story about being brave in the face of uncertainty follows ...

HI, JACK! A Jack Book by Mac Barnett & Greg Pizzoli Viking Books for Young Readers, 2019 ISBN: 978-0-593-11379-0 Source: publisher for review Ages 3-6 Early reader All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Meet Jack: He lives in a tree house. His interests include snacks, petty theft, and lipstick graffiti. Jack also loves his friends, the cranky "Lady" and a sweet pup named Rex. He just has a funny way of showing it sometimes . . . Welcome to the laugh-out-loud and irreverent world of Jack, a new early reader series by the bestselling and award-winning team of Mac Barnett and Greg Pizzoli. A perfect read-aloud with snappy, rhythmic text, this series will bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books and fill the Elephant-and-Piggie-shaped hole in young readers' hearts. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR Mac Barnett is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty books, including Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, Extra...

FLIGHT SCHOOL by Lita Judge Little Simon, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5344-4481-2 Source: Publisher for review Board book Ages 0-3 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Although little Penguin has the soul of an eagle, his body wasn’t built to soar. But Penguin has an irrepressible spirit, and he adamantly follows his dreams to flip, flap, fly! Even if he needs a little help with the technical parts, this penguin is ready to live on the wind. REVIEW  As the board book version of the picture book, Flight School tells the story of Penguin who desperately wants to fly.  As a board book, it was clearly shortened, but it still works.  Penguin wants to fly and at first the flight instructors aren't certain what to do with him.  Finally they decide to give him a chance.  To no one's surprise (except Penguin's), he is unable to fly like the other birds.  His sadness as he starts to leave inspires the instructors to come up with a ...