Geo Librarian

A FRIEND IS .... by Lisa Thiesing Aladdin, 2020 ISBN: 978-1-5344-6572-5 Source: Publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. REVIEW This darling book shares with readers some of the delightful things that can make up a friendship.  Each sentence starts with the words, "A friend is...".  Friends are for making, for skating and for catching, for singing and giggling, and for listening, sharing, and playing, among other things.  Each spread shows animal friends doing what is described.  The cute illustrations of various animals behaving like friends demonstrates what friendship looks like.  The lovely colored font highlights the simple text.  This is a great book for introducing children to friendship and what it can be. SHARING A SMILE words by Nicki Krama, pictures by Ashley Evans Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2021 ISBN: 978-1-5344-6785-6 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own...

TOP SECRET: Spies, Codes, Capers, Gadgets, and Classified Cases Revealed by Crispin Boyer & Suzanne Zimbler National Geographic Kids, 2020 ISBN: 978-1-4263-3912-7 Source: Media Masters Publicity Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Oh, didn't realize you were leaving behind a trail of evidence? You will after you read this book! In fact, you'll know all the tricks of the spy trade, get the scoop behind sleuthing, and discover all kinds of skills, like how ninjas walked on water. You'll read about cold cases and hidden places, cool disguises and wicked surprises, menacing mysteries, undiscovered histories, and so much more! From the world's most elite spy agencies to the coolest spy gadgets of today and the most spine-tingling conspiracies and covert cover-ups ever, this book is jam-packed with everything that's allowed to be revealed. You'll get to take a crack at codes that leave even the world's most elite code breakers to...

WAYSIDE SCHOOL BENEATH THE CLOUD OF DOOM by Louis Sachar, illustrated by Tim Heitz Harper, 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-296538-7 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK For the first time in twenty-five years, Wayside School is back in session in this brand-new, fourth installment in the perennially beloved and bestselling series by Newbery Medal-winning author Louis Sachar. Welcome back to Wayside School! Your favorite students and teachers are all here. That includes Sharie, who loves her striped-and-spotted umbrella more than anything; Kathy, who has a bad case of oppositosis; Jason, who has to read the longest book in the world; and the rest of Mrs. Jewls’s class on the thirtieth floor, who are busily collecting toenail clippings. Everyone is scrambling to prepare for the all-important Ultimate Test, but meanwhile, there is a mysterious Cloud of Doom looming above them… REVIEW I found it delightful to return to the craziness that is Wayside Schoo...

HOW TO APOLOGIZE by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka Candlewick Press, 2021 ISBN: 978-1-5362-0944-0 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. REVIEW LaRochelle combines humor and animals to present some basic advice on learning to apologize.  Starting with a skydiving penguin breaking through the roof of a bathing alligator, readers are presented with the idea that "everyone makes mistakes".  And the right thing to do is apologize when those mistakes effect those around us.  Meerkats playing pin the tale on a donkey using the broad side of a rhino leaves them having to apologize to an angry, glasses-wearing rhino.  Not an easy thing to do.  The straight-forward text provides the reader with great advice about how to say you're sorry simply and sincerely.  The humorous illustrations and examples help readers understand the important lesson being taught in a light, enjoyable way.  The examples of how t...

   THE BOY WHO LOVED EVERYONE by Jane Porter, illustrated by Maisie Paradise Shearring Candlewick Press, 2021 ISBN: 978-1-5362-1123-8 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. REVIEW Dimitri cares about the people around him and he tells them so by saying, "I love you."  But Liam doesn't know how to respond.  Sophie, Stella, and Sue giggle and flee.  Adult readers will quickly realize that Dimitri's open declarations are making some of the people around him uncomfortable. The tree and ants don't reply at all.  Dimitri keeps saying "I love you" all day to a wide variety of people, animals, and materials.  As the day wears on, Dimitri's spirits get lower and lower as the day wears on until he finally gets a response from his mother at bedtime.  He doesn't want to go to preschool the next day because nobody seemed to care about him in return.  He mother gently explains that people show caring in a variety of...

CHIRP! Chipmunk Sings for a Friend by Jamie A. Swenson, illustrated by Scott Magoon Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2021 ISBN: 9781534470026 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. REVIEW Chipmunk loves to sing.  She chirps all the time, day or night.  Her songs reflect her feelings: happiness, sadness, or frustration.  But she gets lonely and wants a friend to sing with her.  So she goes looking for one.  And she finds a pinecone to join her at her rock, but pinecone can't sing.  Chipmunk then wants to add log to her group of friends, but she can't move it.  Raccoon hears Chipmunk singing and comes to help, but even together they can't move the log.  Can Moose help move the log?  Will Chipmunk ever find a friend to sing with? Swenson's story of looking for friendship in the wrong places rings with truth.  Yet Chipmunk succeeds in finding a friend.  This sweet story is a powerful...