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Showing posts from October, 2024

WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY: Life After Whale by Lynn Brunelle & Jason Chin

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LIFE AFTER WHALE The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall written by Lynn Brunelle, illustrated by Jason Chin Neal Porter Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-8234-5228-6 Source: purchased Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Follow a blue whale’s enormous body to the bottom of the ocean, where it sets the stage for a bustling new ecosystem to flourish. All living things must one day die, and Earth’s largest creature, the majestic blue whale, is no exception. But in nature, death is never a true ending. When this whale closes her eyes for the last time in her 90-year life, a process known as whale fall is just beginning. Her body will float to the surface, then slowly sink through the deep; from inflated behemoth to clean-picked skeleton, it will offer food and shelter at each stage to a vast diversity of organisms, over the course of a century and beyond. Caldecott Medalist Jason Chin’s astonishing

CYBILS GRAPHIC NOVEL NOMINEE: Snow and Sorcery by Chad Sell, et. al.

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 As a member of the 2025 Cybils Graphic Novel panel I will be reading many great graphic novels in the next couple of months, so I will be posting quite a few reviews for those books. These are my opinions only and do not represent the views of the group. SNOW AND SORCERY Cardboard Kingdom #3 illustrated by Chad Sell, contributing authors: Jay Fuller-Ng, David DeMeo, Katie Schenkel, Vid Alliger, Manuel Betancourt, Barbara Perez Marquez, and Jasmine Walls Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2023 ISBN: 9780593481622  Source: eBook from public library Ages 8-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK The kids of the Cardboard Kingdom go on a new adventure! This time, they are in search of new friends—but what they discover is a lot more like enemies ... It’s winter break in the Cardboard Kingdom, and kids from the town across the park want to play together! But according to the evil Sorceress, not just a

EARLY CHAPTER BOOK REVIEW: The Princess in Black and the Kitty Catastrophe by Shannon Hale, Dean Hale & LeUyen Pham

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THE PRINCESS IN BLACK AND THE KITTY CATASTROPHE written by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham Candlewick Press, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5362-3409-1 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK The Princess in Black may know how to handle all kinds of monsters, but a kitten set on destruction? Me-OW! Duchess Wigtower had heard that pets are fun, but all her kitten has gotten her is nine lives' worth of problems. Eeeeek! It’s time for someone else to deal with this catastrophe. Princess Magnolia is thrilled when a kitten lands on her doorstep, but just as she’s about to play with Plumpkins (or should it be Hugmaster Floof?) the monster alarm goes off. When Princess Magnolia returns to her castle, her furry companion has carved up the wallpaper! In fact, each time Princess Magnolia leaves to help the Goat Avenger fight a very grouchy mon

FANTASTIC FRIDAY: The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln

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THE NIGHT LIBRARIAN by Christopher Lincoln with color assistance by Bonnie Rosado Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-593-61765-6 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK A graphic novel adventure in which two siblings, a mysterious Night Librarian, and a motley cast of book characters try to save the New York Public Library Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work. But a secret mission involving their dad’s rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula uncovers a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous heroes (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction. REVIEW Paige and Turner spend much of their t

WILD & WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY: The Boy and the Elephant by Freya Blackwood

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  THE BOY AND THE ELEPHANT written & illustrated by Freya Blackwood Random House Studio, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-593-70766-1 Source: publisher through Blue Slip Media Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & illustrations & author/illustrator bio provided by Blue Slip Media. ABOUT THE BOOK The powerful new picture book from Greenaway Medallist and seven-time CBCA winner, Freya Blackwood The boy lives in a city, where everything is fast and loud. But amidst the bustle and the noise, the boy has a secret ... In the overgrown lot next to his apartment building, deep within the green, he has a friend. But one day progress arrives, bringing with it plans for something new, and the boy must find a way to save his friend before it's too late ... From award-winning illustrator and storyteller Freya Blackwood comes a magical and tender wordless picture book about the world we live in and our ability to change it. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR Freya Blackwood fell