Geo Librarian

  CARNIVAL CATASTROPHE The Problim Children #2 by Natalie Lloyd, interior illustrations by Julia Sarda  HarperCollins, 2019 ISBN: 978-0-06-242824-0 Source: public library Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK The Problims try to win the Corn Dog Carnival and rescue their missing mama in the second book in The Problim Children series. All siblings are capable of magic if they stick together. But trusting each other isn’t easy for the Problim siblings when neighbors like Desdemona and Carly-Rue O’Pinion are working double-time to turn the town against them. From catapulting cattle to runaway corndogs to spiders on the pageant stage, the Problim brothers and sisters are blamed for every catastrophe at this year’s carnival. And to top it all off, Mama Problim is missing! Can the seven siblings come together in time to save the carnival and rescue their mom from a villain even more dastardly than Desdemona? Or will they discover too late what i...

THE DISASTER DAYS by Rebecca Behrens Sourcebooks Young Readers, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-4926-7331-6 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Hannah Steele loves living on Pelling, a tiny island near Seattle. It's a little disconnected from the outside world, but she's always felt completely safe there. Which is why when she's asked one day to babysit after school, she thinks it's no big deal. Zoe and Oscar are her next-door neighbors, and Hannah just took a babysitting class that she's pretty sure makes her an expert. She isn't even worried that she left her inhaler at home. Then the shaking begins. The terrifying earthquake only lasts four minutes but it changes everything, damaging the house, knocking out the power, and making cell service nonexistent. Even worse, the ferry and the bridge connecting the kids to help―and their parents―are both blocked. Which means they're stranded and alone... With Hannah in ...

OTHER WORDS FOR HOME by Jasmine Warga Balzer + Bray, 2019 ISBN: 978-0-06-274780-8 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK I am learning how to be sad and happy at the same time. Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives. At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US—and her new label of “Middle Eastern,” an identity she’s never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises—there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is. REVIEW This novel in verse that won a Newbe...

SCARY STORIES FOR YOUNG FOXES by Christian Heidicker Henry Holt and Company, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-250-18142-8 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK The haunted season has arrived in the Antler Wood. No fox kit is safe. When Mia and Uly are separated from their litters, they discover a dangerous world full of monsters. In order to find a den to call home, they must venture through field and forest, facing unspeakable things that dwell in the darkness: a zombie who hungers for their flesh, a witch who tries to steal their skins, a ghost who hunts them through the snow . . . and other things too scary to mention. Featuring eight interconnected stories and sixteen illustrations. REVIEW I'll admit, I've never read a book quite like this one. It's truly unique.   Seven young fox kits sneak out to visit the storyteller in Bog Cavern.  They believe they are ready for the tales she has to tell.  Each of the sev...

DANCING HANDS: How Teresa Carreno Played the Piano for President Lincoln by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Rafael Lopez Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-4814-8740-5 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK As a little girl, Teresa Carreño loved to let her hands dance across the beautiful keys of the piano. If she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy. Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals. Then a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States. Teresa felt lonely in this unfamiliar place, where few of the people she met spoke Spanish. Worst of all, there was fighting in her new home, too—the Civil War. Still, Teresa kept playing, and soon she grew famous as the talented Piano Girl who could play anything from a folk song to a sonata. So famous, in fact, that President A...

SONG FOR A WHALE by Lynne Kelly Delacourte Press, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5247-7023-5 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK The story of a deaf girl's connection to a whale whose song can't be heard by his species, and the journey she takes to help him. From fixing the class computer to repairing old radios, twelve-year-old Iris is a tech genius. But she's the only deaf person in her school, so people often treat her like she's not very smart. If you've ever felt like no one was listening to you, then you know how hard that can be. When she learns about Blue 55, a real whale who is unable to speak to other whales, Iris understands how he must feel. Then she has an idea: she should invent a way to "sing" to him! But he's three thousand miles away. How will she play her song for him? REVIEW Song for a Whale  is a beautifully-written tale involving a young girl who is deaf, a whale with an u...

A THOUSAND SISTERS: The Heroic Airwomen of The Soviet Union in World War II by Elizabeth Wein Balzer + Bray, 2019 ISBN: 978-0-06-245301-3 Source: purchased Ages 14 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK The true story of the only women to fly in combat in World War II In the early years of World War II, Josef Stalin issued an order that made the Soviet Union the first country in the world to allow female pilots to fly in combat. Led by Marina Raskova, these three regiments, including the 588th Night Bomber Regiment—nicknamed the “night witches”—faced intense pressure and obstacles both in the sky and on the ground. Some of these young women perished in flames. Many of them were in their teens when they went to war. This is the story of Raskova’s three regiments, women who enlisted and were deployed on the front lines of battle as navigators, pilots, and mechanics. It is the story of a thousand young women who wanted to take flight t...

THE FIRST DINOSAUR: How Science Solved the Greatest Mystery on Earth by Ian Lendler Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5344-2700-6 Source: purchased Ages 12 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK A Kirkus Reviews Best Middle Grade Book of 2019 An Orbis Picture Recommended Title “An outstanding case study in how science is actually done: funny, nuanced, and perceptive.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) Join early scientists as they piece together one of humanity’s greatest puzzles—the fossilized bones of the first dinosaur! Dinosaurs existed. That’s a fact we accept today. But not so long ago, the concept that these giant creatures could have roamed Earth millions of years before humans was unfathomable. People thought what we know as dinosaur bones were the bones of giant humans. Of large elephants. Of angels, even. So, how did we get from angel wings to the T-Rex? The First Dinosaur tells the story of the idea of dinosaurs...

NEW KID by Jerry Craft Harper, 2019 ISBN: 978-0-06-269120-0 Source: purchased Ages 9-14 Graphic Novel -- Realistic/Contemporary All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK A graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real. Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade. As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself? REVIEW Jerry Craft has created a masterpiece of a story with his b...

SOME PLACES MORE THAN OTHERS by Renee Watson Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2019 ISBN: 9781681191089 Source: eBook borrowed from public library Ages 9-12 Middle grade realistic fiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK All Amara wants is to visit her father's family in Harlem. Her wish comes true when her dad decides to bring her along on a business trip. She can't wait to finally meet her extended family and stay in the brownstone where her dad grew up. Plus, she wants to visit every landmark from the Apollo to Langston Hughes's home. But her family, and even the city, is not quite what Amara thought. Her dad doesn’t speak to her grandpa, and the crowded streets can be suffocating as well as inspiring. But as she learns more and more about Harlem—and her father’s history—Amara realizes how, in some ways more than others, she can connect with this other home and family. This is a powerful story about family, the places th...

DOG AND RABBIT by Barney Saltzberg Charlesbridge, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-62354-107-1 Source: publisher for review Ages 3-6 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Dog likes Rabbit. Rabbit likes Bunny. But Bunny ignores Rabbit. How will the friendship triangle resolve? Written in four parts, this picture book navigates the pitfalls of budding friendship and explores the rewards of patience under the sure hand of seasoned author/illustrator Barney Saltzberg. REVIEW Dog and Rabbit don't mind living alone, but they do get lonely sometimes.  Each one wants to find a friend but doesn't know how to go about it.  One day Rabbit sees a rabbit on Dog's refrigerator waits outside Dog's house for the rabbit to respond to his friendship overtures.  But there is no response.  The Dog meanwhile has noticed Rabbit and also waits to be noticed.  Eventually, Rabbit sees Dog's door open and slips in only to discover his mistake.  Finally, D...

THE DARK LORD CLEMENTINE by Sarah Jean Horwitz Algonquin Young Readers, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-61620-894-3 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Dastardly deeds aren’t exactly the first things that come to mind when one hears the name “Clementine,” but as the sole heir of the infamous Dark Lord Elithor, twelve-year-old Clementine Morcerous has been groomed since birth to be the best (worst?) Evil Overlord she can be. But everything changes the day the Dark Lord Elithor is cursed by a mysterious rival. Now, Clementine must not only search for a way to break the curse, but also take on the full responsibilities of the Dark Lord. As Clementine forms her first friendships, discovers more about her own magic than she ever dared to explore, and is called upon to break her father’s code of good and evil, she starts to question the very life she’s been fighting for. What if the Dark Lord Clementine doesn’t want to be dark af...

THE PRINCESS IN BLACK AND THE BATHTIME BATTLE by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham Candlewick Press, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5362-0221-2 Source: purchased Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK The Princess in Black is in a very stinky situation. A foul cloud is plaguing the goat pasture, and it smells worse than a pile of dirty diapers or a trash can on a hot summer day. But every time the Princess in Black and her friend the Goat Avenger manage to get rid of the odor, they accidentally blow it to another kingdom! Other masked heroes and their trusty companions show up to help, but how do you battle a stench when your ninja moves fail? Fans with a nose for slapstick will be tickled to see the six stalwart friends join their wits to take on an impossibly beastly stink. REVIEW I always look forward to new books in my favorite series.  And the Princess in Black is definitely one of my favorite series.  Wit...

DISASTER STRIKES! The Most Dangerous Space Missions of All Time by Jeffrey Kluger Philomel Books, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-984-81275-9 Source: purchased Ages 12 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK There are so many amazing, daring, and exciting missions to outer space that have succeeded. But for every success, there are mistakes, surprises, and flat-out failures that happen along the way. In this collection, bestselling author and award-winning journalist Jeffrey Kluger recounts twelve such disasters, telling the stories of the astronauts and the cosmonauts, the trials and the errors, the missions and the misses. With stories of missions run by both Americans and Russians during the height of the space race, complete with photos of the people and machines behind them, this book delves into the mishaps and the tragedies, small and large, that led humankind to the moon and beyond. REVIEW Kruger takes the reader on a rather fascinating...

THE SHORTEST DAY by Susan Cooper, illustrated by Carson Ellis Candlewick Press, 2019 ISBN: 978-0-7636-8698-7 Source: publisher for review Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK In this seasonal treasure, Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper's beloved poem heralds the winter solstice, illuminated by Caldecott Honoree Carson Ellis's strikingly resonant illustrations. So the shortest day came, and the year died . . . As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness, while wondering if the sun would ever rise again. Written for a theatrical production that has become a ritual in itself, Susan Cooper's poem "The Shortest Day" captures the magic behind the returning of the light, the yearning for traditions that connect us with generations that have gone before -- and ...