Geo Librarian

I came across these two picture books about Yoshi, a sea turtle rescued and cared for for twenty years before being returned to the ocean. I enjoyed comparing the two books, both of which are excellent. Each tells Yoshi's story but include slightly different details. Comparing the two would make for a great literacy activity for home or school.  Here are my thoughts about each book. YOSHI AND THE OCEAN A Sea Turtle's Incredible Journey Home by Lindsay Moore Greenwillow Books, 2022 ISBN: 978-0-06-306098-2 Source: purchased Ages 6 and up Picture book nonfiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW The highlight of Yoshi and the Ocean is the beautiful artwork created using graphite, watercolor, drawing inks, Conte crayon, and color pencils. Beginning on the endpapers with an illustration of a mother turtle making her way back to the ocean, the story imagines what Yoshi's beginning was like before jumping to he...

  HONEYBEE RESCUE A Backyard Drama by Loree Griffin Burns, photographs by Ellen Harasimowicz Charlesbridge, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-62354-239-9 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 8-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW Narrative nonfiction provides readers with information in the form of a story. Honeybee Rescue tells the story of a colony of bees that needed to be removed from an unsafe location and moved into a hive box. Burns does a fabulous job of presenting readers with the information they need to understand bees, colonies, and the risks involved with working with bees. The story provides Mr. Connery who finds a colony of bees in his old, leaky garage. He suspects they came from one of the hives in his yard. Regardless, they aren't likely to last the winter in the garage.  He calls Mr. Nelson who gathers his equipment and comes to gently and carefully vacuum up the bees in his specially designed bee...

IN THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY by Jane Kuo Quill Tree Books, 2022 ISBN: 978-0-06-311898-0 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade historical history/novel-in-verse All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW Anna looks forward to moving to 'the beautiful country', the Chinese name for America. After getting haircuts, she and her ma pack everything they can into six suitcases, leaving behind her pile of books, she can get new ones in 'the beautiful country'. But the happily ever after she's expecting turns into a rather miserable reality very quickly. She faces bullying at her new school, the new apartment is tiny and uncomfortable, and her parents' struggle to get their new business, a restaurant, off the ground. A foam mat for a bed, a black-and-white TV, and racist vandalism add to her families challenges.  This novel-in-verse tells Anna's story as she struggles to adapt to a place and circumstanc...

  DARK ON LIGHT written by Dianne White, illustrated by Felicita Sala Beach Lane Books, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-5344-8789-5 Source: publisher through Blue Slip Media Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & sample book pages provided by Blue Slip Media. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR Dianne White is fond of lavender blooms and the way an orange moon hangs in the evening sky. She’s the author of several picture books, including the award-winning Blue on Blue, illustrated by Caldecott medalist Beth Krommes, and Green on Green, illustrated by Felicita Sala. Dianne lives with her family in Gilbert, Arizona, where many nights at twilight, the desert blazes rose on sapphire on dark on light. For more information and to download a free activity kit, visit diannewrites.com . Instagram: @diannewrites Facebook: Dianne White Twitter: @diannewrites Felicita Sala is a self-taught illustrator and painter. She has a degree in philosophy from the University of Western Australi...

THIS PLANET ROCKS! Rover and Speck #1 by Jonathan Roth with color by Paulina Suarez Kids Can Press, 2022 ISBN: 9781525305665 Source: purchased Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher from Goodreads.com. REVIEW Rover lands on a rocky planet only to discover that his antenna broke on the descent.  The explorer decides to begin its journey by examining the planet as it was designed to do.  As Rover looks for life, it finds many rocks and minerals. Only when it scans for 'not-life' and 'not-rocks' does it find something different.  The 'not-life' and 'not-rock' turns out to be another rover called Special Planet Explorer Class-K, shortened to SPECK. Speck, unfortunately, doesn't remember anything about its mission and after charging its solar batteries, joins Rover exploring the planet. For a robot, Speck does puppy dog eyes really well. Speck's enthusiasm and Rover's expertise make them a good team, e...

  GOLDEN GIRL by Reem Faruqi Harper, 2022 ISBN: 9780063044753 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade contemporary/realistic (novel-in-verse) All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW 7th grader Aafiyah Qamar loves to hang out with her best friend Zaina, play tennis, and read Weird but True facts. She struggles to rein in her desire to 'borrow' things with her 'itchy' fingers, even though most of the time she eventually returns what she borrowed.  She knows it isn't right but it's so hard to resist the temptation. Life seems great otherwise.  While returning from a visit with family in Pakistan, Aaliyah's father is arrested for a crime he didn't commit, leading to the family splitting.  Aaliyah, her mother, younger brother, and grandfather return to the states so her grandfather can receive treatment for cancer, while her grandmother remains in Dubai with her father to prove his innocence. A...

MY OWN LIGHTNING Wolf Hollow #2 by Lauren Wolk Dutton Books for Young Readers, 2022 ISBN:   9780525555599 Source: eARC from publisher through Netgalley All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. In this follow-up to Wolf Hollow , Annabelle struggles to come to terms with the events that led up to her friend Toby's death.  While the instigator of the trouble is gone, Andy, a participant remains, and Annabelle doesn't know what to think about the boy.  After getting struck by lightening, someone gets her heart started again but she doesn't know who. In addition, Annabelle seems to develop extrasensory capabilities especially an ability to sense what animals are feeling.  This sense comes in handy when her brother's dog, Buster, goes missing and she and Henry go looking for him.  This leads to some surprising discoveries about their neighbor, Mr. Edelman, and as well giving Annabelle more to think about regardi...

ALL THE PLACES WE CALL HOME written by Patrice Gopo, illustrated by Jenin Mohammed Worthy Kids, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-5460-1266-5 Source: WorthyKids for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book summary & cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Fall in love with this lyrically written and lushly illustrated exploration of identity and home that celebrates all the places and people who make us who we are. "And where shall we go?" Mama asks as she tucks me in. "South Africa. Where I was born." My answer summons Mama's stories, stories that send us soaring back in time to when I was a baby. Out my window. Down my street. Across water. Across continents. Where do you come from? Where does your family come from? For many children, the answers to these questions can transform a conversation into a journey around the globe. In her first picture book, author Patrice Gopo illuminates how family stories help shape ch...

These two beautiful novels-in-verse have a lot in common.  Both have black male protagonists who love music and play the guitar.  Both boys have fathers who have health problems.  Both books are written by BIPOC female authors who are known for their poetic abilities.  The books have their differences as well, Garvey faces isolation during the pandemic while ZJ has his family and his 'boys' to help and support him. BEFORE THE EVER AFTER by Jacqueline Woodson Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020 ISBN: 978099545436 Source: school library Middle grade realistic/contemporary fiction/novel-in-verse Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Jacqueline Woodson's novel-in-verse explores how a family moves forward when their glory days have passed and the cost of professional sports on Black bodies. For as long as ZJ can remember, his dad has been everyone's hero. As a charming, talented pro football star, he's as beloved to the neighborhood kids he plays with ...

I CANNOT DRAW A HORSE by Charise Mericle Harper Union Square Kids, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-60582-261-7 Source: F&G from publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Award-winning author and illustrator Charise Mericle Harper delivers a fantastically funny adventure about doing the impossible: drawing a horse.   The cat wants a horse. The book cannot draw a horse. The book CAN draw a squirrel, a beaver, and a bunny. Fun . . . but the cat still wants a horse.   Can the quick-draw book appease the horse-obsessed cat with an impressive collection of horse-y alternatives (all created from the same “nothing shape”)? Or will the cat finally get a horse? The cat REALLY wants a horse. REVIEW I Cannot Draw a Horse  struck a chord with me.  As a non-artist I could relate to the author/illustrator's reluctance to try drawing a horse.  Horses can be quite difficult to...

THE DOOR OF NO RETURN by Kwame Alexander Little, Brown and Company, 2022 ISBN: 978-0-316-44186-5 Source: purchased Ages 12 and up Historical fiction/novel in verse All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK From Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award winning author Kwame Alexander, comes the first book in a searing, breathtaking trilogy that tells the story of a boy, a village, and the epic odyssey of an African family. Young Kofi lives and dreams on the banks of the river Offin. He loves these things above all else: his family, the fireside tales of his father’s father, a girl named Ama, and, of course, swimming. It is in the river that he feels invincible and where he thinks he can finally prove himself in a race against his schoolyard rival. But the river also holds dark secrets that Kofi will soon discover. Told never to venture there after nightfall but never told why, Kofi seeks his own answer...

ODDER by Katherine Applegate Fewer and Friends, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-250-14742-4 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Now a #1 New York Times bestseller! A touching and lyrical tale about a remarkable sea otter, from Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate, author of Wishtree. Meet Odder, the Queen of Play: Nobody has her moves. She doesn’t just swim to the bottom, she dive-bombs. She doesn’t just somersault, she triple-doughnuts. She doesn’t just ride the waves, she makes them. Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she’s known. She’s a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself—and about the humans who hope to save her. In...

LEAVE IT TO PLUM! by Matt Phelan Greenwillow Books, 2022 ISBN:     978-0-06-307916-8 Source: purchased Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK When a small mammal with an oversized ego tries to take over the zoo, just leave it to the big-hearted peacock Plum to save the day! From award-winning author Matt Phelan, the creator of Knights vs. Dinosaurs and its two sequels, Leave It to Plum! is a highly illustrated young middle grade novel perfect for reluctant readers and animal lovers everywhere. Young Plum is one of the peacock ambassadors for the Athensville Zoo. Every day the peacocks are allowed to wander freely among the zoo's visitors, delighting and guiding kids and grown-ups alike. The peacocks are very proud of their responsibility; none so much as kind, curious Plum. But Itch the ningbing--a type of very small marsupial--doesn't understand why those birdbrains should get so...

  THE GREAT CAPER CAPER Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast #5 by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney Union Square & Co., 2022 ISBN: 9781454943631   Source : eBook for review from author Ages: 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book summary & cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are back in a Las Veggies heist for the ages! Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast awake one morning to near-darkness. Who could possibly have stolen the fridge light? And what if the fridge is—gasp—dark all the time? Not to worry; Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are on the case! Along with their friends, they assemble blueprints, collect supplies, and investigate. Will they bring the fridge back to its bright self, or will they have to live in semi-darkness . . . forever? REVIEW Josh Funk's continuing Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast series returns with another winning tale of friendship and adventure.  ...

IT'S NOT THE THREE LITTLE PIGS written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Edwardian Taylor Two Lions, 2022 ISBN: 978-1542032438 Source: Blue Slip Media for Blog Tour Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Meet the three (ahem—four!) little pigs as they convince the narrator to tell a slightly different version of their fairy tale: First there’s Alan, the one pig in the bunch who is actually a builder. He’s got a BIG problem with building a home out of flimsy straw. Next there’s Alfred, who wants to be an actor and wouldn’t dream of getting his hands dirty. Then we have Alvin, whose dream is to be . . . a pumpkin. Last but not least is Alison, the fourth pig who is ready to bring some flair to this story, if only she can get the narrator to agree to a few changes. . . . And what about that wolf? Grab your jet-packs and get ready for this rollicking retelling of the popular tale.  ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR Like the characters in his books, Josh Funk doe...

ENOLA HOLMES, The Graphic Novels, Book One based on the novels by Nancy Springer, by Serena Blasco Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-5248-7132-1 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 9-14 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK A graphic novel adaptation of the hit books that inspired the Netflix film! Sherlock Holmes’ brilliant, strong-willed younger sister takes center stage in this delightfully drawn graphic novel based on Nancy Springer’s bestselling mystery series. 14-year-old Enola Holmes wakes on her birthday to discover that her mother has disappeared from the family's country manor, leaving only a collection of flowers and a coded message book. With Sherlock and Mycroft determined to ship her off to a boarding school, Enola escapes, displaying a cleverness that even impresses the elder Holmes. But nothing prepares her for what lies ahead… Book One in the series includes ...