Geo Librarian

102 written & illustrated by Matthew Cordell Little, Brown and Company, 2026 ISBN: 978-0-316-58095-3 Source; eARC from publisher & purchased final copy Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK From Caldecott Medalist Matthew Cordell comes a cozy, magical nighttime adventure, in which a child discovers the mysterious, miniature world beyond his bedroom walls. Sent home from school earlier in the day with a fever, George awakens in the middle of the night to discover a cricket beckoning him on an adventure and soon finds himself shrunken down in size. He follows the insect guide through a crack in his bedroom wall, through the moonlit yard, and into the home of a family of mice at the base of an oak tree. There, in a tiny, cozy kitchen, George discovers the meaning of his quest: he must help the Mama mouse complete her special 102-bean soup for her sick young son. Delightfully sweet...

  THE SECRET LIFE OF A SEA TURTLE written by Maddalena Bearzi, illustrated by Alex Boersma Roaring Brook Press, 2025 ISBN: 978-1-250-90167-5 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 the captivating yet perilous life of one sea turtle in this dazzling nonfiction tale by the co-founder of the Ocean Conservation Society, perfect for fans of Jason Chin's ISLAND. On a beach at the Ría Lagartos nature reserve in Mexico, a sea turtle is born. Newly hatched into a big world, she breaks out of an egg buried in the sand. Now, her journey begins. To reach the ocean she must avoid predatory opossums, crabs, and raccoons -- many of her siblings will not make it. But our sea turtle does, and when she finally dives beneath the blue sea, she’ll travel for thousands of miles on a beautiful and pulse-pounding adventure. Brilliant, informative, and compelling, The Secret Life o...

HELLO, I'M A TOUCAN Meet the Wild Things #5 written by Hayley Rocco, illustrated by John Rocco G.P. Putnam's Sons, 2025 ISBN: 978-0-593-85875-2 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Meet the toucan in this clever, funny, and informative nonfiction picture book, part of a series that focuses on endangered species. Did you know a toucan's bill is four times the size of its head? But you might be surprised by how lightweight and strong it is. And did you know that toucans use their bills to keep cool when it's hot outside, by increasing blood flow from the rest of their body to maintain the perfect temperature? You can't get much cooler than that. But did you also know the toucan is endangered and needs our help? With humans chopping down rainforests and taking toucans from their homes to make them pets, these unique birds need our protecti...

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...

GO WILD! SEA TURTLES by Jill Esbaum National Geographic Kids, 2021 ISBN: 978-1-4263-7158-5 Source: Media Masters Publicity Ages 6-9 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Welcome to the wild world of sea turtles! In this intro to the species, youngsters discover where on Earth this reptile lives, what it eats, and how big it grows. Cool photos of all the different kinds of sea turtles and adorable photos of just-hatched turtle babies bring the creatures into full focus. After learning the basics, young readers will learn why sea turtles need our help and what people around the world are doing to help save them. Filled with fun facts, games, and an activity focused on making a difference in sea turtles' world, Go Wild! will inspire kids to care about this swimmingly cute animal. REVIEW With its stunning design and fascinating facts, Go Wild! Sea Turtles  is a great book for young reptile lovers.  The gorgeous photograph and attractive book design are sure to c...

ONCE UPON A CAMEL by Kathi Appelt, pictures by Eric Rohmann Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2021 ISBN: 978-1-5344-9871-6 Source: Blue Slip Media Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK An old camel is out to save two baby kestrel chicks during a massive storm in the Texas desert. Zada is a camel with a treasure trove of stories to tell. She’s won camel races for the royal Pasha of Smyrna, crossed treacherous oceans to new land, led army missions with her best camel friend by her side, and outsmarted a far too pompous mountain lion. But those stories were from before. Now, Zada wanders the desert as the last camel in Texas. But she’s not alone. Two tiny kestrel chicks are nestled in the fluff of fur between her ears—kee-killy-keeing for their missing parents—and a dust storm the size of a mountain is taking Zada on one more grand adventure. And it could lead to this achy old camel’s most brilliant story yet. REVIEW Eric Rohmann's lush paints highlight th...

RESCUE AT LAKE WILD by Terry Lynn Johnson Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021 ISBN: 978-0-358-33485-9 Source: Blue Slip Media Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK In this funny and moving animals-in-peril adventure, a twelve-year-old girl and her two best friends determine to rescue two orphaned beaver kits—and soon find themselves trying to solve a local environmental crisis.  Everyone knows that twelve-year-old Madison “Madi” Lewis is not allowed to bring home any more animals. After she's saved hairless mice, two birds, a rabbit, and a stray tom cat that ended up destroying the front porch, Madi’s parents decide that if they find one more stray animal in the house, she won’t be allowed to meet Jane Goodall at an upcoming gala event. But when Madi and her two best friends, Aaron and Jack, rescue beaver kits whose mother was killed, they find themselves at the center of a local conspiracy that’s putting the beavers and their habitats in danger. As Madi an...

SPEEDIEST! 19 Very Fast Animals Extreme Animals series by Steve Jenkins Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-544-93710-9 Ages 6-9 Primary Nonfiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Caldecott Honor winner Steve Jenkins is back with more Extreme Animals, perfect for young readers looking for accessible nonfiction chock full of incredible art. Speediest! will focus on the fastest members of the animal kingdom.  Through illustrations, infographics, facts, and figures, readers will see how big each animal is compared to humans, where it lives on the globe, and just how quickly it can move! With his signature art style, Steve Jenkins' Extreme Animals reader series explores nature's truly superlative animals. These readers are fact-packed and span the globe, detailing the astounding abilities of every shape, size, and species. Each installment focuses on amazing and unusual animals, making these nonfiction readers accessible, i...

SLICKETY QUICK Poems About Sharks by Skila Brown, Illustrated by Bob Kolar Candlewick Press, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-7636-6543-2 Ages 4-8 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Fourteen shark species, from the utterly terrifying to the surprisingly docile, glide through the pages of this vibrantly illustrated, poetic picture book. From the enormous whale shark to the legendary great white to the enigmatic goblin shark to the small cookie-cutter shark, Slickety Quick is a delightful frenzy of shark mayhem. Mysterious species such as the camouflaged wobbegong and the elusive frilled shark share the waters with better-known blue and nurse sharks, each commemorated in a poem by Skila Brown and illustrated by Bob Kolar. Sneaky shark facts ripple through each spread to further inform the brave and curious young reader intrigued by the power — and danger — of these amazing creatures. REVIEW Sharks are a popular topic for many children. ...

BRIDGE TO THE WILD: Behind the Scenes at the Zoo by Caitlin O'Connell w/ photographs by Caitlin O'Connell and Timothy Rodwell Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-544-27739-7 MG/YA Nonfiction Ages 10 and up Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK With stunning photographs and exemplary narrative nonfiction, the Sibert Honor-winning creators of  The Elephant Scientist,  Caitlin O'Connell and Timothy Rodwell, give readers a heartwarming insider's look into a day in the life of zoo curators and the meaningful bonds that they form with their menagerie. REVIEW I confess to having a great love for wildlife.  Yet I consider myself more of an 'armchair' wildlife lover because I enjoy reading books or watching documentaries about them, but I wouldn't work with them very well at all (allergies being only one reason).  So books like this one that talk about what working with animals is really like ar...

ATLAS OF ANIMAL ADVENTURES A collection of nature's most unmissable events, epic migrations, and extraordinary behaviors illustrated by Lucy Letherland, written by Rachel Williams and Emily Hawkins Wide Eyed Editions, 2016 ISBN: 9781847808417 Ages 9-12 Middle grade nonfiction Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK From the team behind the best-selling Atlas of Adventures. Head off on a journey of discovery, with this book that collects together nature’s most unmissable events from between the two poles, including epic migrations, extraordinary behaviors, and Herculean habits. Find hundreds of things to spot and learn new facts about every animal. REVIEW Wide-Eyed Editions has created a rather delightful atlas that works well for reading straight through or for just browsing.  Not only is the book crammed with fascinating information about various animals around the world, but the illustrator ...

MY FIRST BOOK OF ANIMAL HUGS AND KISSES by National Wildlife Federation Imagine, 2016 ISBN: 978-1-62354-061-6 Ages 0-3 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!)All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Charming photos of wildlife combined with adorable comments offer a heartwarming look at creatures from around the world. Any toddler will love this vibrant book—as will adults sharing it with little ones. REVIEW There are several things that I look for when I review board books.  Bright colorful illustrations are a must for a board book. There needs to be things to attract young eyes.  This book definitely has that quality with gorgeous photographs of animals 'hugging' and 'kissing'.  The variety in the size of the picture provides a nice contrast for young eyes.  Board books don't necessarily need text but when they have text it needs to be short enough not to bog down the reading.  The youngest listeners need practice listening...

This book seemed an appropriate one to have read after the last week of grief and shock.  Neither of those things are easy to face no matter who is or is not to blame.  This site is where I share my thoughts on books, but today I couldn't help but share my empathy for those who are hurting at this time. It's my hope that with the Lord's help we, as Americans, can learn to listen to each other, and work together to help each other heal. PAX by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Jon Klassen Balzer + Bray, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-06-237701-2 Ages 8-12 Middle grade  Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Pax was only a kit when his family was killed, and “his boy” Peter rescued him from abandonment and certain death. Now the war front approaches, and when Peter’s father enlists, Peter has to move in with his grandpa. Far worse than being forced to leave home is the fact that Pax can’t go. Peter listens to his stern fath...

RASCALLY RABBITS! And More True Stories of Animals Behaving Badly! by Aline Alexander Newman National Geographic Kids, 2016 ISBN: 978-1-4263-2308-9 Ages 7-10 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK These bunnies may look adorable, but there's more than meets the eye! In Rascally Rabbits, meet some rabbits that cause nothing but trouble, a rescue pup who will eat ANYTHING, and a sneaky bear with a taste for treats. Readers won't stop laughing as they read these hilarious--and completely true!--stories. Filled with engaging photos, fast facts, and fascinating sidebars, readers won't want to put this book down. REVIEW Animals can add a great deal to our lives, but like children they can be difficult at times as well.  In this National Geographic Chapters book the stories of trouble-causing animals are presented.  Escaping rabbits, rabbit and goat friendships, a thieving bear, and a mischievous dog all make an appe...