Geo Librarian

IMAGINE! by Raul Colon Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-4814-6273-0 Source: publisher for review Ages 6 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK   A wordless picture book about a visit to the museum and the power of art and imagination. After passing a city museum many times, a boy finally decides to go in. He passes wall after wall of artwork until he sees a painting that makes him stop and ponder. Before long the painting comes to life and an afternoon of adventure and discovery changes how he sees the world ever after. REVIEW I love this book for several reasons.  I love the book because of the gorgeous art.  Colon has become one of my favorite illustrators for this reason.  The second thing I love about the book is the theme revolving around the power of imagination to help see and experience things we couldn't otherwise.  In the book which is wordless, a young boy leaves his hom...

OCEAN MEETS SKY by The Fan Brothers Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-4814-7037-7 Ages 4 and up Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out his window it’s a constant reminder of the stories his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Where whales and jellyfish soar and birds and castles float. Finn’s grandfather is gone now but Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place himself! And when he arrives, maybe, just maybe, he’ll find something he didn’t know he was looking for. REVIEW In this gorgeously-illustrated story, a young boy named Finn misses his grandfather.  Living by the sea allows him to look out his window and dream of the place his grandfather told him about where the ocean meets the sky.  This fantastical plac...

I GOT IT! by David Wiesner Clarion Books, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-544-30902-9 Source: purchased Ages 5 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK David Wiesner presents a near-wordless account of the most suspenseful, nerve-wracking few seconds in a baseball game. The few seconds after the ball leaves the bat can be infinitely long. For this eager young outfielder, there's plenty of time to envision the increasingly fantastic and funny situations that might interfere with making the catch. Summoning determination and courage, he overcomes the imaginary obstacles and turns them into a springboard for success. REVIEW I'll admit the first time I read this I was reading it to a class of first graders.  I didn't have time to read and ponder it the way I should a Wiesner book.  So when a tree root and then a tree popped up in the baseball field, I wasn't quite prepared.  And then an enormous baseball appeared, and then the boy playing b...

BOWWOW POWWOW   by Brenda J. Child, Translation by Gordon Jourdain illustrations by Jonathan Thunder Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-68134-077-7 Source: purchased Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Windy Girl is blessed with a vivid imagination. From Uncle she gathers stories of long-ago traditions, about dances and sharing and gratitude. Windy can tell such stories herself–about her dog, Itchy Boy, and the way he dances to request a treat and how he wriggles with joy in response to, well, just about everything. When Uncle and Windy Girl and Itchy Boy attend a powwow, Windy watches the dancers and listens to the singers. She eats tasty food and joins family and friends around the campfire. Later, Windy falls asleep under the stars. Now Uncle's stories inspire other visions in her head: a bowwow powwow, where all the dancers are dogs. In these magical scenes, Windy sees veterans in a Grand Entry, and a...

A BOY, A MOUSE, AND A SPIDER: The Story of E. B. White by Barbara Herkert, illustrated by Lauren Castillo Henry Holt & Co., 2017 ISBN: 978-1-62779-245-5 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK A lyrical biography of E. B. White, beloved author of Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, written by Barbara Herkert and illustrated by Caldecott honoree Lauren Castillo.  When young Elwyn White lay in bed as a sickly child, a bold house mouse befriended him. When the time came for kindergarten, an anxious Elwyn longed for the farm, where animal friends awaited him at the end of each day. Propelled by his fascination with the outside world, he began to jot down his reflections in a journal. Writing filled him with joy, and words became his world. Today, Stuart Little and Charlotte’s Web are beloved classics of children’s literature, and E. B. White is recognized as one of the finest American writers of all time. REVIEW Lauren Ca...

WATERSONG by Tim McCanna, illustrated by Richard Smythe Simon & Schuster, 2017 ISBN: 978-1-4814-6881-7 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK In glorious onomatopoeia, Tim McCanna takes the reader on a dazzling journey as a fox seeks shelter from a rainstorm. Drip Drop Plip Plop Pitter Patter Pat. As the rain begins, a little fox seeks shelter. But then it builds and builds into to a torrential storm. Wash! Wham! Lash! Whirl! Bash! Swirl! Hiss! Slap! Slam! Both a visual feast and a joy to read aloud, this stunning picture book showcases the power and beauty of nature. REVIEW Wow!  What a beautiful book!  Not only does the text work well for a read-a-loud during story time, but the theme of the water cycle fits into the state curriculum.  But my favorite part of the book is the gorgeous illustrations.  It was a brilliant move on the part of the illustrator to put a fox in...

TEK The Modern Cave Boy by Patrick McDonnell Little, Brown and Company, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-316-33805-9 Ages 4-8 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. REVIEW McDonnell has created an amusing book that looks like an ipad.  The theme of the book isn't hard to guess once you look closely at the cover illustration.  Tek, a young 'cave' boy with a beard (his father hasn't invented shaving cream yet), is obsessed with his video games, tablet, and phone.  In fact, he is so focused on his technology that he refuses to even leave his cave.  Despite the efforts of his parents and his best friend, Larry (a crocodile?), Tek misses out on the evolving world, including the Ice Age, and the appearance of dinosaurs.  It isn't until the local volcano erupts and disrupts Tek's entire world that he starts to see the world around him and the wonders it contains.  The design of this book is fabulous.  The first half of the book looks j...

A POEM FOR PETER The Story of EZRA JACK KEATS and the Creation of THE SNOWY DAY by Andrea Davis Pinkney, pictures by Lou Fancher & Steve Johnson Viking Books for Young Readers, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-425-28769-2 Ages 6-10 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. REVIEW Ezra Jack Keats' The Snowy Day helped open the door to children's books being published with diverse main characters.  While the lack of such diversity remains a problem, the numbers of such books being published continues to grow.  In beautiful poetic language, Andrea Davis Pinkney introduces the reader to the man behind the book.  I didn't even know that Keats had changed his name until reading this book.  I loved getting a glimpse into the man who dared to take a chance, who saw a picture of a cute African-American boy and hung on to it because it touched him.  And then 20-years down the road using that photograph as inspiration when creating his first child...

MITZI TULANE PRESCHOOL DETECTIVE In What's That Smell? by Lauren McLaughlin, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi Random House, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-449-81915-9 Ages 3-6 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Mitzi Tulane may be only three years old, but she sure knows how to follow a trail of evidence and solve tough mysteries. From the strange happenings in the kitchen to the sudden arrival of every family member she’s ever met, Mitzi pieces together the clues and (finally) realizes that she’s . . . in the middle of her own surprise birthday party! Kids and parents will laugh along as Mitzi sorts through not-so-subtle hints and comes to her conclusions. Readers will love figuring out the surprise ahead of the private-eye protagonist! Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s bouncy illustrations bring an extra layer of fun to Lauren McLaughlin’s clever story! REVIEW Mitzi Tulane is an adorable character that I hope to see a lot more of in the fu...

RETURN by Aaron Becker Candlewick Press, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-7636-7730-5 Ages 4-8 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Welcome the much-anticipated finale of Caldecott Honoree Aaron Becker’s wordless trilogy—a spectacular, emotionally satisfying story that brings its adventurer home. Failing to get the attention of her busy father, a lonely girl turns back to a fantastic world for friendship and adventure. It’s her third journey into the enticing realm of kings and emperors, castles and canals, exotic creatures and enchanting landscapes. This time, it will take something truly powerful to persuade her to return home, as a gripping backstory is revealed that will hold readers in its thrall. Caldecott Honor winner Aaron Becker delivers a suspenseful and moving climax to his wordless trilogy, an epic that began with the award-winning Journey and continued with the celebrated follow-up Quest. REVIEW I have thoroughly enj...

THE PRINCESS IN BLACK AND THE HUNGRY BUNNY HORDE by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham Candlewick Press, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-7636-6513-5 Early Chapter Book Ages 6-9 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK It’s a case of monstrous cuteness as the Princess in Black encounters her biggest challenge yet: a field overrun by adorable bunnies. Princess Magnolia and her unicorn, Frimplepants, are on their way to have brunch with Princess Sneezewort, an occasion Frimplepants enjoys more than anything in the world. But just when he can smell the freshly baked bread and the heaping platters of sugar-dusted doughnuts, Princess Magnolia’s glitter-stone ring rings. The monster alarm! After a quick change in the secret cave, Princess Magnolia and Frimplepants are transformed into the Princess in Black and her faithful pony, Blacky. But when they get to the goat pasture, all they can see is a field full of darling litt...