Geo Librarian

OG FINDS THE COG Monster Og series written by Amy Dyckman, illustrated by Elio Simon Spotlight, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-6659-4147-1 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-6 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW Og, a monster, and Mog, a giant cat, build a robot together. Dog, being jealous, runs away with a cog from the robot. Can Og and Mog recover their cog and make up with Dog before it's too late? There is something so innately delightful about reading a book chock full of rhyming words. Elio's bright, colorful, fun illustrations nicely complement the large, easy to read text. Perfect for children just learning to read, this would be a fun book for an adult and child to read together. Children are likely to enjoy the way the rhymes feel on their tongue. Og, Mog, and Dog all make for relatable characters as well. Recommended. NAT THE CAT HAS A SNACK written & illustrated by Jarrett Lerner Simon Spotlight,...

  VACATION Bat, Cat & Rat #2 written by American Dyckman, illustrated by Mark Teague Beach Lane Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-6659-3044-4 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK In the second book in the Bat, Cat & Rat picture book series from New York Times bestsellers Ame Dyckman and Mark Teague, the roommates try to compromise on vacation plans in three-and-a-half sweet and silly stories. Bat, Cat, and Rat decide they need a vacation, but planning a trip is no picnic. Conflicts, compromise, and some well-meaning pranks ensue as prep work brings out the trio’s mischievous side. In “Working,” Bat, Cat, and Rat discover their Vacation Jar is empty, and set off working odd jobs to save up funds. But Rat believes that all work and no play is no fun at all—and he knows just the way to fix that. In “Choosing,” the trio can’t decide where to go on ...

   THE COZY HOME Bat, Cat & Rat #1 written by Ame Dyckman & illustrated by Mark Teague Beach Lane Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-6659-3042-0 Source: purchased Ages 6-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Join Bat, Cat, and Rat on their three-and-a-half sweet and silly roommate adventures in this hilarious picture book, the first of a series, from New York Times bestsellers Ame Dyckman and Mark Teague. What happens when three friends—a bat, a cat, and a rat—move in together? In “Sharing,” Bat, Cat, and Rat find a cozy home to share. But will choosing rooms put their sharing skills to the test? In “Joking,” Rat sets off a series of pranks and shenanigans with his rubber spider that have the trio screaming in surprise and laughing in delight. In “Reading,” Cat catches Bat and Rat reading over her shoulder—or so she thinks, until it turns out they haven’t learned to read yet. Can Cat te...

CORNBREAD & POPPY by Matthew Cordell Little, Brown & Company, 2022 ISBN: 978-0-7595-5486-3 Source: purchased Ages 6-9 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Cover image & book description from Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Caldecott medalist Matthew Cordell debuts his first early reader series about two best friends who are as different from each other as can be. Cornbread LOVES planning. Poppy does not. Cornbread ADORES preparing. Poppy does not. Cornbread IS ready for winter. Poppy...is not. But Cornbread and Poppy are the best of friends, so when Poppy is left without any food for the long winter, Cornbread volunteers to help her out. Their search leads them up, up, up Holler Mountain, where these mice might find a new friend...and an old one. Celebrating both partnership and the value of what makes us individuals, young readers will find this classic odd-couple irresistible as they encounter relatable issues with humor and heart. REVIEW This adorable early reader fol...

GERALDINE PU AND HER LUNCH BOX, TOO! Ready to Read Graphics written and illustrated by Maggie P. Chang Simon Spotlight, 2021 ISBN: 978-1-5344-8469-6 Source: publisher for review Ages 6-9 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Geraldine Pu’s favorite part of school is lunch. She loves her lunch box, which she calls Biandang. She can’t wait to see what her grandmother, Amah, has packed inside it each day. Then one day, Geraldine gets stinky tofu...and an unexpected surprise. What will she do? Ready-to-Read Graphics books give readers the perfect introduction to the graphic novel format with easy-to-follow panels, speech bubbles with accessible vocabulary, and sequential storytelling that is spot-on for beginning readers. There’s even a how-to guide for reading graphic novels at the beginning of each book. REVIEW This early reader graphic novel tells the story of Geraldine Pu and her lunch box named Biandang who carries the delicious meals her Amah makes for her to take ...

  DEAR BEAST by Dori Hillestad Butler, illustrated by Kevan Atteberry Holiday House, 2020 ISBN: 978--8234-4843-2 Source: purchased Ages 6-9 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK A jealous cat really, really , REALLY wants to drive away his young owner's new dog in this playful illustrated chapter book from a two-time Geisel Honor winner. Simon has taken care of his owner, Andy, for many years. He's a good cat. Clean, responsible, and loyal. What more could a boy want? Even when Andy's dad moves out, Simon is certain that Andy doesn't need another pet. So why would Andy's dad adopt a DOG?! To make matters worse, the animal is a rude, rowdy troublemaker. Simon's job is clear: the beast has got to go. He decides to write him a letter. Strongly worded, of course. But when the dog's response sets off an unexpected correspondence, Simon realizes the beast may be here to stay. Can he make room for another ...

HOUNDSLEY AND CATINA AT THE LIBRARY by James Howe, illustrated by Marie-Louise Gay Candlewick Press, 2020 ISBN: 978-0-7636-9662-7 Source: purchased Ages 5-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK It's Saturday, and Houndsley, Catina, and their friend Bert are looking forward to their weekly visit to the library. But when the trio arrives, they find that Trixie, the librarian, seems different. She doesn't tell a joke or recommend a book like she always does. That's when the friends find out the news -- the library is closing! With Trixie retiring and enrolled in circus school, there's no one to take her place as head librarian . . . or is there? James Howe and Marie-Louise Gay have created another engaging tale about what it means to be a supportive friend and how it's never too late to learn something new. REVIEW In this delightful early reader about friendship and libraries, Houndsley, Catina, and Bert set off for the...

CHRISTMAS PUPPY A Wag My Tail Book by Salina Yoon Little Simon, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5344-4343-3 Source: publisher for review Ages 0-3 Board book All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK A joyous puppy with a very twitchy tail is looking for the perfect holiday present in this re bark able Christmas novelty book from award-winning creator Salina Yoon. Christmas Puppy has a Christmas present under the tree...but which one is it? Help Puppy wag his tail whenever he helps open a new present! With a sturdy pull-tab that wags Puppy’s plush tail, this interactive novelty book is perfect for Christmas stockings. REVIEW A cute 10-page board book about a puppy looking for which present under the tree is his.  The first one is for the mouse, the second for hamster, and so on until puppy finds his present.  The book has a pull-tab that allows the young listener or reader to wag the puppy's tail as each present is found.  The pull tab is fun, ...

HI, JACK! A Jack Book by Mac Barnett & Greg Pizzoli Viking Books for Young Readers, 2019 ISBN: 978-0-593-11379-0 Source: publisher for review Ages 3-6 Early reader All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Meet Jack: He lives in a tree house. His interests include snacks, petty theft, and lipstick graffiti. Jack also loves his friends, the cranky "Lady" and a sweet pup named Rex. He just has a funny way of showing it sometimes . . . Welcome to the laugh-out-loud and irreverent world of Jack, a new early reader series by the bestselling and award-winning team of Mac Barnett and Greg Pizzoli. A perfect read-aloud with snappy, rhythmic text, this series will bridge the gap between picture books and chapter books and fill the Elephant-and-Piggie-shaped hole in young readers' hearts. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR Mac Barnett is the New York Times bestselling author of more than forty books, including Sam & Dave Dig a Hole, Extra...

SCHOOL OF FISH by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Mike Moran Simon Spotlight, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5344-3889-7 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-6 Early Reader All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK From acclaimed, prolific author Jane Yolen comes a Level 1 Ready-to-Read story bursting with all the excitement and a little bit of the nervousness that color a fish’s first day at a new school. I look around. What do I see? Another fish who’s just like me! A little scared. A little new. All alone and feeling blue. Starting at a new school is never easy, but it can also be really exciting. Beginning readers can follow along as one intrepid little fish goes through the many emotions associated with a new school experience! REVIEW School of Fish  follows the adventures of a young fish attending school for the first time.  At first he's full of confidence, until the unexpected happens when he sees the head of a shark.  After making it on...

CLICK, CLACK, PEEP! Ready*to*Read, Level 2 by Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin Simon Spotlight, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5344-1386-3 Ages 4-6 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK New York Times bestselling duo Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin’s beloved story about a noisy duckling is now available as a Level 2 Ready-to-Read! There’s more trouble on the farm, but Duck has nothing to do with it, for once. This time the trouble is a four-ounce puff of fluff who just won’t go to sleep, and whose play-with-me “peeps” are keeping the whole barnyard awake with him. Peep! Peep! Peep! How do you get a baby duck to hit the hay? Poor Farmer Brown will find out—and Duck might just find himself in trouble after all… REVIEW Doreen Cronin and Betsy Lewin have a magical partnership when it comes to the Farmer Brown/Click, Clack books.  The books are light and fun to read with lots of humor.  The illustrations are just as ap...

MR. MONKEY BAKES A CAKE by Jeff Mack Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-5344-0431-1 Source: purchased Ages 4-7 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Curious George meets Mr. Bean in this adorable new picture book series from author-illustrator Jeff Mack that follows the loveable Mr. Monkey on his wacky adventures. Mr. Monkey bakes a cake. He can’t wait to win a ribbon! But first he has to carry it to the contest. What could possibly go wrong? REVIEW Mr. Monkey has a delightful time making a cake and eating bananas.  But by the time the cake is ready to eat, Mr. Monkey is no longer hungry.  He decides to enter the cake in a contest which seems simple enough, but once he sets foot out the door, Murphy's law jumps into action and a wide variety of amusing mishaps occurs.  As I read this I couldn't help but smirk and smile.  Anyone whose ever had a load of things go wrong can relate to Mr. Monkey's tr...