Geo Librarian

 ADVENTURE How Tiny Fish are Saving the World's Largest Rainforest Scientists in the Field by Sy Montgomery, photographs by Keith Ellenbogen Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2017 ISBN: 978-0-544-35299-5 Source: purchased Ages 9-14 MG/YA Nonfiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Considered the “lungs of the world,” the Amazon provides a full fifth of the world’s oxygen, and every year unsustainable human practices destroy 2.7 million acres. What can be done to help? That’s where Project Piaba comes in. Join the award-winning author Sy Montgomery and the photographer Keith Ellenbogen as they traverse the river and rainforest to discover how tiny fish, called piabas, can help preserve the Amazon, its animals, and the rich legacy of its people. Amazon Adventure is an eye-opening—and ultimately hopeful—exploration of how humanity’s practices are affecting and shaping not only the Amazon, but our entire environment. REVIEW The au...

59 HOURS by Johnny Kovatch Simon Pulse, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-4814-7660-7 Source: purchased Ages 14 and up YA Nonfiction: True Crime All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Real stories. Real teens. Real consequences. An innocent teen becomes a hostage stuck in the middle of a dangerous drug-fueled feud in this third book in the chilling Simon True series. On Sunday, August 6, 2000, fifteen-year-old Nick Markowitz was grabbed off the street on the orders of a local drug dealer named Jesse James Hollywood. Nick was taken as collateral because his brother Ben owed Jesse money. He was an innocent victim who became a pawn in an increasingly high-stakes feud between the two that ended with Nick’s brutal murder. A dozen or more people saw Nick over the course of the next fifty-nine hours, but no one stepped forward to say anything. No one thought to report the crime to the police. Some of them were scared of Hollywood, while others simply didn’t want to get in...

BERTHA TAKES A DRIVE How the Benz Automobile Changed the World by Jan Adkins Charlesbridge, 2017 ISBN: 978-1-58089-696-2 Ages 6-9 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK It's 1888 and Bertha Benz's husband, Karl, has invented the prototype Benz motorwagen. But the German government declares the vehicle illegal, and the church calls it the devil's work. Unbeknownst to her husband, Bertha steals away with her two sons and drives nearly one hundred miles to prove just how amazing the motorwagen is. Bertha's mechanical savvy gets the boys to Grandma's house safely, and the remarkable mother/son road trip reduces global concern about moving vehicles. REVIEW I'm a big fan of books that highlight the actions of brave, clever women.  Jan Adkins has done an admirable job of telling one story from the life of one such women.  I had to laugh at the determination of this woman, Bertha Benz, to prove...

With the growth of the Common Core and the increased focus on the reading of nonfiction, it's become more important than ever for good nonfiction for children to be available.  And I have been delighted to see that such nonfiction is becoming more and more common.  One thing I've been looking for is chapter book nonfiction.  So much nonfiction for elementary age readers is less than 100 pages.  For young nonfiction readers this can make it hard to keep up with class requirements.  So I'm delighted to share my reviews of these two fabulous narrative nonfiction chapter books for upper elementary readers. LOST IN THE PACIFIC, 1942 by Tod Olson Scholastic, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-545-92811-3 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade nonfiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK World War II, October 21, 1942. A B-17 bomber drones high over the Pacific Ocean, sending a desperate SOS into the air. The crew is carrying America'...

It's interesting reading two biographies of the same person one right after the other.  I found the contrast in presentations quite interesting as well as the one being more complete and detailed than the other.  Warren was much more willing to believe Cody's own words, while Fleming spends time in her book pointing out the controversies that still rage to this day about how much of Cody's autobiographies are fact and how much is fiction.  I highly recommend both books as fascinating, well-written narrative nonfiction reads. THE BOY WHO BECAME BUFFALO BILL Growing Up Billy Cody in Bleeding Kansas by Andrea Warren Two Lions, 2015 ISBN: 978-1477827185 Ages 9-12 MG/YA Nonfiction Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK The greatest entertainer of his era, Buffalo Bill was the founder and star of the legendary show that featured cowboys, Indians, trick riding, and sharpshooters. But long before stardom, Buffalo Bi...

FRAMED! A T.O.A.S.T. Mystery by James Ponti Aladdin, 2016 ISBN: 978-1-4814-3630-4 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 8-12 Middle grade mystery All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Get to know the only kid on the FBI Director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists all because of his Theory of All Small Things in this hilarious start to a brand-new middle grade mystery series. So you’re only halfway through your homework and the Director of the FBI keeps texting you for help…What do you do? Save your grade? Or save the country? If you’re Florian Bates, you figure out a way to do both. Florian is twelve years old and has just moved to Washington. He’s learning his way around using TOAST, which stands for the Theory of All Small Things. It’s a technique he invented to solve life’s little mysteries such as: where to sit on the on the first day of school, or which Chinese restaurant has the best eggrolls....

SABATAGE The Mission to Destroy Hitler's Atomic Bomb by Neal Bascomb Arthur A. Levine books, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-545-73243-7 Ages 12 and up Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Neal Bascomb delivers another nail-biting work of nonfiction for young adults in this incredible true story of spies and survival. The invasion begins at night, with German cruisers slipping into harbor, and soon the Nazis occupy all of Norway. They station soldiers throughout the country. They institute martial rule. And at Vemork, an industrial fortress high above a dizzying gorge, they gain access to an essential ingredient for the weapon that could end World War II: Hitler’s very own nuclear bomb. When the Allies discover the plans for the bomb, they agree Vemork must be destroyed. But after a British operation fails to stop the Nazis’ deadly designs, the task falls to a band of young Norwegian commandos. Armed with little more than skis, explosi...

ANYTHING BUT ORDINARY ADDIE The True Story of Adelaide Herrmann Queen of Magic written by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno Candlewick Press, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-7636-6841-9 Picture Book Ages 4 and up Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Be astonished and dazzled by the true story of Adelaide Herrmann, the Queen of Magic! Some girls are perfectly happy never doing anything out of the ordinary. But Addie was anything but ordinary. She longed for thrills and excitement! At a time when a young lady appearing onstage was considered most unusual, Addie defied convention and became a dancer. And when she married the world-famous magician Herrmann the Great, she knew she had to be part of his show. Addie wanted to shock and dazzle! She would do anything to draw the crowds, even agree to be shot out of a cannon. But when Herrmann the Great died, Addie couldn’t disappoint her loyal fans — the show had to go on. What could she do?...

BLIZZARD OF GLASS The Halifax Explosion of 1917 by Sally M. Walker Henry Holt & Co, 2011 ISBN: 978-0-8050-8945-5 Source: purchased Ages 10-14 MG/YA Historical Nonfiction (Narrative) All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK On December 6, 1917 two ships collided in Halifax Harbour. One ship was loaded top to bottom with munitions and one held relief supplies, both intended for wartorn Europe. The resulting blast flattened two towns, Halifax and Dartmouth, and killed nearly 2,000 people. As if that wasn't devastating enough, a blizzard hit the next day, dumping more than a foot of snow on the area and paralyzing much-needed relief efforts. Fascinating, edge-of-your-seat storytelling based on original source material conveys this harrowing account of tragedy and recovery. This thoroughly-researched and documented book can be worked into multiple aspects of the common core curriculum. REVIEW After reading about the Halifax explosion in anoth...

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC KIDS NATIONAL PARKS GUIDE U.S.A. CENTENNIAL EDITION: The Most Amazing Sights, Scenes, & Cool Activities from Coast to Coast National Geographic Kids, 2016 ISBN: 978-1-4263-2314-0 Ages 9-12 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Happy 100th Birthday, National Parks! Join the centennial celebration by reading all about these greatest of American treasures -- from Acadia to Zion -- in preparation for a parks visit sometime soon. Filled with color photos, information on animals, fascinating lists, fun facts, maps, cool things to do, conservation tips, and much more -- think of this book as your trusted guide to these most majestic of places. REVIEW 2016 celebrates 100 years of National Parks and to celebrate, National Geographic has released an updated version of this kid's guide to the national parks.  The book is organized by region with several parks highlighted in each section and others...

MOST DANGEROUS: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin Roaring Brook Press, 2015 ISBN: 9781596439528 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK From Steve Sheinkin, the award-winning author of The Port Chicago 50 and Bomb comes a tense, exciting exploration of what the Times deemed "the greatest story of the century": how Daniel Ellsberg transformed from obscure government analyst into "the most dangerous man in America," and risked everything to expose the government's deceit. On June 13, 1971, the front page of the New York Times announced the existence of a 7,000-page collection of documents containing a secret history of the Vietnam War. Known as The Pentagon Papers, these documents had been comissioned by Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. Chronicling every action the government had taken in the Vietnam War, they revealed a pattern of deception spanning over ...

TOMMY, THE GUN THAT CHANGED AMERICA by Karen Blumenthal Roaring Brook Press, 2015 ISBN: 978-1-62672-084-8 YA Nonfiction Ages 14 and up Source: public library All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK John Taliaferro Thompson had a mission: to develop a lightweight, fast-firing weapon that would help Americans win on the battlefield. His Thompson submachine gun could deliver a hundred bullets in a matter of seconds—but didn't find a market in the U.S. military. Instead, the Tommy gun became the weapon of choice for a generation of bootleggers and bank-robbing outlaws, and became a deadly American icon. Following a bloody decade—and eighty years before the mass shootings of our own time—Congress moved to take this weapon off the streets, igniting a national debate about gun control. Critically-acclaimed author Karen Blumenthal tells the fascinating story of this famous and deadly weapon—of the lives it changed, the debate it sparked, and the unpreced...

KOALA HOSPITAL written and photographed by Suzi Eszterhas Owlkids Books, 2015 Picture Book Nonfiction Ages 6-12 Source: school library All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Koala Hospital kicks off the new 4-book Wildlife Rescue series from Owlkids Books. Each book introduces a species of animal in danger somewhere in the world and invites readers inside a rescue center that helps them. Photos by award–winning wildlife photographer Suzi Eszterhas give readers a rare view of the animals and the high level of care they receive. Koala Hospital features a koala rescue center in Australia. It shows why koalas are in danger, how they come to be in the sanctuary, and the process of healing and rehabilitating koalas for return to the wild. Koala Hospital also focuses on the people who work at the rescue center and how they aid the animals. Other special features include a map showing the rescue center and the koala’s native habitat range, as well as an inde...