Geo Librarian

  THE SEA OF TERROR Once Upon a Time #3 written by Stuart Gibbs, illustrated by Stacy Curtis Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023 ISBN: 978-1-6659-1744-5 Source: publisher for review Ages 7-10 Early Middle Grade Fantasy (Speculative)/Humor All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW With his trademark humor, Gibbs sends readers on another adventure with young knights-in-training, Tim and Belinda (in disguise). With a style reminiscent of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events , Tim narrates his misadventures while introducing readers to appropriate vocabulary words and amusing commentary. Despite the nonsensical nature of the tale, there are still important themes included such as friendship, loyalty, and courage. Tim struggles to do what he feels is right because he's afraid of being made fun of for being weak.  The knights he and Belinda travel with are rude and unwise and end up betraying Tim ...

IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD AND I'M IN MY BATHING SUIT by Justin A. Reynolds Scholastic, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-338-83195-5 Ages 9-12 Source: Scholastic Book Fairs All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book summary & book cover obtained from goodreads.com and publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK Twelve-year-old Eddie Gordon Holloway has concocted his most genius plan ever to avoid chores... especially the dreaded L-A-U-N-D-R-Y. If he can wear all the clothes he owns, he'll only have to do the laundry once during his school break. On the day of the highly anticipated Beach Bash, Eddie's monstrous pile of dirty laundry is found by his mom. And Eddie's day has just taken a turn for the worst. Now he's stuck at home by himself, missing the bash, and doing his whole pile of laundry. But mid-cycle, the power goes out! With his first load of laundry wet and the rest of his stuff still filthy, he sets out to explore the seemingly empty neighborhood in his glow-in-the-dark swim tru...

WAYSIDE SCHOOL BENEATH THE CLOUD OF DOOM by Louis Sachar, illustrated by Tim Heitz Harper, 2020 ISBN: 978-0-06-296538-7 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK For the first time in twenty-five years, Wayside School is back in session in this brand-new, fourth installment in the perennially beloved and bestselling series by Newbery Medal-winning author Louis Sachar. Welcome back to Wayside School! Your favorite students and teachers are all here. That includes Sharie, who loves her striped-and-spotted umbrella more than anything; Kathy, who has a bad case of oppositosis; Jason, who has to read the longest book in the world; and the rest of Mrs. Jewls’s class on the thirtieth floor, who are busily collecting toenail clippings. Everyone is scrambling to prepare for the all-important Ultimate Test, but meanwhile, there is a mysterious Cloud of Doom looming above them… REVIEW I found it delightful to return to the craziness that is Wayside Schoo...

PIZAZZ :  It's Not Easy Being Super... by Sophy Henn Aladdin, 2021 ISBN: 978-1-5344-9242-4 Source: ARC from publisher for review Ages 8-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Discover the annoying side of being a superhero from snarky, reluctant hero Pizazz in this hilarious and highly illustrated new series for young middle graders—perfect for fans of Dog Man and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Most people think superhero work is awesome and fulfilling. Pizazz knows better. Whenever she’s in the middle of a movie or having fun with her friends, she has to dash off the save the world. And she’s always in the same outfit, including an embarrassing glittery cape, and the wedgies are unreal. Plus, being the good guy all the time is so not easy. Superheroes have bad days like everybody else, but Pizazz always has to be cheerful and noble and brave. More than anything, she just wants to be normal. REVIEW There are a lot of downsides to being a superhero, according to narrator...

DEAR SISTER by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Joe Bluhm Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-4814-5142-0 Source: publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK What do you do when you have an incredibly annoying little sister? Write her letters telling her so, of course! Whininess, annoyingness, afraid of the darkness, refusal to eat lima beans, and pulling brother's hair. This is the criteria on which little sisters are graded. Inspired by the notes Alison McGhee's own kids would write each other, this heavily illustrated collection of letters and messages from an older brother to his little sister reveal the special love--or, at the very least, tolerance--siblings have for each other. REVIEW Anyone who has grown up with a sibling should be able to relate to this book.  This quick read is presented as a collection of notes written by an older brother to his little sister over an eight year period of ...

A Dastardly Plot A Perilous Journey of Danger & Mayhem #1 by Christopher Healy Walden Pond Press, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-06-234197-6 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade speculative (alternative history) All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK It's 1883—the Age of Invention! A time when great men like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Nicola Tesla, and George Eastman work to turn the country into a land of limitless opportunity. And it all happens at the world famous Inventor’s Guild headquarters in New York City—a place where a great idea, a lot of hard work, and a little bit of luck can find you rubbing elbows with these gods of industry who will usher humanity into the future. Unless, of course, you’re a woman. Molly Pepper, daughter of brilliant but unknown inventor Cassandra Pepper, lives with her mother in New York. By day, they make ends meet running a pickle shop; but by night, they toil and dream of Cassandra taking her pl...

THE ADVENTURER'S GUIDE TO SUCCESSFUL ESCAPES by Wade Albert White, illustrations by Mariano Epelbaum Little, Brown and Company, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-316-30528-0 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade speculative (fantasy)/humor All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Anne has spent most of her thirteen years dreaming of the day she and her best friend Penelope will finally leave Saint Lupin's Institute for Perpetually Wicked and Hideously Unattractive Children. When the big day arrives, a series of very curious happenings lead to Anne being charged with an epic quest. Anne, Penelope, and new questing partner Hiro have only days to travel to strange new locales, solve myriad riddles, and triumph over monstrous foes--or face the horrible consequences. REVIEW If you enjoy snarky comments and plenty of humor, this enjoyable fantasy novel is for you.  I'm a fan of snarky comments and humor so I really enjoyed this book.  Anne has spent her ...

THE JOLLY REGINA The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters #1 by Kara LaReau, illustrated by Jen Hill Amulet Books, 2017 ISBN: 978-1-4197-2136-6 Ages 9-12 Middle grade adventure Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK This new series features the blandest sisters who ever embarked on a rollicking, swashbuckling, and entirely unintentional adventure In the spirit of A Series of Unfortunate Events and the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series, The Unintentional Adventures of the Bland Sisters will captivate middle-grade readers looking for humor, hijinks, and a swashbuckling good time. Meet Jaundice and Kale Bland, two sisters who avoid excitement at any cost. Together, they patiently await the return of their parents, who left on an errand years ago and have never returned. One day, the Bland sisters are kidnapped by an all-female band of pirates. They’re unwillingly swept into a high-seas romp that might just l...

HARRIET THE INVINCIBLE Hamster Princess #1 by Ursula Vernon Scholastic, 2015 ISBN: 978-0-545-91343-0 Ages 9-12 Middle grade fantasy/animal/fairy tale Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Sleeping Beauty gets a feisty, furry twist in this hilarious new comic series from the creator of Dragonbreath. Harriet Hamsterbone is not your typical princess. She may be quite stunning in the rodent realm (you'll have to trust her on this one), but she is not so great at trailing around the palace looking ethereal or sighing a lot. She finds the royal life rather . . . dull. One day, though, Harriet's parents tell her of the curse that a rat placed on her at birth, dooming her to prick her finger on a hamster wheel when she's twelve and fall into a deep sleep. For Harriet, this is  most  wonderful news: It means she's invincible until she's twelve! After all, no good curse goes to waste. And so begins a grand li...

FRAZZLED: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom by Booki Vivat Harper, 2016 ISBN:  978-0-06-239879-6 Middle grade humor Ages 9-12 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Meet Abbie Wu! She’s about to start middle school and she’s totally in crisis. Abbie Wu is in crisis—and not just because she’s stuck in a family that doesn’t quite get her or because the lunch ladies at school are totally corrupt or because everyone seems to have a “Thing” except her. Abbie Wu is in crisis always. Heavily illustrated and embarrassingly honest, Frazzled dives right into the mind of this hilariously neurotic middle school girl as she tries to figure out who she is, where she belongs, and how to survive the everyday disasters of growing up. With Abbie’s flair for the dramatic and natural tendency to freak out, middle school has never seemed so nerve-racking! Packed with hilarious black-and-white illustrations and doodles thro...

BEACH PARTY SURF MONKEY Welcome to WonderLand #2 by Chris Grabenstein, illustrated by Brooke Allen Random House, 2017 ISBN: 978-0-553-53610-2 Source: publisher for review Middle grade humor/contemporary Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK From Chris Grabenstein, the bestselling author of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library and coauthor with James Patterson of I Funny, House of Robots, and Treasure Hunters, comes the second hilarious, fun-in-the-sun adventure in his new illustrated series about all the wacky things that happen when you live in a motel! There's always something wacky happening when you live in a motel, and P.T. (named after P. T. Barnum, of course) has grown up at the world's wackiest! When word gets out that the hottest teen idols in Hollywood (plus current YouTube sensation Kevin the Monkey!) will be filming their next movie--Beach Party Surf Monkey--right in St. Pete's Beach, Florida, P.T. and his...

FUNNY GIRL Funniest. Stories. EVER. edited by Betsy Bird Viking, 2017 ISBN: 978-0-451-47731-6 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Middle grade humor All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Sharyn Novbember at Viking has acquired Funny Girl, a humor anthology for girls ages 9-12, curated by Betsy Bird and featuring short stories, personal essays, comics, and poetry from nearly 30 female writers, including Lisa Graff, Cece Bell, Jenni Holm, Shannon Hale, and Rita Williams-Garcia. A portion of the proceeds will support WriteGirl, a creative writing and mentoring organization for teen girls.  REVIEW As with most short story collections that I've read, the quality of the stories varied.  I enjoyed some of the stories a lot more than others.  Some I found rather odd such as A Most Serious Recitation of the Poem "Trees" by Joyce Kilmer, Rendered Most Seriously (and with the utmost care) By The Hand of Cece Bell with a pasted in picture of ...

THE BEST MAN by Richard Peck Dial Books for Young Readers, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-8037-3839-3 Source: school library Middle grade contemporary Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Newbery Medalist Richard Peck brings us this big-hearted novel about gay marriage from a kid’s endearing perspective When Archer is in sixth grade, his beloved uncle Paul marries another man—Archer’s favorite student teacher. But that’s getting ahead of the story, and a wonderful story it is. In Archer’s sweetly naïve but observant voice, his life through elementary school is recounted: the outspoken, ever-loyal friends he makes, the teachers who blunder or inspire, and the family members who serve as his role models. From one exhilarating, unexpected episode to another, Archer’s story rolls along as he puzzles over the people in his life and the kind of person he wants to become…and manages to help his uncle become his best self as well. REVIEW Archer ...