Geo Librarian

The true story of ... MO FARAH, THE BOY WHO RAN TO BE FREE written by Dr. Seema Yasmin, illustrated by Noha Habaieb Salaam Reads/Simon Books for Young Readers, 2026 ISBN: 979-8-3471-1768-0 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK From the prolific Pulitzer Prize–nominated Muslim reporter Dr. Seema Yasmin comes the second book in the exciting nonfiction Muslim Mavericks chapter book series, about Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah. From Somalia to the Olympic arena, there’s no distance Mo can’t go! At the age of eight, Mo Farah and his family moved across the world from Somalia to London. It was difficult starting over in a new country, especially since he spoke very little English. But fortunately for Mo, running is a language everyone understands. Once he started, he never stopped—smashing records and winning championships. Now, having won four gold me...

  LIONEL MESSI'S WORLD CUP TRIUMPH History's Greatest Games #1 written by Chris Barish, illustrated by Nate Sweitzer Abrams Fanfare, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-4197-7939-8 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK It’s the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, and Lionel Messi—one of the greatest players to ever take the field—is one match away from victory. Despite his many awards and accolades, Messi has never been able to add a World Cup trophy to his collection.If Argentina wins, this would be a historic moment not just for the country, but for the entire legacy of soccer on the international stage.Travel back in time to learn how the World Cup began and see the incredible players—from Maradona to Mbappé—who built it into the global phenomenon we know today.This exciting new graphic novel series offers a portal to the past, putting young readers in the middle...

  THE AMAZING GENERATION Your Guide to Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World written by Jonathan Haidt & Catherine Price, illustrated by Cynthia Yuan Cheng Rocky Pond Books, 2025 ISBN: 979-8-217-11190-9 Source: purchased Ages 10-14 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Inspired by the #1 New York Times bestseller The Anxious Generation, this new book for kids and tweens is a comprehensive guide for living a happy and exciting life that isn’t hijacked by a smartphone. Jonathan Haidt’s blockbuster book, The Anxious Generation, has sparked a global conversation about the effects of smartphones and social media on young people’s development, and has inspired millions of parents, teachers, and leaders to take action. Now, Haidt and Catherine Price, author of the bestselling How to Break Up with Your Phone, have teamed up to create a new book that speaks directly to kids. Their goal? To em...

  MAYSOON ZAYID, THE GIRL WHO CAN CAN written by Dr. Seema Yasmin, illustrated by Noha Habaieb Salaam Reads, 2026 ISBN: 978-1-6659-5342-9 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK This is the story of the girl who could! Maysoon Zayid was just a girl from New Jersey. She might have sometimes felt like she was in the shadow of her three older sisters, but in her dreams, she was Mimi—an amazing actress, comedian, and dancer! The only problem? People kept telling Maysoon her dreams were impossible! Achieving her goals certainly wasn’t easy; as a Palestinian Muslim girl born with cerebral palsy, Maysoon faced all sorts of challenges—both physical and societal. But Maysoon didn’t dare give up. Instead, she followed her heart all the way to the screen and stage to become one of America’s first ever women Muslim comedians and an actress on her favorite ...

MY ANTARCTICA: True Adventures in the land of mummified seals, space robots, and so much more written by G. Neri, illustrated by Corban Wilkin Candlewick Press, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5362-2332-3 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary are provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Antarctica is a land of extremes—the coldest, windiest, highest, and driest place on the planet. It’s a world where the sun stays hidden half of the year and where visitors must undergo a week of special training before it’s safe to go outside (watch out for lava bombs!). It’s also a place of stark beauty, history, and endless scientific research. Join beloved author G. Neri on his long-dreamed-of voyage to the ice, where he taps into his inner child and encounters sea angels, mummified seals, space robots, inquisitive penguins, and so much more. Abundant full-color photographs (many by the author) and annotated comics and illustrations fr...

LOST AT WINDY RIVER: A TRUE STORY OF SURVIVAL written by Trina Rathgeber, illustrated by Alina Pete, colored by Jillian Dolan Orca Book Publishers, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-4598-3226-8 Source: publisher for Cybils consideration Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK It takes courage and bravery to survive in the barrens. In 1944, thirteen-year-old Ilse Schweder got lost in a snowstorm while checking her family's trapline in northern Canada. This is the harrowing story of how a young Indigenous girl defies the odds and endures nine days alone in the unforgiving barrens. Ilse faces many challenges, including freezing temperatures, wild animals, snow blindness and frostbite. With no food or supplies, she relies on Traditional Indigenous Knowledge passed down from her family. Ilse uses her connection to the land and animals, wilderness skills and resilience to find her way home. This powerful ...

SALEM WITCH TRIALS History Smashers written by Kate Messner, illustrated by Falynn Koch Random House, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-593-70527-8 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth about the Salem Witch Trials in the hit History Smashers nonfiction series. Perfect for fans of the I Survived books and Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales.In 1692, a few paranoid Puritans accused their neighbors of being witches sending the town flying off the (broomstick) handle. Before it was all over, dozens of women in Salem, Massachusetts were executed—burned at the stake. RIGHT?WRONG! There was some serious witch worry, but no one in the United States was put on a pyre (though the truth isn't much better). And women weren’t the only ones caught in crossfire…maybe don’t read this one aloud to your dog.What really happened? The truth is historians...

  MYSTERIOUS, MARVELOUS OCTOPUS written by Paige Towler National Geographic Kids, 2023 ISBN: 978-1-4263-7667-2 Source: purchased Ages 6-10 Picture book nonfiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Meet one of Earth’s most incredible ocean animals in this lyrical, whimsical picture book uniquely layered with photographs, rhyming text, and fascinating facts about octopuses. This playful book introduces young readers to the fascinating world of octopuses big and small, ink-squirting and shape-shifting, all around the planet. With their super smarts and awe-inspiring abilities, octopuses have captivated human imaginations. This book is a celebration of all things weird and wonderful about these beloved creatures—with their eight arms, nine brains, and one-of-a-kind personalities. Inside, find lyrical poetry paired with informational sidebars—perfect for a charming bedtime read or for pourin...

  CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS AND THE TAINO PEOPLE History Smashers written by Kate Messner and Jose Barreiro Random House, 2023 ISBN: 978-0-593-56426-4 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Myths! Lies! Secrets! Uncover the hidden truth about Christopher Columbus, and learn all about the Taino people. Perfect for fans of the I Survived books and Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales. In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed across the ocean and discovered America. Right? WRONG! Columbus never actually set foot in what is now the United States. His voyages took him to islands in the Caribbean and along the coast of South America. The truth is, when Columbus first arrived, Indigenous peoples, including the Taino, had been living there for thousands of years, raising their families, running their societies, and trading with their neighbors. He didn’t “discover” the lands at all! And his ...

  MEN OF THE 65TH: The Borinqueneers of the Korean War by Talia Aikens-Nunez Zest Books, 2023 ISBN: 978-1-7284-4962-3 Source: author for review Ages 12 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book summary & cover provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Since the regiment’s creation in 1899, the men of the 65th have proudly served the US through multiple wars, despite facing racial discrimination. Their courage, loyalty, and patriotism earned them hundreds of accolades, including the Congressional Gold Medal in 2014. But the honor and fidelity of the men of the 65th came into question in 1952, in the midst of the Korean War, when ninety-one Borinqueneers were arrested and tried for desertion and disobeying orders. How could this happen in one of the most distinguished and decorated units of the Army? In this telling of one of the forgotten stories of the Korean War, author Talia Aikens-Nuñez guides us through the history of the Borinqueneers and ...

Welcome to the Not-So-Common Cents Blog Tour & Giveaway! To celebrate the release of Not-So-Common Cents by Sarah Wassner Flynn, featuring a special forward by financial educator Alvin Hall, blogs across the web are hosting exclusive excerpts from this ultimate book of all things money, as well as 5 chances to win a copy! FAMOUS FIRST JOBS You’ve got to start somewhere! Before they made the big bucks – or made history – these extraordinary people had pretty, well, ordinary jobs. Even better? They used some of their earnings to give back to others in need.  THE PERSON: Robert L. Johnson THE JOB: Newspaper delivery person THE STORY: Before he became the first African American billionaire, Johnson had a paper route in his hometown of Freeport, Illinois. But he says he didn’t like the early-morning hours, and he wound up dumping the papers in the trash! HOW HE GIVES BACK: With a $30 million donation, Johnson established a fund to help Liberian entrepreneurs go after t...

ALIAS ANNA A True Story of Outwitting the Nazis by Susan Hood with Greg Dawson Harper, 2022 ISBN: 978-0-06-308389-9 Source: purchased Ages 10 and up All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW Zhanna and Frina Arshanskaya grew up in an Ukraine under Russian control. Still, despite the family's poverty and Jewish heritage, the girls developed into piano prodigies, attending an elite music school, and even helping pay their family's way. When World War II arrived on their doorstep, everything changed as the Nazis put them under surveillance before arresting all the Jews in town and marching them away to be killed. Zhanna's daring nature helped feed her family during this difficult time. On the final march, her father bribes a guard into letting her escape telling her, "I don't care what you do. Just live." Later, Zhanna meets up with her sister, who somehow unknown to this day, managed to escape al...

LIFE IN HOT WATER Wildlife at the Bottom of the Ocean written by Mary Batten, illustrated by Thomas Gonzalez Peachtree, 2021 Source: purchased ISBN: 978-1-68263-152-2 Ages 8-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. REVIEW With illustrations so stunningly lifelike that they seem like photographs, Life in Hot Water  introduces readers to the the life surrounding hydrothermal vents.  These extreme environments full of toxic chemicals and gushing hot water manage to maintain a habitat in which some rather remarkable creatures manage to survive. Scientists theorized for years about the existence of such vents but it wasn't until the 1970s that the means existed to visit the bottom of the ocean to find out for sure.  Batten provides readers with an overview of vents and what scientists have learned about them over the years, including how they form, where they tend to be found, and some of the living organisms that...

  ULTIMATE FOOD ATLAS National Geographic Kids, 2020 ISBN: 978-1-4263-3867-0 Source: Media Masters Publicity for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Exploring the world has never been more yummy and fun! Discover how unique foods are grown, eaten, and celebrated by people all over the planet, get recipes for delicious dishes, and so much more! Pull up a chair and dig into this bold and vibrant world atlas full of fun food facts, fascinating information about crops and farming, easy-to-read maps, recipes, and games from around the world. On the menu: vegetables, grains, meats, dairy products, and foods harvested from the water. Highlights include appetizing attractions, cool places to eat, and food festivals, and sustainable eating is promoted throughout. It's a treat for kids who are interested in food and a valuable reference about geography, agriculture, and culture across ...

With the arrival of COVID, having some knowledge and understanding of disease, pandemics, and vaccines is very important.  These three books are all thoroughly documented and present information is a solid, understandable way that works well for the intended audience (as well as an older audience, I learned quite a bit).  Each book works particularly well in certain ways.  A Shot in the Arm  is a graphic history of the development of vaccines and why they are necessary and helpful.  The Deadliest Diseases Then and Now  focuses mostly on the plague and a bit on the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918, and concludes with a brief chapter on COVID-19. Hopkinson focuses a great deal on how disease spreads and how scientists developed their knowledge that slowly led to the development of vaccines.  Kate Messner's Plagues and Pandemics  looks more broadly at a variety of diseases and the damage that have done and continue to do in some cases and how scientists ...