Geo Librarian

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...

MONSTERS FOR SALE Meg O'Keefe, illustrated by LaMont Russ Lanier Press, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-61005-734-9 Ages 4-8 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK "Each day came and went with no child to take them home. The monsters decided it was time to make a plan of their own." Joy and contentment soon lead to worry as three toy monsters realize their plan to find the love of a child is falling apart. Will she return them? Will she give them away? Or maybe-just maybe-she will help them to discover that simply being themselves is always enough. REVIEW This is a cute story about the importance about being yourself.  While it felt a bit didactic in its delivery of that message, the illustrations are cute enough to overlook that.  Here we have three monsters who are afraid that no child will ever want them the way they are, too many children have walked away.  So they put together a plan and hide as much of the...

DON'T FORGET DEXTER! by Lindsay Ward two lions, 2018 ISBN: 978-1542047272 Source: publisher for review/Blue Slip Media Ages 3-6 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Introducing Dexter T. Rexter, the toughest, coolest dinosaur ever. At least he likes to think so. When his best friend, Jack, leaves him behind at the doctor’s office, Dexter T. Rexter panics. First he tries to find Jack. Then he sings their special song. Then he sings their special song even louder. But when Jack still doesn’t appear, Dexter starts to wonder. What if he’s being replaced by another toy? It can’t be—after all, he can STOMP, RAWR, and CHOMP! Right? Right?! This hilariously neurotic dinosaur will do whatever it takes to get his friend back—even asking the reader’s advice—in this first book of a brand-new series. REVIEW Dexter T. Rexter is afraid he's been forgotten by his boy, Jack.  One minute they were playing together and the next, Jack is gone.  Dexte...

IT'S NOT JACK AND THE BEANSTALK written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Edwardian Taylor two lions, 2017 ISBN: 978-1542045650 Source: Blue Slip Media for review Ages 5 and up Picture book All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Jack is not fond of the bossy narrator of his fairy tale! When Jack is told to trade his beloved cow Bessie for some magic beans, throw the beans out the window, climb the ENORMOUS beanstalk that sprouts overnight, and steal from a GIANT, he decides this fairy tale is getting out of control. In fact, he doesn’t want to follow the story line at all. Who says Jack needs to enter a life of daring, thievery, and giant trickery? He takes his story into his own hands—and you’ll never guess what happens next! With laugh-out-loud dialogue and bold, playful art (including hidden fairy tale creatures for kids to find), this Jack and the Beanstalk retelling will have children rolling with laughter till Bessie the cow comes h...

FANTASTIC FLOWERS written and illustrated by Susan Stockdale Peachtree Publishers, 2017 ISBN: 978-1-56145-952-0 Source: ARC from publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. REVIEW Flowers that look like ballerinas? Baboons? A swaddled baby? Strangely enough it's all true and Susan Stockdale highlights seventeen flowers that look an awful lot like something else.  It reminds me a bit of the cloud game, where you try to see things in the clouds, except with flowers.  This is a great book to use to introduce children to plants and the amazing variety and the strange characteristics of flowers.  In addition, Stockdale also gives a brief overview of pollination.  Photographs are included at the end along with the official names, scientific names, and pollinators for each plant.  A great book for teaching or just a fun introduction to amazing nature. ZEBRA ON THE GO written by Jill Nogales, illustrated by Lorraine Roch...

HEY, THAT'S MY MONSTER! written by Amanda Noll, illustrated by Howard McWilliam Flashlight Press, 2016 ISBN: 978-1-936261-37-6 Source: purchased Ages 5-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK When Ethan looks under the bed for his monster, he finds this note instead: “So long, kid. Gotta go. Someone needs me more than you do. –Gabe” How will Ethan ever get to sleep without his monster’s familiar, comforting snorts? And who could need Gabe more than Ethan does? Gabe must have gone to Ethan’s little sister’s room! She has been climbing out of bed every night to play, and obviously needs a monster to help her get to sleep – but not HIS monster! Ethan tries to help his sister find her own monster, but none are the perfect blend of cute and creepy. Just when it seems that Ethan will lose his monster forever, an uninvited, tutu-toting little monster full of frightening fun ap­pears. Following in the spooky-silly tradition of  I Ne...

GNAWING AROUND Super Happy Party Bears #1 by Marcie Colleen, illustrated by Steve James Imprint, 2016 ISBN: 978-1-250-09807-8 Early chapter book Ages 6-9 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK The first book in a funny chapter book series filled with full color illustrations and adorable animals! To the Super Happy Party Bears, everything is a good thing. Their entire attitude can be summed up in one word: YAY! They love doughnuts, dancing, and above all else—a good party. Not so for the rest of the animals living in the Grumpy Woods. They find the bears terribly annoying. When a few beavers come to town, the Grumpy Woods are even grumpier than usual. These beavers are drying up their river with their dam . . . the beavers are ruining everything! They must leave—it is decreed! But the Super Happy Party Bears just love the beavers! As the Grumpy Woods scheme to unwelcome them, the Super Happy Party Bears throw them a housewa...

STICK DOG WANTS A HOT DOG by Tom Watson Harper, 2013 ISBN: 978-0-06-229593-4 Ages 6-10 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK In Stick Dog Wants a Hot Dog , Tom Watson's hilarious sequel to Stick Dog , Stick Dog returns with the same crew of friends, and they're hungrier than ever. As the dogs embark on their quest for hot dogs, they learn they're not the only ones on a mission—a band of raccoons are following close behind, and they're ravenous, too! In this second book, Stick Dog and his four friends, Poo-Poo, Mutt, Stripes, and Karen, must execute a master plan for stealing hot dogs. The closer they get to the hot dog vendor, the more difficult their mission becomes. With the same hilarious antics, the five dogs are met with many challenges along the way, including having to distract the frankfurter guy and Karen getting locked in a human's house. No matter what, these dogs have their eyes—and stomach...

BIG BAD DETECTIVE AGENCY by Bruce Hale Scholastic, 2015 ISBN: 978-0-545-66538-4 Ages 6-9 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK From the comic genius behind CHET GECKO comes a new kind of fairy tale hero -- and a big, bad, crime-solving adventure! The houses of all Three (not-so-) Little Pigs were broken into and ransacked, and the Pigs are squealing for justice. So Prince Tyrone, ruler of Fairylandia, drags in the obvious suspect: Wolfgang. The lone wolf has big teeth, sharp claws, no alibi -- and a single day to find the real culprit and clear his big bad name. When Wolf (reluctantly) teams up with the fourth Little Pig to crack the case, the Big Bad Detective Agency -- and an adventure way funnier than your average fairy tale -- is off to a howling start! REVIEW I've read many fractured fairy tales, even fractured fairy tale mysteries, but none quite like this one.  The tongue-in-cheek tone of the narrator add to the humor o...

PIPER GREEN AND THE FAIRY TREE by Ellen Potter, illustrated by Qin Leng Alfred A. Knopf, 2015 ISBN: 978-0-553-49923-0 Early Chapter Book Source: school library All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK From award-winning author Ellen Potter comes a charming new chapter book series where kids, lobster boats, and a hint of magic are part of everyday life. There are three things you should know about Piper Green: 1. She always says what’s on her mind (even when she probably shouldn’t). 2. She rides a lobster boat to school. 3. There is a Fairy Tree in her front yard. Life on an island in Maine is always interesting. But when a new teacher starts at Piper’s school—and doesn’t appreciate the special, um, accessory that Piper has decided to wear—there may be trouble on the horizon. Then Piper discovers the Fairy Tree in her front yard. Is the Fairy Tree really magic? And can it fix Piper’s problems? REVIEW I thoroughly enjoyed this new early chapter...

TILLIE & CLEMENTINE Zoo Switcheroo by Dan Killeen  Happy Fun Books, 2014 ISBN: 978-0-9898474-2-1 Picture Book Source: author for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Tillie and Clementine go with their parents to spend a fun day exploring the zoo. They happen to be there, however, on the same day a daddy gorilla and his baby daughter sneak out of their enclosure to do the same thing! At one point the two dads get distracted, accidentally grab the wrong daughter, and hoist them up for a piggyback ride. Soon Daddy is walking around with a baby gorilla on his back, and the big silverback gorilla is walking around with Clementine on his. How will the crazy Zoo Switcheroo get resolved? This richly illustrated, whimsical tale shows how parents and kids, whether gorilla or human, can be easily distracted with perilous yet funny consequences. Until near the end, no one in the story is aware of the monumental mix up that has occurred. Young ...

MARTIAN MUSTACHE MISCHIEF by Brian Rock First Light Publishing, 2015 ISBN13: 9781514777589 Source: electronic copy from author for review All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Earth has been invaded by Mars! What do they want? How can we defend against them? And why do they look like little mustaches?!?!  Join the out-of-this-world fun as our narrator enlists help from readers to repel the “Red Menace.” Discover why ketchup is so important to Mars. Learn one of the toughest tongue twisters in the galaxy as you join the fight to save earth and its most precious resource from alien domination! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Brian Rock's latest PB, THE DEDUCTIVE DETECTIVE, (Sylvan Dell) was a featured title of the month by the Children’s Book Council (Feb 2013.) He has three additional published picture books, WITH ALL MY HEART, DON’T PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD! and PIGGIES. Children’s Poet Laureate, Kenn Nesbitt will be featuring one of his poems in his ...

WOLFIE THE BUNNY written by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Zachariah OHora Little, Brown and Company, 2015 ISBN: 978-0-316-22614-1 Ages 4-8 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Families of all kinds will delight in this sweet tale of new babies, sibling rivalry, bravery, unconditional love...and veggies!   The Bunny family has adopted a wolf son, and daughter Dot is the only one who realizes Wolfie can--and might--eat them all up! Dot tries to get through to her parents, but they are too smitten to listen. A new brother takes getting used to, and when (in a twist of fate) it's Wolfie who's threatened, can Dot save the day? REVIEW I expected this book to be funny, I mean it has a wolf in a bunny suit holding a carrot on the cover after all.  But the ending still surprised me.  The idea of a bunny family taking in a wolf pup is funny to begin with and then the author throws in Dot's fierce distrust of this new mem...

ONE BIG PAIR OF UNDERWEAR by Laura Gehl, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld Beach Lane Books, 2014 ISBN: 9781442453364 Picture Book ABOUT THE BOOK Count and share withunderwear! Come along on a zany adventure with hilarious pictures from the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site . What's one thing that two bears, three yaks, four goats, and six cats have in common? They hate to share. But look out here comes a pack of twenty pigs ready to prove that sharing makes everything twice as fun! This seriously silly picture book with artwork by the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site irresistibly combines the concepts of counting and sharing. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Laura Gehl is the author of  One Big Pair of Underwear , illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, which released from Simon & Schuster in September 2014. She is also the author of four other upcoming picture books:  An...