Geo Librarian

LIFE AFTER WHALE The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall written by Lynn Brunelle, illustrated by Jason Chin Neal Porter Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-8234-5228-6 Source: purchased Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Follow a blue whale’s enormous body to the bottom of the ocean, where it sets the stage for a bustling new ecosystem to flourish. All living things must one day die, and Earth’s largest creature, the majestic blue whale, is no exception. But in nature, death is never a true ending. When this whale closes her eyes for the last time in her 90-year life, a process known as whale fall is just beginning. Her body will float to the surface, then slowly sink through the deep; from inflated behemoth to clean-picked skeleton, it will offer food and shelter at each stage to a vast diversity of organisms, over the course of a century and beyond. Caldecott Medalist Jason Chin’s astonishing...

 As a member of the 2025 Cybils Graphic Novel panel I will be reading many great graphic novels in the next couple of months, so I will be posting quite a few reviews for those books. These are my opinions only and do not represent the views of the group. SNOW AND SORCERY Cardboard Kingdom #3 illustrated by Chad Sell, contributing authors: Jay Fuller-Ng, David DeMeo, Katie Schenkel, Vid Alliger, Manuel Betancourt, Barbara Perez Marquez, and Jasmine Walls Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2023 ISBN: 9780593481622  Source: eBook from public library Ages 8-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK The kids of the Cardboard Kingdom go on a new adventure! This time, they are in search of new friends—but what they discover is a lot more like enemies ... It’s winter break in the Cardboard Kingdom, and kids from the town across the park want to play together! But according to the evil Sorcere...

THE PRINCESS IN BLACK AND THE KITTY CATASTROPHE written by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, illustrated by LeUyen Pham Candlewick Press, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5362-3409-1 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 The Princess in Black may know how to handle all kinds of monsters, but a kitten set on destruction? Me-OW! Duchess Wigtower had heard that pets are fun, but all her kitten has gotten her is nine lives' worth of problems. Eeeeek! It’s time for someone else to deal with this catastrophe. Princess Magnolia is thrilled when a kitten lands on her doorstep, but just as she’s about to play with Plumpkins (or should it be Hugmaster Floof?) the monster alarm goes off. When Princess Magnolia returns to her castle, her furry companion has carved up the wallpaper! In fact, each time Princess Magnolia leaves to help the Goat Avenger fight a very grouchy mon...

THE NIGHT LIBRARIAN by Christopher Lincoln with color assistance by Bonnie Rosado Dial Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-593-61765-6 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK A graphic novel adventure in which two siblings, a mysterious Night Librarian, and a motley cast of book characters try to save the New York Public Library Twins Page and Turner know about the magic a library holds—they’ve been going to their beloved New York City public library for years, especially since their parents are always traveling for work. But a secret mission involving their dad’s rare and valuable edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula uncovers a world they’ve never known, featuring a mysterious Night Librarian, famous heroes (and villains) that have broken free from classic books, and an epic battle to save the library from total destruction. REVIEW Paige and Turner spend much of their t...

  THE BOY AND THE ELEPHANT written & illustrated by Freya Blackwood Random House Studio, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-593-70766-1 Source: publisher through Blue Slip Media Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & illustrations & author/illustrator bio provided by Blue Slip Media. ABOUT THE BOOK The powerful new picture book from Greenaway Medallist and seven-time CBCA winner, Freya Blackwood The boy lives in a city, where everything is fast and loud. But amidst the bustle and the noise, the boy has a secret ... In the overgrown lot next to his apartment building, deep within the green, he has a friend. But one day progress arrives, bringing with it plans for something new, and the boy must find a way to save his friend before it's too late ... From award-winning illustrator and storyteller Freya Blackwood comes a magical and tender wordless picture book about the world we live in and our ability to change it. ABOUT THE AUTHOR/ILLUSTRATOR Freya Blackwood fell ...

  RISE OF THE SPIDER Web of the Spider #1 by Michael P. Spradlin Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2024 ISBN: 9781665947206 Source: publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, author photo & bio, and book summary provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK 1929, Heroldsberg, Germany. Rolf might only be twelve years old, but he’s old enough to know that things have not been good in his country since the end of the Great War. Half of Germany is out of work, and a new political movement is taking hold that scares him. Every night, Rolf’s father and older brother, Romer, have increasingly heated arguments about politics at the dinner table. And when two members of the new Nazi Party, Hans and Nils, move to town as part of the Hitler Youth, Rolf is uneasy to see how enamored Romer is by their promises of bringing Germany to glory. Rolf doesn’t trust Hans and Nils for a moment. For all their talk of greatness, they act more like bullies, antagon...

  THE IGUANODON'S HORN: How Artists & Scientists put a Dinosaur back together again & again & again! written & illustrated by Sean Rubin Clarion Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-0-06-323921-0 Source: purchased Ages 6-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover & summary provided by the publisher through Goodreads.com. ABOUT THE BOOK Highlighting the role of artists in the scientific process, this crowd-pleasing look at dinosaurs explores how new discoveries deepen our understanding of the world. Ever since mysterious bones were found in 1822, scientists and artists have tried to figure out what the creature they came from looked like. But it seems that every time they’ve made up their minds, someone makes a new discovery, and they have to start all over. That’s only fair, though—after all, it’s how knowledge advances! With an inviting tone and detail-filled art, Sean Rubin traces the process of defining—and redefining—the dinosaur called Iguanodon . Entertainin...

  I WANT TO READ ALL THE BOOKS written & illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2024 ISBN: 9781481416313 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, summary, author bio & interview, provided by the publisher. ABOUT THE BOOK An insatiably curious girl decides the only way to answer all her questions is to read all the books in this funny and charming picture book in the spirit of The Library Fish and Tom Chapin’s The Library Book.Hana wants to know everything about the world around her. When she starts asking questions, her mother gives her a book. She learns so much, but now she has even more questions! She also has a big she will read all the books—every single one! She reads every book in her house…and then her friends’ houses…and then the whole block. Nonfiction, fiction, romance, mysteries, and science fiction. But when her mother takes her to the downtown library, she realizes ther...

BEAR'S BIG IDEA written by Sandra Nickel, illustrated by Il Sung Na Carolrhoda Books, 2024 ISBN: 978-8-7656-1017-6 Source: publisher through Blue Slip Media (Thanks!) Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own. Book cover, illustrations, & bios provided by Blue Slip Media. ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR Sandra Nickel is the author of picture book biographies about the inventor of nachos (Nacho’s Nachos), the discoverer of dark matter (The Stuff Between the Stars), and the first woman meteorologist (Breaking Through the Clouds). She is the winner of a Christopher Award, the winner of the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators Crystal Kite Award, a finalist for the Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction for Younger Readers, a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection honoree, and a Charlotte Huck Award Recommended author. Sandra has an MFA in writing for children and young adults and has presented workshops on writing for children and young adults throughout E...

  LET THE LIGHT IN written by Laurie Ann Thompson, illustrated by Adriana Predoi Worthy Kids, 2024 ISBN: 978-1-5460-0647-3 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 Help little ones move from sadness to brighter days with this hopeful and encouraging look at a universal emotion. It’s normal to feel sad, but for kids, sadness can often feel overwhelming and confusing. Let the Light In meets children in their moment of sadness and offers empathetic ideas on how to navigate it. Concrete and simple ideas include creative expression, going for a walk, paying attention to the world around them, and visiting a friend. Little ones will be left with the uplifting message that, whether it happens in big ways or small, all at once or over time, sadness will eventually fade, and better days will come. REVIEW This lovely little book with it's sweet rhymes and ...