Geo Librarian

    UNICORNS ARE THE WORST! by Alex Willan Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2020 ISBN: 9781534453838 Source: publisher for review Ages 4-8 All opinions expressed are solely my own.   ABOUT THE BOOK   Perfect for fans of Dragons Love Tacos and Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great , this wildly funny and imaginative picture book celebrates the value of differences as a grumpy goblin gets to know his new unicorn neighbors. It’s an undeniable fact that unicorns are the worst! Magic is serious business, but all unicorns do is frolic around, have tea parties, and leave glitter all over the place! They’re nothing like goblins—practical and hard-working, who can put magic to good use! Unicorns aren’t helpful at all. Or are they?   REVIEW   Goblin is content documenting spells, as well as gathering and organizing ingredients for spells.  He is less than thrilled when a group of unicorns moves in next door and disrupts his work.  Most of ...

  WRATH OF THE DRAGON KING Dragonwatch #2 by Brandon Mull Shadow Mountain, 2018 ISBN: 978-1-62972-486-7 Source: publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own.   ABOUT THE BOOK   War has come to the dragon sanctuaries of the world and nowhere is the danger more intense than at Wyrmroost. After a humiliating defeat at the hands of Kendra and Seth, Celebrant, King of Dragons, prepares to unleash his fury and take control of his native preserve. Armed with information from a new ally Ronodin, the dark unicorn Celebrant seeks a legendary talisman the dominion stone. However, the powerful stone is protected by a cursed castle. Upon entering the castle fortress, an unyielding power strips all magical beings of their power and forces Celebrant to take his human avatar form. Kendra and Seth must enter the cursed castle as well. The race is on. Will the two young caretakers rally enough support from the creatures of Wyrmroost against the greate...

  EEK! A Noisy Journey from A to Z by Julie Larios and Julie Paschkis Peachtree Publishing, 2020 ISBN: 9781682631690 Ages 2-6 Source: publisher for review All opinions expressed are solely my own.   ABOUT THE BOOK   A boisterous trip through the alphabet--letter by letter and sound by noisy sound! This story begins quietly as Mouse selects a flower for someone very dear to him. Then the fun begins! To complete his journey, Mouse must make his way through the alphabet. One sniff of his special flower--Achoo!--and a bee flies out--Bzzz! Readers will love meeting the colorful parade of characters along Mouse's trek and will cheer when he reaches his destination and presents the flower to... Well, that part of the story is a surprise! Author Julie Larios and illustrator Julie Paschkis have collaborated to create an entertaining combination of clever text and lively art. With its fun--and onomatopoeic--sounds, and its parade of colorful characters, this distinctive p...

    POSTED by John David Anderson Walden Pond Press, 2017 ISBN: 978-0-06-233820-4 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own.   ABOUT THE BOOK   In middle school, words aren’t just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends or make you enemies. They can come back to haunt you. Sometimes they can change things forever. When cell phones are banned at Branton Middle School, Frost and his friends Deedee, Wolf, and Bench come up with a new way to communicate: leaving sticky notes for each other all around the school. It catches on, and soon all the kids in school are leaving notes—though for every kind and friendly one, there is a cutting and cruel one as well. In the middle of this, a new girl named Rose arrives at school and sits at Frost’s lunch table. Rose is not like anyone else at Branton Middle School, and it’s clear that the close circle of friends Frost has made for himself won’t easily...

WHEN PENCIL MET ERASER Story by Karen Kilpatrick and Luis O. Ramos, Jr,  Illustrated by German Blanco Imprint, 2019 ISBN: 9781250309396 Source: purchased Ages 3-8 All opinions expressed are solely my o wn.   ABOUT THE BOOK Ever wonder why there's a little pink eraser on every pencil? Find out in this picture book that tells the true story of how Pencil and Eraser became the best of friends. When Pencil draws on the pages of this book, Eraser erases parts of Pencil's work, and the book itself becomes a canvas for their different takes on creativity--until the two discover their artwork is even better when they work together.   REVIEW   This delightful story provides an explanation for how pencil and eraser came together.  Pencil loves to draw and is very good at it.  Pencil is not impressed when Eraser erased some of the picture Pencil drew. Pencil tries to ignore Eraser, but Eraser continues to change Pencil's pictures. Finally, Pencil tries to stump...

DAN UNMASKED by Chris Negron Harper, 2020 ISBN: 9780062943064 Source: ARC from Blue Slip Media Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Whether they’re on the baseball field or in Nate’s basement, devouring the newest issue of their favorite comic book, Dan and Nate are always talking. Until they’re not. After an accident at baseball practice—an accident that Dan is certain he caused—Nate’s stuck in a coma. Usually, Dan can rely on his and Nate’s superpower—the secret language that only they know, a language of raised eyebrows and subtle nose taps. Now, if Dan ever wants to see Nate tap his nose again, he’s got to figure out a way to wake him up. But for all the time he’s spent reading about the adventures of Captain Nexus, Dan knows he’s no superhero. Heroes have powers—and without Nate, all Dan has is a closet stuffed with comics and a best-friend shaped hole in his heart. There’s no way a regular kid can save the day all on his own. Right? REVI...

AMERICAN AS PANEER PIE by Supriya Kelkar Aladdin, 2020 ISBN: 978-1-5344-3938-2 Source: publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK An Indian-American girl who struggles to navigate her two very different lives: the one at home, where she can be herself, and the one at school, where she is teased for her culture. When a racist incident rocks her small town, she must decide to continue to remain silent or find her voice. REVIEW This book was eye-opening in a lot of ways.  The themes that permeate the book are so relevant to the world today.  The story revolves around Lekha Divekar, a young Indian American girl who wants so badly to belong with her classmates.  Her parents are immigrants from India and have kept many of their traditions.  Lekha enjoys many of these traditions but she dislikes having to always answer questions about her traditions and beliefs.  She's also been bullied and stereotyped by those around her....

GREAT WHITE SHARK ADVENTURE Fabien Cousteau Expeditions written by James O. Fraioli, illustrated by Joe St. Pierre Margaret K. McElderrry Books, 2019 ISBN: 978-1-5344-2087-8 Source: publisher for review Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Two young explorers join Fabien Cousteau and his team to get up close and personal with great white sharks in this start to a series of graphic adventure novels. Junior explorers Bella and Marcus join famed explorer Fabien Cousteau and his research team as they embark on an ocean journey off the coast of South Africa, where the world’s largest concentrations of great white sharks are found. Their mission is to investigate a sighting of a massive white shark, and tag it so they can track and protect it. Along the way, they’ll encounter whales, seals, dolphins, penguins, and a colorful array of other marine life. They’ll also enter a shark cage and come face to face with these powerful creatures.  Dramatic, graphic ill...

EXTREME OCEAN Amazing Animals, High-Tech Gear, Record-Breaking Depths, and Much More! by Sylvia A. Earle with Glen Phelan National Geographic Kids, 2020 ISBN: 9781426336850 Source: Media Masters Publicity Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Discover the most outrageous aspects of the deep blue---from record-breaking depths to towering tsunamis, underwater giants to tiny sea creatures--along with ocean conservation challenges and what you can do to help. Dive into a world of aquatic mystery in this action-packed combination of science and adventure. Famed National Geographic Explorer Sylvia Earle leads readers on an in-depth tour of life beneath the waves. Come face-to-face with whales and sharks, learn about the newest and most hi-tech ocean gear and gadgets, experiment with hands-on activities, and join Earle as she recounts her most daring dives. Packed with fascinating tidbits, animal profiles, and up-to-date science, each chapter combines stunning pho...

OUR WORLD A First Book of Geography words by Sue Lowell Gallion, pictures by Lisk Feng Phaidon, 2020 ISBN: 9781838660819 Source: publisher for review (Thanks!) Ages 4-10 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK A read-aloud introduction to geography for young children that, when opened and folded back, creates a freestanding globe Children are invited to identify and experience the Earth's amazing geography through rhyming verse and lush illustrations: from rivers, lakes, and oceans deep, to valleys, hills, and mountains steep. Secondary text offers more detailed, curriculum-focused facts and encourages readers to consider their own living environments, making the reading experience personal yet set within a global backdrop. This informative homage to Earth is sure to inspire readers to learn more about their planet – and to engage with the world around them. REVIEW The shape of this book catches the eye immediately.  The top two-thirds of the book is shaped like a ...