Brief Thief

Brief Thief
by Michael Escoffier

illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo

Enchanted Lion Books (April 2, 2013)

Review copy provided by the publisher

Leon the lizard has to poo. But.. there is no more toilet paper! DUN, DUN, DUN! Then Leon discovers some old briefs hanging on a tree. Why not use those underpants? But there are always consequences for using someone’s underpants to do your business, and Leon will learn them.

Review: This book was just hilarous, mostly it was the end. I would rate it a 4 out of 5 stars. Brief Thief is a short picture book, with very simple pictures. What I found interesting was this book was published in another country, France. So, this book was acutally first published in France, and then translated into English. Read this book if you just want to try something a bit different, or maybe just want to laugh. --SS

Summary: A little lizard is enjoying his day, when suddenly, he has to poo. So he goes and uses the bathroom, but oh no! no toilet paper! Then, the lizard finds a pair of underwear, but they’re full of holes. The lizard uses them, throws them away, and walks off. BUT WAIT. His conscience starts talking to him and tells him to clean them. The ending will surprise you, but it’s really funny!!

What I liked best: This book was really funny, and I LOVED the ending. I would recommend this to younger kids. ages maybe 5 and younger? It was a great read, and I'm sure many others will enjoy it.  --SA

Lawless

Lawless
by Jeffrey Salane
Scholastic Press (April 1, 2013)

review copy from the public library

This book is full of adventure. It’s set in present day and the story unfolds all around the world. The main character is M, a pre-teen girl who attends a school called Lawless. Her guardian is Zara, an older kid. They learn at Lawless how to be successful at the art of heisting.

I’d hate to be a spoiler but the ending is terrible (this is just my opinion).

I’d recommend this book to fourth, fifth,  and sixth graders who like adventure and crime stories. -FP

Unraveled

Unraveled
by S. X. Bradley
Evernight Publishing (February 8, 2013)

review copy from the public library

This book is about a girl named Autumn who wants to become a FBI profiler. Her first case turns out to be her sister's murder and she is determined to figure out who killed her and why. She also nearly gets herself killed in her plan to find the murderer. She finds out who did it and he goes to jail.I n the end she gets into this school so she can pursue her dream. And she will be the first one in her family to go to college.  --Fu

How My Summer Went Up in Flames

How My Summer Went Up in Flames
by Jennifer Salvato Doktorski
Simon Pulse (May 7, 2013)

review copy from the public library

This book is about a 17 year-old named Rosie. She set her ex boy-friend's car on fire. Before the court date she goes to Arizona and Texas other places on a road trip with her bff, Matthew, and his friends Logan and Spencer. In Texas she mets Avery and Logan. She already met her before so they stayed at her house for a week then left. They also went to the Grand Canyon. Rosie accidentally dropped her phone down the Grand Canyon. Her phone had a tracker so she told her parents what happened. Then on July 9th it was her court date. The judge said she had to do community service. You have to read the book to figure out more. I give the book five stars. It is awesome.  --Fa

Forest Has a Song

Forest Has a Song
by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater
illustrated by Robbin Gourley
Clarion Books (March 26, 2013)

review copy from the public library

This is a book with many different poems about nature and the forest. These are very interesting poems on different topics such as animals, seasons, and different types of trees. I like that it is about nature. And I like how it's written. I recommend this book to people who like nature and poetry.  --Fu

Hilda and the Bird Parade

Hilda and the Bird Parade
by Luke Pearson
Flying Eye Books (April 2, 2013)

review copy from the public library

Summary: Young, blue-haired Hilda had moved to the city, and her mother will no longer allow her to venture out. Her friends come to fetch her, though. They show her the ‘best places.' After they hurt a bird, Hilda forgets about them and becomes friends with the bird instead. Hilda soon realizes she is lost, and the bird realizes he has lost his memory (he can talk). In the end, Hilda finds her mother, and the bird remembers who he is. Someone important.

What I liked best: Wow. First off, I'd like to thank the librarian who helped me get this book. When she said the publishers did a good job, I didn’t know it was going to be this amazing! The plot wasn’t very big, but it was still a great read. I loved how the text changed, and how the images overlapped. All in all, it was simply amazing.  --SA

Otis and the Puppy

Otis and the Puppy
by Loren Long
Philomel (March 12, 2013)

review copy from the public library

Summary: Otis makes a new friend in Otis and the Puppy. Do you know what it is? You guessed it, a puppy! When Otis and his friends decide to play hide and seek, Otis finds everyone but puppy! Everybody looks for him, but nobody can find him. When everyone is asleep, Otis goes out to search for his new friend. Both of the friends are scared of the dark, but they aren’t anymore when they find each other.

What I liked best: This was a really cute Otis book. Everyone loves puppies, so I’m sure many others will enjoy it. I loved how Otis went off to search for his friend, and how they got over their fears together!  --SA

The Popularity Papers: The Awesomely Awful Melodies of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang

The Popularity Papers: The Awesomely Awful Melodies of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang

by Amy Ignatow

Amulet Books (March 5, 2013)

review copy from the public library

Summary: Lydia and Julie are back from their road trip, and ready to start the seventh grade!! Lydia decides she wants to start a rock band and become a pop star. Julie agrees, but only after Lydia promises this is not another disaster to make them popular. Add in Roland and Jane, and you’ve got the Macramé Owls! None of them really know how to play their instruments, though. But you can still rock on anyways!!

What I Liked Best About This Book: Honestly, I didn’t read the last book in the Popularity Papers, so I was a little behind and completely confused on why Lydia’s hair was now all blue. AND MELODY WAS BEING NICE, YOU GUYS!! That is a big deal. I am not even joking. Anywho, it was a great read and I enjoyed it. Looking forward to more Popularity Paper books!  --SA




Here we go again. Lydia and Julie are back from their road trip, and about to turn 13. Seventh grade is going to be different, because Julie and Lydia have started a band. With Jane as another singer, and Roland playing a weird-thingy-like-a-violin, the band is the talk of the whole school. But--there is one problem. None of them know how to play, and even with lessons The Macrame Owls sound… horrible. Will this just be another popular failed plan? Or will The Macrame Owls find a way to rock?

Review: I just love the Popularity Papers for many, many reasons! First of all, you don’t know what the book is exactly. It’s not a comic, or chapter book. It’s just a mix of everything combined together. Second, it never gets boring. The books always have something going on. This book has to be one of my favorites because everyone has changed and things are getting very interesting. I can’t wait for the next book to come out. I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars, because it’s a fun book to read.  --SS

Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the Year

Charlie Bumpers vs. The Teacher of the Year

by Bill Harley

illustrated by Adam Gustavson

Peachtree Publishers (September 1, 2013)

Review ARC from Cover to Cover Books

This book is about Charlie and how he gets Mrs. Burke for 4th grade. Everyone (mostly kids) thinks that Mrs. Burke is the meanest teacher of 4th grade. He starts off the year in a bad way and gets in trouble at least once a day and his parents say that he better straighten up. He makes a new friend named Hector, a kid from Chile. His other friend Tommy is in another classroom. One day he gets his shoe stuck on the roof of the school because he is trying to help the first graders to get the ball that was stuck there. He had a talk with Mrs. Burke and she joked about his shoe throwing history. He realizes that Mrs. Burke was just trying to be funny and that’s when he felt a lot better having Mrs. Burke as his teacher.  --SR

That's A Possibility!: A Book About What Might Happen

That's A Possibility!: A Book About What Might Happen
by Bruce Goldstone
Henry Holt and Co. (June 4, 2013)

Review copy from the public library

This book was mainly about possibility. Stuff like: impossibility, probability, certain, and other types of math things. It showed examples of what was possible and impossible. This book was mainly about math!

What I Liked Best – There were a lot of colorful examples. It’s easy for anyone to understand. It also taught a lot about math! Our favorite page was: Squidgy teddy bear!!! He was so cute!  --S/D

Fog Island

Fog Island
by Tomi Ungerer
Phaidon Press (April 16, 2013)
Review copy from the public library

Finn and Cara, two young siblings, venture off one day in their curragh. They accidentally get taken away by strong currents, and into fog island. *insert dramatic music here* There they meet the fog man. He shows them how he makes the fog, and promises to take it away in the morning for Finn and Cara to go home. In the morning, the fog man is gone, so Finn and Cara set off home. They get caught in another storm, but this time their parents retrieve them and they all live happily ever after.

I think the moral of this story was that adventures are sometimes nice. Finn and Cara still got home, even though they had been scared of the fog island in the beginning. They met a very nice man and there was no harm done. The illustrations were wonderful, and I liked how the author put the text on the bottom of the page.  --SA

The Price of Freedom: How One Town Stood Up to Slavery

The Price of Freedom: How One Town Stood Up to Slavery
by Dennis Brindell Fradin and Judith Bloom Fradin
illustrated by Eric Velasquez
Walker Childrens (January 8, 2013)
Review copy from the public library

This book is about how three runaway slaves go to Ohio from Kentucky. One of them gets caught but the people in the town come out and get the man back. This is a really good book that shows people should care for one another and live in peace.  --SR

America the Beautiful: Together We Stand

America the Beautiful: Together We Stand
by Katharine Lee Bates

illustrated by Bryan Collier, Jon J. Muth, Mary Grand Pre, Raul Colon, Sonia Lynn Sadler, Yuyi Morales, Leuyen Pham, Chris Soentpiet, Diane Goode, John Hendrix, and Jon J Muth

Orchard Books (January 1, 2013)
Review copy from the public library


America the Beautiful is about peace. On the pages you can sing along with the lyrics. There are some quotes on the pages too. There are facts about the Constitution and Democracy. The pictures go with the lyrics. There is a flag made out of kids which shows their differences.  --FA

Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great

Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great
by Bob Shea
Disney-Hyperion (June 25, 2013)
Review copy from the public library

I LOVE THE BOOK! Probably because it’s some what about unicorns… but to be serious, the book is pretty funny. I recommend this book for all ages, I think it’s just a quick, fun, short read.

This book is about a goat being jealous of a unicorn. In the beginning, the goat lists things about a unicorn he’s jealous of. In the middle, the Unicorn shows up and lists things about the goat he’s jealous of. In the end, the goat thinks they should be a team.  --NA

Goat is awesome and amazing at the beginning, but when Unicorn pops out of nowhere, everything is ruined. Unicorn can fly, turn stuff into gold, AND EVEN MAKE CUPCAKES RAIN!! I mean, who wouldn’t want that? Goat doesn’t like Unicorn at all. Then, all of a sudden, Unicorn starts complimenting Goat about how amazing Goat is!! Goat doesn’t believe it, then he goes all like “We’d make a great team!” And they become best friends!!!

What I Liked Best – FINALLY A BOOK ABOUT UNICORNS!!! I love Unicorns so much, and Municorns even more *dreamy face* (Municorns are a monkey and unicorn combined.) This book was really funny, and it was a great read. I recommend it to 2nd and 1st graders, AND BOYS TOO BECAUSE THERE ISN’T JUST A UNICORN.  --SA

Goat used to think he was pretty cool, that was until unicorn showed up. Goat made marshmallow treats, and unicorn made cupcakes rain! It was so UNFAIR, how come everyone liked unicorn? How come everyone wanted to be friends unicorn? So what if unicorn could make stuff gold, and won the talent show. Blah. Blah. BLAH! Can goat ever be friends with unicorn or will goat always hate the great and wonderful, thinks he’ so great unicorn?

Review; Personally I really liked this book; mainly because I like anything involving  unicorens. This book was just perfectly Disney. I would rate it a 4 out 5 stars. If I were the author though I would have added a bit of more sparkle inside the book. This book is a fiction book, because goats don’t really exist.  Anyways, if you’re looking for a unicorn book, read this fabulous, awesome book.   --SS

Bean Dog and Nugget: The Ball

Bean Dog and Nugget: The Ball
by Charise Mericle Harper
Knopf Books for Young Readers (May 14, 2013)
Review copy from the public library

This book is pretty weird… but that’s what makes the book AWE-SOME! I recommend this book to early readers because it doesn’t have much words. This book is a simple read, but it’s very enjoyable!

This book is about Beandog (an oval figure) and Nugget (a circular figure) trying to get a ball back.

Beandog got a new smooth and shiny ball, he went to show it to Nugget. Beandog wanted to play catch but threw it at Nugget when she wasn’t ready. The ball got “stolen” by a big, green and scary bush. They tried, and tried to get the ball back but nothing was working. In the end, Beandog and Nugget got the ball back by dressing up as a hero, and a ninja, and by hitting the bush with a rake and a broom. --NA

White Fur Flying

White Fur Flying
by Patricia MacLachlan
Margaret K. McElderry Books (March 19, 2013)

This book is about a family who cares about pets and shelters them in their house until they find an owner or someone else to care of them. Next door a new family moves in. They are very quiet. The two families become a little friends. Phillip (in the new family) is very quiet and doesn’t talk at all. He loves dogs and Alice and Zoe like to hang out with him. The girls love pets too. Once one dog called May leaves and Kodi, the family dog, is left alone. Another day 2 new dogs come and soon the puppy called Jack goes missing and so does Phillip. So Zoe's mom and Kodi search and find them both and surprisingly Phillip talks and keeps on talking. Then Jack goes to live with Phillip and his family.  

--S.R.

Sugar

Sugar
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 7, 2013)
Review copy from the public library

This book is about an African American slave who is named Sugar. Sugar and her mother get freed and her mother dies shortly thereafter. Sugar’s dad was sold. She cuts cane in Louisiana and gets taken care of by the Beales who live next door. Sugar is wild and often gets in trouble and she and the ex-master's son end up being friends. Mr.Wills, the ex owner, doesn’t approve it and arguments break out.

One day people from China called Chinaman come to work on the cane fields. They and the ex-slaves soon become very close friends and look after one another. Soon Billy gets really sick and the Wills had to let Sugar in so she can make Billy feel better. After a couple of days he gets well and the master treats his workers well while they work on cutting cane. Mr. Will fired Mr. Peter the one who whips slaves. He got fired because he smacked Beau, a Chinese man. He got revenge by starting a fire and burning all the cane. Mr.Will had no money for the next year’s crops so he sold the farm to someone else and left for New Orleans. Sugar and the Beales go north in hopes to find their daughters. --SR

Ferdinand Fox's First Summer

Ferdinand Fox's First Summer
by Mary Holland
Sylvan Dell Publishing (March 5, 2013)

This book is about Ferdinand who is a red fox. It’s his first summer and he hasn’t come out of his den yet and hasn’t seen the world. One day Ferdinand goes outside of his den with his 4 brothers and sisters. As he gets older he has to learn how to do stuff on his own like find food because their mother growls at them if they want their mother’s milk. They also learn to leap so they can catch their food. In the end of the book it talks about Ferdinand and his siblings sleeping in cold weather and that they curl up in a ball. --FuO

The King of Space

The King of Space
by Jonny Duddle
Templar (March 12, 2013)

This book is about a kid named Rex who wants to be the king of space. He lives on a small moon in the Gamma Quadrant, on his parents moog farm. At school everybody laughed at him for explaining his plan to be the king of space, The next day he brought his warbot to school and said he would make 1000 of them and conquer the universe. When he made them he crushed the resistance in the Western Spiral. Then he crowned himself king of space and the Galactic Alliance was annoyed. So he captured princess Kooki and the Galactic Alliance came to get her back. In the end he told his mom to tell them he was tired and didn’t want to play anymore.

I think the artwork is good. It was made on a computer. I like and recommend this book. J.J.

The Fellowship For Alien Detection

The Fellowship for Alien Detection
by Kevin Emerson
Walden Pond Press (February 26, 2013)

This book is about 2 kids who try to save the world from aliens. In the beginning Haley explained in school about missing time in towns where there were abductions. Then she went on a trip to see a fireworks show. On the 4th of July aliens tried to abduct her but a guy named The Alto saved her.

While that happened Dodger was being used as a radio with his powers that he got from when he was abducted by aliens as a kid. Soon he got tired of it and controlled the radio lunch box to hit the kids who were using him as a radio. Then he went to some mines to find a map to the town of Juliete. After that aliens came but he drove them off using his crystal he found in the radio lunch box.

Towards the end Haley and Dodger met. Soon more aliens came and Dodger controlled one of the spaceships with his crystal. They then went to the town of Juliete and saved the world.

I like this book because it has sci-fi action with aliens. I would recommend this book to teens.  --J.J.

Seeds, Bees, Butterflies, and More!

Seeds, Bees, Butterflies, and More!
by Carole Gerber
illustrated by Eugene Yelchin
Henry Holt and Co., (February 5, 2013)

This great book is about seeds, bugs, and plants and it is actually a poem book. What I like about it is illustrations. They are beautiful and colorful. I also liked the poems because you could learn something from them like germination and what some bugs eat and also how seeds get around. It had some personification in it too because there were bees talking to each other and plants were talking and one poem had a plant talking to a rabbit and the rabbit ended up eating the plant. I think this book is good for maybe Kindergarten, first, second, and maybe third. I thought this book was a great book, and if you read it, I think you might like it too! R.Y