Monthly Archives: December 2022

MG – The Door of No Return

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Alexander, Kwame. The Door of No Return. Little, Brown and Company, 2022.  978-0-316-44186-5. 418 p. $17.99. Grades 6-9.

Kofi Offin’s life in the Upper Kingdom of Africa is good. While Kofi’s school lessons may be boring and his cousin tries to intimidate him with feats of strength, his coming of age ceremony is around the corner, and he is excited. His best friend Ebo and his crush Ama often come with him when he spends his day swimming in the banks of the river Offin, for which he is named. During the Annual King’s festival, Kofi’s brother Kwasi represents the Upper Kingdom as a fighter and as such, fights against the strongest man in the Lower Kingdom. The fight results in a fatal tragedy which disintegrates the peace between the two kingdoms. Kofi becomes an unfortunate victim of that break in peace and is taken captive on the banks of the very river he loves. Kofi must find the strength within himself to survive the hardships that come next.

THOUGHTS: Kwame Alexander’s beautiful poetry draws the reader into the story while simultaneously weaving a chilling true story of what happened to many Africans during the Atlantic slave trade. The reader will relate to Kofi’s coming-of-age story and root for his survival. This would be an excellent purchase for middle grade libraries and also for classroom literature circles, especially when used in conjunction with a history curriculum focusing on early American and British history.

Historical Fiction           Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD
Novel in Verse

MG – The Girl in White

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Currie, Lindsay. The Girl in White. Sourcebooks, 2022. 978-1-728-23654-4. 302 p. $16.99. Grades 4-9.

Mallory’s family moves to Eastport, Massachusetts from Chicago to run a haunted restaurant. The town is known for its many graveyards and ghost stories…particularly the story of “Sweet Molly.” The town and its tourists are obsessed with the story of Molly who disappeared after her twin brother, Liam, drowns during a storm. To this day, they claim that Molly returns to haunt the town. However, Mallory is skeptical about the whole ghost story, until she becomes plagued by nightmares, finds herself sleepwalking, and experiences visions of a creepy old lady. The timing of these unsettling encounters occur when the town is preparing to celebrate the anniversary of the legend of Sweet Molly. Can Mallory and her friends solve the mystery of this iconic legend?  

THOUGHTS: The setting of this ghost story is perfect – lighthouses, graveyards, the wild ocean, and quaint seaside town. The ghost story was suspenseful without being too scary.    

Fantasy          Victoria Dziewulski, Plum Borough SD
Mystery

Tags:  Ghosts, Massachusetts, Seaside Legends Friendship, Family

Elem. – Beautiful Useful Things: What William Morris Made

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Kephart, Beth. Beautiful Useful Things: What William Morris Made. Cameron Kids, 2022. 978-1-951-83633-7. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades 2-4. 

While adults may be familiar with the work of William Morris, this picture book may be a child’s first introduction to the famous designer. As a young boy growing up in 19th century England, Morris loved the outdoors and enjoyed the beauty of nature. As he grew older, he studied medieval crafts and incorporated them into his signature designs, but with a Victorian touch. This was the time of the Industrial Revolution and many items were being mass-produced with little variety or style. William believed that factories were causing a disruption of the environment and peoples’ lives and advocated for workers’ rights. Morris opened a workshop where he treated his employees well, as they fabricated wallpaper, tapestries, furniture, rugs, stained glass windows and fabrics, created by hand and drawn from nature. He understood that while things should be useful, it was just as important for them to “honor beauty.” In his later years, William produced handmade books and created new fonts for his own Kelmscott Press. In the author’s note, Kephart remarks that Morris laid the groundwork for the Arts and Crafts Movement. Some of his designs, like “Strawberry Thief” are still produced today. Melodie Stacey, a British illustrator, is an admirer of William Morris, and her colorful drawings are a tribute to his fabulous motifs.

THOUGHTS: This biography of a classic “maker” is a good choice for art teachers and for makerspace activities. Suitable for elementary collections.

Biography          Denise Medwick, Retired, PSLA Member
92, 921. 709.2

Elem. – No Nibbling!

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Ferry, Beth. No Nibbling! Roaring Brook Press, 2022. 978-1-250-76241-2. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

Soon after Derwood the goat plants a garden, he finds a tiny bunny hanging around his vegetables. As his plants begin to grow, the bunny (Tabitha) keeps coming back and making comments filled with vegetable wordplay (for instance, saying “lettuce” instead of “let us,” “butternut” instead of “better not,” and “I yam” instead of “I am”). Derwood is incredibly protective of his plants; therefore, he is very grumpy at first and insists that Tabitha does not nibble his plants. However, he soon comes to appreciate Tabitha’s company and even allows her to weed the garden for him. Ultimately, he grants Tabitha’s wish and allows her to nibble on their bountiful harvest. 

THOUGHTS: This is an adorable, humorous tale of friendship. Children will find the characters endearing, and they will delight in all of the silly vegetable puns throughout the story. Use this to spark discussions about gardening and/or tending to friendships, which need to be cultivated much like a garden.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Elem. – Mommy’s Hometown

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Lim, Hope. Mommy’s Hometown. Candlewick Press, 2022. 978-1-536-21332-4. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-2.

Every night, a young boy’s mother tells him all about the place in Korea where she grew up. It sounds incredibly peaceful, complete with dirt roads, mountains, and a river that runs through the village. However, when the boy finally visits the village with his mother, it is nothing like she described. Instead, there are tall buildings, paved roads, and traffic. The boy is disappointed at first, but soon realizes that while some things change, other things always remain the same. 

THOUGHTS: This is a beautiful story about the unchanging bond between parents and their children. It would be a great book for introducing young students to urbanization or for completing compare and contrast activities. As an added bonus, the characters are Korean, making this an outstanding choice for multicultural collections.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Tags: Asia; Korea (South); Family stories.

Elem. – It’s a Sign!

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Pumphrey, Jarrett, and Jerome Pumphrey. It’s a Sign! Hyperion Books for Children, 2022. 978-1-368-07584-8. $10.99. Grades K-2.

One, Two, Kat, and Four are starting a club together and they are making a sign for the club! Each club member is really good at doing something for their club. One can fold paper into hats, Two can write words, Kat can write longer words, and Four knows the exact thing to write! If only they could think of a name for their club, everything would be perfect.

THOUGHTS: Another great Elephant & Piggie Like Reading! Book! Following the traditional format of this ‘series,’ young readers will giggle as they try to figure out what these four members will name their club.

Picture Book Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

Elem. – Figgy & Boone: Best Brother Ever!

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Trasler, Janee. Figgy & Boone: Best Brother Ever! Simon Spotlight. 2022. 978-1-665-91449-9. $17.99. Grades K-2.

Figgy is a mouse, and Boone is a rat. Figgy really feels that they are brothers, even though Boone reminds him that they technically are not. Figgy pulls other rodents into the equation, asking if they are his brother, but Boone always tells him no. When a cat is brought into the equation, readers learn that sometimes family is more than just what species you are!

THOUGHTS: The development and description of how graphic novels are to be read is extraordinary in this book. As an Early Graphic Novel, the book explains the definition of sections, what items mean, and how to read graphic novels. A very well done development for early readers to learn.

Graphic Novel Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

Elem. – Grumpy Monkey: Who Threw That?

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Lang, Suzanne. Grumpy Monkey: Who Threw That? Random House Studio. 2022. 978-0-593-30605-5. $9.99. Grades K-3.

Grumpy Monkey just wants to share a magic trick with his friends, but that Oxpecker just annoys him! When a banana peel gets thrown at Oxpecker, naturally everyone thinks it is Grumpy Monkey. Grumpy Monkey promises it wasn’t him, but all of the animals banish him from the jungle to live in the desert. Will we ever know who really threw the banana peel at Oxpecker? How will Grumpy Monkey survive in the desert? Read this early-level graphic novel to find out!

THOUGHTS: This book is absolutely hilarious! Although the story does contain a great life lesson on coping with emotions, it is filled with humorous jokes, funny words like “fart,” and even parental advice on children and cooking!

Graphic Novel          Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

Elem. – Gross-Out Books (Series NF)

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Rosenberg, Pam. Gross-Out Books. Child’s World, 2022. $22.00 ea. $176.00 set of 8. 24 p. Grades 3-6.

Gross Stuff in Your Body. 978-1-503-85019-4.
Gross Stuff in Your Food. 978-1-503-85020-0.
Gross Stuff in Your Garden. 978-1-503-85021-7.
Gross Stuff in the Hospital. 978-1-503-85022-4.
Gross Stuff in Your House. 978-1-503-85023-1.
Gross Stuff in Your School. 978-1-503-85024-8.
Gross Stuff Underground. 978-1-503-85025-5.
Gross Stuff Underwater. 978-1-503-85026-2.

When looking at the world, there are gross things in it! If you want to dive into some of the things in the world that make you say “yuck!” then this book series is for you! From home, to your body, to the outside world, there are tons of things that will gross you out – so start reading to learn about them! This reviewer read Gross Stuff in Your Garden and Gross Stuff in Your House. Gross Stuff in Your Garden focuses on all the yucky things that can be found in your garden. The dirt, garden bugs, and even meat-eating plants are just a few of the gross items you may run into! Gross Stuff in Your House notices all the yucky things you may just ignore. From fleas and mites to mold growing in many places, there is always something around to make you say “yuck!”

THOUGHTS: A truly gross book! Readers will enjoy the photographs and illustrations filled in this series, all the while learning about the things that make you wrinkle your nose!

577.5 – 641.3 Science          Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

Elem. – Patchwork

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de la Pena, Matt. Patchwork. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2022. 978-1-9848-1396-1. Unpaged. $18.99.  Grades K-2.

In this inspirational work, de la Pena describes the amazing potential of each child and how it can be realized as an adult.  Every child has his or her own interests and qualities, but these do not remain static. Over time, attributes may be transformed or repurposed and individuals will choose their own destinies as adults. A boy, who talks out in class and makes jokes, can grow up to use his outgoing nature to become a “favorite teacher” to a fidgety student. A girl, who loves the rhythm of dance, can grow up to appreciate the patterns of math as a coder. The author cautions against becoming discouraged when things seem to go off-track, because each path is unique. Like a patchwork quilt, the possibilities found in each child come from the “scraps” of personal experiences and emotions. As de la Pena puts it, “You are more than a single note played again and again. You are a symphony.” Luyken uses soft and muted colors in her drawings, which are done with gouache, ink, and pencil. Each image contains a subtle patchwork design and the illustrator uses a different color for each child’s vignette. 

THOUGHTS: This is a reassuring and uplifting story of individuality and self-realization. Recommended for elementary collections.

Picture Book          Denise Medwick, PSLA Member, Retired