Elem./MG – Explaining How Things Work (Series NF)

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Higgins, Nadia. Explaining How Things Work. The Child’s World, 2022. 32 p. $24.00 ea. $240.00 Set of 10.  Grades 3-5.

How Do Airplanes Work? 978-1-503-85589-2.
How Do Cell Phones Work? 978-1-503-85591-5.
How Do Hybrid Cars Work? 978-1-503-85593-9.
How Do Lasers Work? 978-1-503-85595-3.
How Do Submarines Work? 978-1-503-85597-7.
How Do Telescopes, Binoculars, and Microscopes Work? 978-1-503-85590-8.
How Do Wind Turbines Work? 978-1-503-85598-4.
How Does Electricity Work? 978-1-503-85592-2.
How Does Solar Energy Work? 978-1-503-85596-0.
How Does the Internet Work? 978-1-503-85594-6.

There are more than 5 billion cell phones in the world today, and many people can’t imagine living without one. This nonfiction title details the history of cell phones and also explains the science behind their operation. It explains how sound waves work, why frequency is important, and how base stations and switching centers operate. Text features such as a table of contents, glossary, index, timeline, headings, captions, and spotlight boxes help readers navigate and understand the information. Colorful illustrations as well as real primary source photographs are interspersed throughout the book. This title is one in a 10-book series about how things work. The series also features books about airplanes; electricity; hybrid cars; the Internet; lasers; solar energy; submarines; wind turbines; and telescopes, binoculars, and microscopes.

THOUGHTS: Although the science of how cell phones work is complex, this title makes the information easily accessible for middle grade readers. Large, colorful pictures, lots of captions, and chunked information ensures the facts aren’t too overwhelming. Share this book with science and technology teachers to jumpstart conversations about how technology impacts our lives today and where it might be heading in the future.

384.5 Wireless Communication          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

YA – The National Parks: Preserving America’s Wild Places

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Koch, Falynn. The National Parks: Preserving America’s Wild Places. First Second, 2022. 978-1-250-26587-6. 120 p. $19.99. Grades 7-10.

A friendly Sasquatch is our guide through The National Parks, a recent entry in First Second’s History Comics series of graphic nonfiction for middle grade and teen readers. Today, our parks and national monuments successfully blend tourism with conservation of unique ecosystems (as well as history), but getting here was a circuitous path. When Congress established the National Park Service in 1916, it was in charge of thirteen national parks. Today the National Park System encompasses over 60 national parks and hundreds of additional federal park sites. In this conversational history of “America’s best idea” to preserve our wild places, author and illustrator Falynn Koch colorfully portrays the visionaries, politicians, Native Americans, wildlife, and occasional scoundrels who contributed to the evolution of our park system. She also addresses the forced removal of indigenous people from land that would eventually be parks: “If we don’t reexamine the past and face these grim truths, we can’t learn from them and make a better future” (92).

THOUGHTS: Rich with historical anecdotes and images of our varied parks, this one will have readers thinking, “The mountains are calling & I must go” (~ John Muir).

333 National Parks          Amy V. Pickett, Ridley SD

Elem. – Never Forget: Heroes of 9/11 (Series NF)

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Buckley, Jr., James. Never Forget: Heroes of 9/11. Bearport Publishing, 2022. 24 p. $20.00 ea. $120.00 set of 6. Grades 3-5. 

Canine Hero. 978-1-636-91025-3.
The Doctor Saves the Day. 978-1-636-91026-0.
EMS to the Rescue. 978-1-636-91028-4.
Fighting back in Flight. 978-1-636-91027-7.
Guiding Light. 978-1-636-91023-9.
Tale of Two Marines. 978-1-636-91024-6.

Heroism, helping in any way possible, and acting bravely in the face of danger are the themes emphasized in this nonfiction title about the September 11 Terrorist Attacks. This graphic nonfiction comic is one of six in the “Never Forget: Heroes of 9/11” series. The narrative nonfiction style of writing, as well as the colorful comic-style panel illustrations, will engage reluctant readers. The fast-paced action also will keep readers hooked. The story focuses on two former United States Marines who each feel compelled to do what they can to help on the day of the attacks. Both arrive at the World Trade Center and immediately begin searching for people who are trapped in the collapsed rubble. As a team, they look out for each other’s safety while also combing the debris for survivors. A backmatter section titled “A Day Like No Other” includes five paragraphs about the September 11 Attacks as well as real photographs of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Flight 93 Crash Site. A section titled “Other Ground Zero Heroes” features two other ordinary people who jumped into action on September 11. Other backmatter includes a Glossary, Index, and sections with additional book and online resource recommendations.

THOUGHTS: This is an age-appropriate, easily accessible title to share with students as they learn about the September 11 Terrorist Attacks. The focus of the book is on the heroic efforts of ordinary people in the face of extreme danger and uncertainty, not on the attackers’ motives or politics.

Nonfiction Comics          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD
973.931 United States History

Elem. – Wait! What? Teddy Roosevelt was a Moose?

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Gutman, Dan. Wait! What? Teddy Roosevelt Was a Moose? Norton Young Readers.  978-1-324-01564-2. 106 p. $16.95. Gr 3-5. 

Brother and sister duo Paige and Turner narrate this anything-but-ordinary biography of Teddy Roosevelt. Roosevelt was America’s 26th President, but he is also remembered for his love of animals, his interest in conservation, his hearty appetite, his love of fierce competition, and much, much more. This highly conversational biography includes spot illustrations on almost every page as well as headshots of Paige and Turner, so readers always can tell who is narrating. The siblings talk readers through each stage of Roosevelt’s life in different chapters, highlighting important events from his childhood, presidency, and post-presidency. In addition to traditional, expected facts, they also detail surprising tidbits, such as how he ran his own “Roosevelt Museum of Natural History” when he was a boy and how he enjoyed skinnydipping in the Potomac River. He also is credited for making football a safer sport, for reading a book a day, and for writing textbooks for the US Navy.

THOUGHTS: Hand this title, and others in the “Wait! What?” series, to fans of the “Who Was” biographies and to students who are interested in trivia and off-beat humor.

Biography          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

YA – Love Radio

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LaDelle, Ebony. Love Radio. Simon & Schuster, 2022. 978-1-665-90815-3. $19.99. 310 p. Grades 9-12.

Danielle Ford’s romantic mother has a big wish for her only child, to experience a great love story. That wish struggles to come true in Ebony LaDelle’s, Love Radio, a debut novel that is as much a homage to the great city of Detroit as it is to first love. High-achieving senior, Dani has been shut off from her friends and dating after a traumatizing sexual encounter with a college boy the previous summer. Keeping this secret from her besties and devoted parents, she buries herself in writing the perfect college essay to get into her dream school, New York University (NYU). When she has an awkward meeting in the library with classmate, Prince Jones, a popular teen disc jockey and local radio personality (DJLove Jones) who mixes love advice with music, she makes an assumption she regrets and wants to rectify. Told in alternating voices, the romance between Prince and Dani is enchanting. Prince shows a maturity beyond his years, perhaps because he has accepted much of the responsibility of taking care of his seven-year-old brother Mookie and household duties since his single mother received her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Prince has fallen hard for the guarded Dani and is determined to make her fall in love with him in five dates. After inviting himself over to her comfortable home to take out her braids, he plans two movie-worthy dates to a roller rink and bookstore. Dani starts to open up, reconnect with her friends, and dissolve her writer’s block. When she reciprocates with one equally perfect date to the Motown Museum, though, their intimacy triggers bad memories and she breaks it off with Prince. As Dani faces her trauma, she has the support of loving parents and patient friends as well as the therapy of writing unsent letters to her literary idols, Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou. Prince, too, acknowledges his need to suppress his dreams because of his home obligations and, with help, makes a plan for his future. Both characters come to realize that they are surrounded by a network of loving people who will support and help them achieve their goals. Characters are African-American.

THOUGHTS: Students in the mood for a dreamy romance will eat up this book. The author has an ear for teen dialogue and is from Michigan. Any readers familiar with Detroit will recognize the branding of different places (if I am ever in Detroit, I’m heading for that Dutch Girl Donuts) and the description of the neighborhoods. Dani and Prince are so wise; the thoughtful dates are out of this world; the child to parent relationships are so close. Though the romance doesn’t play out physically much, Dani’s traumatic encounter occurs when she a friend takes her to a frat house where she barely escapes date rape. After several dates, Dani leads Prince to her bedroom and encourages a sexual encounter, but Prince is reluctant to proceed. The portrayal of family is warm and loving, especially the way Prince helps out his sick mother. Though the letters to literary idols seem to be a critical link to Dani’s recovery from trauma, the book names Dani’s idols as Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, Roxane Gay, Jesmyn Ward in the beginning chapter, but she only focuses on Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou. One of Dani’s friends is sick of appropriation and plans a hair fashion show. Lots of references to music. Some bad language. For those who are sticklers, the timeline is a little wonky: would college kids be on campus in the summer? (maybe).

Realistic Fiction          Bernadette Cooke, School District of Philadelphia

Elem./MG – Mapmakers and the Lost Magic

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Chittock, Cameron. Illustrated by Amanda Castillo. Mapmakers and the Lost Magic. RH Graphics, 2022. 978-0-593-17286-5. Unpaged  $12.99. Grades 3-6.

Mapmakers and the Lost Magic  is a debut graphic novel by Cameron Chittock and Amanda Castillo and is intended to be the first in a series of books that follow the main character, Alidade, and her adventures. Alidade constantly pushes the boundaries of what is expected in her community, Alden–which is ruled by the Night Coats–and inevitably lands herself and her best friend, Lewis, in trouble. In the course of her forbidden explorations of the territory surrounding Alden, Alidade discovers a secret entrance to the Valley Lodge, which belonged to the Mapmakers, once the peacekeepers of the valley that Alidade and Lewis call home. Though the Mapmakers are long gone, Alidade finds a hidden map in the lodge and releases Blue, a Memri brought to life by the Mapmakers for the purpose of supporting all life in the valley in their quest to live peacefully and in harmony with their surroundings. All is not peaceful, however, and Alidade’s curiosity and resentment of the Night Coats’ rule leads to her pursuit of becoming a Mapmaker herself under Blue’s tutelage as well as increased insight into the Night Coat’s control of Alden.

THOUGHTS: The Mapmakers’ use of maps to advance its fantasy storyline is unique and well-developed. The book contains subtle environmental messages and lessons about friendship and teamwork that are nearly seamlessly woven into the story, and Amanda Castillo’s illustrations will be accessible both to readers who love the simplicity of the Babysitters Club graphics and those who are attached to more detailed fantasy in graphics. Back matter includes a nature journal entry from Alidade documenting her world; activities, such as crafts and recipes that connect to the story; information on the creation of the graphic novel; and notes from the author and illustrator. There is much here for the reader who is curious about the creation of a graphic novel and the writing process. I think this book will appeal to many of our readers and fly off the shelves. Highly recommended.

Graphic Novel          Hannah J. Thomas, Central Bucks SD
Fantasy

Elem./MG – Super Troop

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Hale, Bruce. Super Troop. Scholastic, 2022. 978-1-338-64599-6.  276 p. $17.99. Grades 3-5.

Cooper and Nacho are best friends – and partners in mischief – which, naturally, continually gets them into trouble. Big Trouble. Particularly after the stunt they pull on the pirate ride at their local theme park. The end result!? The boys’ families enroll them in Boy Rangers as punishment and to teach them discipline. A whole summer of dorky Boy Rangers. And if Cooper quits? The graphic novel camp he’s been dreaming of all summer becomes just that: a dream. The boys reluctantly join the Boy Rangers and soon encounter a new scoutmaster, Mr. Pierce, whose goal is to make their ragtag troop into the best in the area after the old scoutmaster quits rather than have girls join the troop. Their troop has a lot to learn if they are to qualify for and win the Ranger Jamboree. A disastrous camping trip and the resulting review of the scout master gives the troop members an opportunity to find their voices with the adults in their lives. In the midst his trials and tribulations with Boy Rangers, Cooper decides that this should be the summer he brings his divorced parents back together. The problem is their lives have moved on, and his efforts result in a series of stumbles that will be relatable to many children living in divorced families who just can’t quite let go of the dream of the family they once knew. In the course of the book, Cooper discovers himself and realizes that the family he once felt was broken has simply grown larger and different.

THOUGHTS: I selected this book because I was looking for realistic fiction with primarily male main characters.  Between the covers, I found an adventure that integrates nature, friendship, and the main character’s evolving thinking about his parents’ divorce. Super Troop is told through Cooper’s voice and contains a diverse cast of characters–without an obvious focus on their diversity. Occasional illustrations by the author break up the text as do a few texted conversations between Cooper and his friends. I can think of many readers who will enjoy the adventures in the pages, particularly my students involved in Scouts and struggling with divorce. A solid addition to any collection looking to develop its offerings to boys, reluctant readers, and those seeking insight on divorce.

Realistic Fiction          Hannah J. Thomas, Central Bucks SD

Elem./MG – Oh, Sal

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Henkes, Kevin. Oh, Sal. Greenwillow Books, 2022. 978-0-063-24492-4. $16.99. 144 p. Grades 3-6.

Kevin Henkes fans will remember the character of Sal, the little sister in  The Year of Billy Miller and Billy Miller Makes a Wish. Sal can be a  pesky little sister, but she is sweet and funny. She has a big imagination and a penchant for collecting items that are precious to her. In this lovely story about the Miller family, a new baby has arrived on Christmas. Sal is four and is very much feeling abandoned by her parents as they fuss over the infant. A holiday visit from Papa’s brother, Uncle Jake, leaves Sal angry and confused. She doesn’t like that Uncle Jake calls her “Salamander” and the new baby is boring and cries all the time. Sal’s parents have been so busy they haven’t even picked a name for the new baby. As if all of this wasn’t enough to handle, Sal’s favorite new pair of underwear, (from a set adorned with a different flower on each pair) goes missing. It was a gift from Santa and cannot be replaced, yet the grown ups are all too busy to help Sal find them. This amusing story takes place over the course of twenty-four hours and is full of big four-year-old emotions, family situations, and gentle humor.

THOUGHTS: This delightful book is absolutely pitch-perfect. The Miller Family Stories are filled with honest familial circumstances that young children relate to, but are never condescending or preachy. This book can stand on its own, but is a wonderful glimpse into the beloved Miller family from a new perspective. This book is scheduled to be released on September 27, 2022.

Realistic Fiction          Anne McKernan, Council Rock SD

MG – Jennifer Chan is Not Alone

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Keller, Tae. Jennifer Chan is Not Alone. Random House, 2022. 978-0-593-31053-3. 277 p. $17.99. Grades 4-8.

When Jennifer Chan goes missing, the entire community of Norwell, Florida is worried. But no one is more worried than her Korean-American classmate Mallory Moss, who knows of two possible reasons why Jennifer ran away. One of those reasons involves aliens. When Jennifer moved across the street from Mallory before school started, she confided in Mallory about her space research. According to Jennifer, aliens exist and they are trying to make contact with humans on earth. Jennifer knows that she has the code needed to help these aliens make contact, and she wrote all of her research down in her notebooks, which she lets Mallory take home to read. Unfortunately, Mallory knows that her friends Reagan and Tess will think Jennifer is absolutely crazy, so she distances herself from Jennifer as soon as school starts. But Reagan and Tess immediately start teasing Jennifer, and Mallory has no choice but to join in or she will lose her hard-earned popular status at school. This leads to reason number two of why Jennifer is missing: The Incident. Mallory believes that aliens may have taken Jennifer and realizes that Jennifer’s notebooks might hold the clues for how to reach her. However, Mallory knows that if she searches for Jennifer, her part in The Incident might be revealed and make her the most hated girl in school. Mallory must figure out what is more important: what other people think about her or finding Jennifer before it’s too late.

THOUGHTS: This is the first novel for Tae Keller since winning the Newbery Award for When You Trap a Tiger, and it does not disappoint. Keller tackles serious issues tweens and teens face in a compelling and gentle way, the most prominent being the cost of being popular at the expense of others. This book is a must-read and a must-buy for middle grade students.

Realistic Fiction            Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD

YA – Daughter of the Moon Goddess

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Tan, Sue Lynn. Daughter of the Moon Goddess. Harper Voyager, 2022. 978-0-008-47929-9. 501 p. $27.99. Grades 9-12. 

Xingyin was raised on the moon by her mother, unaware that they were actually hiding from the Celestial Emperor. One day, Xingyin’s magic causes her to have to leave her mother behind, and she ends up training alongside the Celestial Emperor’s son. Xingyin tries not to let anything distract her, especially a romance with the ‘enemy’ and she begins working on trying to save her mother. Will Xingyin be able to have both a relationship with the ones she loves and save her mother, or will she have to choose?

THOUGHTS: This was an amazing debut novel full of Chinese mythology, romance, and fantasy. The size of this novel is intimidating; however, the pages fly as the reader delves into the world that Sue Lynn Tan has created. I highly recommend this book for any fantasy lover or just someone who loves a well-written book.

Fantasy          Mary McEndree, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy