Monthly Archives: November 2021

YA – Blackout

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Clayton, Dhonielle, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. Blackout.  Harper Collins, 2021. 978-0-063-08809-2. 256 p. $19.99. Grades 9-12

Blackout, a young adult novel for teens, is comprised of six interlinked stories that celebrate Black love and friendship during a citywide power outage. The citywide blackout causes the characters to go into a tailspin. Their friendships and relationships are tested and changed- and in some cases, begin anew. These six short stories are beautifully interconnected, and readers will fall in love with every character in the novel. The reader meets Jacorey (a gay athlete who has yet to come out), Tammi and Kareem (exes who run into each other at a job interview), Nella (who gets a boost of self-confidence from her Grandfather and a new acquaintance), Lana and Tristian (who are lost in the public library), Kayla (who already is in a relationship but may want something different), and Seymour and Grace (who share a ride through the city). All six stories celebrate young love and friendship and are written with authenticity and heart.  

THOUGHTS: What an anthology! Not only is the novel’s premise beautiful, but the characters are so well developed that their voices are shining through on every page. With the collaboration of six of the most influential women in current YA literature, the novel celebrates coming of age in one of the most vibrant cities in the world: New York City! Blackout is also available as an audiobook, which is just fantastic! The only downfall is that the anthology ended. It leaves the reader craving more stories from each of these characters. 

Short Stories          Marie Mengel, Reading SD
Realistic Fiction

A collection of short stories written by acclaimed authors are woven together as each story is set during a blackout during the summer in New York City. Some stories are not completed in one section, but bounce back and forth which could be challenging for some readers to comprehend. Although the flow of some stories isn’t constant, it helps connect all the stories and characters as experiencing something universal: love and a summer night in NYC when the lights are bizarrely out. All stories celebrate love in many diverse ways. The stories almost took on the feel of novellas, as some stories stretched a bit longer with characters that were easy to relate to or to cheer on from the sidelines. The details about New York City are highlighted artfully throughout each story that isn’t often seen in YA fiction. The book ends with bonus content from all six authors that provides further context into their work. 

THOUGHTS: If you already have YA short story collections like Let it Snow on your shelves (or always off your shelves), this is a great addition for high school libraries looking for fiction that tells stories of Black love and LGBTQ+ love without a focus of oppression. 

Short Stories          Samantha Hull, Ephrata Area SD
Realistic Fiction

Elem. – Dr. Fauci: How a Boy From Brooklyn Became America’s Doctor

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Messner, Kate. Dr. Fauci: How a Boy From Brooklyn Became America’s Doctor. Illustrated by Alexandra Bye. Simon & Schuster, 2021. 978-1-665-90243-4. 48 p. $17.99. Grades K-3. 

Due to the Covid 19 pandemic, the name Dr. Fauci is a name that we have heard so many times over the last two years. Dr. Fauci is best known as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and a face and voice we have heard in our homes and in the news as we navigated the current health crisis. However, Dr. Fauci has worked with seven U.S presidents to tackle the largest public health challenges within the last 50 years! Kate Messner, author of Dr. Fauci: How a Boy From Brooklyn Became America’s Doctor, examines the doctor’s life as a young boy, his time in medical school, and the challenges he faced in his personal and medical career. Dr. Fauci learned early in his life to ask questions, consider all aspects and research, and strive for perseverance and communication to tackle the most difficult challenges. This picture book also contains a timeline, accurate information about vaccines, and recommended further readings to better understand how vaccines work. Through the author, Dr. Fauci offers his own tips for future scientists! There is a little bit of everything in this well-written (and beautifully illustrated by Alexandra Bye) picture book about the life and career of Dr. Anthony Fauci and the impact he has made on our country. 

THOUGHTS: It is obvious that author Kate Messner did her research! Messner completed an extensive interview with Dr. Fauci to write this book, and the product is a thoughtful narrative with important information. Not only is this picture book presented as a biography, but it also serves as a science read as well! Timely, important, informational. Bravo! 

Picture Book          Marie Mengel, Reading SD

Elem. – The Fox and the Forest Fire

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Popovici Danny. The Fox and the Forest Fire. Chronicle Books, 2021. 978-1-797-20282-2 44 p. $17.95. Grades K-3. 

A young boy moves from the city to a house in the woods. At first, he is unsure of his new surroundings, but he begins to love his new environment with time. He loves to explore, adventure, and learn about the animals and their homes that inhabit the woods that surround his new home, especially a bright orange fox that lives nearby. In Danny Popovici’s The Fox and the Forest Fire, the reader will fall in love with the forest through the eyes of a young explorer. But when the young boy spots a fire that quickly engulfs the woods, his family is not only displaced, but his beloved home, trees, bugs, plants, and animals are forever changed. With a forest fire, so much can change quickly, but the family (and forest) can regrow and rejuvenate with time, hope, and support. In this touching story, resilience wins. 

THOUGHTS: The Fox and the Forest Fire was written and illustrated by a volunteer forest firefighter, which gives the book a unique and special perspective. The story has an uplifting message about rebuilding and resilience, not only for humans but for nature too. At the close of the book, the author’s notes and information could ignite essential conversations in the classroom about the effects of natural disasters on our environment. I love that this book can serve as a resource for coping with personal and community tragedies with a small nod to the first responders that risk their lives for others. 

Picture Book          Marie Mengel, Reading SD

Elem. – A Thousand White Butterflies

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Betancourt-Perez, Jessica. A Thousand White Butterflies. Charlesbridge. 978-1-580-89577-4. 32 p. $16.99. Grades K-3. 

Isabella has just moved to the United States from Colombia. She’s about to begin school, but an unexpected blizzard cancels her first day. She feels trapped by all the unfamiliar snow, and she misses her friends and her Papa who is still in Colombia. While looking out the window, Isabella sees a girl slip and fall into the snow outside. She bundles into her puffy coat and boots and hurries outside to see if the girl is alright. The pair end up spending the afternoon making snow angels, snowballs, and a snowman. Despite the language barrier, they laugh and play and make the most out of their surprise meeting and unexpected day off from school. Two Author’s Notes describe how the co-authors met and the real-life inspiration behind this book. Additionally, a “More Info” section defines “immigrants” as people who leave their original country to live permanently in a new place. It also includes a brief history of immigration to the United States. Lastly, a glossary defines each Spanish word or phrase used in the story. 

THOUGHTS: Hope, resilience, and friendship are central themes in this immigration story, as is the idea that children are able to make connections with each other despite language and cultural differences. These ideas will make good talking points during morning meetings or when welcoming a new student into a classroom. Share this title with guidance counselors and ESOL teachers. 

Picture Book          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

Elem. – Mars Is: Stark Slopes, Silvery Snow, and Startling Surprises

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Slade, Suzanne. Mars Is: Stark Slopes, Silvery Snow, and Startling Surprises. Peachtree Atlanta. 978-1-682-63188-1. 51 p. $19.99. Grades K-3. 

Sand dunes, craters, volcanoes, canyons, lava flows, cliffs, and ice are only some of the amazing landforms covering the surface of Mars. In this oversize book, each double page spread consists of a full-page landform photo that is complemented by large-scale descriptive text and a smaller, more detailed caption. One spread features “sandy, windswept dunes” and describes how Mars’s winds blow the sand into mesmerizing ripple and wave patterns. Another highlights the “stark slopes” of an impact crater formed by an asteroid or meteorite collision. The full-color images in the book were taken with NASA’s HiRISE (High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment) camera. The camera was launched into space in 2005 and has been sending images back to Earth ever since. Detailed backmatter include sections titled “Launching the Mission to Mars,” “HiRISE: The Spectacular Space Camera,” “More About Mars,” and “Highlights of the Exploration of Mars.” 

THOUGHTS: This title is reminiscent of April Pulley Sayre’s books which present brief and poetic nonfiction tidbits complemented by beautiful full-page photographs. Although there is not enough information in this title to support research reports, students will be drawn in by the breathtaking photos of the Red Planet. It also will be useful as an introduction to science units about the solar system and outer space. 

523.43 Planets          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

Elem. – Red

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Seeger, Laura Vaccaro. Red. Neal Porter Books. 978-0-823-44712-1. 38 p. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

With just two words on each spread, the illustrations and the emotions they evoke take center-stage in this title about a young fox’s separation and ultimate reunion with his family. After becoming separated, the fox leaves the forest and explores nearby fields, roads, and farms. He also sees humans and their fences, wheelbarrows, nails, and trucks. He is eventually caught in a metal trap and displays some of the strongest emotions in the book. A young girl empathizes with the trapped animal, releasing him back into the wild where he eventually reunites with his family. Full-page illustrations featuring acrylic paint on canvas depict many shades of red in both the natural world and the man-made one. Each shade corresponds with something the young fox is exploring or experiencing. This title completes the trilogy that includes the Caldecott Honor book Green and the acclaimed Blue. An Author’s Note at the end describes the way these three books are linked as well as some of the inspiration behind the series. 

THOUGHTS: Students will feel the connection between color and emotions as they page through this title. The links between the emotions the fox experiences and the colors used to convey the world around him will spark discussions during morning meetings as students explore feelings like anger, fear, courage, joy, empathy, and love. 

Picture Book. Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

Elem. – The Chicken House

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Cronin, Doreen. The Chicken House. Illustrated by Stephen Gilpin. Simon Spotlight, 2021. 978-1-534-48706-2. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-3.

In this early reader adventure, The Chicken Squad is back for another adventure. Sugar, Dirt, Sweetie, and Poppy live in the triangle chicken house with their mother. Dirt likes to read by the window, Sweetie likes to draw on the walls, Poppy likes to rest in a big shoe, and mother Moosh likes when everyone is home. Home is a bit crowded though. J.J. lives in a doghouse that has a bathtub; a big, soft bed; and a table for massages. Sugar invites her siblings to the more spacious dog house, and each enjoys having a little elbow room. But Moosh misses her chicks, and J.J. notices his dog house isn’t like it used to be. Will everyone find a way to be comfortable and feel at home? This text has longer sentences with simple chapters and high-interest vocabulary words. 

THOUGHTS: A fun twist on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this chicken adventure will garner laughs of emerging readers.

Early Reader          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Elem./MG – Encyclopedias for Kids

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Encyclopedias for Kids. Abdo. 2021. $27.95 ea. Set of 4 $111.80. Grades 4-8.

Garcia, Merriam. The Cat Encyclopedia for Kids. 978-1-532-19299-9.
—. The Dog Encyclopedia for Kids. 978-1-532-19300-2.
Pembroke, Ethan. The Horse Encyclopedia for Kids. 978-1-532-19301-9.
—. The Shark Encyclopedia for Kids. 978-1-532-19302-6.

The reviewer read The Cat Encyclopedia for Kids. This series of encyclopedias provides readers with information on a variety of breeds for cats, dogs, horses, or sharks. Readers will find information on the breed, history, and behaviors of the animal. Each animal title contains bright photographs expressing the breed in a variety of ways and ages in life. These encyclopedias will provide great information to a variety of well loved animals!

THOUGHTS: This encyclopedia is very well done! The information is easy to understand, pages are color coated and appealing to the eye, and the photographs are large, clear, and able to provide a lot of insight to the breed it shows!

599.75 Felines         Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

Elem. – Saving Animals from the Brink (Series NF)

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Cooke, Tim. Saving Animals from the Brink. Bearport. 2021. Individual Book: $19.95, Set: $119.70. Grades 3-6.

A Chemical Nightmare: Bald Eagle Comeback. 978-1-636-91045-1.
Fur-tastrophe Avoided: Southern Sea Otter Comeback. 978-1-636-91048-2.
Return to Yellowstone: Gray Wolf Comeback. 978-1-636-91046-8.
Saving the Silvertip: Grizzly Bear Comeback. 978-1-636-91047-5.
A Scary Prediction: Bison Comeback. 978-1-636-91044-4.
Struggle for Survival: Florida Panther Comeback. 978-1-636-91049-9.

The reviewer read A Chemical Nightmare: Bald Eagle Comeback. This series is presented in a graphic novel format showing animals who have made a comeback from endangerment and extinction. Author Tim Cooke writes the amazing stories of some of America’s beloved creatures and the people who helped save them from extinction. Readers are able to learn the history of these animals and people in comic-book style, as well as learn more information at the end of the book with photographs of the animal. Readers will get sucked into these tales and may grow an interest in helping save some amazing animals.

THOUGHTS: A short, but interesting read about some of America’s famous animals and the people who helped save them. The graphic novel style helps pull young readers in, utilizing a favorite format of writing.

Graphic Novel          Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

Elem. – Can You See Me? A Book About Feeling Small

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İrten, Gökçe. Can You See Me? A Book About Feeling Small. Kids Can Press. 2021. 978-1-5253-0837-6. $18.99. Gr. PreK-3.

When we think of the world, we think of things being either small or large. But what is small to you may be large to someone else! This book dives into the idea of perspective using everyday items that young children would know. As children begin to develop spatial understanding, this book can help guide them to see how different the world is depending on whose eyes you are looking through! Whether you are a tiny flea, an orangutan, or you are on an airplane, the world differs in size compared to you!

THOUGHTS: This book did a nice job of explaining how different perspectives can be depending on who/what you are and where you are! Although designed for younger students, this is a book that could be read throughout elementary school to help discuss perspective and spatial awareness.

Picture Book          Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD