Monthly Archives: June 2022

YA – All That’s Left in the World

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Brown, Erik J. All That’s Left in the World. Balzer + Bray, 2022. 978-0-063-05497-4. 338 p. $19.99. Grades 9-12.

When 78% of the world’s population has been decimated due to a superflu, and the world has headed in post-apocalyptic terrority, survival takes center stage in the lives of those remaining. Andrew decides that he needs to leave Connecticut on foot in order to settle a debt. He becomes injured and stumbles onto a remote cabin in the Pennsylvanian woods. This is where he meets Jamie. Jamie has been surviving on his own for many months, and he has not made contact with another human during this time. The two form a friendship, and their daily lives fall into a comfortable pattern until their sanctuary is threatened and the two must escape. They spend the next few months discovering just what has happened to the rest of the country.

THOUGHTS: This was a fast read. I thoroughly enjoyed the strong character development of both Jamie and Andrew as they discover their strengths and weaknesses as they fall in love in this broken world.

Science Fiction          Victoria Dziewulski, Plum Borough SD

Elem. – I Color Myself Different

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Kaepernick, Colin. I Color Myself Different. Kaepernick Publishing, 2022. 978-1-338-78963-8. 40 p. $18.99. Grades PreK-2.

I Color Myself Different tells a true story from Colin Kaepernick’s childhood where he shared with his classmates that he was adopted. When Colin was in school, he had to draw a picture of his family and he drew his family as they were, and when he shared his picture with his classmates they had questions. Colin remembers what his mother told him when he asked her why he was different, and she explained how he was adopted into their family. Based on Colin recalling this conversation, he answers his classmates with, “I’m brown. I color myself different. I’m me, and I’m magnificent.” This prompts a discussion with his teacher about all the ways that families can share love.

THOUGHTS: This book could be a great introduction to adoption for a family to share or an inside look into Colin Kaepernick that many people might not be familiar with.

Picture book            Mary McEndree, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

Elem. – Pugs Cause Traffic Jams

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McGrath, Jennifer. Pugs Cause Traffic Jams. Kids Can Press, 2022. 978-1-5253-0340-1. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-2

Pugs Cause Traffic Jams is a funny picture book that shows how pugs are not the same as other dogs, as they can cause traffic jams! When the book starts and our main character is looking for her pug Kirby, we are getting a look into all the chaos that Kirby is causing while she is hunting for him. The conversations the main character is having with the other characters in the book are set in a different font, so the reader will easily be able to tell. The illustrations are enjoyable and add to the overall charm of the book.

THOUGHTS: This is a cute book and would make a wonderful addition to any elementary school collection.

Picture Book          Mary McEndree, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy