Monthly Archives: December 2023

YA – See You On Venus

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Vinuesa, Victoria. See You On Venus. Delacorte Press, 2023. 978-0-593-70513-1. 341 p. $12.99. Grades 8-12.

Mia has grown up in group homes and foster homes with very little known about her birth mom. She knows that her mother is from Spain and her name is Maria. Mia has grown up with a heart defect, and now faces the possibility of a short life unless she undergoes a risky surgery. Mia wants to meet her birth mom before this happens, but time is running out. She has been saving and planning this trip with her friend, Noah. Her biggest wish is to meet her mom and find out why her mother gave her up. Kyle has everything going for him until a fatal accident occurs that kills his best friend – Noah. Kyle begins to spiral to a dark place, and then enters Mia. The two of them embark on this overseas trip to find Mia’s birth mother. Will this trip provide answers to help them move forward with their lives? Noah’s death has brought them together; will this tragedy help mend their broken hearts?   

THOUGHTS: This was a quick read with a powerful message of hope and love and friendship. It has also been made into a movie, so students will be familiar with this story and may come looking for the book version. 

Romance

Elem./MG – Inside MLB (Series NF)

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Inside MLB. Abdo Publishing, 2023. $23.95 ea. $1718.50 set of 30. 48 p. Grades 3-8. 

Donnelly, Patrick. Arizona Diamondbacks. 978-1-098-29008-5.
—. Atlanta Braves. 978-1-098-29009-2.
Giedd, Steph. Baltimore Orioles. 978-1-098-29010-8.
Clarke, David J. Boston Red Sox. 978-1-098-29011-5.
Hewson, Anthony K. Chicago Cubs. 978-1-098-29012-2.
Carl, Douglas. Chicago White Sox. 978-1-098-29013-9.
Hewson, Anthony K. Cincinnati Reds. 978-1-098-29014-6.
—. Cleveland Guardians. 978-1-098-29015-3.
—. Colorado Rockies. 978-1-098-29016-0.
Donnelly, Patrick. Detroit Tigers. 978-1-098-29017-7.
Hewson, Anthony K. Houston Astros. 978-1-098-29018-4.
Clarke, David J. Kansas City Royals. 978-1-098-29019-1.
Donnelly, Patrick. Los Angeles Angels. 978-1-098-29020-7.
Hewson, Anthony K . Los Angeles Dodgers. 978-1-098-29021-4.
Donnelly, Patrick. Miami Marlins. 978-1-098-29022-1.
Clarke, David J. Milwaukee Brewers. 978-1-098-29023-8.
—. Minnesota Twins. 978-1-098-29024-5.
—. New York Mets. 978-1-098-29025-2.
Hewson, Anthony K. New York Yankees. 978-1-098-29026-9.
—. Oakland Athletics. 978-1-098-29027-6.
—. Philadelphia Phillies. 978-1-098-29028-3.
Donnelly, Patrick. Pittsburgh Pirates. 978-1-098-29029-0.
Kortemeier, Todd. San Diego Padres. 978-1-098-29030-6.
Carl, Douglas. San Francisco Giants. 978-1-098-29031-3.
Hewson, Anthony K. Seattle Mariners. 978-1-098-29032-0.
Donnelly, Patrick. St. Louis Cardinals. 978-1-098-29033-7.
Hanlon, Luke. Tampa Bay Rays. 978-1-098-29034-4.
Donnelly, Patrick. Texas Rangers. 978-1-098-29035-1.
—. Toronto Blue Jays. 978-1-098-29036-8.
Hewson, Anthony K. Washington Nationals. 978-1-098-29037-5.

The focus of the 30-book nonfiction series introduces sports and baseball fans to the history of each of the MLB franchises. Each book has engaging images along with an informative text that will appeal to students. The book concludes with a glossary, trivia, team facts, timeline, and an index.

THOUGHTS: This series is a good addition to enhance upper elementary and middle school library collections seeking to update their MLB section of the library.

796.357 Baseball

Elem. – Bears Are Best!

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HoLub, Joan. Bears Are Best! Illustrated by Laurie Keller. Crown Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-525-64533-7. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3.

Bears Are Best! is a picture book that follows a brown bear as he tells readers all about himself, as well as how he is the only bear in this book. However, spoiler alert, he is not the only bear in this book. What the reader finds out is that the brown bear is not the only bear in this book and what follows is each species of bear being introduced. There are several funny conversations had between the bears and even a special appearance from another species of animal.

THOUGHTS: This was a super enjoyable and interesting way to learn simple facts about different species of bears. The reader definitely will want to pay attention to the illustrations and the conversations that the bears are having with each other as it really adds to the book.

Picture Book

Elem. – The Shape of You

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Van, Muon Thi. The Shape of You. Illustrated by Miki Sato. Kids Can Press, 2023. 978-1-525-30545-0. 32 p. $18.95. Grades K-2.

A mother and daughter look for shapes around them: triangles, spheres, squares. The search takes on a more figurative approach such as the shape of learning is quiet, the shape of the wind is a scarf flopping, etc. The ending is sweet when the child shares that the shape of her love will always be the shape of her mother

THOUGHTS: This sweet book will allow children to appreciate all of the things surrounding them, tangible and intangible.

Picture Book

Elem. – What to Bring

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Schultz Nicholson, Lorna. What to Bring. Owlkids Books. 2023. 978-1-771-47490-0. 32 p. $18.95. Grades K-2.

Malia realizes that today is very different. Wildfires are threatening her neighborhood, and her family has to evacuate. As her parents get the essentials together, Malia has to choose what is important for her to take along. While she is going through her things, Malia realizes that family is most important.

THOUGHTS: This is probably one of the few books on this topic.  As wildfires become a regular occurrence, this book can help make kids think about what being evacuated from your home might be like.

Picture Book 

MG – Duel

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Bagley, Jessixa. Duel. Illustrated by Aaron Bagley. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-1-534-49655-2. 307 p. $24.99. Grades 4-8.

Two sisters duel out their feelings about each other—literally. Sixth grader Lucy and eighth grader Gigi have a complicated relationship. Their father recently passed away from an unnamed illness, and their mother works all of the time at the local hospital. The sisters’ relationship has gone sour since their father’s death, and both sisters take turns being mean-spirited toward the other. Gigi is on track to be captain of the middle school fencing team, something her father—who had been a fencing instructor himself—would have been proud of. Lucy is determined to beat her older sister, even if it means having to learn to fence secretly in just a few weeks’ time. The sisters must decide if they will end the story by dueling in front of their classmates or by finally discussing their feelings of grief with each other and their mother.

THOUGHTS: While many other books highlight problems between friends or classmates, this is a realistic and fresh look at a struggling sibling relationship. Both sisters can be unlikable at times due to their mean-spirited behaviors; that characteristic only adds to the realism. The unique ways in which people deal with grief are also fully explored in this book through other family characters including the girls’ mother and grandmother. Aside from being a powerful story about grief and familial relationships, this is also a sports story that includes a diverse cast of characters. The author’s note includes that part of Jessixa Bagley’s inspiration for Duel was to share a story about Black female fencers. Recommended as a meaningful story for middle school graphic novel collections. Fans of Raina Telgemeier, Shannon Hale, and Victoria Jamieson will also love Duel.

Graphic Novel

MG – The Cursed Moon

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Cervantes, Angela. The Cursed Moon. Scholastic Press, 2023. 978-1-338-81401-9. 224 p. $18.99. Grades 3-7.

Tell a great scary story, and you’re cool. Tell a great scary story under a cursed blood moon, and you’re also in big trouble. Sixth grade Rafa has found his niche in composing the best scary stories for his sister, Brianna, and new friends like Jayden. Together, Rafa and Brianna have moved in with their Abuelo and Abuela. Although their incarcerated mother, Nikki, is about to be released and return home, too, the impending reunion is met with anxiety and distrust by both siblings. In the days leading up to Nikki’s return, an older neighbor gives Rafa an ominous warning not to tell any of his scary stories under that night’s blood moon. Despite this plea, Rafa shares a terrifying tale with friends that night: The story of a spirit named the Caretaker who lures people into a local park’s pond to die. Unfortunately, Rafa should have listened to his neighbor. Now, it is too late. The Caretaker has come to life, and it is searching for new lives to claim. Rafa will have to figure out how to make this story have a happy ending…quickly.

THOUGHTS: The Cursed Moon contains just the right combination of creepy details and caring characters for a middle grade reader to thoroughly enjoy. While some of the focus is on the supernatural story action, Cervantes also weaves in lots of great realistic details that help fully form the characters of Rafa and Brianna. Pieces read like a realistic fiction story. At just over 200 pages, this is also an accessible book for developing middle grade readers who like a good thrill and chill!

YA – Gone Wolf

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McBride, Amber. Gone Wolf. Fiewel and Friends, 2023. 978-1-250-85049-2. 348 p. $17.99. Grades 6-10.

Inmate Eleven has never seen the sun. She is a Blue living in post-pandemic 2111. She is held alongside her wolf-dog, Ira, in a small room within the tall walls of Elite, the capital of Bible Boot—a future, isolationist portion of the United States post-Second Civil War. Inmate Eleven is given tests and bloodwork with frequency. She has been told through a series of Bible Boot-issued flashcards that Blues are racially inferior, hate is illegal, and Clones are irrefutably kind. Larkin, a white Clone, begins to meet with Inmate Eleven, and Inmate Eleven feels empowered to choose a new name for herself: Imogen. Unfortunately, Larkin’s father also happens to be the powerful, racist leader of Elite. Soon, Larkin and Imogen realize they must escape the walls of Elite where slavery has been fully re-instituted, and both Black and Blue people are enduring torturous treatment. But…who is Imogen, really, and what year is it…truly? Imogen is living two disjointed realities, and she’s fighting to go wolf in both.

THOUGHTS: Many aspects of this book are heartbreaking. The way McBride weaves this story together is poignant and unique. Without giving too many spoilers, this is a book that brings to light concepts of generational and racial trauma in the United States. The book’s underlying commentary regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, racial violence, and political polarization will also be highly relatable to middle school students. Big twists and turns, compounded by sad events, caused myself as reader to question where the story was going at first, but not in a negative way. Then, pieces clicked masterfully into place. Because the story is told from a first person limited perspective, McBride uses ends of each chapter to offer clarifying bits of information that will help all readers access the underlying themes and nuance of the story. The powerful messaging of Black resilience and a new lens of trauma will stick with readers for a long time. As an adult reader, I found myself thinking of Octavia Butler and Toni Morrison’s stories. An essential addition to middle school and even high school fiction collections.

Science Fiction

Elem. – I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams

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Moore, Tunisia. I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams. Illustrated by Robert Paul, Jr. Scholastic Press, 2023. 978-1-338-776171. 32 p. $19.99. Grades K-3.

This book follows a young boy as he meets 10 black heroes, both historical and more contemporary. As the main character goes through the book and meets each of these people, he discusses characteristics from each person. He channels his inner Mamba, like Kobe Bryant; he channels his inner Black Panther like Chadwick Boseman. At the end of this book, there is a short biography of each figure that is mentioned in the book. There also is an author’s note as well which gives more context to the book.

THOUGHTS: Overall, this is a wonderful book that is a great addition to any elementary school collection. There also is a female centered book coming from this author, as mentioned in the beginning of the book as this title only has male figures.

Picture Book

Elem. – Rocket Says Speak Up!

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Bryan, Nathan. Rocket Says Speak Up! Illustrated by Dapo Adeola. Random House, 2023. 978-0-593-43126-9. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

Rocket Says Speak Up! is a book about Rocket who loves to borrow books from her local public library. One day she gets a note from the librarian that the library has to close due to lack of money. Rocket decides that she wants to stage a peaceful protest in order to save the library. Through her hard work and spreading the word, they are able to save the public library and even buy a bookmobile for the library. The moral of this story is one that needs to be shared! The main character sprinkles little facts throughout the book which are fun for the reader as they go through the story.

THOUGHTS: This is a must own and must read aloud for every elementary school library collection. There are other picture books with this same character that would be worth purchasing for elementary school collections.

Picture Book