Elem./MG – Home Away From Home

Lord, Cynthia. Home Away From Home. Scholastic, 2023. 978-1-338-72611-4. $17.99. 212 p. Grades 4-7.

Mia is thrilled to be spending the summer with her grandma in Stone Harbor, Maine. Usually, Mia and her mother spend the summer there, but this year, she is going alone. Her mom is staying behind to find a new house with her new boyfriend, and Mia does not want any part of it. At least at her grandma’s, things will be just as they always were. She will get to spend time with grandma and all of the birds she loves to spot around Stone Harbor. But when Mia arrives, she meets Cayman, a boy her age who lives down the street and has been spending a lot of time with her grandmother. She doesn’t like having to share grandma with anyone, but she tries to give Cayman a chance. She invites him to see the eaglets in their nest, so Cayman and Mia trek through the wooded trail to visit them. When they arrive, they notice a strange white bird flying nearby. It doesn’t seem to be native to the area. Mia snaps a picture. When they get back to her grandma’s house, Cayman decides he is going to the library to find out what kind of bird they saw. But Mia feels a connection to the bird who seems a little displaced like she feels right now. She wants to find out about the bird before Cayman. Ignoring her mom’s rules about posting personal information online, she posts the bird picture on a birding website along with her location. Suddenly, there is a flurry of people traveling to Stone Harbor to see the bird. The secret is out, the bird is possibly in danger, and it’s all Mia’s fault.

THOUGHTS: Mia’s struggle with change is combined with an important message about respecting wildlife. Lord’s novel is heart-warming, comforting read with relatable characters. This is a must-buy for upper elementary and middle grade librarians.

Realistic Fiction

MG – Operation Pangolin: Saving the World’s Only Scaled Mammal

Eszterhas, Suzi. Operation Pangolin: Saving the World’s Only Scaled Mammal. Millbrook Press, 2022. 40 p. $23.04. 978-1-728-44295-2. Grades 5-8. 

Pangolins are an endangered species, and they couldn’t ask for a better book than Operation Pangolin to entice humans to ensure their survival. Wildlife photographer Eszterhas uses photographs liberally on wide pages, sure to elicit “oohs and aahs,” as well as “awws” for amazing baby pangolin photos.  Eszterhas begins by focusing on the story of conservationist Thai Van Nguyen, who recalls the day as a child when he saw a pangolin and her baby being captured by poachers (likely for their scales, which are mistakenly believed to have medicinal properties), and how he vowed to “save all the pangolins in the world” (5). He now runs the world’s largest pangolin rescue operation, Save Vietnam’s Wildlife. He and his staff rescue and treat injured pangolins, and Thai frequently speaks about and introduces pangolins to humans. The small numbers of pangolins and their shyness means that scientists still have many questions about their life habits, such as life span, mating habits, and duration of pregnancy. Researchers do know that pangolins have poor eyesight and a strong sense of smell; they have special muscles to close their ears and nostrils (in addition to eyes) while eating ants; their sticky tongues can be longer than their bodies; and they swallow sand and small stones to aid digestion. The photos are the focus of this book. Readers see pangolins curled into balls, eating ants, using their fingers to dig or hold onto branches, undergoing medical exams by Thai’s staff, and babies feeding and riding on their mothers’ backs. The remarkably close and clear photos, even of their scales, gives a sense of wonder and understanding of these creatures. 

THOUGHTS: This book is a winner for upper elementary and above, with facts and photographs to enthrall readers and urge them to help.  Don’t miss other recent amazing animal books by Eszterhas, including A Leopard Diary (2022) and The Adventures of Dr. Sloth (2022).

599.3 Pangolins          Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD

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

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