Title *

Elena Rides

Author *

Juana Medina

ISBN *

9781536232509

Publication Date *

March 2023

Price * $15.99

Interest Level *

1-3

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

4-6

Review: This is a flip book with full English on one side and full Spanish on the other. For a bilingual emergent reader, this is a colorful EZ reader with fun illustrations. The rhyming words interspersed in the text help in a phonics-based way with decoding skills. Spoiler alert: Elena rides the bike and your reader learned about her persistence along the way.

Recommendation: Highly Recommended

 

 

 

Title *

Grumbones

Author *

Jenn Bennett

ISBN *

978-1-66593-032-1

Publication Date *

2023

Price * $17.41

Interest Level *

grades 6-8

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

middle school

Review *

M.S.: Helena Novak, eager to reconnect with her deceased grandmother, journeys into the nightmarish world beyond the grave with best friend Ben. The Oregon sixth graders descend into the underworld in search of Babi, Helena’s Czech paternal grandmother. What they never expected to find was a place full of unusual, ghoulish creatures. The tweens meet an alarming guide for hire named Grumbones (“Like Santa’s evil skinny brother who lived alone in the California desert”) who promises to help them find Babi, but they quickly learn that they don’t know whom to trust. In fact, their very lives are at stake as Hereafter is roiled by a battle over its rule. Through the close friendship between Helena and Ben, the book explores middle school pressures and tensions. The sense of place is richly executed, with well-drawn creatures and characters populating this world of the dead. Helena’s experiences in Hereafter reflect the grieving and desperation that humans feel for connection with their loved ones after death. Loving bonds between family members and close friends sit comfortably at the heart of this supernatural, often gruesome tale that expertly explores people’s feelings of love and loss against the backdrop of an absorbing story of the nonliving.

 

Recommendation *

Additional

 

 

Title *

The Plot to Kill a Queen

Author *

Deborah Hopkinson

ISBN *

978-1-33866-058-6

Publication Date *

2023

Price * $18.32

Interest Level *

grades 4-8

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

4.3

Review *

E.S./M.S.: A historical novel with a plucky heroine that provides plenty of knowledge of the Tudor era wrapped up in an inventive mystery with a plethora of intrigue. Emilia Bassano is living comfortably as a ward of Queen Elizabeth's spymaster, Sir Francis, and an occasional lute player for the Queen. When she sneaks out to a playhouse, she overhears whisperings of a potentially deadly plot and knows she must tell her guardian. Emilia just thinks she is doing her duty to the crown; what she does not expect is to travel to spy on Mary, Queen of Scots, herself!

Written in the format of play acts, complete with asides to the audience, Hopkinson's novel is original with a compelling plot line and history explained at a level that kids will understand, even if at times it can seem rather didactic. Cleverly placed art throughout, including drawings and replicas of paintings and photographs, bring the era to life. A cleverly designed novel with impeccable historical detail for even younger readers, though lacking a completely satisfying conclusion.

 

Recommendation *

Recommended

 

 

Title *

Maid for It

Author *

Jamie Sumner

ISBN *

978-1-66590-577-0

Publication Date *

2023

Price * $17.41

Interest Level *

grades 5-8

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

4.4

Review *

M.S.: Franny's mom is three years sober, and the pair live above Mimi's laundromat. Franny spends her life worrying: about excelling in math, about avoiding mean cheerleader Sloan and basketball player Noah, and about whether her mother will relapse again. When an accident leaves her mother homebound, Franny adds worrying about money to the list, as hospital bills pile up. As Franny juggles school, friendships, and her anxiety, she decides to take on one of her mom's jobs cleaning houses to make ends meet. Sumner has created a story that delves into a heavy topic, but in a lighthearted way that is suitable for young readers. Franny is a

sympathetic, relatable character, while beautifully crafted relationships drive the plot forward. An honest portrayal of the struggles a young girl will go through for her family

 

Recommendation *

Recommended

 

 

Title *

Disney Mirrorverse: Pure of Heart

Author *

Delilah Dawson

ISBN *

978-1-36807-891-7

Publication Date *

2023

Price * $18.32

Interest Level *

grades 7-12

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

middle/high school

Review *

M.S./H.S.: While the old tales continue on as normal in the Source Worlds, in the Mirror Worlds, characters from Disney stories exist in heightened forms. The light and dark mirrors created in the stellar collision fell, pitting the forces of good and evil magic against each other. But the dark mirror has broken, and the Fractured Magic that now claws its way out from it threatens to rend the worlds as we know them asunder. Snow White’s peaceful life has been shattered by this magic: Character development takes a back seat to the adventures, battles, and rich visual details in this plot-driven novel. Familiarity with the main characters will do a great deal to endear them to readers, and the cliffhanger ending promises more adventures in the works. Will appeal to movie buffs seeking light entertainment.

Recommendation *

Additional

 

 

Title *

Ruffles and the Cozy, Cozy Bed

Author *

David Melling

ISBN *

978-1-53623-155-7

Publication Date *

2022

Price * $17.41

Interest Level *

ages 2-6

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

preschool/kindergarten

Review *

P.S./E.S.: What’s a scared pooch to do? Ruffles, a white puppy with a dark spot around one eye, is back, and once more, he has definite opinions. But he’s not so fond of loud Melling’s charming, headstrong puppy confronts fears in his fourth outing, which is sure to comfort little ones scared of storms and other noises. The author/illustrator once more relies on digitally colored pencil drawings; brief, endearing vignettes depict Ruffles’ various favorite and not-so-favorite things.

 

Recommendation *

Additional

 

 

Title *

Duel

Author *

Jessixa Bagley

ISBN *

978-1-53449-655-2

Publication Date *

2023

Price * $23.82

Interest Level *

grades 5-8

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

3.2

Review *

E.S./M.S.: Lucy’s entering a new school for sixth grade, where her sister, GiGi, is an eighth-grader. Almost right from the start, the thick tension between them at home spills over at school when GiGi trips Lucy and Lucy challenges GiGi to a duel with GiGi’s own fencing foil. Despite warnings from the principal, Lucy sticks to her plan and secretly trains with the help of her late father’s fencing guidebook, hoping to take GiGi, the best fencer in school, down a peg. Jessixa Bagley’s story of sister rivalry gradually builds in emotional depth, as the origin of GiGi and Lucy’s conflict eventually comes to the fore: still dealing with the grief of losing their father, a notable fencing instructor, each girl is jealous of the time he spent with the other, feelings that intensify as they practice techniques he taught them. With an uncommonly keen eye for the convoluted way kids deal with grief, this heartening story of growth and a family healing from loss is a natural pick for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale.

 

Recommendation *

Highly Recommended

 

 

Title *

The Super Secret Octagon Valley Society

Author *

Lora Senf

ISBN *

978-1-36808-374-4

Publication Date *

2023

Price * $17.41

Interest Level *

grades 5-8

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

5.0

Review *

M.S.: Following a nationwide assessment of American sixth graders, eight are invited to Octagon Valley Institute for a three-day summit of lectures and workshops. From across the country, the eight students of intersectionally diverse backgrounds gather, ready to discover the top-secret, cutting-edge projects in development. Upon their arrival, though, the Institute’s enigmatic founder, Onasander Octagon, informs them that they must participate in one more assessment. It’s a scavenger hunt through the compound’s most top-secret areas, and it will require both teamwork and individual aptitude. While solving puzzles and defeating increasingly dangerous challenges, such as a room with slowly closing walls and a piranha-filled river, several of the children discover new angles to their strengths and weaknesses.

 

Recommendation *

Recommended

 

 

Title *

The Nighthouse Keeper

Author *

Lora Senf

ISBN *

978-1-66593-463-3

Publication Date *

2023

Price * $17.41

Interest Level *

grades 5-8

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

3.9

Review *

M.S.: Twelve-year-old Evie returns, this time following the trail of missing ghost Florence and finding herself lured to the Dark Sun Side by ghoulish, evil Portia. Once there, Evie learns about the Radix, a swirling, black, oceanlike expanse of unforgiving magical power. In exchange for Evie’s return to the land of the living, Portia tasks her with retrieving the soul light from the center lantern of the Nighthouse. Senf’s nightmarish, well-imagined supernatural landscape is original and compelling.

 

Recommendation *

Recommended

 

 

Title: The Stranded

Author: The Stranded

ISBN: 13-978-1-7282-8009-7

Publication Date: 2023

Price: $11.99

Interest Level:14 and up

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale): grades 8 and up

Review * M.S./H.S.: Dystopian, apocalyptic, technological thriller, and futuristic novel aptly describe Sarah Daniels debut novel The Stranded as do the appellations coming of age novel and novel of intrigue, suspense, deception, and betrayal. Influenced by The Hunger Games, Divergent, and the Covid 19 pandemic, the novel is set in 2094 on the cruise ship Arcadia, once a luxury liner, now a run-down decaying hulk of its former glory. In 2051, the ship left Liverpool during an apoca- lyptic war and a deadly virus that left Europe a virtual wasteland. Now 15,934 days later the ship is floating off the coastline of the Federated States, part of the fractured U.S. Its passengers, some of them third generation, have been prohibited from making landfall for over forty years in fear of the virus resurfacing and spreading. However, there have been no virus cases for years. Because of the landing prohibition, the Federated States supply the ship with food and other necessities, but resources are scarce and rations re often reduced. There is a hierarchy among the Stranded passengers. The more privileged (many of the original first- class passengers and now their families live on the fourteen upper decks. The Neaths, the lower class, and the crew live below the waterline in seemingly infinite darkness ruled by gangs who smuggle and steal. The ship has a captain known to the people from his daily announcements covering weather, reported new cases of virus, and the days at sea. Real power, however, is held by Commander Hadley, a vengeful sadist, who represents the Federated States. Since he was assigned to the Arcadia as a punishment, he is as desperate tov get off the ship as the other passengers. He controls through fear, intimidation, threats. The use of drones and bots (robots), and the Coalies, enforcers who wear coal-colored uniforms. Apparently, a rebellion has been in the planning stage for a long time, but is now moving to implementation. The catalyst was the dropping of leaflets claiming the Oceania, another floating ship, had been cleared of people and shut down. Naturally, those on the Arcadia wondered what happened to its passengers and would their fate be the same. Although there are a number of important characters, five are the focus of the novel: Esther Crossland, Nikhail (Nik), Hadley, Alex, and May Crossland. However, the novel is told from the point-of-view of three of them: Esther and Nik in first person and Hadley in limited third person. Esther is a loyal citizen and a medic who aspires to be a doctor on land. Unfortunately, only the top students are given this opportunity and she has to maintain one of the two highest grades in the ship’s school. Nik, a rebel, is a key player in the plan to liberate the Arcadia. Hadley, as in- dicated is the ultimate power on the Arcadia. Alex, Esther’s boyfriend and fiancé, also a medic engages in smuggling for he has a hidden cache of food. May is Esther’s sister who will soon graduate and obtain a permanent position on land as a Federated soldier. She is also the girl- friend and co-conspirator of Nik, a secret she’s kept from her family as she led a double life. Esther compromises her status when against regulations and without special permission she goes to the lower deck to treat toxic gunshot wound on an unknown masked figure who calls her by name. These events set off a chain reaction on the ship and on land that begins the up- rising. The book culminates in a lengthy cliffhanger that is fraught with violence and death. There is no deus ex-machina. Admittedly, the last chapters (about 80 pages of the novel’s 447 pages) are non-stop action, But the novel is overly long and took a while to develop momentum. Moreover, the novel lacks exposition. The reader is thrown into the rebellion before understanding how life worked on the ship and is expected to know pre-existing character relationships. Characterization is often sacrificed for plot. Commander Hadley, one of the more intriguing characters, is one dimensional and stereotypical. Often, character behavior is inconsistent exemplified by Esther. Knowing there are only two slots to study at a prestigious medical university and the exam on board to secure one of the slots is 65% of the grade, she “forgot” to study. Furthermore, know- ing she was under a microscope from her teacher, she performed the illegal operation on the masked man on the lower deck. In spite of its limitations, the novel also has value as a mirror of our world: the restrictions imposed because of Covid including ships stranded for weeks; imposition of martial law; countries with draconian rules such as North Korea, China, and Russia; gangs running rampant such as in Haiti and the cartels of Central America; overthrows of governments in Africa and South America; and wars in the Ukraine and Gaza.

Recommendation: Recommended

 

Title *    

Susie King Taylor: Nurse, Teacher, and Freedom Fighter

Author *              

Erica Armstrong Dunbar and Candace Buford

ISBN *  

978-1-6659-1994-4

Publication Date *           

2023

Price *   $19.99

Interest Level * 

ages 10 and up

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *             

5 and up

Review * M.S./H.S.:- Based on the 1902 memoir Reminiscences of My Life by Susie King Taylor, Susie King Taylor by Dunbar and Buford is the first volume in a series titled Rise, Risk, Remember: In- credible Stories of Courageous Black Women. Although the biography encompasses her life from 1848 to 1902, the focus is her service from 1861 to 1866 as one of the first Black Civil War nurses. Born on the plantation Grest House near Savannah, she lived with her grandmother, a laundress in Savannah from age seven to thirteen. She was able to attend school somewhat clandestinely and be- come literate. When she was thirteen, she was recalled to the plantation as the Civil War began. When Fort Pulaski fell to Union troops, she escaped with her aunt and uncle’s family. They walked over twenty-five miles to the Savannah River where they were picked up by a Union gunboat and trans- ported to St. Simons Island recently captured by Union troops. Thus, began her five-year service (unpaid) to the Union. Initially, she worked as a laundress during the day and as a teacher in the evening. Here she met Edward King, a Black volunteer in the First SC Volunteer Infantry (later known as the 33rd Colored Infantry Regiment). However, when Confederate soldiers penetrated the island and killed two Union soldiers and wounded two others, Susie was commandeered to serve as a battle- field nurse. On the island, she met Edward King, a Black soldier, who attended her classes and taught her to shoot. Months later she married him. In October of 1862, St. Simons was evacuated and Union troops moved to the front where they fought in battles in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina. Finally on February 9, 1866, they were mustered out although Lee had surrender to Grant at Appomattox on April 9, 1865. In the epilogue, her post-bellum life and career are recounted including the unexpected death of her husband, her reunion with her family in Georgia, schools she established, working for white families and traveling with them to Boston, a second marriage to Russell Taylor, a longshoreman, the death of her son Edward, and her role in establishing Corps 67 of the Women’s Relief Corps to support war veterans. The original manuscript published in 1902 is an invaluable primary source as the first published account of a Black Civil War battlefield nurse. Both versions provide a wealth about the Civil War itself and the ante-bellum and post-bellum periods. Examples include the nomination of Lincoln, the firing on Fort Sumter, escaped slaves considered contraband by the Union, the entire text of the Emancipation Procla-mation, the plan to send freed slaves to Liberia, the Confederate prison camps at Andersonville and Libby, the beginning of Reconstruction with the Jim Crow laws. Moreover, both versions use first person point of view that makes readers feel as though they were actually there. Wherever possible, the modern ver- sion uses Susie’s own words. Only fourteen when she first volunteered, she is certainly a compelling and inspiring character. Her resiliency is repeatedly shown exemplified by her surviving two serious boat accidents. In one she floundered in the water for four hours until she was rescued. Assuredly, there were triumphs in her life, but there were also tragedies, the early death of her first husband and the death of her only son Edward. Through her eyes, we see the inglorious side of war. In spite of every- thing she witnessed and endured, she never wavered in her belief that her people would “attain the full standard of all other races born free in the sight of God.’’ Although the Dunbar and Buford version aligns closely to the original manuscript with no significant difference in content, it adds experiences she might have had, provides more depth, and personalizes many of the secondary characters with names instead of kinship terms. In both versions, there are gaps in her life. Did Dunbar and Buford research her life after 1866? In spite of the limitations, the biography Susie King Taylor enables the reader to see what life was like during the Civil War for Blacks volunteering for the Union especially a Black battlefield nurse. Recommendation * 

Highly Recommended

 

 

Title *

Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburg

Author: Rachel Lippincott

ISBN: 978-1-6659-3753-5

Publication Date: 2023

Price: $19.99

Interest Level: ages 14 and up

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale): grades 9-12

Review: H.S.: Although Pride and Prejudice and Pittsburg has many of the tropes that often characterize YA and LGBTQ+ literature, the novel also contains other dimensions such as time travel, gender equality and historical context that result in an enjoyable and worthwhile read. Having overtones of Outlander and Bridgerton and told from dual alternating first-person points of view, the novel transports the reader from 2023 to 1812. Audrey Cameron, an aspiring artist and high school senior, works part-time in her family’s convenience store. Recently, her boy- friend Charlie has broken up with her and has cast aspersions on the practicality of art as a career for her. She applied to Rhode Island School of Design but has been waitlisted. Moreover, she is experiencing the equivalent of writer’s block and is unable to produce anything for her art portfolio. She has lost her spark and feels as though she is destined to stay in Pittsburg and work for her parents forever. Lucy Sinclair who lives in Regency England in 1812 has also lost her spark. She has been brought up to be a proper young lady constrained by the rigid class and social customs of the time. Her father who normally ignores her plans to marry her to a thor- oughly detestable man twice her age to enhance his business connections. In Lucy’s world, her future is dictated to her; in Audrey’s world she has the freedom to choose her future. Through the machinations of Mr. Montgomery, an old curmudgeon who patronizes Cameron’s convenience store, and a quarter he gives Audrey, she is transported to Regency England. Lucy finds her lying in a field on Radcliffe, her family’s estate, and is perplexed by the clothes (or lack of) she is wearing, the gum she chewing, and the small rectangular box (a cell phone) that she is carrying. Audrey, in turn, is perplexed by Lucy’s garments, her accent, and the “Radcliffe, my family’s estate,” comment. Audrey soon realizes she has been transported to 1812 and the magical quarter was the means. However, when she tosses the coin, she does not return to Pittsburg in 2023. Lucy, still dubious of her arrival on her estate, sees her as a welcome distraction from her impending forced marriage and invites her to stay at Radcliffe since her father is away. As they try to figure out how to send Audrey back, they learn a great deal about their divergent worlds and about each other. Audrey is quickly drawn into Lucy’s world and participates in many social activities. She is fitted for dresses, learns the dances currently in vogue, and is taught proper etiquette. Three men are attracted to her: Colonel Alexander Finch, Lucy’s cousin; Matthew Shepherd, a well—to-do; and James, an employee of the Radcliffe Estate, but none spark a romantic response from her. It becomes apparent that the feelings of Lucy and Audrey have transcended friendship with Lucy making the first overtures. When Mr. Sinclair returns, he orders Audrey to leave Radcliffe, for she is a “questionable influence” on Lucy. She does and a distraught Lucy agrees to advance the date of her marriage to Cantwell. As the reader pon- ders their respective fates, Mr. Montgomery makes a deus ex machina appearance as Matthew Shepherd’s new butler which leads to an ending with a few surprises.  The novel is very readable with short chapters and an engaging lively writing style. Teens can relate to Audrey’s problems as she ponders options after high school graduation and can learn from Lucy the limitations young women faced in Regency England. Throughout the novel, the historical context of the Regency Period is maintained reinforcing the cultural shock between the two timelines exemplified by Audrey’s reaction to a chamber pot and Lucy’s reaction to Audrey’s pop culture references. Often the contrasts illustrate the difference between surviving a life and living a life. The author’s inversion of the trope of someone in the past ending up in the present and having to adjust to social and technological changes is well done. Although the plot follows the sequence from exposition to conclusion, characterization is emphasized more. Both co-protagonists are distinctly characterized, are dynamic characters who undergo journeys of self-discovery, and who bring about the best in each other. However, Lucy is the more com plex character given the forced marriage she faces. There is also a colorful cast of secondary characters including Audrey’s three suitors (Mr. Matthew Shepherd, Colonel Alexander Finch, and James); Martha, the servant who raised Lucy after her mother died; Mr. Sinclair, Lucy’s father; Mr. Caldwell, Lucy’s husband-to-be; and Mr. Montgomery who controlled the time travel. The secondary characters help the protagonists to realize their true feelings, to become themselves, and to take risks for happiness. This anachronistic take on a Regency same-sex romance combines drama and comedy. However, the novel is definitely not a retelling or a re-imagining of Pride and Prejudice, for the connection to Austen’s novel is virtually non-exis- tent. The only similarities are the setting in the Regency Period and two references from her novel: the Netherfield ball scene and the difference in the annual income 5,000 pounds verses 10,00 pounds of two of the men. Kyra Knightley who played Elizabeth Bennett in the 2005 film of Pride and Prejudice is mentioned. Both Audrey and Lucy are too quick to accept time travel as the reason for Audrey’s appearance on Lucy’s estate. At times, the plot is both predictable and rushed. The development of their lesbian relationship after approximately two weeks is im- plausible, for there is no previous indication of their sexual identity. Some characters were superficial and/or stereotyped best represented by Lucy’s father and her soon-to-be husband. The ending is anti-climactic and the novel could have profited from a more detailed epilogue unless a sequel is planned. Overall, the novel kept this reader’s interest, had historical value in is depic- tion of Regency England, clearly delineated the limitations women faced then compared to contemporary society, and had some really good examples of humor and satire. 

Recommendation: Recommended

 

 

 

Title: Cave of Bones

Author: Lee Berger and John Hawks

ISBN: 978-1-4262-2388-4

Publication Date: 2023

Price: $30.00

Interest Level: grades 9-12

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale): 9

Review * H.S.: Combining paleoanthropology with adventure and mystery, Cave of Bones is the story of the discovery of Homo naledi, one of the most significant and controversial dis-coveries in the origin of mankind. Homo naledi was initially found by two recreational cavers in 2013 in the Rising Star cave system in South Africa’s Cradle of Humankind about an hour’s drive from Johannesburg. Between 2013 and 2022, the cave system was explored by a team assembled by Lee Berger, a National Geographic Explorer and a director at Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg. In 2022, Berger made the perilous descent into the cave to confirm some of the cultural aspects of naledi and discovered something previously missed: rudimentary art work on the cave’s walls. To facilitate readers’ especially those not well versed in anthro- pology or archaeology understanding of the find, he organized the book into four parts. In the first part, the two most important topics are the “array of human ancestry” suggesting a branch- ing network instead of a single evolutionary line and a description of the cave system. Written by John Hawks, human ancestry is traced from Ardipithecus ramidus and Australopithecus anamensis who lived four million years ago to Homo sapiens and possible contemporaries such as Homo naledi. The Rising Star cave system is a labyrinth of small tunnels that connect through crevices and passageways approximately 2.5 miles in length and as deep as 13,000 feet below ground. It is composed of limestone dolomite, and chert (microscopic crystalline mineral vari- eties of silica. In the second part, Berger details the fossilized remains of Homo naledi, the deductions made from those remains, and the “culture” (highly controversial) of Homo naledi. Over 1,500 specimens of bones, 737 different skeletal elements, and twenty-five individuals (but not a full skeleton) were found. Homo naledi’s average height was about 4’9” and weighed about 88 pounds. He had a small brain with a cranial capacity ranging from 465 to 615 ccs. His frame with long legs was built for climbing and his pelvis and trunk were comparable to some of the earliest human beings. He also had an opposable thumb and prehensile grasp that enable him to wrap around an object and grip it firmly. The cave findings also suggested that he used fire (charcoal was found), made markings on walls, made tools, and buried his dead in shallow graves in the subterranean cave system. Homo naledi lived between 335,000 and 235,000 years ago, making it possible that this proto-human co-existed with Homo sapiens. In the third part, Berger details his own descent into the Dinaledi Chamber, the site of the findings, and his preparation for the descent. Given his height, weight, and age, he had not previously made the attempt but decided it was now or never. He drastically modified his diet and lost fifty pounds and exercised using adjustable weights, boxing bags, and resistance bands. At the time of the descent, he was fifty-seven. The most perilous aspect of the descent was the Chute measuring forty feet in length and seven and a half inches in width. Although the climbers wore a harness and a safety line; they could not be extracted; they had to get out on their own. For Berger, the ascent was more difficult than the descent and he had to purposefully dislocate his patella and then force it back in place. In the final part, he summarizes many of cave findings and their significance and, to a degree, acknowledges controversy engendered by the interpretation of the findings. Salient questions are posed and some previous assumptions are refuted. Was naledi more complex than sapiens for his use of mortuary rituals and meaningful symbols occurred about 100,000 years before humans did the same things. Did naledi and sapiens have a common ancestor? Moreover, he challenges readers to answer how we became human. Cave of Bones is a thought-provoking book that can be read on different levels. It docu- ments the fascinating discovery of Homo naledi that possibly co-existed with Homo sapiens. It suggests that Homo sapiens was one of several species experimenting with walking upright and using tools. In so doing, it reframes the human family tree and expands our knowledge of early hominins. Moreover, it gives the reader an appreciation of scientists like Berger and the rigors and dangers involved in their work. Well written as a first-hand account, the book is easy to understand for someone with little knowledge of anthropology and/or geology. The text s supplemented with photographs (many in color), sketches, maps, charts, and a time line of Homo naledi discoveries that both enhance the content and bring the discoveries to life. It also provides a number of in- sightful questions such as are we a unique species, did Homo naledi have contact with other hominins. There is too much emphasis on Berger himself especially the overdrawn section on his finally entering the Dinaledi Chamber. Since many other anthropologists and explorers had entered the cave, how were the discovers and observations Berger made overlooked by so many others. In addition, Berger seemed to discount other ex- planations for some his findings particularly the burial practices. Couldn’t the placement of the bodies been accidental and not purposeful resulting from geological shifts within the caves. More analysis is needed on the fossils themselves and the environment in which they were found. Furthermore, the results need more peer review, for many of Berger’s hypotheses have been challenged by colleagues in his field. Recommendation *

Highly Recommended

 

 

 

Title *  

Discovering Life’s Story: Biology’s Beginnings

Author *             

Joy Hakim

ISBN *  

978-1-5362-2293-7

Publication Date *          

2023

Price *  $22.99

Interest Level *

H.S.

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *            

grades 9-12

Review *  H.S.: Part of a yet-to-be completed tetralogy Discovering Life’s Story, volume I  Biology’s Beginnings is an overview of the discoveries in the evolution of life science from  the Renaissance to the late 1800s. Although the book emphasizes life science in the Western  World, the introduction also credits the contributions of Islamic scholars and establishes the foundation of the Renaissance. Each of the twelve chapters begins with two quotations one  from a scientist and the other from another notable person. Each chapter also focuses on two  or more scientists from a particular era who were often contemporaries. For each there is often  a tripartite discussion: what they discover, the process of discovery and the impact of the dis-  covery then and now. Among the scientists discussed are Vesalius (who debunked authorities  of the past like Galen or Aristotle), Leonardo da Vinci, Federico Cesi (controlled experiments),  Francis Bacon (scholarship based on observation not on authorities of the past), William Harvey  (circulation of the blood), Francesco Redi (founder of experimental biology), Agostino Bassi  (live microorganisms as the cause of diseases such as plague and syphilis), Robert Hooke  (microscopes with a 20 to 30X magnification), Leeuwenhoek (microscopes with a 200X mag-  nification and animalcules, in reality bacteria), Linnaeus (the binomial system of nomenclature),  Humbolt and Ehrenberg (micro-paleontology that links biology, geology, and history), Schwann  (the cell as biology’s basic unit), Cohn (father of modern bacteriology), Pasteur (germ theory,  pasteurization, and inoculation), and Beitjerinck and Mayer (discovery of viruses later seen  through electron microscopes). Recognition is also accorded women including the alchemist  Caterina Sforza, Louise Boursier (treatise on childbirth and the vital role of the placenta in  the unborn child), Lucrezia Marinella (abilities of women if educated in the sciences), Laura  Bassi (first European woman to earn a doctorate in science), and Maria Merian (extensive  study on the process of metamorphosis). Also discussed is Onesimus, the slave of Cotton Mather, who had been inoculated against smallpox in Africa and who was the impetus for inoculation in Boston during a smallpox epidemic.  Although written for teens, the book has value for adults as an overview of discoveries in the  life sciences or as a review of those discoveries. The author clearly demonstrates that the dis-  coveries did not occur in a vacuum by providing historical context such as plagues, geographical  discoveries, encouragement by rulers or wealthy patrons. Moreover, Hakim shows how discoveries were built on previous discoveries once a foundation was laid. From a literary  standpoint, the book is highly readable and engrossing, for the author utilizes a story telling  approach, narrative non-fiction, and often employs the present tense to make the historical  events and scientific discoveries more immediate and relatable. Given the material covered,  the book is certainly comprehensive but not overwhelming. In addition to being well researched,  well designed, and highly informative, the book is well illustrated. On almost every page, there  is archival material—drawings, engravings, portraits, photographs, maps, charts that help to  clarify the topics. Sidebars ae included as are probing questions by scientists or other interested  people. In summation, the book was fascinating and a most worthwhile addition to any library especially a school library.  Recommendation *       

Outstanding

 

 

100 Bike Rides of a Lifetime

Author: Roff Smith

ISBN: 978-1426222658

Publication Date: 2023 Price: $35.00

Interest Level: HS Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale): 9

Review: H.S.:- Designed primarily for the cycling enthusiast whether casual or expert, 100 Bike Rides of a Lifetime also holds interest for the armchair traveler, the history buff, the photo aficionafo, and one interested in geography. With a foreword by Kate Courtney, a US Olympic team member and an introduction by the author that both enumerate the values and joys of cycling, the book details 100 incredible cycling experiences. Divided into three major parts: the Americas, Europe, and Africa, Asia, and Oceania, the book covers 100 cycling routes many of which are on bucket lists on six continents. The obvious omission is Antarctica although the author has actually cycled there. For each ride salient information is provided: distance, surface of terrain, length of trip, when to go, and level of difficulty. For some side trips and alternate routes are provided as is historical background. Examples of historical background include Acadia National Park in Maine begun in 1913 by John D. Rockefeller as a carriage road on which automobiles would be forbidden; the Underground Railroad Route from Mobile, Alabama, to Ontario, Canada; the Katy Trail in Missouri that follows the route taken by Lewis and Clark; King Alfred’s Way (Winchester England) that takes in 5,000 years of British history including Stonehenge; the Danube Cycle Path from Passau, Germany, to Vienna, Austria, that passes through Durnstein where Richard the Lionheart was imprisoned; the Lon Las Cymru in Wales with a side trip to a town with the longest name in Europe at 58 letters and 18 syllables; the Loire a Velo with the many chateaux in the Loire Valley including Chambord; Conti Way in Kent, England, that includes three World Heritage structures in Canterbury: Canterbury Cathedral, St. Martin’s Church, and St. Augustine’s Abbey; Way of Roses connecting Lancashire and Yorkshire and the dynastic struggle from 1455 to 1485 between the House of Lancaster and the House of York; the Berlin Wall Trail along the longest remaining stretch (4318 feet) of the wall; Ancient Angkor in Cambodia, the ninth century Khmer capital spread over 150 square miles; the Pamir Highway from Tajikistan to Kyrgyzstan that follows the old Silk Road. If one is interested in railroads, many of the routes follow the old rail routes. Each of the routes has one or more unique aspects. Among the more interesting are the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal towpath of 185 traffic free miles; the Blue Ridge Highway of over 400 miles without a single stop sign; Mauna Kea in Hawaii, the world’s highest mountain 33,500 feet if measured from its base on the ocean floor; the Huascaran Circuit in Peru with the world’s highest tunnel at 15,535 feet; the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhobi, actually a racing car circuit of three paved miles; the Lake Dunstan Trail on South Island, New Zealand, a cantilevered bike path bolted onto the rock face for thirty-four miles. On many of the rides, cyclists traverse routes with high mountain peaks such as Denali in Alaska at 20,310 feet, the Tanglang Pass in Ladakh at 17,582 feet, Chimboazo in Ecuador at 20,702 feet, and La Carretera de Los Yungas in Bolivia at 15,400 feet. The geographical contrasts of the routes are strikingly different: the vineyards along the shores of Lake Michigan; the caldera resulting from volcanic eruption such as those at Crater Lake in Oregon; the Colorado Trail in Oregon that passes through eight mountain ranges and six national parks; the West Loop in Slovenia that reveals half of the country is still covered by forests; the Cape of Good Hope Trail in South Africa through Cape Point Nature Reserve, the most diverse of the Earth’s six distinct floral regions; and the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia across the world’s largest salt flat of more than 4,000 square miles. Equally varied are the length of the trips from a single day trip such as the Applecross Loop in Scotland and the Tour de Fronds in Oregon to the Trans America from Astoria, Oregon, to Yorktown, Virginia that takes two to three months. Of the rides listed, the most (thirty-five) are in the United States with France in second place with eleven, and England and Canada tied for third place with six each. The photography is truly incredible with the photos capturing the beauty of the landscape, the diversity of the Earth’s terrain, the arduous nature of many of the routes, different types of cycles, geological wonders, world famous races, historical sites, flora and fauna, and cyclists navigating the varied routes.

 

Recommendation: Highly Recommended

 

 

 

Title *

The Mayor of Maxwell Street

Author *

Avery Cunningham

ISBN *

978-1-368-09300-2

Publication Date *

2024

Price * $27.99

Interest Level *

HS

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

8

Review *

H.S.:- Avery Cunningham’s multi-faceted debut novel takes the reader into Prohibition

Era Chicago with its speakeasies and criminal underground, with its Black elite society still sub-

jected to prejudice and discrimination, and with the search to uncover the identity of the Mayor

of Maxwell Street, a shadowy figure who controls the underground gangs and instills fear in

so many of the city’s citizens. The two focal characters are Penelope “Nelly” Sawyer and Jay

Shorey born James “Jimmy” Glass neither of them native Chicagoans. Nelly is the daughter of

a Kentucky horse breeder whose wealth and fame catapult the family into the highest echelons

of Black society. When the novel begins, she is attending the funeral of her brother Elder who

was killed in an automobile accident (actually murdered). With his death she became heir to the

family fortune. Her mother wants her to enter high society to find a wealthy and prominent hus-

band. Unknown to her parents, she has been writing investigative articles exposing the conditions

of the Black underclass for the Chicago Defender using a pseudonym. To get a byline under her

own name, she agrees to take a dangerous assignment: uncover the identity of the Mayor of Max-

well Street, the boss of all crime bosses in Chicago whose identity has been closely guarded. Jimmy’s

background is quite different. He was born in Alabama to a bi-racial couple later murdered by a

mob. When Jimmy is accused of propositioning a white woman (nothing happened and she came on

to him), he fled Alabama before he was killed. His uncle sacrificed his life to facilitate his escape

from the mob. Years later he turned up in Chicago where he often passed as white as Jay Shorey,

the manager of the Lantern Club, a famous speakeasy. Not knowing each other’s background, he

and Nelly meet at her brother’s funeral. Nelly would prefer to return to the family’s horse ranch

and not be a player in the cotillon circuit. Jay desperately wants the “American dream” and never

looks back. After their paths cross a few times, he agrees to help her uncover the identity of the

mysterious Mayor of Maxwell Street; however, at times, the reader wonders whether he is helping

or hindering. At the funeral, she also met Sequoia McArthur, the daughter of Bishop McArthur who

delivered Elder’s eulogy. Between Jay and Sequoia who both know their way around Chicago’s

society; Nelly is introduced to the city’s marked dichotomy: from debutante balls and the cotillon

circuit, the Ebony Masque, street markets, the National Negro Women’s League, and polo matches

to speakeasies like the Lantern Club and the Dreamland Café and to high stakes poker games. In the

process, she is drawn into a world of intrigue, secrets, threats, bribery, corruption, shady deals, and

crime syndicates replete with shoot-outs, explosions, and murder. The novel has a fascinating caste of

secondary characters some of whom are also shrouded in mystery. In addition to Sequoia, the most

important of these is Tomas Escalante y Roche, a wealthy polo player with a claim to a European title

who courts Nelly and is considered a suitable suitor by her parents. He is also drawn into the criminal

underground when he aids Nelly and Jay. Other interesting secondary characters include Abraham,

Jay’s personal tailor who has “connections” and receives packages for the mayor; Mayor Thompson,

the real Mayor of Chicago who seems to be the middleman shysters like the Mayor of Maxwell Street;

Marta Harjo, a talented cartoonist whose cartoons of Thompson suggest he is controlled by Maxwell

and who assists Nelly but knows so much more than she reveals; Richard Norris, editor of the Chicago

Defender whose challenge begins nelly’s perilous search for the Mayor of Maxwell Street, and Mikey

Hannigan, a member of Regan Colt’s (the equivalent of the KKK) who has a physical encounter with Nelly.

The novel is indicative of extensive research from both an historical and sociological perspective, for the

reader is transported into the Roaring Twenties and Prohibition Era Chicago as though he is actually

living the events depicted. Facilitating this is the inclusion of street names and structures, the many

ethnicities mentioned, and the juxtaposition of the world of glitz and glamour with the seedy underworld.

Moreover, the novel is imbued with allusions to automobiles, songs, entertainers and entertainment venues,

writers, and other famous people who reinforce the time period. At times, the novel is Gatsbyesque, for

parallels can be drawn between Jay Gatsby and Jay Shorey in their origins and their rise to power. The

novel has enough twists and turns and revelations to keep the reader’s interest; however, the novel is

overly long with passages of slow pacing, plot gaps, and unclear sub-plots. Assuredly, the prologue

engages the reader’s interest, but the reader never knows Jimmy’s story in the years between his escape

from the Alabama mob and his life in Chicago as the influential manager of a famous speakeasy. Nelly,

the co-protagonist, is intelligent, resourceful, and courageous, but she often makes poor choices that

endanger herself and others including at least two murders. She also abandons her search for the Mayor

of Maxwell Street; however, a careful reader can discern his identity. Some of the scenes are unrealistic more so unbelievable but then this is the Raoring Twenties. Literary techniques that Cunningham has mastered are similes and metaphors but she uses them to excess and assumes readers’ knowledge. A good example is “Sequoia’s hat towered like the lighthouse at Alexandria.” Over all the novel is definitely worth

reading and makes the reader aware of social issues like prejudice and discrimination, political corruption,

and gang violence are unfortunately still with us today.

Recommendation *

Highly Recommended

 

 

Title *

Bad Princesses

Author *

Jennifer Tores

ISBN *

978-1-338-83314-0 

Publication Date *

May 2023

Price * $7.99

Interest Level *

8-12

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

3-7

Review *

A twist on a typical princess book. Dalia and Dominga are being sent to princess finishing school at the Fine and Ancient Institute for the Royal (FAIR). However, they really want to join a secret society of villains at the Bewitched Academy for the Dreadful (BAD). Throughout the first day of class, they plot schemes to cause mayhem and hopefully reward them with invitations to BAD. Sadly for Dalia and Dominga, all the schemes backfire and instead of creating trouble, they end up being “heroes”.

 

I was expecting the book to end with the girls deciding they like their school or accepting themselves for the princesses they are. Instead, the book ends with their rejection letter from BAD. However, this is only book 1 of a series so perhaps later on we will see a change in their attitude. An amusing and fun twist for young readers who want to see an alternative to typical princess books.

Recommendation *

Recommended

 

 

Title *

Soccer Queens

Author *

Charles R. Smith Jr.

ISBN *

978-1536225334

Publication Date *

April 2023

Price * $15.99

Interest Level *

8-12

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

3-7

Review *

Charles R Smith Jr. pays tribute to the sport of soccer in this collection of 12 poems. I had another book by the same author, Hoop Kings, about basketball. I feel the same way I felt about the basketball poems- I struggle to imagine an interest group. If it sits in the poetry section, I think it’ll just be ignored- there are books with far better poetry out there. It’s not really detailed enough about the sport of soccer to put it in the sports section. Perhaps a teacher could use it during a poetry unit.

 

I couldn’t find any reviews, but in my opinion, it’s additional at best.

Recommendation *

Additional

 

 

Title *

Big Words for Little Paleontologists: The Dino dictionary every little explorer needs

Author *

Lisa M. Gerry

ISBN *

978-1-4263-7597-2

Publication Date *

June 2023

Price * $19.99

Interest Level *

3-7

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

Pre K - 2

Review *

This book from National Geographic Kids is intended for young readers interested in dinosaurs. Each brightly illustrated page contains scientific words with their pronunciation and a definition. Along the way, a prehistoric gopher named Atta (short for Ceratogaulus) provides tidbits of facts.

 

While this book attempts to appeal to very young readers, I think the combination of the difficult words and the lack of any sort of story will quickly bore young ones. Page one includes words such as fossil and excavate, which I thought seemed appropriate. But by page 8 with micropaleontology, paleobotany, and trilobites, I couldn’t imagine struggling through this at story time.

 

A cute idea but I think there are books that teach kids these words in a more interesting way.

Recommendation *

Additional

 

 

Title *

Spacewalk

Author *

Kathryn D. Sullivan

ISBN *

978-1-5362-2621-8

Publication Date *

June 2023

Price * $19.99

Interest Level *

7-9

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *

2-4

Review *

Kathryn Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space, teams up with author Michael Rosen in this picture book. Sullivan outlines the steps it takes to prepare for a space mission beginning with school, selection to the program and the complicated training. There are descriptions of the space suits they have to wear, how different activities have to be conducted on a shuttle, and many other facts.

 

Told in an easy to follow conversation tone and brimming with full-color photographs, this book will appeal to readers of all ages.

Recommendation *

Highly Recommended

 

 

Title *Far Out

Author *Anne Bustard

ISBN *978-1-6659-1419-2

Publication Date *April 2023

Price * $17.99

Interest Level *8-12

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *3-7

Review * Historical mystery set in a small town in Texas in 1964. The residents are all very interested in UFOs and have a variety of organizations promoting intergalactic understanding. They are hosting “come on down day” where they hope that a UFO will visit. There is a display of a piece of meteorite which goes missing. The blame falls on Magnolia Jean’s grandmother Mimi when the meteorite is found in her shed. Magnolia Jean’s father is the sheriff and is forced to arrest his mother. When she is let out on bail, she disappears. Everyone’s worried because Mimi has shown signs of “getting confused”. When she returns to town she must go back to jail for skipping bail, leaving MJ to find who actually stole the meteorite and clear her grandmother’s name.

 

The story felt a little forced. The arrest over a missing meteorite seemed ridiculous and the marriage of a story dealing with memory issues along with the overall mystery just didn’t work.

Recommendation *

Additional

 

 

Title *Sparrow Being Sparrow

Author *Donovan, Gail

ISBN *

Illustrated by Elysia Case

Publication Date *2023

Price * $17.99

Interest Level *Age 7-10

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *grade 1 (short sentences)

Review *

(E.S.) This is an enjoyable and realistic story about 9 year-old Sparrow who LOVES cats…especially the SEVEN cats that are owned by her elderly neighbor who lives in the apartment attached to Sparrow’s new home that she and her parents are renting. Having just moved, Sparrow’s parents are super-busy…leaving plenty of time for Sparrow to befriend her neighbor…until Mrs. LaRose falls and breaks her hip. Feeling somewhat responsible for the fall, Sparrow offers to care for the cats until Mrs. LaRose comes home. She becomes quite attached to the cats, as shown when, at her new school, she informs her classmates that she owns 7 cats! Soon the decision is made that Mrs. LaRue would be safer in an assisted-living community; Sparrow is upset, but takes on the role of finding new homes for the kitties. In the process she makes amends with her classmates, who help her find responsible owners. Both of Sparrow's parents become very involved with Sparrow’s activities, and help her make many thoughtful decisions; by the end of the book, readers will see Sparrow maturing in her thinking. Random grayscale illustrations add a nice accent to the story. POSITIVE REVIEWS: PW Reviews 2023 May #3 Starred; Kirkus Reviews 2023 June #1

Recommendation *Recommended

 

Title *Miss Irwin

Author *Say, Allen

Illustrator, Editor, Translator, Etc.Allen Say

ISBN *9781338300406

Publication Date *2023

Price * $19.00

Interest Level *PreK–grades 3

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *N/A

Review *

(P.S./E.S) When second-grader Andy arrives at his grandmother’s house for an afterschool visit, his Grandmother does not recognize him and calls him Willie…confused at first, Andy remembers that his parents told him about how Grandma might forget details at times…and so he plays along with her dialogue in which he is a student in Grandma’s classroom (Grandma was a former teacher named Miss Irwin). Andy points out a ceramic birdnest on her desk, which she recalls that Willie gave her, so this sets off a memory from her younger years, and readers are transported to her former classroom when, as a teacher, she taught her students (including Willie) about bird feeders and nests. Then Andy and Grandma decide to make their own feeder, and work together and remember the recipe for the hummingbird nectar. A young person will need guidance with this subject matter, since Grandma’s memory lapses may be confusing; but the book can provide bibliotherapy when used in the proper context. Misty watercolor illustrations enhance the theme of memory loss. This review copy is an uncorrected proof, but published reviews state that the final published edition includes an author's note with further explanation.

 

Recommendation *Recommended

 

Title *Major Taylor: World Cycling Champion

Author *Smith Jr., Charles R

Illustrator, Editor, Translator, Etc.Leo Espinosa

ISBN *9781536214987

Publication Date *2023

Price * $18.99

Interest Level *grades 2-3

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *N/A

Review *

(E.S.)This informational picture book, written in prose and verse, tells a day in the life of champion bike-rider Marshall Walter Taylor, who is nicknamed Major for the military jacket he wore during his early bike-riding years, as he commanded the bicycle like a Major. The setting for the book is Madison Square Garden where the Garden Six-Day Race begins…and Marshall is the only Black rider on the track. Readers are led through daily activity on the course; and are given a brief history of Major’s previous races . During the race, Major withstands bad weather, and even a fall, as well as jeers from fellow bikers, but he still finishes the ride. In spite of these hurdles, Major comes out of the race with a bright future. Background information on how Major started racing, and prejudices he endured to continue the sport he loves fills out the story, while full-page, colorful illustrations keep the reader fully engaged with the text. Also includes an afterword which has significant dates in Major’s career; and a bibliography. Positive reviews in: Horn Book Guide Reviews 2023 Fall; Kirkus Reviews 2023 July #1

Recommendation *Recommended

 

Title *Atlas of Wild America

Author *Jon Waterman

ISBN *9781426222351

Publication Date *2023

Price * $65.00

Interest Level *Adult

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *Adult

Review *

Produced by National Geographic, this coffee table book explores National Parks, National Wildernesses, and National Monuments throughout North America. The book begins with a history of conservation and an overview of North America, including wild areas in both Canada and Mexico. The book is full of colorful pictures from the past and present, as well as maps, images of local wildlife, artifacts, and narratives of the selected areas. It is organized by region. The back of the book includes a glossary and a recommended reading list.

 

While this is a beautiful book, the size and cost might be a deterrent to libraries and younger audiences.

 

Recommendation *Additional

 

Title *Under This Forgetful Sky

Author *Lauren Yero

ISBN *9781665913799

Publication Date *2023

Price * $19.99

Interest Level *H.S.

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *9-12

Review *

Under This Forgetful Sky is a dystopian, sci-fi, romance novel set in what was once Chile. Rumi is the son of a government official who lives in the Upper City, a walled in city protected from the apocalyptic surroundings in Lower City. Paz is a young girl working for the Library, an organization that is working to better the lives of those living in the chemical infested Lower City.

 

Rumi’s whole world is turned upside down when he learns that his father has been infected with a deadly virus during one of his trips to Lower City. The only known cure is located outside the walls of Upper City. Rumi leaves everything behind to track down the cure, using the few clues his father has gathered. This is when he meets Paz. But Paz’s world has also been turned upside down. Paz no longer believes in the mission of the Library; she instead defects to Las Oscuras, a revolutionary group which Paz believes will affect more change than the Library. But Las Oscuras has their own agenda. Paz and Rumi are thrown together in order to find the cure to the disease. But Paz has an ulterior task: gain Rumi’s trust in order to steal the cure once they find it.

 

Rumi and Paz begin a wild adventure across Lower City to find the cure that Rumi’s father desperately needs. Along the way, they meet many friendly and unsavory people. Ultimately, they learn that they can only rely on each other… or at lease Rumi thinks so.

 

When Rumi and Paz start developing feelings for each other, the journey becomes much more complicated. There are many lives on the line, and Paz must make a choice. Save herself or the boy she has fallen in love with.

 

There are twists and turns throughout this book. Definitely one of the most unique and original stories I’ve read in a long time. Named one of Kirkus’ “Best Books of the Year” and Bookriot’s “Best Book of the Year for Teens”, this adventure story will appeal to a wide variety of audiences. SLJ calls it “a unique and heart-pounding novel with an unexpected ending readers won’t soon forget, this is highly recommended for young adult collections.”

 

Recommendation *Highly Recommended

 

Title *This Delicious Death

Author *Kayla Cottingham

ISBN *9781728236445

Publication Date *2023

Price * $11.99

Interest Level *H.S.

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *9-12

Review *

It has been a few years since The Hollowing, an pandemic-like event that infected a small percentage of the population turning them into Hollows. Hollows are ghoul-like creatures that are only able to eat human flesh. Unless they keep their appetites satiated, they will turn feral and attack any human they can get their claws on. But the government has found a way to prevent this. Hollows can now successfully live a normal life by following the prescribed guidelines: 1) Make sure to keep your fridge stocked with Synflesh, a human substitute that has been mass produced by the government, and 2) Keep your governmental agent informed of your travel plans, daily Synflesh intake, and any other unusual ghoul like activity. But that does not mean life is by any means normal for Hollows.

 

Zoey, Celeste, Valaria, and Jasmine are best friends who all happen to be Hollows. After graduating from high school, they decide to road trip out to the Mojave Desert for a music festival. With their Synflesh cooler packed, they are off on their grand adventure. But something is not right. When people start disappearing and Val all of a sudden goes feral, Zoey and her friends need to figure out what’s going on before more people are killed.

 

It turns out someone is poisoning the ghouls with a drug that causes them to go feral. And they are not just eating humans in their ghoul form. They are turning into anthropophagus (human eaters), monstrous creatures that are only focused on satisfying their blood lust and will kill anything in sight, including other ghouls. // It is up to Zoey and her friends to find out what the drug is, if there’s an antidote, and who the instigator is before they lose Val completely and lose themselves in the process.

 

This Delicious Death is a mystery/romance/dystopian/sci-fi/LGBTQ novel that has WAY too much going on. The 2-column content warning list at the beginning is a great indicator of what is to come, but doesn’t even scratch the surface. Zoey is the main narrator, but most chapters also contact flashbacks from other characters to the time of the initial Hollowing. All four friends are from a different ethnic group, and they each identify with different sexual orientations. Celeste is transgender and bisexual, Zoey is maybe bisexual (she doesn’t really know), Val is straight (but also maybe bisexual), and Jasmine is gay. Zoey is also struggling with her feelings towards Celeste. Throughout the book, it appears she is falling in love with her best friend, but then this guy comes along that she is also falling for. Trying to keep track of the relationships, sexual preferences, and the mystery while also navigating descriptive scenes of flesh eating and death is beyond crazy. Also, all the bad/evil people in the world present as white, conservative, Christians with white supremacist ideologies. Very typical for modern novels.

 

The book was starred in everything, including Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, and the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books. I don’t believe that I would recommend this. The story is full of graphic gore, language, sexual references, and discriminatory language. Definitely not for a younger high school audience. Considering the main characters are all high school graduates, I would consider this book to be more New Adult as opposed to YA.

 

Recommendation *Additional

 

Title *Holding Her Own: the exceptional life of Jackie Ormes

Author *Traci N. Todd

Illustrator, Editor, Translator, Etc. Shannon Wright

ISBN *9781338305906

Publication Date *January 2023

Price * $21.99

Interest Level *Ages 7-10

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *Grades 2-5

Review *

This biography left me wanting to know more about Zelda “Jackie” Ormes and her career writing columns, illustrating and writing comics and striving to change the world for Black people. Author Traci Todd covers the basics of Jackie’s life in a way that will be plenty to satisfy many elementary readers and back matter includes photographs of Jackie as an adult. Terrific biography for grades 2-5. Backmatter includes photographs of Jackie as an adult. Surprisingly, there is no timeline which seems like a “must-have” for most biographies, especially those for the elementary level. Excellent choice for elementary library collections, especially those who are striving to better represent the contributions of African Americans.

 

Recommendation * Highly Recommended

 

Title *5- Minute Shark Stories

Author *National Geographic Kids

ISBN *9781426375651

Publication Date *November 2023

Price * $14.99

Interest Level *Ages 6-8

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *Grades 1-3

Review *

Young readers will learn about great white sharks, hammerhead sharks, whale sharks, and more as each 5-minute “story” takes them into the world of these incredible creatures. Pictures from National Geographic underwater photographer Brian Skerry give personalities to the planet’s top predators. This nonfiction book will give readers facts about sharks from size to birthing differences to symbiotic relationships. Perfect for kids interested in sharks. I couldn’t find any reviews from the usual places however I give it a recommend. My only complaint is that I don’t like the word “story” in the title. This is really a nonfiction book that breaks up facts into small chunks able to be read in short amounts of time- however they are not stories.

 

Recommendation *Recommended

 

Title *Ultimate Book of Reptiles

Author *Ruchira Somaweera

ISBN *9781426373824

Publication Date *August 2023

Price * $21.99

Interest Level *Ages 8-12

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *Grades 3-7

Review *

This book from National geographic teaches young readers about reptiles. From lizards to snakes, turtles to crocodiles, and even enormous prehistoric reptiles (think real-life sea monsters!), young readers discover what makes a reptile a reptile; how these creatures live, hunt, hide, and raise their young, and the wild adaptations that make them so unique. Learn which snake is the most venomous on the planet and which are surprisingly gentle creatures, which reptile is born with a highly developed third eye in its forehead, and which one is so tiny it could balance on the tip of your finger.

 

With gorgeous full-color photographs and from-the-field stories from Dr. Somaweera—including the time he waded waist-deep into a cave teeming with gigantic crocodiles!—this book takes the reader up close to all types of reptiles.

 

A fun read (even if I don’t like snakes…) and highly recommended, especially if you already buy National Geographic for Kids.

Recommendation * Highly Recommended

 

Title *Monster Camp

Author *Sarah Henning

ISBN *9781665930055

Publication Date *May 2023

Price * $17.99

Interest Level *Ages 8-12

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *Grades 4-7

Review *

The founder of Evermore Middle School’s Monster LARPing Club, 11-year-old Sylvie Shaw loves to embrace her inner monster, constantly role-playing as a vampire In hopes to have Sylvie interacting with others, her father plans to send her to summer camp but forbids Monster Camp , which promises a full week of fully immersive monster role-playing. Finding a way to attend via a nearby survival skills camp, Sylvie doesn’t take long to discover that Monster Camp isn’t for would-be monsters, but for real ones—ghosts, werewolves, witches, vampires, and more—and that she must somehow prevent anyone from realizing she’s a human in their midst. What starts out as worrisome eventually becomes a fun to read story that touches on bullying and the acceptance of others. Recommended for readers interested in LARPing or just looking for a fun halloween-esque story.

Positively reviewed by Booklist, Publishers Weekly, and Kirkus.

Recommendation *Recommended

 

Title *My Incredible India

Author *Jasbinder Bilan

ISBN *9781536225013

Publication Date *October 2023

Price * $19.99

Interest Level *Ages 7-10

Grade/Reading Level (Fry Scale) *Grades 2-5

Review *

Jasbinder Bilan has compiled an informative guidebook for young readers about India. There is a beautiful two-page spread map of India, alongside 70+ pages of journeying through the country and some of festivals, traditions, landmarks and history. This book is well put together and is interesting and informative even for adults.

 

My only complaint, and I notice this has been pretty universal across reviews for this book, is that there are actually no photos of India in here - there are beautiful illustrations throughout, but I would have really liked a few pictures of the "real" India.

 

Recommendation *Recommended