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Snowbots, Kati Penovich Jan 2017

Snowbots, Kati Penovich

Children's Book and Media Review

Who would have thought that robot children love snow days just as much as human children do? Snowbots describes the excitement of the robot children of Clackentown when, on their way to school, they discover that a blizzard has rolled in and classes are cancelled. Despite their mechanical parts and metal joints, the robot kids make the most of the snow day by going sledding, making snow angels, building snow forts, and throwing snowballs. But their fun comes to a grinding halt when an icy wind blows in and shorts their batteries! Luckily, robot parents are nearby to bring them …


Awake, Lisa Packard Jan 2017

Awake, Lisa Packard

Children's Book and Media Review

Scarlett Garner remembers nothing before the age of four. As she tries to move on from what her family tells her is PTSD from a fire, she meets a new boy in school. Noah is everything she ever wanted; he's so sweet and kind. She trusts him with everything and he'll do anything for her. Noah is conflicted because of the task he is ordered to do. He must make Scarlett fall in love with him so that he can bring her back to her birth parents and the cult, Eternal Light. As Scarlett is traveling home from a trip, …


Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, Abigail Packard Jan 2017

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, Abigail Packard

Children's Book and Media Review

While Newt Scamander listens to a fanatic rant about witches lose in the streets of New York City, a Niffler escapes the mysterious case he holds. The Niffler enters a bank and Newt goes after it, bumping into "no-maj" Jacob Kowalski and they accidentally switch cases. Newt is taken into custody by Tina Goldstein, a demoted auror, after creating disturbances while looking for the Niffler. In the meantime, Jacob opens Newt’s case and a few of the magical creatures escape. Newt finds Jacob and switches back the cases and the two find refuge in Tina’s home. Newt and Jacob embark …


The Start Of Me And You, Aylea Stephens Jan 2017

The Start Of Me And You, Aylea Stephens

Children's Book and Media Review

A year after Paige’s boyfriend Aaron died in a drowning accident, she is still trying to recover and feel normal again. Determined to change things, she makes a list of things she’s going to do during the school year to help herself move on: join a club, swim, make new friends, and date Ryan Chase, the boy she’d had a crush on before she dated Aaron. In the process of making new friends and joining a club, she befriends Ryan’s cousin Max and joins him in Quiz Bowl. As she progresses in some of her goals and struggles in others, …


Rats Saw God, Lisi Hong Jan 2017

Rats Saw God, Lisi Hong

Children's Book and Media Review

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The Christmas Secret, Sydnee Burr Jan 2017

The Christmas Secret, Sydnee Burr

Children's Book and Media Review

Christine is a struggling single mother who is trying to do everything she can to take care of her two children. With Christmas just around the corner, an eviction notice, and a demanding ex-husband, Christine has a lot of worries on her mind. Jason is the grandson of a local gift shop owner on the brink of a big career change. His grandmother's life was recently saved by a mysterious woman and he is frantically searching for her so his grandmother can thank her, but the only information he knows is that her name is Christine. Lives come together, wishes …


How To Say I Love You Out Loud, Aylea Stephens Jan 2017

How To Say I Love You Out Loud, Aylea Stephens

Children's Book and Media Review

Jordyn is terrified that her autistic brother will ruin her friendships and social life in high school. Even if it means pulling away from her friends and the boy that she likes, she will do whatever it takes to avoid associations with her brother, Phillip. While she navigates school and her feelings for Alex, a boy she kissed a while ago and then told she wasn’t interested, her life changes when the school Phillip goes to has to send him to her high school temporarily. Over time, she realizes that her brother has taught her a lot and might even …


The Knights Before Christmas, Whitney Troxel Jan 2017

The Knights Before Christmas, Whitney Troxel

Children's Book and Media Review

It’s December 24th and Brave Knight, Polite Knight, and Silent Knight are protecting their King’s castle. Santa Claus comes to deliver gifts to the knights but they mistake him for an invader. They attempt to send him away, but Santa is determined to give them their gifts. He catapults the gifts into the castle before flying away and wishing “Merry Christmas to all!”


Anne And The Tiger Raja, Rebeca Wallin Dec 2016

Anne And The Tiger Raja, Rebeca Wallin

Children's Book and Media Review

Anne is having trouble on the playground with two bullies. She wants to fight back violently, but she meets Isaac who tells her that “violence never really solves anything. You have to use your imagination to come up with other solutions.” The children proceed to work together, taking on characters that suit their personalities, to tell the story of the Tiger Raja in Java, based on the Indonesian folk tale Why There Are No Tigers in Borneo. When food becomes scarce in Java, the Tiger Raja sends a messenger to Borneo to demand that the tigers either send food or …


Counting By 7s, Sydnee Burr Dec 2016

Counting By 7s, Sydnee Burr

Children's Book and Media Review

Sloan masterfully creates distinct characters that stay with you long after the last page of the book. Willow Chance doesn't fit in. She's adopted and different from her parents, but she likes that. She's a genius and different from the kids at school, but that mostly doesn't bother her either. Instead, she dives into her garden and other eccentricities developing humor, intelligence, and inner-peace along the way. When Willow's world gets torn apart, it's up to her to find a new source of peace and a new place to belong. In doing so, she helps those around her feel more …


Curious George, Amanda Durrant Dec 2016

Curious George, Amanda Durrant

Children's Book and Media Review

In this Curious George movie, we are introduced to Ted, a guide at a museum (who we learn is the man in the yellow hat). He is on a mission to save the museum by finding the forty foot tall lost shrine of Zagawa in the African jungle, but his plans are being thwarted by the museum owner's son. Ted goes to Africa and finds a small red statue that he thinks is the shrine, and meets a curious little monkey who loves playing peekaboo with Ted. When Ted talks to the museum director, the size of the shrine is …


The Marvels, Whitney Troxel Dec 2016

The Marvels, Whitney Troxel

Children's Book and Media Review

Joseph Jervis runs away from his boarding school hoping his Uncle Albert, who he’s never actually met, will help him find his best friend, Blink. Blink’s father took him away from school unexpectedly and left no forwarding address. Blink and Joseph always talked about running away to find Joseph’s long lost uncle. But Blink’s sudden disappearance finally gave Joseph the courage to try. He arrives on the doorstep of Uncle Albert’s strange but beautiful house, soaking wet and freezing cold. Albert only intends to let Joseph stay for one night, but the two form a strong bond as Joseph discovers …


Ask The Storybots: How Does Night Happen?, Kristie Hinckley Dec 2016

Ask The Storybots: How Does Night Happen?, Kristie Hinckley

Children's Book and Media Review

This episode revolves around Spencer’s question, “How does night happen?” The StoryBots decide to follow the sun to find out. When they are on the beach and the sun looks like it disappears into the ocean, they go underwater to find it…with no luck! Mr. Whale teaches them that the sun is always in outer space, even though it may look like it disappears when it sets. The StoryBots travel 93 million miles to the sun to find out why night happens. The sun teaches them about how earth revolves around him and night happens on the side of the …


Hopping Ahead Of Climate Change: Snowshoe Hares, Science, And Survival, Tessa Mcmillan Dec 2016

Hopping Ahead Of Climate Change: Snowshoe Hares, Science, And Survival, Tessa Mcmillan

Children's Book and Media Review

Deep in the woods of Montana, biologist Scott Mills notices a big problem with a small animal. The snowshoe hares he has studied for most of his career are not changing their coat colors fast enough to protect themselves from predators. With season lengths fluctuating due to climate change, many snowshoe hares are getting killed off quicker because they haven’t molted fast enough to match their environment. Without any outside aid, snowshoe hares could become a threatened species. To learn more, Mills is studying coat-changing animals in a variety of climates. In Washington state, not all snowshoe hares molt to …


The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore, Abigail Packard Dec 2016

The Fantastic Flying Books Of Mr. Morris Lessmore, Abigail Packard

Children's Book and Media Review

Mr. Morris Lessmore is an avid reader and writer. But his peaceful, book-filled life is interrupted by a tragic storm that whisks him and his books away. His colorful life becomes a dreary, black and white shell of what it used to be. But one day he sees a young woman flying away with a handful of strings attached to flying books. She sees him and sends him one of her favorite books to cheer him up. He becomes fast friends with the book and meets many other books in a building where they all “nest.” Morris takes care of …


A Hundred Horses, Cynthia Frazier Dec 2016

A Hundred Horses, Cynthia Frazier

Children's Book and Media Review

Eleven year old Nell leads a very busy life full of classes and clubs that she hates. Now she is being forced to spend her spring break in the country with an aunt she can’t remember and two small cousins she doesn’t even want to get to know. On top of that, a suitcase containing a special project has been stolen by someone riding a big black and white horse. Somewhere between Maggie the pig having piglets, rescuing flying chickens, and tracking down a missing goat Nell meets an unlikely friend in a girl named Angel. People say that Angel …


The Geography Of Me And You, Aylea Stephens Dec 2016

The Geography Of Me And You, Aylea Stephens

Children's Book and Media Review

Lucy and Owen might never have talked if the city hadn’t experienced a long blackout, leaving them stuck together between the tenth and eleventh floors of their apartment building. After they are rescued, they wander the dark streets together until the power comes back on. Shortly after the blackout, Lucy moves to Edinburgh with her parents and Owen moves to the West. They both find other people they are interested in, but they still miss each other. They keep in touch with postcards and emails as they travel to different places around the world, waiting for the day when their …


The Littlest Pilgrim, Annie Huish Dec 2016

The Littlest Pilgrim, Annie Huish

Children's Book and Media Review

Mini, the smallest pilgrim in the village, has always been good at looking for things she could to do to help with the village chores. One day, Mini decides to be extra helpful. She goes to different people in the village to see what she can help with: her brother making a woodpile, her sister mending some clothes, her mother making some bread, the village boys fishing in the river. But everyone says that Mini is too little to help. Mini is determined to find something special she can do. On her way back home, she decides to pick some …


There's A Giraffe In My Soup, Aylea Stephens Dec 2016

There's A Giraffe In My Soup, Aylea Stephens

Children's Book and Media Review

One boy has terrible luck in a restaurant when animals keep ending up in his soup! First it’s a giraffe, but even after he gets a fresh bowl of soup, the new bowl has an alligator in it. It’s followed by an elephant that can’t swim, a yak, walrus, and many other animals as the boy and the waiter try to get a bowl of soup that the boy can eat without any animals in it. When the waiter gets tired of the boy’s complaints, they finally discover why there are so many animals in the soup.


Kubo And The Two Strings, Abigail Packard Dec 2016

Kubo And The Two Strings, Abigail Packard

Children's Book and Media Review

Each day Kubo descends from their mountain cave to visit the villagers. He tells them stories about Hanzo, a samurai warrior, that he weaves with his shamisen and origami paper that magically folds itself into the characters to act out the stories. Each evening he returns to the cave, making sure to return before dark. One late evening Kubo is approached by two masked women come to bring him to the Moon King, but his mother rescues him. Kubo wakes in a far-off place with a monkey. They embark on a journey and along the way find a man-turned-beetle who …


Storybots Super Songs: Outer Space & The Body, Kristie Hinckley Dec 2016

Storybots Super Songs: Outer Space & The Body, Kristie Hinckley

Children's Book and Media Review

The StoryBots are five adventurous robots who find answers to the inquisitive questions children have. In this episode, they discover answers about outer space and the human body. They travel to the sun, moon, stars, and planets. The Bots present interesting, complex, and sometimes goofy pieces of information together in a simple, entertaining, and memorable way that children will appreciate. They even have a song for every part of the human body! They teach all kinds of facts about the heart, brain, bones, lungs, brain, and stomach!


The Lone City #1: The Jewel, Corie Darrington Dec 2016

The Lone City #1: The Jewel, Corie Darrington

Children's Book and Media Review

The Jewel is the first book in Amy Ewing’s The Lone City series. Violet is a young teenage girl who has been groomed to serve a specific purpose. Violet, and many other girls like her are sold off to be surrogates for royalty. These girls are chosen because they possess a specific power called the auguries. The auguries allow the girls to change or create something--like a child. Violet is bought by the Duchess of the Lake who wants Violet to use her strength in the augury of growth to create a child in record time. Meanwhile, Violet is struggling …


X, Carlie Smith Dec 2016

X, Carlie Smith

Children's Book and Media Review

Before he was X, Malcolm had many titles: son, brother, Negro, dancer, Detroit Red, and thief. This novel explores Malcolm’s early years before he became one of the most influential civil rights activists. Haunted from an early age by the injustice of his father’s assassination and his mother’s confinement in a mental institution, Malcolm quickly learned street survival skills. He leaves Lansing, Michigan for the progressive Roxbury neighborhood of Brooklyn and falls in love with the dancing clubs, zoot suits, and “cool cat” hustlers. He sheds his small-town identity to become Red, a petty criminal, the boyfriend of a white …


Caddy's World, Cynthia Frazier Dec 2016

Caddy's World, Cynthia Frazier

Children's Book and Media Review

Caddy and her three friends Alison, Ruby, and Beth have been inseparable since the first day of school when they were five. Now they are twelve and each is dealing with her own challenges that include a new baby sister born too early, moving to another country far away, going to a new school where she knows no one, and growing taller, bigger and faster than everyone else her age. On top of all these complications, Dingbat, their communal boyfriend has decided to dump three of them and focus on only one of the four girls. How each of them …


Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, Aylea Stephens Dec 2016

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, Aylea Stephens

Children's Book and Media Review

In 1926 New York, a young wizard from London arrives in New York City, accidentally bringing chaos with him in the form of a bottomless suitcase full of illegal magical creatures. Newt Scamander intends to release one of his creatures into the wild, but when his Niffler gets out and causes trouble in a bank he accidentally swaps suitcases with Peter Kowalski, a No-maj who accidentally unleashes more magical creatures into New York. Their troubles attract an ex-auror, Tina Goldstein, who wants to use Scamander as a way to get back into the good graces of the wizarding government. Meanwhile, …


El Deafo, Abigail Packard Dec 2016

El Deafo, Abigail Packard

Children's Book and Media Review

At four years old, Cece is rushed to the hospital by her parents and she is treated for meningitis. As a result of this disease, Cece loses the ability to hear. Because Cece has grown up speaking, listening, and hearing her parents decide to help her by getting her hearing aids and taking her to a special kindergarten where she learns to lip-read. She is later integrated into the regular school system and she uses the Phonic Ear, a hearing aid that she wears under her shirt and connects to her ears with cords, amplifying the voice of her teacher …


How To Bicycle To The Moon To Plant Sunflowers: A Simple But Brilliant Plan In 24 Easy Steps, Nicole Davis Dec 2016

How To Bicycle To The Moon To Plant Sunflowers: A Simple But Brilliant Plan In 24 Easy Steps, Nicole Davis

Children's Book and Media Review

The author laid out a realistic but fantastical twenty-four step plan to cheer up the moon. Since he is currently busy with school, soccer practice, and other activities, he’s writing the plan for us as readers to follow. Using average household items we’ll build a slingshot connecting 238,900 miles of garden hose to the moon. Then, with a little help from NASA, we’ll hop in our space suit and pedal the distance to plant sunflowers. Don’t forget to pack snacks and a shovel! We’ll be celebrated as heroes when we return and the bright flowers that were planted will certainly …


The Wrap-Up List, Lisi Hong Dec 2016

The Wrap-Up List, Lisi Hong

Children's Book and Media Review

Gabriela doesn’t quite know what she wants to be when she grows up. But after receiving her departure letter—the notification that she will be guided to the afterlife by the mystical, gray creatures called Deaths—she might not have time to figure it out. She only has seven more days to live, and in that short week she decides to help her and her three friends finally receive their first kisses, try to gain a pardon, and avoid death. In order to achieve all these things, Gabriela must figure out the cryptic hints her Death, Hercule, sent her. With the help …


Reading Journal For Kids: A Reading Log For Kids Aged 7 - 11 Years (And Their Book Loving Parents), Ashley Roggow Dec 2016

Reading Journal For Kids: A Reading Log For Kids Aged 7 - 11 Years (And Their Book Loving Parents), Ashley Roggow

Children's Book and Media Review

This book is a journal or review book for kids and the books they read. Reading is fun, but sometimes children do not get the full reading comprehension just from reading. By learning to retell the story or discuss it, kids can better understand each story and develop their critical thinking skills by keeping a diary of books they've read and to write reviews of each one. At the beginning is a note to the parents where it describes the book, it's purpose, and it's benefits. The book also includes a list of twenty books it recommends that children read …


The False Prince, Abigail Packard Dec 2016

The False Prince, Abigail Packard

Children's Book and Media Review

Sage insists that he wants nothing to do with becoming Carthya’s missing prince when he is taken from the orphanage by Conner, a nobleman of the court. However, Sage quickly becomes entangled in Conner’s plan to train the four boys he's taken and then choose one to pose as the lost Prince Jaron to take the throne after the murder of the king, queen, and crown prince. Sage and the other boys undergo a rigorous two weeks of classes and information, intrigue and competition in hopes of becoming the prince of Conner’s plan. But Sage has his own plan; at …