Reviews
School Library Journal - Tig Ripley: Rock 'n' Roll Rebel
Gr 4–6—This novel chronicles Tig Ripley’s quest to start an all-girl rock band named Pandora’s Box. The 13-year-old protagonist does not play an instrument, and she’s been brought up with Southern good manners. In spite of these obstacles, Tig wants to be the… View →
School Library Journal - Miss Colfax's Light
K-Gr 3—From 1861 to 1904, Miss Harriet Colfax tended the oil lamps and beacons of the Michigan City Lighthouse while living in the keeper’s house on the Lake Michigan shore with her friend and companion, Ann Hartwell. Harriet’s story begins in pictures, with a verso spread… View →
Publishers Weekly - Norbert's Big Dream
While most pigs are satisfied with lolling around in the mud and sucking down slop, Norbert has other ambitions: “Since he was a wee piglet, Norbert dreamed of swimming the English Channel,” writes Degman (Cock-a-Doodle-Oops!). Norbert “practice[s] his flutter kick” in the mud,… View →
School Library Journal - B is for Beacon
In this alphabet book, in which X marks the spot, each letter is represented by a poem that is paired with a few paragraphs of facts. Some letters stretch to make lighthouses a part of their domain (F is for Festivals, N is for November), but there is at least one illustration of a… View →
School Library Journal - Good Trick Walking Stick!
This delightful story explains the life cycle of a walking stick bug from egg stage through adulthood. Many characteristics of various species are explored as “tricks” that these insects perform. The life cycle and “tricks” are discussed in a narrative style, and each spread includes… View →
School Library Journal - Guess What Series
This series takes a follow-the-clues approach to help early readers learn to use species traits in order to confidently identify animals. The traits or “clues” start off vague (“I have more eyes than you”) and increasingly become more species specific (“I use silk to line my nest”). Each View →
Booklist - Crossing the Deadline
Desperate to help support his mother and escape his cruel uncle, Stephen, 13, secretly enlists in the Civil War in 1863, following in the footsteps of his brother, Robert, killed fighting for the Union. Although Stephen is too young to be a soldier, he is not too young to use his skills… View →
Booklist - Sacagawea
Even the earliest readers can learn about Sacagawea’s contributions to U.S. history through this volume in the My Itty-Bitty Bio series. Related in the first person, the large-font biography depicts a digitally rendered image of Sacagawea throughout. Simple yet clear sentences describe… View →
Booklist - Minecraft Beginner's Guide
Minecraft is ubiquitous. As one of the most popular video games of all time, it is available for personal computers, every mainstream game console, and smartphones. This entry in the Unofficial Guides series is a primer for those who are true novices to the game. Explanations of… View →
Kirkus Reviews - Catch a Kiss
Mama and Izzie play at blowing kisses in the garden. Mama’s first kiss, a “tiny, round” one, alights on the tip of Izzie’s nose. Izzie catches the second, a “zigzag” one, in the crook of her elbow. But when Mama sends a triple-decker, Izzie’s… View →