DK Adventures: Horse Club by Patricia J. Murphy

When I first saw these advertised, I knew they would be huge hits among my patrons. My kids absolutely love nonfiction/fiction hybrids and DK is well-known for picking high-interest topics. I read this as a preparation for my book club, since one of the kids had expressed an interest in horses.

The framing story is about a girl named Emma who, along with her older sister Amanda, absolutely love horses. Emma is thrilled that she can finally join the Horse Club at school. With Amanda as president, she's sure they can come up with some great ideas - and they do! After a lot of hard work, they're able to take the whole club to horse camp over winter break. Once there, Emma finds out it's not exactly as she'd imagined; she has a frightening experience with her horse and her older sister has started pulling away from her to have her own friends and interests. But with lots of hard work and some last-minute luck, everything works out and Emma and Amanda come out on top in the end.

The story is interspersed with nonfiction segments about horses and photographs. These include instructions on saddling a horse, parts of the horse, information about gymkhanas, and more. The story ends with a spread on "Help a Horse" which is designed to look like a website. No web address is given, but it appears to be referring to "Help a Horse Day". At least, that's the closest thing a quick online search got me. There's a list of questions about the story, instructions on starting your own club, and a glossary.

Verdict: The story is clunky in places and the emphasis on Emma's special connection with her horse and the perfect ending are pure wish-fulfillment for horse-loving readers, but that's what this is all about! It's not great literature, but it will certainly capture the interest of readers who love horses and want to dream about riding or owning their own. Certain to be a popular title, this is available in both an affordable hardcover and sturdy paperback. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9781465418111; Published 2014 by DK; Purchased for the library

Small Readers: The Boulder Brothers: Meet Mo and Jo by Sarah Lynn, illustrated by Pierre Collet-Derby

This is a title in the Jump-Into-Chapters series started by Blue Apple. It features easy readers in comic format.

Mo and Jo, two caveboys, go through a series of silly and mild adventures in this collection of stories. First, they investigate a mysterious stink. A lot of bathing happens before they finally track down the source. Next, they try playing hide and seek but Jo doesn't quite get it and it takes a lot of discussion and false starts before they figure out how to play. Finally, the two boys try to find a way to warm up and try lots of silly solutions before they stop shivering - and start sweating!

The reading level of this book is easier than the other title in this series I looked at. In keeping with their caveboy setting, they use few words and short, incomplete sentences. The boys have a slighter darker skin tone than appears on the cover and they seem to have a younger sister with curly red hair. The pictures blend smoothly with the minimal text, making this an excellent beginning reader.

Verdict: This is definitely one to add to your easy reader section. The large type, short words and sentences, and colorful pictures blend together to create an fun and attractive book for beginning readers with a sense of humor. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781609055011; Published 2014 by Blue Apple; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

The Way to the Zoo by John Burningham

Sometimes I love John Burningham and sometimes I really, really don't. This latest book, however, takes me back to the magic of his earlier books, especially Mr. Gumpy. It perfectly captures the magic of imagination and childhood.

One night Sylvie imagines there's a door in the wall. When she checks the next evening, she finds the door is really there. She opens it, goes through the passageway she discovers and finds a heavy door that leads to....the zoo! However, it's getting late. Sylvie has to go back to bed and, naturally, she asks if anyone would like to go with her. The story progresses through her nightly visitors, some of whom make better roommates than others. But what will happen when Sylvie leaves the door open one morning before leaving for school?

With some of Burningham's recent books, his art seems to have moved farther and farther away from the strictly representational. In this book, he returns to the simpler, clearer illustration style of his earlier works. Sylvie is a thoughtful little girl in a school uniform or pajamas. The animals have Burningham's distinct elongated, sketchy style, but are still clearly identifiable. Sylvia stands alone, a simple figure in white space, as the animals enter her world, finally exploding in a chaotic scene that ends with a mischievous punch line.

Verdict: This is a little long for storytime, and the more subtle humor may not capture the interest of younger children, but if you have an older audience it will be perfect. It would also make a great read-aloud to an imaginative child, or anyone who likes animals. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780763673178; Published 2014 by Candlewick; Borrowed from another library in my consortion; Added to the library's backlist

Nonfiction Monday: I'm trying to love spiders by Beverly Barton

Personally, I rather like spiders. I keep them in my house to keep down the annoying little flies. One of the few things that really exasperates me is a squealing little kid who's been taught by their parents that spiders are "scary" or "icky". So, I was inclined to be annoyed at this book at first. But...it's just....so much fun! I can't resist it.

The unseen narrator is trying, really hard, to love spiders. After all, they are amazing creatures! They practically have superpowers! They....AUGH SMASH IT SMASH IT. oops. Maybe next time?

The book is packed with factoids about arachnids, but it's also full of silly jokes, lots of yelling, and, of course, handprints for smashing if it all gets to be too much for you! Barton's messy drawings are the perfect accompaniment to this lively and wacky story, with spiderwebs, blobs of ink, spilt paint water, and the occasional smooshed bug stain spilling over the pages.

Verdict: This isn't going to be for every audience. Kids who are genuinely afraid of spiders, or a little too eager to smash every living thing that's smaller than them, are unlikely to benefit. For maximum effect, a group small enough to take turns swatting the page would be ideal as well. However, it's a delightful novelty title with a fresh approach to spiders. Purchase where interactive books (and spiders, alive or dead) are appreciated.

ISBN: 978067001638; Published 2015 by Viking/Penguin; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

This week at the library; or, I tackle the to-do list

Picking the perfect summer prize book

What's going on; in my head and at the library

• It's hot. I hate being hot. I'm a little depressed at the dramatic drop in circulation in July, even though it was not unexpected due to weather, changes in summer school schedule, and the new pool.
• Friday I supervised the summer knit-in. And crocheted, of course.

Some Projects Completed/In Progress This Week

• Finished weeding DVDs
• Stats, reports in progress
• Processing small stacks of new items
• Updated calendar again. Things keep changing.
• Sent outreach letters to preschools
• Working on 500 Books Before Middle School
• July monthly report
• Working on inventory
• Supervising DVD shifting/pool noodle project

Programs

• Teen outreach tour

Ongoing and New Stealth Programs and Displays

• 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
• Activity Table: Summer Memories
• I Spy Aquarium (updated)
• Display: Dewey love to read?

What the kids are reading; A Selection

• Books for a third grader - went through several different things until I figured out he was interested in space and showed him the nonfiction
• Books for a struggling third grader - Branches and DK Adventures
• Secret garden movie
• Diary of Anne Frank audio
• Disney Princess chapter books
• My regular - tried nonfiction this time.

Mine for keeps by Jean Little

Sally has been living at a special facility for children with disabilities for five years. She has cerebral palsy but now she's finally coming home to stay. She's excited, scared, and worried all together. Her family is familiar and yet strange and there are so many new things to navigate, from getting dressed by herself to going to school. When she gets a dog, at first it seems like one more thing she can't handle, but together they slowly change and grow until Sally changes from being "Scarey Sarah" and her dog Susie changes too. Together with her friends, she learns to fit into her family and her new world.

This book was republished in 1995 but quickly went out of print again. I would like to see this republished, but updated. I don't often say that with books, but it's such a really, really good book and from the perspective of a child with a disability (how often do you see that? not the foil for the main character, not the plucky friend who gives wise advice to the main character, no the MAIN CHARACTER HERSELF) that it would be worth updating the factual information about cerebral palsy and how it's treated. Sally is a real little girl, not defined by her disability, but not unaffected by it either. She has to struggle to be independent, to do the things that others find so easy. She's not a cardboard cut-out child - she gets upset, doesn't try, feels angry and worried and scared. Her family and friends are perfectly cast and are just as real as Sally is. They don't have perfect lives any more than she does and, if there was a lesson to this book, it would be that everyone has their own difficulties to overcome.

Verdict: I've never really found another author who wrote so simply and realistically about children with disabilities as Jean Little. It would be amazing if publishers would update some of the factual information and a few references to clothes etc. and republish these with new covers.

ISBN: 0316-528005; This edition published 1962 by Little, Brown; From my personal library

Read, Read, Read said the Baby: My mom is the best circus by Luciana Navarro Powell

This review was previously published. I have rewritten and edited it.

Two children of indeterminate genders narrate their mom's circus acts throughout the day, from magic to acrobatics. The pictures are cute, although they feel a little static to me. The mom's purple suit and the kids' colorful pajamas are good focal points.

You really can't separate the pictures and text in this book, as the book only "works" when you see the circus acts the mom is performing. For example, when the child says "Mom can tame wild beasts without blinking her eyes." The illustration shows the mom wrestling a mass of laundry into the washer.

Verdict: It's a nice idea, and it's interesting to see what appears to be a working mother, but like many good ideas, it doesn't translate well to a board book. The kids appear to be preschool age at least and it looks like they are left home alone while the mom goes to work - no caregiver is shown. Toddlers or even preschoolers won't have much context for the circus theme and many of the "acts" are too subtle for them to make the connection. For the parental audience, I have a feeling that both my working and stay at home moms would kill me if I put this in the collection - a book about an always perky, can-do-anything, never tired, immaculately dressed, single working mom who balances her home life and work life with apparently effortless ease is just going to annoy people.

ISBN: 9780307931436; Published 2013 by Robin Corey Books/Random House; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to library prize box

Cat Napped! by Leeza Hernandez

I was skimming through a giant stack of picture books when this one popped out and thwapped me in the eyes. It's nothing fancy or new, but it's a solid, great book.

The text is extremely simple, just a rhyming couplet split across each spread; "Kitty cat, pretty cat./Living in the city cat." A curious cat accidentally stows away in a truck and is carried off. She escapes, but is hurt and taken to the pound. Luckily, her owner shows up and soon she's back home and safe again.

This is a perfect text for a toddler; bold, rhyming, simple, and with a strong narrative as well as textual rhythm. Small children will be very pleased with the simple progression of the story and satisfied at the happy conclusion.

The illustrations show a plump grey cat with a blue bow on her tail. They're separated into full-page spreads and smaller inset panels and illustrations. They're colorful without being garish and  have a warm, friendly style that will be very accessible to young children and their parents. Even nicer, the cat's owner has dark skin and exuberantly curly hair, the girl who finds the lost cat also has dark, curly hair but lighter skin, while the third person pictured at the shelter has long blond hair. Diversity naturally and realistically portrayed in a fun story about a favorite animal.

Verdict: This is a perfect book for toddlers - and the author has an earlier book called Doggone as well! Highly recommended for your toddlers and their storytimes.

ISBN: 9780399164385; Published 2014 by G. P. Putnam's Sons/Penguin; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Nonfiction Monday: When the earth shakes: Earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis by Simon Winchester

Last week, I looked at The Dirtmeister's approach to geology. This week, I'm looking at a very different book but which deals with roughly the same subject.

Simon Winchester opens the book with a lengthy introduction about himself, starting with his education as a geologist, his decision to become a journalist and then a writer, and how much geology still matters to him and is integrated into his writing.

There are three main chapters, dealing with the subjects of the subtitle. Each one weaves personal experience, stories of true disasters, and the geological science behind the events as well as current science and research.

A brief afterword talks about the "natural" aspect of these events and having respect for the earth. Back matter includes further reading, websites, and films, acknowledgements, and index.

This was much slower-paced than Dirtmeister and it took me longer to get into the book, but once it really got going, in the volcanoes chapter, I found it impossible to put down and I finished the book with a much greater understanding of the science behind these natural disasters. I'm still not planning to live anywhere near them though and have given up my long-cherished dream of eventually moving out to the northwest coast.

Winchester is a good writer and puts together history, current events, and science in a way that's readable and interesting, if a little slow at times. Rather than compare this book to last week's review, I'd say they are for two completely different audiences. Dirtmeister would be a great resource for an earth science unit or for younger kids to browse and try out a few experiments. When the earth shakes is for a more serious reader who is interested in science and history and wants a comprehensive look at these events and the science behind them.

Verdict: If you can only get one of these titles, I'd go with Dirtmeister because it covers a wider range of science and will appeal to a wider audience, but ideally you'd purchase both and recommend When the earth shakes to strong middle grade readers who are interested in natural disasters and the science behind them. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780670785360; Published 2015 by Viking/Penguin; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

This week at the library; or, The summer ends with a splash

What's going on; in my head and at the library

• PANIC. My Storywagon performer had to cancel due to illness. Luckily, Science Alliance came through for me, but it was a very frantic afternoon of phone calls!
• It was a good thing I got a backup - we had a huge group of people for Pattie's toddler times in the morning and then 117 for the Science Alliance show.
• I ordered 70 pool noodles
• Only about 30 people showed up at Lego Club, but they were about 70% new and extremely enthusiastic. They were all very excited about coming back in the fall and I consider this one of my more successful Lego Clubs with the connections that were made.

Some Projects Completed/In Progress This Week

• Cleaned off the stack of repairs on my desk
• Worked on movie collection development - replacing/weeding titles that have checked out over 200 times, clearing out duplicates, etc. in preparation for the massive reflux of returns.
• Staff meeting, website meeting, and then working on scheduling and marketing programs

Programs

• Playgroup with Pattie
• Tiny Tots (Pattie)
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (Pattie)
• Science Alliance: Close Encounters of the Chemical Kind
• Books 'n' Babies
• Lego Club
• Go Go Garden
• The Big Splash

Ongoing and New Stealth Programs and Displays

• 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten
• Summer Reading

What the kids are reading; A Selection

• Nancy Drew Clue Crew (this was actually last week but I didn't want to forget)
• John Cena, Randy Orton, more easy reader wrestling books!
• science books - Try This
• Sharks (great white sharks)
• Jurassic park - put TIM defender of earth and Raising Rufus on hold
• Batman vs. Superman - I think they wanted comics with the new movie, but the only thing I found on Baker and Taylor isn't slated to come out until December
• Requests for Flash comics
• Book suggestions for a 5th grader - this was a difficult one since she wasn't there, but from what I elicited I suggested Ingo, Amelia Rules, and How to survive middle school.
• Suggested audiobooks for a family going on a trip - you don't have to take just movies!
• My faithful RA fan - I think he just likes to see how many books I can suggest. I managed to find another six titles for him to try (this is getting more difficult because he never finishes series!)
• Bridges and castles, especially drawbridges, for a four year old.
• Really scary stories for a camping trip - Schwartz, Half-Minute Horrors, and Stine's Beware
• Anne Frank
• something not as scary as scary tales to tell in the dark - suggested James Preller's Scary Stories