Emily Feather and the chest of charms by Holly Webb

I love Holly Webb her fantasy series for younger readers. After Emily discovers she's adopted and her family are fairies in the first book, Emily Feather and the Enchanted Door, she has a lot of complicated feelings about where she belongs. In the second book, Emily Feather and the Secret Mirror, she has some frightening adventures that don't allow her to really deal with these feelings, but do draw her a little bit deeper into fairyland.

In the third book, Emily's spark of magic and her relationship with her sisters is explored a little more. One of her sisters has apparently become enamored of a boy that none of her siblings, including her twin sister, like. Turns out they were right when he is shown up as a villain. Emily has to force herself past her feelings of inadequacy to join with her sister and brother to save her older sister. In the process, she learns more about her family, has some exciting and frightening adventures, and realizes that she really does have a spark of magic.

Verdict: This series just gets better and better. It has all the sparkly magic one expects from a fairy story, an age-appropriate, more serious discussion of what it means to be part of a family, and exciting adventures - all condensed into less than 200 pages. This one is worth purchasing from the UK, since it's not available here in the States, and worth getting in paperback, even if you have to replace it a couple times. Give it to the kids who have outgrown Rainbow Magic but still love fairies and to those who want a fantasy that isn't 400 pages long.

ISBN: 9781407130941; Published 2014 by Scholastic UK; Purchased for my personal library

Small Readers: Pig and Pug by Laura Marchesani and Zenaides A. Medina Jr., illustrated by Jarvis

This easy reader has been the surprise hit of the year at my library. Easy readers, except for popular series like Fly Guy or Biscuit, aren't usually asked for by title. But I've had several enthusiastic kids asking for Pig and Pug. I don't know where they saw it, as I haven't booktalked it, but I'm glad they liked it as it's adorable.

Pig is lonely. On his farm, everyone has a job and a friend who is just like them. The cows give milk, the sheep eat grass, the chickens lay eggs. But poor pig is all alone. One day, a strange animal shows up. Is it another pig? Has pig finally found a friend? No, it's a pug. Pig can't be friends with a pug...or can he?

Soft pastel illustrations with scribbly details fill out the storyline without detracting attention from the text. Simple details, like Pug's panting tongue and Pig's small but expressive mouth add humor and dimension to the silly and sweet story.

This is a level 2 from Penguin, which is still pretty easy. The text is bold and simple with a few more advanced vocabulary words. There are still a lot of repeated words and phrases to keep early readers going.

Verdict: This has a subtle but neatly presented message about friendship and differences and is just a light, fun, and deftly presented story. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9780606366106; Published 2015 by Penguin; Purchased for the library

Outside by Deirdre Gill

I have to admit I wasn't really grabbed by this cover, but I'm glad I listened to recommendations to try this one out.

The title page shows a dark green wall and, centered on the page, a window looking out at snowy trees. A small red dragon toy lounges on the windowsill. The next spread (whatever you call the pages with the publication information; I am drawing a blank) shows a pale blue landscape and a lonely trail of footprints leading to and around a trio of trees. The story begins with a snowy day and a bored little brother. Reluctantly, he sets out alone into the snowy wilderness. His red coat stands out brightly against the soft shades of white and blue. Surrounded by looming, snow-covered trees he begins to create; a giant snow dog and then a castle. His creations come to life in a blaze of color as a dragon appears and they soar across the snowy landscape. Finally, he bids farewell to his snowy creations in the twilight and heads home, where he meets his brother, finally ready to play outside.

This is a wonderful tribute to winter and imagination. I love how the story encourages solitary, imaginative play and the little boy embraces both his time alone playing outside and having fun with his brother. The text is extremely brief and simple, the force of the story coming from the softly glowing pictures that expand the simple story into a creative tour de force.

Verdict: Even if you don't live in a place where snow is familiar, this is a simple and lovely celebration of imagination and play. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9780547910659; Published 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Nonfiction Monday: Frogs by Seymour Simon

I am not a huge fan of Seymour Simon. I know, I know, heresy! Everyone loves Seymour Simon! It's not that his books are bad or lacking in quality, it's just that they're not quite what I need when I'm looking for elementary nonfiction.

A one-page author's note begins the book, explaining Simon's background as a teacher and interest in explaining the world around him. The book starts with a basic explanation of the characteristics of amphibians, then describes the different habits and habitats of some of the different species. More information about the amphibians is woven into the text describing the various types of frogs.

The text is illustrated with large, often full page photos of frogs in different stages of development and of different species in action. The last few pages of the book describe familiar species of frogs in more detail. The final two spreads discuss the importance of frogs in global climate change and conservation.

Words in the text highlighted in bold can be found in the back in a short glossary. There is also a brief index and links to websites for learning more - Seymour Simon's website, a conservation website for frogs, and the National Wildlife Federation.

So, what's not to like? Large font, gorgeous photographs, excellent expository writing. Well, the problem for me is the layout. In a school library, this would be an ideal book to recommend to an elementary school reader. But in my library, the large chunks of text - usually a whole page or more - will discourage younger readers or parents from picking up the book to read aloud or struggle through on their own. Elementary-age readers who can read this on their own are reluctant to pick up books that look like picture books. This is a weird peculiarity of my own town it seems, but one I've not been successful in getting over. A popular animal book like this one will probably circulate well, but Nic Bishop's titles, with less text and more photographs, have a wider audience.

Verdict: If you need more frog books and have a strong elementary audience for nonfiction, this is a perfectly good selection. If you're a school library, I'd say it's a definite purchase. For my library, it's an additional purchase that I'll add if the budget allows.

ISBN: 9780062289124; Published 2015 by HarperCollins; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

This week at the library; or, FAIRY TALE ADVENTURE

Jess made this. She has mad crafting skills.

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

• I have so many things to do. I am doing them like crazy. Luckily, I did not schedule a ton of programs this week and talked myself out of trying to do something fancy for Mad Scientists Club. ARE YOU CRAZY YOU CAN'T EVEN FIND YOUR TO DO LIST UNDER THE OTHER TO DO LISTS!!
• Also I am getting a cold or a sinus infection or something and losing my voice and have had a low-level headache for days.
• Fairy tale adventure went really well and we are all exhausted.
• Lots of happiness from patrons for the Fairy Tale Adventure, some great comments from parents on Bookaneers - it's doing what I wanted it to do, bring together kids at all levels and stages of reading to have fun with books - new families coming in via four year old kindergarten outreach, and a gazillion fairy tale books checked out. All the happys!

Programs

• Tuesday
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions) (Ms. Pattie)
• Bookaneers
• Thursday
• Books 'n' Babies (Ms. Pattie)
• Mad Scientists Club: Force and Motion
• Tap to Play
• Saturday
• Fairy Tale Adventure

Some projects completed/in progress this week

• Finished weeding biographies and put together order
• Ran a report and ordered BOB books
• Finished tentative schedule for 2016
• Planning for programs (which happened immediately afterwards) book club, tours, fairy tale adventure, upcoming tours with 4K next week
• Finished ordering materials for mini-grant

What the kids are reading; A Selection

• Lexile help - Nim at sea
• Lexile help - Mandie
• Laura Numeroff
• Very beginning easy readers (really, really need to make a list or something)
• Hunting and martial arts
• um....I forget

Race the Wild: Rain Forest Relay by Kristin Earhart, illustrated by Eda Kaban

This is a new nonfiction/adventure story blend that is sure to fly off your shelves.

Russell is thrilled to be chosen for the Race the Wild competition, but dismayed that the rules have changed and instead of being with the four friends he applied with he's been moved to a team of strangers. He's also upset at his erstwhile friends' growing unsportsmanlike behavior. However, there's not too much time to dwell on his troubles since they're in the Amazon rainforest, racing to snap pictures of rare animals, solve clues, and beat the other teams!

Kaban's black and white digital illustrations looked blurred and it was difficult to make out the details of the rainforest and the children. However, you can put that down to either my need for new glasses and/or a poor printing run. I really liked her art when I looked it up online, but either it doesn't translate well to black and white or it's cheap reproductions or some of both.

Each chapter ends with two pages of information about an animal or aspect of the rainforest, with pictures. There is a preview of the next book, Great Reef Games and ads for other Scholastic series in the back.

The story is brisk and well-paced and there are enough loose threads left by the end to entice readers to continue the series. How will Russell handle the problems with his former "friends", what secrets does his new team have, etc. I did feel that there were quite a lot of tantalizing hints that weren't followed up, like hints about where Mari's background knowledge comes from. I also had trouble keeping the four straight, but as this first book primarily gives a good introduction to Russell's character, I assume later books will focus on the other characters more.The book features a very diverse cast, but it's not part of the plot. Russell thinks about how the different teams are formed, but more in the gender than racial diversity aspect.

Verdict: Is this likely to win awards? Nope. The writing is a little choppy, the pictures not printed well, and the plot has too many loose ends. Do I recommend it? Heck YEAH. Adventure, a diverse cast, realistic characters, just a hint of mystery, and nonfiction included. Exactly what your beginning chapter readers want and need to get them hooked on reading. It took me a while to get my hands on a copy to review, they've been flying off the shelf all summer. Buy them all! Buy two copies! Recommend them to I Survived fans!

ISBN: 9780545773539; Published 2015 by Scholastic; Purchased for the library

Small Readers: Rosa Parks by Kitson Jazynka

My feelings about easy reader biographies are pretty much the same as picture book biographies - I don't see the point. But I have a habit of buying every National Geographic easy reader that comes out because they're so popular so I purchased most of the biographies they put out, without even looking at them.

Then Rosa Parks was nominated for Cybils and I took it home to read. It completely blew me away and is everything I always vaguely imagined an easy biography should be.

The book starts with a simple explanation of segregation and how it affected every day life. Then it talks in simple terms about Rosa Parks' life as a child and the people who influenced her. There is a section that sets the scene for the pivotal events by relating things in the 1920s to today, from how much a bar of chocolate cost to games children played. The explanation of what could have happened to Parks is honest but not graphic. There are inset "Words to know" sections that explain difficult terms as they are introduced, like "boycott" and "protest." Additional facts about Rosa Parks' life are included as well as what happened after the bus boycott. There is a quiz and a pictorial glossary at the back of the book.

One of the things I really liked about this book was that it simplified and made relatable historical events and people without glossing over facts or leaving things out. The book mentions at one point that Rosa Parks was not the first or only person to refuse to give up their seat, but that she was important in sparking the boycott. The book explains segregation and the time period in a way that kids will be able to relate to. It also talks about how Rosa Parks continued to fight against inequality and racism, helping kids understand that these are current issues, not things that only happened a long time ago.

This is a level 2 reader and the main text is bold and simple. There are additional text boxes with smaller, more complex text, as well as captions, timelines, etc. A beginning reader could easily handle the central text with some help on the additions.

Verdict: My perennial gripe about biographies for young children is that they don't give them any context or any way to link to the people they are presenting. This book does an amazing job of not only explaining the context of Rosa Parks' life, but why she is important and matters today. It explained confusing terms, included lots of interesting photographs, and was well-written and interesting as well as conveying important information. I can't wait to use this in a book club and I'm really glad I bought the National Geographic easy reader biographies, if they all turn out to be like this one!

ISBN: 9781426321429; Published 2015 by National Geographic; Purchased for the library

Space Dog by Mini Grey

Egg Drop will always be my favorite Mini Grey, but that doesn't stop me from checking out every new creation she comes up with. Her latest is a wacky space adventure that will make kids giggle - and maybe pause to think a little as well.

Space Dogs, Astro Cats, and Moustronauts are sworn enemies on Home Plant. Always have been, always will be. But when Space Dog rescues Astro Cat and then they both come upon Moustronaut, they make some surprising realizations - and have a tough decision to make.

Grey's artistic genius lies in the details and this book is no exception. A sharp eye will catch all sorts of details from the newspaper headlines "First dog on Mars" to the titles on the houses of the people of Niblet 12 (hint - they're all munchies!). Her bug-eyed characters don't have a lot of expression, but they still have strong personalities all the same.

One of the things I love about Mini Grey is her unexpected ending. The expected ending of this book, of course, is for the three new friends to go home and change everything on their planet, with everyone getting along now that they know each other....but Grey (and her characters) have other ideas and in a twist ending they come up with their own happily-ever-after.

Verdict: Aside from the mild message that maybe those who are "different" might have something to offer after all, this is just a fun romp in space. Whether or not kids take away the message of tolerance and friendship, they'll certainly have fun and might even want to write a few adventures for Space Dog, Astro Cat, and the Moustronaut themselves.

ISBN: 9780553510584; Published 2015 by Alfred A. Knopf; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

Nonfiction Monday: The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond

This is a very unusual nonfiction book and an amazing one. Desmond's first book, Red Cat, Blue Cat was a delight and she doesn't disappoint in her second title.

The story begins with the deep blue endpapers, showing the faint outlines of whales drifting across them and a small, strange green submarine perhaps? The opening pages are stark white, with an author's note about the history of blue whale endangered status. The title page shows a small child reading the book and we turn the page and the story begins....a child is lying on their bed reading a book about whales. As he reads, he is transported into the book. When the book talks about how much the whales weigh, the little boy skips up a giant pile of hippos, demonstrating just how heavy the whale gets. The spread talking about the whale's eye shows a giant, dark blue background and, slowly coming into focus, the deep black of the eye at the center. Another spread shows a colorful swarm of krill, the whale's food. The little boy hefts gallons of milk as the book explains how much milk a whale calf drinks. The story ends as the little boy drifts into sleep over his book and into the deep blue sea as he dreams of whales.

The art and text are smoothly integrated into one lyrical whole with the collage and watercolor illustrations making the simple facts of the text memorable for the reader. It's dreamy and simple, but powerful.

Verdict: You absolutely have to get this for all your whale fans. It would make a great book for parents and librarians who are a little nervous about introducing nonfiction to storytime and also to spark children's imagination. Teachers will find it an inspiration for helping kids understand large numbers and creating similar projects on favorite animals. Highly recommended.

ISBN: 9781592701650; Published 2015 by Enchanted Lion; Borrowed from the library

2015 Edition of Putting my money where my mouth is

This is a running list of titles I have reviewed and also purchased for the library this year. I'm updating it roughly once a month, or when I think of it. This does not include titles that were review copies and were donated to the library, which is indicated in the review. For a complete list of new library materials, you can check out the library pinterest page!

• Guys Read True Stories
• Why'd they wear that? by Sarah Albee (I did have a review copy of this, but I also purchased a copy and put one in teen and one in juvenile nonfiction)
• Sprout Street Neighbors by Anna Alter
• My life in Dioramas by Tara Altebrando
• Sleepover Girls Crafts by Mari Bolte (with WARNING)
• The Way to the Zoo by John Burningham
• Sniffer Dogs by Nancy Castaldo
• Nana in the City by Lauren Castillo
• Beast Keeper by Lucy Coats
• Rutabaga the adventure chef by Eric Colossal
• Toto Trouble: Back to Crass by Thierry Coppee
• Okay, Andy by Maxwell Eaton III
• Will and Whit by Laura Lee Gulledge
• Detective's Assistant by Kate Hannigan
• I Fly by Bridget Heos
• Cat Napped! by Leeza Hernandez
• The Little Gardener by Emily Hughes
• Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson
• As an oak tree grows by G. Brian Karas
• What's new at the zoo by Kathleen Krull
• Mina's White Canvas by Hyeon-Ju Lee
• Hot Rod Hamster and the Wacky Whatever Race by Cynthia Lord
• Clara and Clem under the sea by Ethan Long
• Lunch witch by Deb Lucke
• The Boulder Brothers: Meet Mo and Jo by Sarah Lynn
• Ranger in time: Rescue on the Oregon Trail by Kate Messner
• This is a Moose by Richard T. Morris
• Horse Club by Patricia Murphy
• Hilda and the Black Hound by Luke Pearson
• Stranded by Jeff Probst
• Ten eggs in a nest by Marilyn Sadler
• Eat like a bear by April Pulley Sayre
• Welcome Bao Bao by Gina Shaw
• Yeti Files: Meet the Bigfeet by Kevin Sherry
• Best friends forever by Amy Shields
• Untamed by Anita Silvey
• Feathers: Not just for flying by Melissa Stewart
• Hamster Princess by Ursula Vernon
• Castle Hangnail by Ursula Vernon
• Please bring balloons by Lindsay Ward
• Partytime by Stephanie Watson
• Dragon Masters by Tracey West
• Dino School: Meet Teddy Rex by Bonnie Williams
• Changes by Charlotte Zolotow

Reviews coming soon (or sometime anyways) ((yes, I have a BIG backlist of reviews))

• Jake Maddox: Gymnastics Jitters
• Let it begin here! by Don Brown
• On the wing by David Elliott
• Midnight library by Kazuno Kohara
• Lulu and the duck in the park by Hilary McKay
• Pip Bartlett's Guide to Magical Creatures by Jackson Pearce