Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: Finn's fun trucks: The Construction Crew by Finn Coyle, illustrated by Srimalie Bassani

So many sections to update! But I have made a start on updating the board books, which I hope to continue this year. This is one of the new titles I purchased from Flowerpot Press - their books are generally sturdy and fun, but sometimes they have a few too many moving pieces.

The first spread introduces the construction crew - front and center is a black woman, a man on the left could be Hispanic or Asian, and of the other three white men one has dark hair and a mustache, one has red hair, and the third is balding with grey, curly hair. All wear orange hard hats and are a little pudgy around the middle!

The rest of the spreads include one member of the construction crew introducing a machine, "This is a cement mixer. Can you guess what it does?" on the opposite page you see the machine with some simple identifying captions, "mixing drum, chute, water tank". Lift the vehicle flap and you'll see the machine in action.

The last spread shows the whole crew and all the machines - lift the full-page flap and see a whole city under construction.

The flaps are full pages, made of sturdy cardboard. A little reinforcement on the hinge might be a good idea, otherwise I expect the book will last for many repeated readings and through the loving touches of many little hands!

Verdict: A fun addition to construction board books. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781486713875; Published March 2018 by Flowerpot Press; Purchased for the library

Fairy's first day of school by Bridget Heos, illustrated by Sara Not

There are a lot of first day of school books, going to a new school books, and other general school books. But I've only got two (very old) books that are younger than kindergarten. Which is weird, because so many kids go to daycare and/or preschool now!

When I think of Bridget Heos, I'm more likely to think of laugh-out-loud funny (and mustaches), but this book is adorably sweet. A curly-haired fairy wakes up in a flower, ready to start school for the first time. She and the other children fly with their parents (or on the schoolbird) and have a lovely day meeting new friends, having fairy snacks, playing, and reading stories.

Of course this is an imaginative approach - preschoolers won't really expect to be able to clean up with a whisk of a wand, nap in a tree under flower petals, or tightrope walk on a spiderweb. But the general activities will be familiar and the cozy approach will comfort nervous little ones and make them giggle.

Sara Not's illustrations are adorably sweet; there are lots of colorful flowers, miniature details, and a nice variety of skin tones and body types among the fairies. The main fairy character is biracial, shown at the end with her curly-haired, darker skinned father and blonde, white fairy mother.

Verdict: A delightful addition to new school books, perfect for the littlest ones starting preschool, this fairy tale will be a delightful read at any time of the year.

ISBN: 9781328715593; Published 2018 by Clarion; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Green Slimers: Opossums by Ellen Lawrence

A new, icky animal series from Bearport! This one is "Slime-inators and other slippery tricksters" and I received a copy of the opossum title for review. So, I know some people think opossums are cute. I am not one of them. I think they are gross and creepy, like giant rats. And I have never observed the whole "playing dead" thing, only them hissing at me and looking creepy. So I have no problem with this book emphasizing the "beneficial animal but omg so gross and creepy" theme.

In this book you will learn about opossums playing dead (and the stinky green slime and poop they release while doing so), their diets (extremely gross, especially the picture of them eating the innards of a dead squirrel), their homes, reproduction cycle (marsupial!) and other facts.

At the end of the book, there's a recipe for making your own slime using marshmallows, corn starch, and food coloring, a picture glossary of "science words", brief index, three suggested titles, and a few sentences about the author. I was surprised there was no photo of the actual stinky green slime (especially considering the roadkill and carrion squirrel being ripped apart pictures), but maybe it's hard to get a photo of an opossum's butt...

Other titles in the series cover slime molds, hagfish, parrotfish, slugs, and animals with poisonous slime like poison dart frogs.

Verdict: A delightfully stinky and gross new series, sure to please fans of the publisher's previous poop science set and those who love all things gross and gag-worthy.

ISBN: 9781684026968; Published 2018 by Bearport; Review copy provided by the publisher; Donated to the library

This week at the library; or, Winter is here

I ended up doing a lot of work in the back
as well as a couple hours in the basement
since I couldn't go out on desk and
so many programs were cancelled.

What happened at the library this week:

• Monday
• Paws to Read
• Managers' Meeting
• Tuesday
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions)
• Library on the Go: OPtions
• STEM Challenge: Box Building
• Wednesday
• Winter Wigglers: Block party
• Book-a-librarian: Sewing
• Thursday
• Books 'n' Babies
• Friday
• Free Lego Build
• Worked 39.5 hours; Approx 5 hours on desk (no voice!); 3 programs

Projects for this week:

• Finish juvenile fiction weeding
• Start working on lost/missing list
• Put together MOPs presentation
• Update Winter Wigglers obstacle course
• Continue working on updating toy bags and kits
• Walmart grant - send orders and start publicity and paperwork
• Start contacts for art show.
• Look at two upcoming grants.
• Prep for Snow Fun and my three days off next week!

Of course, I started the week with a sinus infection/cold. Why not? I coughed, sneezed, and moaned my way through my to-do list though. We had a snow emergency Tuesday night and into Wednesday so my Wednesday morning outreach was cancelled and we rescheduled the yoga to next week and just had a block party. Then the weather continued, clearly determined to make up for its former mildness with all the snow and cold at once - all together I had 5 programs or outreach events cancelled or rescheduled! I did get a lot of maker kits and toy bags replaced, updated, or added. You can see them here.

Spirit Hunters: The Island of Monsters by Ellen Oh

I really liked the first book in this series. It was rather gory and definitely creepy, but also fascinating and very satisfying. Alas, I didn't get as many kids to check it out as I'd hoped. "Too creepy!" My voracious younger readers told me. "Too long!" My reluctant, wanting-scary-books-with-pictures older readers told me. Sigh. Still, I enjoyed it myself and was pleased to finally get around to the second book.

After the events of the first book (Harper's little brother, Michael, was possessed by an evil spirit) life has gone back to normal. Sort of. Harper now has the tacit but uncomfortable permission of her parents to pursue her training as a shaman with her Korean grandmother, she's finally back together with her best-ghost-friend Rose and... of course things start going wrong.

SPOILERS

After a run-in with a terrifying monster, Harper is devastated to lose her ghost-friend Rose. She's even more reluctant to accompany her family on their vacation to a tropical island - one that is giving both her and her grandmother a really bad feeling. However, there's no way to get out of it and off she goes. Her worst fears come true when she discovers horrible, monstrous demons, rakshasas from Hindu mythology, inhabit the island. And there are even darker secrets lurking in the grove... and they're not all in the past.

Harper must draw on all her courage, strength, and the help and guidance of her friends if she, and her family, are going to survive their tropical island vacation.

This is gory - there are disemboweled corpses. Just so you know. But not described in extreme detail, so I personally didn't think this was as scary as the average horror movie that kids watch. It's mostly atmospheric horror and the mounting pressure of secrets and Harper's family's refusal to acknowledge what's happening, even after the events of the first book.

Verdict: If you have readers who loved the first book and like atmospheric, skillfully written horror, they will be eager to read this satisfying sequel.

ISBN: 9780062430113; Published September 2018 by HarperCollins; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

The Major Eights: Battle of the Bands by Melody Reed, illustrated by Emilie Pepin

This is the first book in a new(ish) beginning chapter series from little bee. It introduces a diverse group of girls, Jasmine, Maggie, Becca, and Scarlet, and focuses on a different girl in each story. This book focuses on Jasmine, who is Asian-American. She and her friends have a band together - Scarlet sings, Becca plays the guitar, and Maggie the drums. Their band is make-shift (the keyboard doesn't work and Becca can't read music) but they have fun together. Until Jasmine's older brother taunts her about not being in a real band. In an effort to prove herself, she signs her friends up for a Battle of the Bands. But they're the only eight year olds, everyone else is a lot older, they don't know what they're playing, and she didn't tell her friends she was signing them up! Things get more and more convoluted, until Jasmine has to decide if her friendship or winning is more important to her (not that they can actually win, but going ahead and actually playing I guess).

The resolution is a bit of wish-fulfillment - they play a little ditty they made up together, naming themselves the Major Eights for their age, and get an honorable mention. There are seven books planned so far in the series, so various characters must make multiple appearances. I know in the next Scarlet, the African-American singer, gets a solo gig and I would guess it endangers their friendship. The black and white illustrations are fine, if not stand-out and it's little bee's slightly smaller paperback size.

Verdict: There are a lot of these "diverse groups doing stuff" series and I'm not sure this one will be interesting to my audience since it seems to focus heavily on music and performance. I'll probably test it in a book club first.

ISBN: 9781499805642; Published January 2019 by little bee; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Small Readers: Detective Paw of the Law: The Case of Piggy's Bank by Dosh Archer

I admit that I wasn't initially crazy about Dosh Archer's Urgency! Emergency! series but once I saw how much the kids absolutely loved them I was won over. We've been using them in book clubs for several years and my only regret is that not every library in our consortium owns a wide selection so I have to use inter-library loan to get enough copies for book club.

I was thrilled to discover that Archer is debuting a new easy reader series; it has the same goofy sense of humor, pastel cartoons, and memorable characters. Detective Paw is a dog who isn't up on all the new tricks, but he's still a good detective. Luckily, he has his assistant, Patrol Officer Prickles, who knows how to use all the latest technology. In this first mystery, they solve the case of Piggy's Bank. Piggy the bank manager has called in with an urgent crime - the bank has been robbed!
Detective Paw examines all the clues, interviews the witnesses, and then, after discussing the case with Prickles, comes to a conclusion and the guilty thief is arrested.

This is a higher level of easy reader; more suitable for second to third grade or a high-level first grader. They also could be read aloud. I was disappointed that they were more stereotypical than Archer's previous series; Both Paw and Prickles are male, as is the bank manager, security guard, and one of the tellers. The only females are the elderly victim and the second bank teller. There was also some stereotypes - Prickles' gadgets don't find any clues, but Paw's trusty old magnifying glass and experience solve the case.

Verdict: For younger kids who like mysteries, this new series is sure to be a hit. Recommend to fans of King and Kayla and Archer's previous books.

ISBN: 9780807515570; Published October 1, 2018 by Albert Whitman; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

No frogs in school by A. LaFaye, illustrated by Eglantine Ceulemans

This funny story features a black kid. Buy it now! Ok, a little more information.

Have you ever met one of those kids that just pushes all the boundaries... but they're such cute little stinkers you can't help but laugh even when they're driving you crazy? That's Bartholomew Botts and he LOVES pets. Naturally, he wants to share this love with his classmates so he brings along his newest pet, Ferdinand the frog. This does not go over well, especially in art class, and especially with the teacher, Mr. Patanoose. "No frogs in school!" So the next day Bartholomew brings a salamander - after all, it's not a frog... "Keep your amphibians at home!" So Bartholomew brings Horace the hamster. He's not an amphibian...

Bartholomew works his way through the animal kingdom and Mr. Patanoose works his way through an ever-diminishing supply of patience until Bartholomew finds his way around the last blanket prohibition, "no more of YOUR pets" and all ends happily for teacher, classmates, and animals.

Cheery cartoons show a lanky, white male teacher with absurdly large red glasses, a diverse (albeit unrealistically small) classroom of 8 children, and a fun assortment of cheeky animals.

Verdict: This is a top pick for a silly storytime - and to teach kids a few animal classes like rodents, amphibians, and reptiles. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781454926986; Published August 2018 by Sterling; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Your amazing skin from outside in by Joanne Settel, illustrated by Bonnie Timmons

"Poetry about skin" is not really something I would have thought I'd be up for - for one thing, I'm really not a poetry person - but I really liked Settel's earlier book, Exploding Ants so I gave this one a chance. And I'm glad I did!

Brisk rhymes take readers on a fascinating journey with "Dr. Jo" through the world of our own skin. Starting with skin layers, continuing on to colors (both permanent and changing), Settel explains the function and make-up of our skin. The poems are interspersed with facts, cartoons, and diagrams while the poems themselves include bolded vocabulary. "Inside the dermis of the skin/are protein threads called collagen,/which coil like springs, so skin can then/be stretched and still spring back again."

Once readers have learned the basics, the poems move on to fingerprints, why and how you sweat, get goosebumps, or wrinkled skin in the water. The next three chapters addresses the healing process of skin from cuts and bruises, to sunburns and mosquito bites, finishing with pimples, blisters, and warts.

The concluding poem reminds readers, in a humorous and friendly style, to take care of their skin, especially with sunscreen. A detailed glossary follows, then a list of websites, references and additional reading, and an index.

Older readers who may balk at poetry, will be drawn in by the cartoons and find themselves learning words like "epidermis" and remembering that they have two million sweat glands in their dermal regions without even realizing it! Teachers will find this a welcome resource for learning about the human body and curious readers will be interested to dip into the poetry and pore over the facts as they learn about their wonderful skin.

Verdict: A unique resource for your human body section, sure to find readers among teachers, families, and kids. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781481422055; Published September 2018 by Atheneum; Review copy provided by author; Donated to the library

This week at the library; or, Let all the things happen, let them flow over you, don't panic!

From Book Explosion. One of
these is edible... can you tell which?

What happened at the library

• Monday
• Discovery Playgroup
• Books for Bedtime
• Grant and planning meeting
• Paws to Read (guinea pig!)
• Tuesday
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions)
• Art Workshop: Watercolor and crayon resist
• Wednesday

• Outreach Storytime: Animals in winter (3 sessions)
• Library on the Go
• Winter Wigglers: Fit kids (2 sessions)
• Thursday
• Books 'n' Babies
• Library on the Go
• Book Explosion: Cupcakes
• Book 'n' Bake Sale: Members Preview
• Friday
• Free Lego Build
• Book 'n' Bake Sale
• Saturday
• Book 'n' Bake Sale
• Worked 41.5 hours (plus approx. 1 hour of errands): Approx. 14 hours on desk: 7 programs

Projects I worked on this week:

• Big social issues unit for school - I'm excited to update and add to the list I've been putting together for the teachers, as well as request and process multiple copies of the books. (399 holds in two days! Record! May have gone slightly overboard...)
• Meeting with my staff and school colleague to discuss the Walmart grant I received for purchasing sensory-friendly toys for the Storyroom. Also planning the big party in April.
• Trying to get in a quick weed of juvenile fiction before the book sale on Thursday before starting back on picture books.
• 18 middle school and high school students came to Book Explosion! Probably because there were cupcakes and lots of sugar. We also had polymer clay.
• Prepping for several upcoming programs and presentations as well as looking at a couple grants coming up soon.
• Finally ordering replacements and new materials for the kits that have been piling up behind my desk.
• Tons of snow Friday night! I came in early and shoveled some walkways.

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy

Long, long ago, in 2009 to be exact, I reviewed the first three books of an Irish fantasy series that seemed to me the most awesome thing since Harry Potter (actually, not being a particular Potter fan, I liked them better!) I booktalked them like crazy and then was both annoyed and disappointed when I discovered how difficult they were to find. I ended up buying some from the UK, picking others up at random stores when I saw them, and then just got generally discouraged. Years passed by and while I still diligently booktalked the series and kids frequently grabbed the first couple, the series had waned in popularity.

In the summer of 2018 I was thrilled to discover that HarperCollins was making another push to bring this popular series to life in the US, reissuing new paperbacks with covers that really grab readers and making the whole series available! In the fall I received review copies of the first three titles and decided it was definitely time for a reread.

The first title introduces Stephanie Edgley, a self-contained girl of twelve, at her eccentric Uncle Gordon's funeral. She's intrigued by a glimpse of a strange, tall man, his face hidden, and later encounters him again at the reading of her uncle's will where she finds herself the beneficiary of the bulk of his fortune and his house (to the fury of her nasty relatives). A few days later, left alone at the house, she's enjoying her own company, when a strange and terrifying man pushes his way in and she's saved by the mysterious stranger. He warns her away from his magical, dangerous world, but Stephanie refuses to leave and so she enters the world of Skulduggery Pleasant.

He's a living, breathing skeleton, a detective (of sorts) and there's a whole other world Stephanie never knew existed. A world where terrifying ancient gods called the Faceless Ones are being called by dangerous sorcerers and only a desperate battle will keep the world safe. Stephanie doesn't hesitate; she's always wanted to be part of something, to have something happen more than just the daily round of home and school. Her new life is terrifying, magical, confusing, dangerous, but never, ever boring. Soon she's encountering her uncle's strange stories in real life and coming to be friends with the eccentric skeleton known as Skulduggery Pleasant.

So, while this can be compared to Harry Potter, it's like jumping straight into the end of the series. From the get-go readers will know that there's a lot of gray in this world and it's hard to know who to trust. Even Skulduggery Pleasant has secret motives and a long past. There's no instant magical heritage or chosen ones either; Stephanie may have the blood of the ancients running through her veins but she's still a child and is going up against fighters who have had hundreds of years to train and prepare. For those who wanted more from Rowling's female characters, Stephanie, aka Valkyrie Cain is everything you've wanted. When she falls down (or off - literally - a wall) she determines to pick herself up and train harder. When she masters one magical skill she's onto the next. She's surrounded by powerful and complex women, China Sorrows, Tanith Low, and others.

Finally, it's extremely funny. Even while you're desperately worried that Stephanie won't survive her introduction into this world or that utter disaster will befall everyone, you can't help laughing at the witty one-liners dropped by Skulduggery and the other characters.

Verdict: This is a great opportunity to establish a new fan base for this wonderful series; recommend it to your Harry Potter, Rick Riordan, and fantasy fans or to any readers who want a great adventure, humor, and some truly awesome heroines.

ISBN: 9780008248789; This edition published May 2018 by HarperCollins; Purchased for the library; Review copy provided by the publisher

Sarai and the meaning of awesome by Sarai Gonzalez and Monica Brown

I generally stay away from books written by/featuring celebrities (no shelf-life) but this one clicked with me for several reasons. It's not the best-written, but it fills a lot of gaps.

I had never heard of Sarai Gonzalez, and I've never heard any kids talking about her, but apparently she appeared in a very popular music video a few years ago and is, according to her brief wikipedia page, a Latina icon. She'd be about 13 or 14 now and I'd guess from the style and the story that she's probably better known on the East Coast (she lives in New Jersey and the music video featured Brooklyn NY).

However! That's neither here nor there, as most of the kids I'm going to suggest this to are allowed limited, if any, access to utube. In her first book, Sarai is ten and has her own business making cupcakes. She has a normal relationship with her younger sisters and a large and supportive family. Sarai is ready for another awesome day when she gets bad news - her grandparents are going to have to move, since their rental house is being put up for sale. Sarai sets out to make enough money to buy the house that is central to her family's gatherings. First she tries baking cupcakes with her sisters, but they're too little to help and Sarai gets too bossy; it ends in disaster with little money to show for all her effort. Then she tries a lemonade stand, that morphs into a stand for chicha morada, a purple corn drink from Peru. Finally, she and her cousin Juju audition for a dance contest with a big prize.

In the end, the girls don't make it to the dance-off competition and they don't make enough money; but everything ends well as her family finds a new home that's right down the street where her grandparents and cousins can live and Sarai learns some lessons about being adaptable and listening to her sisters and family.

Although a bit rough and didactic, this is generally a very relatable story. Sarai and her family aren't wealthy by any means and although everything ends happily it's not a wish-fulfillment ending but a practical solution, finding another house and the family all working together to purchase it. Sarai has fights with her sisters, gets over-enthusiastic and messes up, and has grandiose plans that don't play out. She isn't immediately catapulted to stardom and she gets frustrated and upset. But her family is always there to help and the story gives readers a look into a warm and supportive, multi-generational family with a variety of traditions. Sarai and her family are shown going to church, partying with the family, and working together. Black and white illustrations show a variety of body types and skin colors and, in what might be my favorite part of the story, none of the many girls pictured are absurdly skinny. They're all healthy, happy, sturdy girls with a normal body for a child and the adult women show a variety of body types and sizes.

Verdict: While this may not be an everlasting classic, it's a great addition to diversify your beginning chapters and will be very attractive to readers (probably mostly girls) ages 7 and up.

ISBN: 9781338236682; Published August 2018 by Scholastic; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library

Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: Walk and see 1 2 3 by Rosalind Beardshaw

This backlist title is part of a series showing children exploring the outdoors. It's not 100% realistic - the kids are shown wandering a rather pristine woodland and field with no adult supervision in sight - but it's adorable nonetheless.

A child with tanned skin and a shock of black hair sticking out from their cap and a white child with strawberry blonde hair flying around their headband, start the story by running through the fields with their friendly white and black dog. The two friends cross a wooden stile and start up a hill toward three trees, passing under four clouds. They encounter squirrels and acorns, mushrooms and pinecones, ducks and stepping stones. They eat apples, investigate a fish pond, and stop by a herd of sheep to pick blackberries from a hedge. Finally, having reached 20 footprints, they walk home under the light of 100 stars and with a flashlight leading the way. The two end up tucked up together in one cozy bed (which is apt to strike American readers as... weird. Although it's never expressly stated, the dark-skinned child appears to be male and the white child female).

The illustrations are soft and colorful, although again not exactly realistic. Most of the scenes seem to be of a typical four seasons fall - squirrels gathering acorns, falling leaves, and apples. But there are also yellow dandelions and although they see geese flying south the ducks seem to have no urge to do so. Maybe early fall?

Verdict: Although not realistic, this is a sweet and attractive celebration of outdoor fun along with some simple counting practice. Toddlers are sure to enjoy finding each animal, leaf, and natural object in the pictures.

ISBN: 9780763693381; This edition published August 2018 by Nosy Crow; Purchased for the library

How to eat pizza by Jon Burgerman

Burgerman's Rhyme Crime won me over, despite being not at all the kind of book I usually like. So, I viewed his latest import, showing a panicked pizza slice in eye-searing color with eager anticipation and was not disappointed.

The story opens with a circle of yellow pizza slices, snoozing under their paper napkin blankets (one is clutching a teddy bear). An unseen narrator invites readers to get started by choosing a slice, add a few toppings, and... wait a minute.

YOU'RE PLANNING TO EAT ME??

The pizza slice goes into an immediate panic, and tries to convince the reader that there are so many other options! Eating pizza is disgusting - what about the crusty bottoms?! The slices next try to stick together and encourage the reader to try some veggies instead, but this backfires since the reader decides to eat.... pizza with FRIENDS! i.e. all those tasty vegetables!

The goofy story ends with a box of nervous doughnuts suggested that maybe a bagel would be better?

Verdict: Goofy and colorful, this appeals to every kid who loves a good "being eaten" story, which is pretty much all of them. Go forth and devour!

ISBN: 9780735228856; Published November 2018 by Dial Books for Young Readers; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

Water Land: Land and water forms around the world by Christy Hale

This is a really interesting and unique look at parallel geographical features. Each thick, glossy spread shows a body of water, like a system of lakes. Small people are shown in the background and on the water. Turn the page and the cut-out of the water turns into a land feature, like an archipelago.

After the five spreads, there's a comparison of each of the water and land forms with a definition and a thumbnail. Open this spread up and see a list of examples of specific bodies of water and land formations, then open it out into a giant outline map of the world with the different areas pinpointed on it.

The art looks like prints, but is actually created with digital layers. The small people shown enjoying the water and land are shown in a variety of races and hues, but none have visible disabilities.

Verdict: While not a particularly interesting book for storytime, this would be a unique addition to a unit on geography or the water cycle and fills a gap in this area. It would also make a good choice for an art or science-themed program, encouraging kids to create their own art that flips to create a new picture.

ISBN: 9781250152442; Published 2018 by Roaring Brook; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

This week at the library; or, Now things are really getting started

Rainbow girls! The metallic and fluorescent biocolor was
very popular!

What's Happening at the Library

• Monday
• Paws to Read
• Department Managers Meeting
• Tuesday
• Toddlers 'n' Books (2 sessions)
• Wednesday
• Outreach Storytime: Animals in Winter (8 sessions)
• Winter Wigglers: Dance Party (2 sessions)
• Library on the Go: After school care
• Thursday
• Books 'n' Babies
• Rock 'n' Read
• Friday
• Anime Club
• Free Lego Build
• Saturday
• All the colors of winter: An art extravaganza
• Worked 41 hours: 20 hours on desk: 7 programs

Enough vacation. Let's get back to work. No, I did not do 8 straight storytimes, two dance parties, and an after school activity on Wednesday. I only did four storytimes and after school, an associate did four storytimes and my school colleague did the dance parties. For the after school activity I took air-dry clay for their paleontology theme and we made our own fossils (and unicorns, pinch pots, etc.). Plus books!
Finished weeding the ya fiction. So many perfectly nice books had to go. I wish there was an equivalent of Wimpy Kid for teens so we could buy a couple shelves of those and then feed our circ numbers off that and get interesting stuff for the rest of the collection. I spent about an hour Friday night looking through statistics from our consortium and playing with spreadsheets...
Saturday's program was basically lots of paint! I had biocolor, tempera, paper, stickers, markers, scissors, magnet, glitter finger paint, and a few other things. My staff worked super hard to set up, keep things clean during, and clean up afterwards. I finished paperwork, filled one more cart to weed on Monday, and went home!

Knights vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan

I don't really think of Phelan's water colors being funny, but pit Arthurian knights against dinosaurs and, well, yeah.

Sir Erec is pretty much your average knight and is having an average, if slightly annoying, evening at the Round Table. For some reason, when it's time to share deeds of valor, he decides to up the ante and proclaims that he has defeated forty dragons. Never mind that they all know dragons aren't real, that there has been peace for years, and everyone is slightly bored. Next thing he knows, Merlin has sent him off on a quest with several other knights and they're facing... what are they facing? Could these be REAL DRAGONS?? Thankfully, they don't breathe fire - because they're pretty much terrifying as it is!

With a few deft strokes, both in black and white illustrations and text, Phelan sketches a picture of the slightly nervous Sir Erec, muscle-bound Sir Bors, bookish Sir Hector, and mysterious Dark Knight. Then there's Mel, the squire, who turns out to be very useful in the end. The book is just under 150 pages, but it's definitely not a beginning chapter book; similarly to Princess Cora and the Crocodile, it has sophisticated humor and vocabulary, even if it doesn't match up to the popular 400 page tomes of middle grade today (which are ridiculous because few kids can read that long a book anyways but that's a different discussion). There are some panels of illustrations interspersed among the pages and in the back are facts about dinosaurs and an explanation of why dinosaurs from different eras showed up together (because Matt Phelan thought it was cool, which is, to my mind, a perfectly reasonable explanation).

Verdict: I'm not a fan of Arthurian fantasy and I can take or leave dinosaurs, but I laughed all through this and look forward to introducing it to my readers, young and old. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780062686237; Published October 23, 2018 by Greenwillow; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Super Potato: The epic origin of Super Potato by Artur Laperla

Super Potato originated in Spain and now his awesome adventures are coming to the US, courtesy of Graphic Universe.

The story begins with Super Max, an amazing superhero with great hair, 737 muscles (he has more than the average human!), and no problem defeating the bad guys... until the villainous Dr. Malevolent turns him into a potato! All hope is lost! Potatoes can't be superheroes!

Or can they?

A quick stop at home for the accessories of his (failed) action figure, and Super Potato is on the job, complete with great hair! Er, maybe no hair. His first task is to get Dr. Malevolent to turn him back to the awesome Super Max, of course, but when that plan goes awry (think giant potato peelers!!) he'll have to decide if he can keep being a superhero - without great hair or his 737 muscles.

The goofy cartoons reminded me a little of the style of Trondheim. Super potato is a, well, a potato while Dr. Malevolent (and his pet rat) are skinny, long-nosed creatures that posture and rant. A quasi-futuristic city, distressed potato-citizens (Dr. Malevolent got a little handsy with his ray gun for a while), and plenty of jokes, both for superhero fans and young readers, make it clear why Super Patata is a popular comic strip in Spain.

Verdict: I've been wrong about European import comics (and vegetable-themed superheroes) before, but I really think this one will click with younger kids. I wouldn't go out on a limb for it if I wasn't sure though, because the library bound titles are expensive at over $20 apiece while the more affordable paperbacks will be so skinny they disappear on the shelf.

ISBN: 9781512440218; Published August 2018 by Lerner/Graphic Universe; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: A walk in the forest by Lisa Manuzak

I'm catching up on board books - I bought a bunch in August to fill in the board book section and I've also, slowly, been opening up a bit more to buying less sturdy titles with toy elements. I'm still careful to assess them for how quickly they will wear out or be damaged, but I'm starting to view this collection as more ephemeral, like magazines. We've also added a little bee sticker and the logo "busy books" to books with a toy element (lift the flap, sliding, wheel, etc.).

This title is produced for Smithsonian Kids and is an exploration of the forest. The book is large - about 8x8 inches - with a curved top and rounded edges. The top is cut out like a handle and also allows the wheels to spin. Each page includes multiple different sections of type. Across the curved handle is the simple narration, "Let's take a walk in a leafy green forest. We can look for animals, plants, and bugs." On the page itself are small chunks of text adding information, describing things in the picture, and giving suggestions for experiencing the forest. There are also captions on the animals and plants and a little "Did you know?" information box on every other page.

Each spread has a spinning wheel. The wheel is thin cardboard and has curved edges, making it easy to turn. The thick cardboard pages are tightly sealed around the edges, so the wheel can't be torn out or the pages pulled apart (hopefully). As you turn the wheel, different animals or plants appear in the picture. One wheel, that of birds in a tree, shows the bird at the top of the wheel and a caption on the turning part of the wheel. It's not designed quite right and bits of the birds show in the edges as you turn it, which could be an issue with kids trying to rip the window open to see the rest of the picture.

The art is colorful and cute, but mostly realistic and although a lot is included the scenes are not too crowded.

Verdict: This is overall a sturdy and fun book that can be used with children in many different ways, both talking and reading. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781680522365; Published December 2017 by Cottage Door Press; Purchased for the library

No boring stories! by Julie Falatko, illustrated by Charles Santoso

I was not a fan of Snappsy the Alligator and so had firmly convinced myself that, ergo, I was not a fan of Julie Falatko. But then I read Two dogs in a trench coat go to school and laughed all the way through. And now I have found myself, however reluctantly, becoming a fan of her latest picture book. Clearly, Snappsy and I just didn't click but everything else is just fine.

The story begins on the end papers, as a cute, fluffy bunny tries a series of writing groups - fluffy bears, cute kittens, cuddly puppies... finally, she comes across the International Society for Writers of Odd and Weird. Trembling with hope, she makes her way past signs prohibiting cuteness, cuddling, and birthdays. At first, it looks like she will be welcomed as Star-Nosed Mole opens the meeting, but no, there are No Bunnies Allowed! The rest of the group shows up; Giraffe-Necked Weevil, Babirusa (a kind of pig), and Yeti Crab and they recap their story so far. Meanwhile, eyes are watching them...

As the story progresses, Bunny keeps trying to join them only to be kicked out at every turn. Finally, she begs to be allowed to join and explains that she doesn't want to be in boring, cute stories anymore! She wants to write weird, exciting stories like they do! Fine, she can listen. But she can't interrupt! The story is progressing nicely, with evil grapes, a babirusa princess, and... no ending. Maybe they do need Bunny's help to pick an ending after all?

Although a picture book, it's written and paced like a comic with panels lightly picked out in gray backgrounds, speech bubbles, and a nice flow between words and pictures. There are definitely some lessons about judging on appearances and finding your own place, not to mention polishing writing skills. However, it's also just a funny story about weird creatures and evil grapes.

Verdict: This is not only a fun story, it's a good choice for teachers to use in classrooms in writing units to encourage readers and writers to explore parts of a narrative and work together to create a story.

ISBN: 9780451476821; Published November 2018 by Viking; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library

A frog's life by Irene Kelly, illustrated by Margherita Borin

I don't know how I missed Kelly's books, when I've read so much easy nonfiction! However, even though I had a few listed as having read them, this was the first I bought for the library and which pinged on my mind.

This is one of my favorite kinds of easy nonfiction, having simple sentences in bold or different-colored fonts and then a longer paragraph of information. This makes the books perfect for both storytime and longer reads with classrooms or individual children. Kelly's book has sentences like "Camouflage allows frogs to hide in plain sight" followed by three brief paragraphs on how specific frogs use camouflage. Another example is "When a female frog hears a male singing, she sings back. The two frogs follow each other's voices until they meet." The reader can decide whether or not to read the following paragraphs describing simple how frogs mate and produce fertilized eggs. The book includes a general description of amphibians, behavior and habits of specific and general frogs and toads, and an overview of the dangers frogs face.

Back matter includes an index, list of rescued species, and ways to help and learn more about frogs. Borin's delicate watercolors are a lovely match for the beauty and fragility of these creatures. The frogs' species are identifiable but still artistic, showing soft colors and textures blending to create these marvelous creatures.

Verdict: A great choice for storytime or one-on-one reading as well as classroom research. Recommended.

ISBN: 9780823426010; Published May 2018 by Holiday House; Purchased for the library

This week at the library; or, New year, new challenges!

Plump New Year's Squirrel, one of my pack

Happening at the library

• Monday
• Closed for holiday
• Tuesday
• Closed for holiday
• Wednesday
• Worked 8:45-5
• Thursday
• Bookaneers
• Worked 10-6
• Friday
• Worked 10-6

My new associate started work on Wednesday, so we did a lot of training. Wednesday was our first official day of going fine-free on children's and teen items and of course things went wrong. I spent several hours working on end of year statistics and reports and consequently lost all my work. This has destroyed any desire I have to write up data posts this year, so you can all look at the data yourselves if you so desire.

• Program and attendance statistics
• Circulation statistics
• January-May program calendar
• Department goals for 2019
• 2018 End of year report

Edison Beaker, Creature Seeker: The Night Door by Frank Cammuso

Four years ago Edison's dad gave him a flashlight to scare away the monsters in the dark, went out to help a friend... and never came back. The story really begins when Edison and his annoying little sister Tess (Tesla) and Tess' hamster Scuttlebutt have to spend the night with their weird Uncle Earl, an exterminator. When Uncle Earl gets an emergency call, the two quickly discover that he isn't exterminating just bugs - and the creepy story he told them about the monsters on the other side of The Night Door is true! Edison finds himself traveling through the dark and dangerous Underwhere, battling monsters with his flashlight and trying to save his sister (and her hamster) as well as the whole world from being overrun with monsters! He makes an unexpected friend and gets hints of many secrets before the Night Door is closed... forever?

Cammuso's distinctive cartoons, with old-fashioned Disney-style characters that sport big noses, large eyes, and lumpy hair, will draw in readers who were fans of his previous series, Dodgeball Chronicles and Misadventures of Salem Hyde. Red-headed Edison and Tesla sport skinny, stick-like legs and arms and the monsters they face, ranging from one-eyed black globs to dragons and blobby, colored creatures will give readers a little thrill without being too frightening.

The book passes quickly over Edison's father's disappearance and although his journey into the mysterious blackness is scary, it's more "monsters under the bed" scary than "monsters potentially eating your guts" scary. There's plenty of humor with Scuttlebutt's antics and Tess's determination to do exactly what she pleases, and although the Night Door closes at the end of the first volume there are plenty of hints that it hasn't closed forever, from his monster friend Knox's past to the hint that his father may be trapped in the dark.

Verdict: Readers who like fantasy adventure but aren't ready for the more intense action and emotional punch of Amulet or Bone will happily settle down with Edison and his monstrous adventures. This new series is sure to grab your graphic novel fans, both young and old.

ISBN: 9780425291924; Published October 2, 2018 by Viking; Review copy provided by the publisher; Donated to the library

Tiger vs. Nightmare by Emily Tetri

Technically, this could be called a picture book, but the content and length feels more beginning chapter to me, and that kindergarten - 2nd grade audience can enjoy both simple chapters and picture books. So I'm calling it a beginning chapter and I'll put it in my juvenile fiction, when I purchase it.

Swashy blue watercolors show a family of humanoid tigers in a futuristic world with space ships parked outside the dome-shaped houses. The wider world is only briefly sketched in though, because the real focus is Tiger, the young daughter of two adult tigers. Her parents think she has an imaginary friend, but it's real - there's a monster under her bed! Monster isn't scary though; she's a small, blue, lizard-like creature. Tiger explains to her parents that Monster came to scare her but they became friends instead - and now Monster scares away the nightmares that come at night. But what happens when a really big, really scary nightmare comes? One too big for Monster to scare away on her own?

The dark blue washes over the pages, showing a terrifying creature with a crocodilian skull, skinny black antlers and claws, and a dark sweep of black trailing in its wake. Tiger and Monster at first cower together in fear, then try strategies, but only when Tiger faces her fears and protects her friend is she able to banish the nightmare in a burst of glorious light.

The art is dividing into loose panels and the book is longer than a picture book at 62 pages. I'd also be hesitant to hand it to a younger child, especially one struggling with nightmares because of how scary the nightmare is. But for a slightly older child, to read alone or with an adult, it's perfect. The warmth of the two friends, their struggle together to banish the nightmare, and Tiger's burst of bravery and courage, are very endearing.

Verdict: Hand this to young readers and listeners who need some encouragement to tackle their fears or just enjoy a good, heartwarming story.

ISBN: 9781626725355; Published November 2018 by First Second; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

Read, Read, Read, said the Baby: Wee Beasties: Huggy the python hugs too hard by Ame Dyckman, illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths

Huggy the python, a dapper green snake with top hat and blue scarf, loves to give hugs. But there's a little problem. As the title says, Huggy hugs too hard! Despite the narrator's reminders to be gentle, Huggy pops a balloon, splats his ice cream, and then he's going to hug a cute little dog... oh no. Luckily, before Huggy gets his coils on the puppy, readers have a chance to demonstrate a gentle hug with the cute puppy. With the demonstration in mind, Huggy manages a gentle hug and the puppy survives his love (not so a water bottle in his tail, but you can't have everything...)

Griffiths' wacky cartoons are a great match for Dyckman's humorous text. Some of the spreads include simple comic panels, with yellow backgrounds, while others show Huggy snaking his way across the white background, splattered in ice cream, gazing sadly at a popped balloon, and finally celebrating with party hat and confetti.

Verdict: This is a great choice to teach little ones how to use a gentle touch with animals, friends, babies, and other fragile items and will also give a laugh to parents who will pick up on the more subtle humor. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781534410800; Published May 2018 by Little Simon; Borrowed from another library in my consortium

The Epic Adventures of Huggie & Stick by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by David Spencer

My sense of humor is, I have been told, a little weird. Also, I dislike sentiment and infinitely prefer snark and sarcasm. Which explains why I have no strong feelings about Daywalt's bestselling The Day the Crayons Quit and all the love for his new book, featuring a goofily optimistic stick and a surly stuffed bunny.

Told in alternating sheets of torn notepaper, readers follow the exciting adventures of Huggie and Stick. Falling out of a little boy's backpack, they plummet to the ocean, to the delight of Stick and the disgust of Huggie. Their adventures follow this theme with Stick thrilled to test out their new friends' diving board and Huggie barely escaping pirates with his stuffing intact; Stick thrilled to visit a magical forest and get a kiss from a giant bear and Huggie rescuing Stick from being eaten by a panda against his better judgment; the penguins; the sharks; the bugs....

The illustrations are bold swathes of digital color, showing Huggie's disgruntled expression and rapid deterioration and Stick's delighted smile in the face of numerous calamities.

Verdict: This will make a hilarious, if somewhat lengthy, read-aloud. Buy it for reading with older kids and for your own enjoyment.

ISBN: 9780399172762; Published October 23 by Philomel; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library