Cayuso, Ainhoa. Aiko and the Planet of Dogs. Christoffer Ellegaard, Illus. Translated from the French by Irene Vazquez. Levine Querido, 10/2024. [24]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-64614-464-8. GRADES Kindergarten–3. ADDITIONAL.         

Aiko, a young girl with light tan skin and dark hair in buns, is a courageous astronaut on a mission to find a planet that supports life. Unfortunately, the planet she finds is inhabited by dogs sent on space missions who are now hiding from Earth humans. At first the dogs won’t let Aiko leave, but then she saves them from an enormous creature and they let her go, hoping she will keep their existence hidden. Digital and gouache illustrations depict the comic-like, action-packed adventure, the wide variety of dogs on the planet, and Aiko’s efforts to return to Earth with good news about her planet search. Space voyages and dogs sent to space are interesting subjects that elementary readers may find intriguing.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Rocco, Hayley. All the Books. John Rocco, Illus. Little, Brown, 10/2024. [44]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-316-51274-9. GRADES Kindergarten–3. OUTSTANDING.      

A young chipmunk named Piper loves books and reading, and takes her books everywhere and won’t share them. One day, she and her books are caught in a rainstorm, and she takes shelter in the library, where she learns that she can borrow all the books. This celebration of books and libraries is briskly and smoothly told, making a great readaloud when classes visit the library. The cast of clothes-wearing animals depicted in the delightful illustrations includes raccoons, badgers, moles, rabbits, mice, and other forest creatures. The full-color digitally enhanced watercolor and pencil artwork resembles the world of Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (1908).

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Feiffer, Jules. Amazing Grapes and the Lost Dimension. Jules Feiffer, Illus. HarperCollins/Michael Di Capua, 09/2024. [296]pp. Graphic. Paper $21.99. 978-0-06-296382-6. GRADES 5–8. LOW ADDITIONAL.        

In Feiffer’s first graphic novel, Mommy appears to be having a mental health crisis after her marriage fails. A two-headed giant swan appears and her two younger children Pearlie and Curly fly off on an unexplained mission while the oldest sibling Shirley stays with Mommy (all are white). There are time shifts, repeated journeys that do not result in any progress, and several lands visited that are indistinct, making for a tedious tale. Unlike Feiffer’s tween novel A Barrel of Laughs, A Veil of Tears (HarperCollins, 1995) and Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth (Knopf, 1961) which Feiffer illustrated, the allegory and symbolism are unclear and the story is not engaging. The paneled artwork uses dialogue balloons and Feiffer’s scribbly cartoons, done with colored markers and watercolor, but it’s inconsistent. For example, characters look different from one scene to another. Ultimately, this is strange and could appeal to some but overall it is not a success.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Peters, Katie. Arctic Fox on the Move. Pull Ahead Readers: Let’s Look at Polar Animals—Nonfiction. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765626269. Paper $8.99. 979-8765629291. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.       

SERIES REVIEW: The Pull Ahead Readers series consists of sets of paired titles. Half of the titles are designated as fiction, with color digital illustrations, while the others are nonfiction, with color photographs. Designed as pairings on the same topic, each title is straightforward, with very limited text, content, and length, which works well for early readers. This sixteen-book subseries focuses on polar animals, showing where they live and what they do. The color photographs in the nonfiction titles engage readers with the natural beauty of the animals and their environment, with the digital illustrations in the fiction titles providing the basis for a short, interesting story featuring the fictional version of the animal. The illustrations or photographs depict a range of animals on the ground, in the sky, and under the sea. These simple readers can be read on their own, in pairs, or as a complete set.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Wallace, Elise. Art in the Garden. Kuromo San, Illus. Phonics Fun Decodables: Level 3, Book 4. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765640340. Paper $8.99. 979-8765640906. GRADES Kindergarten–2. ADDITIONAL.  

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Dad Is at Bat by Robert Sutro for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Biedrzycki, David. ARTificial Intelligence. David Biedrzycki, Illus. Charlesbridge, 10/2024. [52]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-62354-374-7. GRADES Kindergarten–4. HIGH ADDITIONAL.

A robot is a failure at the job of moving boxes around a warehouse, so it is sent for reprogramming. Along the way it visits a museum and is inspired to become a great artist, painting abstracts that dazzle humans and other robots. In this unique look at AI (artificial intelligence), the message that art needs inspiration, not technology, is subtle, but most readers will understand the point. The colored pencil artwork depicts the world in grayish blue except when some creativity happens and then bright color is added. A timely story that teachers can use to explain metaphor and symbolism. Review based on an ARC.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Painter, Taryn. Beach Day. Linda Thai, Illus. Phonics Fun Decodables: Level 2, Book 18. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765640302. Paper $8.99. 979-8765640869. GRADES Kindergarten–1. ADDITIONAL.  

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Dad Is at Bat by Robert Sutro for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Alexander, Kwame. Black Star. Door of No Return, The; bk. 2. Little, Brown, 09/2024. 372pp. Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-0-316-44259-6. GRADES 4–7. OUTSTANDING.    

One does not need to have read Alexander’s first book in this series, The Door of No Return (2022), to appreciate this companion book. Set in the 1920s, Black Star tells the story of a young girl named Charley who lives in segregated Virginia and yearns to be a professional baseball player for the Negro Leagues. She is Kofi’s granddaughter, the protagonist of the first book, who is now an elderly man. Told in free verse, the plot involves some dire consequences from a baseball game played on the white side of town. Tween readers will identify with Charley and appreciate her bravery despite the results of some of her actions. This satisfying historical novel includes a few real people, including Mary McLeod Bethune, and weaves Kofi’s stories of Africa smoothly into the main story of Charley.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Sutro, Robert. Dad Is at Bat. Beilin Xu, Illus. Phonics Fun Decodables: Level 1, Book 6. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. Trade $27.99. 979-8765640005. PLB $8.99. 979-8765640562. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.         

SERIES REVIEW: Libraries or classrooms looking for titles designed to help with phonics will find this fifty-four title series a good addition. Consisting of three leveled groups of eighteen titles each, this series provides progressively more complex—though decodable—text, which helps readers gain reading skills and confidence. The titles work best together, read in sequence, with some guidance about the phonics and word type being practiced, but also work as standalones. Each story utilizes words focused on a specific phonics sound or skill, with the last title of each level reviewing the phonics of the previous seventeen titles of that level. Digital illustrations, by a variety of illustrators, have differing levels of appeal, with all featuring a wide range of ethnicities, genders, and settings.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

LeZotte, Ann Clare. Deer Run Home. Scholastic, 10/2024. 224pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-3390-2190-4. GRADES 5–9. OUTSTANDING.  

Based on a true story, twelve-year-old Effie, an abused and neglected deaf girl, finds love and safety through her relationship with her beloved ASL interpreter—the only person in Effie’s world who understands sign language. Told from Effie’s point of view and written in verse, the novel’s poetic format renders the story accessible to its young audience while also connecting the reader more deeply to its main character. Encouraged to write poetry by her teacher after some of her ASL is interpreted to him, Effie’s use of verse can be seen as a true reflection of her inner voice. Although Effie is a deaf child and her friend Cait has cerebral palsy, for the most part LeZotte avoids physical descriptions of her characters; much in the same way that Effie must rely upon each character’s good nature (or lack thereof), the reader is left to view each character based on their actions rather than superficial descriptors. Full of kindness and empathy, Effie is an authentic, truly likable character who will resonate with many readers.

Jennifer Taylor—Palo Alto City Library

Sutro, Robert. Dog and a Bone, A. L. Schlissel, Illus. Phonics Fun Decodables: Level 1, Book 16. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765640104. Paper $8.99. 979-8765640661. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.         

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Dad Is at Bat by Robert Sutro for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Alice, Hannah. Earth Book, The. Hannah Alice, Illus. Candlewick, 03/2024. 16pp. Nonfiction. Trade $15.99. 978-1-5362-3428-2. GRADES 1–3. ADDITIONAL.        

This large format (9¹⁄₁₆ x 9⁵⁄₈), nonfiction board book is illustrated with circular acetate panels that build upon each other front and back as the reader makes their way through the book. The accompanying text presents quick facts on the atmosphere, weather, oceans, the Earth’s surface and soil, human and animal life, and seasons. Scientific terms such as sedimentary, coniferous, and deciduous are used with short explanations, but with only sixteen pages there is not a lot of description and there is no back matter, notes, or references. Of the four people in the illustrations, two appear male with light skin and brownish hair, and two appear female with dark skin and dark hair; one is also walking using a cane. Hand this book to the kid who wants all the facts about the earth with unusually presented illustrations.

Rachael Reiley—Hillcrest Elementary K–8 / Oakland Unified School District

Fleming, Candace. Enigma Girls, The: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II. Scholastic Focus, 03/2024. 371pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-3387-4957-1. GRADES 6–12. OUTSTANDING.    

Until recently, they were forgotten: young women, mostly teenagers, all of whom were plucked from ordinary life, sworn to a lifetime of secrecy, and thrust into the heart of Great Britain’s desperate effort to staunch the brutal Nazi tide with code-breaking and disinformation. Fleming does an astonishing job bringing the wartime experiences of ten young women close and layering their voices and recollections to put together a complete picture of Bletchley Park’s culture and contribution. Loads of period photographs and chronological chapters help order and illuminate the era. Each girl was siloed, knowing only her own grueling tasks, only occasionally getting direct feedback from triumphant cinema war reels, or devastating casualty reports. Taken all together their accounts and historic hindsight make clear the immense impact their work had on the war’s outcome. An endnote compellingly addresses the lack of any photos of the featured women. Back matter includes an author’s note, extensive bibliography, and source and image notes. All characters are white.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Van Oosbree, Ruthie. Frosty’s Snow Day. Mette Engell, Illus. Pull Ahead Readers: Let’s Look at Polar Animals—Fiction. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765626184. Paper $8.99. 979-8765629208. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.         

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Arctic Fox on the Move by Katie Peters for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Painter, Taryn. Gem for a Slice, A. Kale Lewis, Illus. Phonics Fun Decodables: Level 2, Book 14. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765640265. Paper $8.99. 979-8765640821. GRADES Kindergarten–1. ADDITIONAL.  

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Dad Is at Bat by Robert Sutro for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Partridge, Elizabeth. Golden Gate: Building the Mighty Bridge. Ellen Heck, Illus. Chronicle, 10/2024. [56]pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-4521-3514-4. GRADES Kindergarten–5. OUTSTANDING.           

The building of the Golden Gate Bridge in the 1930s is told from the perspective of the lighthouse keeper’s young daughter and her brother, who watch the bridge being built. The narrative is factual but almost reads like a story, with the children interacting with the workers to hear how the unique bridge was constructed, even when many people thought it was impossible. The challenges faced by the construction team are described, as are the steps needed in building what was at that time the longest suspension bridge in the world. The full-color mixed media illustrations were done on red-orange paper, and resemble realistic watercolor paintings. In many of the spreads, the bridge is shown in a panel along the bottom of the page, depicting the progress as it is being built. The book concludes with a two-page author’s note with more facts about the construction, including the participation of Mohawk workers who were experts in building skyscrapers. Includes California-specific content.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Cohen, Emi Watanabe. Golem Crafters. Levine Querido, 11/2024. 264pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-64614-269-9. GRADES 5–8. ADDITIONAL.         

Faye (eleven) and Shiloh (thirteen) suddenly go to New York to spend spring break with a grandfather they have never met. There, they learn what golems are, how they are made, and how all this fits with their half-Jewish (and half Japanese) heritage. During their golem crafting training, they begin to communicate with their ancestors and dream about traumatic events and persecutions in centuries past. They learn much about their Jewish history and ways to use the strength of their ancestors to help believe in themselves and to handle bullies in school. Cohen’s fast-paced story packs many topics into a short time period (spring break), while showing other aspects of Jewish history that readers may be unaware of. Review based on an ARC. 

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Wallace, Elise. Good Cook, A. Beilin Xu, Illus. Phonics Fun Decodables: Level 3, Book 7. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765640371. Paper $8.99. 979-8765640937. GRADES Kindergarten–2. ADDITIONAL.  

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Dad Is at Bat by Robert Sutro for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

McClements, George. Haiku Kaiju Ah-Choo! George McClements, Illus. Hippo Park, 12/2024. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-66264-036-0. GRADES Preschool–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.     

A blue kaiju (a monster who resembles Godzilla) is suffering from a cold so he goes to town to seek help. Most of the people run in terror, but a scientist and his son communicate with the kaiju and help him with a blanket, tissues, and hot soup. The lively text is told in traditional haiku, with phrases using the pattern of five, seven, and five syllables each. The full-color cartoon artwork uses dialogue balloons, showing the scientist’s son with tan skin and black hair. Because of the cartoon style of the illustrations, this will appeal to fans of comic books and graphic novels, even if they haven’t seen a kaiju film (which began with the Gojira/Godzilla series in Japan). Review based on an ARC.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Van Oosbree, Ruthie. Harper and the Ice. Tom Heard, Illus. Pull Ahead Readers: Let’s Look at Polar Animals—Fiction. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765626191. Paper $8.99. 979-8765629215. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.         

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Arctic Fox on the Move by Katie Peters for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Painter, Taryn. Home for Moth, A. Victor Sandoval, Illus. Phonics Fun Decodables: Level 2, Book 7. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765640197. Paper $8.99. 979-8765640753. GRADES Kindergarten–1. ADDITIONAL.  

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Dad Is at Bat by Robert Sutro for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Wang, Ann Suk. House Before Falling Into the Sea, The. Hanna Cha, Illus. Dial Books, 03/2024. 40pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-593-53015-3. GRADES 2–4. OUTSTANDING.     

Kyung struggles to accept her parents’ decision to welcome desperate refugees fleeing North Korea into their coastal home, a location known as a place “before falling into the sea.” As the story unfolds, Kyung begins to see the guests not as strangers encroaching on her space, but as friends and neighbors. The sensitive narrative pairs well with dramatic mixed media illustrations to reflect the era’s tumult and upheaval. The author and illustrator’s personal connections to the story are explained in endnotes, providing historical context to the events described. A glossary, guide to Korean names, and questions for discussion focusing on kindness and empathy are also included. Sources for young children on the Korean War are hard to find, and this moving story helps fill the gap. 

Jenny Andrus—Independent

Lee, Gee Eun. Legend of Tiger and Tail-Flower, The. Lee Gee Eun, Illus. Translated from the Korean by Aerin Park. Levine Querido, 8/2024. [70]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-64614-459-4. GRADES 1–3. ADDITIONAL.      

Grumpy Tiger sprouts a dandelion flower on his tail. Tail-Flower is friendly and quickly liked by all the animals, who did not like it when Tiger was demanding and scary. After many efforts to separate, they begin to tolerate and then like each other, and even do things that help the other animals. Told via a mix of graphic panels and full-page spreads, this long picture book reads like a folktale. Readers first meet an elderly narrator at the start, and after hearing the story from many moons ago, learn the moral to the story: be kind to others. Lee Gee Eun’s intricate digital illustrations masterfully convey the feelings and actions of the main and secondary characters, with clear colors reflecting moods as well as Tail-Flower’s eventual end of life. Useful for discussions about getting along, changing seasons, and endings.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Peters, Katie. Life of a Narwhal, The. Pull Ahead Readers: Let’s Look at Polar Animals—Nonfiction. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765626283. Paper $8.99. 979-8765629314. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.       

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Arctic Fox on the Move by Katie Peters for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Miller, Chanel. Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All. Chanel Miller, Illus. Philomel, 04/2024. 160pp. Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-0-5936-2452-4. GRADES 2–6. OUTSTANDING.     

Ten-year-old Magnolia Wu thinks it’ll be another boring summer in her family laundromat, Bing Qi Ling Bubbles. But then her Mom introduces her to a family friend, ten-year-old Vietnamese American Iris, who just moved to New York City from Santa Cruz, California. This engaging story details Magnolia and Iris’s blossoming friendship on an adventure through NYC as they figure out the mystery of each lost sock left at the laundromat. They grow closer as they confront racism, anxiety, and misunderstandings. Miller’s gritty, comical, black-and-white illustrations are scattered throughout the book and bring to life the whimsical characters and visceral descriptions of the city. The author’s note pays homage to the history and tenacity of Chinese Americans running laundromats despite legal anti-Chinese discrimination, and addresses anti-Asian violence during COVID-19.

Alva Fong—San José State University iSchool student

Vo, Young. Makers. Young Vo, Illus. Levine Querido, 8/2024. [46]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-64614-449-5. GRADES 1–3. ADDITIONAL.        

Two apprentice boat makers are very different: one is constantly changing plans and designs while in the midst of building, and the other wants his boat to be perfect, never finalizing the plans and taking forever to build anything. After graduation they move to opposite sides of town, spending their days building boats. One always has many problems and the other never finishes a single boat. After an eventual reunion, they realize that working together is better. Pencil and ink illustrations highlight their different styles, attention, and focus, specifically how one is wild and active and the other is neat and detail-oriented. The short, single sentences explain what is happening and don’t compete with the deep pastel colors that portray the tropical island setting. The boys are both brown skinned with black or brown hair.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Van Oosbree, Ruthie. Norman’s Deep Dive. Mette Engell, Illus. Pull Ahead Readers: Let’s Look at Polar Animals—Fiction. Lerner, 08/2024. 30pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765626207. Paper $8.99. 979-8765629222. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.      

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Arctic Fox on the Move by Katie Peters for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Cho, Tina. Other Side of Tomorrow, The. Deb J.J. Lee, Illus. Harper Alley, 11/2024. 224pp. Graphic. Trade $15.99. 978-0-0630-1107-6. GRADES 6–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.        

This moving and dramatic account of two very different twelve-year-olds is told in parallel diary entries and shown in lovely, crisp, various-sized panels, filled with detail. While nature is still beautiful in 2013 North Korea, grinding poverty, fear, and hopelessness have drained the world of bright color. Moments of imagination and emotional connection brighten and deepen the hues, cluing the reader to the powerful effect hope has on both shy and obedient Yunho and determined and spunky Myunghee. The two encounter each other repeatedly in moments of crisis, eventually becoming companions on an epic journey. Broken into five substantial chapters, set in five countries, the impact of bad politics looms large: famine, tyranny, and intolerance. Their emotional lives also take center stage, as they struggle with jealousy, guilt, anger, doubt, and the surprising difficulty of freedom. Back matter includes a brief primer on North Korean history and on the Asian underground railroad. Virtually all characters are Asian, from Korea, China, Laos, Thailand, and the U.S. Review based on an ARC.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Sutro, Robert. Pig, a Cat, and a Bag, A. Lucy Llewllyn, Illus. Phonics Fun Decodables: Level 1, Book 4. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765639986. Paper $8.99. 979-8765640548. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.         

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Dad Is at Bat by Robert Sutro for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Wood, Chelsea L. Power to the Parasites. Dave Mottram, Illus. Henry Holt/Godwin, 11/2024. 80pp. Nonfiction. Trade $19.99. 978-1-250-83398-3. GRADES 4–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.    

Discover a fascinating secret world, unknown to most, but mined by Hollywood horror writers. Hidden just below the surface, in your home, your food, your pets, and you, lurk parasites. Enthusiastic, vernacular prose, from a scientist in the field, may not convince readers to love the wildly inventive freeloaders as she does, but will convey the mind-boggling variety of parasites, and their critical importance in healthy ecosystems and human health. Inherently interesting, and appallingly intriguing, the parasite portraits are divided into two parts: parasites doing stuff out in nature and parasites doing stuff in us and in our homes. A glossary is included. Hand to older fans of Johnson’s Zombie Makers (Millbrook, 2012) or pair with Maloney’s Buzzkill (Henry Holt, 2022). Review based on an ARC.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Tolman, Marije. Quill the Forest Keeper. Marije Tolman, Illus. Translated from the Dutch by David Colmer. Levine Querido, 8/2024. [24]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-64614-452-5. GRADES 1–3. ADDITIONAL.        

Grandpa Hedgehog recalls the story of Quill, the hedgehog who spent his days moving slowly and cleaning the mess all the other forest animals left behind during their frenzied rushing day. Only after Quill collapses from exhaustion do the other animals slow down and take care of the forest themselves, help Quill to rest and recover, and call him the Official Forest Keeper. Tolman’s brightly colored (fluorescent) mixed-media illustrations use a background of single color risograph prints with the various colored animals overlaid, showing off the messy forest and the hurrying animals. Readers may hear the message to slow down, appreciate those around them, and be considerate of your environment.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Wallace, Elise. Royal Pig, A. Kate Fallahee, Illus. Phonics Fun Decodables: Level 3, Book 10. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765640401. Paper $8.99. 979-8765640968. GRADES Kindergarten–2. ADDITIONAL.  

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Dad Is at Bat by Robert Sutro for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Peters, Katie. So Many Harp Seals. Pull Ahead Readers: Let’s Look at Polar Animals—Nonfiction. Lerner, 08/2024. 16pp. Reader. PLB $27.99. 979-8765626276. Paper $8.99. 979-8765629338. GRADES Preschool–1. ADDITIONAL.       

SERIES REVIEW. Please see: Arctic Fox on the Move by Katie Peters for series review.

Joshua Rees—Daly City Public Library

Swinarski, Claire. Take It from the Top. Quill Tree, 11/2024. 288pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-0-0633-2173-1. GRADES 6–8. HIGH ADDITIONAL.         

What went wrong? It was supposed to be the perfect summer, back at her beloved theater camp with her best friend, co-starring in their dream musical. Thirteen-year-old Eowyn and Jules come from different worlds, but they get each other, want the same thing, and planned on sharing the limelight together. Now Jules can barely stand to look at Eowyn, and Eowyn is almost sure she doesn’t know why. Alternating first-person and third-person chapters trace the story back and forth, from age eight to fourteen, exploring privilege, insecurity, jealousy, and ambition. Fans of friendship dramas and theater lovers will be delighted by the exhaustive exploration, but some readers may wish the curtain had come down sooner. Both main characters are white. Review based on an ARC.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Chan, Ruth. Uprooted: A Memoir About What Happens When Your Family Moves Back. Ruth Chan, Illus. Roaring Brook, 09/2024. 288pp. Graphic. Trade $14.99. 978-1-2508-5534-3. GRADES 5–7. HIGH ADDITIONAL.      

Thirteen-year-old Chinese Canadian Ruth loves her home in Toronto; she has a great, diverse friend group, a glorious room, favorite hangouts, and loads of history. But her dad’s job and mom’s family uproot her, landing her in crowded, loud, chaotic Hong Kong. There, despite looking like everyone else, she stands out for not being Chinese enough. Clear, winningly simple drawings, inked in varied pastel colors, reveal Ruth’s steep learning curve as she makes friends, explores the city, and discovers an unexpected connection to the mythic story of her father’s birth. Tweens and teens, both rooted and uprooted, will identify with Ruth’s struggles and successes as she accepts that the unknown is part of life. Most characters are Chinese.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired

Schwartz, Ella. Violin of Hope. Juliana Oakley, Illus. Kar-Ben, 11/2024. 32pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 979-8765604199. GRADES 1–5. ADDITIONAL.     

Based on true stories of violins that have been rescued and refurbished after being stolen from Jews during the Holocaust, this book opens with digital artwork showing a family’s prized violin hanging on its special hook on the living room wall. One day the violin is taken from the family by German soldiers and thrown onto a truck filled with other looted treasures. From there the story follows the violin as it languishes for many years in a basement until it is discovered by a luthier who painstakingly repairs it and hangs it in his shop where another father buys it for his son who wants to learn to play violin. The main characters in the book are Jewish with light skin and dark hair. Historical events about the Holocaust are referenced without going into detail. Back matter includes an author’s note about Jewish luthiers who have repaired violins from the Holocaust and about the Violins of Hope orchestra. 

Rachael Reiley—Hillcrest Elementary K–8 / Oakland Unified School District

McLaren, Meg. Wee Unicorn. Meg McLaren, Illus. Charlesbridge, 01/2025. [32]pp. Picture Book. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-493-5. GRADES Preschool–2. HIGH ADDITIONAL.      

Originally published in Great Britain in 2023, this sweet story is set in an unnamed country that resembles mythological Scotland, with giants, selkies, and a monster in the loch. The title character is afraid of the monster at first, but learns to make friends with the monster, who the wee unicorn nicknames Ness. The theme of kindness and not judging others is obvious but not too heavy-handed. The cartoon-like illustrations feature dialogue balloons and use soft earth tones for the mixed media artwork. Sure to be popular due to the focus on the unicorn and the humor woven into the story. Review based on an ARC.

Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool

Long, Loren. Yellow Bus, The. Loren Long, Illus. Roaring Brook, 06/2024. 48pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-250-90313-6. GRADES Preschool–2. OUTSTANDING.

A town and environs, minutely rendered in soft gray graphite and pencil, are the backdrop for the profound and charming life journey of a bright yellow school bus. Perspective shifts from sweeping aerial views to ground-level observation. Deceptively simple, the art and repetitive text pack a punch and make a superb readaloud. As community members onomatopoeically step aboard the bus, they become vibrantly hued. Each useful job-shift fills the bus with joy. Rarely has the march of time been so delightfully, and surprisingly, explored. An afterword describes the inspiration and artistic process. Diverse socio-economics, races, ages, and abilities are portrayed.

Melissa McAvoy—Retired