Book Review: The Neanderthal Opens the Door to the Universe

The NEANDERTHAL OPENS THE DOOR TO THE UNIVERSE by Preston Norton is a humorous, yet heartbreaking young adult novel.

Filled with quirky characters and references to pop culture, this fast-paced novel tells the story of a super-sized teen named Cliff who aimlessly wanders through high school while dealing with family issues and mean classmates. When a popular football player befriends him and asks for his help, Cliff begins a quest to make his school a better place and along the way finds himself.

Librarians will find this witty novel to be popular with readers who appreciate snarky humor and teen angst, yet also enjoy a thought-provoking story that addresses common coming-of-age problems. Teens will particularly enjoy the classic stereotypical cliques, first-person commentary, and hopeful conclusion.

Published on Jun 5, 2018 by Disney Book Group. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Leave Me Alone

LEAVE ME ALONE by Vera Brosgol is a humorous picture book about a grandmother seeking a quiet place to knit.

This Caldecott Honor Book introduces an old woman who lives in a house with a large family. All the distractions make it difficult to knit, so she sets off on a journey to find a quiet place to work.

Librarians will find the predictable elements of this tale to be popular with young children. Reading the story aloud is likely to jumpstart conversations about family and personal space.

Published by Roaring Brook Press, an imprint of Macmillan on September 13, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Great, Now We've Got Barbarians!

GREAT, NOW WE’VE GOT BARBARIANS! by Jason Carter Eaton is a hilarious picture book featuring uninvited guests.

When his mom says his dirty room will attract pests, a young boy doesn’t expect to be invaded by barbarians! This cautionary tale will teach even the sloppiest kids about the importance of a clean room.

The illustrator’s colorful illustrations of silly situations will keep readers entertained from beginning to end.

Librarians will find this humorous tale a hit with children. Use this picture book as a springboard for creative writing activities focusing on household chores and other everyday activities.

Published by Candlewick on February 14, 2017. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Still a Gorilla

STILL A GORILLA by Kim Norman is a humorous picture book about a gorilla who imitates other animals at the zoo.

This rhyming, predictable story follows Willy the Gorilla as he explores the lives of animals at the zoo. Although he pretends to be many different animals, in the end he’s happy being a silly gorilla.

Librarians will find that the bright solid-colored illustrations appeal to younger children. Use the book to explore animal traits with pre-school and kindergarten students.

To learn more about the author, go to http://kimnormanbooks.com.

Published by Scholastic on July 26, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Too Many Moose

TOO MANY MOOSE by Lisa M. Bakos is an adorable picture book about a girl who mail-orders moose.

When Martha decides it would be fun to have a pet moose, she orders one through the mail. She soon decides that multiple moose would be even more fun.

Librarians will find children drawn to both the engaging illustrations as well as the fun alliteration. This humorous predictable book will be a hit with both teachers and children who enjoy the rhythm of repeated story elements.

To learn more about the author, go to http://lisambakos.com/.

Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky on July 5, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: The Drake Equation

THE DRAKE EQUATION by Bart King is a humorous science fiction adventure.

While on a quest for an elusive bird, Noah instead finds a mysterious, glittery disk. This middle-school youth suddenly acquires strange powers that lead to funny adventures.

Librarians will find that young readers empathize with the young birdwatcher and his friends. While the science fiction aspects don’t really take off until the second half of the book, most children will enjoy the school and friendship aspects of the story.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.bartking.net/.

Published by Disney-Hyperion on May 10, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: If You Ever Want to Bring a Piano to the Beach, Don't

IF YOU EVER WANT TO BRING A PIANO TO THE BEACH, DON’T! by Elise Parsley is the second book in the humorous “MAGNOLIA SAYS DON’T” series.

This cautionary tale follows Magnolia who is determined to bring her piano to the beach. From fighting off nesting seagulls to washing the piano in the ocean, Magnolia deals with disaster after disaster before deciding that bringing a piano to the beach is a bad idea.

The combination of adorable, brightly colored illustrations with an unexpected ending make this picture book useful for read-aloud experiences. Librarians will find that the book lends itself to endless classroom connections for discussion and writing activities.

To learn more about the author-illustrator, go to http://www.eliseparsley.com/.

Published by Little, Brown for Young Readers on May 3, 2016, an imprint of Hachette Book Group. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin

THE MECHANICAL MIND OF JOHN COGGIN by Elinor Teele is a whimsical, middle grade fantasy adventure about siblings who runaway from their cruel aunt and the family coffin business.

John is a young inventor who dreams of something more than working for the family funeral business. Together with his sister, they run away from home and try to evade their mean aunt who is always just one step behind them. Along the way, the siblings meet an array of fascinating characters including a circus troupe.

Librarians will find that readers enjoy the mix of quirky humor and daring escapes. Fans of the turn-of-the-twentieth century time period and steampunk-like environments will also enjoy the adventure. John Coggin’s talent for engineering will be a draw for budding inventors.

To learn more about the author, go to http://elinorteele.com/.

Published by Walden Pond Press, an imprint of HarperCollins. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: The Cat Who Came In Off the Roof

THE CAT WHO CAME IN OFF THE ROOF by Annie Schmidt is a sweet middle-grade fantasy featuring a shy newspaper reporter and the mysterious cat lady he befriends.

When Tibble is told that he writes too many articles about cats, he sets out to find more news-worthy stories. When he rescues a woman from a tree, he soon learns that she’s actually a cat in human form and has a nose for news. Together, they make a great news team. However not everyone is happy when they uncover a story about a corrupt businessman.

Originally published in the 70s, this Dutch classic has been translated for a new generation of young readers.

Librarians will find an audience for this book among the many children who enjoy cat stories, light humor, fantasy, and a hint of mystery.

To learn more about this author, go to http://www.annie-mg.com/.

Published by Delacorte, an imprint of Random House on January 19, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Dream On, Amber

DREAM ON, AMBER by Emma Shevah is an authentic, humorous story for middle grade readers.

Entering middle school is tough enough for most children, but Amber is a half-Japanese and half-Italian with an absent father making life even more difficult. When her younger sister begins writing letters to their father asking for him to attend her birthday party, Amber decides to answer the letters. Subplots related to art, puppy love, and earning money bring the story to life.

Filled with cute doodles and other illustrations, librarians will find this poignant novel to be popular with young readers. The combination of humor and typical middle school problems will appeal to many readers. Themes related to an absent father and multicultural identity with resonate with many readers.

To learn more about the author, go to http://emmashevah.com/.

Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky on October 6, 2015.

Book Review: The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents... series

THE STRATFORD ZOO MIDNIGHT REVUE PRESENTS graphic novel series by Ian Lendler and Zack Giallongo is an engaging way to introduce youth to the works of Shakespeare.

Designed for the middle grades, Macbeth is the first book in this graphic novel series. A group of animals puts on plays for an animal audience at their zoo. Their first production is MacBeth. This child-friendly retelling includes the basic structure of the play along with hilarious comments from the audience during the performance. Although the most famous lines are evident, the play is shortened to focus on just the key elements.

Romeo and Juliet is the second book in this growing graphic novel series. In this fantasy adaptation of the famous play, animals are both the actors and the audience members. The brightly colored illustrations will draw young readers into the story and provide an engaging introduction Shakespeare for middle grade youth.

Librarians will find this series to be a wonderful way to introduce Shakespeare’s greatest works. Consider building literature circles that focus on each of Shakespeare’s key works.

To learn more about Ian Lendler, go to http://ianlendler.com/.
To learn more about Zack Giallongo, go to http://zackgiallongo.com/.

Published by FirstSecond, an imprint of Macmillan.

Book Review: Dumplin'

DUMPLIN’ by Julie Murphy is a contemporary, coming-of-age novel for young adults focusing on friendship, body image, and self-assurance.

Murphy tells the humorous, yet poignant story of a self-proclaimed fat girl who decides to enter a beauty pageant. Along the way, Willowdean and her friends experience the heartbreak and happiness that comes with best friends and teen romance.

Librarians will find a market for this book among youth who enjoy realistic fiction. Rather than dwelling on topics related to weigh loss, the relatable story focuses on issues of self-esteem, self-assurance, and gaining confidence.

Learn more about the author at http://juliemurphywrites.com/.

Published by Balzer & Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins on September 15, 2015. ARC e-book.

Book Review: Willy Maykit in Space

WILLY MAYKIT IN SPACE by Greg Trine is a super silly science fiction story guaranteed to entertain young readers.

From classic knock-knock jokes to flying bird poop, the laughs are perfectly aimed at lower, middle-grade readers. The story becomes more outrageous with each action-packed chapter as an android, an alien, and a village of monsters are added to young Willy Maykit’s outer space field trip. In a parallel story, readers learn about Willy’s father who has been captured by foothunters (not headhunters) in the Amazon jungles.

Librarian’s will easily convince reluctant readers to jump into this silly adventure with short, fast paced chapters and appealing visuals.

To learn more about the author, go to http://www.gregtrine.com/.

Published by HMH Books for Young Readers.