Book Review: Echo

ECHO by Pam Muñoz Ryan is a beautifully written circular novel tracing the lives of people who come in contact with a unique harmonica.

Crossing two continents, the inter-connected stories weave the theme of music into compelling stories focusing on discrimination, injustice, and hope.

Written for ages 9 through 14, the novel will appeal to a broad cross-section of readers including those who enjoy historical fiction, fairy tales, and a hint of fantasy. Teachers will enjoy the connections to historical events including the Holocaust in Germany and the Japanese Internment in the United States during World War II.

Although it’s a sizable book, the engaging short stories, well-developed characters, and engaging writing style will keep readers spellbound from beginning to end. Librarians are likely to find this book on the “best of 2015” lists.

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

For a discussion guide, go to http://goo.gl/C8Q6lf.

Published by Scholastic, February 2015.

Book Review: The Darkest Part of the Forest

THE DARKEST PART OF THE FOREST by Holly Black is a young adult fantasy featuring a changeling, a menacing monster, and a mysterious horned boy. Set in a small town near a haunted forest, teen siblings explore their magical powers, uncover long-kept secrets, and strive to survive in a battle between mortals and faerie creatures.

The idea of a faerie fantasy set in the modern world is intriguing. Unfortunately, Black’s world building lacks the depth necessary to fully realize its potential. Although the cast of characters is distinct and at times even compelling, the plot is unnecessarily disjointed. Even with these flaws, readers are likely to enjoy this dark fairy fantasy.

From Doll Bones and The Coldest Girl in Coldtown to the new Magisterium series, Holly Black is popular with both middle grade and young adult readers. As such, this new title is likely to have a large following. Keep in mind that The Darkest Part of the Forest is a young adult urban fantasy that may attract a different audience than some of her recent works.

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

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Publisher e-ARC used for review.

Book Review: The Bus Ride

THE BUS RIDE by Marianne Dubuc is a beautifully illustrated picture book about a young girl’s first experience alone on a bus.

While many picture books are visually overwhelming, Dubuc’s simple illustrations allow readers to concentrate on the story and characters. Originally published in French, the book translates well into English.

Children will enjoy re-reading the book and following each of the individual characters and families that ride the bus. Even after multiple readings, they’ll find new details to enjoy. It’s particularly fun to follow the words on the newspaper and the movement of the sleeping sloth.

Teachers will find the book filled with opportunities for discussion.

To learn more about the author/illustrator, go tohttp://www.mariannedubuc.com.

NetGalley ARC used for review

Website Review: Frontiers for Young Minds

FRONTIERS FOR YOUNG MINDS is an open-access, non-profit scientific journal aimed at youth ages 8-15.

What makes this journal unique is that young people sit along side experts on the editorial board. As such, youth work directly with leading scientists to shape the cutting edge articles. Each article includes brief bios of both the authors and the reviewer(s).

The high-quality, scientific articles include age-appropriate text, figures and references. These papers would provide great models for librarians partnering with language arts and science teachers on STEM research activities.

Articles are published in four areas including Neuroscience, Earth and its Resources, Astronomy and Space Science, and Health. Both core concept articles focusing on the fundamentals of the field as well as articles exploring new discoveries are published. Website users can select articles from one of the four sections or do a key word search.

The People section of the website provides contact information where you can get your students involved in hosting an article review.

The open access articles are freely available. Articles can be downloaded in the PDF format for easy sharing and printing. They can also be shared through popular social networks.

Frontiers for Young Minds also maintains a blog at Scientific American. This blog is an excellent way to introduce youth to the value of blogs and social media in the sciences. Go to http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/frontiers-for-young-mi…/.

To learn more about this exciting scientific journal for youth, go tohttp://kids.frontiersin.org/

Book Review: Walk on the Wild Side

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE by Nicholas Oldland is the latest addition to the charming LIFE IN THE WILD picture book series.

This ingenious, contemporary fable reminds readers about the importance of friendship, slowing down, and appreciating life. Woven throughout the story are witty remarks, funny observations, and zingers that will keep children giggling. While the story is simple and easy to follow, it contains a strong message about the importance of viewing life as a journey. The nature and hiking theme will make readers of all ages want to get outside and enjoy a good hike.

Oldland’s appealing illustrations contain memorable characters that are likely to appeal to both children and adults. Of particular interest is how the author skillfully incorporates factual information about each animals such as what they eat for a snack. In addition, the bold, attractive font is perfect for the picture book format.

Children will enjoy reading the book multiple times observing details like the activities of the tiny bird accompanying the threesome. The book has endless possibilities for library storytelling activities.

In addition to WALK ON THE WIDE SIDE, librarians will want to purchase the other books in this outstanding series including Up the Creek, Making the Moose Out of Life, and Big Bear Hugs.

Available March 1, 2015 and published by Kids Can Press Books, a NetGalley ARC was used for the review.

App Review: Universal Zoom

UNIVERSAL ZOOM: ALL ABOUT SIZES AND DISTANCES is a fascinating app published by Gamify It. From tiny, subatomic particles to stars and galaxies, this easy-to-use tool allows students to compare two objects to get a sense for the scale of the universe.

Designed for ages 9-11, students can choose from 150 objects presented in scale. The dynamic layout provides users with a sense for the relative size of common objects. Students will enjoy guessing and discovering how many times one object fits inside another. A limited audio element introduces each object encouraging users to read more about each object.

Measurements are available in both standard and meter systems making this an excellent tool for mathematics activities that involve using both units of length. This tool is also effective for a practical exploration of simple and scientific notation. The scale range is 1 yoctometer (1x10-24m) to 93 billion light years (8.8x10=26m)!

This engaging app encourages students to explore the idea of size and scale in a meaningful way. The high-quality images and rich content make this an app that is both appealing and useful for many STEM classroom applications.

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/universal-zoom-all-a…/id807673066.

Book Review: Jasper John Dooley: You're in Trouble

JASPER JOHN DOOLEY is a humorous early chapter book series by Caroline Adderson. The first four books in this series are now available.

Designed for children ages 7 to 10, Jasper John Dooley is introduced in STAR OF THE WEEK. In LEFT BEHIND, Jasper experiences sadness and confusion when his grandmother leaves for a week-long cruise. The third episode titled NOT IN LOVE deals with early elementary relationships between girls and boys.

In the fourth episode, YOU’RE IN TROUBLE, readers experience Jasper’s naughty side. From enjoying a forbidden high-energy drink to bending the soccer rules, Jasper explores the idea of “bad” and learns lessons about making good choices.

Young, independent readers will enjoy the numerous illustrations, realistic characters, and short chapters. The age-appropriate stories focus on common childhood problems and ways to deal with feelings. Many children will relate to this only-child with supportive parents.

Librarians will find that boys are the primary audience for this series. The large type and short chapters will provide a sense of accomplishment for reluctant readers.

Published by Kids Can Press. A publisher ARC was used for this review.

Website Review: NEA's Read Across America

“Grab your hat & read with the cat!” Start planning for NEA’s READ ACROSS AMERICA Day celebrated on March 2, 2015.

Each year the National Education Association sponsors America’s largest reading event. Held in conjunction with Dr. Seuss’ birthday, the event encourages a wide range of reading activities.

NEA’s Read Across America website links to lots of useful resources. Go to http://www.nea.org/readacross.

Reading Rockets provides many activity ideas including writing resources, an author study toolkit, classroom activities, and other useful materials. Go to http://www.readingrockets.org/calendar/readacross.

We Need Diverse Books is a new partner for the event focusing on ways to involve youth in reading books that embrace diversity including (but not limited to) LGBTQIA, people of color, gender diversity, people with disabilities, and ethic, cultural, and religious minorities. Go to http://weneeddiversebooks.org/.

The Plan a Reading Event page contains promotional materials, media tips, face sheets, artwork and downloadables like certificates and posters associated with the event. Go to http://www.nea.org/grants/plan-a-reading-event.htm.

Did you know you can get free books for your library and classrooms? Go to http://www.nea.org/grants/finding-free-books.htm.

The Read Across in the News page contains press and media coverage related to the event. Go to http://www.nea.org/grants/GetReadAcrossScoop.html.

Social media plays a big part in the Read Across America activities.
LIKE the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/neareadacrossamerica
Follow the Pinterest page at https://www.pinterest.com/readacross/

Have fun!
“You’re never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child.”

Book Review: The Queen's Shadow

THE QUEEN’S SHADOW: A STORY ABOUT HOW ANIMALS SEE by Cybele Young is a beautifully illustrated informational picture book. When the Queen’s shadow is stolen, each creature contributes a piece of evidence that helps to solve the crime.

Designed for ages 7 through 11, the ingenious story masterfully incorporates factual information about animal sight while telling an engaging story.

Young weaves together distinctive collages of digital, pen-and-ink illustrations. Of particular note are the close-ups demonstrating how animals such as the pigeon sees.

Younger children may have difficulty distinguishing the factual information about vision from the imaginary aspects related to losing a shadow. As such, this is a book that would work better in a small group learning environment than as a book for independent reading.

At the end of the book, factual information is provided about how vision works along with descriptions of the animals in the book. The backmatter also includes a useful glossary.

This informational picture book provides endless possibilities for library-classroom partnerships. Involve children in writing their own stories about how animals see. Or, ask them to research other animals senses and write detective stories about those.

Available March 1, 2015 and published by Kids Can Press, a NetGalley ARC was used for the review.

App Review: Magnetry: Express Yourself

MAGNETRY: EXPRESS YOURSELF by Gebo Kanois an app that encourages creativity, playing with words, and writing poetry. This powerful and easy-to-use tool has endless possibilities across the curriculum.

Students begin by starting a “new collection” and a “new book” containing 16 pages. After choosing a page, users are able to select from eight different categories. Words are randomly generated to get the page started. When a word is clicked, users see usage options and have the opportunity to select a variation of the word. Students can reorganize these words, add words, or delete words. In addition, stickers, backgrounds, and paint tools can be used to enhance to expression. Projects can be saved, shared on social media, and printed.

The Help section provides tools to add, remove, or rename a collection, as well as start or save a new page. The app also allows users to move, customize, delete, and add words, backgrounds, and stickers.

Although many “magnet poetry” apps exist, this one is exceptional. Magnetron’s versatility and user-friendly features make it an excellent resource for library tablets and iPads.

To download it for the iPad, go to https://itunes.apple.com/…/magnetry-express-you…/id846619946.

A publisher provided copy was used for the review.

Book Review: Zoology for Kids

ZOOLOGY FOR KIDS: UNDERSTANDING AND WORKING WITH ANIMALS by Josh Hestermann and Bethanie Hestermann is an engaging introduction to the science of animals.

The book is divided into two parts: Zoology for Beginners and Working on the Wild Side - Zoology in Real Life. The first section explores animal form and function, behavior, and habitats. In the second part of the book, readers examine the various careers associated with animals including zookeepers and aquarists, veterinarians, researchers, and conservationists.

The writing is geared to middle grade readers with appealing examples and interesting descriptions. While it includes scientific vocabulary, key words are bold-faced and a glossary provides definitions of these terms. In-depth side-bars and special pages feature interesting facts, background information, and career spotlights. The attractive cover, inviting layout, colorful photos, and inviting illustrations will appeal to student readers. Additional resources and a bibliography are designed to extend the experience.

Twenty-one, hands-on activities are woven throughout the book. From baking edible animal cells to testing your sense of direction, these fun experiences involve readers in meaningful projects that require both creative and critical thinking related to animal life. Teachers will find these activities to be an effective way to address science standards and children will simply enjoy the hands-on experiences.

Readers who enjoy Zoology for Kids will also want to look for other books in the Young Naturalist series including Awesome Snake Science!, Birdology, and Insectigations.

This work of nonfiction will be popular with youth who want to learn more about the science and care of animals. Librarians will find Zoology for Kids as well as the other books in the Young Naturalist series to be outstanding additions to the science collection.

The book is available in both paper and ebook editions.

Published by Chicago Review Press (Available March 1, 2015). Publisher e-ARC used for review.

Website Review: American Heart Month

February is American Heart Month. The AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION (AHA) website at http://www.heart.org  contains lots of resources to increase awareness of heart health. Children and young adults can save lives if they know the warning signs of heart attack, stroke and cardiac arrest.

The AHA website is full of authoritative information useful to both students and educators.

The Getting Healthy section explores the topics of nutrition, stress management, physical activity, healthy kids, weight management, smoke-free lives, and workplace wellness.

The Conditions section encourages an awareness of heart and health conditions such as cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

The Educator section contains great resources librarians can use when collaborating with physical education and classroom teachers on school-wide programs.

The News section contains new articles, infographics, video, and photos that youth can use in their research projects.

The Interactive Cardiovascular Library features engaging, educational science content related to the anatomy and function of the heart as well as information about heart health.

Much of the website’s content would be excellent for STEM informational reading activities.

For more information, go to http://www.heart.org.

Book Review: Unlikely Warrior: A Jewish Soldier in Hitler's Army

UNLIKELY WARRIOR: A JEWISH SOLDIER IN HITLER’S ARMY by George Rauch is a fascinating memoir tracing a teen’s experience as a soldier and prisoner-of-war during World War II.

As a young adult in Nazi-occupied Austria, Georg was forced to serve in the German army. Hitler needed able-bodied soldiers to fight his war, so Georg was drafted despite his Jewish ancestry and opposition to the war. As a radio operator in the infantry, Georg was determined to stay alive while facing gunfire, starvation, illness, and often brutal weather conditions.

Organized into three sections, the book explores his life in the trenches, as a prisoner-of-war, and as a refugee heading home. The compelling story moves quickly containing enough action to keep young adults at the edge of their seats. Without getting deep into the social and political aspects of the war, the memoir does a masterful job helping young readers understand the fear and frustrations Georg experienced while being caught between countries and cultures.

The story is told through a combination of the author’s recollections along with the many carefully archived letters he sent to his mother. This use of primary source documents will be particularly appeal to history teachers. Personal photographs, a map and timeline also provide useful information to readers.

Intended for youth ages 12 and up, this first-person account will be popular with students interested in learning more about war from a non-traditional perspective.

Librarians will find this young adult memoir to be an excellent addition to the library collection. Consider working with English and History teachers to build the book into literature circles related to World War II.

Published by Farrar, Stauss & Giroux on February 24, 2015. A publisher ARC was used for the review.

Book-App Review: The Prairie that Nature Built

THE PRAIRIE THAT NATURE BUILT by Marybeth Lorbiecki tells the story of life on the prairie. Readers can enjoy the book four different ways including as a paper book, e-book, app, and augmented reality experience.

The paper version contains the engaging nature story followed by back matter that includes additional information and activities. The nonfiction narrative includes visually interesting cross sections that reveal the world both above and below the ground. Cathy Morrison’s illustrations are beautiful as well as technically correct making this an excellent book for use in science activities.

A free pop-up app for both Apple and Android is available that uses augmented reality to provide a computer-enhanced view of the book. Tablet and smartphone users can watch their paper book “come alive” as 3D images pop-up as the book is read aloud.

The Apple and Android app provides options to “Read to Me” or “Read to Myself”. The read-aloud option highlights each word in red. Each page contains animation to enhance the experience and focus attention on different elements on the screen. The book switches between landscape and portrait layouts making it fun for readers to tilt and turn their device every few pages. The app includes a fun vocabulary matching game and a useful prairie primer with additional information.

The book is chuck-full of scientific information related to the flora and fauna native to the prairie. Use this book as a kickoff for a science project. Ask each child to select a different page to explore in depth. What are their questions? What resources could they use to explore this topic in-depth?

Librarians can download eight, free activities to go with the book at http://www.dawnpub.com/downloadable_activities_book/. These activities involve students in learning more about the prairie habitat and creating plaster animal tracks, bird feeders, and nature games.

Published by Dawn Publications.

Book Review: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer tells the inspiring story of a young African boy who turned junkyard scraps into a working windmill to generate electricity for his family’s impoverished farm in Malawi.

This Young Readers Edition of Kamkwamba’s well-known adult memoir published in 2009 is likely to spark the scientific interests and imagination of middle-grade students. Readers are gradually drawn into William’s life in his small, rural African village. American children will be amazed at the lack of education and technology available to young William. They will also be moved by his determination and initiative.

While most middle-grade readers aren’t likely to pick up this book on their own, this compelling memoir would be a wonderful opportunity for librarians to collaborate with classroom teachers. Consider using this book as an interdisciplinary, whole-grade reading experience connecting language arts, social studies, and science curriculum.

Readers will enjoy watching the author’s 2009 TED talk at http://goo.gl/ADIHtg.

Be sure to explore the Moving Windmills project at http://www.movingwindmills.org/.

Published by Dial Books for Young Readers, Penguin Young Readers Group. ARC provided by publisher.

Website Review: Whitehouse.gov

Feature the WHITEHOUSE website at http://www.whitehouse.gov as part of your President’s Day activities.

The Whitehouse website is organized into five major sections that are easy to access and use.

The Briefing Room section features timely information about the President’s activities and public statements. Think about ways that proclamations and executive orders could be integrated into informational reading activities related to language arts and social studies.

The Issues section examines key issues facing the nation and plans for addressing these challenges. Economy, education, energy and the environment, immigration, and health care are a few of the hot topics addressed. This page would be an excellent way to kick off information inquiry projects that make use of contemporary primary source documents.

The Administration section highlights the key people in the Obama-Biden administration. It also includes information about the Offices of the White House and current initiatives such as Let’s Move!

The Participate section encourages the public to participate in White House activities including Google+ Hangouts known as We the Geeks. Follow the Whitehouse on social media including Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and others. This is an excellent activity to promote digital citizenship in your library.

The 1600 Penn section is a content-rich resource for learning about the US government, the Whitehouse, and the presidency. Of particular note is the excellent database of American Presidents at http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents.

To learn more, go to the Whitehouse website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/.

Book Review: Clover's Luck

THE MAGICAL ANIMAL ADOPTION AGENCY is an adorable new series by Kallie George. The first book titled CLOVER’S LUCK sets the stage for the series by introducing an unlucky girl named Clover who stumbles into a summer volunteer position at an animal adoption agency. However her job isn’t to match cute puppies with new owners. From unicorns to dragons, the animals in her care are all magical and the potential owners are princesses, witches, and wizards.

This enchanting fantasy series will appeal to a broad range of independent readers who enjoy fairy tales and magical creatures. The writing includes a nice balance of description and dialogue perfect for the target audience. The very short chapters and fast-moving story will keep young readers interested.

Readers will be lining up at school and public libraries to check out Clover’s Luck. This charming series will be particularly popular with children who are seeking a gentle story with only brief glimpses of the scary side of fantasy.

Be sure to download the teacher’s guide at http://www.magicalanimaladoptionagency.com/…/Clovers_Luck_t….

Readers will enjoy exploring the series website at http://www.magicalanimaladoptionagency.com/.

Published by Disney-Hyperion. Publisher ARC used for review.

THE ADVENTURES OF BILLY POSSUM by Thornton W. Burgess is an enchanting e-book app produced as part of a doctoral research project by Michelle Somerton. Originally published in 1920, the e-book is an adaptation of this well-loved children’s classic.

Readers begin by entering their name and choosing an avatar. This is used to track student progress in the story. Multiple users can be added to the system. A walkthrough at the beginning of the book introduces readers to the features of this interactive environment. The book is divided into 25 short chapters that are “unlocked” as youth move through the story. Narration is provided in a soothing Australian voice.

Throughout the story, question icons appear to check student comprehension. Optional clues are provided for youth needing help. Picture Builder activities involve readers in creating a picture to show what’s happening in the story. These fun scenes are saved.

Much more than a typical interactive storybook, this app learning environment was specifically designed to promote reading comprehension. Built-in features including audio and dictionary features, response checking, and a reporting function make this a powerful environment for learning. When the “export option” is enabled for the app, a Results button appears that allows results to be sent through email to a teacher or parent. These results include activity results including the images created by each child. These images could be used in a fun book review activity.

Michelle Somerton has done an outstanding job seamlessly weaving questioning throughout the book. These questions check a reader’s understanding of meanings, sequencing, and prediction without distracting from the storyline. The stunning visual activities encourage children to reflect on the characters, plot, and setting of each chapter.

Hopefully, this is just the first of many e-books that focus not only on beautiful illustrations and stories, but also on strategies for increasing reading comprehension.

Book Review: This Side of Home

THIS SIDE OF HOME by Renée Watson is an inspiring YA novel following a young woman facing the timely issues of racial, ethnic, cultural, and community identify.

Her neighborhood is changing and Maya is concerned about the impact this evolution will have on her school and community. The Portland, Oregon setting is perfect for a discussion of changing neighbors and reflects the urban renewal pressures facing many American cities.

Watson brings the difficult topics of race and community alive through authentic, teen characters. The book is successful as both a coming-of-age story as well as an examination of larger, contemporary issues.

Watson’s debut YA novel deserves to be considered for the Coretta Scott King Book Award. However, this isn’t a “black” book or “white” book, it’s an powerful work about changing America. Librarians will welcome this emerging author with a strong multicultural voice.

For librarians participating in We Need Diverse Books campaign events at http://weneeddiversebooks.org/, I strongly recommend adding this work to your list.

To learn more about Renée Watson, go to http://www.reneewatson.net.

Published by Bloomsbury February 3, 2015. Publisher ARC used for review.

App Review: The Wired Bunch Series

THE WIRED BUNCH from nine22media is a rip-roaring western e-book series infused with interactive technology. Blending the best of old westerns and classic cartoons with engaging robots and fun animation, this series will be a hit with kids.

Six issues of this popular interactive e-book series have been published so far and six more are under development. The first issue is free, while other issues need to be purchased. The app opens to a bookshelf showing the issues currently available.

Set in an alternative Old West setting, each story revolves around robot cowboys. In the first exciting episode, Marshal Ram and his deputies are introduced to readers. These Old West bots must protect their town from O.L. Tycoon and his evil robots. Children can read the story, listen to the story read aloud, or a combination. At any point, readers can go to a particular page, set a bookmark, or edit the story.

The old-time piano music along with the engaging animation immediately immerse children in the world of the wired bunch! Each e-page is visually stunning with crisp bright colors. Basic animation adds to the experience without distracting from the story. The bright yellow font is presented in a size that is easy to read. The audio narration fits perfectly with the western theme. Throughout the story, readers are encouraged to participate by exploring the screen or answering a reflective question. These interactions relate directly to the story so they enhance the reading experience.

Like the Saturday Morning cartoons of the past, some of the technology references and sophisticated humor may be “over the heads” of some children. However, parents, teachers, and librarians will enjoy every play on words making the books a wonderful joint reading experience.

This interactive e-book series would be a wonderful way to engage reluctant readers both inside and outside the classroom. Children will read these engaging stories over and over again.