Book Review: The Witch's Boy

THE WITCH’S BOY by Kelly Barnhill is an imaginative fantasy combining an engaging adventure with classic story elements. Without the wands of Harry Potter fame or the black caldrons of classic witch tales, the magic in this story comes alive to readers as a haunting, volatile character.

The plot revolves around the son of a witch who escapes near-drowning only to be bound by a dangerous magic and the daughter of a bandit who is also subject to magic’s dark side. Both boys and girls alike will be drawn to the characters of Ned and Áine, while animal lovers will enjoy the young wolf. From small villages and grand castles to the enormous boulders awakened in the dark woods, the setting plays a central role in this enchanting story.

Barnskill’s skillful prose makes this an excellent choice for read-aloud, however it may be a bit slow and wordy for some children.

This book is an excellent opportunity for teacher librarians to think about magical themes in their library collection. Rather than lumping everything into the classic fairy tale or the world of medieval wizards, consider the broad range of magical elements that attract young readers. It’s also important to examine books for potential as read-alouds.

To learn more about the author, go to Kelly Barnhill’s blog at http://kellybarnhill.wordpress.com/.

Publisher ARC used for review

Book Review: Dreaming in Indian

DREAMING IN INDIAN: CONTEMPORARY NATIVE AMERICAN VOICES edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale is an outstanding anthology sure to engage youth in discussions about 21st century Native American culture. The beautifully illustrated text includes the perspectives of over 50 contemporary artists. The predominately young adult authors challenge traditional stereotypes and encourage youth to think about what it means to be an Native American in today’s society.

The individual pieces featured in the collection address authentic issues facing Native American youth. While some works explore problems such as residential schools that are unique to Indian culture, others contain universal themes such as bullying that will resonate with all young adults. Many of the works focus on issues of acceptance, prejudice, self-esteem, and tolerance through everyday experiences like sports, dance, and fashion.

The stunning layout and visual display will immediately attract the attention of teen readers. Photographs, sketches, paintings, comics, and collage are just a few of the many types of illustrations that so effectively convey the artists thoughts and insights of the artists. These illustrations are expertly woven into the engaging poetry and prose. Readers will be fascinated by the cultural references from food and family to music and medicine.

Along with their names, the tribal affiliation of each artist is identified. This information is particularly useful for students who wish to learn more about individuals with particular tribal affiliations. The book is divided into four sections focusing on the themes of roots, battles, medicines, and dreamcatchers. These areas would provide a rich starting point for group discussions.

This original work is a valuable resource for any library seeking to expand its cultural collection. Although aimed at young adults, there are aspects of this book that would appeal to both younger and older audiences too.

For many teens, reading THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie is their only exposure to Native American culture. Through this book, young people may gain a better appreciation of the diversity of interests and experiences of indigenous youth.

NetGalley ARC  used for review

Book Review: In Real Life

IN REAL LIFE by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang is aimed directly at young online game players who may be unwittingly drawn into the hidden world of virtual economics and illegal gold farming. In this compelling graphic novel for youth, Anda is faced with the real-life consequences of what at first seems to be a fun new online game. The book’s cover does an exceptional job illustrating the dual worlds of online gaming and the real-world.

Doctorow’s powerful introduction to IN REAL LIFE provides an overview of the timely issues discussed in the book. From Minecraft for younger children to World of Warcraft for teens and beyond, Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games (MMORPGs) are popular with youth. Recently, some of these online games have morphed into examples of living economics with millions of dollars of virtual merchandise being traded. Although many game developers have banned gold farming, it continues to be a real problem impacting both game play and the illegal activities often associated with taxation and labor issues. Cory Doctorow has tried to raise awareness of these issues in previous works like the short story ANDA’S GAME and novel FOR THE WIN.

Jen Wang’s beautiful, bold illustrations will appeal to the target audience. Her portrayal of authentic body-types in the real-world sequences and visually-rich fantasy elements in the gaming segments make the illustrations perfect for young people.

The focus on girls-only gaming along with a thought-provoking message will make this graphic novel an outstanding addition to the growing number of works for youth that explore the fascinating world of online gaming.

Learn more about Cory Doctorow at http://craphound.com/

Follow illustrator Jen Wang on Twitter at https://twitter.com/alooghobi

NetGalley ARC used for review

Book Review: Strike! The Farm Workers' Fight for Their Rights

STRIKE! THE FARM WORKERS’ FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS by Larry Dane Brimner explores the complex history of farm workers movement. Like many works related to this topic, union leader César Chávez plays a central role in the story. The narrative traces the creation of the United Farm Workers union and the use of protest techniques such as boycotts along the way.

What makes this work of nonfiction for youth exceptional is its focus on the cultural, social, and political tensions of the time period. Brimner’s well-research narrative and balanced approach addresses controversial topics such as racial tensions and issues of religion related to the movement.

The book’s design will appeal to middle grade readers. Visual elements can be found on almost every page and quotes from key players are woven into the text. However, additional headings and subheadings could be useful in assisting readers in locating information within the chapters.

The inclusion of photographs, maps, and other primary resources (e.g., telegraph message, cartoons paintings, posters, sketches) make it a useful book in addressing Common Core Curriculum standards. In addition, the author’s note, timeline, further readings, source notes, index, and other elements add to the quality of the text and its usefulness in student research.

Larry Dane Brimner is known for his well-researched, visually rich works of nonfiction for youth. Other titles include Birmingham Sunday, We Are One, and Black & White. Learn more about the author at http://brimner.com/.

This book would be an excellent addition to any nonfiction collection for youth.

Publisher ARC used for review

Book Review: Economics Through Infographics

ECONOMICS THROUGH INFOGRAPHICS by Karen Latchana Kenney is the newest book in the SUPER SOCIAL STUDIES INFOGRAPHICS series aimed at upper elementary school youth. Economics is an aspect of the social studies curriculum that can be difficult for youth to understanding. Visual representations are an effective way to convey key concepts related to trade, currency, spending, markets, and business. In this work of nonfiction for youth, the author uses “the money trail” to help readers understand how the cycle of money works. Questioning is woven into the text to stimulate student thinking. Blocks of text introduce key concepts and useful examples. While many of the examples explore topics connected to the every-day world such as iPhones, others are connected to social studies topics like the fur trade. From Australia to Israel, examples are provided from around the world.

The author points out that professional economists use graphic elements to convey their ideas. Illustrator Steven Stankiewicz uses infographics to present the key concepts visually. Bright, attractive colors will immediately attract readers. A wide variety of visuals are incorporated including pictograms, charts, concept maps, flowcharts, timelines, and maps.

Like any book focusing on economics, the book is likely to become dated in a few years. For instance, a section discussing the minimum wage ends with data from 2010, a dated flip phone is used as an example, and the cost of services like movies are likely to change. However, the book should remain current for the life of the book.

The book concludes with an index, further information, and a glossary. Other books in the series focus on culture, geography, government, and history.

To learn more about integrating infographics into the school library, check out two new articles in Teacher Librarian.

Lamb, Annette & Johnson, Larry (April 2014). Infographics Part 1: Invitations to Inquiry. Teacher Librarian, 41(4), 54-58.

Lamb, Annette & Johnson, Larry (June 2014). Infographics Part 2: Practical Ideas for Your Library. Teacher Librarian, 41(5), 64-67. 

NetGalley ARC used for review

Book Review: Maddy Kettle: The Adventure of the Thimblewitch

MADDY KETTLE: THE ADVENTURE OF THE THIMBLEWITCH is the first book in an exciting new graphic novel series by Eric Orchard. 

When her parents are turned into kangaroo rats and kidnapped by evil spider goblins, Maddy goes in search of the Thimblewitch to rescue them. A one-of-a-kind floating spadefoot toad named Ralph is just one of the many unique creatures Maddy encounters on her quest. This fantasy adventure has just the right balance of exciting and creepy segments to maintain the attention of young readers without causing nightmares. Even the scariest characters turn out to simply be misunderstood.

The beautiful illustrations will be a hit with readers of all ages. Orchard’s use of vivid colors, interesting characters, and engaging, imaginary settings bring the story to life. The illustrations reflect the fast-paced plot and ongoing action.

This quirky new series is guaranteed to become a popular choice of young readers along with works by Roald Dahl and Neil Gaiman.

To learn more about Eric Orchard and his books, go to http://www.ericorchard.com/.

NetGalley ARC used for review

Book Review: Jackaby

JACKABY by William Ritter is an marvelous way to introduce a new generation to a classic form of literature, the detective novel. At the same time, this compelling first novel joins an increasing number of quality works of historical fantasy. This combination of detective novel with historical fantasy is original and exciting for readers.

Set in 1892, Abigail Rook is fresh off a ship from Europe when she arrives in New England seeking adventure and more importantly a job. She gets both as she begins her first day as R. F. Jackaby’s assistant. Jackaby isn’t your ordinary investigator. He’s an eccentric who specializes in unexplained phenomenon and supernatural beings.

Ritter’s humorous, lyrical prose is captivating to read. Teens will immediately be attracted to narrator Abigail Rook’s situation and perspective. Each character in the story is well-developed and plays an interesting role in the progress of this engaging mystery. The plot is revealed in a tone reminiscent of classic detective stories from Arthur Conan Doyle to Agatha Christie. However the quirky characters and elements of supernatural will remind readers of more contemporary mysteries.

JACKABY will appeal to a broad range of readers including those who enjoy historical fiction, supernatural creatures, paranormal mystery, and a hint of romance.

THE MONSTRUMOLOGIST series by Rick Yancey would be a great read-alike for those who enjoy the horror and paranormal aspects of JACKABY.

Those that enjoy the historical fantasy aspects may be interested in THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray.

Use JACKABY as a vehicle to introduce a new generation to the classic detective adventure. Feature JACKABY along with other mysteries in a display including the “tools of the trade” from leather notebooks to magnifying glasses and a lab coat. Expand the paranormal mystery aspects with books featuring folklore and supernatural creatures.

JACKABY is Will Ritter’s first novel. If you enjoy language and YA literature, follow his blog at http://rwillritter.wordpress.com/.

Readers will be demanding a sequel to this unique series.

Publisher ARC used for review

Book Review: Bird & Squirrel On Ice

BIRD & SQUIRREL ON ICE by James Burks is a followup to the hilarious Bird & Squirrel on the Run. This time the duo have crash landed at the South Pole and must find a way to avoid becoming Killer Whale food.

The Bird & Squirrel series provides a great entry into graphic novels for young readers. The easy-to-follow panels and the crisp, colorful artwork will engage beginning readers. The well-developed characters and humorous story will also appeal to children.

Although Scholastic doesn’t provide a Graphix Comic Builder specifically for this series, children would enjoy building their own comics using the characters from some of the other Graphix series. Go to http://www.scholastic.com/graphix/ to learn more.

Looking for other graphic novel style books for beginning readers? Try Toon Books at http://www.toon-books.com/. This website also have activities for kids.

To read more about author James Burks, explore his website at http://jamesburks.com/.

NetGalley ARC used for review

Jeanna Walker - Thurs. Oct. . 2 to Sat Oct. 4, 2014

Back again as guest blogger is Jeanna Walker, the media specialist teacher at Portage Northern High School (MI). There she is centrally involved in activities with students and teachers in the Library Learning Commons.

Visit the Portage Public Schools High School CyberLibrary.

Portage Northern High School's  library teaching program was selected to represent Michigan on Dr. Nancy Everhart’s AASL Vision Tour. Jeanna Walker was recently named by the Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME) as Michigan's 2014 School Librarian of the Year. ISTE also awarded Jeanna their 2014 Making IT Happen Award.

Learn more about Jeanna Walker and her work at Portage Northern High School plus her busy professional life at 

http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/walker.html

This year's startup question for all of our blog-guests is - "What is the most important part of your school library program at New Haven High this year?"

Book Review: The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats

THE CASE OF THE VANISHING LITTLE BROWN BATS: A SCIENTIFIC MYSTERY by Sandra Markle follows a group of scientists as they investigate the disappearance of the beloved brown bat population. This engaging mystery combines a well-researched narrative with high-quality color photographs.

Like her award-winning scientific mysteries focusing on golden frogs and honeybees in “The Case of the Vanishing…” series, this book focuses on a real-world investigation. The scientific aspects are made accessible through clear explanations and authentic examples.

The book’s layout will appeal to youth readers. Annotated photographs are useful for children who wish to skim the book before reading. Maps and labeled diagrams help readers visualize key concepts. Interesting questions are used as headings and subheadings to guide reading.

Additional resources provided by the author will be of particular interest to teachers and librarians. These include an author’s note, local/global efforts, glossary, digging deep information, and an index. In addition, the exemplary informational text would be useful in addressing the Common Core Curriculum.

While many library collections already have many “fact books” about bats, this book provides a unique, fresh perspective on the topic.

The combination of fascinating science with an engaging mystery are perfect of the target youth audience.

Learn more about Sandra Markle and her books at her blog at http://sandra-markle.blogspot.com/.

NetGalley ARC used for review

Book Review: Sisters

Raina Telgemeier is known for her popular graphic novels and memoir for youth. Like its companion SMILE, SISTERS by Raina Telgemeier weaves together a humorous, relatable story. In this case, the plot unfolds during a family road trip from California to Colorado. Having grown up in a family who took car vacations in a Volkswagon Beetle, I could relate to the experience of traveling with siblings.

Telgemeier’s use of present-day narrative combined with flashbacks keeps the reader constantly engaged in this quick read. The illustrations are clean and easy to follow, while the dialog is realistic and light.

SISTERS is perfect for the target audience and is likely to encourage even reluctant readers to look for Telgemeier” earlier works.

I had the opportunity to see Raina Telgemeier do a Reader’s Theater excerpt from this book at ALA in Las Vegas. It was hilarious! I highly recommend both the book and the author!

To learn more about Raina Telgemeier, go to http://goraina.com/

Publisher ARC used for review

Sherry Gick - Mon. Sept. 29 to Wed. Oct. 1, 2014

Sherry Gick is the school librarian at Rossville Consolidated Schools in Indiana.

Sherry works daily in the middle school/high school library and supervises an assistant who runs the elementary library. She also teaches sixth and eighth grade language arts enrichment and peer tutoring/cadet teaching. She would be pleased to share with you ideas and insights as well as other issues and activities related to her school library and the work of school librarians in general.

Sherry is married to a teacher and coach. They are parents of two children. She is an avid reader and a runner.

Rossville Consolidated School District http://www.rcsd.k12.in.us/

RMHS Library
 http://library.rcsd.k12.in.us/modules/groups/integrated_home.phtml

Learn more about Sherry athttp://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/gick.html.

This year's startup question to all of our blog-guests is - "What is the most important part of your school library program at New Haven High this year?"

Website Resource: Our Documents

Looking for a way to talk with teachers about the Common Core? Start with primary source documents. Sit down together and work your way through the Our Documents website at http://www.ourdocuments.gov/

Book Review: Nancy Knows

NANCY KNOWS by Cybèle Young is the beautifully illustrated story of an elephant who’s having trouble with her memory. Nancy can recall everything except the one thing she’s trying to remember. Readers young and old alike will be able to relate to this charming story.

Intended for preschool and primary-aged children, both parents and teachers will be attracted to the theme of “remembering” associated with colors, senses, and emotions. This book would be a wonderful springboard to discussions about with children about the concept of reflection. This essential concept is difficult to teach, but Young’s story of remembering would be an excellent time to start young children thinking about their own thinking. The conclusion explores the important of mental relaxation associated with remembering.

Young is known for her intricate paper sculptures. While the character of Nancy is shown as a primitive outline, amazing miniature paper sculptures are woven throughout the picture book reflecting Nancy’s thoughts and memories. The illustrator also used this technique successfully in two of her other picture books, A FEW BLOCKS and A FEW BITES.

NANCY KNOWS is a book that belongs in every home and library collection. Unlike Nancy, you’re unlikely to forget it.

To learn more about Cybèle Young’s exceptional artwork, go tohttp://www.cybeleyoung.ca/.

LibraryThing ARC used for review

Book Review: Voices from the March on Washington

VOICES FROM THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON by J. Patrick Lewis and George Ella Lyon is a powerful poem collection providing readers with a wide range of perspectives on this historic day. 

The poems in this book will transport youth fifty years into the past. Although many books chronicle the events of August 28, 1963, few capture the emotions of the experience. Through poetry, readers become immersed in the hope, pride, and excitement of the march.

From analyzing the inspiring title page photograph to discussing the impact of individual poems, the possibilities for classroom activities related to the Civil Rights Movement are endless.

Use the poems to jumpstart activities. When Langston Hughes is mentioned, bring out his poems to extend the experience. For more about Langston Hughes, go to http://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/langston-hughes. When poets talk about Jim Crow, show photos reflecting racial segregation. For ideas, go tohttp://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/civil-rights/.

Beyond the poems, the book’s introduction provides an excellent overview to the time period and context of event. In addition, the guide at the end of the book includes biographical notes about the key people mentioned in the book along with additional resources to extend the reading experience.

Add this book to the growing collection of high-quality works associated with the Civil Rights Movement in America.

NetGalley ARC used for review

Jennifer Brower - Thur. Sept. 25 to Sat. Sept. 27, 2014

Our first virtual guest is Jennifer Brower, the Library Media Specialist at New Haven High School, IN.

Jenn was awarded the2012 Outstanding New Media Specialist Award presented jointly by the Indiana Library Association and the Association of Indiana School Library Educators (ILF/AISLE). Currently, she is the Treasurer for AISLE.

In a short time-span, Mrs. Brower has established herself at her school as a energetic and knowledgeable leader who is willing to share and collaborate. She is one of the organizers for the Fort Wayne Edcamp and the Fort Wayne K12 Edtech Monthly Meetups

Learn more about Jenn at http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/brower.html

Jennifer will lead off with her response to the startup question - "What is the most important part of your school library program at New Haven High this year?"

Banned Book Week 2014

For lots of ideas for celebrating Banned Book Week, go to the official website at http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/.

Jeanna Walker - Wed. Oct. 2 to Fri.. Oct. 4, 2013

This year's last guest blogger is Jeanna Walker, the media specialist teacher at Portage Northern High School (MI). There she is centrally involved in activities with students and teachers in the Library Learning Commons.

Visit the Portage Public Schools High School CyberLibrary.

Portage Northern High School's  library teaching program was selected to represent Michigan on Dr. Nancy Everhart’s AASL Vision Tour. Jeanna Walker was recently named by the Michigan Association for Media in Education (MAME) as Michigan's 2014 School Librarian of the Year.

Learn more about Jeanna, her work at Portage Northern High School, and a busy professional life at 

http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/walker.html

The startup question asked of all the blog-guests this year is: "Can you provide a few examples or ideas of what makes your library program successful?"

Jennifer Brower - Tues. Oct. 1 to Thur.. Oct. 3, 2013

Welcome to our next guest, Jennifer Brower, the Library Media Specialist at New Haven High School, IN.

Jenn was awarded the 2012 Outstanding New Media Specialist Award presented jointly by the Indiana Library Association and the Association of Indiana School Library Educators (ILF/AISLE). Currently, she is the District 3 Representative-elect and is Treasurer for AISLE.

In a short time-span, Mrs. Brower has established herself at her school as a energetic and knowledgeable leader who is willing to share and collaborate.

Learn more about Jenn at http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/brower.html

She will lead off with her response to the startup question - "Can you provide a few examples or ideas of what makes your library program successful?"

Susan Eley - Mon. Sept. 30 to Wed. Oct. 2, 2013

Rejoining this year's class as a blog-guest is Susan Eley, the library media specialist at Hillside Elementary School (PreK to Grade 4) in Mt. Laurel, NJ. Susan is a graduate of Indiana University's MLS program and has a few year's of on-the-job experience.

She was been involved with her school district's Library Media Curriculum Writing Committee as they worked to incorporate the Common Core Standards for language arts. She would be pleased to share with you ideas and insights gained in that process as well as any other issues and activities related to her school library and the work of school librarians in general.

Learn more about Susan at http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/eley.html.

This year's startup question is "Can you provide a few examples or ideas of what makes your library program successful?"