Book Review: An Inheritance of Ashes

AN INHERITANCE OF ASHES by Leah Bobet is a gripping young adult fantasy exploring issues of war, family, and community.

Sisters Hallie and Marthe are alone on their family farm in the aftermath of a war. A mysterious veteran, the arrival of “twisted things,” and strange stone messages mark the beginning of a fight for survival.

This work of dystopia fiction has the feel of historical fiction, monster fantasy, and even the horror genre. However, at it’s core is a story of family, friendship, and forgiveness that transcends genres.

Librarians will find that this unusual fantasy appeals to a broad spectrum of readers.

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

Published by Clarion on October 6, 2015. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Tech Review: Progenitor X

PROGENITOR X is a web-based, narrative science game from the Games Learning Society.

In this immersive learning experience, users become part of an elite squad of scientists who must identify and treat humans who have been infected during a Zombie pandemic. Student scientists must apply problem-solving skills to save the world.

Designed for middle school through college, students learn key biology concepts including the relationships among cells, tissues, and organs.

Based on real-world research, game players learn how human skin cells work. In addition to the demo game, the website also links to current research related to regenerative biology.

Librarians will enjoy the connection between fact and fiction connecting the Zombie stories teens love with real-world science. Use the game to jumpstart interest in biology.

To learn more, go to http://gameslearningsociety.org/px_microsite/.

Book Review: Dear Yeti

DEAR YETI by James Kwan is an adorable picture book featuring a pair of young hikers on a quest to find a mythical creature.

A small, blue bird delivers letters from the hikers to the yeti trying to convince the creature to show itself. Along the way, the yeti helps the children by leaving them berries, building a snow shelter, and saving them from a bear. In the end, they form a friendship.

The large, informal font and epistolary form will be attractive to young readers. The illustrator’s use of a red dotted line to follow the bird’s flight will appeal to young adventurers.

Librarians will find this story of a friendly, helpful monster to be popular with primary-aged children. The story would also be a fun way to introduce letter writing.

Learn more about the author/illustrator at http://www.james-kwan.com/.

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, an imprint of Macmillan on November 3, 2015.

Website Review: Annenberg Learner

The ANNENBERG LEARNER website contains hundreds of high-quality interactives for teachers and students of all ages.

Educators looking for interactives can narrow their search by grade level, discipline, audience, or software. Disciplines include arts, education, foreign language, language arts, literature, mathematics, science, and social studies/history.

Librarians can align the interactives with specific curriculum needs. The interactives can be integrated into the classroom or used in learning centers in the library.

To explore the interactives, go to https://www.learner.org/interactives/.

Book Review: The Rest of Us Just Live Here

THE REST OF US JUST LIVE HERE by Patrick Ness is an unusual and fascinating blend of fantasy and realistic fiction sure to engage young adults.

Unlike the “indie kids” who always seem to be involved with a vampire attack, alien invasion, or some other supernatural adventure, Mike is just a normal teen leading an ordinary life. Although one of his friends happens to be one quarter cat god, most of the time Mike and his friends deal with typical teen issues from crushes to car accidents.

Each chapter begins with a humorous fantasy element featuring indie kids facing a paranormal crisis. The rest of the chapter is told through the eyes of a teen just trying to deal with life as a high school senior.

Ness is at his best when his fantasy elements collide with every-day life. The author uses witty narrative and often hilarious situations to tell a unusual story of normal life in a chaotic world.

Librarians will find a large audience for this book among those who enjoy both realistic fiction and fantasy. Fans of Ness will be delighted with his latest work for young adults.

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

Published by HarperTeen on October 6, 2015. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Website Review: Batterypop

BATTERYPOP is an excellent video website for kids.

It can be difficult to locate quality educational videos on the major video sites like YouTube. Instead, try this child-focused website. Although many of the videos are focused on entertainment topics, there are also lots of educational videos available.

The Shows section features web video series. Seek out series focused on educational topics such as ROCKALINGUA, a musical Spanish language series and ANTS, a nature series.

The Channels section provides videos from related organizations such as such as UMIGO, a math adventure series. This area also links to the National Film Board of Canada’s videos for children.

The Gamezone section contains resources for gaming fans. Youth who enjoy Minecraft will find lots of videos of interest.

Videos are also organized by topic. Be sure to check out the Science and Math area for lots of STEM connected videos. The Crafts area contains ideas that could be adapted for library makerspaces.

Librarians will find this to be a valuable starting point for connecting youth with age-appropriate videos.

To visit the website, go to http://www.batterypop.com/about-batterypop.

Book Review: One Today

ONE TODAY is a picture book adaptation of Richard Blanco’s amazing poem written for President Barack Obama’s second presidential inauguration.

Blanco’s poem tells the story of a day in America from early morning through night.

Best known for his comic series such as Captain Underpants, Dav Pilkey brings the poem alive through his vibrantly painted illustrations.

Librarians will find this picture book to be an excellent read-aloud book.

To learn more about the poet, go to http://richard-blanco.com/.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Hachette on November 3, 2015. Review copy courtesy of publisher.

Book Review: Frederick's Journey

FREDERICK’S JOURNEY by Doreen Rappaport tells the inspirational true story of a slave boy who ultimately achieves freedom and spreads his abolitionist beliefs to promote change.

The author skillfully weaves together a nonfiction narrative that combines Douglass’ life story with excerpts from his writings and speeches. Amazing illustrations by London Ladd add to the power of this important story.

In addition to the narrative itself, the book also includes an Author’s Note, Illustrator’s Note, timeline, and sources.

The Big Words series is an excellent way to introduce youth to key historical figures. Librarians will find Frederick’s Journey to be an excellent addition. Consider creating a display that features this entire series. Incorporate a timeline that shows how the books are connected chronologically and thematically.

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

To learn more about the illustrator, go to http://www.londonladd.com/.

Published by Disney-Hyperion on November 3, 2015. ARC courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: What the Dinosaurs Did Last Night: A Very Messy Adventure

WHAT THE DINOSAURS DID LAST NIGHT: A VERY MESSY ADVENTURE by Refe Ruma and Susan Tuma describes the chaos that ensues when toy dinosaurs come to life.

Told through cleverly staged photographs, the narrator speaks directly at readers describing what happens in one home when the plastic dinosaurs come out at night. From raiding the refrigerator to painting the walls, the dinosaurs wreak havoc. When everything returns to normal, readers are told not to be fooled.

A note at the end of the book explains the origin of the idea and how it became an international sensation known as Dinovember, the month when plastic dinosaurs come to life.

Librarians will have a blast working with youth to create their own dinosaur adventures in the library. Get out the digital cameras and have some fun!

To enjoy many more plastic dinosaur photos, go to http://dinovember.tumblr.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/dinovember/.

Published by Little Brown, an imprint of Hachette on October 20, 2015. Review copy courtesy of the publisher.

App Review: Shout Science!

SHOUT SCIENCE! by Scott Dubois is an amazing comic storybook app exploring scientists and scientific discovery.

Designed for ages 7 through 11, the app contains three narrative biographies featuring Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, Maria Sibylla Merian, and James Hutton. Set during the Scientific Revolution in Europe, readers learn about both science and history connected with the scientist. Students scroll down a timeline or explore a map, then make a selection. For each person, the student can read the story or access additional information about the person including background information, an image and timeline.

Rather than reading across pages, users scroll down a series of screens to read the story. To enhance engagement and reading comprehension, the app incorporates animation, diagrams, sound, and interactive elements.

Use this engaging comic storybook app to jumpstart a biography project. Connect the app with the graphic biographies in your library collection.

Go to Shout Science to learn more about the author and the app at http://www.shoutscience.com/.

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shout-science!/id672884678….

Website Review: Teacher's Guides for Using Primary Sources

TEACHER’S GUIDES FOR USING PRIMARY SOURCES from the Library of Congress are an engaging way to help learners analyze historical documents and other materials.

Ten guides are currently available for analyzing primary sources including motion pictures, political cartoons, books and other printed text, newspapers, sheet music and song sheets, manuscripts, oral histories, sound recordings, maps, and photographs and prints. A general guide to primary sources is also available.

Each one-page guide encourages students to observe, reflect, and question. In addition, ideas are provided for further investigation.

A Primary Source Analysis Tool is also available. This online tool allows students to enter notes that can be downloaded, printed, and/or emailed.

Librarians will find these one-page handouts and easy-to-use tools to be useful when addressing standards related to the analysis of primary source documents and informational reading.

While many teachers are familiar with these tools, the Analyzing Newspapers guide is new. Use this guide with the Chronicling America collection available at http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/

To explore these Teacher’s Guides, go tohttp://loc.gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/guides.html.

Book Review: Animal Planet Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia

ANIMAL PLANET ANIMALS: A VISUAL ENCYCLOPEDIA provides a visually stunning look at animals from around the world.

After an introduction and table of contents, the book describes how to use the book. This page should be helpful for young readers who might easily be overwhelmed by the size and scope of the text.

The reference book is organized by animal kingdom. After an overview that explores general information about animals, chapters examine mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, arthropods, and other invertebrates. Within each category, a few pages introduce the animal type followed by an examination of small groups of animals and close-ups featuring specific examples. For instance, a two-page spread on bears is followed by a close-up examination of the Giant Panda. The book concludes with a glossary, a couple pages about traits humans share with other creatures, and an index.

While the book is logically organized and would be particularly useful to children working on projects related to specific animal kingdoms, it might be overwhelming for youth accustomed to an encyclopedia organized in alphabetical order. The book’s consistent presentation of feature elements such as animal facts and feeding habit make the book easy to digest.

The visual layout of the book includes color coded chapters with endless high-quality photos that will appeal to readers who enjoy browsing animal books. However, the hundreds of information-rich pages may be overwhelming for student researchers seeking specific facts for class projects.

With more than 2500 animals and over 1000 photographs, librarians will find this amazing reference book to be popular across grade levels.

Published by Liberty Street/ Time Inc. Books on September 22, 2015. Review copy courtesy of the publisher.

App Review: JFK Challenge

The JFK CHALLENGE app from the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation immerses users in American history and the impact of Kennedy’s presidency.

Designed for ages 9 through 11, students become NASA and Peace Corps trainees as they accept President Kennedy’s challenge to make a difference in the world. Users begin by creating a quick profile so their work can be saved. Then, they choose a mission: The Peace Corps or The Space Race. A multimedia tutorial provides an overview of the history of their mission and Kennedy’s connection. Students then work their way through a series of skills-building training activities and missions. The game elements are directly related to the content of the app making the experience both fun and educational.

Librarians will find this app to be a motivating way to bring history alive for youth. Use this app in a library station related to Kennedy or as part of a series of activities connected to life in the 1960s.

To learn more, go to http://www.jfkchallenge.org/.

To download the app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jfk-challenge/id957358011…

Book Review: Finding Winnie

FINDING WINNIE: THE TRUE STORY OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS BEAR by Lindsay Mattick traces the remarkable life of the bear who inspired the Winnie-the-Pooh stories.

Told as a bedtime story by a mother to her young son Cole, the picture book follows a World War I soldier and his bear cub from Winnipeg Canada to a zoo in London, England. Christopher Robin Milne, son of the famous author, befriends Winnie at the zoo and names his stuffed bear Winnie-the-Pooh. In a wonderful conclusion, we learn that young Cole is the great-great-grandchild of the soldier that befriended the bear cub. The book concludes with an album of incredible primary source documents and photographs tracing the story.

The beautiful watercolor illustrations contribute to the appeal of this charming picture book.

Librarians will find this book to be a wonderful way to introduce a new generation to Winnie-the-Pooh. Consider a display that includes this picture book, the Winnie-the-Pooh chapter books, and related stuff animals. Also, use the book to introduce the idea of primary source documents and how they can help researchers better understand history.

Published by Little Brown, an imprint of Hachettte on October 20, 2015. Review copy courtesy of the publisher.

Book Review: Thank You and Good Night

THANK YOU AND GOOD NIGHT by Patrick McDonnell is an adorable bedtime story featuring an elephant, a bear, and a bunny.

Three friends come together for a pajama party filled with play, food, and fun. After a bedtime story, they share thanks and a goodnight kiss.

This sweet story of friendship and gratitude combines beautiful illustrations with simple text likely to appeal to young children.

Perfect for a read-aloud experience, this charming picture book is likely to become a classic. Librarians will find young children checking this book out over and over again.

Look for it on “Best of 2015” lists.

Published by Little-Brown, an imprint of Hachette on October 6, 2015. Review copy courtesy of publisher.

Tech Review: Reef Defender

REEF DEFENDER is an app from the Department of Land and Natural Resources of Hawaii.

Before jumping into the game, app users are encouraged to explore the Hawaii Sharks website to learn more about sharks, Hawaiian mythology, shark safety, and shark incidents. An shark quiz is also available. Students will also enjoy following sharks with the Tiger Shark tracker.

After learning about the importance of the reefs to sharks, app players use their pet shark to boot bad items that can harm the reef out of the ocean. Bad items include bottles, cans, cigarettes, invasive species, motor oil, herbicides, and fertilizer.

Librarians will find this game to be a nice way to motivate youth to explore the informational website about sharks. Add this app to a learning center that includes books about reefs and reef creatures.

The app is available for both Apple and Android.

To download the Apple app, go to https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reef-defender/id657761952….

To explore the website, go to http://dlnr.hawaii.gov/sharks/.

Book Review: My First Book of Football

MY FIRST BOOK OF FOOTBALL by Beth Bugler and Mark Bechtel is a fun way to introduce buddying sports fans to the world of NFL football.

Published by Time Inc. Books and Sports Illustrated Kids, this colorful picture book will attract even the most reluctant reader. Following the four quarters of a game, the book features photographs of NFL players, coaches, and officials. Readers follow a young cartoon football player who follows the action and learns about the game.

From explaining basic vocabulary such as scrimmage to identifying the parts of the playing field, this well-designed book introduces and reinforces key concepts to young readers.

From the large font and speech bubbles to the bright colored background and action photos of players, children will be drawn into the informational narrative. A bit of humor enhances the appeal.

Librarians will find a large audience for this first book in the new A Rookie Book series. Although no female characters are represented, young sports fans aren’t likely to complain. However, librarians creating a sports display might want to seek out a companion book with a female character.

Published by Time Inc. Books and Sports Illustrated Kids in Fall 2015. ARC courtesy of publisher.

Technology Review: Plum Landing

The PLUM LANDING website and apps are a companion to the popular PBS Kids program focusing on environmental science.

Designed for ages six through nine, the website contains a wide range of motivating science activities.

The Games section includes over a dozen games that encourage children to play, explore, create, and share what they learn about our amazing planet. Children learn concepts related to soil, seeds, invasive species, ecosystems, and other fascinating topics.

The Videos section plays short, animated videos focusing on ecosystems such as the desert, jungle, and mountain regions.

The Ship section highlights the television program’s featured characters.

The Pictures section features images submitted by users of the Nature Sketchpad website and Plum’s Photo Hunt app.

The Parents section contains fun family adventure ideas and tips for getting families outdoors.

The Educators area provides curriculum resources including activities and media resources organized thematically and aligned to science standards.

Two apps allow children to extend the experience. The Plum’s Creaturizer app provides tools to build crazy creatures and Plum’s Photo Hunt encourages children to photograph wonders in their own backyard.

Build the Plum character into a primary grades library center focusing on environment science topics. Incorporate a tablet or laptop along with science books and objects related to nature themes.

To visit the website, go to http://pbskids.org/plumlanding/.

Book Review: Go Green!

GO GREEN! by Paul A. Reynolds is the second book in the Sydney & Simon series exploring topics related to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics).

Mouse twins Sydney and Simon are creative problem-solvers with a mission. While on a field trip, the pair learn that trash ends up in the ocean hurting animals like green sea turtles. They create a plan to convince the whole town to start recycling, reusing, and reducing.

Written for the early and intermediate grades, the beginning chapter book includes many bright colored illustrations to engage readers with the interesting characters and storyline. In addition to the main storyline, the book includes a glossary and author’s note focusing on topics related to STEAM.

Librarians will enjoy the STEAM theme that includes lots of art and music in addition to science information. The beginning chapter book approach makes this a great book for language arts activities connected with STEAM. Consider a makerspace station called the “steam studio” focusing on making instruments from recycled materials. Include other books related to the recycle, reuse, and reduce theme.

Visit FableVision studios to learn more about the author/illustrator team at http://www.fablevisionstudios.com/.

Published by Charlesbridge Publishing on October 13, 2015. ARC courtesy of publisher.

Book Review: Omaha Beach on D-Day

OMAHA BEACH ON D-DAY by Jean-David Morvan, Séverine Tréfouël, Robert, Capa, and others is an immersive visual history of a photojournalist’s experiences in World War II.

Taking a unique visual approach, readers experience World War II through the eyes of a reporter using drawings and then photographs to tell the story. The first half of this amazing book is presented as a graphic biography using a graphic-novel style approach to share the story surrounding the D-Day experience from the perspective of a reporter. The second half of the book presents the ten captioned photographs taken by Robert Capa on D-Day. The book concludes with an exploration of the career of Robert Capa who is known as one of the “fathers of photojournalism”.

While some students enjoy studying history, others hate it. This visually-rich history is an engaging way to personalize the war for readers. While some youth will be drawn to the military or photojournalism aspects, others will be attracted to the compelling story of one man’s experiences.

Librarians will find that this graphic biography appeals to tween and teen audiences who enjoy military themes, history, and photojournalism. It would be particularly useful for reluctant readers and students looking for non-traditional ways to explore world history.

This is the first book in a new series focusing on key moments in World War II history. This collection will be popular in both middle and high school libraries.

For those interested in the photography of Robert Capa, go to http://goo.gl/4tKnTo.

Published by First Second, an imprint of Macmillan on October 20, 2015. ARC provided by publisher.