Book review: The Book Case, by Dave Shelton

Shelton, Dave. The Book Case. (“An Emily Lime Mystery.”) David Fickling/Scholastic, 2019. 358 pages. $17.99. ISBN 9781338323795. Ages 10-14. P7Q7

After Daphne Blakeway is kicked out of her latest boarding school, she and her parents are relieved to receive a letter with full scholarship from St. Rita’s School for Spirited Girls as well as the offer of a job interview as the assistant assistant librarian.   However, when she arrives at St. Rita’s, the school is falling to pieces—a hole in the driveway from a chemistry experiment gone awry, rotted bannisters and stairways, an empty library, missing funds—and the students are becoming expert forgers, picklocks and houligans.  Daphne plunges headlong into a mystery involving a stolen book, a missing student, nighttime raids on the pantry, jewel robbery, and general mayhem.  Assistant librarian Emily Lime and her assistant librarian, George, steer Daphne through most of the school’s pitfalls and all work on solving the mystery.

Verdict:  The Book Case falls into the venerable category of humorous boarding school stories and carries a respectable mystery besides.  It is the first in at least a two book series featuring assistant librarian Emily Lime (there is no actual school librarian), but the brunt of this story focuses on Daphne.    The story is pleasant, though a bit uneven, and the author’s illustrations add to the humor.  Recommended as an additional purchase for middle school and public libraries.

September 2019 review by Jane Cothron.

Book review: The Handbook, by Jim Benton

Benton, Jim. The Handbook. Scholastic Press, 2017.  ISBN 978-0-545-94240-9. $12.99. 213 pp. Ages 10-13.  P7Q7

This book is a funny take on the platitudes parents spew at their children: you’ll poke your eye out, eat your vegetables, etc.  The premise of the story is all of these platitudes, that all parents seem to know, are from a handbook given only to parents.  The handbook must remain a secret!  Unknown horrors (parents being manipulated by children, for instance) will happen if children find out parents are given the exact same information to deliver a prescribed instances.  The main character, Jack, finds a copy of the handbook and he shares the information with his two closest friends Mike and Maggie.  Now they have turned the table on their parents and are in control! Their actions have been noted by two factions who are vying for control over the knowledge in the book.  A group of parents (who want to continue controlling) and a group of kids (who no longer want to be controlled).  Both want the book from Jack and his friends and both will do almost anything to get it.

The book delivers a funny, thrilling story based on all the comments your parents say that make you do the eye-roll.  With that said, I wasn’t fond of the manipulation of children portrayed in the story, or the fact that some parents will spout comments just to make their children behave.  The author does redeem himself with a positive message at the end basically saying children do not need to be manipulated to be good people.

Verdict:  I think kids will be able to relate to and like this funny story (unless they have awesome parents who threw out the Handbook!)

June 2019 review by Terri Lippert.

Book review: The Tale of Angelino Brown, by David Almond, illustrated by Alex T. Smith

Almond, David. The Tale of Angelino Brown. Illus. by Alex T. Smith. Candlewick, 2017. $16.99. 258p. ISBN 978-0-7636-9563-7. Ages 8-12. P8Q9

In this delightful tongue-in-cheek tale, a tiny angel lands in the pocket of a grouchy bus driver and changes his life. Bert Brown takes the little creature home to his loving wife, Betty, and she names the angel, makes a bed for him, and the next day takes him to the school where she works in the cafeteria. Although one theme of the book is the way that Angelino brings light into the lives of a couple who have lost their son, young readers will also enjoy the sour attitudes some faculty members have toward him and their other students and the ensuing adventure when villains decide to make money by selling him to the highest bidder—including religious leaders.

Verdict: The funny scenario, the dry humor of the language, and the acceptance from those around Angelino, including his art teacher, provides a great read for middle schoolers. Whimsical pencil drawings extend the understanding of the action and characterization. This would make a wonderful read-aloud.

February 2019 review by Nel Ward.

Book review: OUT!, by Arree Chung

Chung, Arree. OUT! Henry Holt and Company, 2017. $17.99. ISBN 9781627795531. Ages 2-6. P8Q8

Time for baby to settle down for the night but he has a different idea, he wants OUT! The dog is willing to help but the adults are not listening, so he and the baby go OUT! Mischief happens with the dog getting all the blame, he is put OUT. Then on second thought just put in a kennel and Baby lets him OUT.

VERDICT: Great book for introducing the word “OUT” or working with the “ou” sound.

[Editor’s note: starred favorite by reviewer.]

December 2017 review by Patty Dodson.

Book review: How to Grow a Dinosaur, by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Mike Boldt

Esbaum, Jill. How to Grow a Dinosaur. Illustrated by Mike Boldt. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2018. Unpaged. $17.99. ISBN 9780399539107. Ages 2-5. P7Q7.

This is a book that will resonate with children who are about to have a baby sister or brother. It is basically a guide book for the older dinosaur sibling- how to deal with the wait, and about learning what babies can and can’t do in a humorous way. The colorful, lively illustrations are pleasing to the eye, and help communicate the joys and frustrations of having a younger sibling.

VERDICT: Parents with young children will like this book as a bedtime story or read aloud.

April 2018 review by Carol Schramm.

Book review: Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths, by Graham Annable

Annable, Graham. Peter & Ernesto: A Tale of Two Sloths. First Second, 2018. $17.99. 119p. ISBN 978-1-6267-2561-4. Ages 5-8. P9Q9

Peter and Ernesto are the odd couple of sloths. One wants to hang around in his tree with the other sloths, and the other wants to see the sky from every part of the world. The separation between the two of them stretches their limits as Peter decides to follow Ernesto despite quaking when he crosses the swinging bridge and meets the scary tapir. Ernesto loves his adventures—a ride on a whale and seeing the aurora borealis—but meeting the polar bear convinces him to return home. The alternating adventures between the two friends show the fretting Peter perched on a monolith where he finds help from crabs and monkeys to guide Ernesto back to the fold. The safety may not last long, though; the planned sequel for the two friends is The Lost Sloths.

Verdict: Clear Photoshop panels with simple artwork in the graphic novel show the movement, body language, and diversity of animals throughout the adventures. Silly charm highlights the value of friendship and concern about each other without being didactic. Absolutely delightful!

March 2018 review by Nel Ward.

Book review: Old Hat, by Emily Gravett

Gravett, Emily. Old Hat. Simon & Schuster, 2018. $17.99. ISBN 978-1-5344-0917-0. Ages 3-7. P9Q9

Kate Greenway Medal winner and creator of such minimalist books as Orange Pear Apple Bear has brought young readers another fun-filled and thoughtful title exaggerating the pun “old hat.” Pencil, watercolor, and acrylic illustrations against alternating white and pale blue backgrounds highlight the attempt of Harbet (maybe a small white dog) to fit in with the other animals by emulating their hats. No matter what he does, Harbet’s always a half-step behind in copying their chapeaus, but they have already moved on to another crazy fashion style. Nothing works, not even reading Top Hat Magazine, until Harbet decides not to follow does he find instant success by deciding not to follow the others. When he takes off his hat and reveals the vivid feathers sprouting out of his head, he is the one who is being copied.

Verdict: Quirky creatures resembling a stork, a dinosaur, and a bear populate the pages as their headgear sports fruit, (“low in fat, high in fiber, and could provide 80% of his daily vitamins”), flashing lights, historic boats, and other wacky inventions. A gentle explanation about not bowing to peer pressure.

March 2018 review by Nel Ward.

Book review: When a Wolf Is Hungry, by Christine Naumann-Villemin, illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo

Naumann-Villemin, Christine. When a Wolf Is Hungry. Illustrated by Kris Di Giacomo. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2017. Unpaged. $16.00. ISBN 9780802854827. Ages 3-6. P7Q8

Edward Bigsnout, a solitary wolf, leaves his cabin in the woods with a hankering for a tender city rabbit dinner.  Unfortunately, finding a rabbit in the big city is difficult and posing as the new tenant in the rabbit’s apartment building brings the reclusive wolf many problems, not least the welcome he receives from the other tenants in the building. As Edward strives to overcome the many obstacles in his search for dinner, the kindness of the city folk bring him to change his ways. This 2018 Batchelder Honor book was originally published in France by Editions Kaleidoscope in 2011.

Verdict: Whimsical drawings bring a darkly humorous approach to this big, bad wolf story with a twist.  Recommended for kindergarten, elementary, classroom and public libraries.

March 2018 review by Jane Cothron.

Book review: The Thrifty Guide to …: A Handbook for Time Travelers, by Jonathan W. Stokes, illustrated by David Sossella

Stokes, Jonathan W. The Thrifty Guide to …: A Handbook for Time Travelers. Illus. by David Sossella. Viking, $13.99. Ages 9-14.

This hilarious series makes history palatable in a pretense of being a tour guide produced in the 22^nd century beginning in 2163. Each volume is black and white with a predominant color highlighting headlines, drawings, and maps. Boxed biographs are headed, “People to Have Lunch With,” and “Helpful Hints” give practical guidelines showing how the parts of the era function. Detailed footnotes give either additional information or break up the seriousness with humorous bits about the business owner, Finn Greenquill, and his peculiarities.

Verdict: The histories are factual, sometimes debunking the “hero” aspect of past historical figures. Upcoming books are Ancient Greece and Medieval Times.

Ancient Rome. Viking, 2018. 128p. ISBN 978-0-451-47960-0. P8Q5

The slapstick approach of this volume may be intended to smooth over the incessant sensational violence, highlighted in red, from gladiators, barbarian hordes, beheadings, deaths from the volcano at Pompeii, etc. Verdict: Not my favorite in the series.

American Revolution. Viking, 2018. 137p. ISBN 978-0-451-47961-7.  P8Q8

Time travelers are invited to dip into the dangerous adventures of the Revolutionary War between the Tea Party of 1773 and the culminating Battle of Yorktown in 1781. In historical information about the nation’s cows, the author describes, for example, the murders of 35 French Canadians under George Washington’s leadership when he was 21 that led to the French and Indian War and later the Seven Years’ War, conflicts that may have led to the Revolutionary War because the British needed tax money to pay for the wars. Interesting trivia include males’ wearing powdered wigs to cover up sores from syphilis. People to have lunch with include the black slave teenage poet Phyllis Wheatley, the black patriot Salem Poor, and Benjamin Franklin. Black/white highlighted with blue.

Verdict: More accessible than Ancient Rome. 

 

January/February 2018 book review by Nel Ward.

Book review: The Crims: Crime Runs in the Family, by Kate Davies

Davies, Kate. The Crims: Crime Runs in the Family. Harper Collins, 2017. $16.99, ISBN 9780062494092. 291 pages.  Ages 8-12.  P8 Q7.

The Crims are a family of criminals, but they have not mastered their art and get caught.  Imogen (the twelve year old girl) doesn’t want to be a part of a crime family, so she escapes to boarding school. However, when her family is accused of a crime that she believes they did not commit, she comes back to solve it. The characters are relatable in a weird way and the relationships between the characters are interesting. It is neat to have references to pop culture and the hidden comedy with a play on words.  In the end, you find out who committed the crime, but I won’t spoil it for you.

Verdict: I recommend this for upper elementary because of the humor once you get into the book. It is an enjoyable and fun read.

January 2018 review by BG (student).