Reviews
The Bark in Space: Book 5
“There are hundreds of stories about talking dogs, but if this graphic novel is any indication, every book would be better with a dog in it….[O]ne of the most inventive stories in a consistently innovative series.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
It's a Mitzvah, Grover!
“Can a book do its job too well? The story is basic enough: Grover and his Israeli friends want to clean up a playground. Moishe Oofnik refuses to help them, because he’s a grouch. (He lives in a trash can like Oscar, his American cousin on Sesame Street.) But Moishe is View →
“The Monkey King books can be read as a portfolio of demons and dragons, or they can be read as a psychological study of someone gaining wisdom and compassion. However they are read, they’re terrific adventure stories for anyone willing to climb out from beneath the bed.”… View →
Cookie, the Walker
“Told in a bright and fun comic-book style with plenty of illustrations that will hold readers’ interest upon repeated viewings, ‘Cookie, the Walker’ is the rare picture book that actually questions the value of standing out.” —The New York Times… View →
Hoop Genius: How a Desperate Teacher and a Rowdy Gym Class Invented Basketball
“There’s a bit of Otto Dix in Morse’s distinctive paintings, with their angular contours and somber, blue-tinted skin, which lends an incongruous, though not displeasing, coolness to the notably hot-blooded sport.” —The New York Times Book Review View →
Your Pajamas Are Showing!: Book 1
“Oversized panels and exceptionally exaggerated expressions only beef up the already bountiful bons mots. The short, highly episodic exploits are delivered with minimal text and at lightning speed; expect most to devour this in a single short sitting. Just try to read it and not… View →
A Match Made in Heaven: Book 8
“Proving that the power of teen love trumps even Heavenly directives, a budding graphic artist hooks up with an ethereally handsome new classmate….Another fresh and funny outing in a mostly solid satiric series.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
Thank You, Trees!
“An ode to trees and fruit in celebration of Tu B’Shevat, a Jewish holiday. Often occurring in the latter part of January or early February, Tu B’Shevat is also called ‘New Year of the Trees.’ The five double-page spreads show friends and family members planting trees,… View →
Breezier, Cheesier, Newest, and Bluest: What Are Comparatives and Superlatives?
“Gable’s illustrations are the true stars here, his feline characters brimming with personality…. better than many grammar books—definitely one to check out.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
The Cats on Ben Yehuda Street
“Reader alert! This reviewer is very fond of cats; so, she was ready to like this book almost sight unseen. Luckily, this whimsical picture book is a delight. Ben Yehuda Street in Tel Aviv is full of cats of every shape, size, and color but Mr. Modiano, a grumpy fishmonger,… View →
Overexposed
Series Review: While fairly short and to the point, this series of low-reading-level, high-interest fiction titles are interesting to read and worth having in any teen collection. The topics covered are hard hitting, controversial, and may fill a need in most teen collections. Each… View →
Thank You, Trees!
“This charming celebration of Tu B’Shevat marries Jewish tradition with contemporary environmentalism in a celebration of trees, reflecting the way the winter holiday is celebrated today in much of Israel. ‘On Tu B’Shevat/We thank each tree/For all it gives/To you and… View →
Stones for Grandpa
“Writing a picture book about grief is a difficult job; Londner accomplishes it by writing about something else: life. This is a story that works because it has more detail than necessary. When the narrator is remembering his grandfather, he’s very… View →
The Purim Superhero
“People forget that Superman is an alien. This book is a reminder that that’s the source of his strength. Here’s a secret that isn’t taught in school: Everyone has a superpower. It might be drawing monsters or kindness to strangers or the ability to read an unusual number of View →
Cloneward Bound
“The heart of the story, however, is what makes this book special, and it resides with Fisher, who struggles mightily with his own sense of self-worth when faced with a mirror image of himself that seems to have it all. A successful balance of fizz and substance.”… View →
Emanuel and the Hanukkah Rescue
“Light performs multiple roles in this fascinating glimpse at a little-known slice of Jewish American history, beautifully rendered in chalk pastels.” —The New York Times Book Review View →
A Game for Swallows: To Die, To Leave, To Return
“The book’s strengths are myriad. Abirached is a lovely artist, and her characters’ faces are remarkably expressive. There is much humor, a welcome relief from the chaos and heartache of the human stories within.For young readers, ‘A… View →
The Day Louis Got Eaten
“The art is cartoony, in pen and ink with bright watercolors, and the book’s layout borrows from comic strips as well; the narrative is cleverly visualized in a succession of softly edged panels teeming with delightful action words, like ‘raar,’… View →
Little White Duck: A Childhood in China
“‘Little White Duck’ isn’t Communist propaganda. It is at once more innocent and more sophisticated. What Liu and Martínez do is convey a child’s-eye view of a country in transition. Politics, culture and history play into their stories, but the… View →
Jeremy's Dreidel
“Jeremy and his friends are enjoying the dreidel-making workshop at their local Jewish Community Center, especially since the children are being encouraged to be creative and put their own, er, spins on their designs. Jeremy decides to make a Braille dreidel for his blind father,… View →
“There may be children in the world who don’t wish they were monkeys. This book will change their minds.” —Kirkus Reviews View →
The Big Flush: Book 4
This mystery should come with sheet music and a dance chart… [F]ans of the series will line up for the next book, and their grandparents will hope it comes with a vinyl record." —Kirkus Reviews View →
Raining Cats and Detectives: Book 5
Venables’s fifth Pet Shop Private Eye graphic adventure for the chapter-book crowd is as sly, sarcastic and silly as its predecessors. Yue’s expressive, dot-eyed creatures in bright hues and cinematic panels are still perfect at bringing the tales to life and adding an extra… View →
