Reviews
Returning to Shore
“How Claire deals with finding out about her father’s sexuality rings true and is a positive example for those looking for true-to-life guidance….®ecommended for larger teen collections with healthy budgets.” —VOYA View →
Plastic, Ahoy!: Investigating the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
“The balance between text, graphics, and photographs is ideal. . . . Recommended for all general collections needing an attractive and informative look at the environmental effect of plastics that encourages young readers to take meaningful and doable action.” —School… View →
If It Rains Pancakes: Haiku and Lantern Poems
“The poetry in both sections varies from thoughtful to silly. . . . The explanatory texts provide clear instructions and encouragement for readers creating their own poems.” —School Library Journal View →
The Great Balloon Hullaballoo
“Brightly painted animal friends in a water-washed, starry universe frame the text of rhyming couplets—presented in an eye-catching font—while the trio swing in a wild fantasy through the solar system to buy each item on the list.” —School Library Journal View →
Bombs over Bikini: The World’s First Nuclear Disaster
“The black-and-white period photos are an excellent accompaniment to the text. A well-written book about a painful piece of history, this is an excellent addition.” —School Library Journal View →
A Matter of Souls
“This would be a great book to introduce to a teacher to diversify classroom reading.” —School Library Journal View →
“The protagonist isn’t always likable, as she can be self-centered and not mindful of other’s feelings, but her behavior and conversations with herself authentically echo that of many kids her age.” —School Library Journal View →
The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim
“Johnston has created a whip-smart, witty, and utterly inventive alternate history. If this stellar debut is any indication, hers looks to be a bright, long-burning career.” —starred, Quill & Quire View →
The Shibboleth
“Jacobs’s writing is engaging, and the novel contains realistic, mature language. The cliff-hanger ending will leave readers eager to find out Shreve’s role in defeating the Entity as it awakens.” —School Library Journal View →
The Shibboleth
“This is a book like no other…. Jacobs is a master of the supernatural story, leading readers along dark and winding paths containing secrets, evil, and unimaginable power.” —starred, VOYA View →
Edgy Fashion
“These books, nominally about exploring fashion identities, will fly off library shelves due to the superabundance of celebrity photos. . . . Pictured celebs seem to be chosen in part for their durability—Taylor Swift and Solange Knowles are likely to be well known for a… View →
The Only Alex Addleston in All These Mountains
“Watercolor and ink illustrations provide lots to look at, with many pages set up like snapshots against a textured ground. Alex and Alex are appealing and expressive, conveying through their faraway looks the thoughts each has of the other.” —School Library Journal View →
Joy in Mudville
“There’s a not-so-subtle message here, but it’s delivered with pitch-perfect tone. This playful retelling wins a place for itself alongside the many iterations of Casey’s tale.” —School Library Journal View →
Flickr Cofounder and Web Community Creator Caterina Fake
“Fact boxes of additional information, quotations, and well-produced and clearly captioned, full-color photographs are interspersed throughout the attractive layout.” —School Library Journal, Series Made Simple View →
A Matter of Souls
“Patrick does a phenomenal job of relaying the hopes and dreams of those who were determined to overcome what was inevitable…. A Matter of Souls is a wonderful addition to any library, especially those who have patrons who are studying history.” — View →
How I Do My Homework
“The first-person narratives draw in readers and make the very simple texts (about one sentence per page) clear and relatable. Full-color photographs that directly match the action assist in reading comprehension. . . . A solid way to start kids out on the road to personal… View →
Pranks and Attacks!: Book 1
“Ryser’s style and pacing are polished and professional. The setting and architecture are generically Asian and merrily anachronistic.” —Publishers Weekly View →
Joy in Mudville
“[A] good addition to the slim number of picture books about girls who excel at sports.” —Booklist Online View →
“Whether or not readers are already acquainted, there’s plenty here to compel them to share the character’s joys and angst.” —Booklist Online View →
Water Can Be . . .
“[A] contemplative and thought-provoking ode to the forms water takes and the functions it serves, both practical and whimsical.” —starred, Publishers Weekly View →
The Purim Superhero
“Look on any bookseller’s website and you’ll find a long list of books about children with same-sex parents. Some attempt to explain how children were conceived or adopted, and others reassure children that having a family that’s different is okay. As a gay… View →
Perfectly Good White Boy
“Raw and unflinching, this is a skilled portrait of an eighteen-year-old on the edge of making a decision that will shape the whole rest of his life. Carrie Mesrobian is a truly fearless writer, one to envy and watch.” —Nova Ren Suma, author of Imaginary Girls and… View →
Hit and Run
“[T]his well-crafted mystery is a real page-turner with plenty of twists and a hero kids can get behind. . . . [M]ystery fans of all sorts will be glad to find out there are four more titles to come.”—Booklist View →
“Each pose is perfection; parents will achingly recognize a magical time in their own children’s development, and young readers will recognize themselves in the careful explorer. The simple and elegant artwork provides a rich environment for the text…. Absolutely… View →