Blog Archives

Trivial Pursuits

12/28/2018

100 Questions About Oceans by Simon Abbott

What did one tide pool say to the other tide pool?
Show me your mussels!

Simon Abbott's subject-specific trivia books are jam-packed with fascinating factoids.

100 Questions and About Oceans covers a wide range of ocean-related data including basic underwater geography and ecology, ecosystems, marine animal records, well-known marine biologists, historical shipwrecks, and protecting aquatic life.

Information is presented as a series of questions with corresponding answers, formatted in brief easy-to-read statements.

How does the goblin shark hunt in the dark?
Its snout is lined with natural sensors called ampulae, which detect weak electrical fields from living creatures. The shark simply tracks down its prey, open its retractable jaws, and ... chomp!

Bright colors fill the pages. Animalia have expressive faces with googly eyes and winsome smiles. Some scientific terms and animal species names appear in bold face type with the pronunciation in parenthesis.

Text is replete with puns that will delight young readers and probably elicit groans from adults.

Why did the fish blush?
Because it saw the ocean's bottom!

This kid-friendly series is sure to be a hit with those who enjoy interesting and sometimes obscure informational tidbits.

Heartbroken

12/18/2018

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Dear Heartbreak: YA Authors and Teens on the Dark Side of Love
edited by Heather Demetrios

Hearts are fragile things. A heart can be pierced. It can shatter. Some hearts may slowly bleed. Every person, at some point in life experiences the pain of heartbreak. Dear Heartbreak edited by Heather Demetrios is compilation of real letters written by teens. Young adult authors respond to these deeply personal teen self-portrayals. The original letters and the author's replies acknowledge the reality of heartbreak. Each author relates personally to the down side of daring to trust, of wishing for more, of saying no.
Here's what I predict will happen with this book: It will be read and read again. It will be misplaced several times. Librarians will find it scattered throughout the library in strange nooks and crannies. It will probably manage to leave the library without ever passing over the circulation desk. Librarians will need to order multiple copies.

A helpful listing of resources includes six free private hotlines as well as contact information for several helpful foundations and organizations.
Brief biographical sketches of the YA authors along with a listing of books published by each can be found in the back matter. Becky Albertalli, Adi Alsaid, Libba Bray, Mike Curato, Amy Ewing, Zach Fehst, Gayle Forman, Corey Ann Haydu, Varian Johnson, A.S. King, Nina LaCour, Kim Liggett, Kekla Magoon, Sarah McCarry, Sandhya Menon, Cristina Moracho, Jasmine Warga, Ibi Zoboi

You could make a bazillion Instagram postings with your own photos and quotes from the book. It is jam-packed with meme-worthy wisdom. Scroll through your phone. Pick out a few phrases and post away! Be sure to credit the author of the quote.

Copy provided by publisher

Pub date: December 18, 2018, 2018 Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) ISBN: 978-1250170903

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Love By the Numbers

12/18/2018

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How Many Hugs? by Heather Swain ill Steven Henry

This board book is a little gem. Consider the following:

The engaging text has a song-like quality using rhymes and rhythms.
Lesser-known animal species are introduced.
Math multiples, an interesting concept rarely covered in picture books, is a major component.
It's forever and always a celebration of the enduring love of a parent.

Heather Swain infuses the text with some powerful scientific terminology: appendages, arachnids, cephalopod, isopod, tentacles. She weaves them so smoothly into the rhymes that they easily roll off the tongue.
Steven Henry's charming illustrations provide important context clues for unknown words. The bold color pallet and winsome facial expressions on the animal faces are a delight.

How Many Hugs? pays tribute to parental love and affection and is offered with a generous serving of STEM.
This checks off the boxes on my great gift criteria for: baby showers, young readers, kids who love animals, and youngsters who are fascinated by numbers.
How many hugs can I give to How Many Hugs?

The Benefits of Hugging

“We need four hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth.”
Virginia Satir, family therapist

According to Healthline newsletter:

Hugs reduce stress by showing your support
Hugs may protect you against illness
Hugs may boost your heart health
Hugs can make you happier
Hugs help reduce your fears
Hugs may help reduce your pain
Hugs help you communicate with others

Hug + Book= Happiness

Copy provided by publisher

Pub date: December 18, 2018, 2018 Publisher: Feiwel & Friends ISBN: 978-1250066510

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Life: Past Present Future

12/14/2018

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Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden

I'll teach them that it makes no never mind how a body starts out in life.
It matters that you reach for something, elevate, exalt yourself.

Essie, daughter of a Savannah prostitute, spent her childhood nights sequestered in an attic above her mother' bedroom. At the age of fourteen Essie found work as a domestic, taught herself to read, and escaped a life of despair.

Dorcas Vashon, a frequent guest in Savannah, notices this servant and offers her the opportunity to move to Baltimore and start a new life. Essie changes her name to Victoria and commences a rigorous regime of training in the art of becoming a lady of refinement. It is difficult, but she is inspired by the writings of Frederick Douglass.

If there is no struggle, there is no progress.

Our young heroine successfully blends into the Black aristocracy in Washington D. C. However, she is haunted by her past and fears that her former identity may compromise her social standing. Then she falls in love and must make a difficult choice.

Bolden's homage to literary themes adds richness and depth to the narrative. "Patience" and "Fortitude" are Victoria's mantras during her endless training sessions. A phoenix rising from the ashes is painted on the fine porcelain and symbolizes metamorphosis. George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, and the Broadway musical My Fair Lady recount the story of an uneducated girl who is strictly tutored in the art of becoming a lady and succeeds in gaining acceptance into society.

While there is a fairytale-like quality to Victoria’s transformation from impoverished domestic to woman of high society, Tonya Bolden doesn’t shy away from addressing the issues of poverty, inequality, and racism. Victoria's early years of want and misery form the foundation for her resolve to succeed. One the most poignant scenes is adult Victoria's realization that she probably misjudged her mother.

Looking for a Cinderella story with complex characters and an introduction to important social issues? Inventing Victoria is historical fiction that is equal parts enchanting, inspiring, and eye-opening

Bringing History to Life

This meticulously researched novel of Black aristocracy is a portrait of genteel life, refined manners, glittering receptions and, sumptuous meals. While some individuals fill their days with idle pursuits, others study and advance to positions of importance and influence. Victoria determines that she will devote herself to helping others.

I must contribute! I must say thank you for this blessing of a wider world!

Bolden introduces some of the influential people living and working in our nation's capital in the 1880's. Readers will want to learn more about these remarkable individuals.

Electronic copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: January 8, 2019 Publisher: Bloomsbury YA ISBN: 978-1681198071

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You

12/7/2018

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You Are the Everything by Karen Rivers

The voice. The first thing I notice about a Karen Rivers novel is the voice. Always distinctive. Invariably haunting and unforgettable.
Written in second person, You Are the Everything invites readers into the mind of Elyse Schmidt.

Call me Elyse. If you call me Elyse, everything will be okay.

Elyse and her best friend Kath are on their way home from a band trip to Paris.

It's your first plane trip home, first time out of the country, first time for a lot of things, but nothing happened...Paris should've been the backdrop for so many amazing things, but it wasn't.

A smallish sixteen-year-old flutist with a penchant for drawing, Schmidt finds that her seatmate on the return flight is Josh Harris, the object of her unrequited love. As he sleeps, she imagines a romantic relationship with the boy of her dreams.

Elyse is jolted from her reverie when the plane suddenly tilts dramatically, and the yellow oxygen masks descend from above. She realizes: This plane is probably going to crash!

She wonders: Will she get the pony that she's always wanted? Will she make it to Wyoming? Will she ever be kissed?

This is a story of longing, of trying to put the pieces together, of the blurred lines between reality and desire. It's an exploration of memory and time and the way each alters our perceptions. It's brilliant and it's sardonically funny. It is all that. It is every thing.

The Everything of Everything

Come inside the consciousness of three teen as their lives take bizarre and often shocking turns. What’s real? What’s imagined? Will the final reveal surprise you?

Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: October 30, 2018, 2018 Publisher: Algonquin Young Readers ISBN: 978-1616208158

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Small World

12/6/2018

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Firefly Forest by Robyn Frampton ill Mike Heath

Whatever you need is what you will find among the green ferns and the fireflies.

When this magical little book arrived, it immediately elicited oohs and ahhs from an appreciative audience. Firefly Forest draws readers into a world of wonder and possibility.

We placed the book among the twinkling lights in our garden. It is the perfect book setting.

Frampton's rhyming text, often in the form of couplets, offers reassuring messages of hope and inspiration.

However, it's her fantastical creations: miniature homes and furnishings, created from natural elements and placed throughout the woodland setting that capture the imagination.

Firefly Forest existed in an Overland Park, Kansas. The author anonymously developed the gnomish village, one house at a time.

Heath's ingenious design and adroit photography give Firefly Forest a storybook quality. His use of light is particularly effective. Readers will linger over the images featuring numerous tiny details. Enchanting!

Small Wonders

Love the magic of woodland miniatures? Here are more elfin marvels.

Fairie-ality: The Fashion Collection from the House of Ellwand.

Purchase one of Robyn's miniature doors from her website.

Visit the delightful Garvin Woodland Gardens located in Arkansas.

Enjoy the New York Botanical Gardens Holiday Train Show.

Copy provided by publisher

Pub date: March 13, 2018 Publisher: Imprint ISBN: 978-1250122636

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Trivial Pursuits

100 Questions About Oceans by Simon Abbott

More Questions & Answers

Heartbroken

Dear Heartbreak: YA Authors and Teens on the Dark Side of Love
edited by Heather Demetrios

Love By the Numbers

The Benefits of Hugging

Life: Past Present Future

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden

Bringing History to Life

You

You Are the Everything by Karen Rivers

The Everything of Everything

Small World

Firefly Forest by Robyn Frampton ill Mike Heath

Small Wonders

Category

Archives

Barbara Moon

Trivial Pursuits

100 Questions About Oceans by Simon Abbott

More Questions & Answers

Heartbroken

Dear Heartbreak: ​YA Authors and Teens on the Dark Side of Love​edited by Heather Demetrios

Love By the Numbers

The Benefits of Hugging

Life: Past Present Future

Inventing Victoria by Tonya Bolden

Bringing History to Life

You

You Are the Everything by Karen Rivers

The Everything of Everything

Small World

Firefly Forest by Robyn Frampton ill Mike Heath

Small Wonders

Category

Archives

Barbara Moon

Dear Heartbreak: YA Authors and Teens on the Dark Side of Love
edited by Heather Demetrios