The result of her plan is not exactly what she envisioned. The pirates want her to be their “mother.” She will do the cooking, mending, and laundry. Wendy wonders: Where is the adventure she longed for? And where is Peter Pan?

She discovers that there’s a lot more happening in this fantasy world. Hook’s objective is to destroy Neverland and Wendy has unwittingly become an accomplice in his sinister plan. She realizes that she has played into his schemes and determines that she must outwit Hook. This involves obtaining Peter's shadow and returning it to its rightful owner, recruiting the Lost Boys to help her defeat Hook and save Neverland.

The narrative is fantasy from Wendy's perspective, exploring the relationship between reality and the land of stories. Wendy discovers that the Neverland she and others dreamed of has become her reality. She wonders if imagined stories can truly come to life.

An interesting subplot is the relationship between Tinkerbell and Wendy. Initially Wendy is thrilled with the prospect of meeting a fairy, a tiny little being who sparkles and can fly. She hopes that they can become friends. This enthusiasm is squashed by the fairy’s excessive jealousy. Wendy examines her feelings for Peter and knows that while she is intrigued by this boy who never grew up, that’s just it. He will never grow up. She wants more from a relationship than this youngster can offer her. It takes time and patience but eventually the girl and fairy reach a truce and take tentative steps toward friendship.

After successfully dealing with pirates, fairies, Captain Hook, and The Lost Boys, Wendy comes to terms with who she is and what her life will be. She wants to return to England but no longer in the role of surrogate mother. She wants to be her own woman and pursue her own dreams. Writing stories will certainly be a part of that dream.

Bennett's narration captures the distinctive personality of each character. Her lovely British accent gives the tale an enchanting storytelling quality.

Camila constructs an elaborate charade to conceal from her family her passion for fútbol and her identity as La Furia. She tells her mother that she is with a friend when she participates in games and team practice. So that she can’t be contacted, she allows her phone to run out of minutes. She waits until no one is home to wash her uniform and pretends to study for an upcoming medical school entrance exam.
Her life is further complicated when a childhood friend, now an international fútbol star, returns to Argentina for a brief visit. It is apparent to both that this is more than friendship. The attraction is mutual. Camila faces a heart wrenching dilemma. Does she abandon her dream of becoming a world class athlete and follow the guy who makes her heart sing? Or does she remain focused on her life-long ambition and reject his offer of a life together?

This story is about choices. Hard choices. Camila agonizes over her decisions, recognizing that with each choice, she may be closing a door. Will she choose to follow her passion for fútbol or succumb to her desire to be with the boy she loves? Can she stand up to her abusive father? Will she remain silent? Can she confide in her mother?

Narration moves fluidly between Spanish and English. Madariaga flawlessly differentiates the varying degrees of English fluency among her Spanish-speaking characters. Singing flows beautifully as a natural extension of the narration. The longing, indecision, frustration, and passion of an older teen is clearly evident in this performance.

The author obviously knows and loves the sport. The play by play descriptions bring readers onto the pitch, delivering immediacy and fierce intensity to the narrative. Méndez storytelling is a polished gem. Her characters are multifaceted. The narrative reveals their sparkling qualities as well as inherent flaws. Their lives are messy. There are no simple solutions. Things are not perfect. However, there is hope.
Furia is intense, filled with desires and dreams, heartache and disappointment, pain and passion. Camila is a girl of my heart.

These siblings are now caretakers for two chicks christened Ernest and Mae. ​They wonder: what to do? The local Penguin Foundation offers to sponsor an Arctic expedition to resettle these chicks with the colony established by Mr. Popper and Admiral Drake. There are a few perilous moments. Ernest inadvertently sabotages the boat's central navigation system, causing the boat to run aground. Their expedition braves a blinding arctic storm and below-freezing conditions.

A solution to the Antarctic animals' relocation dilemma is more complicated than the Poppers had originally considered. The conclusion satisfies environmental concerns while preserving the Popper Performing Penguins' legacy.

Schrefer handles the narrative with a light touch. Even the fantastic seems believable. He balances the wildly hilarious with serious threats to the penguins' existence. Ernest and Mae play their own version of chess while snacking on dried squid. There is even a penguin body surfing scene where the birds transport arrivals across the colony. Admiral Drake’s grandson makes a cameo appearance. Schrefer pays homage to the classic tale, neatly tying in elements from the original. Bonus: these penguins canoodle!

Oork! Oork! Confetti and ribbons, penguins, and Poppers! The Popper Penguin Rescue will delight fans of the original classic and introduce new generations to the magic of flightless birds in tuxedoes.

​Pub date: October 13, 2020  Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers  ISBN:  978-0316495424

This book can be introduced by inviting readers to view the cover and then consider: What is a gnu? What is a shrew? Which character on the cover do you suspect is the gnu and which is the shrew? Why do you think you may be correct?

Facts about two uncommon animals.

​Why do you think that the author selected these animals for the story?

There are dreamers like Gnu who imagine great things. There are makers like Shrew who experiment and develop solutions to problems. Together, the two make a great pair. Bold ideas combined with effort can produce remarkable results. In September 1962, President John F. Kennedy suggested that man could go to the moon. At the time it seemed unlikely. The dream was achieved in July 1969 after seven years of planning, testing, and experimenting by a team of technicians, scientists, engineers, and astronauts.

​Pub date: October 1, 2020  Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company  ISBN: 978-1682631461

Albert Whitman & Company has launched Imagine This, a stunning nonfiction picture book series. The generous trim size, about 10 inches square, is perfect for sharing with a large group. It also works when laid open on a table (or any flat surface) for a small group to enjoy. Eye-catching illustrations, fascinating factoids, and engaging text make this series a stellar addition to a school or classroom collection. Currently, there are four titles in the series. Informational picture books that are sure to spark questions, promote discussion, and inspire further research.

Song's storytelling skills are sheer delight. The text is replete with clever little gems. There’s Little Bee, whose body is shaped like a upper case letter B. When Belly is covered with dough she reassures Norma that she has “never been batter,” Kids are gonna eat this comic up.

Soon after this tragedy, she is assigned a new Shield. His name is Red and he is a Skyhunter, half-human, half-machine creation of the Federation. With massive metallic wings hidden in his back, he possess impressive fighting capabilities. The final phases of  Red's Skyhunter transformation were never completed and he now is a captive of Mara.

Is he a Federation operative? Can she trust him?

Lu has created a fantastic universe teeming with complex characters and high-stakes confrontations. She knows how to build tension and keep readers rapidly flipping pages to discover what will happen next.

Warning. This is the first book in an ongoing series. The conclusion of Skyhunter will leave readers on tenterhooks. Please Marie Lu don’t make us wait too long.

​Things do not go well. The monstrous lizards frighten the kitties away. But these are determined felines. They are not ready to give up. With cell phone and notebook in paw, they huddle inside the litter mobile and devise a new plan of attack. Actually, they try and fail multiple times. The inventive kittens try a lasso, camouflage, parachutes. Nothing works. The dinosaurs intend to eat them.
​Until... the prehistoric beasts realize just how cute and cuddly these little furballs are.

​Bold oversized font and a generously wide trim size of over eleven inches make this picture book perfect for read-alouds. The narrator speaks directly to the kitties, issuing repeated warnings. Sound effects from the frightening rawrs to soft mews encourage audience participation. Illustrations are part of the fun: kitties in red cowboy boots, cat puppets made from twigs, and tiny drones whizzing through the air. The amazing litter mobile with periscope for aquatic travel and wheels for land transport is genius.
Kitties on Dinosaurs is a delightful romp into the land of make-believe. Be prepared to frequently stop while reading, as kids point out all the clever things they notice on each page. Be ready for giggles galore and cries of “read it again” the moment the story ends. A sure-fire hit with this test audience.

The narrative is seasoned with charming asides, inner dialog, and clever word play. Reading aloud is an extra treat. Book recommendations appear in the The New Yak Times Book Review. Badger muses that chickens are here today, gone to leghorn. There is mention of special markings in the sand known as Chicken Scratch, the most ancient of chicken languages.

Timberlake lovingly pokes fun at her characters' idiosyncrasies which makes them all-the-more endearing. In the spirit of Christopher Robin saying “silly old bear” to Pooh, readers will be enamored with the fussy Badger who wears pickaxe-and-dynamite pajamas and strums E Huli Mākou on the ukulele. Skunk’s special chicken whistle to gather the chickens for story-reading sessions, will bring knowing smiles to teachers and librarians.

A tale of a mismatched pair who work through the inevitable difficulties of sharing a home. It's The Wind in the Willows meets Frog and Toad and it's destined to be a classic. Want more good news? This is Book 1. There will be more Badger and Skunk. ​Hurrah! Hurrah!

Born about 1832 on a Tennessee plantation, she set out to find work following Emancipation in 1865. From chambermaid, to companion, mission laborer, and restaurant proprietor, Mary was a hard worker. She had a reputation as a whisky-drinking, card-playing, sharp-shooter. She was well-regarded for her years delivering mail by stagecoach. She was the second woman and the first African American woman to drive the Star Route. She never missed a delivery, even when she had to strap on snowshoes and slog through wet snow to complete a shipment. Mary was so revered by the people of Cascade Montana that each year school would close in honor of her birthday.

Action. Intrigue. Humor. Fascinating tales well told. Kudos Mr. Smith. A must-have for library and school collections.

Learn more about these American frontier heroes with picture books created by award-winning authors and illustrators. Bonus: R. Gregory Christi's art print of Bass Reeves is available for purchase.