Reading Level: Elementary

Dragonbreath

Danny Dragonbreath is the only dragon in his school, and he isn’t the best student. He waited until he was on the bus to complete his writing assignment. Because his best friend Wendell, who is a great student, couldn’t help Danny with his assignment, Danny decided to make up some facts. Danny is filled with “righteous indignation” when his teacher gives him an F and tells him he must redo his writing assignment. Danny decides to go see his uncle, who is a sea serpent, for help. And of course, Danny takes Wendell along for the swim.

Even though Danny learns some cool facts about the ocean creatures, the facts are interwoven with fantasy, which may make it hard for readers to determine what is real information and what is fiction. For example, octopi can change their color to blend in with their surroundings, but the octopus Danny meets becomes stripped and then plaid.

Danny’s predicament leads to some hilarious and surprising events. Danny’s story is told in a unique style that blends a graphic novel and fiction. The text is broken up with illustrations and also has several graphic novel scenes with speech balloons. The blend of text and pictures will help keep reluctant readers engaged in the story. The comic-style illustrations are mostly black and white, but also have a pop of green.

Readers will relate to Danny, who fearlessly takes Wendell on a crazy adventure. The story is written in a conversational, humorous tone that is funny and engaging. Although the vocabulary is easy to read, the author uses some complex sentences as well as amazing descriptive language. Dragonbreath deals with bullying, friendship, and the importance of completing schoolwork correctly. Dragonbreath is an imaginative story that will make readers laugh. Those who enjoyed ridiculous, humorous, adventurous stories like Dragonbreath should also try The Yeti Files by Kevin Sherry.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When a school bully takes Danny’s potato salad, the potato salad attacks him. “After a few minutes, there was a scream from across the lunchroom. It was the exact sound that a young Komodo dragon might make when he had just been stabbed in the hand with a plastic fork by a plate of recalcitrant potato salad.”
  • Danny’s uncle will not let him go near Atlantis because the mermen “want to make sure we don’t get any closer. As soon as somebody shows up and puts them in danger of being the found city of Atlantis, they throw him in the dungeon and feed him to the lobsters.”
  • A giant octopus grabs Wendell. Danny bites the octopus, who then lets go of Wendell.
  • A huge squid captures Danny and Wendell. “Danny felt terrible. Mostly because the giant tentacle wrapped around him was making his rips creak with strain, but there was definitely some guilt in there too. He’d dragged his best friend off on a wild adventure, and now they were going to get hideously smooshed and eaten, possibly in that order. . . Wendell saw the beak moving toward him, and his scream promptly climbed up the register until bats could probably hear [it].” In order to free the two, Danny tries to breathe fire, and “a massive bubble of steam boiled out of Danny’s mouth and smacked the squid directly in the eye.” The squid lets go of the two boys, and then a whale rams into the squid, causing the squid to swim away.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • A bully calls Danny a “dorkbreath” and Wendell a “nerd.”
  • Wendell calls the bully a “festering pustule.”
  • Wendell calls Danny an “idiot.”

Supernatural

  • Danny’s potato salad has human qualities, and when Danny tries to eat it, “the potato salad transferred its attention to what is perceived as a new threat, and shook the form menacingly.” Later the potato salad “flattened itself stealthily against the plate, fork at the ready.”
  • Danny and Wendell eat a mint that allows them to breathe underwater. The mint “tasted fizzy. He (Danny) felt as if spiders were dancing inside his lungs, wearing mint-flavored tap shoes.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

Survival Tails: The Titanic

Mutt loves his human girl, Alice. When he discovers that his owner and best friend, Alice, plans to sail to the new world on the Titanic without him, he’s determined to find a way on the ship. Mutt is terrified of the water, but he won’t let an ocean separate him from Alice. A friendly rat, King Leon, helps Mutt sneak aboard the ship. But it isn’t long before the captain’s cat, Clara, discovers the stowaways. Reluctantly, Clara agrees to help Mutt find Alice. But first, Mutt must agree to look after three abandoned kittens that Clara found in a lifeboat.

A mangy dog, a friendly rat, and a pamper cat work together to stay hidden from the humans and keep the kittens alive. But when the unthinkable happens and the so-called unsinkable ship hits an iceberg, Mutt and his new friends have to race against the clock to find their humans—and to survive.

Survival Tails: The Titanic takes the reader on a trip back in time when everyone thought the Titanic was unsinkable. Told from Mutt’s point of view, the story takes a unique look at the ship through the eyes of animals. For the stowaway animals, life on the Titanic is dangerous. Not only do they have to scrounge for food, but they also have to avoid the humans who most likely would throw overboard. As the story unfolds, readers will fall in love with each animal, whose unique personality comes to life. Even though the animals could have easily become enemies, they unite to form an unlikely friendship that puts the kittens’ needs above their own.

Suspense builds from the very first page and ends with the heart-wrenching sinking of the Titanic. The story contains pockets of humor and has three black and white pictures that help bring the scenes into sharper focus. The animal’s loyalty to each other and their humans is heartwarming. However, Survival Tails: The Titanic doesn’t shy away from showing the discrimination between the first-class passengers and the third-class passengers. In the end, it didn’t matter what class a person was. When the Titanic was sinking, the passengers realized, “in the end, few things truly mattered.”

Survival Tails: The Titanic uses a unique point of view to create a suspenseful, beautiful story of friendship and love. Even though the story focuses on the animals, it stays loyal to the historical facts of the Titanic. Although the sinking of the ship is described in a kid-friendly manner and the death of people is never described, the ending is heart-wrenching and will have readers crying as several of the characters they loved are doomed to death.

Readers who have read The Last Firehawk series may be tempted to pick up Survival Tails: The Titanic because they share the same author. However, The Last Firehawk series is intended for a younger audience. Younger readers may not be ready for the intense events portrayed in Survival Tails: The Titanic. At the end of the book, readers will find a glossary, as well as more historical information about the Titanic. Everyone who enjoys a suspenseful animal story should read Survival Tails: The Titanic; the characters will leave a lasting impact on readers and make them think about the nature of friendship.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When Mutt was trying to get onto the Titanic, a woman sees Mutt and, “let out an ear-piercing shriek as Mutt peered sheepishly back up at her. She swung her handbag, hitting Mutt full-force in the head before he had a chance to scarper. With a low whine, Mutt turned and ran as fast as he could. . .”
  • Mutt tries to steal an abandoned sandwich from a plate. Mutt’s friend tried to warn him, but “before Mutt could figure out what had King Leon spooked, he heard an almighty screech. Razor-sharp teeth clamped down on the end of his tail. It was all he could do to not howl and give himself away to the nearby humans.”
  • Mutt, King Leon, and three kittens sneak into the kitchen to try to eat scraps of food. When the humans returned, “they took one look at the dog, rat, and three kittens eating their food and ran at them, screaming and shouting. . .” The animals run and Mutt ducked “as one of the humans swung an empty frying pan at his head. . . The man spun around and around, trying to catch on of the furry blurs, until he became so dizzy he fell over, crashing not a pile of crockery, which smashed to the floor.” The animals are able to escape.
  • When the Titanic was sinking, an officer was trying to load a boat with women and children. A group of men tried to “push past and swarm the lifeboat, which was already swinging precariously out over the water. A woman screamed, and before Mutt knew what was happening, an earsplitting gunshot rang out as an officer fired his gun in the air, silencing the crowd.”
  • When Mutt is in the ocean, a man grabs onto his tail. “Water closed over his head as Mutt sank beneath the surface. His lungs screamed with the desperate need for air as he kicked his legs wildly. . . But the man still would not let go, so Mutt did the only thing he could, hoping it might save them both. Mutt turned and sank his teeth deep into the man’s hand, yanking it upward in the direction of the surface. The man immediately released his grip and swam back up the surface.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • When Clara was walking along the boat’s deck, she saw a group of men “playing cards and drinking in the smoking room.”
  • When the Titanic hit an iceberg, some of the men “were drinking whisky and smoking cigars as though they hadn’t a care in the world.”

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • As the Titanic was sinking, Mutt walks by a “group of humans standing before a man dressed in a black robe, like the reverend at Alice’s church. Their eyes were closed and they knelt on the deck, listening to the man’s prayers, even as chaos erupted all around then.”
  • Mutt isn’t sure if he should jump into the water or stay on the sinking ship. As he considers his options, “The Titanic ripped apart into two halves. As the stern started to fall back toward the water, almost in slow motion, Mutt recalled a prayer that Alice’s mother used to make Alice recite every night before she went to bed. He didn’t’ know much about what it was for, or why she did it, but it seemed to bring Alice’s mother comfort.

Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater

Summer is here, and Phoebe and Marigold are heading to drama camp. Phoebe’s expecting some quality time with her best friend, but in a surprise twist, Marigold has invited her sister, Florence Unfortunate Nostrils! While the unicorn sisters head to camp in a magical rainbow pod, Phoebe is stuck riding with her parents in their boring car, wondering where it all went wrong. But at Camp Thespis, there are more daunting tasks at hand: writing, producing, and acting in an entirely original play! The second Phoebe and Her Unicorn graphic novel is a sparkling tale of sisterhood and summer fun, as well as a reminder that sometimes it takes a bit of drama to recognize true friendship.

Much of the humor revolves around Marigold, who is completely self-centered and obsessed with her own beauty. However, it is clear that Marigold cares about Phoebe. Based on the two friends’ relationships, readers will learn important lessons about friendship. In the end, Phoebe and some of her drama camp friends put on a play that highlights the importance of not being self-involved and not letting a fight go unresolved.

The easy-to-follow panels have simple artwork with bright colors. The character’s facial expressions will help younger readers understand the character’s emotions. Each page has six or fewer sentences and some panels contain no words at all, which makes the story accessible to reluctant readers. Both the vocabulary and the plot structure are easy to understand.

Unlike some of the previous books in the series, Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater tells one story throughout the book. Even though the story is the second graphic novel, for maximum enjoyment readers should read the previous books because the story refers to characters and events that happened in previous books. Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater shows how the characters have matured and changed over the course of the strip.

Anyone who has ever had a fight with a friend or who has felt socially awkward will relate to Phoebe. Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater will be a hit with readers who want a humorous, fun story about friendships and unicorns.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Dugout Hero

The score was 5-5 in the bottom of the ninth, with two outs and two strikes. The Mustangs were on a hot winning streak and every victory was important. Little Rhino’s whole team was cheering for him. Even Dylan was standing on the bench rooting for Little Rhino, the home run hitter. It all came down to the next pitch. When the pitcher threw the ball, Little Rhino swung as hard as his arms could handle, felt a pop in his ankle, and dropped to the ground.

That was yesterday. Today, Little Rhino is propped up on the couch with a sprained ankle. The doctor said Little Rhino is not going to be able to play baseball for the next two weeks. Rhino’s friends keep dropping by to bring him his homework, but Rhino just wants to be back on the field. Can he find a way to help his team without playing?

Even though Rhino is anxious to get back onto the field, he knows his injury must heal completely before he can play again. Rhino follows the doctor’s orders even though he misses out on activities he enjoys. Because of Rhino’s injury, the story focuses more on his thought process, which shows how difficult it is for Rhino to be patient while his injury heals. Even though the story has some play-by-play baseball action, Rhino’s lunch group is shown which allows the story to bring in some facts on astronomy.

In the third installment of the Little Rhino series, Rhino continues to grow as a baseball player. Rhino is quick to judge his teammates who are showing unsportsmanlike behavior. However, he does not recognize it in himself. Rhino is often overconfident and criticizes those who do not play as well as him. When Rhino is forced to sit on the sidelines, he does learn that he should be helping the other players in a positive manner.

Rhino’s grandfather continues to play a dominant role in the story; however, by the third book in the series readers will have questions about Rhino’s parents. They never appear in the story, and their absence is never explained. Rhino’s grandfather is a positive role model, who makes sure Rhino and his brother help with chores, follow directions, and work hard.

Fans of the Little Rhino series will enjoy Dugout Hero because of the baseball action and the reappearance of the same characters. Rhino has many good qualities and sets a good example for others. Readers who are just transitioning into chapter books may have difficulty reading My New Team because of the text-heavy pages. Although black-and-white pictures appear approximately every three pages, the pictures are similar to those found in a coloring book and do not have much appeal. Readers who enjoy the Little Rhino series will also want to read the Baseball Blues by Newton A.I.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • One of the players tells Rhino, “you’re being a wimp.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The 13-Story Treehouse: Monkey Mayhem!

Andy and Terry write books together while they live in every young boy’s dream—a 13-story treehouse! The treehouse is the most amazing treehouse in the world—complete with a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a marshmallow machine that follows you around and shoots marshmallows in your mouth, a secret underground laboratory, swinging vines, a tank of man-eating sharks, and an endless lemonade fountain. It seems like the fun never ends for Andy and Terry.

But when faced with a range of slapstick scenarios, they soon realize they still have not finished their next bestselling book. With the threat of going back to their atrocious old jobs, they must bond together as they fight off a pack of wild monkeys, a giant gorilla, and a sea monster while writing their next book before their deadline. Will Andy and Terry succeed or will they be forced to go back to their old jobs – at the monkey house?

Griffiths and Denton created a silly, funny, and ridiculous story that readers will laugh at from beginning to end. The book also teaches readers about the importance of friendship. Andy and Terry demonstrate the importance of friends working together in order to solve problems. Without each other, they would not be able to survive a giant gorilla, a sea monster attack, or even write a book. Also, the funny black and white illustrations contribute to a positive reading experience and will help engage even the most reluctant readers.

Even though the story is funny, much of the humor comes from bathroom jokes and immature humor. Many of the jokes are inappropriate for young readers, and sometimes the jokes can be cruel and inconsiderate, such as when Terry painted Jill’s cat bright yellow without telling her. These jokes can leave a bad impression on a young audience. Readers will either love or hate The 13-Story Treehouse. Some will find the story laugh-out-loud funny while others will find the repetitious nature of the story and Terry and Andy’s jokes crude and annoying. But in the end, readers who want a story that’s ridiculously outrageous should pick up The 13-story Treehouse.

Sexual Content

  • Terry and a mermaid kiss so he can become a merman.

Violence

  • After fighting about Terry’s new invention and their new giant banana, Terry whacks Andy over the head with the banana causing Andy to go unconscious. Terry thought, “I’d killed you!” when Andy wakes up.
  • Andy eavesdrops on the sea monster’s plan to eat Terry. The sea monster thinks, “I’ll lure him down beneath the water, and then his body I will slaughter. Oh how I’ll enjoy devouring him – I’ll tear him apart, limb from limb. I’ll eat his eyes and ears and nose and suck the marrow from his toes.”
  • Terry wards off a wild pack of monkeys with a giant banana. When the monkeys attack, “Terry picked up the giant banana and, holding it like a baseball bat, began whacking back the marshmallows, pens, pencils, erasers, paintbrushes, paints, and monkey poop being hurled in our direction. And then he began knocking the monkeys right out of the tree!”
  • A giant gorilla intentionally squishes Barky the dog. Andy describes, “ the giant gorilla lifted up one of its gigantic feet and stomped on him.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When the marshmallow machine automatically shoots marshmallows into Terry and Andy’s mouth, Andy asks, “How do you shut this stupid thing off?”
  • Andy thinks Terry’s favorite TV show has the “world’s dumbest dog on the world’s dumbest TV show.”
  • Andy says Terry is out of his “tiny, pea-brained, numbskull-sized mind!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

 

 

 

 

Lair of the Beast

Wily Snare spent most of his life below ground creating clever tricks to ensnare treasure-seekers. Once he escaped from the dungeon, he was able to befriend a group of adventurers. Stalag, the mage who once kept Wily locked away, wants revenge. He plans to build an army of stone soldiers and take over Wily’s kingdom.

Even though Wily has sworn to keep his kingdom safe, he isn’t prepared for the pressures that come with being a prince. In order to stop Stalag, Wily will need the help of all of his friends. They must travel to find an oracle, find passage into the Below, and fight frightening beasts. The only way that Wily and his friends will succeed is if they work together to quell a creature that is as big as a castle and more dangerous than the deadliest dungeon.

Wily Snare is an imperfect protagonist that genuinely cares about the people of his kingdom. Even though Wily knows how to be a great trapsmith, he has no idea how to be a good king. Wily is afraid of failure, but others remind him that “You don’t need to be perfect. You can’t get everything right. In fact, most things you will get wrong. And that’s okay. That’s part of life.” Despite his fears, Willy uses his brains to get out of difficult situations. Readers will be able to cheer for Wily as he fights beasts, guides his companions, and fights for his kingdom.

Snared: Lair of the Beast is the second book in a fantasy adventure series. Reading the first book in the series, Snared: Escape to the Above, is essential because most of the characters appear in the first book and the second installment does not explain important events that took place in book 1. Wily and his misfit treasure-seeking friends are interesting and are willing to face danger to help others. Even though Wily and his friends face many different types of magical creatures, the battle scenes are not scary. Readers will enjoy seeing how the oracle’s prophecy comes true, as well as how Wily uses his mind to defeat evil.

Advanced elementary and junior high readers will enjoy the quirky characters and the interesting monsters that Wily encounters. The story continually reinforces the idea that everyone makes mistakes. In the end, Wily doesn’t need to prove that he is perfect, he just needs to do the best that he can. Snared: Lair of the Beast is an entertaining fantasy that teaches a positive message about friendship, forgiveness, and perseverance.

Sexual Content

  • Someone sings the following song: “My sister kissed a troll down by the river. She thought that a kiss would break a cursed spell. But the troll was just a troll down by the river. Still, she married him and now they’re doing well.”

Violence

  • Wily and his companions enter an underground chamber. They meet a monster who shows them a map. “As he put his tiny eyes up to the etched map, Odette smashed him in the face with the back of the shield. The boarcus collapsed to the floor.”
  • When Wiley is stealing treasure, he “looked up to see faceless humanoids emerging from the slime around the small island on which he was standing. The bodies and outstretched arms dripped with viscous green ooze. One of the strange creatures lunged at Wily.” Wily and his companions run from the humanoids, because “legend says they can melt metal with a single touch.” As they run, they meet a quill grizzler, who “shot a series of sharp needles at the fleeing adventurers. . . the quill grizzler grabs Wily, who “felt the quill grizzler’s claws snap closed around him. The fanged bear lifted him off his feet and began to squeeze. The pressure was intense . . .” Wily and his companions are able to escape uninjured. The chase scene is described over seven pages.
  • Two golem’s try to capture Wily and his companions. When Moshul, a moss golem, charges, “the bearded stone golem swung his arm. The back of his hand struck Moshul in the chest. Wily watched as the moss golem was knocked to the ground as easily as a straw man. . . The bearded golem reached out and grabbed Moshul by the shoulder. He lifted him into the air and threw him—off the side of the mountain.” Moshul is not injured.
  • After Moshul is thrown off a mountain, “Pryvyd and Odette, both rage-filled, charged them. The quartz-fingered golem punched Pryvyd’s shield so hard that every metal spike that had been sticking out from it was snapped clean off. Pryvyd tumbled backward, his brass armor clattering and clanging.” Wily and his companions flee.
  • Slither trolls invade a town. “The slither troll was about to swing the rake at the terrified woman when Righteous flew across and blocked the blow with a sword.” In order to defeat the trolls, Wily creates a slingshot and his companions throw tomatoes. “The soft projectiles soared through the air and struck the trolls on their legs and bellies. The trolls both let out pained yelps. ‘Oh that burns!’ one screamed. ‘Ouch. Ouch. Ouchie.’” The trolls run away. The scene takes place over four pages.
  • A monsoonondom is a “giant furry beast with long tusks that spark like lightning bolts. Their footsteps churn the wind into a fury. A shake of their fur causes torrential downpours.” Wily and his companions flee from a monsoonondom, but before they get away “the powerful gusts blowing off the beast knocked her [Wily’s mother] off her feet and into a tree.” A group of animals and people made a barricade, but the monsoonondom “hit the moss golem straight in the back. Moshul was knocked off his feet and Roveeka went flying off his shoulders. But Moshul caught her in his mud hands before she struck the ground.” Wily’s mother is injured. The scene takes place over six pages.
  • Wily tries to quell a manticorn, which is a two-headed beast with six clawed legs. “it had the body and tail of a giant panther. . . One head resembled an eagle with a giant horn sticking out from between its eyes. The other looked as if it had been taken from a goat, except that it had dagger-sharp fangs where its teeth should be.” Wiley jumps on the manticorn’s back, and “the manticorn shook its back with such force that Wily went flying into a bolder on the edge of the Web’s jagged cliff. All the air went out of him, and when he was finally able to breathe again and looked up, the manticorn was practically on top of him.” Someone helps Wily, who is uninjured.
  • A group of people throws arrows at Moshul, the moss golem. “Pryvyd blocked one with his shield while Righteous plucked another from the air. Moshul was struck with four in his chest and a fifth in his arm. The moss golem stumbled backward. . .” When the group finds out that Moshul was not a stone golem, they stop shooting arrows.
  • While in an underground chamber, Wily and his companions see a mold-ogre. Wily “walked straight up to the mold-ogre and kicked one of its big hairy toes.” Wily discovers that the mold-ogre is not real.
  • When an elf tries to keep Wily and his friend Valor prisoners, “Valor seized the opportunity to give the haggard elf a kick to the stomach, sending her tumbling backward.” The two are able to escape.
  • While in the underground tunnels, Wily and his friend are attacked by “ants the size of wolves. . . They snapped their pincers as their antennae waved wildly in the air.” When Wily tries to escape, “the first group of ants skittered toward Wily, attempting to bite his legs and waist. Balor came to his defense, slicking the air with her wooden hand claws. Her right-hand blade slicked off the antennae of three of the ambush ants. With her other hand, she punched the head of a snapping ant.” When Valor smacks another ant, the “ants bit down on Valor’s ankle, breaking the skin. Wily grabbed a hammer from his tool belt and smashed the ant attacking Valor on the side of the head. The ant crumpled as another took its place.” Wily’s others companions find them and help defeat the ants. The ant battle is described over four pages.
  • In a battle against good and evil, two golems attack. Before they could hit anyone, “the lair beast swung its spiked tail in a wide arc. The ball at the end hit the quartz-gingered golem in the chest, sending chips of stone flying as he was knocked off his feet.” During the battle, a giant Infernal Golem appears. The lair beast “flapped toward the sun before diving, heading straight for the Infernal Golem. . . The Infernal Golem grabbed the lair beast by the tail, plucking it out of the air. Then, with what seemed like no little effort at all, he tossed the mighty lair beast back into the sky. . .” The golems are defeated when they sink in the mud, but no one else is injured. The battle is described over ten pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Someone calls a person an idiot.
  • Darn is used once.

Supernatural

  • A knight has an enchanted floating arm that helps him in battle.
  • People can create golems out of stone or earth and bring them alive by magic.
  • The group passes the Archway of Many Eyes; the archway has eyes that send an alert when it sees someone.
  • Someone cast a spell to make oglodyte minions look like children.
  • A levitating skull tells jokes.
  • Wily and his companions go to see the Oracle of Oak, who uses acorns to predict the future. When Wily asks her questions, she “swept her hand around a bowl of acorns, stirring them as if cooling a bowl of soup. She stared at the patterns that were forming.” The oracle makes predictions based on the patterns.
  • When inside a mountain, Wily sees a cavern mage who “lifted her frail hands and pointed at the mouth of the tunnel. Suddenly, a pair of giant spectral hands formed. They grabbed the rock walls and pulled them wider as easily as if the walls were made out of clay, adding several feet on either side.”
  • Someone cast a spell that makes a cave cricket grow until it was so big a man could ride it.

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Art Show Attacks!

The students at Eerie Elementary are preparing for their school’s art show. Sam decides to make a dinosaur from clay, but before he can finish his project, Sam and his friends start seeing Orson Eerie everywhere. That creepy mad scientist is determined to spread his power outside of the school, and he is determined to get Sam and his friends out of the way. Orson uses the students’ art to try to stop Sam, and also brings Sam’s clay T. rex to life! Can Sam and his friends stop Orson’s evil plan?

The Art Show Attacks follows the same fun format as the previous books, as Orson uses his supernatural power to throw art-filled obstacles in Sam’s way. Though this story is the ninth installment of the Eerie Elementary series, the story can be enjoyed even if the previous books have not been read. In The Art Show Attacks, Sam and his friends work together to defeat Orson Eerie. Even though the ending is predictable, readers will enjoy the action-packed story. However, the conclusion is unsatisfying and may leave readers questioning Sam’s actions.

Even though the school comes alive and tries to stop the kids from ruining Orson’s plan, the story isn’t scary. While it is said that the school feeds on kids, no kids have actually been eaten. The abnormal occurrences in the book are exciting and contain onomatopoeias that enhance the storytelling. The story contains simple sentence structures, an easy-to-follow plot, and discussion questions at the end that will add to the learning value of the book.

The Art Show Attacks is an entertaining story that continues Sam’s struggle to defeat Orson Eerie. As each book in the Eerie Elementary series follows the same basic format, readers progressing through the series may become less entertained with the predictable sequences. Younger readers who enjoy the Eerie Elementary series should also add The Notebook of Doom series to their reading list. The Yeti Files by Kevin Sherry is another humor-filled series that fans of Eerie Elementary should try.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • While in art class, Sam’s clay “reached out and grabbed him! It yanked Sam’s face SMACK down into the clay. Sam couldn’t escape! His clay project had grabbed hold of his face! Sam whacked at the clay until—POP! He burst from the blob, gasping for air.”
  • A painting of Orson Eerie comes alive and tries to capture Lucy. “The hand yanked Lucy’s backpack off her shoulder and hurled it onto the floor. . .” The hands then try to grab Sam, but he “leapt back as the hand swatted at him. Lucky ducked as the other hand swiped at her. . . The fist pounded the floor. . . Antonio swung a long brush through the air like a ninja with a sword but—WHACK! One fist smacked the brush away!” The kids fall through the ceiling, but are not hurt. The scene takes place over seven pages.
  • Sam’s clay dinosaur comes to life. “The T. rex was as big as the real thing! Its giant jaws chomped as the dinosaur stomped toward the hall monitors. . . The T. rex’s tail snapped in the air. Its tiny clay eyes looked right at Sam . . . The monster roared.” The dinosaur begins throwing coins at the kids. “The three friends ducked as the T. rex’s tail slapped against the floor. SMACK! Its tail whipped the change toward them. Nickels and quarters pounded the walls . . . Quarters smacked into Antonio’s shoulder.” In order to stop the dinosaur, the kids use hair dryers to dry the clay. The scene takes place over 13 pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Orson Eerie founded Eerie Elementary 100 years ago. The school is alive. “It was a living, breathing thing that fed on students. And Sam, the hall monitor, was the school protector. . . He could feel when something was wrong. . . Orson Eerie found a way to live forever—he became the school. He was Eerie Elementary. And Eerie Elementary was a monster. . .”
  • Sam’s hall monitor sash drags him down the hall and into a secret room. “The sash pulled so hard, it jerked Sam off his feet. . . Sam soared past the computer lab, and then the sash flung him down the hall.”
  • A school wall begins to weaken. “The three friends stepped back as the bricks began to move and slide on their own. . . Suddenly, the sash yanked Sam forward. . .” The three friends find a picture of Orson Eerie.
  • The students’ art comes to life and tries to steal a jar of money from Sam. Sam, Lucy, and Antonio “could not believe what they were seeing. The stick figure slowly peeled itself off the paper. It landed on the floor and began trotting toward them. . . A painting of a tree flung the jar up a flight of stairs. It was caught by a doodle of an elderly woman.” The scene takes place over five pages.
  • The paint from students’ artwork begins to flow and a river of paint rushes towards Sam, Lucy, and Antonio. “. . .The friends were swept up in a flood of thick, wet, multicolored paint. . . The instant Sam had the jar in his hands, the rushing river of paint began to dry up. Globs of paint leapt up onto the wall and back into their paintings. Blank canvases were full of color again!”
  • Gray ooze begins coming out of the cracks in the school, and the people have to leave the auditorium.

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

Ice Wolves

Twelve-year-old orphans Anders and Rayna don’t know who their parents are, and they have always relied on each other to get through each day. The pair know all of the back streets of Vallen and they know to avoid the Wolf Guard as much as possible. When Anders is almost caught stealing, the twins join a group of twelve-year-olds who are in line to discover if they are elementals—humans that can transform into wolves.

When Anders takes the form of a wolf and his sister Rayna takes the form of a dragon, Anders wonders if they are related at all. Everyone knows that a wolf and a dragon cannot come from the same family. Even worse, after Rayna transforms two dragons appear and claim her as one of them. The only thing that Anders knows for certain is that Ice Wolves and Scorch Dragons are enemies. But despite the feud between the wolves and dragons, Anders is determined to find his sister.

To rescue Rayna, Anders must find the dragon’s hidden capital city. The only way to get the information he needs is to enlist at the foreboding Ulfar Academy, a school for young wolves. Anders only wants to find the dragons and save his sister; he wasn’t expecting to find friends. Will Anders have to betray his new friends in order to save his sister? And what will Anders do if he finds his sister only to discover that Rayna has become just like the cruel dragons that took her?

Ice Wolves begins with a heart-stopping surprise and plenty of action, but the story starts to drag when the main character enters Ulfar Academy to learn about Ice Wolves. Because Anders doesn’t understand the elementals or the Ice Wolves, the reader gets to learn along with him. However, when the story ends there are still many unanswered questions that will nag readers.

Anders is not a unique character, but middle school readers may relate to his insecurities and his desire to find a place to fit in. As the story progresses, Ander not only builds confidence in his abilities, he also begins to understand what it means to have friends “who’d back you up without needing to know the reason why.” Even though Anders clearly cares for his pack, he never loses sight of his ultimate goal to find his sister.

Amie Kaufman has created a world with multicultural, diverse people who live in peace—people who fear the Scorch Dragons, but the reason for this fear is never explained. Although the threat of dragons brings suspense, the dragons only appear at the very beginning and end of the book. Kaufman includes many diverse characters in the story, however, at times it felt as if she was trying too hard to incorporate every type of person. One character is referred to using the pronoun “they.” The use of the pronoun is never explained, which may cause readers some confusion. One positive aspect of the story is Lisbeth, a strong female who isn’t content with following orders. Lisbeth spends much of her time engrossed in books, and it is through her that Anders begins to understand friendship. Lisbeth is curious, loyal, and determined to do the right thing no matter what.

Fans of fantasy will enjoy Ice Wolves even though the plot is not fast-paced. Even though the characters are not unique, the story of friendship and family will entertain strong readers. The conclusion contains a surprise, a battle, and a cliffhanger that sets up the second book in the series—Scorch Dragons. Readers will love how Anders learns that bravery is “doing what you must” even when you are afraid. Readers interested in Ice Wolves will also want to read the Simon Thorn series, which also has shape-shifting characters, but has much more action.

Sexual Content

  • While telling Anders about a female professor, a girl says that the professor has a wife.
  • Lisbeth’s father “was a mercher from Baseyda who was back on a ship before I was born. I’m not sure he even knows I exist.”

Violence

  • During a celebration, a dragon appears in Holbard. The dragon “had breathed fire as it circled above the city, then vanished into the darkness. An hour later, a set of stables in the north of the city was ablaze with the ferocious, white-and-gold dragonfire that was almost impossible to put out. . .” No one was injured.
  • When Rayna turns into a dragon, the Wolf Guard attacks her. An ice wolf “reared onto its hind legs, then crashed back down to earth. As its front paws hit the cobblestone, two long spears of ice burst from the ground, sharp and jagged, flying straight at the dragon’s gleaming side. They were like huge, deadly icicles with razor-sharp points. . . When they struck Rayna, her scales instantly turned gray with cold. She screamed, spreading her wings, and more wolves brought down their front paws on the ground, launching ice spears at her. . .” When Anders tries to help her, he grabs the staff and turns into a wolf.
  • Rayna again turns into a dragon and “when she thrashed her tail, a shop front flew to pieces like a house of cards.” Ice wolves run towards Rayna, while “everyone else in the street was turning to run now.” When the wolves attack Rayna, two other dragons appear and lead her out of the city. The scene takes place over three pages.
  • The wolves believe that the dragons take children and “sacrifice them on the day of the equinox.”
  • A fire begins in the city and the Wolf Guard helps put out the fire. “With a great hissing the spears immediately began to melt, sending up steam, creating billows of white smoke against the night sky as golden sparks rained down on the cobblestone of the square. . . Many people have to escape through windows and some of the street children are trapped on a roof. A scream came from above as the flames licked higher, clouds of smoke enveloping the children.” Anders helps the children and everyone escapes unharmed. The fire scene takes place over three pages.
  • When Lisbeth and Anders go to the dragons’ city, the wolves follow them and attack. “Those dragons in human form were fighting however they could, swinging chairs, a few brandishing knives—they had overturned the huge table, which must have been the crash he heard, and some were fighting from behind it. The wolves were fighting with teeth and ice spears, his classmates acting with trained precision.” Several dragons and wolves are injured. Ander’s friend pauses, and “it was all the chance the human he was fighting needed—she swung the pastry pole hard at him, connecting with his head and shoulders and sending him flying backward.” Ander’s sister is hit with an ice spear that “caught her shoulder, knocking her back into the crowd, and she hit the ground.” The wolves eventually retreat. No one is seriously injured. The battle scene takes place over ten pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • One of the characters explains how elementals change. “Essence is the magic that’s found all around us. In nature, in the earth itself. When we transform from human to wolf, we channel it instinctively so we can make the change. Wherever they’re from in the wolf, elementals always have gifts linked to nature, because nature is where we find the essence that gives us our power.”
  • When elementals touch the Staff of Hadda, they turn into wolves or dragons. When Rayna touched the staff, “Rayna rolled onto her back, arms out flung. Her face darkened to a deep, unnatural burgundy, then shifted to shades of bright crimson, as if all her skin was bleeding at once. . . her arms and legs seemed to stretch impossibly long, and the arms of her coat stretched and slit. . . The fabric shredded and vanished in seconds as Rayna’s body grew, doubling in size, then tripling, her neck lengthening, her mouth open in a hoarse, unending scream.” Rayna turns into a fifteen-foot-long dragon and flies away.
  • The first time Anders transforms into a wolf, his clothes are shredded. The Ice Wolves use an amulet that keep makes the clothes transform with them. The amulet “helps your shirt stay where it belongs when you change. Helps you control when you change at all.”
  • In the past, dragons and wolves crafted magical objects with runes. Many of the objects are magical and the “runes are what channeled the essence—the power that came from nature, from the earth itself—into artifacts.” For example, “high above the entrance to the port were the huge, metal arches of the wind guards, the biggest artifacts in all of Vallen. . . The arches were marked with runes forged all along their length—the runes were the sign of an artifact—and were big enough for even the largest ship to pass under it.” The arches keep out the wind, making the harbor always peaceful.
  • While picking pockets, Anders almost “reached for a thiefcatcher. If he’d laid his hands on the zips to open her pockets, the charms would have started blaring a quick, high alarm, turning every face in the square toward him.”
  • One of the wolves has a mirror that “allows two-way communication.”
  • Anders discovers that he can create icefire—blue-and-silver fire. When he uses the fire, “the white fire and the ice spear both vanished into nothing as they connected with his blue-and-silver flames.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Stealing the Sword

Chase and Ava buy an old suitcase at a flea market. Even though the lady who sold it to them said that it was broken and would not open, Chase and Ava want it. Soon, they discover that they can open the suitcase and it is filled with strange objects. One of the objects looks like a dragon-headed doorknob. When the object jumps out of the suitcase, Chase grabs it. Suddenly Chase and Ava jump back in time and end up in King Arthur’s castle.

Chase and Ava overhear two knights plotting King Arthur’s death. They have to find a way to help King Arthur. As they sneak around the castle, they meet the king’s wizard Merlin. Merlin tells them the dragon-headed object is really a piece of Excalibur. Chase and Ava have to figure out how to fix the king’s sword and get it back to him. But a man with two different colored eyes wants the dragon-head object for himself. How can they help King Arthur? Will they ever make it back home?

Siblings Chase and Ava not only enjoy spending time together, but they also work together to help King Arthur. Although the two easily find the clues they need to solve the mystery, younger readers will appreciate the non-scary suspense and the glimpse of King Arthur’s time period. Even though Chase and Ava go back in time, the story focuses on the two sibling’s dilemma and has few historical facts. Even though the story contains few historical facts, Stealing the Sword combines non-stop action, mystery, and a little bit of history to create a story that independent readers will enjoy.

Stealing the Sword is part of Scholastic’s Branches early chapter books, which have easy-to-read text and illustrations on every page. The story uses short descriptions and dialogue to keep the story moving at a fast pace. The black and white illustrations appear on every page and help break up the text into manageable sections. The villain Randall, who has two colored eyes, pops in and out of the story which keeps the suspense high. Stealing the Sword introduces several characters that reappear in later books, which requires the Time Jumpers series to be read in order. Stealing the Sword focuses on a positive sibling relationship and will entertain readers who are ready for chapter books.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Someone plots King Arthur’s death and hires Big Bob to kill him during a tournament. King Arthur and Big Bob fight, and when Big Bob swings his sword, “Arthur raises his shield to protect himself.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • When Chase opens a suitcase and touches one of the objects, “the ground begins to rumble and shake. . . Ava clings to her brother as they begin to spin. . . Faster and faster they spin! Images blur in front of their eyes—mountains, oceans, cities, faces!” When they stop spinning, they discover they went back in time. When they return home, they discover that “even though they were at the castle all day, it’s still late afternoon here.”
  • Because the suitcase will only open for Chase and Ava, Chase compares to it King Author’s sword. Chase “loves the story of how King Arthur got his sword. Excalibur’s blade was stuck in a rock and no one could pull it out until King Arthur came.”
  • A man chases Chase and Ava, trying to steal an object. Merlin throws his hands into the sky, “a loud thunderclap fills the air, followed by a plume of smoke.” When the crowd begins to run, Chase and Ava are able to escape.
  • Merlin tries to fix Excalibur, but cannot. When Chase and Ava work together, they are able to fix the sword. “Chase brings the end of the blade down onto the hilt. . . They hold their breath as the hilt and the blade knit together, strands of steel twisting and bending into one. For an instant the whole sword glows red, then hardens. Excalibur is whole again.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare

Princess Magnolia is excited. Excited and nervous. She’s going to the Interkingdom Science Fair today to present her poster about seeds and plants. Even better, when she arrives, she sees that her friends are there too! Princess Honeysuckle made a mole habitat, Princess Sneezewort has built a blanket fort, and Tommy Wigtower has a talking volcano that’s saying “EAAAAT!” Wait, what?

Instead of a volcano that spews lava, Tommy’s volcano has a goo monster living inside. But every time the goo monster tries to eat or find a new home, the goo monster gets yelled out. The goo monster needs a new home and the Princess in Black is willing to help. Will the Princess in Black be able to defeat the goo monster?

Although the science fair is the scene of the story, the story only has a smattering of science. In one part, in order to carry the goo monster, the princesses must figure out how to distribute the weight. The science portion introduces some basic concepts but does not go into confusing detail. This story also highlights the importance of working together.

Readers will love the princesses who are prim and proper when they need to be, but they are also a little bit awkward. Even though the Goat Avenger only makes a small appearance, he adds humor to the story. The Goat Avenger loves to “wage battle.” When the Goat Avenger “wages battle,” he uses a duster to tickle a monster back to his home.

The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare is an excellent book for beginning readers. Colorful illustrations appear on almost every page to help readers visualize the story’s actions. The chapters are short with easy-to-understand language. Each page has eight or fewer sentences that appear in large font. The monster of the story is more humorous than scary. Even though The Princess in Black and the Science Fair Scare is the sixth installment of the series, readers do not have to read the previous books to understand and appreciate the story.

The easy text and the detailed illustrations will make younger readers want to read the story over and over. The illustrations are sometimes funny, but they always do an excellent job of capturing the character’s emotions. If you’re looking for a high-energy, enjoyable book with strong female characters, then The Princess in Black series should be added to your reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • The hungry goo monster eats Princess Mongolia’s poster. Then “the goo monster and the Princess in Black waged battle. Volcano Rumble. Bucket Bash! Twinkle Twinkle Little Smash.”
  • The goo monster jumps into a mole habitat, but “the moles and the goo monster couldn’t all fit in there. The moles felt jammed. The moles felt crammed. The moles bit the goo monster. It yelped. It leaped out of the mole habitat.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Tommy accidentally makes a goo monster. The goo monster hides in Tommy’s volcano.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Dream Within a Dream

While her parents are off bird-watching, Louisa and her brother spend time with their grandparents, Jake and Boots. Louisa isn’t looking forward to spending the summer with her grandparents. Louisa dreams of traveling with her globe-trotting parents, whereas her brother would like to find a way to stay on Deer Island forever.

While staying with her grandparents, Louisa worries about her grandfather Jake, whose eyesight is failing. Jake has always driven Boots around, and he loves his car. And Jake’s worsening eyesight isn’t the only that that is changing. This year, twelve-year-old Louisa’s summer takes an unexpected turn when she is introduced to George. Can Louisa find a way to embrace the changes that come with growing up?

George pushes Louisa to move out of her comfort zone, allowing her to see herself in a new light and finally realize that she is beautiful. Louisa and George are friends from the start and soon must navigate growing feelings for each other. George and Louisa go on a “date,” they kiss, and they decide they are in love with each other within a short period of time. The romance is sweet, and the author hints that George and Louisa’s love will last a lifetime.

Most of the story is told through the character’s dialogue, which takes place in short phrases. The majority of the paragraphs are one to two sentences. The dialogue, short paragraphs, and simple vocabulary make the story easy to read. However, Dream Within a Dream will appeal to adults more than children because it revolves around relationships and contains little action. The story portrays healthy, long-term relationships and shows the importance of helping each other.

Louisa is a very likable character who is kind to others. With George’s help, Louisa interviews people in their community and writes poetry about each person she meets. Since the story is so short, readers may have a difficult time keeping track of the many characters. Dream Within a Dream shows the importance of embracing change. Even though Dream Within a Dream has many positive aspects, only readers who enjoy realistic fiction that focuses on relationships should pick up the book. Readers who are eager for action, adventure, or fantasy will find the story difficult to enjoy.

Sexual Content

  • Louisa’s grandfather comes into the room and, “he puts his arms around [his wife] and kisses her for a long, long time. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen such a long kiss.”
  • George says that his parents kiss often. Louisa says her parents “don’t kiss in front of us.” Louisa’s brother jumps into the conversation and says, “My friend Joey says my parents have kissed two times—once for Louisa and once for me.”
  • Louisa’s brother sees George’s parents and says, “They’re kissing now.”
  • Louisa is swimming when she gets a cramp in her leg. George jumps in the water to help her. “And then George kisses me. . . Our bodies are as close as friends can be. And to make him feel better, I kiss him back. And we begin to laugh, our lips together, like Jake and Boots laughing when they kiss.”
  • Louisa’s grandmother tells her, “Jake and I were in the sixth grade when we kissed each other for the first time.”
  • During a storm, Louisa kisses George “too fast for Boots and Jake to see.”

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

The Best Bat

Little Rhino is so excited for his team, the Mustangs, to play their first baseball game. They’ve been having some good practices. The team is starting to come together. Grandpa James even bought Little Rhino a new bat to use.

In the last practice, Little Rhino’s bat goes missing. He’s convinced that Dylan, the bully on his team, is the one who took it. But Little Rhino learns quickly that he can’t blame someone without any proof. Will Little Rhino find out who took his bat before the first game?

The second book in the Little Rhino series, The Best Bat focuses more on baseball and has more play-by-play descriptions of the game. The Best Bat has all of the same characters as the first book. Even though the characters are the same, they are still not well-developed. Rhino’s grandfather continues to play a prominent role and guides Rhino through life. Rhino’s grandfather knows that baseball is important, but he makes sure Rhino knows that school always comes first. Throughout the story, Rhino’s grandfather reinforces the importance of taking responsibility for your belongings and your words.

Even though Rhino’s coach talks about the importance of teammates encouraging each other, Rhino and his team do not work as a team. Rhino comes across as overconfident and acts as if his team cannot win without him. When Rhino loses his bat, he is convinced that the team bully stole it. The person who took Rhino’s bat leaves clues, but clues are confusing and the story never explains why the clues were important. The ending has a surprise that teaches Rhino the importance of forgiving others.

Younger readers who enjoy sports will enjoy The Best Bat. However, readers who are just transitioning into chapter books may have difficulty reading My New Team because of the text-heavy pages. Although black-and-white pictures appear approximately every three pages, the pictures are similar to those found in a coloring book and do not have much appeal. Readers who enjoy Little Rhino will also want to read the Ball Park Mysteries series.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

The Magic Mirror

The Enchanted Kingdom is in a heatwave until the Ice Princess uses her magic mirror to make winter come—no wonder Kara and Zed are too hot. But the magic mirror is broken! And no one else wants to help the princess. Can Kara and Zed find out how to fix the mirror and bring back winter? Or will it be summer forever?

Kara, the shoemaker’s daughter, loves books and adventure. When she reads Princess Aspen’s letter, Kara is ready to jump to the rescue. Her best friend, Zed, is reluctant to travel to the Ice Princess’s castle, but his love of food gets the best of him. In the hopes of getting ice cream, Zed takes the journey with Kara. Although Zed goes along for the trip, Kara is definitely the lead character who comes up with all of the plans to save the day. Despite that Zed’s main focus is food, he is a kind friend who adds humor to the story.

Younger readers will enjoy the mischievous monkey, the hardworking winter troll, and the ice palace. Princess Aspen is stereotypically cold and mean until the very end of the story. In the end, both princesses apologize and make peace with each other. The story focuses on relatable conflicts that highlight the importance of sharing and forgiveness.

The Magic Mirror is part of Scholastic’s Branches early chapter books, which have easy-to-read text and illustrations on every page. The story uses short descriptions and dialogue to keep the story moving at a fast pace. Black and white illustrations appear on every page and help break up the text into manageable sections. The engaging pictures will help readers follow the plot. In order to help readers understand a character’s thought process, numerous pictures contain a thought bubble with an illustration above the character’s head.

As Kara and Zed rush to solve the mystery of the broken mirror, they take the reader on a fun adventure where frozen fish slush is served for dinner, guards can be frozen into statues, and a crow can solve a mystery. The fast-paced story includes a page of comprehension and critical thinking questions. Readers who are transitioning to chapter books will enjoy the fun adventure. Readers who enjoy The Magic Mirror may also want to try the Tales of Sasha Series by Alexa Pearl.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Princess Aspen’s magical mirror broke, and “she can’t make it snow without her mirror.” Princess Aspen says she tried to fix it, “But one piece of glass is missing. Without it, I can’t use the mirror to call the cold and snow to the Enchanted Kingdom.”
  • Princess Aspen thinks her sister broke the mirror because “This room is protected with a magic spell. Only Sola is powerful enough to get inside.”
  • Princess Sola uses her magic mirror to fix Princess Aspen’s broken mirror. “As Kara watched, the gold mirror grew bright and brighter, and then — flash! — a golden beam of golden light shot out. It hit the silver mirror, and the broken glass started to glow.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Major Monster Mess

Welcome to Kersville, a town with a spooky history and a collection of ghosts and spirits who are major mischief-makers. Most kids spend their days without ever seeing or dealing with a ghost, but some kids get stuck with a haunt. When that happens, they call Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol. There’s no job too spooky, icky, or risky for Desmond.

Andres Miedoso is not like that at all. He is Desmond’s best friend and ghost patrol partner. Desmond Cole loves the cafeteria food, but Andres always brings his lunch. Unlike most schools, the lunch at Kersville Elementary is great. Desmond always has a plate heaping with food. When a cafeteria worker smells Andres’ lunch, strange things begin happening. Andres soon wonders if a monster is after his lunch.

In the sixth installment of the Desmond Cole Series, Andres takes center stage as he tries to find out why he comes home smelling like a monster. Another conflict is introduced when a shadow keeps trying to take Andres’s lunch, which is made up of traditional Hispanic foods. Major Monster Mess has a lot of aspects that will have younger readers turning the pages. Besides featuring a ghost that lives in Andres’s basement, there is also the threat of monsters, as well as the mystery of the shadow. As usual, Desmond and Andres discover that there is little to fear when it comes to monsters. Even though they may have scary appearances, they have good intentions—to cook the students of Kersville a delicious lunch.

The Major Monster Mess has a unique and humorous plot that has mystery and a satisfying, unexpected conclusion. The story contains just enough gross factor and scary monsters to keep readers turning the pages. Even though The Monster Mess is the third book in the Desmond Cole series, readers do not have to read the previous book. The story is told in ten short chapters with easy-to-read vocabulary; perfect for emerging readers. A black-and-white illustration appears on almost every page. The often humorous illustrations use exaggerated facial expressions so readers can tell what the characters are feeling. Readers will laugh as Desmond and Andres find themselves in unexpected situations. Readers who enjoy The Scary Library Shusher should also try the Notebook of Doom series by Troy Cummings.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • On the way to school, a black shadow tries to take Andres’ lunch. “A black shadow streaked across the ground and flew right behind me! Then something grabbed my backpack and wouldn’t let go! The shadow was trying to pull me off my bike.” Andres pedals into a brier bush and the shadow “yowled and let go.”
  • While in the cafeteria, a black shadow tries to take Andres lunch. “. . . There was no way I was going to let some monster tear it away from me. So I fought back. The next thing I knew, we were in a tug-of-war. . .Before I knew it, he had pulled me into the air. We zoomed around the lunchroom while the monsters kept eating their food, splattering glop all over the place.” Desmond tries to help Andres and they both end up in a pile of goop. “It was filled with apple cores, pencil shavings, and toenail clippings.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Zax is a ghost that lives in Andres’s basement.

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Escape to the Mesa

Stacy and her wolf family know it’s important to protect each other and the animals of the taiga. After a fire rages through the forest, Stacy and the wolves try to avoid humans at all costs. But when a reporter takes a picture of one of the wolves, animal researchers begin searching for intelligent wolves that raised Stacy. Stacy and her pack know they must leave the forest and escape to a place where no arctic wolf has ever gone before: the desert.

The mesa is unlike anything the wolves have ever seen. With no source of freshwater, the group knows they must find a place to hide. Even though they are in unfamiliar territory, the group still finds animals in need of rescue. When the wolves find themselves in new situations, Stacy discovers that the wolves have hidden abilities. As Stacy tries to help keep her pack safe, she must enter the human world, which makes her wonder—where does she belong?

Stacy is a relatable character who loves her wolf family and the wilderness. Stacy and the wolves learn about the mesa, including what plants are safe to eat as well as some of the dangers that lurk in the desert. Although the plot is similar to the first book, the new setting helps keep the story interesting. Stacy tries to avoid humans, but she has several encounters with people that show them in a positive light.

Like the first book of the series, Escape to the Mesa has non-stop action, danger, and a unique plotline that will keep readers turning pages until the very end. Parents and teachers will appreciate Escape to the Mesa because of the educational value. Not only does the story highlight the need to care for nature, but it also helps readers gain new vocabulary skills. The book contains some difficult vocabulary such as cacophony, cladode, hoodoo, and podzol; however, these words appear in the glossary at the back of the book. Another positive aspect of the story is the black-and-white pictures that are scattered throughout the book.

Escape to the Mesa’s conclusion has a hopeful tone that highlights the importance of preserving nature. Because the story is the second book in the series, readers should read Guardians of the Taiga first because there are several characters and plot points that are introduced in book one. The book ends with a selection of other reading material—the inspiration for one of the characters and an interview with an animal expert.

Escape to the Mesa will appeal to a wide range of readers including those who love animals, daring characters, and action. Readers who enjoy this series should add the Simon Thorn Series to their list of must-read books.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When a wolf is trying to help a porcupine, the porcupine shoots quills at it. “The wolf turned toward her [Stacy] with a face full of quills and whined softly, crouched down in the long grass.
  • Stacy finds a crashed helicopter that had “a few white bones among the ashes, and Stacy felt sick at the sight. Humans had died here.”
  • A researcher shoots a wolf with a tranquilizer dart.
  • Stacy and the wolves are swept away by a flash flood. “Stacy tumbled over and over, losing track of which direction was the surface. Her arm scraped stingingly along the side of the canyon. Stacy’s chest felt like it was burning. She needed to breathe, soon.” Everyone survives.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Stacy and the wolves are able to communicate, and the wolves can perform some human-like tasks.
  • A dog can communicate with bats through echolocation and is also able to understand Stacy’s words.
  • Some of the wolves have supernatural abilities. Basil has “superwolf speed” and can run “incredibly, unnaturally fast.” Noah can breathe underwater and Addison can read.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Seasick Sea Horse

Shelly always has to share everything. At home, she shares with her sister. At school, she shares with her best friends, but sometimes she just does not want to share. When Ms. Harbor shows the class the new class pet, a sea horse, the students are excited to take care of it. When Shelly is chosen to take the sea horse home, she is excited that the pet will be her responsibility. But Shelly’s two friends also want to help take care of the sea horse. Shelly tells her friends that they can’t help, but taking care of a sea horse is harder than Shelly thought it would be. Will Shelly’s friends be angry with her? Can she take care of the class pet without any help?

A fun and entertaining story, Seasick Sea Horse focuses on the importance of taking care of the ocean and the creatures that make the ocean their home. Ms. Harbor tells the class, “It is important for purrmaids to learn how to treat the creatures we encounter in our ocean.” Throughout the story, the reader will learn several interesting facts about sea creatures as well as the importance of picking up trash so it does not end up hurting sea life. When the purrmaids need more information about sea horses, they go to the library and check out books so they can research sea horses.

Seasick Sea Horse also reinforces the idea that something does not always need to be done the same way. For example, when Shelly’s friend cuts salad ingredients differently than Shelly, the salad still tastes good. Shelly needs to learn that “you can be in charge and let other purrmaids help you.” The story highlights that purrmaids often need help in order to get everything done.

Seasick Sea Horse is perfect for readers who are able to read chapter books. The story has easy vocabulary, short sentences, and cute black-and-white illustrations approximately every three pages. Younger readers will enjoy the cat puns and sea similes that are incorporated into the story, like “fin-tastic,” “cat-tastrophe,” and “big as an orca.” Even though Seasick Sea Horse is part of a series, the stories do not have to be read in order. The Purrmaid series takes readers on an underwater swim that teaches valuable lessons as well as entertains.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Catfish Club

Coral, Shelly, and Angel love to do everything together. They are excited to be in the same class. When their teacher assigns an art project, the girls know they will be partners. When they go to an art museum, they get in an argument with three other girls—the members of the Catfish Club. Coral, Shelly, and Angel, and the Catfish Club both think they can create a purr-fect project that their teacher will love.

Angel lets anger get the best of her and makes a bet. If the teacher likes her group’s project the best, the Catfish Club has to give her their purple pearl necklaces, and if the teacher likes the Catfish Club’s project best, Angel has to give them her purple pearl earrings. Angel is afraid that she will lose the earrings that were a special present. Will Angel and her friends be able to find a way out of this mess?

The Catfish Club uses a relatable conflict—mean girls and wanting to be first—in a story that will captivate younger readers. Angel, who cares about fashion, also gets angry easily. Angel loves her friends and thinks they are “fin-tastic friends.” However, her group of friends doesn’t get along with the Catfish Club, a group of three friends. At one point, Angel thinks, “I wish I hadn’t lost my temper and made that bet.” As the story progresses, the reader will learn about the importance of working together and the dangers of anger.

Readers will also learn about art. The story teaches that art can be found in unlikely places. The author takes some famous artists and changes their names to fit the purrmaid world. For example, the teacher talks about Pablo Picatso, and Vincent Fang Gogh. The story shows that when it comes to art, it’s important to try new things. Ms. Harbor explains, “The artist didn’t worry about what others told them to do. They didn’t follow the rules. They followed their hearts!”

The Catfish Club uses relatable conflicts to teach about the importance of being kind and working together. The story shows that purrmaids do not have to have the same qualities in order to be friends. Besides the relatable conflicts, younger readers will also enjoy the cat puns and sea similes that are incorporated into the story. For example, purr-ty, cat-tastrophe, and big as a blue whale. The puns are a little bit over the top, and although younger readers may enjoy them, parents might want to avoid reading The Catfish Club aloud.

The Catfish Club is perfect for readers who are able to read chapter books. The story has easy vocabulary, short sentences, and cute black-and-white illustrations approximately every three pages. The Catfish Club is part of a series, but the stories do not need to be read in order even though the story has some of the same characters and a similar conclusion to the previous books. Readers who like the Pet Fairies series will also find the Purrmaid series purr-fect. The Catfish Club uses adorable purrmaids to teach younger readers that, “If we work together, I know we can create a masterpiece.”

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Guardians of the Taiga

Stacy doesn’t remember her human family. She has been raised by wolves who taught her how to survive in the wild. Stacy and her wolf family rely on each other for all their needs. The powerful, playful wolves—Addison, Basil, Everest, Noah, Tucker, and Wink—are the only family Stacy has ever needed.

As much as possible, Stacy and her pack avoid humans and try to keep the other forest animals safe. Full of courage, Stacy and the wolves are able to accomplish risky rescue missions. But Stacy soon finds that humans pose a risk to their home. Developers want to change the landscape, destroying the animal’s habitat and forcing them to leave the forest. Powerful businessmen are determined to make their resort a reality. How can Stacy and her pack face the dangers that threaten them?

Stacy takes precarious risks to care for animals in need. From the first page, readers see Stacy jumping into danger and relying on her wolf family to protect her. The Guardians of the Taiga’s non-stop action will have readers eager to turn each page. The story is not only entertaining, but it also teaches about animals, the dangers that humans pose to wildlife, and how developers can encroach on animal’s habitats. The story never feels like a lecture or a textbook, but instead teaches lessons through the characters’ experiences. For example, Stacy talks about an electric company that destroyed the beauty of nature when they “leveled a great swath of the forest for the electrical substation, and then shot at the wild creatures for trespassing on ‘their land.’ And the worst part was they acted entitled—as if the forest belonged to them more than it did to the wolves and the deer and the rabbits and even the bats.”

Even though Stacy is a unique character, readers will relate to her daring attitude, her concern for her wolf family, and her awkwardness around humans. Each wolf has a distinct personality, and although they do not talk, the reader is still able to connect with the animals. Even though Stacy is being raised by wolves, the wolves make sure Stacy has an education. For example, Stacy reads books such as Physics for Dummies, and at one point, Stacy uses physics in order to save a dog’s life. The physics is described in kid-friendly terms.

Readers will love the story because of the non-stop action, the danger, and the unique plot. Parents and teachers will appreciate Guardians of the Taiga because of the educational value. Not only does the story highlight the need to care for nature, but it also helps readers gain new vocabulary skills. The book contains some difficult vocabulary such as pelage, crepuscular, biomes, and satiated; however, many of these words appear in the glossary in the back of the book. Another positive aspect of the story is the black and white pictures that are scattered throughout the book.

The only negative aspect of the story is the abrupt conclusion that leaves many unanswered questions. Instead of wrapping up the story, the author sets up the sequel—Escape to the Mesa. The book ends with a selection of other reading material—an author interview, the inspiration for one of the characters, and an interview with a wolf researcher. Guardians of the Taiga will appeal to a wide range of readers including those who love animals, daring characters, and action. Readers who enjoy this series should add the Simon Thorn series to their list of must-read books.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • During a fire, a tree “cracked in two and toppled over, flames licking at its branches. It fell right in the middle of the wild pack, crushing several of its members. Stacy screamed, unsure of how many wolves had just been killed right in front of her.” Stacy tries to convince the wolves to follow her but Dusty, who was the alpha, wouldn’t move. Dusty “was illuminated by the flames, and Stacy could see a large patch of dark red on the wolf’s hindquarters. . . blood. Dusty wasn’t placing any weight on her back left leg. She’d been shot!” Stacy couldn’t help Dusty and eventually “the flames enveloped what was left of the den and consumed Dusty.”
  • Lightning strikes a wolf. “The wolf had a jagged, bloody strike down the left side of her body. . . Basil was stunned but alive.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Stacy wonders, “why are there so many dang bats here?”

Supernatural

  • Stacy and the wolves are able to communicate, and the wolves can perform some human-like tasks.
  • A dog can communicate with bats through echolocation and is also able to understand Stacy’s words.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Kitty the Tiger Fairy

Rachel and Kirsty are spending a week of their summer vacation volunteering at the Wild Woods Nature Reserve. While the girls want to help others, Jack Frost is up to no good. He has stolen the Baby Animal Rescue Fairies’ magic key chains and is planning on kidnapping baby animals for his icy zoo.

The girls have to help the fairies keep the zoo animals safe. When Jack Frost’s goblins try to capture Sheba the tiger cub, Rachel and Kirsty have to keep the tiger cub safe. Can they keep Sheba safe or will the cute tiger cub end up in Jack Frost’s zoo?

The Baby Animal Rescue Fairies follows the same format as the Pet Fairies series. Both series combine fairies, animals, and Jack Frost’s goblins to create an entertaining story that younger readers will enjoy. While the goblins spend most of their time running away from the tiger cub, younger readers will enjoy guessing what the goblins will do next. The story highlights the importance of volunteering and taking care of the environment.

Rachel and Kirsty are likable characters who use their time to help others. The characters are not well developed and the plot structure is repetitive of the previous books. Despite the predictable plot, readers of The Baby Animal Rescue Fairies will enjoy seeing Rachel and Kirsty defeat Jack Frost’s goblins. Black-and-white illustrations help readers visualize the plot while illustrations of the animals’ lives add to the story’s cuteness.

This book has easy vocabulary and short sentences, which make it perfect for readers just transitioning to chapter books. Younger readers will be able to read The Baby Animal Rescue Fairies without assistance, and the stories will help them build confidence and a joy for reading. There are seven books in The Baby Animal Rescue Fairies series in addition to a Sports Fairies series, the Fairy Tale Fairies series, and Special Editions.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Jack Frost uses a magic ice bolt to steal the Baby Animal Rescue Fairies’ charms—“the tiny furry animal key chains that helped them care for the wildlife. Jack Frost then gave the key chains to his goblins, and ordered them to hurry away to the human world and bring him some animals for his zoo.”
  • The fairies use their magic and “granted Rachel and Kirsty the power to talk to animals.”
  • A fairy shakes her wand, “conjuring up a cloud of glittering fairy dust. The girls were whisked gently away and, in the blink of an eye, Rachel and Kirsty found themselves thousands of miles from the nature reserve.”
  • With a flick of her wand, a fairy “scattered magic sparkles around the girls, turning them both into fairies.”
  • Rachel and Kirsty use fairy dust to go to the fairy world.
  • A fairy puts fairy dust on a log. “The log immediately rose up out of the water, floated through the air, and came to a rest on the bank of the stream.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

A Photo Journal Mission

Cyrus’s English teacher has given the class a photo journal assignment. Cyrus isn’t sure what to put in his journaling notebook. He and his friends head to the library and talk to the librarian Ms. Gillian. In order to help Cyrus figure out what to put in his notebook, Ms. Gillian takes him and his classmates into the past to meet two historical figures that used different methods of creating notebooks that documented their area of study. When Cyrus returns to school, he uses what he learned to begin his own notebook.

A Photo Journal Mission, which is a graphic novel, features Cyrus who isn’t afraid to ask for help on a difficult assignment. The diverse cast of characters jump back into time and meet John Audubon who wrote about birds. Audubon explains how he studied nature and wrote about it in a scientific journal. Audubon explains the importance of pairing illustrations with observations. After speaking with Audubon, the group meets an English botanist Anna Atkins, who was the first person to use photographs in a book. Atkins shows how she used photosensitive paper to create her images.

The story has a lot of positive aspects—it teaches vocabulary, introduces historical figures, and has wonderful illustrations. Each page contains six or fewer easy-to-read sentences, and the plot moves at a fast pace. For those who want to learn more about keeping a research journal, the book includes a list of further resources. The full-color drawings are interesting, detailed, and have both white text bubbles that show characters’ dialogue as well as black boxes for the narration. Words that readers may be unfamiliar with are in bold text, with a glossary in the back of the book. The back of the book also contains directions for making a photo journal.

Because the story is so short and the characters and the plot are not well developed, more advanced readers will quickly become bored with the Adventures in Makerspace series. However, for readers who are just transitioning to chapter books or are reluctant readers, A Photo Journal Mission will give them a simple, entertaining story that will help them build reading skills.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • When the librarian opens a book of Birds of America, the librarian and the students poof and enter the past.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Focused

Clea can’t control her thoughts. Some days, her thoughts repeat in an endless loop. Other days, her mind jumps from topic to topic. Either way, she can’t focus on her homework. Even when she tries to focus really, really hard, she still gets distracted. Someone is always chewing their gum too loudly or making annoying noises.

But that’s not her only problem. Everything that Clea thinks pops out of her mouth. She can’t seem to keep the words from jumping out. Clea’s issues are starting to cause problems in other areas of her life—when she’s playing chess, or when she’s hanging out with her best friend. What’s worse is that other kids are starting to notice.

When Clea keeps doing poorly in school, her parents want to have her tested for ADHD. Clea is convinced that she doesn’t have ADHD. If she tried a little harder, everything would be fine. Then, when Clea has an epic fight with her best friend, she knows that something has to change. But how do you change something that is in your head?

Anyone who has struggled in school will be able to relate to Clea. Even when Clea tries her best, she still can’t focus. She constantly berates herself, thinking that she’s just too dumb to do well. Told from Clea’s point of view, Focused allows Clea’s frustration to take center stage. With the assistance of a cast of helpful adults—psychologists, teachers, parents, counselors—Clea gains new time management skills and learns how to speak up for herself.

Even though the story focuses on Clea’s difficulties, the reader will be drawn into the conflict between Clea and other characters in the story. Clea’s best friend is dealing with family problems while one of the chess players constantly puts Clea down. The story also adds a little romance, a little chess, and a host of imperfect characters. Clea’s sister Henley is one of the best parts of the story. The sweet little sister who struggles with talking is always cheering for Clea. Clea realizes that having a person love you unconditionally is amazing. She thinks, “It feels like magic that there’s a person in the world who thinks I’m definitely going to win, no matter what, just because I’m me.”

This easy-to-read story explains how ADHD works and teaches management skills as well. Best of all, it shows that having a learning disability is nothing to be ashamed about. Anyone who reads Focused will come away with a better understanding of ADHD plus empathy for those who struggle with their emotions. The story also highlights the importance of perseverance and forgiveness. Anyone who has ever struggled with feeling inferior or has struggled with school work should read Focused. The story will encourage young readers to ask for help when needed as well as never to give up.

Sexual Content

  • Red’s father moved to Colorado and has a new girlfriend. Red finds out that his dad married his girlfriend and that she is going to have a baby.
  • While talking to Dylan, Clea slips her hand into his, and “he wraps his fingers around mine and squeezes, like he doesn’t want to let go. My stomach flips.”
  • After Dylan asks Clea to be his girlfriend, they kiss. Clea smiles at him, and then “before I know it, his lips are on mine and we’re kissing. It’s soft and sweet and mint chocolate flavored, and I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do with my hands, so I leave them exactly where they are, because I never want the kissing to stop. I want to stay like this forever.”
  • Clea and her friend talk about kissing a boy. It was both of the girl’s first kiss. When Clea’s friend worries that she was bad at kissing, Clea googles “Am I bad at kissing?” Clea then asks her friend, “Okay—did you bump teeth? Or move your head all over the place? Or slobber?” When Clea’s friend says no, the girls laugh and decide they are good at kissing. The conversation takes place over a page.

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Clea thinks she is “an idiot.”
  • Jerk is used four times. Once Clea thinks a boy is a “jerk.” Later she tells the boy that he was acting like “a jerk.”
  • OMG is used six times.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

The Scary Library Shusher

Welcome to Kersville, a town with a spooky history and a collection of ghosts and spirits who are major mischief-makers. Most kids spend their days without ever seeing or dealing with a ghost, but some kids get stuck with a haunt. When that happens, they call Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol. There’s no job too spooky, icky, or risky for Desmond.

Andres Miedoso is not like that at all. He’s Desmond’s best friend and ghost patrol partner. When our teacher gives us a research project, we’re excited to research the library. There should be nothing scary about the library, right? But once we begin our research, there’s a ghostly mystery woman who is causing all sorts of mischief. Can Desmond and Andres figure out what the ghostly woman is up to?

Desmond Cole and Andres are fun characters who are complete opposites. Desmond wants to chase after the zombie, while Andes wants to run in the other direction. Although the library isn’t the most exciting scene for a story, the flying books and spooky woman will demand the reader’s attention. Desmond and Andres learn that the book-loving ghost has a unique problem; one that the two kids help solve. The story has a humorous, unexpected conclusion that will leave readers smiling.

Although The Scary Library Shusher has a common plotline, it still has enough action, humor, and a non-scary ghost to keep readers interested until the very end. The story is told in ten short chapters with easy-to-read vocabulary which is perfect for emerging readers. A black-and-white illustration appears on almost every page. The often humorous illustrations use exaggerated facial expressions so readers can tell what the characters are feeling. Readers will laugh as Desmond and Andres find themselves in unexpected situations. Night of the Zombie Zookeeper is the fifth installment in the Desmond Cole series, however, none of the books need to be read in order. Readers who enjoy The Scary Library Shusher should also try the Notebook of Doom series by Troy Cummings.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Books float off a shelf “all by themselves. Then they started flapping their covers like wings until, suddenly, the flying books swooped down toward Desmond. My best friend was under attack!”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Desmond and Andes hear a strange shhhhhh sound even though no one is there.
  • Computers start turning on all by themselves and “in the darkness, we could hear typing, and whoever was typing was doing it really fast. . . Plus, they were typing the same thing on every single computer. At the same time! It was just one very long word: Shhhhhh.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

My New Team

Every day when Little Rhino comes home from school, he finishes his homework, grabs his bat and his glove, and runs outside to meet Grandpa James. They always practice catching and hitting in the backyard. Playing baseball with grandfather is Little Rhino’s favorite thing to do, especially when he pretends to be a real Major League home run hitter.

One afternoon, after a long day of second grade, Little Rhino comes home to find out that Grandpa James has signed him up for a baseball league! Little Rhino will finally be a part of a team! But Little Rhino will quickly learn that it is not always so easy to be a good teammate, especially when there’s a bully wearing the same uniform as you.

Even though the characters in My New Team are not well-developed, the story will appeal to younger readers who love sports. The story doesn’t only focus on baseball but also includes a conflict with a bully, as well as the difficulty of being in new situations. Throughout the story, Rhino shows the importance of putting schoolwork before sports as well as the necessity of practice. One positive relationship in Rhino’s life is his grandfather, who plays a prominent role, and has taught Rhino the importance of thinking before he speaks.

My New Team uses realistic situations that younger readers can relate to. When Rhino is faced with a bully, he tries to understand the boy’s actions, and instead of being mean to the bully, Rhino tries to show the boy kindness. Readers who are just transitioning into chapter books may have difficulty reading My New Team because of the text-heavy pages. Although black-and-white pictures appear approximately every three pages, the pictures are similar to those found in a coloring book and do not have much appeal. My New Team uses realistic conflicts to teach important lessons about friendship, perseverance, practice, and the importance of thinking before you act. Readers who enjoy Little Rhino will also want to read the Ball Park Mysteries series.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • A bully calls Rhino a “wimp” twice.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Spark

In Algorria, storm beasts and their guardians create perfect weather every day, bringing prosperity and peace to Algorria. Twelve-year-old Mina has been carefully tending a storm beast egg, and is eager for the egg to hatch. Everyone is surprised when a lightning beast hatches from Mina’s egg. Mina’s family thinks that their quiet, shy daughter should not be paired up with a lightning beast, a creature of fire and chaos.

Unlike her family, Mina is sure that she, her storm beast, and Pixit are perfect for each other. Mina and Pixit are enrolled in lightning school and begin to learn the skills of lightning guardians. Even though Mina has always dreamed of completing daring acts, she struggles at school. She is unable to learn the basic skills and often feels as if she doesn’t fit in anywhere.

When Mina accidentally learns that Alorria’s perfect weather comes at a devastating cost, she discovers that powerful people are willing to do anything to hide the truth. Mina has never been able to speak out, but now without her help people will die. Mina and Pixit both dream of being like storybook heroes that change the world for the better. Is there any way that Mina can find her voice?

Readers will pick up Spark because of the beautiful cover of a storm beast, but they will keep turning the pages until the very end because of the beautiful relationship between Mina and Pixit. Anyone who has been afraid to speak up will relate to Mina, who is happy to let others take over the conversation. Yet within the quiet girl’s heart is the dream of making a positive impact in the world. Mina often struggles with feelings of insecurity, but with Pixit’s help Mina learns that being “different isn’t wrong.” In order to help others, Mina does not need to change herself. Instead, she only needs to use her own unique talents.

This engaging story uses a unique setting to bring modern-day problems to the forefront. As part of Mina’s studies, she is introduced to the idea of isolationism which is explained as follows: “Isolationism—defined as caring only about your own country—had the benefit of limiting the area that the early storm beast and guardians had to protect. Here’s the important bit to understand: all the world’s weather is connected, and more complex than you can comprehend.”

As Mina learns more about her country, she gets a lesson in false propaganda and how the political leaders are willing to suppress the truth because they fear change. However, the message is clear: “you can’t dismiss the facts just because you don’t like where they lead.” Even though Mina is quiet, she finds a way to become a leader. However, becoming a leader was not an easy choice for Mina. Her self-doubt and worry come through because Pixit can hear Mina’s thoughts. The relationship between Mina and her storm beast is so endearing that it will leave readers wishing they had a storm beast of their own.

Not only is Spark an exceptional story, but it also teaches readers that it is possible to change the world for the better. By the end of the story, Mina and Pixit feel like friends who have made a positive impact on you. Spark is an unforgettable story that will resonate with children and leave them wanting to be kinder, better people who do good in the world.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A fight broke out in the school’s dining hall. A student “launched herself across the tables, and dozens of her friends joined her. . . dozens of other students threw themselves into the battle. . . Mina, unable to run, unable to move, stared as students and beasts fought in front of her, over the tables, and up on the metal ladders, chains, and other obstacles.” Pixit joins the fight, and Mina “felt pain shoot through her arm as another beast bit into him.” Some students began throwing potatoes. A teacher breaks up the fight, which lasts for two pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • One of the students tells Min, “Mina, tell him he’s an idiot. He doesn’t believe me when I say it.”

Supernatural

  • Storm beasts and their guardians create perfect weather every day. Wind beasts blow the clouds away, sun beasts produce balmy temperatures, rain beasts water the crops, and so on.
  • When a person is chosen to care for a storm beast’s egg, the person must spend time each day with skin-to-egg contact. When the egg hatches, the person and the storm beast are linked. Mina’s brother “Gaton had told her what it felt like to be linked mind-to-mind to a storm beast: he couldn’t hear all of Arde’s thoughts the way he heard his own, and Arde couldn’t always hear his, but he could always feel Arde’s emotions like a constant hum in the back of his mind. . . And when he wanted to talk to Arde, all he had to do was concentrate on both the words and his beast. It was like shouting. But quietly.”
  • Mina and Pixit can feel each other’s emotions. For example, when Mina and Pixit were about to fly into a storm, Mina “felt Pixit’s nervousness, like bubbles in her veins.”
  • Lightning beasts can store lightning, and the guardians can then discharge the lightning’s energy. During a storm, Mina “rose in her seat, and she reached her arms up, hands high over her head, fingers spread. . . Roaring, Pixit flew into the lightning. Mina felt it hit her fingers and rattle down her arms. She brought her hands together, holding the lightning steady above her. . . Mina opened her hands and released the electricity. Some of it spread through the air and slammed down, harmlessly, on the blackened hills below. But most of the energy was absorbed into Pixit, causing him to glow an even more brilliant yellow.”

Spiritual Content

  • None
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