Topic: Ocean

Hannah

Hannah wants to be normal, but she’s not. The sea calls to her, and she can see a delicate tracing of scales on her legs. Billowing waves soothe her, but flat land makes her sick. She knows there’s something wild in her that’s different, wrong, and deeply thrilling.

Only one person seems to know who—or what—Hannah is. He’s a guest in the house where she works as a scullery girl and his fascinated gaze follows her. She doesn’t understand his terrifying allure, or her longing. But even as the mystery deepens, Hannah is sure of one thing. A sea of change is coming.

The first installment of the Daughters of the Sea Series focuses on Hannah, who doesn’t know that she is a mermaid. Much of the story focuses on the class distinction during the time period and the relationship between the serving class and the wealthy Boston family. While the running of a household is at times interesting, the story has little action. Instead, Hannah is trying to figure out why she is different than others and why the sea calls to her.

Readers looking for a book that explores the world of mermaids will be disappointed with Hannah’s story. There are too many plot points that are left unanswered. Hannah’s background is never explained and when Hannah meets a merman, the interaction borders on sexual harassment; at one point, the much older merman grabs Hannah and forces a kiss on her. While Hannah is occasionally an interesting character, some readers may find it difficult to relate to her struggles.

The long-winded descriptions, lack of plot development, and dysfunctional family dynamics make Hannah a difficult book to get through. Readers who enjoy historical fiction and want to learn more about the late 1800s may enjoy Hannah. However, if you are looking for a peek into the magical world of mermaids, you should bypass Hannah altogether.

Sexual Content

  • Lila has a crush on Mr. Wheeler. Lila’s sister says, “Lila wants to wear something that Mama says is much too daring for a girl her age. You know what I mean, Hannah, very naked-looking. I think she wants to look almost naked for Mr. Wheeler.”
  • Hannah goes out into the forest. When Mr. Wheeler follows her, she yells at him. “He suddenly stepped toward her. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing her to his chest. . . He was kissing her lips, crushing his face against hers. She was lost. She was adrift. She was happy.”

Violence

  • When her cat goes missing, Lila hits her sister and makes her bleed.
  • Lila goes into Hannah’s room at night. Hannah tries to lead her back to her room. “Lila’s eyes were wild. She was scratching at Hannah’s face and the cat suddenly came to life and pounced on her back. Hannah could feel the claws digging into her shoulders, close to the neck of the nightgown. . . The strings of Hannah’s pouch were cutting into her throat, and she was gasping for air. . . “
  • After Lila and her cat attack Hannah, Hannah runs into the ocean. Lila’s sister, Ettie, follows Hannah. When she sees the cat, Ettie throws a rock at it. Lila points to “a clump of blood-soaked sea lavender where Jade was sprawled. The cat’s head was twisted at an odd angle to its body. One side was bashed in and there was a mangled mash of fur and protruding bone.”
  • After Ettie kills the cat, Lila “exploded and hurled herself across the grass, knocking down her sister. His hand was reaching for a rock when Mr. Marston ran up and dragged her off Ettie.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • One of the workers asks the butler if he can “add two bottles of the sweet sherry to the wines and spirits order.”
  • Three men share some sherry.
  • While getting the summer cottage ready for their employers, the workers “slid the miniature wine bottles into the racks in the wine cellar.”
  • While serving dinner, the butler goes into the kitchen to get “two more bottles of wine.”
  • Lila is given a sedative: laudanum. The butler says, “Administered properly, it alleviates anxiety and induces sleep.” However, the cook disagrees with him and says, “Drugs, pure and simple. They might as well have sent her to an opium den.”

Language

  • Damn is used six times, usually referring to the cat. For example, the workers do not like the house cat. One of the workers says, “I’d like to wring that damn cat’s neck.”
  • My God is used as an exclamation once.
  • Someone says that Lila’s cat is “mean as cat’s piss.”
  • Someone calls Lila a “hell hag” and her cat a “hell cat.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Occasionally Hannah prays. For example, when Hannah is taken away from Boston, she becomes sick. Hannah says, “I have prayed to God every night. I must go back. This land is not good for me.”
  • While applying for a job as a maid, Hannah prayed, “Let me just seem normal. Let me fit.”
  • While helping serve dinner, Hannah prays, “God do not let me spill this.”

 

 

02/01/2011   12+    336      5.3    3 worms    AR

Octopus Stew

Ramsey loves to wear his superhero cape, but he never thought he’d ever become an actual superhero. That all changes one afternoon when Ramsey is at his grandma’s house and his grandma decides to make pulpo guisado, octopus stew. When Ramsey and his grandma go to the supermarket, Grandma chooses the biggest octopus in the store. Grandma scrubs the octopus and puts it in the pot, and that’s when the trouble begins.

The octopus grows and grows. When it grows out of the pot, the octopus grabs Grandma and refuses to let her go. Determined to save his grandma, Ramsey grabs his superhero cape. Will Ramsey be able to save his grandma? Or will the octopus have her for dinner?

Ramsey’s tale comes to life in full-colored illustrations that are at times humorous. The oil-painted illustrations pop with bright colors. Young readers will relate to Ramsey, who gets stern looks from the adults in the story. Readers will also appreciate Ramsey’s facial expressions which are full of emotion. The family dog gets a starring role in the illustrations, and readers will love looking for him in each of the story’s pictures. Even though the octopus grabs Grandma in his huge arms, his appearance adds suspense without much little fear factor. The conclusion is surprisingly sweet.

Ramsey’s family is Afro-Latino and the family’s love of telling stories is apparent. The story includes a central foldout that contains a humorous surprise. Octopus Stew would be the perfect introduction to tall tales and will encourage readers to tell their own family stories.

Octopus Stew makes a wonderful read-aloud book because it’s packed full of sound words such as bloop, kerchunk, and thum! The English text intertwines with Spanish phrases and reflects the author’s family, who spoke non-standard Spanish at home. A glossary provides definitions and pronunciations of the Spanish phrases. However, the story’s context clues are sufficient to understand the Spanish words’ meanings.

Even though Octopus Stew is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. Each page of the picture book has 1 to 3 complex sentences. A recipe for octopus stew is included at the end of the book.

Octopus Stew shows how oral storytelling can be fun for families, and the story will encourage readers to create a tall tale of their own. The wonderful illustrations and the unique plot make Octopus Stew an entertaining story that kids will love. In addition, the illustrations have enough detail to capture readers’ attention. Octopus Stew is a family-oriented story that will appeal to a wide range of readers who enjoy the humor, suspense, and surprising conclusions.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A huge octopus grabs Grandma and holds her in the air.
  • The octopus “attacked, spraying ink all over my [Ramsey’s] drawing.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

 

Manfish: A Story of Jacques Cousteau

Once upon a time in France, a baby was born under the summer sun. His parents named him Jacques. As he grew, Jacques fell in love with the sea. He dreamed of breathing beneath the waves and swimming as gracefully as a fish. Jacques spent his childhood playing, experimenting, and creating. He loved making films and exploring the ocean, which leads to his desire to become a manfish. Jacques Cousteau grew up to become a champion of the seas and one of the best-known oceanographers in the world.

Beautifully painted illustrations show the magic that Jacques found under the sea. The illustrations contrast Jacques with magnificent sea creatures that he encounters, from whales to seascape plants. Jacques and his friends’ cameras “captured camouflaged scorpion fish, ugly as toads with poisonous spines. Dorados—brilliant fish that glowed the color of emeralds, sapphires, and rubies.” Large illustrations will captivate readers as they teach about different sea life.

Jacques’ imagination and inventiveness will encourage readers to try new things. In order to spend more time underwater, Jacques invented the “aqualung” which allowed him to swim across miles of ocean. However, Jacques didn’t just explore the ocean for fun. He also made films to educate people. When he saw that pollution was killing the sea and its creatures, Jacques made a move to warn people and save the sea. With the aqualung, Jacques made it possible for anyone to explore the sea.

Jacques’ biography uses poetic text, lovely descriptions, and amazing artwork in order to highlight Jacques’ contribution to the world. While younger readers will enjoy the book’s pictures, the text-heavy pages may make it difficult to keep younger readers’ attention. Each page has up to 13 complex sentences that use difficult vocabulary. Parents will need to read the book to younger children, instead of having them read the book independently.

Every ocean-loving reader should read about Jacques’ life because it shows how one person’s love of the ocean made a lasting impact on the world. Even though readers may have a difficult time understanding all of the biography, the beautiful illustrations make Manfish an excellent choice for readers who dream of exploring the ocean. Young readers who love the ocean should also check out the picture books Shark Lady by Jess Keating and Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Great White Shark

In beautiful Cape Cod, a fatal Great White attack rocks the popular tourist destination. As the beaches are closed and locals grow angry, a recently arrived Barn Whimbril heads straight into the action. But with a group of local teens determined to surf no matter what gets in the way, can Barn safely investigate the attack or will he come face-to-face with the ocean’s most feared apex predator?”

The main protagonist, Barn, is an extremely likable character who is obsessed with sharks. He is joined by his two best friends, Margaret and Fin. Unlike the first installment of the series, Barn’s friends do not play a major role in the story, which may disappoint some readers. Instead of focusing on Barn’s friendships, in The Great White Shark Barn is isolated and spends too much time thinking.

When Barn makes enemies of some local boys, the group begins harassing Barn and his friends. The most vocal instigator is Vince. Like many readers, Barn is uncertain about how to deal with the bullies. When Vince and Barn are pulled out to sea, it is Barn’s knowledge that helps the two survive. Even though Vince and his friends are cruel to Barn, Barn doesn’t consider repaying them with violence. During all of Barn’s conflicts, he never allows hate to rule his emotions.

Barn’s enthusiasm and shark knowledge is a wonderful aspect of the story. Even when he comes face to face with sharks, Barn is still awed by them. While out in the ocean, Barn tells Vince, “They’re looking for food. We’re food. They don’t want to hurt you; they just want to eat you. If we’re lucky . . . they won’t bother us.” Barn’s calm attitude and his willingness to forgive Vince are both admirable traits.

The Great White Shark is not as entertaining as the first installment of the story. One reason is that there is very little interaction between Barn and his friends Margaret and Fin. In addition, some of Barn’s conflict comes from his uncertainty about his mom dating. While the first installment was a fast-paced action story that never had a dull moment, The Great White Shark has a much slower pace.

The Great White Shark will appeal to readers who love sharks and survival stories. One reason that Barn’s story is so captivating, is because Barn isn’t afraid to show his shark knowledge, but at the same time, he is uncertain when it comes to different aspects of his life—like his feelings for Margaret. Readers who want more shark action should read Surrounded by Sharks by Michael Northrop.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Barn’s dad was “killed in Afghanistan.”
  • Jimmy is killed by a great white shark. While surfing, “something fierce and horrible grabbed his leg. A pain more terrifying, more excruciating, than anything he had ever experienced ran like a million hornet stings to his brain. He screamed . . . The pain kept ringing and ringing and ringing in every cell.”
  • A great white shark eats a seal. “The shark tore into the crippled seal. The shark’s full head came out of the water and then it began thrashing back and forth, ripping the seal meat, scattering bits of flesh on the surface of the sea.”
  • A man begins shooting at a shark.
  • Vince intentionally runs into Barn. “In the next moment, a body smashed into his. The contact came so quickly, and so unexpectedly, that the impact knocked him off his feet and into the air. He landed with a thud in the sand. . . His wind had been knocked out of him.”
  • Vince starts harassing Barn’s friend, Margaret. Barn tries to help when he “ran as hard as he could at Vince. Vince sidestepped in time and stuck his leg out, and Barn piled right into the mounded beach. His face went into the sand, and his body crashed like an accordion behind him.” Barn is embarrassed, but not injured.
  • Vince and his friends corner Barn and shove him onto the beach. Vince forces Barn to take a surfboard out into the shark-filled ocean. The two boys get pulled out to sea by a riptide. Both end up in the hospital with hypothermia. Vince apologizes for his behavior.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Jimmy loved sports and was “a darn good surfer.”
  • There is some name calling, including idiot, dweeb, jerk, loser, and chicken.
  • Heck is used twice

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Invaders

As champions of the Brotherband competition, Hal and the rest of the Herons were given a simple assignment: safeguard the Skandians’ most sacred artifact, the Andomal. When the Andomal is stolen, the Herons must track down the thief to recover the precious relic. But that means traveling stormy seas, surviving a bitter winter, and battling a group of deadly bandits willing to protect their prize at all cost. If it comes down to a fight, Brotherband training might not be enough to ensure the recovery of the Andomal—or the safety of the Herons.

Even though the Herons have left Skandia, their training continues as they wait for the winter winds to cease. The beginning of The Invaders focuses on Thorn’s training of the boys, which allows Thorn’s character to shift from a broken-down drunk to a respected warrior. The story often shifts focus from the Herons, to the pirate Zavac and back to Skandia. While the three story threads are easy to follow, the large cast of characters do not allow for sufficient character development. Hal and Thorn are well-developed, but the other characters fade into the background.

Despite the lack of character development, one theme runs true: “We all have different levels of ability. What we must do is make the most of what we’ve got.” Each character has a different ability and even Ingvar, who has poor vision, is a valuable member of the crew. The Invaders adds Lydia to the crew. Lydia is not a helpless girl who needs a man to save her. Instead, her skills are essential in helping save lives during the battle against the pirates.

While the plot is somewhat predictable, the interactions between the Herons’ Brotherband, Swengal’s Skandian crew, and the town people add interest. Unfortunately, at 400+ pages, The Invaders does little to advance the plot. The story ends with the pirate Zavac’s escape and the Herons alone in their search to find Zavac and take back the Andomal. The sluggish beginning, the difficult vocabulary, and the descriptive sailing scenes make The Invaders best for strong readers.

Unlike the Ranger’s Apprentice Series, the main characters are not fighting to help their country. Instead, Hal is fighting to restore his Brotherbands’ reputation. Another main difference between the two series is that Hal’s ingenuity is constantly praised, and he does not learn and grow. Readers who fell in love with Will in the ranger’s apprentice, will miss the three main characters—Will, Horace, and Halt. Even though The Invaders is not as captivating as the Ranger’s Apprentice Series, readers ready for an adventure on the high seas will enjoy the story.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When Jesper questions Thorn’s ability to train the boys, Thorn “moved with blinding speed. . . The old sea wolf’s left hand closed on Jesper’s collar in an iron grip and hoisted the boy off his feet, holding him suspended, his feet dangling clear of the ground. Then he gathered himself and hurled Jesper away like a sack of potatoes.”
  • While training the boys, Thorn uses a hickory baton to give the boys “a none-too-gentle rap on the behind” to get them moving. Once, Thorn “put a little extra venom into a whack.”
  • Thorn teaches the boys how to fight in battle. During an exercise, “Stig launched one last, massive blow at Thorn. . . Thorn caught it on the slanting face of his shield and deflected it.” Stig loses his balance, and “Thorn jabbed the baton painfully into his ribs like a snake striking.”
  • Pirates attack a ship. When a sailor tried to surrender, “a pirate’s spear was already thrusting forward. It took him in the middle of the body and drove him back. He screamed and fell to the deck, the spear still transfixing him as the pirate struggled to free it.” Even the sailors that surrendered were killed. “One died in silence. The other gave a brief cry of pain and despair, then fell to a bloodstained deck.”
  • The pirate captain, Zavac, questions a sailor to find where the ship’s treasures are hidden. Zavac “slashed the thin blade of the dagger across the Gallican’s face, laying open a long cut. . . Now the pain registered with him, a burning sensation across his face, accompanied by the rush of blood dripping down onto his clothes.” When the sailor stays quiet, Zavac tells his men, “Torture him. . . . On second thought, when he’s ready to talk, keep torturing him for another five minutes. Then call me.” After being tortured, the sailor is “barely recognizable. . . Two of his fingers on his right hand were missing, as was his left ear.” The sailor was eventually killed. The ship attack is described over eight pages.
  • Zavac and the pirates attack a small town, killing many people. The watch commander and his men try to defend the town. Zavac joins the fight and “he pivoted on his right foot and thrust viciously with the long curved blade in his hand. He felt it strike a momentary resistance, pause, then penetrate. Only now, he looked, and saw his sword deep in the belly of one of the garrisons. . . Zavac’s thrust had gone just below the highly polished breastplate that the man wore. The officer’s eyes were wide-open with shock.” The man dies. The pirate’s attack is described over several chapters.
  • A group of pirates chase Lydia. Trying to escape, she gets into a skiff. A pirate “grabbed hold of the stern” and Lydia “unshipped one of the oars and jabbed it at him, aiming at the hand that clutched the stern. He yelled in pain, releasing the boat.” Another pirate comes after her and Lydia “took quick aim at the man who had nearly caught her, then cast. His comrades were startled as he screamed and threw his arms up, then fell backwards against the wave. . .” The pirate dies.
  • Stig asks Barat, a company commander, to allow some of his men to help save Hal. Barat tells Stig no and Stig “hit Barat with every ounce of his strength. . . It was a savage right that connected flush on the side of his jaw, lifted him off his feet, then dropped him to the sand like a sack of potatoes. . . Barat was out like a light.”
  • The Skandians team up with the town people to defeat the pirates. Hal and his crew hit the balustrade with huge arrows. “A few seconds later, a section of the pine balustrade around the tower exploded in a hail of splinters as the heavy projectiles smashed into it, then through it, cartwheeling among the defenders and knocking men over.” Some pirates are injured, but the injuries are not described.
  • After Hal and his crew set the watch tower on fire, the pirates flee. However, the Skandians are waiting for them. The Skandians “smashed into the disorganized Magyarans, axes rising and falling in a deadly rhythm. The pirates, stunned and demoralized by the sudden onset of the watchtower fire, eyes streaming from the smoke, had no chance against the charging Skandians.”
  • Swengal and one of the pirates have one to one combat. “The Magyaran panicked as he tried in vain to withdraw his trapped spear. As a result, he never saw the roadhouse stroke from the massive ax that ended the fight for good.”
  • The story ends with a multi-chapter battle where the Skandians help free the town from pirates. When one of the invaders was shooting arrows at the Heron, Lydia threw a dart at him. The man “reappeared, arrow nocked, bow half drawn—and stepped straight into the plummeting dart she had just thrown. He threw up his hands, the bow went spinning away, and he reeled, then toppled over the railing, hitting the support frame several times as he fell.”
  • One of the Heron’s crew, Ingvar, was hit by an arrow. “. . . Ingvar [was] writhing on the deck, clutching at the arrow that was protruding from his left side, close to the hip.”
  • The Heron uses an oversized crossbow to send projectiles into a platform. The projectiles “wreaked havoc on the platform, smashing and splintering the railing and cutting down five of his [the pirate leader’s] men.”
  • One man is hit with a dart and then “toppled off the catwalk and thudded to the street below.”
  • Another pirate tried to flee, but Thorn “slammed the small metal shield into his unprotected midriff and he gasped and doubled over. A rib-cracking jab from the club finished him, sending him sprawling.”
  • During the battle, many pirates die. One dies when Hal “jabbed quickly forward and saw the shock on the man’s face as the sword penetrated his defense and slid between his ribs.”
  • When some of the pirates attempt to flee, the towns’ people attack them. “After a few brief violent moments, the townspeople moved on, leaving the broken, battered bodies of the pirates sprawled on the cobbles.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • A Skandian in the common room had an ale cup in his hand.
  • Sometimes Thorn’s past drunken behavior is discussed and Thorn is called a, “Broken-down old drunk.”
  • A ship that the pirates attack is carrying “a few barrels of wine and ale.”
  • After the town is liberated, they throw a celebration where ale is served.

Language

  • One of the boys says, “Don’t be an ass, Stefan.”
  • Lydia calls someone a “pompous, overbearing prat of a man.”
  • Thorn calls someone a “preening idiot.”
  • Gorlog is a Skandian god. Five times, Gorlog’s name is used in creative exclamations such as, “Oh for Gorlog’s sake.” Another time, Thorn says, “Gorlog’s bleached and broken bones you’re a sorry lot.”
  • Someone says, “Oh Bungall’s braided beard.” Bungall was a minor deity, generally referred to as the god of acting in an embarrassing manner.
  • One of Hal’s crew says, “Perlins and Gertz,” who are the Skandian demigods of snow and ice.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Occasional the Skandian gods’ names are used as exclamations.
  • Thorn thinks, “May the Great Blue Whale fly up to the sun.” The reference is not explained.
  • There is a brief reference to Tharon, the god of thunder.
  • When Hal and his crew are found, Swengal says, “Thank the gods you’re all safe.”
  • After a man knocks out Barat, he tells one of Barat’s men to tell the others “Barat stayed behind to pray to Torink for a great victory.” Torink was their god of battles.

The Seals That Wouldn’t Swim

Catalina “Cat” Duran and her friends thought they were on a field trip to see the seals at the aquarium. So why has the seal show been canceled?

Cat and her friends are determined to find who seal-napped Polhaus and Dundy. They wonder if it is one of the chaperones on the field trip, an aquarium worker, or someone on the outside. The kids spy on the adults to find important clues. In the end, the kids discover the culprit and race to tell the security guard. Soon, Polhaus and Dundy are safely back in the aquarium.

The Seals That Wouldn’t Swim has beautiful full-colored illustrations that show Cat and her friends interacting with the suspects. The illustrations appear every 3 to 7 pages. In addition, some of the story quotes appear in oversized white letters on a black background. The graphic elements, large text, and illustrations break up the text into manageable parts. The book also includes A Detective’s Dictionary of some of the words used in the story. Despite this, readers may have difficulty remembering the large cast of culprits.

Even though the missing seals make an interesting mystery, the story doesn’t have much action. Cat and her friends spend most of their time eavesdropping. In the end, they are able to solve the mystery by rummaging through someone’s purse. Unfortunately, the seals only make a small appearance at the very end of the book. However, the story tackles the topic of animal cruelty in a child-friendly manner. The story ends with an essay that Cat wrote on animal rights, which introduces “the most famous and largest animal rights group,” PETA.

Mystery-loving readers will be pulled into The Seals That Wouldn’t Swim by the beautiful illustrations. They will also enjoy seeing a group of kids work together to help the seals. However, readers who expected to see some animal action will be disappointed. The easy-to-read format and easy vocabulary make The Seals That Wouldn’t Swim accessible to proficient readers who are ready for chapter books. For more mystery-solving fun, readers should check out the Hilde Cracks the Case Series by Hilde Lysiak.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • When Cat and her friends overhear the aquarium workers talking about someone giving the seals a tranquilizer, Sam says, “So, someone slipped the seals a mickey.” One of the kids doesn’t understand what the phrase means, so someone explains, “Slipped them a mickey. I’m pretty sure she means someone gave them a drug to make them sleep.”

Language

  • An adult says, “Darn it.”
  • When Cat and her friends sit down at a table, one of their classmates says, “We’re sitting with the dorks.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Manatee Blues

Brenna, Maggie, Zoe, and Dr. Mac fly to Florida to visit a manatee rescue center. The center is run by Dr. Mac’s friend, Gretchen. Because running the rescue center is expensive, the center is in danger of closing. Brenna is immediately drawn to the endangered, gentle giants, and wants to do whatever she can to help them and the center.

Brenna is passionate about helping manatees, but her impulsive actions put both Brenna and the manatees in danger. While at the center, Brenna and her friends help with a fundraiser, but will the center get enough funds to stay in business? Can Brenna find a way to help the animals?

Anyone who has ever dreamed of being a marine biologist will enjoy Manatee Blues. Brenna’s personality and passion for manatees is inspiring. Told from Brenna’s point of view, the story focuses on her desire to help injured manatees. However, Brenna doesn’t always think before she acts, which gets her into trouble. Readers will relate to Brenna, who wants to make an impact but isn’t sure what she can do to help.

Manatee Blues blends action, internal conflict, and information about manatees into an interesting story that highlights the importance of keeping animals wild. Gretchen says feeding wild animals is “being selfish, thinking about what we want, not what’s best for them.” Readers will learn about the dangers that manatees face as well as other interesting information about the animals. The end of the book has more facts about manatees as well as information about how readers can adopt a manatee.

At 119 pages, the plot is not well developed. However, the story is educational, interesting and will keep the reader’s interest. The happy ending is slightly unrealistic; however, the conclusion shows that one person can make a difference. The short chapters, interesting plot, and relatable characters make Manatee Blues a book that will appeal to readers of different ages.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A boat injures a manatee. Gretchen and the group go to help the animal and see “horrible gashes that have opened up the skin on the manatee’s back—seven deep, straight lines, four of them curving around her side.” The animal is given pain killers and antibiotics.
  • The rescue center has an injured manatee that “had some jerk’s initials carved into its back with a knife.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • The rescue center has an injured sandhill crane that was “run over by a drunk driver.”

Language

  • Darn is used once.
  • Brenna dives into the ocean to help a trapped manatee. When Gretchen scolds her, Brenna thinks, “You idiot! What did you think she was going to do—pat you on the back?”
  • A baseball player named Ronnie Masters was speeding on his boat. “Maggie thinks he’s the biggest jerk who ever lived in the history of the universe.” Maggie also thinks he’s a loser.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912

George Calder must be the luckiest kid alive. He and his little sister, Phoebe, are sailing with their aunt on the Titanic, the greatest ship ever built. George can’t resist exploring every inch of the incredible boat, even if it keeps getting him into trouble.

Then the impossible happens: the Titanic hits an iceberg and water rushes in. George is stranded, alone and afraid, on the sinking skip. He’s always gotten out of trouble before…but how can he survive this?

Readers will relate to George, whose curiosity gets him into trouble. Because George loves to explore, the reader is able to see different areas of the Titanic. In the end, George’s curiosity helps him save his sister and aunt. Even though the story focuses on the Titanic, George is also dealing with the death of his mother, which has caused friction between George and his father. However, George’s relationship with his sister is sweet and adds some humor to the story. Because George has many facets to his personality, the conclusion has several surprises that give depth to the story.

I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 answers the broad questions about the day’s events without giving readers a graphic image of the passengers’ deaths. When the ship begins to sink, George’s curiosity and perseverance help keep him and others safe. Even though the story is historical fiction, the ending doesn’t focus on those who died. Instead, the story leaves the reader with a sense of loss and with a sense of hope. In the end, George and his father begin to repair their relationship.

I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 uses a relatable character and suspense to answer readers’ questions about the sinking of the Titanic. The story is accessible to all readers because Tarshis uses short paragraphs and simple sentences. Realistic black and white illustrations are scattered throughout the story and break up the text. While the story weaves interesting facts through, the book also ends with more facts about the Titanic. I Survived the Sinking of the Titanic, 1912 uses kid-friendly descriptions to educate readers about the Titanic and can be used as a springboard for learning more about the sinking of the ship. Proficient readers who would like to learn more about the Titanic should add Survival Tails: The Titanic by Katrina Charman to their must-read list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • George snuck into the baggage room, trying to find a mummy that was rumored to be on the ship. While there, “something leaped out of the shadows and pushed him to the ground.” George sees a man “with glittering blue eyes and a scar running down the side of his face.” Before the man could hurt George, “there was a tremendous rumbling noise… A trunk tumbled off a shelf and hit the scar-faced man on the head.”
  • When the Titanic begins to sink, a steward locks a gate so the third class passengers cannot go up deck. As the passengers begin to get rowdy, the steward “took a pistol from his pocket. His hand shook as he waved it toward the crowd.”
  • George’s aunt and sister are able to get on a lifeboat, but George is left on the ship’s deck. As the Titanic was sinking, “Lounge chairs sailed past them and crashed over the side. People clung to the rails. A few slipped and were swept overboard.” A man helps George jump into the water and swim away from the sinking ship.
  • When the ship goes down, George hears “people calling for help. More and more people, screaming and yelling, hundreds of voices swirling together like a howling wind.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea

A boy swims “way down deep in the deep blue sea” to find treasure. While he explores the sea, the boy sees a variety of sea creatures including a sea horse, a hermit crab, and a swordfish. This story’s cute conclusion contains a surprise that reveals the boy was using his imagination the whole time.

Vibrant sea creatures are cast against the deep blue of the sea. As the boy swims with the sea creatures, he interacts with them without touching them. Even though this picture book doesn’t have a plot, readers will enjoy the imaginative story that takes place “way down deep in the deep blue sea.” Each page has six short lines that use repetition and rhyming, making the story enjoyable to read aloud. Bright illustrations give readers the opportunity to identify ocean creatures; however, the book has few facts about the sea creatures.

Even though Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea is a picture book, the story is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for the child to read it for the first time independently. With bright pictures, simple text, and a surprise ending, Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea is a good read-aloud book. For more splashing fun, readers should jump into these ocean-themed books: Shawn Loves Sharks by Curtis Manley and The Pout-Pout Fish Adventure Series by Deborah Diesen.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Bull Shark

When the ominous theme song to Jaws plays on his cell phone, fish-obsessed sixth-grader Barn Whimbril knows a shark attack has been reported. Barn tracks attacks all over the world. But this time, it’s right in his own backyard—a series of canals near coastal Florida. As more sightings of these aggressive bull sharks occur in the area, Barn sets out to investigate. Can Barn figure out what has brought these sharks to a once quiet part of his state before another attack occurs?

Full of nonstop action and adventure, Dragged from Under: Bull Shark starts off with a deadly shark attack. The story is told from Barn’s point of view, which allows the reader to learn interesting shark facts without the information sounding like a biology lecture. Barn is awkward around Margaret because she’s a girl, and he’s surprised that a girl could also be interested in sharks. Barn is an extremely likable character. He’s obsessed with sharks, smart, and a little odd. Even though Barn knows he’s different than other kids his age, he doesn’t try to change who he is.

Barn isn’t the only likable character. The large cast of supporting characters are unique and interesting as well. Barn is surrounded by positive adults, who encourage him to be careful, as he investigates the shark attack. Many of the adults, including Jessup who works for Fish and Game, acknowledge Barn’s knowledge and listen to his ideas. Instead of discounting the adults around him, Barn listens to their advice and shares his ideas with them.

Dragged from Under: Bull Shark will engage middle school readers as it teaches how human behavior can cause wildlife to act differently. Even though sharks are dangerous, they are not portrayed in a negative light. Several chapters have the shark’s perspective, which allows readers to understand that the sharks were just doing what sharks do—searching for food.

Shark lovers will want to add Dragged from Under: Bull Shark to their must-read list. The Shark Whisperer series by Ellen Prager and Extreme Adventures: Shark Bait by Justin D’Ath will also take shark-loving readers on a bunch of adventures under the ocean.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • While Robby and Jason are swimming in Florida, a bull shark attacks Robby. Robby “began splashing water every which way. . . then Jason saw something red bloom around Robby’s body. . . Robby’s eyes had gone wild and terrified. Jason saw a large dark body, a fish’s body, slash across Robby’s chest and bite him on the shoulder. . . The shark went underwater when it came to Robby. Robby jerked hard when the shark struck him again.” Robby dies from his wounds.
  • While Barn was on a deck behind a restaurant, a man sics a dog on him. Barn “ducks behind the garbage can, using it to fend off the dog. . . It was a small dog, compact and rust-colored, maybe an Australian cattle dog. It lunged at Barn as soon as it discovered him behind the garbage can, its lips curled back, its teeth flashing forward for a bite.” Barn accidentally falls into the water.
  • When Barn falls into the water, a shark attacks him. “Something hit his leg. . . hard. His knee. The force of the blow swung his leg back in his hip joint and he wondered if he had been bitten.” Trying to get away from the shark, Barn crawls into a floating garbage can. “. . .Something else slammed against the garbage can. The plastic quivered with the force of the impact. It was like being hit by a bat as well as being bitten.” Barn is not seriously injured. The shark scene takes place over four pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Freaking, heck, and Dang are each used once.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Duke Kahanamoku

Duke Kahanamoku loved living in Hawaii’s ocean. When he was four, Duke’s father taught him to swim. When Duke was a boy, he swam are race hosted by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). When Duke broke the world record for the hundred-yard freestyle, the AAU didn’t believe that Duke could swim that fast. Duke’s friends decided to take up a collection and send him to the mainland so he could try out for the Olympics.

Duke qualified for the 1912 Olympics. After he won a gold medal and a silver medal, he became one of the most famous swimmers in the world. Soon people wanted to see the “Human Fish.” Duke traveled around the country and surfed. Many people had never seen surfing, When Duke traveled to Australia, he showed others how to make a surfboard.

Even though Duke became famous because of his swimming ability, he also helped raise money for the Red Cross during World War I. He also taught others about water safety. Duke also was in more than two dozen Hollywood movies. “Because of the color of his skin, Duke was only hired for small parts like pirates, servants, and Native American chiefs.”

Duke was relaxing on the beach when a fishing boat capsized. Duke didn’t hesitate to jump in the water. With the help of his surfboard, he was able to save eight fishermen. Today, because of Duke’s heroic actions lifeguards have rescue boards. Duke is called the “father of modern surfing” because he introduced the world to surfing.

Duke’s true story describes his life from early childhood to his adulthood. Duke’s love of the ocean is apparent. Duke’s story is told both through words and pictures. Each page has realistic illustrations that show Duke’s life events. Even though Duke Kahanamoku is illustrated, the biography is intended for proficient readers. The story has challenging vocabulary words and complex sentence structure.

Duke Kahanamoku story shows how one man’s passion inspired others. However, Duke didn’t just use his talent to win Olympic medals. He also taught others about Hawaii. Despite being discriminated against, Duke kept quiet. “But he always knew in his heart these people were wrong to judge him by the color of his skin.”

Duke Kahanamoku will inspire confident readers to use their talent to make the world a better place. The back of the book also has facts about Hawaiian history, culture, and phrases. The last page of the book has 10 multiple choice questions that check for reading comprehension. Duke Kahanamoku would be a good choice in both a home or classroom situation. Duke Kahanamoku will leave readers wanting try surfing. The story may also ignite readers’ desire to learning more about Hawaii.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Cascadia Saves the Day

Princess Cascadia has been working hard preparing for the Sand Sculpture Festival. When a huge whirlpool blows through Astoria, everything is ruined. The rest of the Royal Mermaid Rescue Crew helps clean up the city, but Cascadia is convinced that she can fix the festival herself.

Cascadia tries to fix the sand sculptures. In the dark of night, someone mysterious leaves gifts—a pile of shells and a pile of sand. Some of Cascadia’s friends think a sea fairy is leaving the gifts. Cascadia is curious, but she’s focused on saving the festival. She discovers that the whirlpool caused more damage than the merfolk thought.

Cascadia discovers that her favorite tradition isn’t the most important thing. She decides that it is more important to help a newfound friend. Several times, Cascadia “had a feeling that something wasn’t right.” The first time she feels this way, Cascadia ignored the feeling. But soon, she realizes that she must trust her instincts. However, Cascadia doesn’t only follow her instincts, she also takes time to solve problems by breathing and focusing.

The sweet story has cute black-and-white illustrations that help break up the text. Illustrations appear every 3-5 pages. Although the vocabulary isn’t difficult, the text-heavy pages and long sentences may be overwhelming for beginning readers. Cascadia Saves the Day will entertain those who have already transitioned to chapter books.

Young readers who dream of becoming a mermaid will enjoy the Mermaids to The Rescue series. Each book takes readers on an underwater adventure. During Cascadia’s adventure, readers will not only learn about working as a team, but they will also learn about bioluminescence and how animals adapt. Readers who are ready to jump into another underwater adventure should add Purrmaids by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A storm goes through the merfolks’ village. “All around the castle, coral and sea plants were blown about. Some shells had been stripped off the sides of the castle.” One mermaid’s pet snail was missing.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • A seapony “conjured a few small whirlpools and swept up some of the trash.”
  • Cascadia finds the magical trident. When the magical gems are placed on the trident, “the trident shook in her [Cascadia’s] hand and started to glow. Beams of light shot out from it.” Now that the trident has been put back together, it will repel evil forces.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Lana Swims North

Princess Lana is excited to be learning at the Royal Mermaid Rescue Crew School, but she finds it hard to speak up in class, even when she knows the answers. She doesn’t have this problem with her friends. When she’s with them, the words come easily. But when her teacher asks her a question, she’s too frightened to speak.

Then Lana meets a horned creature named Spike, who has never seen a creature like himself. With Lana’s help, Spike discovers he’s a narwhal. Lana promises to help Spike find other narwhals. When they swim to the north, Spike finds his long-lost family and Lana finally finds the courage to speak up.

Lana’s story takes the reader inside of Lana’s home, to the surface where she meets humans who attend the Enchanted Pony Academy, and to the colder waters in the north. Lana’s family and friends encourage her to help Spike. In return, Lana convinces Spike that his dolphin friends and family should know where he is—even if they aren’t alike, they still care about each other. The characters display positive communication skills.

Lana helps Spike solve his problem. This allows Lana to understand that she can be a leader. She realizes, “I like spending time thinking, solving problems. It’s what I’m good at.” Lana recognizes that her skills would make her better at “solving problems that aren’t emergencies.” Even though Lana doesn’t think quickly on her feet, she can still be a helpful member of the Rescue Crew.

Lana Swims North will entertain those who have already transitioned to chapter books. Cute black-and-white illustrations help break up the text and appear every 3-5 pages. Although the vocabulary isn’t difficult, the text-heavy pages and long sentences may be overwhelming for beginning readers. Even though the mermaids look different on the cover, in the illustrations inside the book the mermaids look very similar. Lana and her family are the only characters that have dark skin and dark hair.

Any reader who has a difficult time speaking up in class will relate to Lana. As Lana travels to the north, readers get a glimpse of various sea creatures, including turtles, walruses, dolphins, and even a polar bear. Lana Swims North takes readers on a fun underwater adventure that teaches the importance of teamwork.

 The Mermaids to The Rescue series does not need to be read in order because each book focuses on a different mermaid princess. However, readers may want to read Scott’s Enchanted Pony Academy Series first because Lana visits the school during her travels.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A polar bear shakes the ice. “Lana looked up and saw four huge black paws stalking across the ice above. It looked like they’d come crashing down on their heads at any moment. . . The bombing outside continued. Lana wondered what kind of enormous creature was stalking overhead, sending panic throughout the kingdom.” The merfolk hide.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Darn is used once.

Supernatural

  • Each seapony has a different Sea Savvy, such as blowing a big protection bubble, blowing stun bubbles, or conjuring whirlpools. One seapony can change “color until she blended in with the background.” Another seapony can swim amazingly fast.
  • When Lana wraps her arms around her seapony, “they both faded into the colors of the coral behind them, disappearing from view.”
  • Lana and some of her friends go to the surface to talk to the humans from the Enchanted Pony Academy. A magical pony casts a spell. She says, “Open the book so we can look!” The book “floated out of her saddlebag and opened in front of her.”
  • When the mermaid can’t read the book, a magical pony “used her magic to float the book closer to the river.”
  • While looking for a shell, a mermaid says, “This is a spell to find the lost shell.” The spell doesn’t work.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Search for the Mermicorn

Coral, Angel, and Shelly can’t wait to work on their school project about creatures in the ocean. There are so many animals to choose from! How do you pick just one? Then Angel remembers something she read about in a book–a mermicorn! It’s perfect…but are mermicorns real? Angel thinks so! And a student at the Science Center just might help her prove it!

The three purrmaid friends clearly love school and the library. As part of a class project, the purrmaids research sea animals and go to a science center to learn more. The purrmaids learn important sea creature facts that come into play later. The story reinforces the importance of learning about the natural world and respecting sea creatures.

As the friends research sea animals, they find a pod of narwhals and a lost mermicorn. The mermicorn tells the purrmaids, “Mermicorns like to stay out of sight. Our horns are just here to be pretty. We can’t use them to defend ourselves. So staying hidden is how we keep ourselves safe.” Even though the friends are excited to tell everyone that they met a mermicorn, they decide to keep the information secret so they do not endanger their new friend.

Search for the Mermicorn 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. Young readers will enjoy the puns such as “fin-tastic,” “shell-ivision,” “fin-teresting,” and “perr-fect.”

Even though Search for the Mermicorn 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 fin-tastic lessons as well as entertains. Readers who love animals should also add The Critter Club Series by Callie Barkley to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Enter the Core

Max Tilt thinks his luck is finally changing thanks to his great-great-great-grandfather Jules Verne’s unfinished, unpublished manuscript, The Lost Treasures. Using the clues Verne left behind, Max and his cousin Alex were able to bottle the magical healing elements needed to cure his mother’s illness just in the nick of time.

But then Max and Alex discover that the vials were stolen by their former friend, Bitsy. She has plans to use them to save the world, but her plans might be much more deadly than they seem. And so now it’s up to Max and Alex to stop her before it’s too late.

Working against the odds, the two kids glean clues from one of Verne’s best-loved books, Journey to the Center of the Earth. In it, they discover a map to their most dangerous destination yet—the very core of the world. So, now the two cousins are off on their most unlikely, most important quest yet—literally to save the world!

Max Tilt: Enter the Core has everything that adventure seekers could want in a book: non-stop action, interesting clues to solve, and a wonderful cast of diverse characters. Readers will be taken on a heart-stopping hike into the center of the earth where prehistoric creatures survive. As Max and his friends travel down the dark corridors and enter creepy caves, they use their combined knowledge (and a couple of ancient talismans) to safely solve the clues that Jules Verne left behind.

Even though the same villain from the previous books appears, the villain creates suspense and conflict without taking center stage. Instead, the focus remains on the descendants of Jules Vernes and his friend Arne Saknusseumm. The story highlights the importance of doing what is best for humanity, instead of what’s best for yourself.

Because many of the characters appear in all three books in the series, readers will want to read the previous books first. Unlike the previous books, Max Tilt: Enter the Core leaves the topics of death and illness out and focuses on the adventure, as Max and his friends follow Jules Verne’s footsteps as described in Journey to the Center of the Earth. In addition to the adventure, readers will enjoy the interplay between Max and his cousin, Alex.

Max Tilt: Enter the Core has the perfect blend of action, suspense, and interesting characters. Readers will want to read to the very last page. The heart-warming conclusion will leave readers with a smile. Sci-fi and action-seeking readers should definitely pick up the Max Tilt Series.

Sexual Content

  • Someone saw Alex “kiss the lucky fellow.”

Violence

  • When the bus driver tried to help Bitsy with her backpack, she bit him. “For a big walrus of a man, the driver had an oddly dainty scream. He yanked his arm away, Bitsy’s mouth was left with the taste of stale coffee, laundry detergent and old polyester.”
  • Max gets upset and Brandon “grabbed him by the shoulders, but Max turned and kicked him.” Max began taking deep breaths to calm himself down.
  • While in a cave, a “white object dropped to the ground. A bone. Then a grinning white face burst through. As Alex let out a piercing shriek, Max dove to the ground. He covered his head as a cascade of bones and skulls rained on top of him.”
  • While in a cave, Max falls and slips down a passage and a creature grabs him. Max tried to run, but the thing “held Max tight—with arms, legs, or tendrils, he couldn’t tell. But it was smothering him, smushing his face into its fur, lifting his feet off the ground.” Max hits the creature with his flashlight. “As Max tried to wriggle free, he heard a scream. Something sharp stuck his left ankle. . . The beast let out a guttural moan. It let go of Max and he fell to the ground.”
  • A creature grabbed Max with its talons. “Max felt himself rise, in ridiculous pain. He let out a scream that seemed to come up from below his toenails.” The creature drops Max.
  • While in a cave, Brandon falls off a cliff. Later, Max’s group finds Brandon’s body and Brandon cannot be revived. A creature comes towards the body and Alex attacks the creature. “From the front of the creature’s torso, hidden under the thick mass of hair, an orange tentacle whipped forward. It wrapped around Alex’s arm and tossed her to the side like driftwood. She screamed in surprise, her trowel flying away and into the water.” Later, someone else “blindsided the creature from the other side. With a roar like a creaky door, the hairy thing fell back.”
  • When a crowd of creatures comes towards Max and his group, Brandon “went into a pitching stance, kicked, and hurled the rock into the advancing crowd.” There is a lot of screaming and confusion. Something touches Max and “Max yelled in shock, twisting his body always, instinctively spinning and kicking. His right foot landed square in the face of a furry, monkey-like beast with wings. It fell to the ground, whimpering, and immediately ran away.” Then, Max squirts raspberry Gatorade towards a creature’s eyes causing it to run away. The scene is described over three pages.
  • Prehistoric birds appear and try to snatch up Max and his friends. Before the birds can hurt anyone, “Three of the hairy creatures—just like the one who had poured the liquid over Brandon—were picking the birds out of the sky with their tentacles.” The birds fly away.
  • The villain throws “a small black pellet that missed Max by inches, hitting the wall. . .it exploded into fragments and black dust.” A man is killed, but his death is not described.
  • The villain pulled a gun from his pocket and threatened Max’s group. The villain throws pellets at Max’s group, and “it landed about four feet in front of [the door] and exploded.” No one is injured.
  • Max’s group sets off an explosive that collapses a cave. It is implied that the villain and his daughter die in the explosion.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • While hiking, Max and his group find a “plastic foil wrapper” of Xantax.

Language

  • Heck is used four times. Several times someone asks, “What the heck is that?”
  • When prehistorical birds appear, someone says, “Dear Lord.”

Supernatural

  • Max is given “one of the most powerful talismans of the ancients. . . While wearing this talisman, you will always face the true path.”
  • A creature puts “a clear liquid” on Brandon’s forehead and chest. “Brandon’s skin let out a hiss, sending up wisps of green smoke. . . Where the hissing liquid had touched his body, his pale greenish skin was darkening. From a series of thin lines along his forehead and torso, it spread like the branching of nerves, setting off blotches of deep color that grew and joined until he no longer had the same tinge as the lake.” Brandon’s body repairs itself and he comes back to life.
  • Two men drink a serum that makes them immortal. “The serum slowed the body’s aging mechanism—it destroyed the marker that signals the end of life. In curing disease, the curious side effect was eternal life.”

Spiritual Content

  • The plane that Max was on crashed in freezing water. “Saying a prayer, [Max] jumped out the door.”
  • Someone tells Max and his group that they should “Go back to your family and pray for the best.”

 

 

Nixie Makes Waves

Nixie is excited to join the Royal Mermaid Rescue Crew. She wants to use her natural creativity to keep the sea safe! And soon she will select her seapony partner! But Nixie is worried that she won’t find a good match.

Nixie isn’t happy when she is matched with Rip. Rip may be super-speedy, but he’s also a brainy pony who strictly follows all rules. Nixie doesn’t want to hurt Rip’s feelings, but she isn’t sure if she should go through with the Selection Ceremony. Once the ceremony is complete, Nixie and Rip will be partners forever.

When Nixie’s friends send her a distress call, she sneaks off without Rip. She knows that Rip would try to talk her out of helping her friends. But Rip decides to follow Nixie, and in the end, he is able to help rescue Nixie’s friends. Nixie and Rip finally learn to understand each other and appreciate their differences.

The mermaids and magical seaponies live in a sparkly world where princesses learn how to be part of the Royal Mermaid Rescue Crew. Like many young girls, the princesses love pretty dresses, jewelry, and each other. Nixie and Rip are not well-developed, but readers will relate to the two as they struggle to work as a team. They both want to help others, but they go about helping in vastly different ways.

Rip comes across as bossy because he loves to follow the rules. On the other hand, Nixie uses the “swishing a fix” method to creatively solve problems. When trying to solve a problem, Nixie knows she must breathe, focus, and solve. Both Rip and Nixie learn the importance of working together instead of working against each other.

Any young reader who has had to work in a group will understand Nixie’s conflict. In the end, Nixie is surprised to learn that Rip is her perfect partner. The two realize that both rules and creativity are needed when solving a problem. The story’s actions are illustrated with cute black-and-white pictures. The pictures help with world-building. Even though the mermaids look different on the cover—Nixie is light skin and has purple hair—in the illustrations, the mermaids look very similar.

During her adventures, Nixie finds the magical blue sea diamond that was part of the Trident of Protection. Even though a different part of the trident is found in each of the books, this part of the plot seems like an afterthought and does nothing to advance the plot.

Nixie Makes Waves will entertain those who have already transitioned to chapter books. Cute black-and-white illustrations help break up the text and appear every 3-5 pages. Although the vocabulary isn’t difficult, the text-heavy pages and long sentences may be overwhelming for beginning readers. Readers may want to read Scott’s Enchanted Pony Academy Series first because the stories explain the selection process and magical powers in more detail. Nixie Makes Waves will delight young readers as it teaches problem-solving techniques.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Each seapony has a different Sea Savvy, such as blowing a big protection bubble, blowing stun bubbles, or conjuring whirlpools. One seapony can change “color until she blended in with the background.” Another seapony can swim amazingly fast.
  • The school’s headmaster explained how “years ago, the powerful magic of our worlds was weakened by careless spells, both in the earth kingdoms and here below the sea. During this Age of Recklessness, a deep rift formed, splitting the eastern and western waters.” The storm swept away the Trident of Protection, which brought the community safety.
  • A seapony casts a spell to illuminate a rock. He says, “Let this rock glow, bright light please show.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Storm Blown

A little rain and wind doesn’t worry Alejo—they’re just part of life at the beach. As his padrino says, as long as there are birds in the waves, it’s safe. When people start evacuating though, Alejo realizes things might be worse than he thought. And they are. A hurricane is headed straight for Puerto Rico. Worried that his padrino needs help, Alejo braves the storm in order to search for him.

Emily’s brother, Elliot, has been really sick. He can’t go outside their New Orleans home, so Emily decides to have an adventure for him. Emily wades out to a tiny island. For once, Emily wants her mother to worry about her. While hiding from her home, she befriends an injured goose and a shy turtle. Emily doesn’t know that a storm is racing her way.

As the hurricane rages across Puerto Rico and heads towards the United States, both kids will face life-threatening danger. Soon Alejo and Emily will be in the storm’s deadly path, but nothing has prepared the kids for Megastorm Valerie. Who will survive nature’s fury?

Like a wind-blown leaf in a hurricane, Storm Blown jumps from many different settings and points of view, which quickly becomes confusing. Although Alejo and Emily are the two main characters, the story also gives a glimpse of Emily’s father, the national climatic research center workers, as well as the animals trapped in the hurricane. Since the story includes so many points of view, Alejo and Emily are underdeveloped, which makes it hard for the reader to connect to them.

Storm Blown shows the devastation a hurricane can cause which leads to many daring episodes. However, some of the events are hard to believe. For example, Alejo, who does not know how to drive, is able to steal a van, drive through torrential rains, and arrive safely home. Alejo is so worried about his padrino that he braves the weather only to find an empty house. Although Alejo’s actions are brave, the reader will wonder why he and his padrino did not discuss a disaster plan. Instead, Alejo’s grandfather tapes a note to the kitchen table. In a world where natural disasters happen often, readers will question some of the kids’ daring deeds and actions.

Readers interested in extreme weather or survival stories will find Storm Blown difficult to read because of the many points of view and the challenging vocabulary. The story also ends abruptly and leaves the reader with too many unanswered questions. Instead of choosing Strom Blown, readers should try the I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis, The Raft by S.A. Bodeen, or Trapped by Michael Northrop.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Nature’s violence is shown throughout the book. A tree falls, hitting Joy. Emily goes to help her. “Swallowing a sudden nausea, Emily propped herself against the closest limb and pulled Joy to her feet. Joy swayed in the wind, blinking as the rain mixed with the blood in her matted hair. It ran down her arms in rivulets, and Emily tried not to gag as Joy hooked her elbow around her narrow shoulders for support.”
  • The helicopter pilot is injured when he was “pinned to the ground beneath a heavy limb. His face was contorted into a grimace, but he wasn’t moving. Not even as the dark water lapped against the side of his head, threatening to suck him deeper into the mud beneath their feet.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Several of the characters are given pain medication after an injury. Elliot is given pain pills, but he doesn’t like how “the pain pills made it so he couldn’t stay up for more than a few hours.”
  • When Elliot’s mother brings him pain pills, he saves them for later. After he got dressed, Elliot slipped “his pain pills into his pocket.”
  • While waiting for a hurricane, the hotel gives the guest drinks. “The hotel bar made so many Dark ‘n’ Stormies that they ran out of rum halfway through Alejo’s rounds, switching to something they were calling a Frozen Valerie.

Language

  • “Oh my god” is used as an exclamation once.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Several times in the story, the characters pray for something. For example, Emily’s father “prayed that Sarah had fixed things up with their daughter.” When Emily’s father finally made it home, “Silas prayed for a miracle.”

 

 

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

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Pirate Pedro

It’s Pirate Day at school, and Pedro and his mates have so much fun pretending to be pirates at school, they take the game home. The only problem? They all want to be captain of the ship.

The chapter book Pirate Pedro is written with simple vocabulary that beginning readers will be able to master. Each page contains four or fewer sentences as well as colorful pictures, which include a diverse cast of characters. The story contains fun pirate facts and new pirate words and sayings like “shiver me timbers!”

After the story ends, readers can continue the pirate fun by reading two pages of pirate jokes. The story also has a glossary, questions, and writing prompts. Pirate Pedro engages young readers by using interesting characters who have relatable problems. Pirate Pedro will help independent readers improve their skills and become confident readers. Although Pirate Pedro is part of a series with many of the same characters, it doe not need to be read in order. Readers who enjoy the Pedro series should also try the Katie Woo series because it has many of the same characters and is written in the same format.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

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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

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

  • None

The Pout-Pout Fish and the Can’t-Sleep Blues

Mr. Fish can’t get to sleep, so he goes to ask his underwater friends for some advice. Even though his friends explain their bedtime, the routine doesn’t help Mr. Fish sleep. Miss Shimmer comes to the rescue. She helps Mr. Fish see that different routines work for different creatures. Mr. Fish takes what he learned and creates a routine that works best for him. In the end, the frustrated fish falls fast asleep.

The picture book, The Pout-Pout Fish and the Can’t Sleep Blues uses beautiful, colorful illustrations to bring Mr. Fish’s underwater world alive. The Pout-Pout Fish incorporates humor into the story. When each sea creature gives advice on how to sleep, Mr. Fish tries the method, but it doesn’t work for him. However, when he looks over, his friend is snoozing away. Mr. Fish learns that not all advice can be used because everyone’s needs are different.

Younger readers will enjoy the story and will want to look at the pictures over and over. The colorful illustrations even show one fish getting its teeth flossed as well as a sea creature counting fish-sheep. The rhyming text and short sentences (four sentences on each page) make The Pout-Pout Fish and the Can’t Sleep Blues a perfect bedtime story. Any child who has trouble falling asleep should read about Mr. Fish’s can’t sleep blues, which will help them think about creating a bedtime routine that works.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

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Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

  • None

 

The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully-Bully Shark

Mr. Fish and his friends are playing at Tummy Tickle Park. They are having fun until a mean shark shows up and bullies the smaller creatures. The shark continuously shows bad behavior, which causes Mr. Fish to feel unhappy. But what can a small fish like Mr. Fish do?

Right from the start, the theme of The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully Shark is clear. The story contains a lot of repetition and includes a refrain: “Shark acted badly. / Being mean in wrong. / But I’m just one fish! / Am I really that strong?” Although some parents might find the message overdone, younger readers will learn the importance of standing up for others. In the end, Mr. Fish finds his voice and speaks up, telling the shark, “We are kind, we are fair. We are all potential friends.” Readers will come away with the message that one person’s voice can make a powerful change. Even though the message is clear, readers may find that in real life, a bully will not necessarily change.

Like the previous books in the series, The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully Shark uses detailed, colorful pictures throughout the story. The story does an excellent job putting Mr. Fish’s emotions into child-friendly terms. When he is bullied, his feelings are “tumble-jumbled.” The rhyming text highlights the central dilemma of the story and one illustration that appears at the end of the book shows the bully shark wearing glasses and reading a book titled How to be respectful.

As a picture book, The Pout-Pout Fish and the Bully Shark makes an excellent read-aloud book because of the short, rhyming sentences. Each page contains 4 sentences of text. The story will encourage young readers to show empathy as well as care about others. Because of the serious theme, parents will want to take an opportunity to discuss bullying.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

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Spiritual Content

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Simon Thorn and the Shark’s Cave

Simon Thorn is just learning the rules of the Animalgam, a secret race of people who can shift into animals. After years of being bullied, he has finally found a group of friends. They attend the secret Animalgam academy, which is hidden beneath New York’s Central Park Zoo. Simon and his friends are looking for the pieces of a terrible weapon—the predator. They are determined to destroy the weapon before Simon’s grandfather, Orion, can use it to take over the Animalgam kingdom.

When Simon’s dolphin friend Jam is summoned home to the underwater kingdom, Simon decides it is the perfect time for him to search for a missing piece of the predator. Simon soon discovers that finding the piece will be harder than he thinks. There is a traitor among the underwater kingdom and Jam’s family has strict rules that cannot be broken. Can Simon and his friends find the piece before Orion?

The third book in the Simon Thorn series takes the reader on a fast-paced ride through the underwater world where sharks rule. Even though Simon is still looking for a piece of the predator, Simon Thorn and the Shark’s Cave doesn’t simply repeat the events of previous books. Instead, the story focuses on Jam’s strict, military family and the dangers that lurk underwater. Even though the story has many of the same characters, Jam’s family is introduced, and with that come new complications.

Simon Thorn’s world is unique, dangerous, and utterly captivating. The characters are distinct, well-developed, and interesting. Simon is surrounded by a host of Animalgam with questionable intentions as well as two villains who are willing to kill him to gain power. The story highlights the dangers of one person having too much power. Simon thinks that even if someone wants peace, tyranny is not the way to gain it because “there will always be good people who rise up against tyrants and murderers regardless of what it cost them.”

The story highlights the importance of learning from mistakes as well as forgiveness. While in the underwater world, Simon gets a glimpse of the negative aspects of sexism, especially how it affects Jam’s sisters. Simon’s friend Felix points out that Simon is unique because, “You meet someone and you see who they are, not what they are. You got any idea how rare that is, kid?”

The Simon Thorn series must be read in order because the plot builds on previous books. However, readers who have read the first two books in the series will not be disappointed in this installment. New characters, new adventures, and new dangers arise in Simon Thorn and the Shark’s Cave. The fast-paced action and plot twists will keep readers engaged until the very end. The Simon Thorn series gives readers a relatable hero who will do whatever it takes to keep his family and friends safe.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • A group of falcons chases after Nolan and Simon, who were flying in bird form. A falcon catches Simon’s wing and “Burning pain tore through his shoulder, and Simon cried out as his body spun wildly, careening toward a nearby window. . .” Simon “pushed his wing directly into the falcon’s path, throwing his opponent off balance as it tried to avoid a direct collision. Simon caught the falcon by the tail feathers and, using the golden eagle’s strength to his advantage, he spun the falcon toward the nearest roof as hard as he could.” When a falcon goes after Nolan, Simon “Caught up to it, and he grabbed it by the wings and pulled up with all his strength, throwing the smaller bird into the empty sky and away from the struggling golden eagle.”
  • Winter and another girl, Nixie, get into a fight. “Nixie let out a shriek that echoed throughout the cavern, and she shoved Winter backward. Simon caught her before she could fall. . . Winter screeched and charged straight for Nixie, tackling her.” The girls fall into shallow water.
  • Sharks attack a group of dolphin Animalgams. Simon watched as “a tiger shark nearly took a chunk out of Jam’s tail, and only then did he pull himself out of his stupor and rush toward the action, letting out a fierce cry. . .” Simon barreled “though a group of sharks like a bowling ball crashing through pins. . . He chomped down on a bull shark first, and while he’d only grabbed a fin, the shark squealed and swam out of the fight.” A great white goes after Jam, and the General enters the fight. “The great white’s teeth sank into the General’s dolphin body instead, and the General let out a scream that chilled Simon to the bode.” A jellyfish squirts ink into the water, and the fight ends. The fight lasts three pages.
  • An underwater soldier arrests Simon and “in one swift motion, she caught Simon’s wrists and bound them together with a zip tie. . .” Jam helps Simon escape. “One second she was slipping the zip tie over Jam’s wrists, and the next, he lurched forward, shoving her into the wall. . . when Jam backed away, her hands were bound together, not his. . .” Simon and Nolan escape.
  • When Simon tries to leave the underwater compound, the sharks Al and Floyd decide Simon will make a good snack and try to eat him. “Al rammed into him, knocking his smaller dolphin body off course. Simon’s side exploded in pain, and he spun around wildly until he wasn’t sure which way was up . . .” Floyd caught “Simon by the tail and flinging him back toward Al. His sharp teeth dug into Simon’s dolphin skin, but it was a scratch at best. . . Al’s tail made contact with his head. Dizzy and disoriented, Simon floated in water without moving, his thoughts scrambled and pain pouring through him in every direction.” Simon begins sinking to the seafloor unconscious, and then someone rescues him. The shark fight scene takes place over two pages.
  • While scuba diving in the ocean, a shark Animalgam sees Simon and hits him. “Simon flew backwards. His mouthpiece fell out, and he tried to reach for it, only to be yanked back by his oxygen tank a second time.” A second great white shark appears and helps Simon when “It chomped down on the first shark’s tail, and she let out a bloodcurdling shriek. . . the second shark sinking its teeth into her twice more, and during those precious seconds while she wasn’t paying attention, Simone used the last of his energy to propel himself toward the mouthpiece.” The attacking shark is chased away.
  • Orion killed an Animalgam, but the death is not described. Simon sees Orion with “his hands clasped around the delicate neck of a dead peregrine falcon.”
  • Simon snuck into Orion’s camp to talk to his mother. While he was there, “suddenly two large human hands grabbed him, pinning his wings to his side. Instinctively Simon struggled against the grip, squawking and snapping his beak at the strong fingers around his feathered body, but there was no give.” Orion threatens to kill Simon’s mother, who is chained up so she can’t escape. At one point, Orion lifts “the knife threateningly, the tip pointed toward Simon’s mother.” Ariana in spider form bites Orion, and they are able to escape. Before they leave, Ariana gives Orion an antidote so he doesn’t die. The scene takes place over five pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Simon tells his brother, “You’re an idiot.”
  • Simon calls shouts at some falcons, “Hey, birdbrains!” Later a student called Simon “birdbrain.”
  • Winter calls the general of the underwater kingdom a jerk. Later Simon tells one of Jam’s sisters that “You should think about not being such a jerk to him all of the time.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • The story revolves around Animalgams, “human[s] who could not only talk to animals, but developed the ability to turn into one, too.” This ability is passed down by family. “Nearly all Animalgams could only shift into a single animal, and they belonged to one of the five Animalgam kingdoms: mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, or underwater creatures.” Nolan and Simon are special; they can shift into any animal.

Hello, Crabby!

Crabby is NOT happy. Sun is in Crabby’s eyes. Salt is in Crabby’s teeth. Sand is in Crabby’s shell. Plankton tries again and again to cheer Crabby up — with laugh-out-loud results! Will Crabby ever crack a smile? Or will Crabby always be crabby?

Hello, Crabby! is perfect for children who are learning to read. Crabby—the crabby crab—will have readers giggling with his over-the-top grumpiness. Bright colorful artwork appears on every page, showing the character’s emotions through their expressions. Pages are broken into colorful panels, which make it easy for readers to follow along with the plot.

Readers will be drawn to the story because of the bright color and the humorous pictures. But they will also enjoy the storyline as well as the rhyming words that appear throughout the text. The text uses simple sentences and easy vocabulary, and the speech bubbles are color-coded to distinguish each speaker. Each page contains five or fewer sentences, which makes the story assessable to new readers.

Hello, Crabby is not only full of humor, but it also introduces a word with different meanings. The dialogue is full of humor and includes a joke as well as several puns. Readers will fall in love with the cranky crab and laugh as Plankton tries, unsuccessfully, to make Crabby smile. Hello, Crabby! will help beginning readers build confidence as well as instill a love of reading.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

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Language

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Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

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