Be a Friend

Be a Friend
Written and illustrated by Salina Yoon

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 978-1619639515
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Date of publication: January 5, 2016
Age: 3 - 6 years

Themes: mime, friendship, communication, individuality, loneliness

Dennis is an ordinary boy who expresses himself in extraordinary ways. Some children do show-and-tell. Dennis mimes his. Some children climb trees. Dennis is happy to BE a tree. But being a mime can be lonely. Will Dennis be able to make a friend? Even if he is different?

I'm a fan of Yoon's friendship stories. I mean how adorable is Penguin and Pinecone?? This one was not my favorite of her's, however. I will say that the illustrations were fantastic, especially when dealing with Dennis' mimes--red dotted lines: such a great idea. And the characters had great emotion. But the text almost detracted from all of that. It's simple and too the point...but in a way that felt it wasn't adding anything to the story. I think this book would've been better as a wordless picture book (or nearly wordless). Which would've gone better with the "mime" theme, anyway.

Find it at your library or on Amazon

St. Patrick's Day Library Book Display

Okay, we're going to try a little experiment here. Though I'm not actually at the library creating displays anymore...I still like creating displays. So this post is about what I would create for this time of year.

Yep, it's time for a St. Patrick's Day display!

So, basically, I saw this quote somewhere in passing, and thought it'd make a pretty perfect St. Patrick's Day book display sign. So here's a free printable! You can click on the image to download for yourself, or get the 11" x 17" .pdf from Google drive.

And just to help you get a feel for what it may look like on display, here's my obviously-photoshopped inspiration picture!

What's great about this display is you can highlight any collection, really—nonfiction, picture books, etc.—just find the books with the green covers! Add some four-leaf clovers for some extra luck and you're in business. Enjoy!

Guinness World Records Early Readers

ISBN: 978-0062341853

ISBN: 978-0062341822

Guinness World Records: Wacky Wheels & Daring Dogs
Written by Cari Meister

My rating: ★★★★

Publisher: HarperCollins
Date of publication: February 2, 2016
Age: Grades K - 3
Genre: Nonfiction

Themes: world records, dogs, transportation, curiosities & wonders

From the largest monster truck to the loudest bike horn, these Wacky Wheels Guinness World Records will rev the engines of imagination. And what about dogs that surf, recycle, and scooter? Dogs of all breeds and sizes are impressive. From heroic rescues to zany tricks, the awe-inspiring pooches in Daring Dogs have gone above and beyond to earn their Guinness World Records.

These books are SO fun. They're perfect for kids! What kid doesn't love impressive cars and dogs? The pictures are vivid and are a big support to the text--how fun is it to read about five tennis balls in one dog's mouth if you can't see it?? I also appreciated when the pictures offered scale--like the cover of Wacky Wheels with the little boy off to the side. Or the three-inch tall puppy next to a soda can. Pictures are definitely what make these books fun. The text itself does have some challenging vocabulary, so some adult help may be needed. But still: SO FUN.

I will admit, I did like Daring Dogs a little bit more because there are just some ridiculous vehicles in Wacky Wheels. I mean, the worlds largest motorized shopping cart? That's 'Murica for ya. Anyway, the point is, I recommend them to any and all fact lovers.

Find Wacky Wheels at your library or on Amazon

Find Daring Dogs at your library or on Amazon

A Night Divided

A Night Divided
Jennifer A. Nielsen

My rating: ★★★★½

ISBN: 978-0545682428
Publisher: Scholastic
Date of publication: August 25, 2015
Age: Grades 4 - 8
Genre: Historical Fiction

Themes: family relationships, Berlin Wall, East Berlin, Cold War, escape

With the rise of the Berlin Wall one night in 1961, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family suddenly divided. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city. But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta spots her father on a viewing platform on the western side, pantomiming a peculiar dance. Then, when she receives a mysterious drawing, Gerta puts two and two together and concludes that her father wants Gerta and Fritz to tunnel beneath the wall, out of East Berlin. However, if they are caught, the consequences will be deadly. No one can be trusted. Will Gerta and her family find their way to freedom?

So excellently done! I love it, it's so good. What makes for a good historical fiction? When I learn something new about some event in history (even driving me to do my own research) AND become invested in the characters (both real and fiction) AND (spoiler!) get a happy ending. Nielsen did all of this and more. I learned so much about the Berlin Wall and life in East Berlin, but in such a way that it didn't feel like learning...it felt like I was there. And the characters! They each have their own motivations and fears to overcome. I particularly enjoyed Gerta's evolving relationship with her mother.

Now, is it particularly exciting? Well, it is a lot of tunneling and a lot of holding your breath with each near miss with the authorities. Will kids like it? I hope so. I know I still enjoyed it. Is it as gruesome and heartbreaking as it could be? No, but that's okay, because it's middle-grade fiction. I think Nielsen did an excellent job.

Readalikes would include The War that Saved my Life and Chasing Secrets, and actually, it would fit well on this book list.

Find it at your library or on Amazon