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librarianryan's reviews
6364 reviews
Otis & Peanut Forever and Ever by Naseem Hrab
funny
medium-paced
4.0
I really like the Otis and Peanut books. They are a picture book style of graphic novel. They are usually a bit longer than picture books but they read quickly. This book has three stories. The first one has words about when you shouldn’t eat cake, the second story is wordless and is about water, fun and vegetables, and the third story is about keeping memories. The story is heartfelt and put a smile on the readers face. I do think sometimes peanut looks like he smoking a cigarette rather than brushing his teeth, but that’s an adult imagination. Other than that, this book is close to perfect. It’s a fun read, it uses color well, it has fantastic illustrations, and kids are going to love it.
So Loud! by Sahar Golshan
informative
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
As someone who has been told they are too loud this book speaks to me. A child is constantly told they are too loud and rambunctious. But when they’re quiet, people say they miss the child ‘s voice. This is about characters learning how the voices are like a fountain and sometimes you need to turn on the tap dependent to the situation. I like the story, I also like the part of this story that includes the grandmother and how loud women are like lions. Their voices are heard. I like the illustrations; I think they are very fun and support the book very well. However, I do think the book is overly long. It has a message it gets it across, but it gets a bit weary in the end.
One Giant Leap by Thao Lam
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.5
This is a wordless picture book that tells an amazing story. Someone wants to be an astronaut and play dress up. They go on fantastic adventures in space where they find new birds, meet new monsters, and discover space. A child’s imagination is a wonderful thing to see, and that is what this book points out. The artwork is done through scrapbooking and paper manipulation and it’s beautiful. It has that feel of “hey, maybe I could do this”. “Maybe I could be an astronaut” but also “maybe I could be the artist”. Took no words to get the point across. This is what wordless picture books should be.
Quilter's Scrap Pantry: The Grab-And-Go Approach to Organizing and Making Quilts from Scraps by SusanClaire Mayfield
informative
slow-paced
3.0
This was a much simpler book than I thought it would be. It’s gets into some of the basics of sewing and quilting but then and how to use your scraps. It’s basically triangle square rectangles and here is all the different ways you can move them around. It wasn’t bad, it was just simple. But for a simple book for beginners to show a more advanced, expensive sewing machine (they show a Bernina). It’s nice, but it’s not when I would ever look at again.
UnSouled by Neal Shusterman
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The airplane graveyard, and the safe space is no more. Many kids were captured or killed and now Connor and Lev are on the run. They are off to find a hidden human who may be just the answer they need to defeat Proactive Citizenry. However, after a dangerous run in with a “fan” in small town America, they pick up a new ally, and a new set of problems.
Risa is trying to live with the changes she didn’t want, and Cam, our parts boy, wants to use his “perfect” self to take down the very people who made him.
These books are amazing. The rights the kids are fighting for, and the answers they find are astounding, and somewhat predictable. Kind of like the Purge movies. An organization making and fighting both sides of a moral war. This book is not as much of a gut punch as books one and books 2, but it is the need continuation to show the readers history, and how they might change it.
In the Ballroom with the Candlestick by Diana Peterfreund
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
And the story concludes. This is by far the weakest story of the trilogy, but it does wrap things up in a nice bow. The Murder Crew discover that Green was a twin, but the mystery of which twin really died, who is the bad guy and can we ever recover because the biggest question in the last murders of the series. Part of me wanted a Happily Ever After, or at least a funny end. But we got a Clue movie end. Meaning there were multiple ends, and one could choose an end, or just accept that the final end was the real end. This was the worst book of the group and felt like more of an afterthought. They did not have Tim Curry to hold everything together and get us laughing. I am glad I read the series, but I am even more glad it is over.
Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding by Mitali Banerjee Ruths
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
This book was fun and informative. Archie’s uncle Poppy is getting married. But many people coming to the wedding aren’t used to the traditions of an Indian wedding. Archie will make friends with Emma as well as help the reader understand what’s going on and why things happen. This book was really fun, and the illustrations are lively and colorful. This book will be fun to read anytime no matter what type of wedding may or may not be taking place.
The Keeper of Stars by Jennifer Harris
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
5.0
I absolutely loved this book. While the illustrations are lovely and perfect, I could see this book being turned into a storyboard, being turned into a puppet show, or even just a very good vocal storytelling, making the reading of this book an experience that kids want to have again and again. Only the most special stories can come off their page and be lived, and I think this one could do it.
Mindful Spaces: Mindfulness and Me by Rhianna Watts, Katie Woolley
informative
slow-paced
3.0
This book is overly long. This is not a bedtime reading picture book, this is a second grade and older learn something reading book. This is all about mindfulness what it means and why it’s important. It gives activities for the reader to do both creative and just listening. The information is interesting but feels like it gets incredibly repetitive making it hard to get to the last page. The information is useful and has a place. I’m just not sure this is the most successful presentation of this information.
Hummy's Little Treasures by Dr. Kasey-Ann Cornwall
2.0
This book screams self published and not in a good way. While I do like illustrations, I have a feeling they are AI. When scrolling through they take on different art styles coloration etc. they don’t seem to have a flow like you would see with an artist. Some are bright and overexposed some look more drawn some are fuzzy. Just I wanna like the illustrations I can’t. Ask for the story it is long. This is a case of didn’t show. This feels more like a story a parent would make up at bedtime then a well-done edited picture book you would buy at a bookstore.