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librarianryan's reviews
6364 reviews
Don't Push the Button: on the Farm by Bill Cotter
funny
fast-paced
4.0
I remember when the first don’t push the button came out. I was reading it with my three-year-old nephew on my iPad, so when he pushed the button the page would change and things would magically happen. The push the button books are about the only time I have found this style of book that can live up to Press Here. So I have a bit of nostalgia in my heart for this series. Don’t push the button on the farm was super cute and just as addictive as the original title. I only wish it had gone on longer. Change from a chicken into a cow or into a duck or Into a goose. We could’ve had a few more pages. But this short sweet, very interactive book will be loved by children whether read as a go to bed book or read and story time.
I Love You, My Little Dinosaur by Rose Rossner
medium-paced
3.0
This book is all right. I really appreciate the illustrations that are soft and textual. The story rhymes decently, but issues arrive with the cadence. The author is sometimes shoehorning the cadence in there, which makes it a tad tongue twister when reading aloud. The other thing that breaks up the cadence is the way the author has chosen to lay what words on what page. Sometimes the full stanza is on the page. Sometimes it’s half a stanza on this page half a stand on another. Then with the layout of the book in general, you have pages that are just illustrations and pages that are just words when most of the words could have been laid over the illustrations and been a much better. Overall, this book is not bad and there will be kids that thoroughly enjoy it.
Spontaneous by Brett Weldele, Joe Harris
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
This graphic novel is about spontaneous human combustion. This was almost a DNF because the start is slow and trying to figure out what’s going on takes too long. But sticking with it means you get to the end of a pretty fantastic story. There’s a teenage boy Melvin, and two different time periods where Melvin has not been born yet, and the one he is experiencing right now. There’s a new journalist following him around trying to get to the bottom of all the fiery deaths. This is a horror graphic novel, so it is a bit bloody and a bit dark but if you like that, give this a shot. The artwork is unique, and at first, I didn’t like it, but it grew on me, as well as the story. By the end this all works well together to make a very interesting and well worth the graphic novel story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Blood
Simone by Viet Thanh Nguyen
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
5.0
This picture book is amazing. It tells the story of a child who must evacuate because of the fires in California. This child’s mother had to evacuate Vietnam because of the floods decades years ago. This book connects both stories together and impart a of feeling of everything will be OK. The artwork is a master class. The effect of the colored pencils makes one feel like you’re looking at the children’s drawings. And then the masterful way in which the artist uses color between black and white and when they put in the little pops. The black-and-white for the fear in the craziness with the little hints of brighter things to come. And then full color when things are settling down and getting back to normal and finding happy. All total this book is amazingly well done and should be a contender for the next Caldecott.
Wires Crossed by Beth Fantaskey
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a fun middle grade graphic novel about changes. It’s about how people you know and love change but are still themselves in ways that counts. For our main character Mia, her best summer camp friend is now going to get to be her all the time friend because they’re moving into the same school. But things are not how Mia planning. One friendship is cracking, school is changing, and it now matters if things are cool or crazy. This is a fantastic book about growing up. About remembering to communicate and remembering that friends are what you make of them. This was well done and great for people who like books like Dork Diary.
Sunhead by Alex Assan
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.5
This book reminds me of the days of Twilight. Our main character Rotem is a “Sunhead”. She is a fan of the Sunrise vampire romance novels. No one else understands her devotion to these books until she makes a new friend who finds them just as wonderful as she does. This book takes place in Israel, which for the most part doesn’t matter, except for the parts when they’re talking about American schools and having to learn a second language. I find that quite funny. However, this story is its own romance and knowing that it’s OK to be a little bit different, to like what you like, and like who you like. This book is very sweet and endearing and I wish it went further than it did, but it ended at a perfect happily ever after.
Ninja Kitties Fried Eggs and the Red Gem: Drago Discovers the Importance of Teamwork by Kayomi Harai, Rob Hudnut
funny
medium-paced
2.0
I fully understand why kids like these books. And I will go on letting them like them. They don’t have the staying power that people are going to be able to quote in 20 years. Not my type of thing and not my type of book but to each of their own.
These Deadly Games by Diana Urban
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
95% of this book takes place in 24 hours. There is a group of six teenagers who are on an E-sports team, but they need to be down to five. They are having a contest to decide which get to play in next week’s tournament. Big prize money is on the line. However, nothing goes according to plan when Cristal gets a message from a special app on her phone saying play my game or your sister dies. What proceeds is 24 hours of Cristal playing a game of life and death. A game of choosing who is more important, your family or your best friends. This is a thriller that moves quickly. While it is well done it, it’s more of a “why done it" then a “how done it”. Mainly because it’s obvious from the beginning what is bringing about this game. I also think it’s easy to tell who the real dangerous one is. However, it was still a fun read that many teens will find exciting. And while it does not exactly end on a cliffhanger, it does leave itself wide open for a sequel. I really thought this would be much more about a group of people playing a deadly game rather than one person, but it works together well and fits within its tropes decently.
Surprisingly Sarah by Terri Libenson
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Another fantastic Lieberson book. This time we follow Sarah, who is the daughter of a single mother. Her best friend happens to be a boy, and they have been friends for as long as she can remember. However, she at that age where she starting to have feelings, and it just so happens, she has feelings for her best friends other guy friend. Sarah must come to terms with where her friendship is with her current friend, and if she can or is willing to do anything about her crush on this other boy. As always, this book is told from two perspective, one of Sarah, and one of her best friends. It’s a mix of prose and graphic novels and like the rest of the series it just works. Kids love these novels for a reason so go check it out.
Becoming Brianna by Terri Libenson
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
One of the reasons that I like these books is that even though they’re a series, they can all be read independently. Each book takes place at approximately the same time and a reader can see each of the kids the important events in their lives. In this case, Brianna has been asked by her mother to be bat-mitzvah. While she’s dreading it, she’s also finding out more about herself, and why she likes her family religion. And while this book is about a bat mitzvah, it is not a religious book. It is just like the other books, a look at the life of a middle schooler, and all their thoughts and feelings. It’s a mix of graphic, novel and prose and just all together works well. I was very interested in Brianna‘s story and can’t wait to read the next one.