Crankee Doodle by Tom Abgleberger - NO

Angleberger, Tom Crankee Doodle, Illustrated by Cece Bell, PICTURE BOOK. Clarion Books, 2013. $16.99. Content: G

This book, I think, is supposed to be a celebration of the centuries-old song “Yankee Doodle”, however it’s really dry humor; so dry to the point that’s almost bizarre. Brits might like it but not for this side of the pond. 

EL(K-3) NOT RECOMMENDED Reviewer: SM

The Bramble by Lee Nordlling-NO

Nordling, Lee. Ill. By Bruce Zick. The Bramble. Pgs. 31. Calorhoda, 2013. Content: Violence: G, Mature Content: G Sexual Content: G. GRAPHIC NOVEL.

When a young boy walks away from a game, he heads into the woods and ends up in the Bramble. There, he meets monsters and extraordinary things happen. The pictures are too dark. There is no text, so the dark pictures make it really hard to figure out what is going on. Although the parts of the story you can figure out are enjoyable. I would not recommend for most libraries. EL, MS. NO. Reviewer: Kira M, Youth Services Librarian, WHI Public Library.

Red Handed: The Fine Art of Strange Crimes by Matt Kindt –NO

Kindt, Matt Red Handed: The Fine Art of Strange Crimes 272 pgs. First Second, 2013. $26.99  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: G. GRAPHIC NOVEL

The city of Red Wheelbarrow has some sneaky criminals. There is a woman with the inability to stop stealing chairs, a photographer who sets people up for tragic moments, a magician who can’t stop using his slight of hand skills, and an elevator repair man who takes pictures when he shouldn’t, and more. Decective Gould is trying to solve these crimes, that is what he is good at, and he just knows there is a common thread between them all.

A homage to old school crime fiction, we are presented with graphic novel art that includes newspaper print, changes in format, and lots of pale washed out figures (like the faded color on old newspaper print). The story is all over the place and I had trouble telling some of the characters apart. I never did bond with the main character of the detective. This book is for a hard core fan of graphic novels, maybe even a bit of a hipster. I don’t think students would seek this one out in a school library unless they were a fan of the author.

HS –NO Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Aesop's Secret by Claudia White –NO

White, Claudia Aesop's Secret 128 pgs. MP Publishing, 2013. $11.99  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG13.

When Melinda discovers she can turn into any animal, she loves it! Turns out it’s a family trait that has developed early for her, but not her brother. Felix doesn't want it anyway and he is just annoyed by Melinda and is glad to go out of country to school. When he has some health problems and the family comes to help, things start to go wrong. Turns out that someone knows about them, and doesn't like their powers, not one bit.

To start out with the cover is pretty dark and dreary, depressing even. Second the content is hard to read, full of death threats, torture, and fear. Thirdly, this book gave me a nightmare. No joking. Wouldn't put this in my school library, ever. 

EL –NO Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Spartan and the Green Egg: A Trip to the Rainforest by Nabila Khashoggi –NO

Khashoggi, Nabila and Illustrated by Cadag, Manuel  Spartan and the Green Egg: A Trip to the Rainforest 59 pgs. Full Cycle Publications, 2013. $13.89.  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

When Spartan tells his best friends about a book that teaches them how to communicate with aliens, they decide to give it a try. Not only does an alien egg appear in their tree house, but it communicates with them. It takes them to the Amazonian rain-forest, where they meet Amazon Natives, learn about logging and deforestation, and help to turn things around.

I had high hopes for this large glossy educational graphic novel. But one thing I am really picky about, especially with genres outside of historical fiction, is terminology. This book features Amazon Natives, but refers to them twice as just Indians. Worst of all one of the kids jokes that the Indians might boil them for dinner. Also these Amazon Natives are portrayed as extremely stereotypical Pocahontas style Native Americans. I am all for opening students eyes to the dangers of logging and deforestation of these precious rain-forests, but when they solve the problem purely with Alien magic (isn't that just handy?), it just doesn't work for me at all.

EL –NO Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Dr. Z’s Adventure Park (I Scream, You Scream Scary Tales) by James Preller –NO

Preller, James  Dr. Z’s Adventure Park (I Scream, You Scream Scary Tales) 112 pgs. Feiwel & Friends, 2013. $5.39.  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: PG; Violence: PG.

Sam loves amusement park rides, the scarier the better. When she wins a ticket to the newest ride, Dragon’s Tooth, she is over joyed. But its only 1 ticket, so her parents must stay behind as she goes off with a scared little boy in a mine car, down into the earth. Things start to go gravely wrong, and Sam tries to protect the boy. Turns out nothing is what it seems.

This was more horror than anything. I think it was cold, dark, and didn’t have much to redeem itself. I wouldn’t want my students reading this. There is some very descriptive injuries and terror that isn’t great for Elementary. But the plot would be a bit too childish for older students. 

EL –NO Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author. 

Criminal by Terra McVoy - NO

McVoy, Terra Elan Criminal, 288 pgs. Simon & Schuster, 2013. $16.99. Content: Language: R (58 swears; 16 Fs); Mature Content: R (smoking; drinking; marijuana use; descriptive casual sex; use of fake I.D.s; casual references to gun play); Violence: R  (shooting of policeman; threats of domestic violence toward several women in the novel);

This novel deals with the choices a young woman must make to save herself and to reclaim her freedom after becoming mixed up (to the point of thinking she's fallen in love) with a nearly-of-age career criminal, whereby she is arrested and charged as an accessory to  murder. The book starts with the protagonist and her boyfriend hiding out at the home of a best friend whose car was used in the crime, which has brought the local police force to the scene.

I believe it was written with the author's hope that its redeeming value would be seen, first in the regret expressed by the protagonist over the loss of her best friend, and second, through her loss of freedom and rough exposure to other incarcerated women in the local jail. However, the casual sex, constant swearing, drinking and understated threats of violence toward nearly every female character in the novel force me to state that I do not support bringing this novel into any school library.                                                 

HS - NO. Reviewer: Katherine S., Utah Educator. 

Plants vs. Zombies: Official Guide to Protecting your Brains by Simon Swatman –NO

Swatman, Simon Plants vs. Zombies: Official Guide to Protecting your Brains 176 pgs. HarperFestival, 2013. $7.99.  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

A companion book to the popular game, this book features advice on how to deal with zombies, an extensive detailed list of every type of zombie, as well as detailed pages featuring information about the plants from the game. The illustrations are bright, colorful and engaging. The text variety is interesting and fun to read.

This book would be a hit with students who love the game Plants Vs. Zombies. I know zombies are popular but this one isn't going to work without knowledge of the game. Is the game popular with your students? I say give it as a holiday gift to a child who loves this game, but don’t add it to your school collection.

EL –NO Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Francis the Little Fox by Veronique Boisjoly –NOT RECOMMENDED

Boisjoly, Veronique Francis the Little Fox 92 pgs. Kids Can Press, 2013. $13.84.  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.

Francis is a little fox who loves to go the Laundromat with his dad. They go every Sunday. Although it’s better than home with his little sister Lola, there is a little girl there who likes to play tricks, which mild mannered Francis doesn't like. Today is going to be no different, lots of tricks and even a rescue.

I was smitten by the illustrations, featuring an adorable fox. The artwork is simple, clean, and has a harmonious color palate. The story, though quirky, was kind of oddly boring. For example Francis says “what could be better than freshly washed clothes and bedsheets”; I think students will have trouble relating to both the content and wording. This kind of goes for the whole book. I know that the ending is supposed to be funny, but the rest of the book is so sweet and wholesome that it actually jarred me.  

EL (K-2) –NO Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

Watching Jimmy by Nancy Hartry -- NOT RECOMMENDED

Hartry, Nancy Watching Jimmy, 152 pgs. Tundra Books, 2009. $16.95. Language: PG-13 (20+ swears); sexual content: PG-13 (threatened molestation of a child); violence: PG-13.

When Jimmy suffers severe brain damage, everyone believes Uncle Ted's story about him falling off the swing when it was at its peak. But Jimmy's friend Carolyn knows the whole truth because she was there. Rather than telling on the scary Uncle Ted, however, the eleven-year-old grits her teeth and helps care for the damaged Jimmy. But the world is filled with good people, and she soon finds that others can be just as altruistic as she.

This was a short but disturbing read that could interest some fans of dark realistic fiction. Although some of the twists were far-fetched -- especially the good luck that fell in Carolyn's lap several times -- the message that there are good people in the world is comforting. Unfortunately, finding an audience for the book could be difficult, as the topics are far too advanced for an elementary school crowd, and many high school students will be turned off by the use of an eleven-year-old character's perspective. In addition, the choice of setting -- 1958 Canada -- means many of the references will be obscure for a modern American audience, especially since little to no background is given for any of them.

In truth, the above made the book OPTIONAL all the way up until the end, when Carolyn made the conscious decision not to report Uncle Ted's attempted sexual molestation of her because she felt her loved-ones shouldn't be burdened with that knowledge. Instead, she decides it would be most noble to simply get over it and move on. Not an encouraging or helpful example for students who may be in a similar position. Also, Uncle Ted is never truly punished for what happened to Jimmy. Instead, he simply disappears, and the other characters shrug him off with a comment that he may come back but they can handle him this time for certain. Alas, there is no evidence that they can, and the lack of resolution without the promise of a sequel leaves the reader with an uneasy feeling, as does the fact that Jimmy has only a slim (and expensive) chance of being cured. Perhaps the addition of an epilogue would have helped.

HS -- NOT RECOMMENDED. Reviewer: Caryn

Ghost Flower by Michelle Jaffe - NO

Jaffe, Michelle Ghost Flower, 358 pages;  Razorbill (Penguin Group) 2012. $9.99 Mature content: PG13, violence PG13.  

On the swears words, I stopped counting at 30 not even half way through the book, and it felt awkward as if the author just wanted to be edgy; no F words however.  A brother and sister think they have lucked out when they find their cousin’s doppelganger.   They plan to set her up as their cousin so she can claim the cousin’s inheritance.  

A twisty, turning mystery, but way too many holes left gaping at the end.  There are sexual undertones and overtones, a non-graphic lesbian relationship, a hint at incest, suicide and murder, and fairly immoral activities passed off casually.  The interest level would be high school, but most high school students would figure it out quickly and then be disappointed.  

NOT RECOMMENDED