Review: Wildlife Rescue

 

* Book 3 in the Wildlife Rescue series *

A turtle gets hit by a car and needs help. Luckily the local wildlife hospital is there. Twins Ana and Sofia are visiting their cousins, who volunteer with the animals. Ana and Sofia get to visit the hospital and help take care of the tortoises. 

They learn the road where the turtle was hit is very dangerous for tortoises. And people drive too fast on it, causing more injuries. They want to come up with a plan to help. But will anyone listen?

My Thoughts: I accidentally read book 3 first. I felt like I missed some of the back stories. But it wasn't hard picking up the story. I love what the kids did to raise awareness about the tortoises. I felt bad for Ana, the twin who follows her sister's lead. But she starts making her own choices about what she wants to do. It must be hard to be a twin. I loved the tips on how to help animals in the back of the book. I'm looking forward to reading the rest in the series. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: This is the perfect series for an animal lover.

Picture Book Wednesday: Farm Books

Just a few nonfiction picture books about farms:

This takes a look at dairy farming in the US - from family farms to robotic milking machines to grocery stores. It's a very linear read. 

I confess I knew almost nothing about silkie chickens but this book makes me want to meet one! They're so tiny and I love the bluish features. 

These goats look so cute! We had goats at the library last summer, but not angora goats. It would be fun to see them with their long soft mohair (which is great to use for knitting)

I've seen alpacas, but I've never met one, which I need to work on changing. There are two kinds of alpacas and their fleece is wildly different from each other. They are related to camels and llamas.

* What I like about these Abdo Kids Jumbo books is that they are long, they have great pictures, and just the right amount of information. They're fun to read for storytimes when you want a nonfiction book too. And I always learn something from these books. I love the extra facts at the end.

Picture Book Review: Over and Under the Coral Reef

 

 A child and father take a swim in the ocean; the father points out all kinds of amazing things. 

They see so much under the water. There's so much to see; it seems like a magical day.  The illustrations here are beautiful; lovely to our over. There's an author note that talks about coral reefs and how to help protect them. There's a list in the back of the book about all the animals showcased in this book and tiny blurb of information on each one. There are also some suggestions for further reading. This is the 4th book in this Over and Under series and each of them is fantastic. Perfect for older readers.

A must have book for your school or public library collection.

Middle Grade Review: Hunt for the Silver Dragon

 

* Book 7 in the Curious Cat Spy Club *

Kelsey, Becca, and Leo are out hunting for lost animals when they come across a sheep with an arrow through its leg. They immediately call their parents to take over. Kelsey's mom forbids her daughter from investigating the matter - saying it's too dangerous.

This leads to Leo to advantage of an opportunity. He's hoping to change school and attend the gifted school. Becca and Kelsey have a massive fight over a boy. Becca's interested in the new volunteer at her mom's animal sanctuary. But Kelsey doesn't trust him. 

When the Sherriff asks Kelsey for some help, she's happy to go undercover and investigate. She's not happy to keep the truth from Becca. Will the friends recover? Will the mysteries be solved?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I love the friendship moments and the animal moments. I love how many animals find forever home or are reunited with their families. I felt terrible about the friendship drama between Becca and Kelsey. And also terrible for the animals. There was such a cast of characters in this book. I had to keep turning the pages to see how everything turned out. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

 Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: A fantastic mystery series for animal lovers. 

Board Book: Hoot Hoot

 

A little boy is ready for bed but can't sleep. He keeps hearing all these sounds. What could it be?

I love the big eyes continue throughout the book with different animals. And the ending is funny. This will be a fun book to read out loud. And I'm sure it will be read over and over again.

* book sent for review

Nonfiction Review: A Meerkat Diary

 

Suzi Eszterhas shares her journey as a photographer of wildlife. She's sharing photos and moments of her day. 

There's a lot of information here and amazing photographs. I love how Suzi and her team followed one family and watched the pups. I learned how they spend their day - eating and looking for food and playing. I love how Suzi and her team gave the pups nicknames. The pictures are so cute! There were some moments of danger and some moments of aww. 

If you like animals, this is on you won't want to miss. 

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your public and school library 

Review: Are Wolves Afraid of the Dark

 

Intrepid readers are invited on a field trip into the wild to discover whether wolves are as big and bad as we think they are.

In this worldwide adventure, readers get up close and personal with one of nature's most misunderstood creatures: the wolf. Packed with little-known facts about wolves' family lives, eating habits, and their connection to domestic dogs, readers will discover the secret lives of wolves and how to protect them.

For many people, wolves are the stuff of nightmares and horror movies, but the reality is that they’re among some of the most vulnerable wild animals on our planet. By following field guide Huw Lewis Jones and nature illustrator Sam Caldwell into the wild, readers will meet subspecies of grey wolf living in forests throughout Europe, North America, and China, as well as red wolves in North Carolina and other members of the canid family, including coyotes.

Along the way, aspiring naturalists will discover the difference between a timber and a tundra wolf, what traits wild wolves share with domestic dogs, and why wolf poop is so important to scientists! - summary from the publisher

My Thoughts: This is a fun nonfiction book - perfect for kids who love wildlife or dogs. The illustrations are lovely. There's so much information to devour, but it's broken up so it doesn't seem overwhelming. And it does answer all the questions! 

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: Highly Recommended for your children's nonfiction section.

This book is a little bit on the larger size, it might be a sideways book on your shelf. 

Series Spotlight: Dear Beast

Andy's parents divorce. Andy gets a dog, Beast, at his Dad's house. Simon, the original pet, is NOT happy. Simon tries to get Beast to leave. 

Simon is happy to have Beast be in the pet parade this year instead of him - until he gets jealous. 

The classroom pet is missing - Andy is fighting with his friend about who is to blame. Simon decides he's going to solve the mystery. 

Andy's mom goes away for the week. Simon goes to stay with Andy and Beast - and it doesn't go as Simon planned.

Dear Beast is part of our Easy Chapter collection as it's short (roughly 75 pages) and heavily illustrated. 

It's an adorable epistolary novel series. Beast's letters are playful and full of mis-spelled words. Simon is a grump old curmudgeon. But they both love Andy and want him to be happy. You meet other animals in the neighborhood - Snail (who delivers the mail and may have been a spy), Squirrel, a skunk, a wily crow, an old outdoor tomcat. The illustrations are super cute. This series is perfect for animal lovers! 

A must have series for your library collection! 

Picture Book Wednesday: The Lodge that Beaver Built

 

Beaver builds a lodge for his family - and it helps lots of other animals in the stream.

This is a great nature book - which showcases the circle of life. I love that the lodge helps so many other animals - even when the beavers have moved on. There are so many different animals to talk about. I love that they are all connected to each other. A smart book with lovely illustrations. 

Graphic Nove Review: Mindy Makes Some Space

 

Best friends Mindy Kim, Gabby Jordan, and Priya Gupta are back in business! After a few ups and downs, their dog-walking business is booming and the girls are closer than ever. It's a dream come true!

But for Mindy, things at home are beginning to feel like a bit of a nightmare. Her mom just started dating someone, which has Mindy feeling like the odd one out. For as long as she can remember, it's been just the two of them and she doesn't want that to change. (So what if her mom's boyfriend has a cute pet cat, and all of Mindy's friends seem to think he's pretty cool?)

And things only get worse when a new student named Hazel arrives in class and seems totally into joining PAWS. Sharing her mom feels bad enough, so there's no way Mindy's is going to share her best friends and her business, too! But when Mindy's stubbornness starts to hurt everyone around her, will she be able to overcome her fears and learn that change doesn't have to be a cat-tastrophe? - summary from the publisher 

My Thoughts: I really liked this book. But apparently, I didn't read the first book. Oops. Going to go back and read that one ASAP. I did feel like I was forgetting things, but I wasn't lost. The second book was a cute story - everything was tough for Mindy. Her relationship with her mom is changing now that her mom has a boyfriend. Her relationship with her friends are changing as they are becoming closer with Hazel. Hazel's in a wheelchair and there were moments where the main characters realized how inaccessible houses were for Trick or Treating or for dog walking. It's always hard to add a new friend to a friend group. I felt bad for Mindy, I just wanted to wrap her up in a hug. She felt so left out in all areas of her life. She started communicating with her friends and finally let go of her anger. She learned to accept the changes in her life.  

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your school and public library collections.

Review: Shelterlings

 

A group of magical misfits have come to terms with the fact that their magic, while unique, isn't going to make their lives better. They're not going to bond with wizards and go on quests together. They're stuck together in a cozy little home. 

Until Charlie returns with news. He's uncovered a spell that will make everything better. The spell will fix the Moon Mirror and they can live the lives they were meant to live. However, they need to gather ingredients - which won't be easy.

Almost everyone's thrilled with the idea. They volunteer for a quest. Holly and her best friend Gus need to find a flower. But their quest takes a turn when they meet a cat, a wizard, and a dragon who needs their help. Holly never though her magic would amount to much - or that she would go on a quest. But she's having the time of her life. Does she really want everything to change?

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. I felt badly for Holly and her friends as they agonized over their limited magical abilities. lots of action and adventure in this book. Also soul-searching. I loved the friendships in this book - the best friends and the making of friends. I loved the message about being different. There are a few lovely quotes in this book - here's one "You're only a failure if you quit. Until then you're just someone who hasn't succeeded yet." Another winner for Sarah Beth Durst.

Cover Thoughts: Adorable

Source: eARC from Netgalley

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your school and public libraries!

Review: Going Wild

 

* First book in a trilogy *

Charlie and her family move from Chicago to Arizona. Charlie's annoyed by the move - she's missing her friends and her soccer team. Of course, she's going to try out for a new team, but it's not the same. While they're unpacking, she finds a package with her name on it with a sports bracelet inside. 

She's excited for the gift as she thinks it will help her focus on her soccer skills. When she puts it on, strange things start to happen. Charlie can run super-fast, and her healing ability is amazing. Add that with super strength and Charlie is confused. Worse, she can't get the bracelet off. Can she figure out the truth behind the bracelet and its powers?

My Thoughts: I heard about this book at an author event. I'm so glad I did because I missed it somehow. And it's super good - there's lots of action and danger. Lots of friendship drama as Charlie navigates friendships at her new school. There's family drama as everyone is adjusting to a new routine. Charlie's involved in soccer and theater at school. I can't wait to read the next books and lucky for me, because this is an older trilogy, I don't have to wait. 

Cover Thoughts: Cool

Source: My library

Library Recommendation: If you don't have this trilogy, it's highly recommended!

Picture Book Wednesday: Home Alone

What do your pets do all day when you're gone? 

This funny book is perfect for readers who enjoyed Secret Life of Pets. Frido has quite the adventurous day. Lots of puns with the illustrations! Readers will get a kick out of this book!

* Sent for review

** Perfect for Tails and Tales and this year's summer reading program.

 

On Your Radar: Clarice the Brave (50)

 

Title: Clarice the Brave

Author: Lisa McMann

Publisher: G. Putnam's Sons

Release Date: October 2021

Why it should be on your radar:

* Friendship in unexpected places

* Siblings

* Animals

* Danger

* Action

* Survival

* Boats

* Kindness

* Hope

* Courage

* Having someone believe in you

I really enjoyed this book, especially the unexpected friendships and how they changed everything!

* ARC sent for review

Library Recommendation: You're going to want this one for your school and library collections - highly recommended! 

Christmas in July: Animal Christmas Books

 

It's Christmas in July here at YA Book Nerd.

Because of the pandemic, last year's Christmas book order at the library took longer to come in.  So I didn't get the chance to take them home and read them first like usual. And thus didn't get my picture book Christmas fix. But now I've gotten a chance to read them and wanted to share some of my favorites. Stay tuned all month long for new to me picture books.

 

Fletcher is scared that Santa won't find the rabbit's new home, so he takes matters into his own hands.

A cute animal story about friendship, sharing, and solving problems. The art work is gorgeous and I loved the tree at the end of the book.

Is there anything better than Christmas? What about Love? 

I loved this story about a bear family going through the Christmas traditions and remember all the things they love. Great illustrations too.

Samantha Duck wants to celebrate Christmas, so she starts getting ready. But animals don't celebrate...or do they?

A lovely tale about gift giving, friendship, and problem solving. 

Something is happening at the farm and the animals are all in a tizzy to figure out what it could be. 

The holidays are a magical time. This tale takes something old and makes something new that can be shared with many.  The photographs are lovely. And I love that this is based on a true story from Vermont.

Summer Reading Kids (3)

I'm a little late with the planning this year, but I'm starting to look at summer reading programs. This year is ALL about animals.

It's possible to break up the summer into weeks:

Pets

Farm Animals

Zoo

Previously I talked about easy crafts and food programs

This week is all about books.

Animal Books are a little bit easier because they come out all the time. And they circulate really well. I usually spend the year stocking up on books for the summer's theme.

These are ones I've read this year and ones I'm going to order for the library. There's a nice mix of older titles and upcoming books. 

Picture Books:

   

 

  

  

 

  

 

Graphic Novels:

Chapter Books:

   

   

  

Nonfiction Books:

  

  

Many of these nonfiction books are part of a series, which is great!