Review: The Queen's Hat by Steve Antony

The Queen's Hat by Steve Antony. unpgd. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., August, 2015. 9780545835565. (Finished copy provided by publisher for review.)

Set aside the improbability that any sort of wind could cause QEII's hat to fly off her perfectly coifed head and just dive into this merry romp. The queen is off to visit someone special at Kensington Palace, when said hat flies away. Her guards are in hot pursuit following the queen and her beloved, sweater-clad corgi. As the wind whooshes the hat around, over and through a variety of London landmarks, young readers will giggle at the increasing mayhem. 

There is plenty of white space. The palette is comprised of muted purple, black and bright red. Energy and visual humor abound. The endpapers are clever and all-in-all, the book is attractively designed. This should make for some story-time fun.  

2015 Reads

January (19)
1. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell (1/1)
2. Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled by Catherine Thimmesh (1/3)
3. The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming (1/4)*
4. Robert Frost's New England by Betsy and Tom Melvin (1/6)
5. Drones by Martin J. Dougherty (1/9)
6. All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven (1/13)
7. A Crankenstein Valentine by Samantha Berger (1/14)*
8. Minecraft: Combat Handbook (1/15)
9. Egg & Spoon by Gregory MaGuire (1/15)*
10. Minecraft: Construction Handbook (1/16)
11. Rutherford B., Who Was He? by Marilyn Singer (1/18)
12. Popularity Papers # 6 by Amy Ignatow (1/19)
13. Walking Wounded (Vietnam #5) by Chris Lynch (1/22)*
14. There's This Thing by Connah Brecon (1/22)
15. The Eye of Minds by James Dashner (1/23)
16. Africa is My Home by Monica Edinger (1/23)
17. Astrotwins: Project Blastoff by Mark Kelly (SLJ review) 1/25)
18. Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt (1/28)*
19. Ocean Sunlight: how tiny plants feed the seas by Molly Bang (1/28)

February (20)
20. My Pen by Christopher Myers (2/1)*
21. Tommy Can't Stop by Tim Federle (2/1)
22. Maddy Kettle: the adventure of the Thimblewitch by Eric Orchard (2/6)
23. Red: a crayon's story by Michael Hall (2/6)
24. The Case for Loving: the fight for interracial marriage by Selma Alko (2/6)
25. Delirium by Lauren Oliver (2/6)
26. Chasing Freedom: the life journeys of Harriet Tubman and Susan B. Anthony inspired by historical facts by Nikki Grimes (2/7)
27. Tombquest Book 1: Book of the Dead by Michael Northrop (2/8)
28. Rumble by Ellen Hopkins (2/13)
29. Wild: from lost to found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (2/14)
30. My Life in Dioramas by Tara Altebrando (2/17)
31. Fairest by Marissa Meyer (2/17)
32. Bird & Squirrel on Ice by James Burk (2/18)
33. The Magic School Bus Presents: Ocean Adventure by Johanna Cole and Mary Kay Carson (2/18)
34. Busy Butterflies by Gail Tuchman (2/18)
35. Steve & Wessley in The Sea Monster by J.E. Morris (2/18)
36. Fly Guy's Amazing Tricks by Tedd Arnold (2/19)
37. Racing the Waves by Robert Neubecker (2/19)
38. Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot vs. the Stupid Stinkbugs from Saturn by Dav Pilkey (2/20)
39. The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There by Catherynne Valente (2/22)

March (46)
40. The Sin Eater's Daughter by Melinda Salisbury (3/1)
41. Winger by Andrew Smith (3/1)*
42. Click, Clack, Peep! by Doreen Cronin (3/1)
43. I Don't Want to Be a Frog by Dev Petty (3/1)
44.Peanut Butter & Cupcake! by Terry Border (3/1)
45. Marcel the Shell with Shoes on: Things about Me by Jenny Slate (3/1)
46. Naptime with Theo and Beau by Jessica Shyba (3/1)
47. Pirates of the Silver Coast by Scott Chantler (3/1)
48. Little Red's Riding Hood by Peter Stein. (3/2)
49. Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders by Geoff Herbach (3/2)
50. Eerie Elementary #2: the locker ate Lucy! by Jack Chabert (3/3)
51. Hot Rod Hamster and the Awesome ATV Adventure by Cynthia Lord (3/3)
52. Monkey and Duck Quack Up! by Jennifer Hamburg (3/3)
53. How Do Dinosaurs Stay Safe? by Jane Yolen (3/4)
54 . Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae (3/4)
55. Sleeping Cinderella and Other Princess Mix-ups by Stephanie Clarkson (3/6)
56. Groundhog Day by Betsy Lewin (3/6)
57. Cold as Ice by Sarah Mlynowski (3/6)
58. The Young Elites by Marie Lu (3/7)
59. House of Robots by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein (3/8)
60. A Crow of One's Own by Megan Dowd Lambert (3/9)
61. Alice in Wonderland Down the Rabbit Hole by Lewis Carroll. Retold by Joe Rhatigan & Charles Nurnberg (3/9)
62. In the New World: a family in two centuries by Gerda Raidt & Christa Holtei (3/9)
63. John Muir Wrestles a Waterfall by Julie Danneberg (3/9)
64. Dirty Rats? by Darrin Lunde (3/9)
65. The Boy & the Book [a wordless story] by David Michael Slater (3/9)
66. Wangari Maathai: the woman who planted millions of trees by Frack Prévot (3/11)
67. Tom Gates: Excellent Excuses (and other good stuff) by L. Pichon (3/14)(SLJ Review)
68. Mama Miti by Donna Jo Napoli (3/16)
69. The Shadow Hero by Gene Luen Yang & Sonny Liew (3/16)
70. Ares: bringer of war by George O'Connor (3/19)*
71. Branches of the Military by Sean Callery (3/19)
72. When I Grow Up: Abraham Lincoln by Ann Marie Anderson (3/19)
73. Nic Bishop Frogs by Nic Bishop (3/19)
74. The Magic School Bus Presents Volcanoes and Earthquakes by Joanna Cole (3/20)
75. The Magic School Bus Presents the Rain Forest by Joanna Cole (3/23)
76. Captain Raptor and the Space Pirates by Kevin O'Malley (3/24)
77. Such a Little Mouse by Alice Schertle (3/24)
78. The Magic School Bus Presents Polar Animals by Joanna Cole (3/25)
79. The Zero Degree Zombie Zone by Patrik Henry Bass (3/26)
80. Really? Ocean by Penelope Arlon (3/26)
81. I Totally Funniest by James Patterson (3/26)
82. Sally Ride: life on a mission by Sue Macy (3/26)
83. Discover More: Animal Faces by Penelope Arlon (3/26)
84. Sniffer Dogs: how dogs (and their noses) save the world by Nancy F. Castaldo (3/27)*
85. Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver (3/29)

April (30)
86. Beetle Busters: a rogue insect and the people who track it by Loree Griffin Burns (4/1)*
87. The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm (4/3)*
88. The Candymakers by Wendy Mass (4/3)
89. The Way to Stay in Destiny by Augusta Scattergood (4/4)*
90. Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko (4/5)*
91. Roller Girl by Victoria Jamieson (4/6)*
92. Won Ton and Chopstick by Lee Wardlaw (4/8)*
93. Completely Clementine by Sara Pennypacker (4/8)*
94. Paper Towns by John Green (4/9)
95. The Vanishing Vampire by David Lubar (4/10)
96. Character, Driven by David Lubar (4/12)*
97. Winnie: the true story of the bear who inspired Winnie-the-Pooh by Sally M. Walker (4/14)*
98. Sidewalk Flowers by Jon Arno Lawson (4/17)*
99. Mr. Williams by Karen Barbour (4/17)*
100. In by Nikki McClure (4/17)
101. Nnewts by Doug TenNapel (4/17)
102. The Madman of Piney Woods by Christopher Paul Curtis (4/18)*

103. Counting Crows by Kathi Appelt (4/18)
104. Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff (4/18)*
105. Bird Gardening Book by Donald and Lillian Stokes (4/19)
106. 28 Days: moments in black history that changed the world by Charles R. Smith Jr. (4/21)
107 Harlem Hellfighters by J. Patrick Lewis & Gary Kelley (4/21)
108. When Rivers Burned: the Earth Day story by Linda Crotta Brennan (4/22)
109. Sneaker Century: a history of athletic shoes by Amber J. Keyser (4/24)
110. The Tapper Twins Tear Up New York by Geoff Rodkey (4/25) (SLJ review)*
111. This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki (4/26)*
112. To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han (4/26)
113. Yoga for Osteoporosis by Loren Fishman (4/27)
114. Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom by Lynda Blackmon Lowery (4/28)
115. Requiem by Lauren Oliver (4/30)

May (37)
116. The Liberation of Gabriel King by K.L. Going (5/2)
117. The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things by Ann Aguirre (5/3)
118. The Contract by Derek Jeter (5/4)
119. Carter's Unfocused One-track Mind by Brent Crawford (5/8)
120. Hit & Miss by Derek Jeter (5/9)
121. Scary Snakes by Lauren Brown (5/9)
122. Teensy Weensy Animals (5/9)
123. Explorers by Penelope Arlon (5/9)
124. Three Day Summer by Sarvenaz Tash (5/12)
125. The Magic School Bus Presents: Insects (5/12)
126. Silver People by Margarita Engle (5/14)
127. The Magic School Bus Presents: Dinosaurs (5/14)
128. The Night Parade by Lily Roscoe (5/14)
129. The Notebook of Doom #5: The Whack of the P-Rex by Troy Cummings (5/14)
130. Paleontologists and Archaeologists by Ruth Owen (5/15)
131. The Case of the Vanishing Little Brown Bats by Sandra Markle (5/15)*
132. Backlash by Sarah Darer Littman (5/15)*
133. Superstars of History: the good, the bad and the brainy by Basher and R.J. Grant (5/15)
134. Princess Academy by Shannon Hale (5/16)*
135. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein (5/16)
136. Starring Jules: Third Grade Debut by Beth Ain (5/16)
137. The Day I Lost My Superpowers by Michael Escoffier (5/16)
138. The Chimpanzee Children of Gombe by Jane Goodall (5/17)
139. A Bad Boy Can be Good for a Girl by Tanya Lee Stone (5/17)
140. I Wish You More by Amy Kraus Rosenthal (5/18)
141. The Luck of the Buttons by Anne Ylvisaker (5/19)
142. The Yeti Files: Meet the Bigfeet by Kevin Sherry (5/20)
143. Literally Disturbed: tales to keep you up at night by Ben H. Winters (5/22)
144. Dreamland Social Club by Tara Altebrando (5/23)
145. Purge by Sarah Darer Littman (5/25)
146. Sugar Hill: Harlem's Historic Neighborhood by Carole Boston Weatherford (5/26)
147. I'm My Own Dog by David Ezra Stein (5/26)
148. Two by Kathryn Otoshi (5/26)
149. Scholastic Year in Sports 2016 (5/26)
150. Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan (5/30)*
151. The World Series by Matt Doeden (5/30)
152. srsly Hamlet by William Shakespeare + Courtney Carbone (5/31)

June (17)
153. Roller Derby Rivals by Sue Macy (6/1)
154. Mesmerized: how Ben Franklin solved a mystery that baffled France by Maria Rockliff (6/1)
155. The Girl Who Soared Over Fairyland and Cut the Moon in Two by Catherynne M. Valente (6/1)
156. The Marvels by Brian Selznick (6/2)*
157. Trowel and Error: Over 700 Tips,Remedies and Shortcuts for the Gardener by Sharon Lovejoy (6/3)
158. Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot vs. the Uranium Unicorns from Uranus by Dav Pilkey (6/4)
159. The Disappearance of Emily H. by Barrie Summy (6/4)
160. Zac and Mia by A.J. Betts (6/7)
161. 101 Hidden Animals by Melvin & Gilda Berger (6/8)
162. The Unstoppable Octobia May by Sharon Flake (6/8)
163. The Boneshaker by Kate Milford (6/12)
164. Through the Woods by Emily Carroll (6/13)
165. Little Fish by Ramsey Beyer (6/14)
166. The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale (6/17)
167. Falling into Place by Amy Zhang (6/18)
168. I, Robot by Isaac Asimov (6/23)
169. Sunny Side Up by Jennifer and Matthew Holm (6/28)*

July (32)
170. George by Alex Gino (7/2)*
171. Crime Biters! My Dog is Better Than Your Dog by Tommy Greenwald (7/3)
172. Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce (7/3)
173. The Secrets of Ruling School by Neil Swaab (7/4) (SLJ review)
174. Neighborhood Sharks by Katherine Roy (7/5)*
175. McToad Mows Tiny Island by Tom Angleberger (7/5)
176. Zen Socks by Jon Muth (7/6)
177. Saint Anything by Sarah Dessen (7/9)
178. Vango: Between Sky and Earth by Timothée de Fombelle (7/11)
179. House Arrest by K.A. Holt (7/11)*
180. I am the Messenger by Marcus Zusak (7/12)
181. The Truth about Twinkie Pie by Kat Yeh (7/13)
182. Stick and Stone by Beth Ferry (7/14)
183. Should I Share My Ice Cream? by Mo Willems (7/15)
184. We are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen (7/16)
185. Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña (7/16)
186. Star Stuff: Carl Sagan and the mysteries of the cosmos by Stephanie Roth Sisson (7/17)
187. VIP: I'm with the Band! by Jen Calonita (7/18) (SLJ review)
188. Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre & his world of insects by Matthew Clark Smith (7/18)
189. Malala: a brave girl from Pakistan/ Iqbal: a brave boy from Pakistan by Jeanette Winter (7/19)
190. Nature's Perfect Package: Egg by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page (7/19)*
191. Bulldozer's Big Day by Candace Fleming (7/19)
192. A Fine Dessert: four centuries, four families, one delicious treat by Emily Jenkins & Sophie Blackall (7/19)
193. The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud (7/22)*
194. Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley (7/23)*
195. Seven Dead Pirates (7/34)(SLJ review)*
196. The Julian Chapter by R.J. Palacio (7/25)*
197. Babymouse: Cupcake Tycoon by Jennifer L. Holm & Matthew Holm (7/25)
198. Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky (7/26)*
199. Jeter Unfiltered by Derek Jeter (7/28)
200. Tombquest Book 2: Amulet Keepers by Michael Northrop (7/29)
201. The Call of the Osprey by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent (7/31)

August (20)
202. The Black Reckoning by John Stephens (8/1)*
203. The Trouble with Ants (Nora Notebooks 1) by Claudia Mills (8/2)
204. X: a novel by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon (8/6)*
205. The Unlikely Adventure of Mabel Jones by Will Mabbit (8/7)*
206. Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper (8/7)
207. Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Planet Girl by Tommy Greenwald (8/9)
208. The Early Cretaceous Period by Juan Carlos Alonso & Gregory S. Paul (8/13)
209. That's (Not) Mine by Anna Kang (8/13)
210. Lola and the Boy Next Door by Stephanie Perkins (8/14)
211. The Trouble in Me by Jack Gantos (8/14)*
212. Michael Vey: the prisoner of cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans (8/15)
213. Denton Little's Death Date by Lance Rubin (8/17)* 
214. Drive Me Crazy by Terra Elan McVoy (8/19)
215. The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith (8/22)
216. The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly (8/24)*
217. The Turn of the Tide by Rosanne Parry (8/25)*
218. The Best Friend Battle by Lindsay Eyre (8/26)
219. Ghostlight by Sonia Gensler (8/28)
220. Princess Academy #2: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale. (8/28)
221. Stealing Air by Trent Reedy (8/30)

September (10)
222. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs (9/5)
223. Stonewall by Ann Bausum (9/5)*
224. The Kidney Hypothetical by Lisa Yee (9/12)
225. Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly (9/14)*
226. A Tower of Giraffes: animals in groups by Anna Wright (9/17)
227. Hollow City by Ransom Riggs (9/17)*
228. Lair of Dreams by Libba Bray (9/26)*
229. Space Case by Stuart Gibbs (9/26)
230. The Looney Experiment by Luke Reynolds (9/27)
231. Devoted: 38 extraordinary tales of love, loyalty and life with dogs by Rebecca Ascher-Walsh (9/30)

October (13)
232. Bug in a Vacuum by Melanie Watt (10/1)
233. Baba Yaga's Assistant by Marika McCoola (10/4)
234. Redeployment by Phil Klay (10/8)
235. Nanobots by Chris Gall (10/8)*
236. Are We There Yet? by Dan Santat (10/10)*
237. Jump into the Sky by Shelley Pearsall (10/11)
238. Happy! Pharrell Williams (10/18)
239. The Nest by Kenneth Oppel (10/22)
240. Revolution by Deborah Wiles (10/24)
241. Knit Together by Angela Dominguez (10/25)
242. The Port Chicago 50 by Steve Sheinkin (10/25)*
243. Leo: a ghost story by Mac Barnett (10/25)
244. Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the secret history of the Vietnam War by Steve Sheinkin (10/28)*
245. The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson (10/31)

November (17)
246. Galgorithm by Aaron Karo (11/1)
247. Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown (11/1)
248. Maya's Blanket by Monica Brown (11/1)
249. Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins (11/1)*
250. Ketzel, the Cat who Composed by Lesléa Newman (11/2)
251. I am Yoga by Susan Verde (11/3)*
252. Bird by Zetta Elliot (11/4)
253. Old School by Jeff Kinney (11/5)
254. Gone Crazy in Alabama by Rita Williams-Garcia (11/8)*
255. The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin (11/13)
256. Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate (11/17)*
257. Bad Kitty: Puppy's Big Day by Nick Bruel (11/17)
258. The Wild Swans by Jackie Morris (11/18)*
259. The Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs (11/21)*
260. When I was the Greatest by Jason Reynolds (11/22)*
261. Jake Makes a World: Jacob Lawrence, a Young Artist in Harlem by Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts (11/26)
262. Firebird: Ballerina Misty Copeland Shows a Young Girl How to Dance by Misty Copeland (11/26)
263. Challenger Deep by Neal Shusterman (11/29)*

December (22)
264. The Great American Whatever by Tim Federle (12/4)*
265. The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett (12/5)*
266. Frog on a Log? by Kes Gray & Jim Field (12/5)
267. Friendshape by Amy Krous Rosenthal & Tom Lichtenheld (12/5) *
268. A Lucky Author Has a Dog by Mary Lyn Ray (12/5)
269. The Inker's Shadow by Allen Say (12/5)
270. When Sophie's Feelings are Really, Really Hurt by Molly Bang (12/6)
271. Elephant in the Dark retold by Mina Javaherbin (12/6)
272. The Queen's Hat by Steve Antony (12/6)
273. The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan (12/8) (SLJ review)
274. The Hollow Boy (Lockwood & Co. #3) by Jonathan Stroud (12/12)
275. Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum (12/13)*
276. No Summit out of Sight by Jordan Romero (12/20)
277. Sweep Up the Sun by Helen Frost (12/23)
278. The Sword of Summer by Rick Riordan (12/26)
279. Click Clack Ho Ho Ho by Betsy Lewin (12/28)
280. Pieces of Why by K. L. Going (12/28)
281. One by Kathryn Otoshi (12/29)
282. The Animals' Santa by Jan Brett (12/29)
283. Kite Day by Will Hillenbrand (12/29)
284. Alphabet School by Stephen T. Johnson (12/29)
285. Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass (12/29)

Non-fiction Monday: No Summit Out of Sight by Jordan Romero

No Summit Out of Sight: the true story of the youngest person to climb the Seven Summits by Jordan Romero with Linda LeBlanc. 355 p. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, May, 2014. 9781476709628. (purchased)

In May of 2010, Romero became the youngest person to climb the seven (eight) highest summits on each continent. There is some dispute over which the Australian summit is, so he did both. This dream was inspired by a mural of the seven summits that he saw at his school when he was nine. With the help of his father and stepmother, who are professional "extreme" athletes, Romero trained to become a mountain climber. 

He began with Kilimanjaro, and, at age ten set the record for as the youngest to climb the mountain. He broke records for most of his climbs save for one. He methodically and earnestly chronicles each climb, including the type of training he had to undergo, and the fundraising he did,  through the sometimes grueling application for climbing permits, to the successful summit. Along the way, he also takes time to describe the people and culture of each place. 

While the young man is to be admired for his accomplishments and his tenacity, there is a bit of smug superiority in the telling and an awful lot of boring in-between the summits. There weren't many photos either. His team, made up of his dad and stepmother and some rotating athlete friends, was "perfect." His mom stayed happily at home worrying and cheering. The sponsors were altruistic. There was no conflict. No ulterior motives. The few moments of self-doubt were magicked away by a pep talk from his stepmother. All the other teams paled in comparison to their lean, mean climbing machine team. It all got a little twee for me.

Still. The dude climbed all those mountains and wrote his story. Teen readers will be inspired and his healthy eating/ exercise message is a good one. A worthy addition - particularly if memoirs is covered by your LA department as my students have to read one in eighth grade. 

Picture book review: I am Yoga by Susan Verde

I am Yoga by Susan Verde. Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. 32 p. Harry N. Abrams Inc., September, 2015. 9781419716645. (Purchased)

A young girl turns to yoga when she feels overwhelmed, small, out of place and out of step. She finds stillness in body and mind. She slows her breathing. She closes her eyes and imagines herself a mountain, a tree, an airplane, a star, the moon, a boat, a camel, an eagle, a playful dog, all kinds of warriors, a flower, bow, a baby and a corpse.

The illustrations are energetic yet centering. Colorful yet peaceful. The soothing text is in the first person as this little girl self-regulates through a series of asanas. An author's note follows along with two pages of each pose explained. 

I am all for introducing yoga to a young audience. Our children are subjected to so much in this hectic world, stress being in the forefront. Any book that brings the centering that yoga offers to a young audience is a winner in my book. 

Review: Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins

Toys Meet Snow by Emily Jenkins. Illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky. unpgd. Schwartz & Wade Books/ Random House Children's Books, September, 2015. 9780385373302. (Won in a raffle.)

Three toys, Lumphy, the stuffed buffalo, StingRay the stuffed sting ray and Plastic, a rubber ball are left behind when Little Girl goes away for the day. It has snowed and the curious toys head outside to experience snow for the first time. Lumphy overflows with questions about snow, StingRay waxes poetic about the experience and Plastic spouts facts she read in a book. Together, the three explore, wonder about the change in landscape, try to build a snow man and find that snow angels are much easier. The double-page spread featuring their angels is so sweet! They play until the day fades into a glorious sunset, realize that they are wet and cold and return to the house to warm up and draw a picture about their adventures. 

I adored the trilogy about these toys. Knowledge of the trilogy is absolutely not needed to enjoy this; but older readers of the books will delight in revisiting the toys in this gorgeous and tender picture book. Surely a must-purchase book for school and public libraries. It would make a great gift book as well. This is one I want to give to my colleague at the elementary school and want for my own collections both at the middle school and at home; so I will be purchasing a few copies. The lovely cover features the three friends sprinkled with snow and invites touching. Don't miss this gem!

Non-Fiction Monday: Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown

Little Melba and Her Big Trombone by Katheryn Russell-Brown. Illustrated by Frank Morrison. unpgd. lee & Low Books, August, 2014. 9781600608988. (Won)

Melba Doretta Liston was a musical prodigy born in Kansas City in 1926. When she was seven, she begged her parents for a trombone and, although she could barely hold the instrument, soon mastered it. By the time she reached high school, she was a respected musician and composer. She played with many of the jazz greats of the time, including Billie Holiday, Dizzie Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Quincy Jones. 

The rhythmic text is zingy and accented by onomatopoeia. The exuberant illustrations fairly pop off the pages. This biography celebrates the life and contributions of an African-American woman who routinely confronted racism as she brought joy to fans. Even after suffering a stroke, Ms. Liston continued to compose. 

This is a fine addition to the biography section of any classroom, school or public library.

               

Blog Tour: Ghostlight by Sonia Gensler

Horror and suspense stories and me do not mix. They are just not the type of books I gravitate toward. In fact, I force myself to read them. They make me antsy. If they are not done well, I become impatient. When they are, I have to either read the book in one sitting (like yanking off a bandaid) or put the book away and pace the willies off. I have students who love them and are frequently in asking for suggestions; so I read them. 

Review spoiler alert: Ghostlight is now my go-to book for middle school students seeking a scary read.

Ghostlight by Sonia Gensler. 247 p. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers/ Random House, August, 2015. 9780553522143. (Review from arc courtesy of Blue Slip Media)

Avery and her brother spend summers with their maternal grandmother in rural Georgia. There are several houses on the property, one of which is rented to a country singer and his son, Julian, a budding film maker. The other is Hilliard House, a decrepit old mansion that Avery is forbidden to enter. When she was seven or eight, she disappeared one day and her grandmother found her asleep in the house. The shock of the beating she received has kept her away.

But, with a boring summer looming thanks to her brother's rejection of their game that involves an imaginary kingdom and the promise of friendship making a film with Julian, Avery reluctantly agrees to helping Julian get into the house to film a ghost story.

While atmospheric and properly creepy, this is so much more than a ghost story. Themes of changing relationships, friendship and family history are woven into a truly suspenseful ghost story. Quite a few folks in the neighborhood seem to be hiding secrets from Julian to Avery's grandmother to an elderly acquaintance and Avery aims to find out all she can about the house and its tragic inhabitants.

I recently booktalked this and there's a waiting list. I hadn't known about the great trailer when I did or I would've shown it. Click here to view it and click here to visit the author's web site. A first purchase for middle school and public library collections. I will have to check out Ms. Gensler's YA paranormal historical fiction soon.

The blog tour continues tomorrow at Word Spelunking. Be sure to check out other stops on the tour.

Mon, Sept 14	Cracking the Cover	http://www.crackingthecover.com/
Tues, Sept 15	Ms. Yingling Reads	http://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/
Wed, Sept 16	Charlotte's Library	http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com/
Thurs, Sept 17	The Book Smugglers	http://thebooksmugglers.com/
Fri, Sept 18	Unleashing Readers	http://www.unleashingreaders.com/
Mon, Sept 21	The Hiding Spot	http://thehidingspot.blogspot.com/
Tues, Sept 22	Proseandkahn	http://proseandkahn.blogspot.com/
Wed, Sept 23	Word Spelunking	http://wordspelunking.blogspot.com/
Thurs, Sept 24	The Book Monsters	http://thebookmonsters.com/
Fri, Sept 25	GreenBeanTeenQueen	http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/
Mon, Sept 28	The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia	http://hauntedorchid.blogspot.com/
Tues, Sept 29	Kid Lit Frenzy	http://www.kidlitfrenzy.com/
Wed, Oct 1	Mother Daughter Book Club	http://motherdaughterbookclub.com/

Non-Fiction Monday: Egg: nature's perfect package by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Egg: nature's perfect package by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. unpgd. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, March, 2015. 9780547959092. (Purchased)

Eggs may be the perfect protein but they are also the perfect package. Jenkins and Page are back with a gorgeous volume that looks at and explains eggs of all sorts - how big they are; what they look like; how parents protect their potential offspring; and how they are incubated (not all eggs are warmed by parental bodies). As usual, the facts are cogent and interesting and the collage illustrations are gorgeous. Report writers can also consult the backmatter, where thumbnail reproductions of the illustrations are accompanied by additional facts.

Really, spend some time poring over this one. There's so much to absorb and the presentation is so appealing. Books by this husband and wife team are automatic purchases for me and should be for school and public libraries.