A Tale of Plagues and Perfumes written by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: Twelve-year-old Nia has a powerful sense of smell, but she keeps it secret because people fear Sinsories—people born with unusually strong senses. When a dangerous plague reaches her desert city, Nia is invited to the Cloister, a school for children with special sensory abilities. There, she meets friends with remarkable gifts, including an uncanny sense of taste and the ability to read minds through touch. The students use their senses to create “curefumes” that may stop the spreading illness. After Nia’s first attempt goes wrong, she and her friends leave the Cloister to find the plague’s source and discover how to cure it. Their journey reveals troubling secrets about the school and the society around them. Together, the young friends face danger, fear, and difficult choices as they try to protect the people they love. The story blends fantasy, mystery, friendship, and adventure in an imaginative world shaped by plagues, superstition, and inequality.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This was such a fun book to read! It's a great addition to a middle school library and maybe even some high school readers would enjoy this book.  Nia’s experiences invite discussion about prejudice, secrecy, poverty, trust, and how communities respond to fear and illness. The story could connect with the MYP through inquiry into how knowledge is created and used, how communities respond to shared challenges, and how identity and belonging shape people’s experiences. Students might examine how the book combines imagined explanations of illness with scientific ideas, then compare characters’ decisions and perspectives. It could also support language and literature work on worldbuilding, characterization, suspense, and how authors use sensory details to create atmosphere. I liked Nia because she is brave, curious, and uses her powerful sense of smell to help others. I also loved her loyal friend Fox, who knows her secret and supports her. At the Cloister, Lime’s remarkable sense of taste and Lowe’s ability to read thoughts through touch make them fascinating friends.  I had a wonderfully fun time reading this imaginative adventure, it was a real treat from the first scent to the last! 🧪🧴

Millie and the Midnight Hedgehog written and illustrated by Bernadette Watts and reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: Millie and the Midnight Hedgehog by Bernadette Watts follows Millie, a girl whose parents are busy working to protect the planet. Feeling lonely, she enjoys visiting her neighbor, Mrs. Periwinkle, and her beautiful garden. Mrs. Periwinkle gives Millie three potted plants to care for, and tending them brings her joy. Millie also worries about frightening stories, storms, and the planet’s future. One stormy night, she goes outside to check on her plants and meets a hedgehog. The hedgehog offers comfort as Millie shares her fears. With gentle illustrations and a hopeful message, the story suggests that caring for nature can begin with small acts.

Straight Talk for Librarians: The book could be a thoughtful addition to an elementary school library, especially for shared reading and discussion. Its themes of caring for nature, managing worries, friendship, and feeling seen may connect with many children. The story’s gentle illustrations can invite students to notice details and discuss how pictures shape a story’s mood. In the PYP curriculum, it could support inquiry into how people care for living things and how small actions can contribute to a community. Teachers might also use it to explore how stories help us express feelings and consider different perspectives. Because the book includes worry about environmental problems, a read-aloud with supportive discussion could help students focus on constructive, hopeful ways to care for the world.  I think this book captures how a child might feel if their parent chooses a screen over spending time with them and playing.

Davy: A Garden for Everyone written by Brigitte Weninger , illustrated by Eve Tharlet, translated by David Henry Wilson and reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: Davy discovers that his elderly neighbor, Mrs. Elsie, can no longer care for her overgrown garden. He and his friend Nicky begin helping, and soon Davy’s family and other neighbors join them. Together, they work through the summer to bring the garden back to life. When a storm threatens the garden, Davy and his family work together to protect it. In the end, Mrs. Elsie opens the garden for everyone to enjoy. Eve Tharlet’s gentle, detailed illustrations add warmth to the story. This picture book celebrates kindness, teamwork, perseverance, and community.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book would be a good fit for an elementary school library because it offers an inviting story and gives children a chance to discuss helping others, caring for shared spaces, and including everyone. Its garden setting may also interest young readers who enjoy nature. This book can be read as a read-aloud or as a choice for more confident picture-book readers.The story could support the PYP curriculum by prompting inquiry into how people contribute to their communities and how shared spaces can be cared for. Students might connect the garden to classroom or school gardens, discuss ways to make community spaces welcoming, and reflect on how cooperation helps people solve problems.  It felt like a soft, gentle book that will be appealing to many readers.  I really enjoyed it.

The Passover Pet Surprise written by Ana María Shua, illustrated by Ángeles Ruiz and reviewed by Debra Gantz

Summary: When a family from Miami is sharing the Passover holiday with other family in Argentina, the kids are so excited. See in Miami they only have pet fish. Their aunt and uncle's family have 2 dogs, a cat, two turtles, and two birds. While the youngest asks the important questions as part of the Passover Seder and answers are shared, the family is joyous and so very happy to be together. The next morning the aunt awakes to find her beloved parrots missing from their cage. She blames the cat. When the kids come clean about the reason the cage was opened and the connection to the holiday story, the family looks everywhere and the kids learn that animals kept in captivity have no idea how to survive alone. The sweetness of the moment when the adults understand the children and their decision is precious. The book ends with loving family supporting one another despite the missing pets. The colors of the story are joyful and feel true to the climate and flora and fauna of Argentina. I so appreciate that as much as I appreciate a book about an important Jewish holiday told through the eyes of non-white, non- United States family as the focus. This book is a great addition to holiday collections in libraries serving young children! 

Straight Talk for Librarians: This is a lovely story with both Jewish traditions, an important holiday, and a bit of understanding about responsible care of pets. My favorite part of this story is a diverse family in a South American country celebrating just as we do here in The United States. I see very few diverse books about Jewish community around the world. I feel that is an important reality that our minority community needs to see shared. I cannot wait to share The Passover Surprise with my cousins!

The Easter Egg Is Missing! written by Cynthia Platt , Illustrated by Kathryn Selbert and reviewed by Debra Gantz

Summary: This super cute board book with cut out pages is an adventure in egg hunting with kids and critters. It is bright, it is sturdy, it is engaging. I did not find the bunny's bow tie twice through the book, but I found it on the third try! I was engaged and enjoying these adorable illustrations and the egg hunt as an adult. I bet that means kids will also be engaged with the book. This book certainly made me smile!

Straight Talk for Librarians: I don't carry board books in my library for circulation, but I do buy board books for my newest group of young readers who are 2.5-5 years old. (I read to them and then the books go to their classroom.) It is rare for me to find books that I feel are sturdy enough for my SXI students. This is a board book I am glad to have found and I am sure it will be well loved!

Junior Ninja Champion #2: Junior Ninja Champion: The Fastest Finish written by Catherine Hapka and reviewed by Debra Gantz

Summary: The Fit Kidz are back in the Ninja training game with their adult Ninja trainer and a new kid joining the group. When Ty finds out Noah is a dancer, he is not very welcoming. He is angry at being only an alternate for the championship and that feeling permeates much of this story until the kids get to California to tape the finals. Hapka does a nice job giving enough information to make it possible to read this second book as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend readers start with book one: The Competition Begins. All of the kids support each other, though only 2 of them are in these finals and other Ninjas give support and tips to those who have not run this course yet. All those at the competition must stay mum about the final results until after the airing of the show. Though this is hardest for Mackenzie as she writes a blog, it allows for the story to reveal more reality of TV shows, their ratings, and their rules. This one ends with questions and answers from real life Ninja Champion Allyssa Beird. A solid addition for an elementary school library collection for 3rd through 6th grade readers. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: I love when books connect to our community and since there are programs locally that allow students to experience a Ninja Champion type trial in local gyms, I know this book will get the attention of even some of my less willing readers. I could not put either of these Junior Ninja Championship books down and I feel strongly my students will react the very same way. I cannot wait to share these books in both of my elementary school communities.

Junior Ninja Champion #1: Junior Ninja Champion: The Competition Begins written by Catherine Hapka and reviewed by Debra Gantz

Summary: This book is engaging and will draw you in with the diverse characters with different motivations and personalities gathering in a local gym when they learn there will be a Junior Ninja tryout not far from their town. The middle school aged characters show grit, determination, and a drive that would be needed to qualify in this kind of contest. In this first of a 2-book series, the kids must learn to face and overcome the obstacles commonly in a ninja course. They must find ways to bond despite huge differences in family expectations, sports expectations, and personal attitude toward their chances to compete. One of them is a science nerd and she is my favorite as her analytical thinking comes in handy during training. The first six chapters set the stage, the owner of the gym surprises them with a coach that was a Ninja Champion, and the blogger who just planned to write about their trials and tribulations, finds herself in the mix as a teammate. Once that happens this book is hard to put down. Great pacing by Hapka will engage my students! I cannot wait to book talk this one! 

Straight Talk for Librarians: My elementary school readers often are needing a very engaging subject to pick up and stick with a book. The Ninja Champion TV series remains quite popular with students, so that will make this book in high demand in my schools. I liked the interview with a past champion after the story and suspect it will be read with relish by my students. I see only one problem: how will I make sure book 2 is available once someone finishes book one. I had to pick up the second book right away and am glad that both were available for me to review as I was fully absorbed in these characters and their experiences in the gym and in competition.

Hooray for Babies! written by Susan Meyers, illustrated by Sue Cornelison and reviewed by Debra Gantz

Summary: Cute book that would make a great gift book for a mother to be or a new mother. It is baby joy in a group of multicultural babies enjoying all the wonder that is their every day as they grow physically and in observation and movement so quickly over such a short time. Baby joy is felt in this book throughout as the babies on the pages experience life and their surroundings with boisterous wonder. 

This is not a board book, but it has a board book look to it. I do like the larger picture book size of the book. The pages are thin and likely not meant for baby hands to grasp. The cutouts on the cover are likely to be fascinating as much as the images of so many different babies are interesting to look at throughout the book. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: The pages are thin and though my youngest students (2.5-4.5 years old) will love the look of it, I fear their often spit covered hands will harm these pages. I see this as a great book to share one on one and that will work in my preschool SXI class well. The size is wonderful for my group as board books are usually too small for my students. Since the cover feels more durable, I will encourage students to touch it, so they notice the cutouts of the multicolored hearts that make this cover unique.

Gadgets and Gears #3: The Tick-Tock Man written by Kersten Hamilton, Illustrated by James Hamilton and reviewed by Debra Gantz

Summary: When Wally and Noodles meet a young pickpocket, they are intrigued by him. His sister and friend have clock parts and the inventor in Wally, whose parents are famous inventors, is intrigued. He is looking forward to meeting the great doctor, writer, and sleuth Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but that plan may change as Dobbin, the pick pocket, sends an urgent note to meet at midnight as a matter of life and death. Young Wally likes to help and despite the danger of midnight meetings with a known criminal, he goes, so Noodles follows. The dark streets of London as backdrop to this missing person with a My Fair Lady consistency to the language of the rich versus the poor is quite a lot of fun. Noodles, a dachshund, is mostly a narrator which adds to an interesting plot. The crossover of the very well-known author and the police as well as a science fiction as reality case of humans with working clocks keeping them alive is fascinating. Book 3 of the Gadgets and Gears series by Hamilton is well worth a read. This would make a great read aloud! I have not read the first two in the series, but that did not matter at all. This is a stand-alone good mystery with fun scientific influences. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: If your elementary school teaches the genre of mystery, this is a nicely paced mystery with science connections that may engage more listeners. I love the way vocabulary is explained in the text. I like the way the author explains who Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is and why he continues to be a respected author today. I even liked the British language bits that may appeal to my avid Harry Potter fans. I even like the dachshund sidekick and know my students will also. I always discuss backmatter with my students and this book offers backmatter in an author's note.

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science #2: Secrets of the Purple Pearl written by Kate McKinnon and reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: In this second installment of Kate McKinnon's #1 New York Times bestselling series, Millicent, Gertrude, Eugenia, and Dee-Dee—face their biggest challenge yet during a summer at the glamorous Purple Pearl Hotel. The evil Krenetics Research Association has arrived, still determined to resurrect their fearsome leader, Talon Sharktüth, and they're hunting for the legendary Purple Pearl, a source of power hidden at the bottom of Kagloopy Lake. To reach it, they need to find a mysterious creature called a Shrimpmaid and boil away the entire lake. The sisters must work together to stop the KRA and prevent disaster, all while uncovering shocking secrets about their own origins and identities. It's a wild, mad science adventure they'll never forget. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Young readers will love this series for its quirky humor, imaginative world-building, and unforgettable characters. The Porch Sisters feel like real friends, and their found-family dynamic resonates deeply. The absurd, witty storytelling celebrates individuality and curiosity without taking itself seriously. This book works wonderfully in school libraries as both an independent read and a shared audiobook (or read aloud) experience. Librarians can feature it for middle-grade fantasy lovers seeking humor and heart. The illustrated text supports visual learners. Teachers can use it to spark discussions about found family, resilience, and embracing differences. Book clubs can explore its themes of acceptance and courage. Its popularity makes it a natural recommendation tool for connecting readers with similar titles like Series of Unfortunate Events, helping build a community of enthusiastic young readers. Overall, it's laugh out loud weirdness and I am here for it!

The Introvert's Guide to Kissing in Europe written by Brenda Janowitz and reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: Emily Tannenbaum has her life perfectly mapped out—graduate as valedictorian, get into Dartmouth, play it safe. 📚✈️ But when her grandmother, a former member of the legendary Flower Sisters music duo, suggests Emily take a gap year to retrace the band's 1966 European tour, Emily impulsively says yes. Armed with her late sister's journal and a desire to finally embrace the unexpected, Emily sets off across Spain, France, Italy, and Sweden. Along the way, she befriends Penny, a travel influencer, and a colorful cast of fellow travelers. As Emily dances through European cities, navigates new friendships, and experiences heartbreak, she discovers that growing up isn't about having everything figured out, it's about giving yourself permission to go with the flow. 🌍

Straight Talk for Librarians: 💕YA readers will connect with Emily's journey of self-discovery and her struggle to break free from the "good girl" persona she's built since her sister's death. The book captures the thrill of independence, new friendships, and the messy reality of stepping outside your comfort zone. Fans of travel-centered stories will be drawn to the vivid European settings and the dual timeline that weaves Emily's adventures with her grandmother's experiences from decades past. The found-family dynamic between Emily and her traveling companions, especially her friendship with Penny, feels authentic and heartwarming. 🤔This book tried to be a lot of things, a coming-of-age story, a romance, a tribute to travel, a meditation on grief and Jewish identity. It's an ambitious mix, and while it doesn't nail everything perfectly, it's an enjoyable read overall. The descriptions of European cities are lovely and will make you want to book your own trip immediately. 🗺️ The romance elements, despite the title, aren't really the heart of the story, it's more about Emily learning who she is and honoring her sister's memory. Final Verdict: A fun, heartfelt read that captures the magic of travel and self-discovery. Perfect for dreamers and adventure seekers. 🌸

The Curse of the Mummy: Uncovering Tutankhamun's Tomb written by Candace Fleming and reviewed by Rebecca Lowe

Summary: The author follows the history of Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter as they looked for, found, and excavated King Tut's tomb. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: Some professional reviews place the book from grades 3 and up but length and textual complexity (vocab such as pervaded, lustrous, sanctuaries, embalmers, and necropolis are given without definitions) make this a better fit for upper middle grade and high school. Between chapters are inserts on dark colored paper that detail the different rumors of curses related to the tomb. These help break up the story and bring in the sensationalist drama that readers are often looking for in regards to this topic. Black and white photographs also break up the text every page or so. Fleming puts heavy emphasis on how Carter differed from other Egyptologists of the time because, despite his lack of formal education, he was meticulous in his documentation. This could easily become a class discussion about showing your work. Fleming also discusses the tensions between Great Britain and Egypt as Egypt fought to gain independence and to keep their artifacts in Egypt. This could open up deeper discussion and research on the topic, as well as open up discussions about similar historical and on-going debates related to the ownership of historical artifacts. Finally, Fleming briefly touches on the ethics of the mummy's unwrapping--that it meant permanently destroying the mummy and whether it was ethical to treat human remains in this manner.

Click! Snap! Picture That! written by Dieter Böge, illustrated by Benjamin Gottwald, and translated from German by David Henry Wilson and reviewed by Debra Gantz

Summary: Admittedly the first time through this book I was picture walking as I do this often with my elementary school students, especially in the younger grades. I was smitten by the quirky wonder as each animal is seen before they show how they wish to be seen. There are some surprises along the way, too, which will lead to some discussions, I bet. Reading the simple text of the animals and their dreams of how they want others to see them makes this a much deeper book than I thought the first time through it. I like books that are fun and interesting and capture my students attention, but really love when they are teachable, too. 

Straight Talk for Librarians: How we share ourselves in selfies, photographs of our favorite people, places, and activities is not often dealt with in children's books. I noticed that this book was translated from German by David Henry Wilson (original publication date in German in 2024), I did a bit of reading about the book and the intentions. I can definitely use this book when we talk about our future selves (career education), digital literacy (understanding photographs), and using illustrations to expand stories. This book has lighthearted illustrations by Benjamin Gottwald that will attract readers and likely lead to students repeating some of his style. My favorite spread is the cockatoo who dreams of being depicted by a famous artist while surrounded by the cockatoo in many frames in the style of famous artists. My art teacher and I will be having conversation about that spread, for sure! I read over 500 books a year and I really rarely return to books. This one will be revisited and shared as it struck me as unique. I recommend this Dieter Boge book for elementary school collections.