Best Friends in the Universe, written by Stephanie Watson, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Nataliah J.  
Summary: Hector and Louie are writing a book to explain the many reasons that they are the best friends in the universe. However, their friendship and their book begin to spiral downhill as they start revealing each other's secrets.

Straight Talk for Librarians: Watson takes on a unique approach on this fiction story of Louie and Hector, who are full of uncontrollable energy and humor. The illustrator, Le Uyen Pham, uses refined, clean-lined drawings to depict the real boys, while messy crayon illustrations indicate the pictures that the boys have drawn of themselves. In their book, the two friends list the reasons they are so compatible, including their mutual love of pythons, knock-knock jokes, and dancing. However, when it comes to keeping secrets, neither of them are successful in doing so. Soon after, a few accidental slips start a war of name-calling and insults. The illustrations show their real hands drawing kissy hearts and crying babies in mockery, while mustaches and devil horns embellish each other’s likenesses. Soon, their friendship ends, as does their book, and each boy begins to write his own book. The inevitable and unsurprising happy ending resolves rather quickly, but I believe this book is not about plot. It’s about the visual delight of seeing both the real and crayon versions of the characters use their joyful, and later angry, energy to celebrate creativity and friendship. Best Friends in the Universe was a tried-and-true friendship story executed with creativity and verve. This book can be used in classrooms with readers of young age who are still learning about the concept of friendship.

Nya’s Long Walk: A Step At A Time, written by Linda Sue Park, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Dhara J.
Summary: The book is about a girl named Nya who lives in a village in South Sudan. One day when Nya and her sister Akeer walk to get water from the remote water hole far away from their village, Akeer becomes too weak to continue to walk back home. Nya must carry Akeer and the water home, one step at a time. This book teaches children about perseverance, strength, commitment, and bravery. It also teaches them about global issues, specifically the issue of access to clean water in South Sudan.

Straight Talk for Librarians: I enjoyed this book and its illustrations. I believe this book can teach children valuable life lessons as well as give them knowledge on global issues. It is simple to read, at the same time has a decent variety of vocabulary, which can better children’s reading and speaking skills. Important elements are used. For example, foreshadow is used with the truck which was mistaken for an antelope, this truck coming back at the end of the story. The tone conveys emotions of strength, worry, and happiness. The character Nya may be relatable to many children with younger siblings who have a responsibility to their parents and their siblings to look after them. It also relates in terms of hardships that children face in life, all over the world. The illustrations are beautiful, they’re abstract, stylized, and simply understood by children. Loose paint brush strokes are used to create the background. The book is very colorful, which helps convey the themes. Strokes of green conveys sickness and fatigue, while pink conveys family, home, strength and love. Overall, I highly recommend this book because of its beautiful illustrations, messages, and global issue awareness for children around the world. It would be beneficial in classrooms and libraries because of its messages and potential for children to learn.

Sun, written by Alison Oliver, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Usman H.
Summary: Sun, by Alison Oliver, is a book describing the experience of a young boy named Sun, who is especially skilled at soccer, as he learns to reunite with his creative self by finding a fox on the beach. The book describes Sun as a “soccer star”, with a younger brother Pablo that loves to create art. As the book progresses, readers will be enthralled with the less-detailed yet colorful art style that portrays Sun’s rediscovery in a wide range of bright color. While Sun enjoys soccer, he feels as if something is missing, and goes to the beach, where he finds a small cave decorated with art and trinkets. Inside the cave lives a fox, which teaches Sun how to do things like trot, dive, find things, and most of all create. Sun and the fox make things together, and Sun finds his creative side with the fox.

Straight Talk for Librarians: Overall, the book pushes a clear message of exploring one’s creative side with their siblings, and being unafraid to discover that part of one’s self. Throughout the book, the artwork begins to grow in excessiveness, as the watercolors become more and more expressive. This can be seen as the growth of Sun’s creativity as the book progresses, and as the story progresses the message grows clearer with time. Furthermore, the book emphasizes being connected with others, as Sun and the fox are “connected” in the sunset, while Pablo and Sun spend more time together later in the book. The name “Sun” can be seen as inspirational, as it pushes readers to grow and rise with their creativity. The book can be seen as relatable to younger readers; as they grow, they may tend to focus on one hobby or sport, and forget their creativity. This is the situation that Sun is in at the beginning of the book, and readers will find the book to be relatable to their lives. The short sentence structure and colorful illustrations make this perfect for a read-out-loud book. Readers will also find this easy to read by themselves or with a parent, and the illustrations will keep them enticed.

Pirasaurs!, written by Josh Funk, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Marc B.
Summary: Pirasaurs! is a great book about dinosaurs who travel the open seas as pirates. They are out searching for gold and other treasures. There is a new little orange dinosaur who is hoping he can adjust. The ship's captain is a fierce T-Rex who “points her fabled sword.” The crew finds land but falls into a trap with another shipful of scallywags. The Pirasaurs realize that if they unite they might have an easier time finding the buried treasure. One that will bring them many riches and an opportunity to celebrate.

Straight Talk for Librarians: The rhymes in this book make it a perfect read-aloud. Young readers will fall in love with the little orange dinosaur as he tries to fit in with the other buccaneers. This little guy teaches kids to do their best and to be a part of the team. Fans of dinosaurs and pirates will instantly love this book. With dinosaur brawls and a treasure map, the book is a classic rush to find the treasure against other crews. The book's tone is fun but becomes thoughtful when two dinosaur crews learn that they have to work together teaching kids an important lesson about working together. It is the little dinosaur who suggests this idea which is why he is thanked by the other dinosaurs and they all learn the importance of teamwork. The bright colors and jungle island themes, as well as the great shapes of the dinosaurs, give the book a rough pirate feeling. The artistic dino puns are funny and would make any young reader laugh. A good addition to the school library.

This is MY Fort!, written by Drew Daywalt, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Hamzah B. 
Summary: This book is about a cake who builds a fort and does not let monkeys in. When a monkey asks to enter, the cake says that no monkeys are allowed. Then, when the monkey gets sad, the monkey goes on to build his own fort. And since his fort is much bigger than the cake’s fort, the cake wants to enter the monkeys fort. However, because the monkey was not allowed to enter the cake’s fort, the monkey denies the cake entry into his fort. Now the cake is sad because the cake does not want to just stay in the fort that he made and the cake feels like it is being trapped in his own fort and no one else's. In the end, the monkey allows the cake to enter the fort after seeing how sad the cake became. Essentially, this is a book which teaches the values about sharing. It shows what happens when somebody does not share and how it makes them feel when somebody else does the same thing to them.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book has a really important message of sharing. There also seems to be a deeper meaning in it that came out after I finished reading the book. There is the idea of perception. Monkey learns to think out of the box and manipulates his use of language a little bit. There could also be some political undertones as there is a lot of talk in the news about “walls.” When you get down to the idea of what walls really keep in or out, there is not much point to closing yourself off. It’s a pretty complicated concept to introduce to younger readers, but this book does a really nice job of it. Definitely a good addition to any library.

J.P. and the Bossy Dinosaur (review #3), written by Ana Crespo, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Cameron J.
Summary: This book is about a little boy named J.P. who goes to a waterpark with his family. Him and his sister see a giant waterslide and become very excited to ride it. However, a giant bossy dinosaur stops him from riding it and he becomes very sad. In reality, the “bossy dinosaur” is just a sign that tells riders how tall they have to be to enter the slide. J.P. is not tall enough. After he finds out he is not tall enough, J.P. becomes devastated and very sad. In the end, J.P. realizes that he is truly a happy person and shouldn’t let a small setback put him down too much. He then celebrates with his friends and lives happily ever after.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This book actually exposes young readers to real life problems. Instead of having the reader read about fairy tales where everything is happy, the reader actually experiences a setback. But the book teaches the reader how to rebound from this setback. I like this book because it shows kids that not everything in their life is going to go their way. However, life is not about setbacks, it is about how we handle these setbacks. This book can be very helpful to children in a classroom because when something doesn't go their way, teachers can give this book to them and it will teach them how to handle their emotions and will cheer them up. The tone is sad from the beginning, which is good because a sad kid can relate with this. But then the character in the book cheers up and I think sad kids will really feel better if they read this. Additionally, the illustrations are very vibrant and nicely drawn. The bright colors will really capture a kid’s attention and the nice drawings will keep them interested. Overall, this book was a great read and will be perfect for kids in a classroom.

The Bear and the Piano, written by David Litchfield, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Madeleine S. 
Summary: The Bear and the Piano by David Litchfield sends the message of chasing your dreams through the adventures of a bear who discovers a piano. The bear first discovers the piano not knowing what it is or how it works, but by returning and practicing every day, the bear learns to play the piano beautifully. He performs for the other bears in his forest and is soon discovered by humans, becomes famous, and achieves his dreams to play in front of large crowds on broadway. However, while the bear is away chasing his dreams, he misses his friends, and the book finishes with him going back to the forest to visit his friends. He is scared that they had forgotten about him, but when he returns, he realizes that his friends did not forget about him. The illustrations are beautiful and very detailed in that the colors and the softness or sharpness of the illustration helps capture the tone of the message.

Straight Talk for Librarians: The first message of the source is very age appropriate in which it teaches younger audiences that it takes time, practice, and dedication to achieve something you wish to achieve, and it will be a rough start. I also feel that the second message, where friends and family will always be there to support you and your journey is very important. There is also the idea of following your passions. Exploring the world outside of what is familiar to you. Many adventures await us in life and we should be prepared to embrace it, but also remember where we came from. In terms of the illustrations, they are detailed, but have a softer look with added depth that is not too harsh, and a dreamy-like texture to the illustrations to demonstrate curiosity. When the plot turns to the bear’s fame and adventures on Broadway, the illustrations become more intricate to represent the vibrant chaos, bringing about excitement from the reader. I feel that this book would catch the attention of younger readers from the illustrations, the way the text is written with emphasis on important words, and the messages being conveyed are significant to the growth and maturation of young readers. The story is a bit of a tear-jerker, so be prepared if you use this book for a whole class read aloud. Every library should have this beautiful book. It is especially perfect for the budding musician.

Little Libraries, Big Heroes, written by Miranda Paul, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Elliott G.
Summary: The story, Little Libraries, Big Heroes, explores the idea that a single person has the ability to change the world as long as they put their mind to it. It encourages kids to follow their dreams and do what they enjoy, not what others want them to do. The book begins by exploring the way Todd, a student, felt in school. In school, “Todd did not feel heroic”. Often times, Todd struggled basic concepts in school like reading, he was looked down upon for asking questions. As the story progresses Todd grows and creates a free library for people give and take books. His mother was a reading teacher and her love of books inspired his idea. As this idea expanded it was spread to other parts of the world where people began to volunteer at schools and donate materials. Readers will learn about the impact Little Free Libraries have had on our society.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This is a non-fiction history picture book. It would be perfect for a history teacher to share in class and have on display. This book addresses literacy and social justice. Every library should have this book because of the impact Little Free Libraries have had on the world. There are currently thousands of stewards of Little Free Libraries all over the world. Children and adults can work to have a Little Free Library installed in a highly visible place. This book can spark ideas for kids to help and make a change in the world, it can be something small scale like Todd’s and then grow or just stay local. Students can be inspired to make a change and volunteer for certain groups that focus on making the world a better place. This book would be perfect for an IB student starting on their Personal Project journey. This book illustrates how a small act of kindness turned into something on a global scale. This book is a good choice for independent reading. It would be a “must have” for any organization looking to begin a Little Free Library. There is a lot of information in the Author’s Note section for those who may be inspired by this book. “You can be the story of change.” Todd H. Bol

This & That (Review #3), written my Mem Fox, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Raphael R.
Summary: Written by Mem Fox and illustrated by Judy Horacek, “This & That” is a story which seeks to introduce kids to different aspects of the natural/historical world. The story begins with the mama mouse taking the baby mouse out of the bed box. Mama mouse then proceeds to lead the story through seas, caves, beaches, trees, kingdoms, circuses and carriages before finally tucking baby mouse in for bed. The story itself serves as a sort of analogy for the bedtime story, a hallmark of many homes.
The text itself is consists of basic, relatively short compound sentences which can be easily understood by an emerging reader while providing a moderate challenge. The story has an extremely lighthearted tone which is in line with its bedtime story style. It also includes several ellipses designed to keep the emerging reader always awaiting the next line. The story is a literal pageturner.
As for the illustrations, they are extremely large and simplistic, yet with a certain sophistication to them. The illustrations were drawn using watercolour on paper. In particular, Horacek chose to utilise a watercolour on water paper which limited the amount of line use and allowed for extensive shading, keeping the used shapes large and basic whilst adding an enormous amount of detail to the artwork. This benefits the emerging reader by serving as an example of and as an introduction to basic art and by challenging the emerging reader to interpret basic 2D images.

Straight Talk for Librarians: In terms of utility, “This & That” can best be described as the ideal bedtime story because of its emphasis on the love of a parent. In the context of a classroom or a library, the story serves as a wonderful introduction to the natural/historical world. Above all, the story serves as a tale meant to inspire the adventurous spirit and to initiate emerging readers as lifelong seekers of knowledge. “This & That” is a story which would make a wondrous addition to any personal or library bookshelf.

The Ugly Five, written by Julia Donaldson, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Thu-Anh T.
Summary: “We’re the ugly five, we’re the ugly five.” After the introduction of some more well-known beasts of the savannah, the first of the ugly five steps in--a wildebeest who boasts about her ugly qualities, loving her position as the “ugliest.” Then, she stumbles into a hyena, who describes their own qualities one by one, taking pride in their position as ugliest. The two pair up, ambling along to meet the others, singing about their ugliness and collecting the other animals one by one--the vulture, then the warthog, and finally marabou stork--flaunting the same pride and combining forces. Still, they mention qualities that others may find painful or unlikeable. After collecting all five, the five beasts stumble into a surprise: infantile versions of the ugly five! “We’re your babies.” They appreciate their actions, showering the Ugly Five in love and compliments, turning their title around to “the Lovely Five.”

Straight Talk for Librarians: The book is a cheerful, endearing work on being happy with yourself, making a community, family, and love past appearances. The author writes in rhymes and repetition in order to create a flowing rhythm, which appeals to a reader. The formatting also develops a pattern to look forward to, keeping the book positive. The animals’ loudness and energy when talking about their ugly qualities also maintains the cheerful energy in the book. In addition, the illustrations paired with each section maintains mainly bright colors but keeping to the warmer, earthy tones. The animals also all smile when they unify, demonstrating the positivity in the community. It can be used as a funny, charming story of self-love and found family.

Next to You: a Book of Adorableness, written by Lori Haskins Houran, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Dania Z.
Summary: In the book, the narrator is comparing several animals, such as baby ducks and giraffes to the reader. Essentially, no matter how cute the animal is, the narrator still thinks the reader (who he addresses as you) is the cutest. The narrator is trying to convey that no matter what options he or she has, the narrator would rather be with the reader because the reader is adorable. The entire book is the narrator making comparisons to emphasize how much he admires and cares for the reader. For example, the narrator says “ Next to you, the softest puppy in the world is only kind of cute”. This quote for example, though portraying the puppies to be adorable, is used to emphasize how the reader is adorable. This book is a cute way to compliment the readers by referencing them to be even cuter than the animals mentioned. At the end of the book, the last quote is “I’m happy to be...next to you”. This is an uplifting tone at the end that makes the reader feel content as well as being an effective way to have full closure of the book.

Straight Talk for Librarians: I could see this book being used in the classroom to teach kids about animals, as lots of examples such as baby pigs and elephants, were addressed. The kids would get a good, positive outlook on animals and have a better understanding of how they look like. Furthermore, this could be used to have a fun read in class that could help the students gain more confidence as the personal pronoun usage of “you” makes it very personal. I feel this overall is great for getting the children familiar with more animals along with leaving them in a happier and more appreciative mood. The colors of the book have very pastel, light colors that are calming and satisfying to see. The drawings of the animals are very cute and simple, thus not being overwhelming. This book would make for a good read-aloud in a one-on-one setting. It would also make a perfect addition to an animal picture book display. It is definitely adorable!

Beyoncé: Shine Your Light, written by Sarah Warren, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Dia C.
Summary: Through a dazzling and vibrant colors in 30 pages worth of gorgeous illustrations, Beyoncé: Shine your Light aims to inspire children to relentlessly drive torwars their passions, even in the face of decades worth of losses and setbacks. Delicately written by author Sarah Warren and soulfully illustrated by artist Geneva Bowers, Beyoncé’s decades worth of music and fame as a genre-defining R&B artist is compacted into a literary format truly befitting of a book painting the ever-present flair of the music icon Beyoncé. The book shows the idol’s ascension to fame starting from her childhood ambitions and uses her successes from a toddler to a top-charting artist with Destiny’s Child and then on her own. Words such as “grateful, independent, bright, angry, forgiving and fierce are used to describe Beyoncé. This biography ends with a reflection on a career as a pop-artist to topics that Beyoncé is working on now. Things like women’s rights, social justice, her hometown in trouble and the beauty of her people.






Straight Talk for Librarians: This book is a biography for the youngest Beyoncé fan. With positive words and images, this is a perfect introduction to Beyoncé in a picture book biography. The characters in the book are diverse to reflect all of her fans. Some of her iconic tour outfits are pictured throughout the book. There is a message of working hard and not giving up that will resonate with young readers. The bibliography at the end shows how much research went into the particular book. Readers may notice that a donation from all book sales will go to Beyoncé’s #beygood initiative. The author’s dedication at the beginning of the book is something that should be read before starting the book. “Shine Forward.” Beyoncé fans!

Second Grade Holdout, written by Audrey Vernick, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Student Reviewer: Akila A.
Summary: This book serves to provide emotional support to children who are going to/will have to go through unfamiliar situations. The storyline starts with a little boy who talks about how much he loves and misses first grade. He tries to convince his parents to stay in first grade for another year because he is so scared of second grade and so happy with first grade. The tone and emotion switches several times as it starts with a sad tone and moves towards a joyful tone in the middle of the story. Then it shifts towards a confused tone and then enters a joyful, proud tone at the end of the book. The illustrations are very simple and sketchy yet they use a variety of hues and values to create realism. There is also a great ratio of pictures to text which keeps the book interesting and vivid. The element of sarcasm at the end of the book fits into the overall theme as the boy is beginning to be more mature as he feels confident entering the second grade.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This is a perfect book for readers who loved 1st grade and are a bit worried about the school year ending and having to start over with a new teacher in a new classroom. Tyler’s sisters were telling the main character all sorts of lies about second grade. Things like the new teacher will only allow black licorice on Halloween or that every student has to be able to speak Russian perfectly by Thanksgiving! Fortunately, the main character and Tyler soon realize that the older sisters are not being entirely truthful. They were just giving the up-and-coming second graders a hard time. This story has a fluid plot with a clear beginning, middle and end that a young reader can understand. This would also make for a good back to school read aloud. It will have a new class laughing out loud and could be a great ice breaker.