Reviews written by sperrera

Papa's Butter Chicken is a sweet picture book about a father and daughter and how food brings their family together. One of Papa's favorite foods is butter chicken. This dish brings back fond memories of his childhood. Monica loves to help her father prepare this dish...

My Fairy Godfather is a coming-of-age graphic novel that is thought-provoking and moving. The story is centered around a teenager named Billie who tragically loses her parents in a car accident and is sent to live with her Godfather. Set in Liberal, Kansas, known for its traditional values,...

Sejal Sinha Dives for Diamonds on Neptune is the third book in the series. There is a great mix of science facts and imagination in this book, just like in the other books in the series. Sejal's mother is an astrophysicist who studies the rain...

Lily Murray's Five Little Ghosts is an engaging picture book that reimagines the classic "Five Little Ducks" rhyme. The book focuses on Mama Ghost and her unruly ghosts who like to fly away and hide. Readers must lift flaps to find out where the little ghosts are hiding....

Squirlish Shark in the Park is the second book in the Squirlish series and is just as charming as the first book. The book is about Cordelia, a girl who lives in Central Park with squirrels. She lives in the trees and speaks Chittering which is the language of the...

In The McNifficents, Amy Makechnie tells the story of a large, chaotic, lovable family from the perspective of their Miniature Schnauzer Lord Tennyson. There are seven McNiff siblings, ranging in age from a crawling baby to a teen with a crush. The story starts in summer and Lord Tennyson has...

Hello, I’m A Sloth is a non-fiction picture book that introduces readers to sloths and their world. This book is narrated by a sloth, who shares many interesting sloth facts and engages readers with questions. I think this would make a fantastic read-aloud. What I...

Frankie and Friends : The Big Protest is the second book in the series. The book tackles the complex topic of protests and social justice in an age-appropriate way. As the daughter of a news anchor, Frankie has learned all about journalism and what makes...

Luanne Rice's If Anything Happens to Me is a young adult thriller that was suspenseful and engaging to the very end. The story begins with Oli (short for Olivia) grappling with her younger sister's death. Eloise was murdered eight months ago, and the police have still not...

Galapagos Islands The World's Living Laboratory is a non-fiction chapter book aimed at middle-grade readers. This book explores the ecosystem of the Galapagos Islands and its environmental challenges. What I Liked: As a school librarian, I see the need for engaging and informative...

Squrilish The Girl in the Tree is the first book in author Ellen Potter's "Squirlish" series. It focuses on a young girl named Cordelia who lives in Central Park with her squirrel friends. A squirrel named Shakespeare is the one who found Cordelia when she was a...

The story begins with Maya, a junior in high school in a psychiatric facility. We learn that Maya has a gift of hearing other people's thoughts. It was the gift of hearing the overwhelming thoughts that caused Maya to suffer a mental breakdown, leading to her admission to the psychiatric...

Spacemania: Encyclopedia of the Universe is a non-fiction children's book that offers a captivating journey through the wonders of space. Each two-page spread bursts with colorful illustrations and fascinating information. The information is divided into small tidbits that won't overwhelm readers. ...

Shark Princess Surfin' Sharks is the third book in this graphic novel series. It's based on the adventures of a shark Princess named Kitana and her best friend, Mack. As the story begins, Mack is excited about competing in the very first Surfin' Shark...

Olivia Wolf and a Million Olivias is the third book in this graphic novel series. The monsters are getting together to celebrate Invisible Sam's birthday at Mick Rabbit's Fun World and Ball Pit. They are having a fantastic time until Olivia jumps in the ball pit and, all...