Reviews written by sperrera

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...

As I read the latest adaptation of Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon - The Graphic Novel, I was reminded why this series is so popular. Amber is a charming third grader who's messy and forgetful, but she is also an amazing friend. Amber and...

Extraordinary Eyeglasses is an informative book that takes readers through the history of eyeglasses. This book is jam-packed with information from learning about what different countries call eyeglasses to what an optical illusion is. What I Liked: Despite the book's wealth of information, I...

Goth Girl, Queen of the Universe is a coming-of-age YA book that touches on family, friendship, and figuring out who you are. The story begins with Jessica, a high school teenager with a killer goth look starting at a new school. We come to find...

Finally Heard is the sequel to Finally Seen by author Kelly Yang and like many of Yang's books it feels so relevant to what is going on in the world today. Young readers will relate to Lina's struggle with social media and its influence on her life. ...

A Different Kind of Fairy is a book that emphasizes being true to oneself. Rose is a tiny pink fairy that has granted wishes for one thousand years but is struggling to grant wishes that don't form to traditional gender roles. When a pretty...