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*Review Contributed By Olivia Farr, Staff Reviewer*

cute nursery rhyme fun

THE ITSY BITSY SPIDER is a cute, simple board book, great for babies and toddlers. The book features the classic song/nursery rhyme with illustrations for each line of the song. The side has tabs for each page to make page turning even easier.

What I loved: This is a simple book, great for babies and young toddlers who love to hear songs and nursery rhymes. The book includes a line from the song on each page along with a cartoonish spider and setting, acting out each line of the song. The book features thick board book pages and tabs that make it so easy for little fingers to turn. Children who love to turn the pages and drive the story will delight in this design.

The font is easy to read, but most caregivers probably won’t need the text, as it is exactly The Itsy Bitsy Spider song. With lots of color and simple to sing text, this is a book that little ones and caregivers can easily get into.

Final verdict: THE ITSY BITSY SPIDER is a fun, simple board book that works well for babies and toddlers who love nursery rhymes!

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*Review Contributed By Adrien Carter, Staff Reviewer*

Importance of Baptism

We Remember Your Baptism takes you through a family and their child’s baptism as they recount the story. Throughout this book there is moments of sharing the beginning when God moved the waters, and how water played a role within communities. The book speaks on how water provides us with a reminder of God’s everlasting love, and how baptism connects us with God.

What I Liked: While this book is recommended for children ages 4 and up, the language used is for older children as it might not hold a young child’s attention. A younger audience might not need as much detail and might get lost in the details instead of understanding what baptism is about.

The illustrations throughout this book do a great job of relaying the story and highlighting the joy that God brings into one’s life. The illustrations highlight the different forms that baptism takes in various families, ages, and parts of the world yet how it serves the same purpose regardless of the form it takes.

The book closes with a note for caregivers about baptism and how to celebrate each year along with a place for you to write a letter to your child including a baptism blessing you have for them. The book provides a lot of information for individuals who are new to the religion and want to know more or who want to share with their children.

Final Verdict: We Remember Your Baptism is a thorough look into a child’s baptism and what it means to be baptized and welcomed by God. This book is good for individuals who are looking for books to share with their children that have religious teachings. Children ages 6 and up will enjoy learning about baptisms and specifically hearing about their own as this book easily lends itself to that conversation.

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*Review Contributed By Mark Buxton, Staff Reviewer*

Unlikely allies

What worked:
The format will be familiar to middle-grade readers, as an underdog, Jamie, teams up with two students at opposite ends of the student spectrum. Dan is a large, quiet boy whom everyone else avoids out of fear. Lakshmi is a popular, top student who brings her knowledge to the group. A twist involves Jamie’s older brother, as his father has moved to this small town for a fresh start. The early chapters inform readers that Cameron died, but they soon learn that he actually disappeared. This fact leaves the door open for Cameron to reappear later.
Visiting a new world is nothing new, although this book connects Myridiam to video games. The mysterious messages and portal to the world arise from Jamie’s iPad, and a version of it allows him to return home. Much of his experience doesn’t feel like virtual reality, although Jamie, Dan, and Lakshmi see text in their peripheral vision that identifies unknown creatures and weapon upgrades. Upon arriving in Myridiam, a chamber chooses a bow for Jamie, giving him the ability to rapidly shoot arrows with electrical charges or fire. Dan is assigned gleaming armor along with a shield that can grow to protect him and others from attacks. Lakshmi receives a staff that fires an energy beam and other powers that are revealed when needed.
It’s interesting to note that these three Guardians don’t overtly kill anyone with their powerful weapons, and there are many fighting scenes where that can happen. The only clue that an opponent might have been slain is a VR message indicating Jamie’s arrow made a critical hit. The kids have virtuous characters that aren’t immediately evident in the early chapters. This quality and their merciful nature make others respect and admire them, which is especially important when they venture within the borders of suspicious, aggressive Sothian warriors.
What didn’t work as well:
The ending is disappointing, as it leaves readers needing to read the sequel to resolve unfinished business. Also, the characters get into dire, no-win situations, but the arrows, staff, or armor get sudden upgrades to get them out of it, especially Lakshmi’s staff. It sometimes feels like cheating, since the characters don’t use their talents or intelligence to come up with solutions.
The final verdict:
This book will appeal to middle-grade readers who enjoy underdog characters with unexpected abilities. The purity and compassion of the main characters are admirable, as they aid new allies to save Myridiam. I recommend you try this book for yourself.

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Maris Larsen is the captain of the West Eaton High cheer team. She’s Coach’s favorite and the team worships her. Being on the team makes her feel special—powerful. When she’s leading the girls on the mat, Maris doesn’t have to think about her dead-end life in a dead-end town. She can forget about her depressed mother and absent father and the fact that her girlfriend doesn’t really love her. But when newcomer and Coach’s new golden girl, Genevieve Ray, joins the team, the only thing going right in Maris’s life is suddenly in jeopardy. A bitter rivalry develops between the two, but Maris is determined to take Genevieve down. The knife she needs to wield comes to Maris in her dreams.

While sleepwalking, Maris is visited by a monstrous, decaying beast in the shape of an enormous deer. Doe is an ancient, tired creature who has been wandering, trapped in her current form for decades. She cannot die, but she cannot go on living as she has. Only a girl related by blood to those who bound her in this form can free her, but those girls she loved died years ago—murdered in a fire.

But Maris is somehow linked to Doe’s beloved girls—linked by blood—and so she has the power to free Doe, to unleash her immense power. In Maris’s dreams, she and Doe form a bond, but Maris doesn’t know the creature from her dreams is real. Maris doesn’t understand the danger she’s in. She only knows Doe has promised her a way to win her battle with Genevieve. But for Maris to win, someone has to die, and the only real winner in the end will be Doe.

*Review Contributed by Evren Dodd, Staff Reviewer*

DOE is a thrilling and horrific YA novel in verse. Maris is the captain of her high school cheer team, worshipped by her team and using cheer to ignore her family and future. When a new girl, Genevieve, arrives in town and steals Coach’s attention from her, Maris burns with jealousy and anger. A rivalry forms between Genevieve and Maris and her team. A rivalry only heightened by the deer-like beast that Maris speaks to when she’s shapeshifting. A beast named Doe.

Rebecca Barrow manages to craft an atmospheric and horrifying book. Her word choice is magnificent, each word and line specifically crafted to form whatever emotion she wants you to experience at the time. Understanding, anger, fear, sadness. Whatever it is, she’ll manage to get it across. She especially brings cheer to life, the glory and the pain.

DOE is split into a few different POVs, allowing readers a closer glimpse at each of the characters’ machinations. Doe’s chapters are haunting and lyrical; revenge and anger and loneliness etched into every word. She has a good number of chapters, and I loved getting to experience everything from her POV. Her story is heartbreaking and it creates a character whose choices make a lot of sense in the book.

Maris’ POV is one of the most prominent. She is cloaked in anger and gloominess; but she’s also fiercely loyal to her team, the only people who seem to like her exactly how she is. Do you know how hard it is to write a character like Maris – who does things during this book that should be off-putting – and still want to see her get the best out of life? I didn’t love her the way I love a character I truly connect with and adore, but I rooted for her the entire way through. I wanted to see her succeed and surpass expectations. I wanted to see her shine.

The team are also given chapters, ones that use “we” pronouns and seems to speak as a hive mind of sorts. It leans into the idea that they act as one, they serve Maris and Coach as one, they are one. It’s compelling and freaky all at once.

There are a couple of other POVs in the book, but they aren’t as prominent. Only given a handful of chapters each, so I won’t spoil whose POVs they are. Both of them still resonate in the story, adding layers of depth that readers are unable to get just from Maris or the team’s POVs.

One of the strengths of this book is the characters and all the shades of gray that they show. Maris is not a “good” character. She’s not your typical sweet girl next door, looking for love and companionship. Her team isn’t made up of girls who are kind and gentle with newcomers. They’re all rough, edges jagged and worn by everything the world has thrown at them. They bring out the absolute worst in each other, but they also know that they have each other even when no one else does. It’s a strange experience, seeing these girls who are cruel to everyone and at times even each other, but who would destroy anyone that tries to take their home from them.

This is definitely a book that requires checking trigger warnings first. There are topics discussed that not every reader will want to read about. Some of these, like the girls’ home lives, are mentioned briefly and brushed over. Others are lingered on, held up to the light and examined.

If you’re looking for a compelling and creepy read, DOE might be just the thing. With chilling writing, short chapters, and a fast-moving plot; it draws readers in and holds them still until the very ending.

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From drag superstar Eureka O’Hara and bestselling author Dan Poblocki comes a beautiful, buoyant middle-grade novel about a boy who enters a local pageant—as a drag queen!

When Jackson Bright wears a dress to the last day of school, he expects to be complimented on the cute polka-dot design. Instead, he gets sent to the principal’s office.

Jackson doesn’t know why people are saying that he needs to “dress like a boy.” And with all the discussions of “dressing like a boy” and “dressing like a girl,” he wonders where people like his best friend Eva, who’s nonbinary, fit into all of this. Or why he felt so confident and happy while wearing that dress.

So when Jackson sees a flyer for the town’s beloved Little Miss pageant, he comes up with a plan: dress in drag in order to compete and show the town just how fabulous he can be! More than anything, though, he wants to push the boundaries of gender and learn how to better support Eva and other nonbinary kids like them, which is harder than he realizes.

Before he knows it, he’s thrust into a world of rhinestone gowns and fiercely applied makeup. With the help of Eva and Uncle Aaron, Jackson scrambles to come up with an array of dazzling costumes, a crowd-winning speech, and a killer talent act.

As he navigates the ups and downs of the competition—all while keeping his real identity a secret and hiding a growing crush on his rival’s brother—Jackson will have to figure out how to stand beside his friend and show his small town that #nonbinaryteaisvalid, unpack questions about his family and identity that he’s been hiding from, and learn how to stay true to himself and hold his head high no matter what!

*Review Contributed by Evren Dodd, Staff Reviewer*

JACKSON BRIGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT is a cute middle grade novel written for ages 10 and up. After getting sent to the principal’s office for wearing a dress on the last day of school, Jackson is out with his friend when they spot a sign for the local pageant. He wants to join to show the town that he can wear whatever he wants, but to join he has to do so in drag. With the help of his best friend and his uncle, Jackson has to prepare for the competition. Can he handle all the attention?

Jackson’s voice shines through the pages. His voice is vivid and unique, reflecting his very bright personality wonderfully. Not all readers will resonate with his voice, but it doesn’t detract from the novel. In fact, if the reader enjoys the voice, it enhances the story! Jackson himself is a fun character to follow through a novel like this. He’s got a lot of joy and happiness, but also a level of pettiness and confusion that makes sense for a kid his age. He doesn’t understand these rules that adults have put on him, and it annoys him, angers him even. He wants to prove them wrong. It’s age appropriate and in-character behavior from Jackson.

The pageant side of the novel is more fun than I had expected. I have very little pageantry novel, so it was interesting to see this book’s take on it all. The interviews, the talent, the entire community around the pageant. It added a layer of depth and realism to the book. I don’t know how popular pageant books are for middle grade students, but I hope this book will find its readers.

The subplots are detailed and interesting. There are subplots for a couple of the other characters, but they tie into Jackson’s story in a way that makes sense. I was especially interested in Jackson’s father’s struggle with depression. It was done in a way that kids who know will recognize the behavior, but kids who don’t will still understand the weight of his struggle. It’s also filtered through Jackson’s eyes meaning certain details are honed in on or ignored depending on whether Jackson notices them.

The LGBTQ+ representation in this book is fantastic. Jackson competes in drag, his best friend is nonbinary, his uncle is gay. It is shamelessly LGBTQ+. But, with the exception of Jackson performing in drag, these things don’t come across as a main focus. They just happen to be the identities of Jackson’s friend and family. Identities that spur conversations and growth.

The main characters feel very real. They are given enough details to make them feel three-dimensional without stealing the spotlight away from Jackson. But some of the side characters do feel a bit flat and one-note.

The art in the book is simple, but adds an additional bit of fun and whimsy to the story. It helps to visualize the characters and some of the scenes present in the book. It’s not a picture book, but the art is common enough that you get used to seeing it.

At first glance JACKSON BRIGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT seems like a fun book about a boy joining a pageant. And it is, but it’s also more than that. It’s full of age-appropriate drama, frank conversations around gender and gender expression, and subplots that add layers to the story.

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An exciting novelty book of love, featuring gender-neutral pronouns throughout, that reveals moving ribbons with each turn of the page–as if by magic.

This cleverly designed board book of the love between parent and child, which features gender-neutral pronouns throughout, reveals a colorful strand of ribbon with each turn of the page, gradually building to become different things: a hot-air balloon, an ice-cream sundae, and even a giant flowerpot filled with beautiful flowers. Children can watch in wonder as the ribbons slowly combine to create a giant heart at the end. With a parent and child pairing and warm, emotional text, this is the perfect book to share that can be read by anyone, to anyone.

*Review Contributed By Olivia Farr, Staff Reviewer*

sweet board book with a message of love

I LOVE YOU, LITTLE ONE is a sweet board book about love shared between caregiver and child. The story features rhyming text about how much the reader loves the listener, along with images of an adult and baby baby. There are ribbons that appear throughout the book and help form objects on each page spread.

What I loved: This is a really sweet message with rhyming text that rolls off the tongue smoothly. It is fun to read aloud and to listen to. Young ears will appreciate the flow and rhymes. The message is very sweet and one of unconditional love. Without a named caregiver, it will work for a bunch of scenarios for mothers, fathers, grandparents, and so on. The text is from the perspective of reader to listener, and it is very sweet.

The images are colorful and show lots of sweet scenes of big and little bear together that young children will enjoy visually exploring. The ribbons are smartly situated on each page to form part of the images, such as the bowl holding ice cream or the rocket ship. The ribbon is also very solidly attached and moves through the pages well.

Final verdict: I LOVE YOU, LITTLE ONE is a sweet board book with a message of love, perfect for caregivers to share with little readers.

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A beautiful, life-affirming, and hopeful story about sitting with sadness, the power of friendship, and learning that the brightest rainbows always come after a storm.

One sunny day, Bear wakes up to find a storm cloud hanging above his head. Everything that used to make him happy suddenly doesn’t anymore. Can Bear’s friends help him find his way through the storm and back to happiness? A beautiful, heartfelt story for readers of Cori Doerrfeld that’s destined to become a modern classic.

ENCOURAGES CONVERSATION: Supports little ones (and bigger ones!) to talk about their feelings openly and compassionately.

A PERFECT GIFT: Gorgeous art and a thoughtful message make this book a perfect gift for any child, big or small, to show them they are not alone.

STUNNING, BRIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS: Gorgeous artwork and friendly characters make for an inviting introduction to a sometimes-difficult topic.

*Review Contributed By Evren Dodd, Staff Reviewer*

An Important Story on Sitting with Sadness

Bear wakes up one day with a storm cloud hanging over his head. Not wanting to dampen the mood of his friends, he decides to stay home. But that’s hard to do when nothing seems to bring him joy anymore. THE STORM CLOUD follows Bear during this day as he struggles with the cloud lingering above his head. Can his friends help him ride out the storm?

THE STORM CLOUD is a very important story. It shows readers that sadness isn’t always a bad thing that needs to be shunned. Sometimes, it’s inevitable and it’s important for you to know how to ride the emotions out. It also shows how friends can help you ride out these emotions.

Beautiful, colorful illustrations decorate the pages of these books. Despite the somber feeling the book carries at times, the colors are no less muted. The illustrations are simple, rough around the edges in a charming style that feels very fitting for the story.

The story of Bear and his cloud is a really sweet one. Bear is struggling, at times growing angry or despondent because of his cloud. But his friends don’t just let him struggle alone. One friend in particular, Squirrel, knows the best ways to help someone with a cloud hanging over their head.

A beautifully written and emotionally woven story, THE STORM CLOUD explores the idea of letting yourself feel sadness when it comes. It doesn’t encourage letting yourself be swept away by it but rather accepting that sadness happens and learning to ride it out is important. Especially important for young readers who may not know how to manage their bigger feelings, this book is important for all ages.

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Discover the amazing, fun diversity of life in the northern forest through 12 vivid paintings, each with a numbered key to search for and identify the animals, plants, insects and fungi pictured.

Each of artist Jada Fitch’s twelve stunning paintings represents the forest during one month of the year, featuring an array of animals, plants, insects, fungi, and other creatures common during those weeks. Opposite each painting is a list of all the species depicted, with corresponding numbers in the art, creating a search-and-find experience that will keep readers of all ages discovering more every time they look. Then turn the page to zoom in and see these creatures in even more gorgeous detail. This wondrous array of wildlife is brought further to life by writer and naturalist Kateri Kosek, who uncovers the many hidden stories and fun facts about the flora and fauna that make up the forest ecosystem, inviting the reader to look more closely at nature all around them.

*Review Contributed By Evren Dodd, Staff Reviewer*

A Look at the Secrets of the Forest

Take a look at the wonders of the forest with THE FOREST REVEALED. Going month by month, Jada Fitch and Kateri Kosek capture the creatures that call the forest home and the changes that happen each month.

The illustrations in this book are beautiful; they look like the kind of art you would see in a gallery. Jada Fitch manages to capture the life and spirit of the forest in her drawings. The drawings capture the sun as it shines on plants, the grace of birds, the texture of the plants and animals. The art is my favorite part of this book, hands down.

The setup of this book was not what I expected. Each month has six pages dedicated to it. A brief summary at the beginning of each month lets readers experience what it might be like to venture into the woods during that time. There is an full-page illustration of what the forest looks like during that time. The illustration condenses the forest, striving to fit as many of the lifeforms into one image as possible. The book also numbers and lists every organism that is included in the image, highlighting not only the different animals, but also the different plants and lichens. After that, there are four pages of each month dedicated to sharing more information about some of the specific plants and animals. I could never have expected that much information in the book when I originally heard about it, but it’s fantastic. It allows the reader to feel drawn into each month.

There is quite a lot of information in this book and it’s written at a level that doesn’t quite fit the starting age. This book is marked as being appropriate for ages 8 and up. It is, but kids on the younger end of that scale may not appreciate the depth of information that the book provides. But that does also depend on the kid, their reading level, and their own interest. The information itself is well-written and interesting; they chose a good mix of common and unique organisms to talk about.

THE FOREST REVEALED is a detailed and immersive look into what the forest looks like throughout the year. With absolutely stunning art and a wealth of information, this book is a fantastic pick for kids who love nature and science. Just be sure that the reading level is suitable for them.

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XO, Kitty meets Dash & Lily in this rom com about two teens falling in love via letters left in their favorite library books – even if in real life they think they have nothing in common.

Lizzie Wei is a huge book nerd, and proud of it. And when she realizes there is a mysterious reader who has been checking out all of her favorite books from the library, she can’t help but get a crush on someone she’s never even met. Her friends make it their mission to find Lizzie’s long lost book soulmate and convince her to leave notes for her crush. But what if the person Lizzie is looking for, isn’t at all what she expects?

Dylan Lin loves reading, secretly anyway. Ever since a bullying incident at his last school, he’s hidden his love of fantasy novels, instead leaning into his jock persona. Now he’s the tennis team captain, runs every day, and actively avoids reading. So, when he decides to start volunteering at a kitten nursery, and his super cute co-volunteer Lizzie asks if he likes reading, he says no. He never expects the look of complete and utter disappointment on Lizzie’s face.

Lizzie is certain her secret crush isn’t Dylan. It can’t be! But when he accidentally makes an obscure reference to her favorite book during their volunteer shift, she’s not so sure anymore. Can Lizzie forgive Dylan for lying? And can Dylan be brave enough to be himself?

Jennifer Chen’s Checking You Out is a contemporary romance about being true to yourself and celebrating what you love, because you just might find the perfect person to share it with.

*Review Contributed by Cherokee Crum, Blog Manager and Staff Reviewer*

Checking You Out was my first introduction to Jennifer Chen’s work. It’s an adorable and cheesy YA romance with a fantastic concept.

I loved the idea of finding love through a secret mysterious admirer at the library. It was so cute that they (Dylan and Lizzie) would write notes back and forth to one another, anonymously. It’s not a big mystery for the reader, since the story is in dual POV it is quite obvious.
Another thing I loved was the Found Family trope. Lizzie’s group of friends were so close to one another, much like siblings. Dylan also found the same thing in his two friend, even if it was slower on the take.
And who doesn’t love kittens? Checking You Out highlights not only volunteering, but the importance of animal shelters and adoption.
A few other things given a highlight in Checking You Out are bullying, sexual representation, and Gender representation.

While I loved several things about the book, there were a couple things that were difficult for me to get around.
These kids, these young adults, were supposed to be just graduating.. but their dialogue was more akin to middle schoolers.
I was super disappointed with the Fellow Fantasy Reader reveal. It was underwhelming when we had been leading up to it that whole time, the climax just sort of flatlined there at the end.

While I have mixed feelings about this book, I do recommend it to young adult readers. There is little to no foul language and the romance doesn’t get much beyond a few kisses.

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*Review Contributed by Evren Dodd, Staff Reviewer*

PLAY PROUD highlights 60 queer athletes from a variety of sports. Track, basketball, hockey, and more are mentioned along with the athletes who do, or have, played that sport. Affirming and inspirational, this book serves as a reminder of some of the athletes who have paved, and continue paving, the way for more queer athletes to take the spotlight.

This is a wonderful book that manages to capture a lot of athletes and sports in 40 pages. It was amazing how much they were able to fit into this book. There’s even brief biographies of each athlete at the back of the book. I can honestly say I had never heard of most of these athletes and I really appreciate that the book didn’t just focus on the most well-known queer athletes. I plan on using this book to remember their names and find out more information about them.

The writing in this book is simple, but effective. It cuts straight to the names of the athletes and their sports, highlighting some of the aspects of the sports as well. This book tries to keep up a rhyme for each page spread. It works for the most part, but a couple of times it does seem like the rhyme was a bit awkward or out-of-place simply to keep with the flow of the story and that section.

Bright and lively illustrations accompany the text. The illustration, Izzy Evans, does an incredible job at capturing the life and movement of these athletes. The images don’t look static or boring, they look like moments captured in time. The illustrations are also bright and colorful too. The colors match the sport being played, leaning towards blue if it’s a water/ice sport or leaning towards green for something like rugby.

Including athletes past and present, PLAY PROUD should serve as a source of inspiration and exploration. Encouraging readers to “play proud” as well as allowing them to learn more about the players who came before and who play now.

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