This is a 4 page lift the flap board book about a child who knows there is a unicorn hiding in their house.  The flaps and the illustrations are fun.  However, the story is severely lacking.  It could use a few more pages and expand the story for a more rounded story arc. 

 

This is a wonderful little book.  It could be an allegory for adoption, but in actually is an allegory for egg donation like what happened to the author.  The author wrote this as a way to help her child see that she is precious even though mom had to have some help getting a chick.  Most stories like this focus on the child understanding they are wanted and loved, but this one looks at the parents struggles and how sometimes they need a little help.  This was a wonderful story; it has a cadence and rhymes well.  The illustrations are eye catching and capture the heart of the story.  Overall, this is an excellent addition to any library. 

 

I liked this book. The art is the best part.  Parts of it may be confusing.  The kids get eaten by their books, and then they eat the books right back.  The word play is a bit wonderous.  At times it rhymes, at time it does not.  This book will not be for everyone as it is a bit odd, but for those who get it, they will love it. 

 

I loved this story.  And the artwork is so unique.  Little anteater rides on their mama’s back.  They are lonely, while out on a walk they ask friends to join them on mama’s back.  But the pile gets too big and the inevitable happens.  This would be awesome turned into a flannel board story.  But the illustrations are really fantastic, and as a flannel board I would miss the artwork.  But A lovely fun story that could be used and read again, again, and again. 

 does it in graphic novel form, and makes them appropriate for grades 3 and up.  This is a retelling of the Snow Queen by Hans Christian Anderson.  In it two friends get split up when one enters an experimental VR game.  This was Kaden, he was looking for help becoming a better gamer.  However, Gabby is going to have to save him since there is a wicked AI that does not know the meaning of friendship and will keep Kaden forever unless she can pass all the levels and unlock his life.  This was fun.  It wasn’t too complicated.  At the end of the story is a break down of the original tale and also how the author changed up to story for their modern version.  Plus, the illustrations are so fun and vibrant.  Overall, I am glad this series is around, and I am really glad they are venturing past the standard fairy tales. 

 

I love that the Library of Doom is doing graphic novels.  The chapter book series is one of my favorite HiLos to recommend for kids of all ages.  This graphic novel tells the story of a book known as the oldest trick and how Dace has to outwit the book to get back to real life.  The story is short and simple, but highly entertaining and page turning.  The graphic novel format just notches up the story for reluctant readers but maintains an easy or lower reading level, so it is good for any age. 

 

This book was originally written in 1961.  This new edition with new artwork is celebrating 60 years of the book and the press from which it came.  This book is a bit sad, but that sad with a happy ending type of sad (like Dumbo).  A group of circus animals and one clown said “no” one day at work and left out on their own. They started a new circus and did things they wanted to do, rather than things they had to do.  This story in a way bring to light somethings in a workforce that usually user in unions.  This is a story of its times, but it still has connections to today. 

 

This story was sweet.  It’s a great vocabulary lesson without being preachy or repetitive.  Sam and Dad are a pair.  But things happen and Dad wants Sam to consider if it is a “big” problem, or a “little” problem and how to tell the difference.  The art work in this story is unique.  The illustrator does a great job of portraying emotion and action in a still work. This book just works and would be a great edition to any library. 

 

I am not sure I get the point of this book.  While reading it seemed like a poem on women’s empowerment.  But at the end it gets heavy into STEAM, particularly physics and forces at play.  I love physics, but I am sorry to say I didn’t love this book.  It does not know what it wants to be.  Is it a lesson in physics, or is it female empowerment? Some might try to say both, but it does not do well either way. 

 

Sometimes the simplest books are the best.  This book is the authors list of hopes for the children and families reading it.  A reader can feel the love coming off the pages in the words and in the illustrations.   The words are presented in both English and Plains Cree.  (It is also available in just English and in French). Even without both languages this book is five star.   I love to see the two languages side by side.  I personally have no hope of trying to pronounce the Cree without assistance, but Indigenous people deserve books by indigenous authors and to see and read in their language. Even without both languages this book is five star.  The duel languages yanks this book up to a 10.