Unplugged

Unplugged
Author: Steve Antony
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Aleece

Summary: Blip liked to be plugged into her computer but one day a blackout happens and Blip becomes unplugged and stumbles out the door into the colorful outdoors.

Review: A simple story about how being plugged in is great but being outside and making new friends is just as great.  The gray drab indoors is offset by the colorful outdoors and simple yet soothing illustrations of nature are very enticing.  A great book for kids to think about putting down their devises and discover the world around them.

Where Do Balloons Go?

Where Do Balloons Go?
Author: Jamie Lee Curtis
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Reviewer: Yolanda

 

Summary: With a poetic rhythm, this book questions where balloons go and do when it is let go. The whole book follows what a balloon’s life might be like. The balloons in this book take on human characters in a way to answer the overall question of “Where do balloons go?”

Review: There were a lot of good themes throughout the whole book that made the reader, especially a young reader, think about life situations. Life could be good and bad, so Jaime Lee Curtis really put a whimsical and endearing touch to how the story was told. The illustrations were also very eye catching and made you engage with the story line. The rhythm of the author’s writing made it really fun to read. I really enjoyed reading this book out loud.

Refugee

Refugee

Author: Alan Gratz

Rating: 4/5 Stars 

Reviewer: Juan 

Summary: Josef is Jewish boy in 1930s Nazi Germany. Isabel is a Cuban girl in 1994. Mahmoud is a Syrian boy in 2015. Three different kids each with a different background but one thing binds them together, escape and survive.

Review: A suspenseful book that focuses on 3 different children and their journey to refuge. All three will face the unknown with unimaginable dangers along the way. One thing they share is the hope for tomorrow that may lead to a brighter future.

Dear Girl,

Dear Girl,
Author: Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Paris Rosenthal
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Reviewer: Denise Z.

Summary: Encourages readers to accept and love themselves as they are and advises them to be confident, curious, adaptable, and willing to speak up. For ages 4-8.

Review: I found out about this book and the message of this book online and had to check it out. The words really tugged at my heartstrings! Every line is such a great message and is a perfect book for self-esteem and for a mom to give to her daughter. I loved this book! If you know about the author’s blog and her battle with cancer, this will really bring out your emotions. More picture books like this need to be written.

“Dear Girl, Keep that arm raised! You have smart things to say!”

Born to Fly

 Born to Fly

Author: Michael Ferrari

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Reviewer: Denise Z.

Summary: Born to Fly is about Bird, a young girl with a vivid imagination who loves planes and wants to be a pilot. When Bird suspects there is a Nazi spy in her town, her and her new friend Kenji go on an adventure to try and catch the spy and keep America safe.

Review: This is an excellent book for 8 to 12 year olds who enjoy history and adventure. The friendship between Bird and Kenji is endearing and pushes racial boundaries during a time when America was at war. Bird is a very likeable character as a girl who wants to do what she loves, flying planes, without listening to those who say she can’t because she’s a girl. She proves them wrong and shows how having an active imagination can give you courage to pursue your dreams and possibly save a country while you do it. Female readers will find it refreshing to have a young female heroine who takes charge and reminds them of themselves. Ferrari tackles important subjects like war, death, friendship, and bullying; intertwining them in ways that make an entertaining, worth-while read.