Me and Marvin Gardens

Me and Marvin Gardens 
by Amy Sarig King

Obe Devlin may have just discovered a new animal!  He knows a lot about the wildlife that lives around his home, but has never seen anything quite like this unusual, friendly, dog-sized creature that only eats plastic.   Obe is excited about his new discovery, but also worried about keeping him safe from a group of bullies that live nearby.   Will Obe be able to figure out what kind of animal Marvin Gardens is and where he came from?

This fantastic book is a great choice for readers who enjoy stories about animals and the environment.  In addition to the environmental theme, the story also deals with the friendship and bullying issues that Obe is encountering.  An excellent selection from the 2018 - 2019 Maine Student Book Award list! 

Sled Dog School

Sled Dog School 
by Terry Lynn Johnson

If Matt wants to pass math, he needs to do well on his extra credit assignment.   The assignment?  Start his own business.   Matt decides to run a sled dog school, but running his business proves to be full of many unexpected challenges, including finding students to attend his school.  Will he be able to successfully complete his assignment and save his grade?

This fun story is a great choice for fans of sled dogs!  Matt is a likeable character dealing with school issues that some readers will relate to.   Fans of author Terry Lynn Johnson's book Ice Dogs will want to give this book a try.

Author's website: http://terrylynnjohnson.com/

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The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart

The Dragon With a Chocolate Heart
by Stephanie Burgis

Determined to prove she is old enough to fly on her own, young dragon Aventurine defies her parents' wishes and leaves her cave one night to try and capture a human.   Unfortunately, things don't go as planned when she is tricked into drinking enchanted hot chocolate that turns her into a human.  Now trapped into a human body, Aventurine seeks a place where she can find more of her new passion, chocolate!

This enchanting tale is a great choice for fans of dragons as well as fans of chocolate! 

Author's website: https://www.stephanieburgis.com/

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus
by Dusti Bowling

Born without arms, Aven Green has learned to face challenges with optimism and humor.   However, when her family moves to Arizona, Aven must adjust to a new home and school.   At her new school, while trying to avoid the stares and questions of her classmates, she meets Conner, who is dealing with challenges of his own.  Together, the new friends help each other face their challenges as well as solve a mystery at the theme park Aven's parents run.

This is a fantastic book!  It is an inspirational tale about overcoming challenges, but also has many quirky characters and humorous moments, as well as an intriguing mystery! 

Author's website: https://www.dustibowling.com/

Princess Pulverizer

Princess Pulverizer: Grilled Cheese and Dragons
by Nancy Krulik
illustrated by Ben Balistreri

Princess Serena does not want to be like the other girls at the Royal School of Ladylike Manners.  To her, learning how to curtsy and dance is a waste of time.  Instead, she'd rather be Princess Pulverizer and attend the Knight School.  Unfortunately, only boys can become knights, unless she can convince her father she is worthy of the privilege   To do that, she must complete eight good deeds on a Quest of Kindness.  While it sounds like an easy task, Princess Pulverizer's attempts at good deeds gets off to a rough start when she finds herself trapped in an ogre's castle!

With its humorous characters and entertaining illustrations, this book is the first in what looks to be a very fun series!  Fans of Shannon Hale's Princess in Black series will likely enjoy this book as will many other readers looking for a funny, magical story!

Author's website: https://www.realnancykrulik.com/

Book trailer:

Superfail

Superfail
by Max Brunner
illustrated by Dustin Mackay

Marshall Preston's laser vision is a disaster! For most kids, having the power of laser vision would be awesome, but not for the crossed-eyed Marshall.  Whenever he tries to use his superpower, the wrong things get lasered! While others at his school have gone on to be recruited to superhero teams, Marshall is left with other classmates who also have difficulty with their own superpowers.

After uncovering a sinister plot, Marshall finds himself working with other kids with flawed superpowers, as well as an eccentric retired superhero, to try to stop the villains before it's too late!

 This entertaining story is full of action and many humorous moments! Although not a graphic novel, this book is heavily illustrated with engaging, color pictures on every page.  This is a fun read that many readers will enjoy! 

Beauty and the Beak

Beauty and the Beak
by Deborah Lee Rose and Jane Veltkamp

After her beak is shattered, an injured bald eagle is rescued and brought to a raptor center.  Due to the damage to her beak, Beauty the eagle is unable to eat or drink on her own.  However, a biologist at the raptor center comes up with the innovative idea of creating a new beak for the injured eagle.  With the help of 3D printing, a prosthetic beak is designed and created for Beauty!

What an inspiring story!  This true story, which includes many photographs of Beauty, shows readers the possibilities for 3D technology in changing the lives of injured animals like Beauty.  This is a great book for animal lovers as well as those who are interested in 3D printing.

Author's website: http://www.deborahleerose.com/beauty-and-the-beak/

Birds of Prey Northwest website: http://www.birdsofpreynorthwest.org/beauty-and-the-beak.html

Wolf in the Snow

Wolf in the Snow
by Matthew Cordell

Lost in a snowstorm, a little girl comes across a baby wolf who has been separated from its mother.   Hearing the howls of wolves, the little girl follows the sound as she bravely carries the young wolf through the snow until she is face to face with the baby's mother.    While the mother and baby have been reunited, the tired little girl faces a new challenge as she struggles to make her way through the  snow back to her own home.

What a beautiful book!  This story was recently awarded the 2018 Caldecott Medal for its outstanding illustrations!  Mostly wordless, with the exception of a few words that represent various sounds, Wolf in the Snow is a wonderful story about helping others in their time of need. 

Book trailer: 
Author's website: http://matthewcordell.com/

Brave Red, Smart Frog

Brave Red, Smart Frog: A New Book of Old Tales
by Emily Jenkins
illustrated by Rohan Daniel Eason

Seven classic tales are brought to life in this exciting story collection!   Set in an enchanted forest, famous stories, including Snow White and Hansel & Gretel are shared along with a few lesser-known fairy tales.   Each story is cleverly told, with subtle connections between several of the tales. 

This beautiful collection is a great choice for any fan of fairy tales.   Author Emily Jenkins has done an excellent job in retelling these classic stories!


Author's website: http://www.emilyjenkins.com/braveredsmartfrog/

Big Cat, Little Cat

Big Cat, Little Cat
by Elisha Cooper

At first it was just the big cat, living alone until one day it was joined by a little cat.  The big cat taught the little cat many things and, over time, the little cat grew in size as the friendship between the felines also grew.   Then, one day, the big cat was gone, much to the sadness of everyone.  Lonely at first, the former little cat (now a big cat himself) finds happiness and purpose with the arrival of a new little cat!

This sweet, but sad, story addresses the loss of a pet in a age-appropriate, sensitive way.   While it never specifically says what happened to the older cat, readers will likely understand the meaning behind the sadness of the family and other cat.   The black and white illustrations were simple yet effective in bringing this emotional story to life.   A wonderful story that is an excellent choice for anyone dealing with the loss of a pet. 

Author's website: http://www.elishacooper.com/