214. Dog Squad

Dog Squad (Dog Squad #1) Chris Grabenstein. 2021. 336 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Nala, the world's bravest and boldest border collie, bounded through the brambles.

Premise/plot: Fred, our dog-protagonist, loves, loves, loves to watch DOG SQUAD on television. But he never expected to be ON the show himself. He's nothing like Duke, the "star" of the show. He's not brave, fearless, daring, amazing. He's so absolutely ordinary. But when he's rescued off the streets--after having been abandoned by his owner (it's a longer story than this summary would imply)--he gets a chance to do just that. Can he be the "star" of Dog Squad??? 

My thoughts: What a fun animal fantasy Dog Squad makes!!! I enjoyed many--though not all--of the characters in this one. I liked seeing Fred make friends. I loved seeing Fred in action. He really gets a chance to be a hero--multiple times--in real life. The book was interesting and entertaining. I could see younger readers really enjoying this one. Dog Squad feels a bit like Paw Patrol.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

213. Surely Surely Marisol Rainey

Surely Surely Marisol Rainey. Erin Entrada Kelly. 2022. 160 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Marisol Rainey keeps a list in her head. She calls it her List of Favorites. Her best friend, Jada George, has a list, too. Marisol and Jada like to compare their lists because it's interesting to see all the ways they are the same and all the ways they are different. 

Premise/plot: Surely Surely Marisol Rainey is the second in the series. Marisol is still Marisol. [I love her so much!] In this one, she's working on tolerating sports. I guess that might be how you could describe it. 

My thoughts: I really love, love, love Marisol, I do. She's a fabulous character. I'd also have added gym class to my list of least favorite things. But, for me, feeling the way I do about sports, I just couldn't really connect the way I wanted to with this book. It was too much sports. And even knowing that Marisol herself didn't naturally like let alone love sports didn't really help overall. I wanted to love this second book just as much. But I'd almost rather the author tackled Marisol's dislike of radishes instead.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

212. Best Christmas Pageant Ever

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Barbara Robinson. 1972. HarperCollins. 128 pages. [Source: Bought]

Is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever the best Christmas book ever? It might just be. I know I prefer it to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. One reason why I do is because the book truly captures the getting-it moment, the moment when one realizes the true meaning of Christmas. A Christmas Carol may do an adequate job of "getting" the generosity of Christmas, but it is a Christ-less Christmas story. There is nothing in A Christmas Carol that would point you towards the real meaning of Christmas: the birth of a Savior. The Best Christmas Pageant does just that. And it doesn't sacrifice entertainment or humor. In fact, it is probably one of the funniest children's books ever. Here's how it opens:

The Herdmans were absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lied and stole and smoked cigars (even the girls) and talked dirty and hit little kids and cussed their teachers and took the name of the Lord in vain and set fire to Fred Shoemaker's old broken-down toolhouse. The toolhouse burned right down to the ground, and I think that surprised the Herdmans. They set fire to things all the time, but that was the first time they managed to burn down a whole building. I guess it was an accident. I don't suppose they woke up that morning and said to one another, "Let's go burn down Fred Shoemaker's toolhouse"...but maybe they did. After all, it was a Saturday, and not much going on.

There are six Herdmans in all: Ralph, Imogene, Leroy, Claude, Ollie, and Gladys. The premise of this one is oh-so-simple: what if the yearly Christmas pageant was overrun with Herdmans? What if the WORST kids in town, possibly the WORST kids in the world, got the best roles in the Christmas pageant? What would it be like for the director(s)? What would it be like for the other kids? What would it be like for the audience? What no one was expecting was that the story itself would have an impact on the actors leading it to be THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER.

It is narrated in the first person. I believe it is told from the perspective of the director's daughter. As I mentioned, it is hilarious and touching all at the same time. Though the 'touching' bit--the sentimental bit--is towards the very, very end.

I loved this one. I've read it again and again and again and again. It is well worth reading every year or every other year. It has a just-right feel about it. I think it is true enough to life. It captures the familiarity of the Christmas story. Almost everyone knows the story backwards and forwards. Everyone knows it so very well that none of the characters consider it. They don't process it or absorb it. But the Herdmans. Well. They have NEVER heard it. They don't find it boring or irrelevant. They find it absorbing and interesting. The details, big and small, are fresh to them. They are thinking of the story in a fresh way, in a human way. Not in a been-raised-in-church-my-whole-life way. So it captures the DRAMA of the Christmas story in a fresh way. Readers get a behind-the-scenes look at someone seeing/hearing the story for the very first time. The Herdmans take nothing for granted, assume nothing. They have questions, dozens and dozens of questions. The book isn't overly preachy either. It isn't that someone reads the story the first time, and all six kids suddenly decide to pray a little prayer and get baptized. It is not like that at all. Yet I can't help but seeing the spirit working in this story.

 

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

211. Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey

Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey. Erin Entrada Kelly. 2021. 160 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: There is a magnolia tree in Marisol Rainey's backyard. The tree is named Peppina. It is perfect for climbing. The branches are practically made for human feet. It's as if Peppina wanted to say: Step here, and here, and here. 

Premise/plot: Marisol Rainey stars in a new early chapter book series. In this one, Marisol slowly but surely--with plenty of struggles along the way--works to overcome her fear of climbing trees. Marisol struggles with [little] fears and [little] anxieties that add up day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year. 

My thoughts: I love, love, love, love, love, love, love Marisol. I think she's a GREAT heroine. I'm so glad to have met her. This book has all the feels. I can't recommend it highly enough. I'm sure I'd have read this a million times as a child. It was so awesome.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

210. What Is The Story of Ebenezer Scrooge?

What is the Story of Ebenezer Scrooge? Sheila Keenan. Illustrated by Andrew Thomson. 2022. 112 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: There is a tidy row of nineteenth-century brick town houses on Doughty Street in London, England. Behind the cheery red door at number 48, the rooms are decorated for Christmas. Presents are piled under a tree lit with candles. The halls are decked with holly and ivy. There are evergreens on the mantel of each fireplace. Wreaths and red bows are hung throughout the four-story building, and there is Christmas sheet music on the piano. It's all very merry, until a tall professor in a green sweater reads aloud: "Once upon a time--of all the good days in the year, on Christmas Eve--old Scrooge sat busy in his counting-house." Meet Ebenezer Scrooge, one of beloved British author Charles Dickens's most famous characters.

Premise/plot: As an adult reader, I see this as a dressed up Cliffs Notes of sorts for young(er) readers. (Upper elementary, lower middle grades) Readers get a little biographical information on Charles Dickens, a little context for the story, the basic plot of the story, and some light (or "lite") literary analysis. It gives you a more thorough understanding than say watching Mickey's Christmas Carol. 

My thoughts: I don't honestly know what to think of this one. I know it's part of a greater series. I am very familiar with Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol. I think it does a decent [even good] job in explaining everything in a simpl(er) way. I would recommend to those who struggle a bit--whether they want to admit it or not--with reading comprehension. One could get a sense of the story by watching adaptations, but not all adaptations are faithful to the book. This one includes details that some adaptations leave out.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

209. Mihi Ever After #1

Mihi Ever After (Mihi Ever After #1) Tae Keller. 2022. [November] 240 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Mihi Whan Park was a princess. Well, kind of. To be more precise: Mihi Whan Park felt like a princess, like someone important, someone who mattered, someone who belonged--even if she hadn't quite found her palace yet. Deep in her heart, Mihi felt like long-lost royalty, born to a king and queen in a far-off fantasyland. Of course, if you asked anyone else, they'd tell you Mihi was...just a girl. A four-foot tall Korean girl, born to the owners of Park Pet Rescue in Medford, Massachusetts. But those were pesky details.

Premise/plot: Mihi, our protagonist, LOVES, LOVES, LOVES fairy tales. She doesn't just love to read fairy tales [for fun]. She loves to pretend to be a princess with her friends. But while others seem to be outgrowing this need to be a princess, well, Mihi isn't. When a recess fail leads to inside recess in the school library [as a punishment?!?!], Mihi meets two friends Savannah and Reese. In search of the librarian's candy stash, these three accidentally stumble into a magical portal that leads them to another world....

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one SO SO SO SO much. It was super fun. It is the start of a new series. I loved spending time in this other fantasy world. It was full of surprises! It wasn't quite like I was expecting. It was a little more edgy and full of dangers than I was expecting for a children's book. I liked that about it. It wasn't just a rosy-rosy-comfy-cozy sweet read. I enjoyed all of the characters.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

208. The Sour Grape

The Sour Grape. Jory John. Illustrated by Pete Oswald. 2022. [November] 40 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I'm a grape. A sour grape. Grrrr! If somebody upsets me, I'll remember it. If somebody wrongs me, I won't forget it. If somebody ignores me, I'll never ignore it. Nope.

Premise/plot: Sour Grape wasn't always a sour grape. Sour Grape used to be a sweet grape. When his birthday party disappoints [greatly], our young protagonist grows SOUR as his bitterness and anger fester. Will Sour Grape always be so SOUR and disagreeable? 

My thoughts: I really liked this one. Jory John's series can be hit or miss for me. Some I like. Some not as much. This one I thought was super relatable. Emotions AND relationships can be overwhelming--especially when you're young. This one was a cute story. I really loved seeing his grandparents [raisins].

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

207. Moo, Baa, Fa La La La!

Board book: Moo, Baa, Fa la la la la! Sandra Boynton. 2022. [September] 16 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Deck the halls with cows and holly
while the little sheep sing
Baa, baa, baa!

Premise/plot: A holiday-themed board book starring [lovable] farm animals. 

My thoughts: This is a companion to Moo, Baa, La La La! I do  wonder if I would have enjoyed it more if I was familiar with the original board book? Even without the original to judge by, the book has plenty of silly to it. 

Sandra Boynton has written plenty of board books for the youngest of readers.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

206. Lily to the Rescue: Dog, Dog, Goose

Lily to the Rescue: Dog, Dog, Goose. W. Bruce Cameron. 2020. 144 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: I am a dog, and my name is Lily. I have a girl, and her name is Maggie Rose.

Premise/plot: This is the fourth book in W. Bruce Cameron's Lily to the Rescue early chapter book series for young readers. Lily is a working dog. He goes with Maggie Rose's mom to 'work' at the animal shelter. He has a special gift with working with ALL sorts of animals--often time stressed animals. In this one, for example, he's "working" with BABY geese that have been abandoned. Maggie Rose doesn't know that by introducing Lily to the geese, that they will "imprint" and think that Lily is their actual mom. So that's one story line. The other is with Maggie Rose's siblings. One of her brothers has bonded with the oldest dog at the shelter....will the family be bringing home another dog?????

My thoughts: I really LOVED, LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this one so much. It may just be my favorite so far. I loved both stories so much. I love seeing Lily as a mama to these geese. So very adorable. I also liked getting to know Maggie Rose's brother(s) better. These three have really come along way since book one. (I remember they used to tease her more than they do now.)

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

205. The Giant Panda Plan

The Giant Panda Plan (Teeny Houdini #3). Katrina Moore. Illustrated by Zoe Si. 2022. [June] 144 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: "Roar! Roar!" I call to the lions. I stand on my tippy-toes to get as close as I can to them. "Why won't they roar back, Mom?" I ask.

Premise/plot: Bessie Lee and her classmates--both her close friends, friends, and frenemies--take it upon themselves [to single-handedly] save pandas. This comes about as a result of a zoo field trip. The students brainstorm "a way" to "save" pandas. This involves the students working together as groups and doing presentations. A bit of an elevated show-and-tell of sorts. But the show that was going to SAVE the pandas goes all wrong with egos get in the way.

My thoughts: I didn't like this one. Not really. I thought it was odd. Perhaps it was just too much to sit down and read books two and three back to back. Perhaps the plot of the third book is just weaker. I don't mind the let's-all-be-activist perspective in small doses. But I don't know how a bunch of first graders are going to do anything on a big enough scale to "save" the pandas. True, in this book, the first graders are miraculously able to raise a thousand dollars. But I don't think that's realistic. [Or perhaps Bessie Lee is just in a really high-class, super-wealthy school district].

It also seemed a little odd--though I could be wrong--that Bessie Lee (and presumably) others are getting to hold/handle an actual baby panda from the zoo.  

This book is more about sabotaging other students' work than anything else. [This is my opinion].

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

204. Teeny Houdini: The Super-Secret Valentine

Teeny Houdini: The Super-Secret Valentine. (Teeny Houdini #1) Katrina Moore. Illustrated by Zoe Si. 2022. [January] 112 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Squirt! I squeeze a big glob of glue onto my Valentine's Day box. Then I pour a million gazillion rainbow sparkles on the glue glob.

Premise/plot: Bessie Lee (aka our lovable teeny Houdini) is looking forward to celebrating Valentine's Day with her classmates, well, most of them. And this year the class will have a secret valentine. Every student will give/receive an extra valentine. Bessie will be making a super-secret valentine for the new student, Jae, but he doesn't talk much...if at all...and she wants it to be extra-extra special. But her idea of extra-extra special, well, to be honest might be the stuff of nightmares. Can Bessie redeem a horrible Valentine's day???

My thoughts: I like the narration. I do. I don't love this one quite as much as book one. But it is good fun. I liked getting to spend more time with Bessie at home and school.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers

203. PAWS: Gabby Gets It Together

PAWS #1: Gabby Gets It Together. Nathan Fairbairn. Illustrated by Michele Assarasakorn. 2022. [March] 176 pages. [Source: Library]

First sentence: Ah, Jeez...this is not good. Whoa! Come on, you guys! Quit pulling! Take it easy!!

Premise/plot: Gabby Jordan, Priya Gupta, and Mindy Kim are close friends who start a dog-walking business together. But can their friendship withstand the hardships of working together?

All three--Gabby, Priya, and Mindy--love animals. But none have pets of their own. They desperately want to have actual relationships with actual animals instead of just watching videos on the internet. But three kids walking five dogs five (or more) days a week...can they handle it???

My thoughts: My first thought was that this was just like BABYSITTER'S CLUB except with dogs. That isn't a fair summary. It isn't. They are walking dogs, not babysitting them. And almost all days have them working together as a duo or trio--not solo jobs. But essentially, it is a book where kids start a business together and learn the ups and downs of it. I thought the book did a great job in showing some of the possible consequences! 

Relationships can be hard even without the added strain of working a business together.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Young Readers