environment

‘Storm Warning’ by Alice Henderson is a magnificent combination of thrills and conservation

/ Pamela Kramer

Alice Henderson’s thrilling and fascinating series about Alex Carter, a wildlife biologist whose past adventures have taken her to study jaguars, wolverines, polar bears, and caribou, now takes her to Hawai’i. In “Storm Warning,” Alex has been asked to monitor a beach where hawksbill turtles are laying their eggs. The timing is perfect as she was just coming off of another job and had the time. Also, returning to the island where she lived with her parents for a while brings back fond memories.

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Animal picture books to amaze, entertain, inform, and enjoy (really enjoy!)

/ Pamela Kramer

Kids love reading about animals, and in these wonderful picture books, imaginations will take flight just like Seven, the magnificent pigeon in the first book. They will learn about the perfidy of fish in the brilliantly hysterical book about not trusting fish, “Don’t Trust Fish.” Snakes and dogs and small creatures round out the animals we meet in these charming picture books. And a nonfiction series, “Meet the Wild Things,” brings unusual animals to our attention.

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‘The Vanishing Kind’ by Alice Henderson is a thrilling new suspense novel in the Alex Carter series

/ Pamela Kramer

“The Vanishing Kind” is definitely the kind of book that you might want to read in one sitting to find out how the enthralling action ends, yet I found myself doing the opposite. Alice Henderson creates characters so likable, a plot so gripping, and a setting so idyllic, that I just didn’t want it to end. I kept putting off finishing the book because I wanted to stay with main character Alex Carter in the New Mexico desert setting just a bit longer.

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‘Bird of a Thousand Stories’ by Kiyash Monsef is the fantastic sequel to his first fantasy tale

/ Pamela Kramer

In his new novel, “Bird of a Thousand Stories,” which is billed as young adult, but which all adults will find charming, Kiyash Monsef continues the story he began in “Once There Was.” It’s the tale of Marjan, who comes from a long line of Persian healers of fantastical animals. Marjan didn’t realize her talents until her father died, and those who needed her services came for her.

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Nonfiction picture books about animals: ‘When Beavers Flew,’ ‘Narwhal,’ ‘Life After Whale,’ ‘Finding Home: Amazing Places Animals Live,’ ‘An Animal a Day,’ and ‘A Dinosaur a Day’

/ Pamela Kramer

This is a wonderful and disparate collection of nonfiction picture books, and they all deserve attention for many reasons. Librarians and teachers should consider these because of the important subject matter, the quality of the writing, and the engaging nature of the illustrations. From information about animal homes to facts about the elusive narwhal, there’s a lot of learning that will go on when kids peruse these books. They would also make great additions to a classroom library, a school (or public) library, or a child’s bookshelf at home. These are about animals, and therefore sure to be a kid magnet.

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‘The Yellow Bus’ by Loren Long is both a beautifully illustrated and deeply thoughtful picture book (discussion questions included)

/ Pamela Kramer

Legions of children, teachers, librarians, and parents love picture books by Loren Long for the fabulous stories, the colorful, clever illustrations, and the heartwarming messages each contains. “The Yellow Bus,” his latest creation, is no different. This time the illustrations are ingeniously created so that the yellow bus, the star of the story, is the only thing in the story that has color. Everything else is drawn in black and white and grey.

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‘The Sherlock Society’ by James Ponti is the first novel in a fabulous new middle grade mystery series

/ Pamela Kramer

James Ponti, a New York Times bestselling and Edgar Award-winning children’s author, has just released the first book in a new series, “The Sherlock Society.” Those who have enjoyed his “CIty Spies” series will devour this new series, which is set in Ponti’s home state of Florida. The new series features a brother and sister, Alex and Zoe Sherlock, who start a detective agency to make extra money one summer. Helping them are two of Alex’s friends, Lina and Yadi.

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‘Faker’ by Gordon Korman presents an important moral lesson for middle grade readers

/ Pamela Kramer

It’s always a pleasure to review a book by Gordon Korman, and his latest, “Faker,” is no exception. Korman takes a concept and inserts really likable main characters who are in impossible situations. We really want things to go right, even if we can’t see how that could happen. But then Korman works his literary magic and, by the end, we are thrilled when our main character not only overcomes the problem, but emerges better, happier, and more centered in his world.

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‘The Secret Language of Birds’ by Lynne Kelly is a tender story of a girl who finds her place through her passion for animals

/ Pamela Kramer / 1 Comment

Lynne Kelly, author of “The Secret Language of Birds,” is one of my favorite authors for a very simple reason: she writes about kids and animals. Her first book, “Chained,” is a wrenching story of a captive elephant and the boy who saves her. Then she penned “Song for a Whale,” about the loneliest whale in the world and the deaf girl who can’t seem to find her place in the world just as this misfit whale can’t communicate with other whales. It seems a natural progression to go from a jungle setting to an oceanic world and then to Texas, which Kelly calls home, to share the story of whooping cranes. Her inspiration came from a new article about a pair of whooping cranes just east of Houston who nested there, the first time whooping cranes had done so in over a century.

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‘The Groundworld Heroes’ by Adrian So: cover reveal and author interview

/ Pamela Kramer

Adrian So is not your average fourteen year old. He wrote a middle grade novel, “The Groundworld Heroes,” and it’s being published by Monarch Educational Services this August. Adrian described how he started writing by explaining that during COVID, he was stuck at home and had nothing to do but read and write. He wrote nonstop and wrote short stories daily. He wasn’t ready to write a book, he thought.

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