Picture Book Pick: Not Your Nest!

Not Your Nest!
by Gideon Sterer
Illustrations by Andrea Tsurumi
Dial Books for Young Readers
2019
40 pages
ISBN: 9781534429819

An industrious yellow bird builds a lovely nest for herself and is proud of her accomplishments. When she's finally ready to rest and enjoy her hard work, she finds other animals are just as pleased with her beautiful nest.

She is surprised when a  zebra (on the cover), a larger bird, a brush hog, a giraffe, a gorilla, a crocodile and other animals loungevin her nest. She moves on--building nest after nest until the tree breaks and the animals have to find another place to rest.

They are happy to share their nest with the sweet bird who took them in.

Young readers will laugh out loud at the animals' pushiness to "share" the bird's nest. Illustrations by Tsurumi are hysterical and capture each animal's personality and emotions.

Likely to become a bedtime favorite, kids will love to name all the animals they encounter. This is a must have for any young reader. Cutest book of the year!

Highly recommended for all preschool readers and animal lovers.

My Favorite Survival Adventure Book: Kalahari

Kalahari, a YA read by Jessica Khoury, is a great action adventure/survival/sci-fi novel set in a world most readers probably have not visited, even through the pages of a book!

If you love adventure and exploration, see what Cotopaxi has to offer. The right gear for all your adventures!

See what others are saying:

Review

“A gripping adventure.”
--Kirkus

"Survivor meets James Bond in this page-turning mix of realism and science fiction."
—Voice of Youth Advocates

“Enthralling and filled with suspense...”
--School Library Journal"Khoury builds a relentless plot and seeds the narrative with a deadly mystery that echoes themes of her first novel, Origin (2012). The science-fiction elements and setting evoke Jurassic Park's themes of human meddling in nature, while touches of teen angst and love keep the book realistic and broaden the appeal."
--Booklist

"Khoury keeps the tension throughout with life-threatening moments and narrow escapes...a true adventure story in an unusual setting."
--School Library Connection Reviews

“A blend of survival/adventure, sci-fi, and first love, KALAHARI is grounded in the resourceful courage of a girl raised in the African bush. Thrilling, unpredictable, irresistible . . . six teenagers in dire straits, and the suspense never lets up. Readers will flock to Jessica Khoury's masterful prose and storytelling.”
--Will Hobbs, award-winning author of Far North  and Never Say Die

 

What I liked and why this adventure story sticks with me:

 

Sarah, although well traveled and trained by her zoologist parents to survive in the wild, has never been around teens her age. When a plane arrives with a group of teens from the U.S. and Canada, Sarah is terrified to make small talk with a bunch of strangers, but her father and friend have to leave camp in search of armed poachers.

 

With the threat of poachers nearby and in charge of a bunch of kids who are more at home in penthouses with air conditioning and chefs, Sarah must lead the group to the safety of the next town. But the desert is harsh. The climate brutal. With conditions worsening, their vehicle gets stuck. Now on foot, the kids discover why the poachers are out in the wild.

 

Now they have to battle the elements, an unnaturally aggressive male lion, and a group of murderous poachers. Sarah will have to rely on her training and wits.

 

The lasting thing readers will take from this read is the unusual setting and a spunky protagonist who fights for survival.

 

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

 

 

Adventure Pick: Kalahari

Kalahari
by Jessica Khoury
Razorbill
2015
354 pages
ISBN: 9781595147653


Exciting and action packed, Kalahari is sure to please. This is one adventure teen readers will be glad they took!


Growing up the only child to zoologist parents in remote Africa has prepared Sarah for just about any encounter in the natural world; any encounter except with city teens her own age, that is. When Sarah's parents invite five teens to an experimental program, she is terrified of what to say to them and  how they will react with her. Her best friend is Theo. He has guided her over the years to survive in the Kalahari. He tells Sarah not to worry; that she's a teen just like them. He could not be more wrong. Sarah has nothing in common with the kids who have arrived. They are used to creature comforts like clean beds, fresh water, air conditioning and electricity.

When Theo and her father have to leave their camp to investigate what they think are poachers,  Sarah knows something has gone terribly wrong. She is now responsible for the helpless new kids. Cute arrival Sam offers to help. He says he trusts her and will help her find her father and Theo. They  must find food, water and shelter and get to the nearest town without poachers, wild animals or something much, much worse finding them first. Sarah calls upon all her skills to find the way to a small town. Anything can go wrong. They could die of dehydration or starvation. They could wander around for days without knowing if they are going in the right direction or not. The elements will take a toll on all of them unless they get to civilization fast.

The kids know something is wrong when animals begin to act strangely. Sarah spots a silver lion who threatens her. Knowing that a male lion does not attack unprovoked, Sarah searches for answers. The kids discover a lab that she thinks her mother must also have discovered just moments before her death. Could the silver lion and Sarah's mother have something in common? Where are the lab workers? Why have they fled?

Maybe not knowing the answers to all her questions is the safest bet but Sarah is strong and inquisitive. She has Sam to depend on when the going gets tough and it is getting tougher. Sarah begins to feel lightheaded and she can't blame it all on dehydration. Sam is seriously turning up the heat.

Kalahari will take readers on a wild adventure to a different part of the world than most are familiar with. They will love Sarah and empathize with her tragic discovery about her mother's death. Most of all, readers will want Sarah to survive and save the other teens from death.

Highly recommended grade 7-up. No profanity. No sex. Violence, science gone wrong, genetics gone wrong, evil scientists.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Family Pick: My Bibi Always Remembers

My Bibi always Remembers
by Toni Buzzeo
Illustrations by Mike Wohnoutka
Disney Publishing Worldwide
2014
32 pages
ISBN: 9781423183853

Available September 2, 2014

My Bibi Always Remembers is a heartfelt homage to grandparents everywhere. Author Toni Buzzeo weaves a magical tale of an elephant family and their close relationships with one another. Captivating illustrations by Mike Wohnoutka capture not only the magnificence and majesty of the elephants but the nuances of playfulness, joy, love and belonging.

Tembo is the youngest in a family of elephants. Bibi is her grandmother and leader of her  family--in an elephant family, the oldest female is entrusted with keeping them all safe and remembering where to find food and water. Tembo is playful and forgetful, losing her way as she gets sidetracked by the sights. Each time she falls behind, Auntie or Bibi finds her. Bibi leads the family to the water where they drink and rest.

Tembo's expressions and childlike wonder for the world are palpable in each spread. Her sense of whimsy, joy, and fun are infectious and will captivate young readers and parents (and grandparents).
Repetitive phrasing calls for reading aloud and story times.

My Bibi Always Remembers would be a lovely gift for a new grandparent or grandbaby. Grandparents Day is celebrated September 7 this year, so get your copy when the book goes on sale September 2, 2014.

Highly, highly recommended for young readers and parents and grandparents everywhere.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the F & G from the author. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Non-Fiction Pick: Chasing Cheetahs: The Race to Save Africa's Fastest Cats

Chasing Cheetahs: The Race to Save Africa's Fastest Cats
by Sy Montgomery
photos by Nic Bishop
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
2014
80 pages
ISBN: 9780547815497

Informative, entertaining and uplifting, Chasing Cheetahs is that rare non-fiction book that reads like a beautiful story because that's what it is: a beautiful story of one woman's quest to save the African cats. Laurie Marker has been studying, breeding and raising and saving cheetahs for thirty years.

From her first job with animals at the vet clinic in a wild animal park to the grasslands of Africa, Laurie has experienced it all. She discovered that cheetahs kept in captivity had few chances to breed because the species needs security and privacy. The zoos and the parks just weren't quiet enough for the cats.

In 1991, Laurie gave up  life in the United States, sold her home and moved to Namibia. She opened a conservation research center to help save the cheetahs. She and her staff train local farmers to keep trained dogs that will guard their farms. This will allow cheetahs to come and go as they please to hunt for wild game. The farmer will keep his stock, and they can all  live in harmony. The center also trains those who want to start farming. They give future farmers
 pointers on how to raise goats for profit and how to keep their flocks safe from cheetahs and other wild hunters.

The cheetah population in 1900 was over 100,000; today cheetahs umber only 10,000. With Laurie's guidance, the cheetah looks to have a much brighter future. Through her efforts in educating farmers and school children about saving the cheetah, Laurie has managed to change their perception of the large cats.

The book's photos are nothing short of spectacular capturing the cats on the move: pouncing, running, yawning and literally flying! A cheetah can travel from 0 to 40 in just three strides. Top speed for the cat is 70 mph. They can see up to two miles away, a feat that comes in handy when hunting.

Laurie Marker is a true inspiration of the power of one. She kept asking, "why doesn't someone do something?" for the cheetahs. Then she realized that that someone was her! And she never looked back.


Highly, highly recommended grade 5-up.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the book from the publisher and boy, am I glad I did! I just loved this one!

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Tween Pick: The Normal Kid

The Normal Kid
by Elizabeth Holmes
Carolrhoda Books
2012
241 pages

Poignant, stunning, sweet, and heartfelt, The Normal Kid speaks to the "normal kid" in all of us. Three very different kids become friends and learn the value of accepting others.

Sylvan is quiet and hurting. Since his father moved out, his mother has thrown herself into her "causes." She is saving the planet one tree at a time, one less plastic bag at a time, one less housing development at a time. She is up to her elbows in causes and barely notices that her son is hurting. He looks up to teacher Mr. In and does well in his class.

Charity is new to the school and all the way from Africa. Her parents were missionaries there until a terrible accident ruined their church and made her father hate God. What do you do when the father you know as loving and giving turns angry and bitter? Charity has grown up a world away where she never saw television and the Internet was just a rumor. She tries to keep silent after the kids giggle at her strange manners and clothing.

Brian is a loner who doesn't say much. He's terrified of change and people touching him. He is in Mr. In's class because the administrator feels it will help him. She knows Mr. In is considerate and accepting, and she hopes the kids in the class will make school easier for "Trampoline Boy"--Brian jumps on the trampoline at home for hours on end.

When Mr. In's job is threatened, the three neighbors and classmates team up to keep their beloved teacher.

Sylvan realizes that everyone is "normal" in their own way. He says, "And then I thought, but Charity is normal, just a little different. And then I thought, What exactly does 'normal' mean anyway?...I don't know if you'd call Brian exactly normal, but I like him...Because like I keep saying, I am a normal kid."

Readers will recognize the underdog in Sylvan and appreciate his outlook on life. Brian and Charity are welcome characters and kids will empathize with each of them.

Highly, highly recommended grades 5-up. This would be a great book for teaching acceptance and inclusion.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.