Digital Commons @ ACU (Abilene Christian University)

Waggoner, Jan

Lorgnette v.37 no.2 
Book Review:  HOCUS AND POCUS AND THE SPELL FOR HOME 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Capetta, A.R 
  
 
Illustrator 
Illustrated by Charlene Chua 
 
Reviewer 
Jan Waggoner 
 
 
Pages 
83p 
 
Price 
$16.99 
 
ISBN  
978-1-5362-2492-4 
 
Publisher & Date 
Candlewick, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Fiction 
 
Grade Level 
1-2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Book Review:  
HOCUS AND POCUS 
AND THE SPELL FOR 
HOME 
This is a fun chapter book told by two puppies, Hocus and Pocus.  A witch 
finds an entire litter of puppies wandering outside on a cold October day.  
She realizes that the puppies are too little to be left outside in the cold, so 
she takes them to the Shelter for Slightly Magical Pets.  The human at the 
shelter is glad to have the puppies and thinks someone will take them soon 
since people love puppies.  There are five puppies.  Three are adopted within 
days.  
Hocus and Pocus want to be adopted too, but they want to go to the same 
home, not different ones as the other three had.  Hocus is the firstborn and 
the biggest of the litter.  Pocus is the last-born and stays little.  Both of them 
are slightly magical and mischievous.  It seems impossible for them to be 
adopted together until they discover a special potion.  With a little mischief, 
this potion might help them find a home with the perfect witch, wizard, or 
warlock. 
Hocus and Pocus meet the three apprentices with Jinx, each with a different 
magic.  Hocus and Pocus finally get into the potion room and practice some 
of their magic and mischief.  Jinx says that a little mischief is good for a 
witch!  Pocus's magic makes a sad purple bubble.  Jinx finally realizes that 
the puppies are destined to be hers all along!  Two minutes later, Jinx fills out 
 
Lorgnette v.37 no.2 
Book Review:  HOCUS AND POCUS AND THE SPELL FOR HOME 
an application to adopt both Hocus and Pocus. 
 
 
 


English

Hocus and Pocus and the Spell for Home

Fine, Jewell

Lorgnette v.37 no.2 
Book Review:  IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Sadler, Marilyn 
  
 
Illustrator 
Illustrated by Steph Laberis 
 
Reviewer 
Jewell Fine 
 
 
Pages 
Unpaged 
 
Price 
$10.99 
 
ISBN  
978-0-593-70290-1 
 
Publisher & Date 
Random House, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Fiction 
 
Grade Level 
K-1 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Book Review:  
IT'S NOT EASY BEING 
A GHOST 
Misty is a ghost who thinks that she has to scare people just as the rest of 
her family does.  Misty tries everything to be scary, but nothing works.  Can 
Misty’s friends convince her that simply being herself is great and that she 
doesn’t have to try to be someone else?  She is perfect just the way she is.  
Young readers will enjoy this delightful story about caring and being yourself. 
 
 
 


It\u27s Not Easy Being a Ghost

Carruth, Leah D.

Lorgnette v.37 no.2 
Book Review:  MAMIE TAPE FIGHTS TO GO TO SCHOOL: BASED ON A TRUE STORY 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Huahn, Traci 
  
 
Illustrator 
Illustrated by Michelle Jing 
Chan 
 
Reviewer 
Leah Carruth 
 
 
Pages 
Unpaged 
 
Price 
$19.99 
 
ISBN  
978-0-593-64402-7 
 
Publisher & Date 
Crown, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Fiction 
 
Grade Level 
K-5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
** 
Book Review:  
MAMIE TAPE FIGHTS 
TO GO TO SCHOOL: 
BASED ON A TRUE 
STORY 
Can you imagine what it was like to be denied admission into a school simply 
because of your ethnicity?  That is what happened to Mamie Tape, and this 
is her story of how she pushed for an education.  San Francisco did not allow 
Chinese children to attend schools even though all the children played 
together outside of school.  Mamie thought school would be the same, 
enjoying time with other children, but before they got to the door, the 
principal let them know their kind was not allowed to enter.  Mamie and her 
family went through several steps to try to gain entrance into elementary 
school, including the local church and the superintendent, before moving to 
lawyers for help.  Even after the court had agreed she could attend, the 
principal always came up with other reasons, such as vaccines and limited 
space, for why Mamie could not attend their school. 
Mamie and her brother were the first Chinese students to attend a new 
school.  This book provides a powerful and appropriate look at the struggles 
different ethnicities had regarding the right to attend public school.  Her 
work made it possible for other children to attend school, and her story is 
here so others will not forget those struggles.  The story is illustrated very 
well, and there is a section at the back of the book with primary documents.  
Pictures of the students and Mamie as an older woman are included with 
more of the story behind what she did.  This is a book that should continue 
to be shared.  
 
 
 


Mamie Tape Fights to Go to School: Based on a True Story

Lorgnette v.37 no.2 
Book Review:  MOOSE BLASTS OFF! 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Reedstrom, Kirk 
  
 
Illustrator 
Illustrated by the author 
 
Reviewer 
Jewell Fine 
 
 
Pages 
Unpaged 
 
Price 
$12.99 
 
ISBN  
978-1-368-09730-7 
 
Publisher & Date 
Disney/Hyperion, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Fiction 
 
Grade Level 
1-3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Book Review:  
MOOSE BLASTS OFF! 
Moose loves to play astronaut so he invites Duck to play with him.  Duck has 
trouble using his imagination, and that bothers Moose.  Moose tries to teach 
Duck how to use his imagination but soon becomes frustrated.  Will the two 
friends be able to work out their problem?  This is a beginner graphic novel, 
and the text is simple. 
 
 
 


Moose Blasts Off!

Bustos, Charlene D

Lorgnette v.37 no.2 
Book Review:  OUTSPOKEN: PAUL ROBESON, AHEAD OF HIS TIME: A ONE-MAN SHOW 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Weatherford, Carole Boston 
  
 
Illustrator 
Illustrated by Eric Velasquez 
 
Reviewer 
Charlene Bustos 
 
 
Pages 
Unpaged 
 
Price 
$18.99 
 
ISBN  
978-1-5362-1297-6 
 
Publisher & Date 
Candlewick, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Nonfiction (791 or biography) 
 
Grade Level 
4-8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
** 
Book Review:  
OUTSPOKEN: PAUL 
ROBESON, AHEAD OF 
HIS TIME: A ONE-MAN 
SHOW 
Award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford narrates in compelling 
verse the life of talented and gifted entertainer and political activist Paul 
Robeson.  It relates his childhood days suffering the injustice and oppression 
of racist times in America, through his high school and college days, and up 
to his involvement with organizations around the world to stand for justice 
for all.  He was an African-American raised by a caring minister father and 
was a talented athlete, singer, and performer.  Weatherford shares her talent 
for writing in verse and intermingles traditional gospel lyrics to enhance the 
message.  From the Spanish Civil War to World War II to the United Nations 
and beyond, Robeson sets the example for faith, justice, citizenship, and 
perseverance.  
The illustrations are colorful and realistic and show Robeson in all stages of 
his life.  Many illustrations were inspired by actual photographs of Robeson’s 
life endeavors.  This book is highly recommended for historical learning. 
 
 
 


Outspoken: Paul Robeson, Ahead of His Time: A One-Man Show

Blake, Pam

Lorgnette v.37 no.2 
Book Review:  QUIET FOREST, THE 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Offsay, Charlotte 
  
 
Illustrator 
Illustrated by Abi Cushman 
 
Reviewer 
Pam Blake 
 
 
Pages 
Unpaged 
 
Price 
$18.99 
 
ISBN  
978-1-6659-2642-3 
 
Publisher & Date 
Paula Wiseman/Simon & 
Schuster, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Fiction 
 
Grade Level 
PreK-3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Book Review:  
QUIET FOREST, THE 
The story begins with a mischievous mouse, which can only lead to trouble.  
Mouse journeys into a quiet forest where the mischief begins when he 
swings into the rabbit’s pancakes.  The rattled rabbit’s thumping disturbs a 
beaver, the beaver soaks a deer, and the disturbances continue throughout 
the forest until it is no longer a quiet place but becomes seriously noisy.  The 
author uses alliteration, onomatopoeia, and repetition that engage children 
in a way that calls for this book to be read over and over as they giggle 
throughout the story. 
Children will enjoy the colorful illustrations as the animals react to what 
happens to them.  There is also a good teaching point in this story.  Children 
can talk about things that upset them and, using this story as an example, 
can see how easily one person can turn bad feelings around. 
 
 
 


The Quiet Forest

Pye, Erica

Lorgnette v.37 no.2 
Book Review:  MOCHI MAKERS, THE 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Fujimoto-Johnson, Sharon 
  
 
Illustrator 
Illustrated by the author 
 
Reviewer 
Erica Pye 
 
 
Pages 
Unpaged 
 
Price 
$18.99 
 
ISBN  
978-1-6659-3154-0 
 
Publisher & Date 
Beach Lane Books, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Fiction 
 
Grade Level 
K-5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Book Review:  
MOCHI MAKERS, THE 
Many children have fond memories of learning to bake or cook a special 
family recipe.  This story is about a young girl’s learning to make mochi with 
her Obaachan (grandmother).  Mochi is a soft, chewy rice cake made from 
steamed and pounded rice.  Mochi can be sweet or salty, plain or flavored, 
or even filled with bean paste or fruit.  As the little girl and her grandmother 
make mochi together, Obaachan explains that the girl’s 
great-great-grandmother created their special mochi recipe.  When 
Obaachan was a young woman, she came from Japan to America to marry 
the man who would become known as Ojiichan (grandfather).  Ojiichan was 
never great at making mochi, but he loved to eat it!  The girl and Obaachan 
make enough mochi to share with their family and friends.   
This story emphasizes the importance of family and cultural identity.  The 
illustrations are soft and done in warm cozy colors--it may remind readers of 
the warm and fuzzy feelings of being at grandma’s house!  A black cat can be 
spotted in each scene, and it is fun to find where the cat is hiding on each 
page.  There is a “Make Your Own Mochi” recipe at the end of the book for 
readers to try.  Also at the end of the book is an author’s note that explains 
more about what mochi is and why it is important to Japanese culture.  The 
note does not overtly explain what “obaachan” or “ojiichan” means, but the 
meanings can be inferred from the story.  The girl is never named in the 
story, but in the summary on the book jacket, her name is listed as “Emi.” 
 
 
 


The Mochi Makers

Lorgnette v.37 no.3 
Book Review:  EVERYONE LOVES CAREER DAY BUT ZIA 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Liao, Jenny 
  
 
Illustrator 
Illustrated by Dream Chen 
 
Reviewer 
Leah Carruth 
 
 
Pages 
Unpaged 
 
Price 
$18.99 
 
ISBN  
978-0-593-42545-9 
 
Publisher & Date 
Knopf, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Fiction 
 
Grade Level 
PreK-3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
** 
Book Review:  
EVERYONE LOVES 
CAREER DAY BUT ZIA 
Did you get to experience Career Day in your elementary school?  It is a fine 
way to showcase the children’s parents and what they do for the community.  
This book tells the story of one particular class as they prepare to bring an 
engineer, a veterinarian, an art teacher, and a stay-at-home dad to join the 
class for Career Day.  Zia desperately wants her mom to join, but there are 
two hurdles: her mom cannot take off work, and she does not speak English 
well.  They make a plan to bring her seamstress mom to school after all.  Her 
mom joins the class through live video to show the steps she goes through to 
create and sew a dress, which Zia is wearing to school that very day.  The 
students learn Chinese words and see what it takes to create clothing, 
making Zia beam with pride. 
The story is eye-catching and allows the reader to follow the emotional 
ordeal Zia goes through as part of a school project.  The diversity in both 
ethnicity and careers that the book presents is good for readers to 
encounter.  Many Career Days focus only on popular jobs such as firefighters, 
police officers, and doctors.  It is gratifying to find a book that includes more 
variety.  The text presents the Chinese words not only transliterated into the 
English alphabet but also using Chinese symbols to help readers understand 
they can be written both ways.  The pages with Zia’s mom as the classroom 
guest are vibrant and colorful, showcasing this career and person for the 
reader.  The end of the book includes an author’s note about Chinese 
immigrants in New York City and a glossary of Chinese terms used in the 
story. 
  
 
 
 


Everyone Loves Career Day but Zia

Lorgnette v.37 no.3 
Book Review:  LOOK INSIDE A BIG RIG: HOW IT WORKS 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Leed, Percy 
  
 
Illustrator 
 
 
Reviewer 
Jewell Fine 
 
 
Pages 
24p 
 
Price 
$29.32 
 
ISBN  
979-8-7656-0846-3 
 
Publisher & Date 
Lerner, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Nonfiction (629.224) 
 
Grade Level 
1-3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Book Review:  
LOOK INSIDE A BIG 
RIG: HOW IT WORKS 
Big rigs roll down the highway every day.  But do you know what makes them 
move?  Do you know what kind of cargo they haul?   LOOK INSIDE A BIG RIG 
gives readers a glimpse into the fascinating world of big rigs.  They will see 
who drives these vehicles, learn some of the parts of a rig, and understand 
how they work.  
The text is easy to read, and the photographs are bold and colorful with side 
bars of information on the page.  This book is a must-read for young readers 
who want to learn the ins and outs of big rigs. 
 
 
 


Look Inside a Big Rig: How It Works

Lorgnette v.37 no.3 
Book Review:  SANTA MOUSE FINDS A FURRY FRIEND 
 
 
 
 
 
Author 
Brown, Michael 
  
 
Illustrator 
Illustrated by Robert McPhillips 
 
Reviewer 
Jewell Fine 
 
 
Pages 
Unpaged 
 
Price 
$18.99 
 
ISBN  
978-1-6659-6089-2 
 
Publisher & Date 
Little Simon, 2024 
 
 
Classification 
Fiction 
 
Grade Level 
1-3 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Book Review:  
SANTA MOUSE FINDS 
A FURRY FRIEND 
Christmas is a time for giving and sharing with friends and family.  On 
Christmas Eve, Santa finds a special friend who needs help.  He finds a kitten 
all alone in the cold and takes him home to the North Pole.  There’s just one 
catch.  Santa also has a mouse as his friend.  Will the cat and mouse be able 
to live together and be friends?  The text is simple, and the illustrations are 
bold and colorful.  This is sure to be a new Christmas story favorite! 
 
 
 


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