Digital Commons @ ACU (Abilene Christian University)

Martinez, Shan

Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: AVICENNA AND THE BOOK OF MEDICINE
Author
Bayarri, Jordi
Illustrator
Reviewer
Martinez, Shan
Pages
40p
Price
$30.65
ISBN
978-1-7284-4293-8
Publisher & Date
Graphic Universe, 2023
Classification
Nonfiction (181 or biography)
Grade Level
4-6
Book Review:
AVICENNA AND THE
BOOK OF MEDICINE
AVICENNA AND THE BOOK OF MEDICINE is part of the Graphic Science
Biographies series. These books explore the lives of scientists who changed
how people see the world. The main character in this book is Abu Ali
Al-Husayn Ibn Sina or Avicenna to people in the West. He lived in the late
10th and early 11th centuries in what is now Iran. He was highly educated
and pursued the knowledge of philosophy and medicine of the time. He was
supported by various local rulers and in return, he was an advisor and healer
for the ruler and his family.
This biography is presented in a graphic novel format which makes it inviting
at first glance. However, there are several issues that make this material
difficult for American children, no matter the age. First of all, the names of
people and places are very foreign to the reader. This makes it hard to keep
up with the characters in the story, and the places are completely unknown.
Next, the short bits about wars and dynasties are also unknown to the
reader. Finally, while Avicenna may have contributed to the knowledge of
healing and medicine in the Islamic world at that time, his life story is a
series of moves from one patron to another along with a stent in prison. It is
not very interesting for children. The man was a philosopher, writer, and
healer. This book might interest a reader in middle school.


English

Avicenna and the Book of Medicine

Fine, Jewell

Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: FIGHTER PILOTS
Author
Cella, Clara
Illustrator
Reviewer
Fine, Jewell
Pages
24p
Price
$29.32
ISBN
978-1-7284-7553-0
Publisher & Date
Lerner, 2023
Classification
Nonfiction (358.4)
Grade Level
3 and up
Book Review:
FIGHTER PILOTS
Explore the career of a fighter pilot. Read about the technology they use to
fly their planes, about the dangers of flying, and how fighter pilots deal with
danger every day. The text is simple to understand. Some pages have a
word with its definition at the bottom of the page. At the back of the book is
a list of websites for further reading.


Fighter Pilots

Carruth, Leah D.

Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: FROM HERE TO THERE: A FIRST BOOK OF MAPS
Author
French, Vivian
Illustrator
Illustrated by Ya-Ling Huang
Reviewer
Carruth, Leah
Pages
22p
Price
$17.99
ISBN
978-1-5362-2511-2
Publisher & Date
Candlewick, 2023
Classification
Nonfiction (912.014)
Grade Level
PreK-2
Book Review:
FROM HERE TO
THERE: A FIRST BOOK
OF MAPS
When you were younger and wanted to visit a friend, how did you know
where to go? Follow along with Anna and Zane as they explore maps and
the many uses for maps. Anna receives an invitation from Zane with a map
to his house. Anna cannot understand why Zane put his house in the middle
of the map when their house is on the edge. She works on maps, requesting
more paper to draw her grandma’s house, too. Her dad explains that maybe
she needs a different type of map. She learns about all types of maps,
including a family tree.
This book is a fabulous resource for learning about maps and their purposes.
While it is a story about a child and her dad, there is quite a bit of
information about maps. One example is when Anna states she cannot fit
her grandma’s house on the map. The accompanying page has smaller text
stating that map scale is the size of things on a map compared to that in real
life. The illustrations are an important addition to this story because without
the illustrations, the story would not make sense. This book helps the reader
visualize maps, their uses, and the process of making a map. The back of the
book includes an informational piece about making a map, other ideas for
maps, and an index with important map terms.


From Here to There: A First Book of Maps

Baker, Laura

Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: GILLY'S MONSTER TRAP
Author
Marko, Cyndi
Illustrator
Illustrated by the author
Reviewer
Baker, Laura
Pages
Unpaged
Price
$18.99
ISBN
978-1-6659-0755-2
Publisher & Date
Paula Wiseman/Simon &
Schuster, 2023
Classification
Fiction
Grade Level
K-1
Book Review:
GILLY'S MONSTER
TRAP
Gilly loves the water and is always at the beach. Even when she is not in the
water, she still wears swim fins on her feet in place of shoes, flapping
through town and carrying her pet goldfish, Finnegan, with her in his bowl
wherever she goes. One day, the townspeople start complaining that
something snatched the fish in the fish market, the net from their fishing
boat, and even a wooly sweater left near the beach. Rumors fueled by
overactive imaginations abound about what the mysterious "sea monster"
might be like. When the unknown creature snatches Gilly's flippers from off
her feet when she idly dangles her legs off the pier, she decides to build a
trap to catch the "monster." The creature is ensnared, but not in Gilly's trap.
It is caught in a net just offshore. Feeling sorry for whatever is caught, Gilly
enlists the help of the town to free the creature, only to find it is a friendly
walrus looking for company. Gilly and Finnegan eagerly volunteer for that
role.
This is a sweet tale with fast action and just enough mystery to keep readers
guessing. Though improbable in plot, young readers will relate to Gilly's
attempt to build a "trap" and to get to the bottom of her disappearing
flippers. Each page has small vignettes of scenes carefully drawn to tell the
Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: GILLY'S MONSTER TRAP
story succinctly. Finnegan the goldfish adds the right bit of visual interest
with his expressions that often mimic Gilly's. When the mysterious sea
monster turns out to be a friendly walrus, the mystery is solved to
satisfaction.
This book makes a great read-aloud selection with a warm ending to please
everyone.


Gilly\u27s Monster Trap

Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: HOLIDAY FUN
Author
Peters, Katie
Illustrator
Reviewer
Martinez, Shan
Pages
16p
Price
$25.32
ISBN
978-1-7284-7596-7
Publisher & Date
Lerner, 2023
Classification
Nonfiction (394.26)
Grade Level
K-2
Book Review:
HOLIDAY FUN
HOLIDAY FUN is one of the Pull Ahead Readers series in which nonfiction and
fiction titles are paired to encourage literacy skills. This nonfiction book is
illustrated with colorful photographs and provides simple, predictable text
with high frequency words. While the cover photo shows children in
Halloween costumes, this book acknowledges the food, cards, music, and
games of several holidays. This book is for emergent readers and is just right
for beginners.


Holiday Fun

Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: HOW TO SPACEWALK: STEP-BY-STEP WITH SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS
Author
Sullivan, Kathryn D. and
Michael J. Rosen
Illustrator
Illustrated by Michael J. Rosen
Reviewer
Martinez, Shan
Pages
45p
Price
$19.99
ISBN
978-1-5362-2621-8
Publisher & Date
MIT Kids, 2023
Classification
Nonfiction (629.45)
Grade Level
45388
**
Book Review:
HOW TO SPACEWALK:
STEP-BY-STEP WITH
SHUTTLE
ASTRONAUTS
HOW TO SPACEWALK tells the story of Kathryn Sullivan, the first American
woman to walk in space. Beginning with her childhood, she relates how her
parents encouraged her curiosity and helped her pursue the sciences. She
studied geology, and she worked as an oceanographer. She became a pilot.
Her wide interests and training provided her with the right experiences to be
selected for NASA’s astronaut corps. This book combines Sullivan’s
experience with a detailed description of her training, the space suit, and
more. The photographs are amazing, and young readers will be fascinated
by them. There are also drawings which add to the visual interest. This book
is for older readers and would be a great addition to a library.


How to Spacewalk: Step-by-Step With Shuttle Astronauts

Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: NELL PLANTS A TREE
Author
Wynter, Anne
Illustrator
Illustrated by Daiel Miyares
Reviewer
Carruth, Leah
Pages
Unpaged
Price
$17.99
ISBN
978-0-06-286577-9
Publisher & Date
Balzer+Bray, 2023
Classification
Fiction
Grade Level
PreK-2
**
Book Review:
NELL PLANTS A TREE
When you go outdoors and see the massive trees that provide shade, play
opportunities, and food, do you ever wonder how that tree got started?
Follow along with Nell’s family as they enjoy the fruits of her labor from
previous years. Before anyone can climb the branches to see how high they
can go, Nell picks up a seed. Before anyone can watch the birds hatch, Nell
buries a sprout. This pattern continues throughout the story to show the
steps Nell took to plant this wonderous tree to be enjoyed by her grandkids
for years to come. Nell plants the tree that grows and grows for everyone to
enjoy, and the process begins again and again.
Both the author and illustrator have a statement at the end of this book
about why they wanted to create this text. They both have personal
connections to pecan trees and want to share that joy with others. Readers
will learn how a tree grows and how people can enjoy a tree for years to
come, including how it produces nuts for that sweet pecan pie. The
illustrations are beautifully rendered, adding another layer of depth to the
story. A memorable example shows the children racing to the tree, using an
overhead view with immaculate detail of the children, their shadows, and
Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: NELL PLANTS A TREE
the tree.


Nell Plants a Tree

Bustos, Charlene D

Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: ONCE UPON A FAIRY TALE HOUSE: THE TRUE STORY OF FOUR SISTERS AND THE MAGIC THEY BUILT
Author
Ray, Mary Lyn
Illustrator
Illustrated by Giselle Potter
Reviewer
Bustos, Charlene
Pages
Unpaged
Price
$18.99
ISBN
978-1-4814-7982-0
Publisher & Date
Beach Lane Books, 2023
Classification
Nonfiction (979.4 or biography)
Grade Level
45294
Book Review:
ONCE UPON A FAIRY
TALE HOUSE: THE
TRUE STORY OF FOUR
SISTERS AND THE
MAGIC THEY BUILT
Do you like fairy tales? What about the houses in the fairy tales? Would you
like to live in one? Four sisters, Mildred, Harriett, Brenda, and Wilma, dream
of that. Growing up in the 1930s during the Depression era, they love fairy
tales and love creating their own stories at night before bedtime. They
imagine fairy-tale houses and pretend they live in them. As they grow older,
each goes into her own career at a time when most women don’t work
outside the home. Mildred is an artist, Harriet is an architect, Brenda is a
banker, and Wilma is in business. After years as a successful artist and
decorator, Mildred’s style doesn’t suit those who want “modern,” so she
goes back home where her sisters live. They decide that Mildred needs her
own space to paint, so Harriett sketches a studio and hires a contractor to
build it. The sisters decide it should have the makings of the fairy-tale
houses they dreamed of as children. That is the beginning of the Moody
Cottages in Montecito, California--small 1- or 2-bedroom cottages with little
windows, a storybook door, and fireplaces. They are filled with furniture
from estate sales that fit into the historic timeframe. The sisters all follow
suit with Harriett designing and Mildred decorating up to 30 similarly sized
cottages. Brenda and Wilma keep track of the business and records. The
cottages sell, families move in, and the fairy tale continues.
An excellent Author’s Note at the back gives more of the details including
the history and facts about the Moody sisters, who were all spinsters.
Illustrations by Giselle Potter are brightly displayed watercolor with realistic
Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: ONCE UPON A FAIRY TALE HOUSE: THE TRUE STORY OF FOUR SISTERS AND THE MAGIC THEY BUILT
images of the sisters from childhood to adulthood. There are many
double-page spreads with few white spaces. This is a neat opportunity for
students to do research! One can find more information online about the
Moody Sisters’ cottages, how they’ve been modernized, and how they are
still providing “magical homes” for the current day.


Once Upon a Fairy Tale House: The True Story of Four Sisters and the Magic They Built

Hamlin, Sheila

Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR
Author
Lim, Elizabeth
Illustrator
Reviewer
Hamlin, Sheila
Pages
474p
Price
$18.99
ISBN
978-1-368-07754-5
Publisher & Date
Disney/Hyperion, 2023
Classification
Fiction
Grade Level
Young adult
**
Book Review:
WHEN YOUWISH
UPON A STAR
The Blue Fairy is not supposed to grant wishes in the village of Pariva, but
this wish awakens a flicker within her. Could it be the hope she senses
beneath the old man's loneliness?
Long ago before she was the Blue Fairy, she was a young woman named
Chiara with a simple wish to help others find happiness. Her sister, Haria,
would always tease her because Haria had other dreams of leaving their
village and becoming a world-famous opera singer.
Forty years later, Chiara the Blue Fairy ignores the rules of magic to help an
old friend. Her sister, the Scarlet Fairy, discovers her plot. In a grudge she
held for decades, the Scarlet Fairy holds the deed against her sister. They
decide to settle through an old-fashioned bet that involves Pinocchio’s and
Geppetto's destiny. Will the sisters find a way to help each other, or does
this come with strings attached?
Lorgnette v.36 no.2
Book Review: WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR


When You Wish Upon a Star

Lorgnette v.36 no.3
Book Review: LIGHT AND SHADOW: A SESAME STREET SCIENCE BOOK
Author
Katz, Susan B
Illustrator
Reviewer
Martinez, Shan
Pages
32p
Price
$27.99
ISBN
978-1-7284-7577-6
Publisher & Date
Lerner, 2023
Classification
Nonfiction (535)
Grade Level
K-2
Book Review:
LIGHT AND SHADOW:
A SESAME STREET
SCIENCE BOOK
The Sesame Street World of Science books use Sesame Street characters to
help young readers learn how the world around them works. In this book,
LIGHT AND SHADOW, young readers are introduced to words such as
opaque, translucent, transparent, and shadow. Each opening pairs a
photograph demonstrating a concept with a Sesame Street character who
comments and asks questions. This is a fun book, and it brings the concepts
of light and shadow to young children in very accessible ways.


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