November is Picture Book Month! The Spirit of Springer: the real-life rescue of an orphaned orca by Amanda Abler

Image: Sasquatch Books

The Spirit of Springer: the real-life rescue of an orphaned orca by Amanda Abler. Illustrated by Levi Hastings. unpgd. Little Big Foot/ Sasquatch Books, March, 2020. 9781632172129. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

In 2002, a lone orca, named Springer, or A73, was discovered in Puget Sound. Scientists in the U.S. and Canada worked together to rescue and heal the orphaned calf who was more than 300 miles from her pod. She was nursed back to health and re-introduced to the wild gradually. She was accepted into her pod in Canada. She eventually had her own calf, named Spirit and later, another named Storm. Back matter includes a map, more information about Springer's pod, identifying marks and extra orca facts.

This picture book for older readers is gorgeously illustrated and its prose is accessible and inspiring. 

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate. Unabridged audiobook on three compact discs. 3 3/4 hours. Read by Danny DiVito. HarperAudio, May, 2020. 9780063012646. Review of purchased audiobook.

Happy Monday TMS Readers! I hope your summer is going well and you are reading! Middle Grade Monday features The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate. You may recall that I sported a giant "Ask me about Bob" pin on my lanyard before our shift to virtual learning. 

Bob was a character in Ms. Applegate's Newbery Medal-winning, The One and Only Ivan. This companion novel picks up where Ivan left off. You need not have read The One and Only Ivan. The One and Only Bob stands alone nicely. Like Ivan, Bob is told in short chapters and paragraphs with plenty of white space. It is illustrated by Patricia Casteleo.

Bob is happy in his new life having been adopted by Julia and her family. He's loved and fed regularly; but best of all, he still gets to see Ivan and Ruby in their new home. He's a dog with few regrets except he often thinks about his sister, his littermate who was dumped with him next to a highway. When a tornado damages the zoo, Bob is ready to rise to the challenge.

This first-person, er, first-dog narration charms and excites as readers learn to love Bob as much as they do Ivan. Here is a link to Ms. Applegate reading the beginning of The One and Only Bob. Here is also a link to the movie trailer for The One and Only Ivan, which will stream on Disney+ starting August 18. 

I think I would've enjoyed The One and Only Bob more had I read it with my eyes. I learned of the audiobook and film while listening to a webcast a month or so ago. I thought it would be charming and delightful. Instead, I found Danny DiVito's narration a tad over-the-top and the pace choppy. 

Danny DiVito was the voice of Bob in the movie and so seemed to be a natural choice as narrator of the audio version. I didn't really love the audio version of The One and Only Ivan either. I read that with my eyes first and loved it. I had a voice in my head and the narrator didn't match it. I also talked about the powerful use of white space in my review that the audio cannot convey. 

In the movie trailer, DiVito's voice seemed perfect for Bob. Over the long haul of the book, it just sort of grated for me. Stick with reading this one with your eyes. 

Middle Grade Monday and Arc Review: Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger

Image: Scholastic

Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger. 250 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., April 7, 2020. 9781338306118. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)

Middle Grade Monday features Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger. Let me just start by saying that I love this book with all my heart. Our narrator, Hadley, is a prickly girl. She has a lot to be angry about though. She has an eye disease called retinitis pigmentosa that is slowly stealing her eyesight. Her single-mom had been pushing Hadley to enroll in mobility classes for that day when her eyesight disappears. Hadley wants no part of it. Now, her mother is being sent to prison and Hadley is being sent to live with her sister, who abruptly left the family five years earlier and whom Hadley barely knows. Now, she's living an entire state away and has to start school after the summer break as "the blind girl."

Hadley's sister, Beth, is a dog trainer. She works with dog rescues to help their dogs become more adoptable. Hadley accompanies her one day even though she "ain't a dog person." She's annoyed by the eager, barking dogs scrambling for attention as she walks by their cages. Then she spies Lila, who lies in the corner of her cage, not paying attention to anyone. To the astonishment of Hadley's sister and the rescue director, Lila shows interest in Hadley. The two sisters take her home to foster even though Hadley "ain't a dog person."

I was instantly captivated by Hadley's voice and my heart ached for her even as I cringed at her rudeness. Beth is a rock. She's patient and accommodating. Her mom is flawed, but trying to do right. The story will cultivate empathy. Readers will learn about the challenges a blind person faces in an organic way.

I love everything about this book from it's striking and perfect cover through to the tearjerker ending. I can't wait to get this book into my students' hands when we get back to school! Lila and Hadley is a first purchase! I cannot recommend this enough. 

Picture Book Review: Hey, Dog! by Tony Johnston

Image: Charlesbridge

Hey, Dog! by Tony Johnston. Illustrated by Jonathan Nelson. unpgd. Charlesbridge, June, 2019. 9781-58089-877-5. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Full-disclosure: I am an unabashed dog lover. There isn't a meme or video featuring a dog that I will ever not view. Those vids of dog rescues are especially compelling to me. So it goes without saying that I adore this book. 

An earnest bespectacled boy spies a stray dog shaking with fear in the bushes near his house. When he attempts to approach, the dog darts away. Thinking the dog might be thirsty, the boy fills a frisbee with water and places it near the spot in the bushes where he first saw the dog. Later, the water is gone. Thinking the dog must also be hungry, he leaves food along with more water. Later, he thinks that the dog might be cold and brings a blanket out to the bushes. He is the perfect model for compassion and empathy as he constantly tries to anticipate what the dog will need. His relationship with his mother is lovely. He feels comfortable sharing his concerns and she quietly supports him.

The spare writing is very child-centric, simple and direct and works well with the black-lined, cartoon illustrations which are also quite spare. Teachers and parents searching for a non-didactic read-aloud to teach attributes such as empathy, patience and kindness will love sharing Hey, Dog.

Fact Friday: The Great Rhino Rescue: Saving the Southern White Rhinos by Sandra Markle

The Great Rhino Rescue: Saving the Southern White Rhinos by Sandra Markle. Sandra Markle's Science Discovery Series. 48 p. Millbrook Press/ Lerner Publishing Group, August, 2018. 9781541524729. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Markle delivers another informative and outstanding entry in her "Discovery" series. She does have a flair for dramatic storytelling and getting readers invested immediately. As in The Great Penguin Rescue, the author tugs at the reader's heartstrings. In this case, we are introduced to a mama and baby white rhino calmly foraging until mama is darted by poachers seeking her horn. Her calf cries as mama collapses. The reader is left hanging as the next chapter talks about the species near extinction in the 1800s. She fluidly explains their loss of habitat to European settlers hunting them for sport and farming great expanses of the savanna. 

In case readers do not know what a savanna is, a blue text box explains. Readers also learn about rhino growth and development as well as the differences between white rhinos and black rhinos. Photos, charts and maps adorn every page.  They are crisp, clear and full-color depicting single rhinos, mothers and babies, males fighting, rhinos wallowing and groups of rhinos. All are well-captioned. A couple are quite disturbing though.

One that was particularly upsetting to me depicts a chain saw wielding man and a horn-less rhino starting bleakly and helplessly at him. Granted, this amputation was being done safely and proactively to make the rhino worthless to poachers but personally, I could've done without the image. And, readers learn later, that this "solution" was not a great one. Sobering and effective, to be sure.

The other was of a rhino suspended upside down from a helicopter. Yikes! The reason for this was the rescue was from a remote area inaccessible by truck. The photos of rhinos recovering from poacher attacks are not easy to see either. Not easy, but necessary. We must be educated about our wildlife and the importance of every animal to the ecosystems they inhabit. I particularly admire the dedication of anti-poacher workers and their canine companions. 

Young researchers will find the backmatter quite useful. It includes an author's note, timeline, source notes, a glossary and books and websites to learn more. High quality books about animal conservation are needed now more than ever. As protective laws are being relaxed, we need to instill a love and respect for the environment in our youth. The Great Rhino Rescue is a first-purchase. 

#tbt: Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Shiloh Quartet #1. 144 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, September, 1991. 9780689316142. 

Shiloh, the story about an abused dog and the boy who insists on rescuing him won the Newbery Medal in 1992. Everyone loves a boy and his dog story and this one is sure to tug at your heartstrings. Marty lives in a quiet, rural community in the south where everyone minds their own business. When a beagle shows up on Marty's property and it's obvious he's been abused, Marty begs his father to keep him. His dad recognized the dog as belonging to Judd Travers, a neighbor, a hunter and a mean drunk. Since the dog is clearly Judd's, Marty's dad insists that he return the dog. But Shiloh keeps running back to Marty.

The book has undergone a number of cover reworkings, thankfully. Truth be told, I'm not a fan of the original, which is the one I read to my boys. Here are a couple of better cover images.

Shiloh was made into a movie, which I never saw, so of course, there was a movie version cover.

Perhaps my favorite is one that never was. A while back Travis Jonkers did a series called Covering the Newbery where he created or updated the covers. Here's the one he made for Shiloh:

Review: Moto and Me by Suzi Eszterhas

Moto and Me: my year as a wildcat's foster mom by Suzi Eszterhas. 40 p. Owlkids Books, April, 2017. 9781771472425. (Review from copy borrowed from public library.)

I was browsing the new books section at my spectacular public library  the other day. Honestly, I love the public library that is conveniently located across the street from my school! My own town's library is small and lovely and completely serviceable, thanks to the ability to ILL. My second public library, the one I visit most often is Amazing! 

Now, I ask you, how can you possibly resist this cover? It definitely has the "aw" factor. Once lured, readers are in for a lovely memoir of the months the author/ photographer spent fostering a serval. A serval is a medium-sized, spotted African wildcat. They have the longest legs and the biggest ears of all the cats for their body size, lending an air of goofiness. They use those long legs to jump really high and run really fast. (p. 38)

Ms. Eszterhas is a wildlife photographer who travels the world photographing animals. She spent nearly three years in the Masai Mara, a wildlife preserve in Kenya. Moto, named for the Masai word for fire, was being carried by his mother across a road to escape a brush fire, when she was startled by a jeep carrying tourists. She dropped her kitten and fled to safety at the side of the road. The jeep stopped to investigate; but the tourists didn't see her and they carried the helpless kitten to a park ranger, who then contacted the author. The kitten was only about two weeks old and required a lot of attention and care. She also had to take care not to domesticate him. 

The story is engaging and well-organized. The font is pleasing and there's plenty of white space. There are plenty of well-captioned photographs documenting all the milestones in Moto's life. Some are full-page, some are collages and others are more snapshot-sized. Each one is cuter than the last. Case in point, my class was doing some writing so I thought I'd work on this post. A student looked over as I flipped through the book and said, "Aw-w! Let me see!" Soon, there was a gaggle of sixth graders oohing over it. See what I mean? Display this prominently and it won't spend much time on the shelf.

The book has value as a conversation starter in a conservation unit or as an introduction to said unit. It can also be used as a mentor text in a memoir unit. A final page in the book contains additional facts about servals. There is no other back matter. The book is dedicated to all the wildlife rescuers in the world. According the jacket flap, a portion of the royalties are being donated to the Mara Conservancy. Visit Ms. Eszterhas' beautiful website here. This is the first book I've read by the author, but won't be my last. I am shocked that I have missed her work. Don't you! Moto and Me is a wonderful addition to any collection.

Review: Animal Planet Adventures

Animal Planet Adventures is a new chapter book series that incorporates non-fiction into a novel that revolves around a pair of children and animals. Two titles kick the series off. I received these courtesy of the publisher and read them aloud to a fifth grade class.

Dolphin Rescue by Catherine Nichols. Illustrated by Bryan Langdo. 112 p. Liberty Street/ Time Inc. Books, February, 2017. 9781618931696.

Siblings Mattie and Atticus live with their fisherman father near the ocean. Their cousin Zach and his dog, Norville are visiting for the summer. Maddie volunteers at the local aquarium and she and her brother are upset about the recent rashes of garbage dumping around their small, close-knit community. One day, the two spy a pod of dolphins that seemed to be in distress. They were circling a young dolphin who was in trouble. It had become entangled in some netting that had been dumped along with other trash. After they free the dolphin, Maddie and Atticus are determined to find the culprit.

Farm Friends Escape! by Gail Herman. Illustrated by Bryan Langdo. 112 p. Liberty Street/ Time Inc. Books, February, 2017. 9781618931680.

Eleven-year-old cousins, Luke and Sarah look forward to spending a good part of each summer at their grandparents' farm in Maine. They get along pretty well despite the fact that Sarah veers toward seriousness and Luke's a joker. This year, they arrive to find that they are responsible for running the petting zoo this year. It's a big responsibility that Luke doesn't take as seriously as Sarah. The two notice a boy lurking about but they are unable to find out who he is and why he's always watching. When the animals escape, the children put their heads together to find them and the boy becomes the prime suspect.

Both books feature relatable, likable boys and girls who love animals and care for the environment. The books are attractively designed, feature a nice font size and generous white space. Drawn illustrations depict the story and full-color photographs are inserted sporadically to provide information related to sea life in Dolphin Rescue and farm animals in Farm Friends Escape. The mysteries in each are engaging and mildly suspenseful with fun twists as the solutions are revealed. My only dilemma as the person reading these aloud was when to interrupt the story to share the information. 

My students listened eagerly and gave each thumbs up. They are interested in reading more in the series. The next two installments are due out in September. These are Puppy Riddle Rescue and Zoo Camp Puzzle. Recommended for readers between grades 2/3 - 5. 

Non-Fiction Monday: Eight Dolphins of Katrina: a true tale of survival

by Janet Wyman Coleman. Illustrated by Yan Nascimbene. unpgd. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, August, 2013. 9780547719238. (Borrowed from public library.)

In the wake that was the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, this is the story of the improbable rescue of eight dolphins who were born in captivity but swept out into the Gulf of Mexico when a 40-foot wave destroyed their tank. The gorgeous photograph of two playful dolphins on the cover may cause one to expect a photo-essay. Indeed, I looked twice to see if this was a Scientist in the Field entry. Instead, watery paintings illustrate the story of storm preparations, disaster and recovery efforts. It's a short and gentle story for younger readers.

The second part of the book discusses instances where dolphins saved human life. An "exclusive" scrap book of the 
dolphins before and after their rescue concludes the volume.

It was nice to see how the trainers cared for and about the dolphins who, having been raised in captivity, had no survival skills for life in the wild. It was incredible that the dolphins found each other and stayed together in the Gulf. Just as incredible was their willingness to learn new tricks in order to assist in their rescue.

The illustrations fit the stories nicely. The photographs in the scrapbook were well-chosen. This real-life rescue story will appeal to animal lovers.

Non-fiction Monday is hosted this week by Jean Little Library.