Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah Autobiography Biography Non-fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Trevor Noah, comedian and current host (as of 2020) of The Daily Show, was born and raised in South Africa under apartheid. He was literally “born a crime,” as his mother was black and his father was white, and their relationship was deemed illegal, as was Trevor, the result of it. Still, there were … Read more
Ostriches The Superpower Field Guide written by Rachel Poliquin illustrated by Nicholas John Frith Juvenile Non-fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Ostriches really are remarkable animals, and this energetic and engaging field guide is sure to excite and educate readers about all of their “superpowers.” Tall, fast, fierce, powerful, ostriches have evolved to survive in the African savannah, which can be hot, dry, and unforgiving (as well as being the home to a number … Read more
Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics by James Sturm, Andrew Arnold, and Alexis Frederick-Frost Adventure Fantasy Funny Graphic Novel Nonfiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) This is my new favorite DIY guide to writing comics. A snarky Magic Cartooning Elf encourages a not-so-artistic princess to follow her dreams and make a comic book of her own, along the way offering helpful suggestions and tips about design and storytelling. The … Read more
Short & Skinny by Mark Tatulli Biography Graphic Novel Non-fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) “Short & Skinny” is about a boy named Mark Tatulli who is short and skinny. When he watches Star Wars, he wants to make a funny version of it called “Starbores.” I think it is a good, funny book.
Night by Elie Wiesel Biography Non-fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) This tells the story of survival during a time of despair. This book represents the horrors that were subjected upon so many innocent lives during the Holocaust. Review #2 * * * * Stars (Great!) Narrated by Eliezer, this story follows the life of a 12-year-old boy who has to endure the hardships of the Holocaust. They were treated with unimaginable … Read more
The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown Non-fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) The book tells the story of how a group of boys ended up winning the Berlin Olympics. I liked this book because it was really interesting.
Harry Potter Page to Screen: The Complete Filmmaking Journey by Bob McCabe Non-fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Page to Screen tells the entire story of the Harry Potter films, from the first time the story caught a producer’s eye, to the last day of filming. It features interviews with cast members, producers, directors, and J.K. Rowling herself.
Paper Crafts: A Maker’s Guide Non-fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Paper Crafts has a variety of crafts with step-by-step instructions and templates to guide the process. There are 15 projects with a range of difficulties for both beginning and advanced paper crafters. I enjoyed the easy-to-follow instructions and the history of each craft style (included before each craft).
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom Nonfiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) “Tuesdays with Morrie” tells the story of Morrie Schwartz’s last weeks of life as he slowly loses his life to ALS. It teaches lessons on how to live life to the fullest through acceptance of death. I liked this book because it taught lessons that can be applied to anyone’s life. Review #2 * * * * * Stars … Read more
The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss Nonfiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Annie was eight years old when the Germans invaded Holland. She had to be separated from her family and go into hiding because she was Jewish. For two years she hid with her sister Sini in an upstairs room and had to avoid searches by hiding in a little room inside a closet. When Holland was finally liberated, it … Read more