The library has compiled a large variety of Book Reviews from staff and through programs such as Read It & Rate It. These reviews are available to you to help you make an educated decision on titles you’d like to read.
You may search reviews by title using the search function, browse via genre using the category list provided or look for random reviews in the list below that are sorted by newest to oldest.
Would you like to submit a review? Use the Read It & Rate It form on the right side of the page.
Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Lily’s brother decides she needs a boyfriend, so he leaves a mysterious red Moleskine notebook among the used books at Strand’s (bookstore) for someone worthy to find. That someone is Dash (Dashiell), who is Lily’s age, loves the OED (Oxford English Dictionary), and has the most swoon-worthy musings. After leading him on a scavenger hunt … Read more
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline Adventure Science Fiction Suspense Thriller * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Wade (aka Parzival), 18, spends most of his time in the OASIS, the massive virtual world created by Jim Halliday and Ogden Morrow. He attends a virtual school – which is way better than a bricks and mortar school for so many reasons (not the least of which is that there’s no PvP on school grounds, and … Read more
Look Up! Bird-Watching in Your Own Backyard by Annette LeBlanc Cate Nonfiction Picture book * * * * Stars (Great!) Annette LeBlanc Cate is an enthusiastic amateur bird-watcher who shares her passion for our feathered friends with a young audience in this introduction to bird-watching. Using goofy cartoon birds (who have something to say about EVERYTHING) she explains how to find and identify birds, how field guides work, how birds are classified, and much, much … Read more
Ashes Ashes #1 by Ilsa Bick Horror Supernatural Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) An electromagnetic pulse hits the Earth, killing millions and turning others into cannibals. Alex, the main character, meets up with many different people, trying to survive. I liked how it all came together and clicked. I disliked how slow this was at the beginning – it didn’t hook me very well.
The Alchemyst Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1 by Michael Scott Adventure Fantasy Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Twins Josh & Sophie Newman’s lives are turned upside down by the revelation that they are supposed to be the saviors of mankind. They are told they are the twins of Gold and Silver by Josh’s employer, a bookseller who turns out to be an alchemyst named Nicholas Flamel – and he’s over … Read more
For the Birds: The Life of Roger Tory Peterson by Peggy Thomas Biography Nonfiction Picture book * * * * Stars (Great!) Most kids will not be familiar with Roger Tory Peterson – I didn’t learn about him until I took an ornithology class in college, but Peggy Thomas really brings this artist, naturalist, and bird-lover to life – his passion for birds is clear throughout this eye-catchingly illustrated children’s biography. He used a system … Read more
What to Do If an Elephant Stands on Your Foot by Michelle Robinson Picture Book * * * Stars (Pretty good) There’s no hope for this young explorer – she does everything wrong! After startling the elephant when it stands on her foot, she proceeds to stir up all of the other animals. Only the monkeys can save her. The narrator is always one step behind the explorer, who can’t seem to help herself. “DO … Read more
Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper Juvenile Fiction Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Can you imagine being one of the smartest kids in school and not being able to speak? Melody is a bright, humorous eleven-year-old who just wants to fit in and be with other kids her age. But because she is in a wheelchair and cannot speak, she has been in a Special Education class, until now. … Read more
The Beetle Book by Steve Jenkins Juvenile Non-fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Beetles Insects Juvenile Nonfiction This book will whet young appetites for beetles – learning about them, at least. With over 350,000 different species, readers are sure to encounter some of them in their lifetimes. Steve Jenkins presents almost 80 beetles in this introduction to beetle types, morphology, adaptations, and life cycles. You will come away amazed at all of the different … Read more
Oh So Tiny Bunny by David Kirk Picture book * * * Stars (Pretty good) Oh So Tiny Bunny is a very small bunny who knows how to dream BIG. In his dreams he is a MEGA bunny and his world is filled with appropriately super-sized bun accoutrements (enormous fields of lettuce, and clover and carrots the size of trees). No other bunnies, though, so he is lonely until a bunny friend wakes him gently … Read more