best site to purchase books

Odd One Out: Fiendishly Tricky Spot-the-difference Puzzles to Boggle your Brain . PICTURE BOOK. Penguin Workshop, 2018. $10. 97815247900882 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH This book includes a variety of different visual searches - sometimes you are looking for matching illustrations, something you are looking for the smallest illustration, sometimes you are looking for the odd-ones-out, and so forth. Each search also contains a fun fact about the item you are searching for and through.  This book is deceptively hard. My kids kept picking it up with confidence because the illustrations are so cutesy, but were repeatedly surprised how hard they had to look at and study the pictures. This is the perfect book in small doses. I loved the simple addition of the facts included with each puzzle. Did you know that “when it drizzles on a sunny day in Hawaii, locals call it ‘pineapple juice?’”   Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher

Lulu the Broadway Mouse  by Jenna Gavigan ,  248 pages. Running Press Kids (Hachette), 2018. $16.99. Language: G (0 swears, 0 'f's); Mature Content: G; Violence: G.  BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL  AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH   Lulu has a dream - she wants to perform on Broadway - she has everything: talent, desire - she even lives at the Shubert Theatre!  But she is a mouse, and no directors are casting mice (yet?), so instead she helps out the human cast and is part of the show's community. Lulu's closest relationship is with Maya, who is understudy to the child role. But Amanda is so terrible to work with, Maya has given her notice and now Lulu is worried about the new girl. Will she be sweet like Maya or horrible like Amanda?  Jenna Gavigan knows her stuff! I'm absolutely gushing about this book. Theater geeks will love and identify with the dressing room chatter, pre-show routines, kid wrangling, theater jobs, and superstitions. The novice will appreciate the th

The Collector by K.R. Alexander , 217 pages. Fiction (Mystery, horror!) Scholastic Books, 2018. $4.95.   978-1-338-21224-2 Content: G (tense, but not too scary) BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ADVISABLE AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH Josie, her mom and her little sister Anna move from Chicago to the country after her mother loses her job. The family moves in with Grandma Jeanie who needs some care, she seems to be suffering from Alzheimer or dementia. Josie has a difficult time adjusting to her new school but finds a friend in spite of it all.   The story carefully twists to bring the reader to the belief that maybe Grandma Jeanie knows more than Josie thinks. Josie is put in a scary position where she must save her little sister Anna and ends freeing the town from decades old curse.  I don’t usually like scary books but I do like a good mystery and this one was well told.   L. Moeller English Teacher and Librarian 

Smack Dab in the Middle of Maybe by Jo Hackl , 240 pages. Random House, 2018. $17.  Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: G. BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS – ESSENTIAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH Cricket’s grandmother died. Then her depressed mother left town. Then her father died. Now her aunt has conveniently forgotten her at Thelma’s Cash n’ Carry. There’s only one thing to do. Find her mother. She takes a few things from the store and hikes out to the treehouse her dad built near an old, abandoned town. She puts her survival skills to use and searches for clues that will lead her to a mysterious room of paintings her mother stumbled on many years ago. This book covers many topics that will appeal to middle grade kids. It has adventure and survival on one hand, but a sentimental mother/daughter relationship on the other. Cricket’s mother is mentally ill, but Cricket still finds many things about her to admire. Despite all the tragedy in her life, Cricket is a strong, independent girl, a gre

Brooklyn House Magician's Guide (Kane Chronicles) by Rick Riordan , 185 pgs, Disney Hyperion, $9.99  Language: G(0 swears, 0 “F”); Mature Content: G; Violence: G;  BUYING ADVISORY:  EL, MS - ESSENTIAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH Enter the fantastical realm of Egyptian mythology with Carter Kane and the magicians at Brooklyn House. Quizzes, stories and more about the Egyptian deities will prepare you for what is to come in the dangerous times ahead. I really enjoyed this book. It was a fun way to look at things considering I have read the Kane Chronicles series itself.  Student Reviewer: Julia M.(10th grade)

Lights! Camera! Alice! : The Thrilling True Adventures of the First Woman Filmmaker by Mara Rockliff , Illustrated by Simona Ciraolo, PICTURE BOOK, BIOGRAPHY, Chronicle Books. 2018. $18. 1452141347 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE EL, MS - ESSENTIAL  AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH   Alice Guy Blaché is one of the world's first movie makers. She worked for a camera company and was allowed to make movies after hours which she used to demonstrate the new motion picture camera. Soon her films became a huge success in France. One of the first pioneers of motion pictures, she is little known - mostly because she was a woman. She made hundreds of films in America and even more in France.  Formatted like a silent movie, in frames and short ideas - sprinkled with French and title cards this was a delight to read. I want to know more about Alice! Good thing the author has included a short author's note, bibliography, articles and movies. A fun read for a theater or film study class, or a les

The People Awards by Lily Muray, illustrated by Ana Albero , 76 pages. PICTURE BOOK/NON-FICTION. Lincoln Children’s Books, 2018. $20. 9781786030641 BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL, MS - ESSENTIAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH This book is a collection of more than thirty mini biographies of men and women who have had a positive impact on the world. The people range from athletes to inventors to teachers and most are well known figures from history as well as contemporary conversations. Each person is represented on a two page spread and has a short biography, four or five illustrations of important moments from their life, what award they are being given, and why they are being given that award.  This book is effective because it is highly engaging aesthetically. The illustrations are cartoons, but realistic and done in muted colors. The part I predict will hook the most readers is the description of the award they are given and why. I was a little frustrated that the table on contents has page

Spy School Goes South (Spy School #6) by Stuart Gibbs , 335 pages.  Simon, 2018.  $18. Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (lots of action, light description) BUYING ADVISORY:  EL, MS - ESSENTIAL AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH Welcome back to spy school. The evil traitor Murray Hill is ready to spill the beans about SPYDER, but he will only tell his secrets to Ben Ripley.  Now Ben and Erica are headed somewhere with Murray in tow, and two stowaways – Mike and Zoe.  They are only supposed to observe, but why observe when you might be able to take down the whole organization? With his signature flair, Gibbs takes us back to spy school in another dangerous, yet hilarious caper. So much danger mixed with valiant deeds. Sit back and enjoy the ride! Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS