Melinda Andrews's INFO 5421 Book Reviews

  Title: Hot Dog Author: Doug Salati   Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers   Format: Book   Publication Date: May 24, 2022   Grade Level: PreK through 3rd Grade   Category: Caldecott Medal Winner   In Hot Dog , a bustling, sizzlingly hot city makes this poor pup fed up. When he finally plops himself down in the middle of the crosswalk, unwilling to move another step, his kind owner decides what he needs is a nice, calming day at the beach. I chose this Caldecott-winning book because I bought it for my two-year-old nephew for his birthday a few months ago, when I was drawn to the dynamic art and sweet story while volunteering at the youth library.   Plot. The plot is simple and emotion-driven, with the central conflict revolving around the dog's inability to deal with his stress. How can his problem be solved? His owner recognizes her pup's distress, and she whisks him away to a quiet beach where he can have a day to run free and enjoy a l...

  Title: Creepy Carrots Author: Aaron Reynolds (author); Peter Brown (illustrator) Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers Format: Book Publication Date: August 21, 2012 Grade Level: PreK-3rd Category: Horror Jasper Rabbit loves carrots, especially the ones from Crackenhopper Field. Until one day, the carrots start following him . . . How will Jasper escape these creepy carrots? Creepy Carrots is a Caldecott Honor book that I chose to review because it's one of my two-year-old nephew's favorites. In a single day, he asked to read this book several times and was so excited to find carrots on his dinner plate that night. He's decided he has a passion for carrots, just like Jasper Rabbit.     Plot. The plot revolves around Jasper Rabbit's discovery of and subsequent attempts to escape the creepy carrots who are following him. He tries to tell his mom and dad about the creepy carrots, but every time he tries to show them the carrots, they've mysteriou...

  Title: The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich Author: Deya Muniz Publisher: Little, Brown and Company Format: Book Publication Date: May 9, 2023 Grade Level: 7th and up Category: LGBTQ+ The law of Kingdom Fromage forbids women from inheriting family fortunes. So when Lady Camembert's father passes away, she has no choice but to disguise herself as a man, move to the capital city, and start life over as Count Camembert. But when Cam falls deeply in love with Princess Brie, she's not sure if she can keep her secret, or if she even wants to. The Princess and the Grilled Cheese Sandwich (TPATGCS) has received many accolades, including making the ALA Rainbow List, the 2024 ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, and the YALSA 2024 Great Graphic Novel for Teens award.  Setting. TPATGCS takes place in the kingdom of Fromage, a cheese-obsessed kingdom where even the character's names are based on varieties of cheese. The setting seems largely Regency-era inspi...

Title: Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me    Author: Mariko Tamaki (writer); Rosemary Valero- O'Connell (illustrator)   Publisher: First Second   Format: Book   Publication Date: May 7, 2019   Grade Level: 8th and up   Category: Graphic Novel  Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me follows Freddy through her struggles with her on-again off-again relationship with the popular, "cool girl" Laura Dean. The novel is highly acclaimed, winning the 2019 Harvey Award for Best Children's or Young Adult Book and being named a Printz Honor book, among a plethora of other awards and honors. Laura Dean is a queer coming of age story that explores themes of teenage lesbian sexuality, toxic romantic relationships, and navigating complicated platonic friendships.    Plot. The plot focuses in the relationship between Freddy and her sometimes-girlfriend Laura Dean, who continually ends their relationship only to start it again whenever she desires. F...

  Title: Strange the Dreamer Author: Laini Taylor Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers Format: Audiobook Publication Date: March 28, 2017 Grade Level: 9th and up Category: Printz Honor book nominee Strange the Dreamer is an epic fantasy novel about a librarian, Lazlo, who joins a band of legendary warriors for a chance to visit his childhood obsession: the mythical city of Weep. Laini Taylor's colorful prose craft a beautiful picture of a fantastical city under a dark shadow. Strange the Dreamer was nominated for a Michael L. Printz Award, and has received widely positive reviews from critics and readers on Goodreads. The story explores themes of romance, trauma, and slavery.  I read Strange the Dreamer as an audiobook through Libby. It was very convenient to be able to listen to it on my commute, while cooking, on a run, etc. However, I felt like I missed a lot of plot details and character moments by trying to multitask. I had to rewind the book frequently....

  Title: The Grace of Wild Things Author: Heather Fawcett Publisher: Balzer + Bray Format: Ebook Publication Date:  February 14, 2023 Grade Level: 5th-8th  Category: Fantasy  The Grace of Wild Things is a cozy middle grade fantasy with themes of found family, overcoming loss, and finding joy and magic in unexpected places. The story is a witchy re-imagining of the classic Anne of Green Gables , and like Anne, the protagonist Grace is headstrong, imaginative, and melodramatic. In trying to escape her orphanage and learn to master her witchcraft, Grace strikes a deal with an old, miserly witch without a name. If Grace can manage to do every spell in the witch's book, the witch will take her on as an apprentice. The novel is worth a review both for its complexity and the fact that it is highly acclaimed, being a Texas Lone Star Reading List nominee, a Vermont Golden Dome Book Award nominee, winner of the 2023 Cybil Award for MG speculative fiction, and one of Bank ...

Title: The Clackity Author: Lora Senf Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers Format: Book Publication Date: June 28, 2022 Grade Level: 6th-8th Category: Horror Lora Senf's debut novel The Clackity is a middle grade horror fiction about how twelve-year-old Evie Von Rathe makes a deal with a sinister creature in order to save her aunt Desdemona from the ghost of a serial killer. The Clackity is the first book of the Blight Harbor trilogy and has been positively received by readers and critics alike, and has recieved a wide range of awards and honors, including but not limited to making the Texas Lone Star Reading List, New York Public Library Best Books for Kids, and the Golden Dome Book Award Master List. Because the books enjoys such high acclaim, I thought it would be well worth reviewing. For this review, I will be evaluating the book by Character, Setting, and Plot elements.     Character. The protagonist of the story, Evie, is dynamic and complex. Evie is a very...