Elise Broach

The second middle-grade novel in a week that I stayed up well past my bedtime to finish - and also about wolves (the first was "This Is Not a Werewolf Story"' by Sandra Evans). This fast-paced, but thoughtful novel encompasses many themes, including zoo controversies, John Muir and Yosemite, women in groundbreaking roles, wolf ecology, environmental activism, empathy, friendship, foster care, and family. Lizzie and Tyler are well-matched in their opinions and confidence, learning to work show more together as a team. I also liked that Lizzie was assigned to keep a nature journal over the summer, but her teacher allowed her to write or draw anything and emphasized that it would not be graded. Quotes by John Muir add depth to the story. Alice Ratterree's pencil drawings complement the novel's drama and tranquility; endpaper maps of Yosemite allow readers to follow Lizzie and Tyler's journey in the park. I want to visit Yosemite after reading this story! show less

It's dinosaur time over in the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, and this hilarious picture-book was one of our official selections! Reluctantly accompanying his mother on her errands, a bored young boy finds his day transformed when, instead of lollipops or balloons, he is given real live dinosaurs at the various businesses they visit. Soon, the boy finds himself being trailed by a triceratops, a stegosaurus, and a pterosaur, while his frazzled mother wonders what they will do with such show more huge, unwieldy creatures.

A surreal adventure in the style of Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem, this delightful story takes a common childhood fantasy - that of having a dinosaur for a pet - and runs with it, perfectly capturing the reactions of both boy and mother. The accompanying ink and watercolor artwork of David Small - whose Imogene's Antlers has always been a personal favorite of mine - accentuates the humorous contrast in each scene, adding to the reader's enjoyment. With its well-matched text and art, When Dinosaurs Came With Everything is a book that young dinosaur fans will relish! show less

A young boy pleads with his mother for a puppy, longing to have someone to take care of. Eventually she relents, and boy and dog are happy together. Until the puppy too decides he wants someone to care for, and he adopts a kitten. Soon enough the kitten too wants a pet, and the process continues, until the house is full of animals and the boy's mother is beside herself. How can he show her the pleasure of caring for another...?

Very easily, as it happens, since he himself is the being in her show more care. A sweet and heartwarming tale about longing for and then loving an animal companion, My Pet Wants a Pet is also a madcap adventure with a fun, read-aloud quality - "What?!" cried the boy's mother. "That worm is the pet of the pet of the pet of your pet! He does NOT NEED A PET" - that would make it an excellent story-time selection. The artwork by Eric Barclay is well-suited to the humorous nature of author Elise Broach's tale, capturing the zany hi-jinks quite well. Recommended to all young children who long for a pet, and to anyone looking for new picture-books to entertain their youngsters. show less

Welcome to the world of Mirabelle, a young goldfinch who loves to sing and dreams of becoming a musical star. She lives with her family in the backyard of a piano teacher, and she is quickly intrigued by Mr. Starek's newest pupil. Michael Jin is an eleven-year-old keyboard sensation, but lesson after lesson, he refuses to play. With the prestigious Chopin Festival looming at summer’s end, how will he be ready in time? Mirabelle is responsible for Michael’s breakthrough—to her own show more astonishment, she sings the Chopin piece he is beginning to play at the piano. It is their first duet.
Thus begins a secret adventure that will take Mirabelle and Michael further than they ever imagined—in music, in friendship, and in solving the mystery of a lost piano that could be worth millions. A house full of treasures holds the clues. There, Mirabelle, Michael, and their friend Emily will make an important discovery that links the great composer Frederic Chopin, the trailblazing author George Sand, and the French Romantic painter Eugene Delacroix.
A fast-paced, history-rich mystery will have young readers hooked as they root for boy and bird in this beautifully told novel, full of emotion and suspense. show less