Description: Some people think pink is a pretty color. A fluffy, sparkly, princess-y color. But it's so much more. Sure, pink is the color of princesses and bubblegum, but it's also the color of monster slugs and poisonous insects. Not to mention ultra-intelligent dolphins, naked mole rats and bizarre, bloated blobfish. Isn't it about time to rethink pink?

Review: Pink is for Blobfish is the perfect nonfiction pick for younger readers. They will be drawn to this book because it is weird and gross. Each creature is given a two-page spread with a  full-color, close-up photo of the creature with an approachable paragraph describing some of its key features, a fascinating fact, and basic features. There are many animals that I had never heard of before I read this book. I also enjoyed the author's comical voice throughout the book too. If you are struggling to get to younger readers to read nonfiction books, I would highly recommend this one.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 1 and up.

If you like this book try: Glow: Animals with their own night-lights by W.H. Beck


Description: Hailing from the Tremé neighborhood in New Orleans, Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews got his nickname by wielding a trombone twice as long as he was high. A prodigy, he was leading his own band by age six, and today this Grammy-nominated artist headlines the legendary New Orleans Jazz Fest.Along with esteemed illustrator Bryan Collier, Andrews has created a lively picture book autobiography about how he followed his dream of becoming a musician, despite the odds, until he reached international stardom.

Review: Trombone Shorty is an energetic and lively picture book autobiography of a contemporary multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Troy Andrews. The picture book is also a love story to Andrews' early years growing up in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans. Andrews yearned to become a musician like those in his family and the artists he saw perform all over New Orleans. He was so passionate about his dream that he and his friends made their own instruments out of recycled materials, played in the streets, and marched with bands. When one day he found a battered, discarded trombone bigger than he was, Andrews finally had a real instrument to play, and he practiced day and night, acquiring the nickname Trombone Shorty from his older brother. Trombone's defining moment was the time the great Bo Diddley pulled Andrews on stage to play with him during the New Orleans jazz festival. Collier's illustrations are incredible and using a variety of materials from watercolor, pen and ink, and collage artwork to complement the book's motion and rhythm of Trombone's music. Each spread offers a visual panoply of texture, perspective, and angles, highlighting the people and the instruments. While Andrews's continue to play, he will gain new admirers after reading this book.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 1 and up.

If you like this book try: Louis Armstrong: A King of Jazz by Pat McKissack, Before John was a Jazz Giant: a song of John Coltrane by Carole Boston Weatherford


Description: What do you do when you see a spider?

a. Lay on a BIG spidey smoocheroo.

b. Smile, but back away slowly.

c. Grab the closest object, wind up, and let it fly.

d. Run away screaming.


If you chose b, c, or d, then this book is for you! (If you chose a, you might be crazy.)

I’m Trying to Love Spiders will help you see these amazing arachnids in a whole new light, from their awesomely excessive eight eyes, to the seventy-five pounds of bugs a spider can eat in a single year! And you’re sure to feel better knowing you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than being fatally bit by a spider. Comforting, right? No? Either way, there’s heaps more information in here to help you forget your fears . . . or at least laugh a lot!

Review: In this informative and amusing book the author is trying to overcome her arachnophobia with detailing accurate information about a wide variety of spiders from their various anatomy and capabilities in a humorous tone. I didn't mind that this book wasn't overly filled with facts, but I did like how it was presented in a scrapbook fashion with cartoon drawings, scrawls, and random lettering. Occasionally there are black splotches for when the author's phobia gets to her despite her good intentions of wanting to like spiders. Any book that manages to be entertaining while being informative is a winner for me.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades K-2.

If you like this book try: Disgusting Creatures by Elise Gravel