The Deep! - Wild Life at the Ocean’s Darkest Depths by Lindsey Leigh is a fascinating, colorful book about the deepest part of earth’s oceans. The table of contents lead to the different zones under the sea and to a” Want to know more?” section, plus there is an index of sea creatures. Every page is filled with facts and funny little bubbles of talking sea creatures that are set up in comic book style. Meet the pram bug, dumbo octopus, and ostracod, and many other new creatures of the deep.
This eighty-eight page book tells the story of Mr. Dalton, a middle-aged man who works at Macy’s Department store. It is Christmas in New York. Mr. Dalton lost his wife due to a drunk driver who badly injured him as well, which ended his acting career. Every year since the accident, his college friends have asked him to go to a Ski Lodge, and he finally agrees. Maria Esperanza and Mr. Dalton work together during the Christmas rush and talk about the Lodge and both spending Christmas alone. Maria encourages him to go to the Lodge.
Maddy and Grace Solve the Crime is a thirty-six-page picture book that prompts Maddy and Grace to try to solve why the neighborhood packages are disappearing. The people of the neighborhood called the police, and they said to stay alert for anything unusual. Soon rumors started about a kid named Billy who cut school a lot because he was picked on at school. Maddy and Grace decided to set a trap using a wrapped box with a bell on it, but that idea did not catch the thief. Across from Billy’s house a new “For Sale” sign was on the lawn, and the grass was tall.
Maddy and Grace at the Haunted House is a thirty-page picture book the leads the girls to investigate a house that the kids at school say is haunted. They decide to investigate, find the house, and meet Eric who takes care of many properties in the area. He says he keeps his tools in a shed next to the house but never goes into the big “haunted” house. Maddy and Grace felt creepy just looking at the house from far off, but they wanted pictures. The door of the house was opened, and they froze at the sight and sound of a scary skeleton and a ghost.
Henri and the Magnificent Snort is a fifty-five-page picture book that tells the story of Henri, a little French bulldog, who lives in New York but moves with his human mom to San Diego, California. He loved New York, especially Central Park, all his friends, building snow mutts, and going to the dog park. So, he was worried about what California would be like. However, there were palm trees and the seaside, a pool, and Doggie Day Care. He didn’t feel brave about day care.
Maddy and Grace Fight the Fog is a thirty page picture book that starts out as a simple fishing trip and turns into a scary adventure. Grandma Mei waves farewell to Maddy and Grace as they take the rowboat out on the ocean just like they had many times before, donning life jackets, worms, and rods. The fog surrounds Maddy and Grace unexpectedly, and they can no longer see the shore. The fight for survival is on as they paddle mistakenly farther away from shore lost in the fog.
