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Puget Sound Council

For Reviewing Children's & Young Adult Literature

Connecting readers with quality children's and young adult books through trusted peer reviews.

Welcome

Welcome to the (new & improved!) review management system for the Puget Sound Council. Please access the features of this site via the menu bar above.

If you have questions or comments, cannot locate a book, or need to report an error, please contact pugetsoundcouncil@gmail.com.

For questions about membership, how-tos, and issues that are not site-related, please contact Eve Datisman at datseve@gmail.com.

Schedule of Events

General Meeting Dates — 2025–2026

Time: 9:00 – 11:00 AM

Location: Shoreline Conference Center, Professional Library, Building H

Sep

Sat, Sep 13, 2025

9:00 - 11:00 AM

Nov

Sat, Nov 15, 2025

9:00 - 11:00 AM

Jan

Sat, Jan 10, 2026

9:00 - 11:00 AM

Mar

Sat, Mar 7, 2026

9:00 - 11:00 AM

May

Sat, May 2, 2026

9:00 - 11:00 AM

Jun

Sat, Jun 6, 2026

9:00 - 11:00 AM

Reminder:

PSC 2025 dues are due January 1, 2026. Oral reviews must be posted by Wednesday 11:59 PM before the meeting.

The Shoreline Conference Center Professional Library is open 7:00 – 4:30 weekdays during the school year. Members are encouraged to drop by and pick up books at your convenience. Please call Tina Marier at 206.393.4225 or email tina.marier@ssd412.org to make sure the room is available.

How to Review Books

Important:

When finished writing a review, make sure you change the "Published" setting to "Yes." Otherwise, it will not be visible to others.

Oral Reviews

Books reviewed at the following meeting. Usually first-time authors, particularly noteworthy books, or discussion-worthy books. Oral books are returned and donated to charities.

Written Reviews

Books not reviewed orally. After reviews are submitted, these books may be added to your library collection.

Steps to Review

  1. Select the books you wish to review. We have a responsibility to review all books sent to us by publishers — please review them in a timely manner.
  2. At the meeting, separate your books into Oral and Written piles.
  3. Use the scanner to enter your choices. Select your name from the dropdown, choose oral or written, and scan the ISBN for each book.
  4. To enter a finished review: Log in, go to Reviews → My Reviews To Do, select a book, fill out the fields, and set "Published" to save.

Rating Scale

R* Highly Recommended. Superior book; should be part of every collection.
R Recommended. Superior in style, liveliness, integrity and format.
AD+ Additional Plus. Good solid book but has some minor flaws.
AD Additional. Satisfactory but will be excelled by other books in its field.
AD- Additional Minus. Mediocre.
M Marginal. Contains many weaknesses; might be considered only as supplementary material or to meet special localized subject needs.
NR Not Recommended. Does not meet library standards in style, content, or design.
NR* Not Recommended*. Appropriate for another kind of collection or different age levels.

Recent Reviews

The Wolves Of Greycoat Hall

by Gifford, Lucinda (2023)

R

The Greycoats are a happy wolf family living in Morovia. Leonora, Randall, and their son, Boris, are planning a vacation. But where to go? They are happily surprised to discover that Scotland has d...

Reviewed by Teresa Apr 3, 2026
Grades: 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade

Cooking Encyclopedia

by Schrader, Zoey (2024)

AD+

This is basically a cookbook but it also has an introduction to cooking so includes a section on preparation and safety as well as terms you need to know. Then there are lots of recipes at a variet...

Reviewed by Anne Apr 3, 2026
Grades: 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade, 9th Grade, 10th Grade

LAILA TOV, GROVER!

by SUSSMAN, JONI KIBORT (2025)

AD

In this board book Grover is getting ready for bed. He gets into his pajamas, brushes his teeth and says good night.

Reviewed by Kay Apr 2, 2026
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten

HIP-HOP AROUND THE WORLD : BEATS WITHOUT BORDERS

by MORALL-BAKER, MONICA B (2025)

R

This book is in a series by Lerner about hip-hop music's history and activism. The chapters follow a sequence where they dive into the beginnings of hip-hop and then move on to current artists and...

Reviewed by Erin Mar 31, 2026
Grades: 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade

Hannah And The Wrong Note

by Goth, Shane (2025)

AD-

Hannah and the Wrong Note follows a young piano player who strives for perfection in her music. When she plays what she considers a “wrong note,” it unexpectedly comes to life, dancing and staying ...

Reviewed by Deborah Mar 30, 2026
Grades: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade

Seis Que Buscaron La Navidad

by Hyman, Trina Schart (2025)

AD

A little girl is in search of a Christmas, whatever that is. She begins her trek in the forest and is quickly joined by other woodland creatures also searching for a Christmas. After wandering for ...

Reviewed by Jill Mar 29, 2026
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade

Hedgehogs Don't Wear Underwear

by Valdez, Marissa (2025)

R

A humorous story about a little french hedgehog and the love for his underwear. The hedgehog shows bravery and finds the courage to share his love with the world. This story is silly but also a gre...

Reviewed by Christina Mar 27, 2026
Grades: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade

Do You See The Tiger?

by Ardagh, Philip (2025)

R

Rhyming picture book appropriate for rea aloud for preschoolers to K or 1st. Penny and her Daddy on a rainy night go to the subway. Another child, younger than Penny, with his mother, are also wa...

Reviewed by Karen I. Mar 24, 2026
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade

Who I Am : Words I Tell Myself

by Verde, Susan (2025)

AD+

Who I Am; Words I Tell Myself is a book of affirmations for adults to share with a child. “Sometimes when I find myself struggling or feeling down or discouraged my mind tells me words that are not...

Reviewed by Kathryn Mar 24, 2026
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, 1st Grade

DRAGON FOLKLORE : A FIELD GUIDE

by KAISER, BRIANNA (2025)

R

From the “Lerner Stores” comes the Dragon Field Guides series, a middle grade collection about all things dragons, from folklore to anatomy. In Dragons Folklore, three chapters explore the thousand...

Reviewed by Tanya Mar 22, 2026
Grades: 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade