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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 Elevator On 74Th Street

by Gehl, Laura (2025)

R

Personified Ellie the Elevator has a young girl, Thea, she likes so much. Thea came home after she was born in the hospital on the same day Ellie the Elevator started taking folks to various floo...

Reviewed by Karen I. May 28, 2026
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade

Wonderful Words That Tell A Tale : An Etymological Explorati

by Wilson, Tom Read (2024)

AD+

I love words so I thought I would be more enamored with this book. {shrug} This book features over 100 words with accompanying watercolor illustrations from Wilson. Theoretically they are everyday ...

Reviewed by Anne May 28, 2026
Grades: 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade

Too Much Quiet!

by Christie-Blick, Kottie (2025)

AD

The world is about to end! A classroom full of students is going outside to learn about nature. But wait--it's too quiet! Where are the birds and bees? Climate change is ravaging the planet. Plants...

Reviewed by Teresa May 28, 2026
Grades: 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade

Oh, Carrots!

by Ilustrajo, Mariajo (2025)

AD+

"Oh, Carrots!" is a sweet and funny story about friendship. Mr. Rabbit is lonely in the winter and while planting his garden one day, a special seed makes it's way into the ground. Out pops a walki...

Reviewed by Christina May 27, 2026
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade

NO BRAINER

by BEDDIA, LEA (2026)

AD

When a middle school girl is leered at for her unhampered breasts, she rebels with almost unbeleivable maturity. Even the school principal thinks he has the right to control how she dresses. Like...

Reviewed by Jodie May 25, 2026
Grades: 6th Grade, 7th Grade

BUSY BEES

by KELLAWAY, MOESHA (2026)

AD

In this board book with cut outs on every page the busy bees flying from flower to flower in search of sweet nectar which they take to the hive and then use to make honey.

Reviewed by Kay May 22, 2026
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten

CLOCK HANDS

by NIJKAMP, MARIEKE (2026)

R

This book is a companion to Ink Girls and set in the same fictional city of Siannerra (which looks like a city in the Medieval time period and the characters have Italian sounding names). While In...

Reviewed by Erin May 21, 2026
Grades: 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade

Trailblazers

by Huang, Eric (2025)

AD+

In this lively nonfiction book, some misconceptions and lesser-known facts about many well-known and a few not-so-well-known historical figures are explained. You will learn over 50 tidbits like Al...

Reviewed by Kris May 17, 2026
Grades: 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade

CREEPERS : THE WISHING WELL

by HYDE, EDGAR J (2025)

AD-

The Creepers Series will appeal to upper elementary and middle grade students. In this installment Aiden starts at a new school and becomes the target for bullies. He discovers a Well on his proper...

Reviewed by Stacy May 15, 2026
Grades: 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade

Oh Dear, Look What I Got!

by Rosen, Michael (2025)

R*

A new collaboration between Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury gives us Oh Dear, Look What I Got! and it has all the hallmarks of their collaboration on We’re Going on a Bear Hunt published in 1989....

Reviewed by Kathryn May 7, 2026
Grades: Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade