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Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Picture Book Pick: You Are My Pride

 

You Are My Pride: A Love Letter From Your Motherland

by Caldecott Honor Book author
Carole Boston Weatherford
Illustrated by Coretta Scott King Illustator Award winner
E.B. Lewis
Astra Books for Young Readers 
2023
40 pages
ISBN: 9781635923872

Weatherford captures the voice of Mother Africa and speaks to the readers as, "Child" in this powerful, lyrical beautiful story of the beginnings of us: humans. Evocative and captivating, readers will be enchanted by the prose and the glorious illustrations of the first humans throughout our history until today. 

Humans encounter fierce storms and even fiercer predators to the oceanbound sailing ships that set off to search the unknown. The final spread features the ocean and the words, "Here are your beginnings. Here is your home." 

Pages follow titled "Our Beginnings" and feature a timeline of early human evolution and developments from the first creature that walked upright on two legs to the Homo sapiens or modern humans. Young readers will be fascinated by the voice of the narrator, Mother Africa. What a joy to read!

You Are My Pride: A Love Letter From Your Motherland received starred reviews and editorial love from major book review sites. A must-have, must-read for every child. A lovely book for storytime.

Highly, highly recommended ages 4-8. Do not miss this book! 

Sunday, March 24, 2024

Picture Book Pick: Remember

 

Remember 

by Joy Harjo, Poet Laureate

Illustrated  by Michaela Goade, Caldecott Medalist

Random House Studio

Penguin Random House, LLC

2023

40 pages

ISBN: 9780593484845

Remember is a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo captured in full color illustrations by Michaela Goade. It is a poem of remembrance but more importantly, a tribute to the earth, the sky, and the universe which we are all a part of. 

Animals have tribes and families and histories, so we should remember, "Talk to them, listen to them. They are alive poems." Living poems! Aren't we all? It's a great message to young readers and to all ages. We have only one planet, as we are increasingly aware of. It's up to humans to remember and to preserve for all living things. 

This beautiful picture book is a must have for well-balanced collections for all ages. Every child will love the message. 

Highly, highly recommended ages 2 and up. 




Thursday, March 21, 2024

Picture Book: Dark Cloud


 Dark Cloud

by Anna Lazowski

Illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee

Kids Can Press

2023

32 pages 

ISBN: 9781525306570

Abigail has a dark cloud that follows her everywhere. Sometimes it is a cloud or fog or a shadow, but everywhere she goes, the cloud is there. Everything she does, the cloud hangs about. 

Illustrations by Penny Neville-Lee capture Abigail's feelings and mental outlook. When she goes to the library, she finds a book about a blue ocean and visits the beach afterwards. She traps her dark cloud in a sand castle. She realizes that she is not the only person who can have a dark cloud. Sometimes adults have them also. 

As she begins to manage living with her cloud, the book's illustrations erupt in full color and blooming flowers. Even though Abigail's cloud is still there, she sits among the flowers. She is able to escape her cloud and play with new friends. 

The author's note is helpful and will open the talk with young children about their emotions. Abigail's story will help them understand that it is okay to feel things and it is okay to talk about emotions. Endpages in the front are in black and white. Endpages in the back are in glorious full color and show how Abigail grows and accepts her feelings and emotions. 

Dark Cloud is a must-have for every child's bookshelf. Every library should have several copies. 

Highly, highly recommended ages 4-8. 

Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Picture Book Pick: My Cat Does Ballet

 

My Cat Does Ballet

by Robert Heidbreder

Illustrated by Matt Schu

Atheneum Books for Young Readers

an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

2023

32 pages

ISBN: 9781665917032

A boy shares his love of dance with his pet cat in this cute pas de deux of a picture book. He talks to all his friends who are cat lovers. Each friend's cat has a unique skill like riding on the running vaccuum cleaner, hiding socks, shredding toilet paper or climbing curtains. The boy thinks all his friends must be jealous because his cat does ballet. 

In an attempt to show them, the boy invites all his friends with their cats to his Corps de Chats to teach all the cats ballet. The music begins and the cats dance, all except the boy's cat who falls asleep on the couch. 

Recommended for any lover of dance especially ballet. Ballet terms are used in the text and movements are gracefully illustrated by Matt Schu who has the cats leaping and moving into ballet poses. Famous ballet dancers' short biographies follow the story as well as a glossary of ballet terms with a cat showing the movements and poses. 

A winner of a picture book and must have for dancers. The opportunity to design beautiful end papers was overlooked. When readers open the book, they are greeted by dull, drab green papers. The publisher missed a huge design element which is a fail. Otherwise, My Cat Does Ballet is highly entertaining and informative, 

Pre-school to grade 3. 



Saturday, March 16, 2024

Bugumentary Pick: In a Patch of Grass

 

In a Patch of Grass 

by Fran Hodgkins

Illustrated by Dan Tavis

directed by Steven Spielbug

starring David Antenborough

Tilbury House Publishers 

2023 

32 pages 

ISBN: 9780884484639


In a Patch of Grass is a clever "bugumentary" directed by Steven Spielbug and starring David Antborough. The two bug stars direct and narrate the makings of a small ecosystem populated by grasshoppers, ants, worms, spiders and other insects and creatures. 

Steven Spielbug directs the action of each bug actor and David Antenborough hosts the film shoot until a nosy, friendly dog interrupts and breaks up the set, sending bugs scurrying hither and yon. 

The bug actors are featured on the front cover giving readers a hint what they'll discover inside. The endpapers are lively and buggy, The cast and crew are explained in detail in order of appearance. The quotes from various "publications" on the back cover are from the International Film Crickets Society, The Daily Mantis, The Hollywood Rolypoly and The New York Treehopper. 

Comic relief, silly puns, Hollywood movie making, cartoon speech bubbles and captivating illustrations make this whimsical picture book a must have. For insect lovers everywhere ages 2 and up. 

Highly, highly recommended. 

Thursday, March 14, 2024

LOL Alphabet Board Book Pick: G Is for Gross

 



G Is for Gross

A BabyLit Book 

by Greg Paprocki

Illustrated by the author 

BabyLit

2023

32 pages 

ISBN: 9781423664963


Hilarious illustrations and giggle-worthy text will delight both toddlers and adults. Author/illustrator Paprocki uses mid-century modern colorful illustrations in a throwback nod to cartoons and Mad Magazine comics. 

Some of the gross whimsy included are: "D is for dirty diaper," "F is for fart," "O is for outhouse," and of course, "V is for vomit," In almost every page spread, characters are seen holding their nose, looking a little queasy, screaming and/or running. 

Pages include the trusty pet dog or cat, and even one pet octopus peering out of a fish tank. What a fun read-aloud! Young readers will laugh and love saying the words out loud: poop, vomit, toxic, and zombie are lovely examples. 

If only Paprocki had written this decades ago! Today's toddlers get to have all the fun, but their parents and adults can have fun reading this uproariously clever book. Sturdy board design will last hours (years) for little hands turning the pages. Kids will probably memorize their favorite page spreads and shout out, "P is for poop!" for example, whenever this book is opened. 

Highly, highly recommended. If you buy one alphabet book, G Is for Gross needs to be the book. Never have I ever had this much fun reading an alphabet book. 

ages 18 months to 3 years.  


Tuesday, March 12, 2024

Clever Non-Fiction Board Book Pick: Copy That, Copy Cat!

 

Copy That, Copy Cat! Inventions Inspired by Animals 

By Katrina Tangen

Illustrations by Giulia Orecchia

Barefoot Books

2023

34 pages 

ISBN: 9781646869992

 Copy That, Copy Cat! will entertain and delight young readers. With its clever lift-the-flap interactive design and fun facts, kids will have a great time guessing the answer to each rhyming riddle. The science behind each invention inspired by animals is concise and easy to understand. 

This sturdy board book will stand up to hours of love and learning in little hands. Although the design is for much younger kids, the information inside will appeal to all levels of elementary school through middle school. Lifting the flap on each invention reveals fascinating details about how scientists use biomimicry to design new inventions. The term biomimicry gets a full page of information. The animals featured on the cover appear again on the last page with their own flap. Readers lift the flap to reveal how animals inspired inventions such as robot arms and better light bulbs.

Fun rhyming text and colorful illustrations make this book a sure winner. Highly recommended for any reader who loves non-fiction and science. Beginning readers will love lifting the flaps and figuring out each riddle. 

Ages 2-middle school. 

 

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Board Book Pick: Sneak! A Slide-and-See Book!

 

Sneak! 

A Slide-and-See book!

by Beatriz Gimenez de Ory

Illustrated by P:aloma Valdivia

English translation by Lisa Rosinsky

Barefoot Books

2023

18 pages 

ISBN: 978888590195

What a fun book! Interactive pages "hide" animals. As the readers turn the page, each animal is revealed. The creative slide-and-see design is a genius design in engineering. A chameleon becomes a leaf. a leopard hides in a tree, a sea dragon looks like seaweed until readers turn the page, and an owl butterfly looks like a pair of eyes until young readers discover it is the markings on the butterfly's wings. 

New animals kids may not have seen before include: an arctic fox hiding in the pristine snow, a patoo, a bird that looks like a dead tree branch. and a leaf insect looks exactly like the plants it hides in. 

A page is included with a description of each animal and how they use camouflage to hide and survive. Sneak! is the cutest and most brilliant board book in recent memory. You must buy this for every tiny reader you know. 

Highly, highly recommended 10 months and up. If you're a school librarian at an elementary that has preK or K, you must buy several copies. One for check-out (which may not age well) and one to share at story time. Kids will love to guess what animal is hiding. The text gives clues to help them out. 


Saturday, March 9, 2024

Breathtaking Picture Book: Brindlefox

 

Brindlefox

by John Sanford

Illustrations by the author 

Worthy Kids

a trademark of Hachette Book Group, Inc.

2023

32 pages

ISBN: 9781546003724


"To have a friend, one must be a friend." 

Brindlefox lives alone and likes it. He does not like company or noise, so he lives a hermit's existence in his messy house. He never has guests, so he does nor clean or tidy his house. Soon, leaves, vines, plants and limbs are growing into his house. In fact, one day, a sapling sprouts from Brindlefox's own back! 

The sapling grows exponentially in a few days until Brindlefox is aware of a rustling in his leaves. It's a heron! And not only that, a noisy, nosy heron. He scares the bird away, but is surprised to see it gathering berries from his limbs. The next day, a tasty pie appears on his windowsill. Brindlefox is surprised. Why would a bird leave him, a mean fox, a pie? The heron explains she made it "to eat." The fox is flummoxed. He goes to work on his house and cleans himself up. He invites the bird to his newly made dining table to share pie, and the two become fast friends who eat and visit together. 

One simple act of unexpected kindness turns around the fox's life and outlook. How simple is that? Focusing on friendship and loneliness, young readers will feel empathy for the lonely fox and love the kind heron. They will cheer the unlikely duo's friendship and revel in the gorgeous illustrations evocative of children's fairy tale books like Mother Goose and Grimms' Fairy Tales. 

A must have for every collection. This is one of the most beautiful picture books I've ever encountered. 

Ages 18 months and up. Simply lovely. 


Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Ecosystems Picture Book: Log Life

 

Log Life 

A Tiny Habitats Book 

by Amy Hevron

Illustrations by the author 

Beach Lane Books

An imprint of Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing Division

2024

48 pages

ISBN: 9781665934985


Log life introduces readers to tiny habitats in the Pacific Northwest where giant evergreen trees can live up to 1,000 years before they fall in the forest. It takes hundreds of years for these trees to decompose, but while decomposing they become habitats for a number of plants and animals. They will become nurse logs. 

Nurse logs feed and house creatures from insects to birds and rodents, snails, frogs and salamanders. One giant tree feeds an entire system for decades. 

Illustrations entertain and educate about plant and animal life. It is a hopeful book as it shows how one tree can fall, but still offer so much life. In fact, new fir trees can sprout and begin their cycle for the next thousand years. Various animals are featured at the end in a two-page spread that readers will study again and again. Young readers may play at finding and identifying each type of animal in the early pages. 

A page about nurse-log habitats is included. Complete with selected sources and additional reading sources, this is a non-fiction treasure to own!  

Highly recommended for any fan of non-fiction books and kids who love ecology, animals and forests. 

Sunday, February 25, 2024

Middle Grade Pick: Middle School and other Disasters: Worst Love Spell Ever!

 

Middle School and Other Disasters: Worst Love Spell Ever! (Book 2) 

by Wanda Coven

Illustrated by Anna Abramskaya

Simon Spotlight 

An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division

2023

352 pages

ISBN: 9781665937207

Book Two in the Middle School and Other Disasters series features our friend Heidi Hecklebeck as she settles into her new school, Broomsfield Academy, a school for witches-in-training. Heidi crushes on a cute boy named Hunter, but there's just one problem. Hunter is super popular and girls surround him at all times, including frenemy and now roommate Melanie! 

How will Heidi ever get Hunter to notice her with all these other girls around? It's time to get creative and, yes, magical. Heidi goes to work to find the perfect spell to make Hunter not only notice her, but fall in love with her. First, it's her magical hair potion which gives her glorious, beautiful shampoo ad-worthy hair, but it backfires when her hair won't stop growing. It's out of control! 

Heidi tries various spells to get Hunter's attention and undying devotion until it becomes obvious she's thinking only of herself. She never stops to think how she's affecting Hunter or her best friends. When they point it out to her, Heidi finally understands that she's been a selfish witch and vows to set things right. 

Illustrations by Anna Abramskaya bring Heidi and her friends to life. Middle school worthy prose and all the "feels" are captured by the author with a magical touch. Wanda Coven is clearly a witch who channels every middle school girl and her first crush. Heidi is cringe-worthy in many cases, but it's adorable and funny. Middle school has never been funnier nor sadder. 

Readers will be waiting for book three. It's not necessary to read book one to understand this book, but readers will likely read the entire series. Once they've stepped into the hypnotic world of Heidi Hecklebeck, they'll never want to leave. 

Easy to read with illustrations and tween friendly format with a font used to imitate a child's handwriting (similar to Wimpy Kid books) Worst Love Spell Ever! casts a powerful spell. 

Highly recommended grades 4 and up. 


Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Beautiful Picture Book: The Thing To Remember About Stargazing




 The Thing To Remember About Stargazing

by Matt Forrest Esenwine

Illustrated by Sonia Possentini

Tilbury House Publishers

2023

32 pages

ISBN: 9780884489405


Breathtaking illustrations by Sonia Possentini capture the joy and beauty of nature and the galaxy we live in. The art of stargazing is celebrated around the world by children, adults, and animals as they revel in the sculpture of the heavens.

The sky is laid out like a tapestry of pictures that ancient civilizations looked up at in awe the same way we do today. The Thing To Remember About Stargazing is to gaze with a friend or a pet or no one at all. You can stargaze all alone and contemplate "connecting the dots" of the stars. 

Gorgeous hues of muted blue, violet and purple depict the skies and surroundings for a calming palette for the poetic text. As polar bears gaze at the stars, whales swim to the surface to take in the quiet night sky. Children look up to locate constellations named centuries before they were born. The one thing to remember about stargazing, the most important thing, "...is to do it." 

This mesmerizing picture book is must have for every collection and a great first book to introduce astronomy to young children. A note about stars follows the story and urges readers to go outside and see what pictures, or asterisms, they find. Maybe they will see images they haven't spotted before. 

Highly recommended ages 18 months and up. 

Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Picture Book Pick: Empty and Me (Bilingual Persian-English picture book)

 

Empty and Me

by Azam Mahdavi

Illustrated by Maryam Tahmasebi

Translated by Parisa Saranj

Lee & Low Books 

48 pages

2023

ISBN: 9781643796222

Originally published in Iran, Empty and Me is the story of a little girl dealing with her mother's death. When her mother dies, the girl turns to Empty, her constant companion and only friend. Empty goes everywhere with the little girl: to school, to the playground, and at home. Empty is shown as a huge 

The girl remembers her mother when she sees a photo of them together, potting a plant. Later, the plant blooms and the girl begins to see things a little brighter. She finds a small kitten and she and Empty take it home. Now the kitten and Empty and the girl are together. Soon, she plays with another child at school. 

Illustrations match the girl's journey throughout her grief: in the beginning, gray is the main color. After the plant blooms, the girl gives Empty a yellow flower. In the pages that follow, Empty is seen with more and more yellow flowers. In the final layout, a picture of the girl, her father, the kitten and Empty are bathed in yellow sunlight coming in from a window.

The text is in Persian with the English translation below it on each page. Young readers may have never experienced a bilingual book before, especially one in Persian and English. The Persian text offers a novel nuance of the print American readers may have not encountered and it adds to the beauty of the pages.

Empty and Me is that rare book that deals with a painful subject in a graceful, poignant manner. Empty is the silent, sweet companion the little girl needs throughout her grief and hopeful healing. 

This book is must have read which is the perfect opening for young children to ask questions about death, dying and loss. While the subject matter is dark, Empty and Me is a testament to bright. 

Ages 3 and up. Especially helpful for anyone who has lost a close relative or parent. 





Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Picture Book Pick: Real to Me

 

Real To Me

by Mingh Le

Illustrated by Raissa Figueroa

Knopf Books for Young Readers

Random House Kids

2023

40 pages 

ISBN: 9780593377499

Sometimes your first friend is imaginary to everyone. Everyone but you, that is.  A first friend laughs with you, is brave with you, is there for you and that makes them real. A young girl loves her first friend who is her constant companion until one day, her friend is not there. She looks for her friend everywhere and is sad without them. 

After time, she begins to make new friends who laugh with her and are brave with her, but that cannot erase her first, beloved friend: her friend is real to her. 

A beautiful book about a child who dreams and laughs and thinks. A child who is an introvert and who may not feel like she belongs. Her "friend" fills the void in her life, and no one can convince her that her friend is not real. Simply a lovely book full of heart and hopefulness. 

Highly recommended for all young readers. 


Sunday, February 4, 2024

MG Pick: Bite Risk

 

Bite Risk

by S.J. Wills

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

2023

320 pages

ISBN: 9781665938006


"It's hard to spot the monster..."

Middle grade readers are in for a real treat: this BITING lupine story has it all! 

Set in a small town aptly named Tremorglade, thirteeen-year old Sel suspects there's something up in his town where nothing ever happens...unless of course you count the night of the full moon when all teens must lock up their parents, fearing their parents will rip them to pieces because one night per month, all kids are on alert for bite risk. Since the Disruption, years before Sel was born, adults turn to werewolves on nights when there is a full moon. 

When adults begin escaping their cages and spy drones start to appear, Sel and his friends decide to investigate. Just what is happening in their town and why is it that no one seems to ever leave? There's an underground conspiracy, a shady scientific company, an elderly friend who seems way too helpful, an online network that begins to feel sketchy, and too many weird circumstances that can't be explained. 

The kids find themselves on the run from not only the werewolves but some much more dangerous threats. Can they escape Tremorglade before it destroys them or do they stay and fight? 

Exciting and entertaining, Bite Risk will keep readers enthralled and guessing until the last pages. A quick read for even reluctant readers. this book will appeal to fans of paranormal, government conspiracies and mysteries. 

Recommended grades 6 and up. No sex. Some gore.