Speaking up

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Listen to the Girls by Chrystal D. Giles (Random House Books for Young Readers, 256 pages, grades 5-8). Calla’s looking forward to a relaxing summer vacation when she hears the news that her favorite seventh-grade teacher, Mr. Chavis, has been accused of sexual harassment by some of the girls at his old school. Inspired by a social media influencer, Calla and her two best friends start an account called Listen to the Girls, inviting girls to honestly share their stories on the school’s social media platform. As stories start to come out, and Calla learns more about grooming and sexual harassment, she slowly comes to realize that Mr. Chavis was asking her to keep secrets and behaving in inappropriate ways, quite possibly as grooming for their relationship to go further. Calla is horrified by this, and has to decide whether to keep quiet or be the first at her school to speak out against their teacher. Includes an author’s note with additional information and resources for reporting sexual harassment.

I liked how Calla’s story was not a particularly dramatic one–in fact I kept expecting some big plot twist–but the subtlety of Mr. Chavis’s actions is exactly what made them even more dangerous, and the fact that Calla didn’t recognize them until for what they were until near the end of the story points to the importance of educating kids about what’s appropriate and inappropriate behavior between kids and adults.

More Trouble Than It’s Worth by Lisa Moore Ramée (HarperCollins, 272 pages, grades 4-7). We first met Shayla in 2019’s A Good Kind of Trouble as she started junior high and navigated the terrain of friendship and romance issues. Now it’s the summer before eighth grade, and Shayla is on the club track team, hanging out with three new friends and hoping to make it to Junior Olympics. Her friends like pranking other teams, and Shayla goes along with them, even though it makes her palms itch with nervousness. When Bernard suggests pranking their friend Neela by stealing the stuffed rabbit she takes everywhere, Shayla reluctantly goes along–after all, hasn’t Neela been wishing someone would prank them? But it turns out the rabbit was a gift from Neela’s late older sister who was shot and killed in a crime that was never solved or even investigated. Worst of all, the rabbit goes missing, and Shayla is sure everyone will hate her if she admits what she’s done. She slowly realizes she has to overcome her fear of getting into trouble and find a way to make things right, even if it means risking losing her friends.

I don’t usually review sequels, but I didn’t realize this was one until I was several chapters in, and this could easily be read on its own. Shayla deals with a classic middle school dilemma of fitting in versus standing up for what’s right. Not only is she struggling to come clean about her prank, but she feels moved to speak up about Neela’s sister on social media. Despite her misgivings about being in the spotlight, she ends up learning to do the right thing and seems ready for eighth grade, which I hope will be the setting for a third book.

Graphic novel friendships

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Moonie and Junie: Interstellar Pen Pals by Katie Kordesh (HarperAlley, 176 pages, grades 2-5). Moonie lives by herself on the moon, with only her pet rocks to keep her company. She does pretty well living off the trash left behind by the astronauts who once explored the moon, but what she wants most is a friend. She puts a message in a bottle and sends it off into space. Junie is an alien girl visiting Mars on a family vacation who ends up receiving Moonie’s message. The two start writing back and forth, but Junie has a lot of social anxiety and resists Moonie’s invitations to visit her. Finally, Moonie hatches a plan to get Junie’s more adventurous parents to make a visit to the moon part of their vacation. When they arrive, Junie is miserable, but Moonie slowly introduces her to the wonders of the moon, and a real friendship soon blossoms. Junie’s parents invite Moonie to join them on the next leg of their journey, setting up the premise for book 2.

I had so many questions. Why is Moonie all alone on the moon? What does she eat? What about oxygen? But once I was able to put those aside, I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these two quirky girls and watching their friendship grow. Perfect for graphic novel fans who are ready to move up from Narwhal and Jelly or Pizza and Taco to something a little more substantial.

Last One Picked by Audrey Meeker, colors by Sarah Davidson (Feiwel and Friends, 224 pages, grades 4-7). Annabeth is looking forward to a summer spent reading her favorite Warrior Princess books and volunteering at the library. Her mom has different ideas, though, and signs Annabeth up for volleyball camp. The best player in the camp is Annabeth’s ex best friend Serena who’s an excellent volleyball player but a horrible teammate, thanks in large part to her mom’s nonstop criticism and coaching. After a disastrous first day, Annabeth reluctantly returns and discovers that with help from coaches and other players, she’s actually getting better. She enjoys the next couple of days enough to make the decision to try out for the freshman team at the end of camp. Things turn out differently than either Annabeth or Serena expect, but both of them start to appreciate their unique talents, and by the end, they seem to be back on the path to a friendship. Includes an author’s note about how her own experiences led to the creation of this book.

Although it’s a pretty quick read, this graphic novel covers a wide range of topics including friendship, good sportsmanship, and body image, all of which are handled deftly. I do enjoy a good mean girl redemption arc, and by the end of the story I was rooting for Serena almost as much as Annabeth.

Animals in the snow

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Igloo by Ann Kim Ha (Greenwillow Books, 32 pages, ages 4-8). The first big snow is coming, and Chickadee is out in the cold. A gaggle of geese pass by and form a huddle around the bird to keep it warm. As snow starts to fall, a fox and a bear wrap themselves around the birds to form a tight, warm ball. A gust of wind sweeps them away and down a hill, encasing them in a giant snowball when they finally land. The geese pop out through the top, and the bear and fox dig their way through one of the sides, leaving Chickadee inside a snug igloo home.

This reminded me of Larissa Theule’s The Sweater from earlier this year. Read the two books together for a cozy wintertime story hour with a theme of animals helping each other and the importance of home and community.

Bathtime for Snow Monkeys by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Yas Imamura (Candlewick, 32 pages, ages 4-8). In the snowy mountains of Nagano, Japan, a group of nihonzaru, also known as snow monkeys or Japanese macaques, gather to enjoy the hot springs. One of the babies wants to splash and play, but the others calm him down, grooming him, then helping him gently drift off to sleep. The others relax in the hot water, blissfully unaware of the snow falling on them. Includes an author’s note about the Jigokudani monkey park and the hot springs that were created for the macaques after ski chalets crowded them out of their natural habitat.

Written in a series of haiku poems, this beautifully illustrated book induces a Zen-like tranquility that will get you through any snowstorm this winter. I wish there had been a note somewhere about haiku, but this would be a great way to introduce the poetry form to kids.

Stages of the game

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Game On by Sina Grace (Random House Graphic, 208 pages, grades 4-7). Sasan takes his Persian heritage for granted–his mom is from Iran, and his absent dad is white. Sasan’s far more interested in video games, and when the other kids start talking about the new RadBox gaming console, Sasan begs his mom to buy him one. She makes him a deal: if he learns Farsi, she’ll buy the RadBox. He reluctantly agrees, and the two begin regular lessons together. On top of that, Sasan has the big “Who Am I?” school project to work on, making him consider the influences that have made him who he is. His older sister is disgusted that he’s focusing on video games and superheroes more than culture and family, and Sasan has to give some careful consideration about what’s important to him. He makes some selfish decisions along the way, disappointing his family, his friends, and himself, but by the end, he’s starting to realize that being Persian is an important part of him and beginning to appreciate his family and culture more. Includes an author’s note about how his own adolescence influenced the creation of this story.

I liked that Sasan is a typical middle school kid, often making misguided decisions based on what his friends were doing and wanting to fit in. His mom is pretty awesome, walking the line between holding him accountable and understanding what it’s like to be in middle school. There aren’t enough graphic novel middle school stories with boy main characters, and this would be a great addition to any elementary or middle school library.

Shook by Julian Randall (Henry Holt and Co., 256 pages, grades 4-8). Malik “Shake” Page has his future mapped out for him: after making the varsity basketball team in eighth grade, he’ll go on to star in high school, college, and finally, the NBA. But in his final summer game, he fractures his ankle and has to take a break from basketball. Sitting things out and watching his parents struggle to pay his medical bills trigger his anxiety, and he starts having panic attacks. On top of that, his basketball friends seem to be moving on without him, and his oldest friend, Kyla, has been acting distant lately. With the help of a compassionate therapist, Shake starts to see the pressure he’s been putting on himself and learns some strategies for coping with anxiety, including asking for help from his friends and family.

This novel in verse National Book Award finalist has been aptly compared with Kwame Alexander’s The Crossover. Shake’s voice is true to his West Chicago community, and his love of basketball, his struggles with anxiety, and his discovery about family and friends are all elements that will resonate with upper elementary and middle school readers.

Books with a Thanksgiving vibe

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Family Found: A Queer Friendsgiving Celebration by Joanna McClintick, illustrated by Keisha Morris (Candlewick, 40 pages, ages 4-8). The narrator asks different people at their annual Friendsgiving celebration how the tradition of having dinner together every year got started. No one can quite remember, but each person shares a little bit of LGBTQ+ history. After the feast has been prepared, one of the older participants stands up and recites a short poem offering gratitude for this found family that offers each member love and acceptance. Includes additional information about some of the history mentioned in the text.

A lovely celebration of found family and the LGBTQ+ community whose members may not always be welcome to join their families of origin at the holiday. I wish there had been a little more to the story which felt like a vehicle for sharing history, but it’s a welcome addition to the Thansgiving bookshelf.

The Thing About Pie by Amy Hest, illustrated by Christopher Thornock (Neal Porter Books, 32 pages, ages 4-8). “The thing about pie is waking up early to make it.” The boy in the story, which is told in the second person, has gotten up early to roll out pie crust, mix up blueberries, and top it all with a latticework crust while his dog looks on. He wraps the pie in towels, puts it in his bike basket, and heads off. There’s a tense moment when the pie bounces out of the basket, but happily, it lands right back in the basket again. And finally, boy, dog, and pie arrive at their destination; Grampa’s house, and the boy and his grampa share a piece of pie together. Glorious.

Okay, I’ll admit there’s no mention of a November holiday, but any story about pie, kind actions, and time spent with family is a Thanksgiving book in my opinion. The text and illustrations work together perfectly to tell a simple story that is also extremely satisfying, showing a selfless deed and concluding with a happy shared memory.

Fun books from Caldecott medalists

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Cow and Sow by Matthew Farina, illustrated by Doug Salati (Tundra Books, 48 pages, ages 3-7). Cabin fever hits Cow and Sow as winter drags on, so one day they decide to head outside for a walk to the pond. When Cow slips and winds up on the ice, the two friends discover the fun of gliding on the pond. The next day they bring some friends, and soon everyone is enjoying some winter fun until Cow and Sow get into an argument about who invented a special jump. As the other animals join in the debate, the ice gives way, and Cow plunges into the water. After rescuing her, the friends agree that it was a silly argument and decide to name the jump after both of them, the Sow-Cow.

While Doug Salati won his Caldecott for a book that celebrates summer, this one extols the joys of winter. The story is perfect for preschoolers whether you’re focusing on winter, friendship, or what’s most important in life. You can wrap it up by showing a video of a skater performing a Salchow jump, which I’m pretty sure was the inspiration for the Sow-Cow.

I Wonder If I’m Growing by Raffi, illustrated by Jon Klassen (Tundra Books, 44 pages, ages 3-7). 50 years after its first release, Raffi’s song is given new life with Jon Klassen’s illustrated version. For the first half of the book, readers only see the narrator’s eyes as he peers over the top of the table, bathtub, bathroom mirror, and car window. When his mom tells him to wash his hands in the second half, he realizes he can reach the tap, and his surprised mouth is visible in the mirror. We then get to see him smiling in the car, in the tub, and finally, in bed.

I’m not sure I’ve ever heard a Raffi song (we were a Wee Sing family), but I went back and listened to this one after reading the book. It’s a brief, gentle tune that kids will relate to, and it would be fun to listen to while enjoying Klassen’s illustrations. He does a masterful job of conveying a whole series of emotions through the narrator’s eyes only, and in the second half, his surprised mouth and smile.

Poetry that teaches some history

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La Bandera: Poems of Resistance and Pride by Anika Aldumuy Denise, illustrated by Ericka Lugo (HarperCollins, 48 pages, grades 3-up). Fourteen poems share the history of Puerto Rico beginning in 1868 when Mariana Bracetti created the Puerto Rican flag as a symbol of the revolution against Spain. That freedom was won in 1898…for a little over a week until the United States invaded, as described in the poem “Eight Days.” The collection moves through the twentieth century, to the final poem where the author describes how a visit to the island with her family helped her reconnect with her Puerto Rican heritage. She concludes with an author’s note giving more information about Puerto Rico and her family’s culture. There are also notes giving more information about each poem as well as a preface that gives a brief introduction to the history.

I learned so much about the history of Puerto Rico from this book, a sad commentary on how lacking we are in the history of this island that’s a part of our country and the ancestral home of more than six million people living in the U.S. I was wishing for more information about each of the poems, but I soon realized that there aren’t many children’s books to provide that. Enjoy this beautiful book of poems and illustrations that connect the flag–la bandera–to different events in Puerto Rican history.

A Poem for Dudley Randall: Poet and Publisher of the Black Arts Movement by Don Tate, illustrated by Laura Freeman (Harry N. Abrams, 48 pages, grades K-4). Born to two poetry lovers in 1914, Dudley Randall wrote poems all his life. In high school his poem “Twilight” won first prize in a contest for young poets in the Detroit Free Press. After graduation Dudley took jobs in a foundry at the Ford Motor Company, as a postal worker, a soldier, and finally, in 1955, a librarian. He continued writing, and his “Ballad of Birmingham” expressed his horror at the 1963 bombing of an African American church. It achieved popularity as a broadside, leading Dudley to start a printing company, the Broadside Press, which published some of the most famous Black poets of the time, including Gwendolyn Brooks, Sonia Sanchez, and Nikki Giovanni. The story includes four of Dudley Randall’s poems, and there’s also a list of the artists portrayed in the book, an afterword with additional information about Randall, a list of his poetry collections and anthologies, an author’s note, a bibliography, and additional information about historical events in the text such as the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement.

This is a fascinating picture book biography about a man I had never heard of, but who was a powerhouse in getting the works of Black poets and authors into the world and a gifted poet in his own right. Not only the story, but the beautiful illustrations, the poems, and the lessons in Black history make this a standout, and with four starred reviews, it’s likely to be considered for some awards.

These may come in handy this week

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Three Little Witches and the Spooky Old House by Peggy Archer, illustrated by Gaia Bordicchia (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, ages 3-6). An abandoned house sits at the end of a long, dark road, all alone until three witches make their way to the front door carrying a broom, a sack, and a pot. Inside, they get to work cleaning up the house, building a fire, and casting mysterious spells. Mice, bugs, and ghosts emerge from the shadows and watch them work. Finally, there’s a knock on the door, and the witches greet their friends: an ogre, a mummy, and a goblin. Everyone sits down at the table to enjoy a fall treat of popcorn and cider inside the cozy–and now happy–house.

I had kind of mixed feelings about this book. I really liked all the onomatopoeia and the repetition, both of which would make it a good choice for preschool kids, but the text was written in verses that felt like they should rhyme. My other objection was the traditional gender roles, with the girl witches cleaning, cooking, and serving the food to their male-presenting monster friends. I did love the illustrations, and if you’re looking for a non-scary Halloween book that includes witches, haunted houses, and monsters, this definitely fits the bill.

The Broom of Doom by Becky Davies, illustrated by Thomas Elliott (Union Square Kids, 40 pages, ages 4-8). “This is a story about justice…It is not a story about jealousy at all,” begins the narrator, who turns out to be a witch’s broom. The broom is tired of being in the background all the time, and when it gets its hand on the witch’s wish potion, it’s time to turn the tables. The broom wishes first to be a star and gets turned into a literal star, only to feel invisible again in the sky with so many other stars. Its second wish is to be as famous as the witch, but this turns out to be a burden when the public expects the same level of spells that the witch can provide. Finally, the broom wishes to go back to the old way of being a witch’s broom and is relieved when it turns into a regular broom again. There’s a funny twist on the last couple pages that will leave the reader questioning if it really is the end of the story.

Here’s another non-scary Halloween choice with a cluelessly funny narrator and a classic three wishes sequence that could be used as a compare and contrast with other stories. The comic-style illustrations will appeal to fans of Dan Santat and Pete Oswald. I missed the first book by this team, but if you enjoy this, you can also check out The Mushroom of Doom.

Try these out on reluctant readers

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Framed by Karina Evans and Andrea Bell (HarperAlley, 176 pages, grades 3-7). Tobey’s been in a bad mood for a while now, lashing out at everyone, even her best friend Kate. When her art teacher assigns the class to paint something important to them, Tobey tries, then angrily tosses her paper in the trash. She winds up in detention with two other kids, Layla and Reed. At the end of detention, the art teacher appears and accuses Tobey of having trashed the rest of the class’s paintings and tells her that she’s calling in Tobey’s parents for a meeting with the principal. Layla and Reed offer to help Tobey prove her innocence, and the three of them spend the afternoon sneaking around the school, trying to figure out who framed Tobey. Ultimately, they fail, and Tobey winds up in the principal’s office at the end of the day. There, she confronts her parents about having overheard them discussing a divorce, and the family has a much-needed conversation about what’s going on. Layla and Reed wait for Tobey at the end of the meeting, she tells them about her family, and the three of them manage to crack the case of the art room drama. By the end of the story, Tobey’s still facing some family uncertainties but she’s doing so with the help of her friends Kate, Layla, and Reed.

This is a fun graphic novel mystery as well as a heartwarming friendship and family story. It’s also a quick read that will appeal to reluctant readers. There aren’t enough graphic novel mysteries, and I hope we’ll get another one featuring Tobey and her friends.

Rumor Has It (The Luckies book 1) by Sarah Mlynowski and Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Madi Wong (Scholastic, 192 pages, grades 4-8). Leela and Annie are 15-year-olds who alternate chapters that tell the story of their blended family starting life together in a new home. Leela and her younger sister Mia lost their dad to cancer, while Annie and her brothers Alex and Aiden have a mom who left the family for Hollywood. Their parents are now engaged to each other, and they’re moving into the mansion that Leela’s mom grew up in and that she recently inherited. Annie’s excited to be settling down after moving a lot in her earlier years, while Leela’s sad to be leaving New York City and the memories she has there of her dad. When Annie impulsively volunteers their new house for a big school fundraiser, all kinds of drama ensues with friends, crushes, and old family secrets coming to light. While the new family works things out and seems to be back on track by the end of the book, there are just enough loose ends and one big cliffhanger to have readers eagerly awaiting book 2.

This is book 1 in a series that’s part of Scholastic’s new NEXT imprint which seems to be designed to encourage graphic novel readers to try nongraphic books. With short chapters, high interest topics, and plenty of illustrations, this would be a good suggestion for fans of Soontornvat’s The Tryout or the Raina Telgemeier books. Book 1 of another NEXT series, Rival High, was released at the same time.

Building communities

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This Is a Library Book by Joyce Grant, illustrated by Chanelle Nibbelink (Kids Can Press, 48 pages, grades 3-6). This love letter to libraries looks at all kinds of libraries, from early ones to ancient Greece to ones that have served as beacons in such places as Auschwitz and war-torn Syria, to cutting edge institutions that only have digital books or that lend out unusual non-book items (including people!). There are little free libraries that have made banned books available to everyone and a camel library that brings books to kids in Pakistan. And libraries in places like prisons and hospitals bring light to those living through a dark time. Includes a list of libraries mentioned in the book with their websites, a glossary, a bibliography, and and an index.

Reading this book made me proud to be a librarian and really expanded my definition of the library! I loved the illustrations and the fascinating stories of libraries past, present, and future, although I found the text a bit too small and dense (I wish the creators had continued the first pages’ comic book style throughout). But thank goodness the stereotype of the sensibly-shod gray-haired librarian shushing people is being replaced by cool freedom fighters who bring joy and innovation around the world!

The Little Stone Buddha by Grace Lin (Alvina Ling Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). “The Little Stone Buddha had been lost. He was not supposed to be there.” Surrounded by trash on a city street, the Little Stone Buddha smiles up at the sky, day and night. One day a little girl and her mother walk by. Although her mother tells her not to touch the garbage, the girl pulls out the Buddha and sets him up on a box. Other people see him and start picking up some of the trash around him. A woman brings him flowers; a couple puts an umbrella over him. Little by little, people clean up the area around the Buddha and add plants a mural, and a bench until the dirty garbage dump has been transformed into a beautiful community park. Includes an author’s note and photos about the inspirations for this book: The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton and the Oakland Buddha, a real stone Buddha that helped transform a dumping ground in Oakland, CA.

I found this story delightful and enjoyed the inspiring messages both about a community coming together almost by accident to create something beautiful in their midst and the Little Stone Buddha who smiled at his circumstances whether he was abandoned in a pile of trash or surrounded by flowers and friendly people in a park. I loved how the illustrations gradually transformed from grays and browns to a riot of color.