Month: November 2019

Amazon Affiliate

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

I was talking to a blog user recently who wasn’t aware of the Amazon Affiliate program I participate in, so I thought I’d post a reminder for others who enjoy this blog.

At the bottom of each of my reviews I post a link: “If you’d like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.”  If you click on that and buy the book–or anything else on Amazon–I get a (very small) percentage of that sale.

This blog is a labor of love, and I would never try to make money from it any other way.  You’ll never see ads here.  But I do spend many hours working on it, so it’s nice to get that little kickback from Amazon if you’re going there anyway.  Seems like it’s a win-win.  Let me know in the comments if you have any questions about this.

Just In Case You Want to Fly by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Christian Robinson

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Published by Neal Porter Books

Image result for just in case you want to fly

Image result for just in case you want to fly

Summary:  “Just in case you want to fly/here’s some wind/and here’s the sky/here’s a feather/here’s up high/and here’s a wing from a butterfly.”  This book invites readers who may be on the cusp of new experiences to spread their wings and fly. It may not always be easy (“and just in case you want to cry/here is a tissue and here’s a sigh”), but there is also plenty to celebrate.  And plenty of support, as the book concludes, “and here is a map with an x on the spot to find your way home to me.” 40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  Julie Fogliano and Christian Robinson prove once again (as they did with When’s My Birthday? that they make an excellent team, with Fogliano’s pitch-perfect rhymes and Robinson’s colorful and endearing collage illustrations.  This would make an excellent gift for a graduate or anyone else embarking on a new endeavor.

Cons:  I’m not a huge fan of these inspirational picture books…give me a good story any day.

Image result for just in case you want to fly christian robinson

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

The Shortest Day by Susan Cooper, illustrated by Carson Ellis

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Published by Candlewick

Image result for shortest day carson ellis"

Image result for shortest day carson ellis"

Summary:  Susan Cooper’s poem, originally created in 1974 for Christmas Revels, celebrates the winter solstice.  “So the shortest day came,/and the year died,/And everywhere down the centuries/of the snow-white world/Came people singing, dancing,/To drive the dark away.”  People are shown celebrating, bundled up against the cold, with torches and fire to light the long, dark night. As the sun finally rises, they celebrate and give thanks.  Illustrations include a Christmas tree, wreath, holly, and a menorah. An author’s note gives the history of her poem, with the full text printed on the last page. 32 pages; grades K-5.

Pros:  A beautiful book to share in December; it’s a celebration without connections to any particular religious holiday (unless you count the solstice).  The poem is lovely, and the gorgeous illustrations perfectly capture the darkness, light, and spirit of celebration.

Cons:  This may be a little over the heads of younger kids, who will undoubtedly still choose The Polar Express as their preferred holiday fare.

Image result for shortest day carson ellis"

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of the “The Children’s Ship” by Deborah Heiligman

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Image result for torpedoed heiligman"

Summary:  On September, 1940, the ship SS City of Benares left England, bound for Canada.  On board were 90 children traveling as part of the Children’s Overseas Reception Board (CORB) program, which evacuated British children to safer countries.  A few days into their journey, the ship was torpedoed by a German submarine, and sank in about half an hour. Of the 90 children, only 17 survived. Most were picked up the next day, but due to a miscalculation, Lifeboat 12 was missed by the rescuers and was adrift for eight days before finally being spotted by a plane (a story told in verse by Susan Hood in 2018’s Lifeboat 12).  The survivors returned to England, and CORB suspended operations after this tragedy.  Includes a list of all those who died, as well as a lengthy bibliography and index. 304 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  I started reading this with trepidation, as I’m not crazy about reading about disasters at sea (no more Titanic books, please).  I kept flipping between the narrative and the list of those who died, and I could tell the outlook for most was not good.  Once the torpedoes hit, though, I couldn’t put the book down. The storytelling is masterful, following the narratives of so many different children and the adults who traveled with them.  I saw this on a Newbery prediction list.  I’d be surprised if it got a Newbery, but I could definitely see a Sibert award.

Cons:  As mentioned above, reading about the drowning deaths of 73 children isn’t really my favorite pastime.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

It Began With a Page: How Gyo Fujikawa Drew the Way by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Julie Morstad

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by HarperCollins

Image result for it began with a page amazon

Image result for it began with a page julie morstad

Summary:  From an early age, Gyo Fujikawa loved drawing and painting.  She pursued her passion in college, an unusual move for a girl in those days, particularly an Asian-American one.  Traveling to her parents’ homeland of Japan, she learned traditional art techniques that she incorporated into her own work.  Gyo had experienced prejudice as a child, and this became worse in her adult years with the advent of World War II. Living on the East Coast, she was able to stay in her home, but the rest of her family in California, was not so fortunate.  They were sent to prison camps, losing their home and most of their possessions. After the war, Fujikawa continued to paint, and also to observe the continuing struggles for civil rights. Noticing the homogenous portrayals in children’s books, she created a book about babies with all different skin colors.  After many rejections, her book was finally published in 1963, where it became a big seller, and allowing Gyo to illustrate many more books over the next two decades. Includes a timeline of Gyo’s life, a note from the author and illustrator, and a list of sources. 48 pages; grades K-5.

Pros:  There’s a lot to learn and discuss in Gyo Fujikawa’s life.  The illustrations, inspired by Gyo’s own work, are beautiful, with lots of adorable babies.  Readers may be interested ins seeking out the original picture books, many of which are still in print.

Cons:  This may not be a book kids are likely to pick up on their own, and the length and subject matter may make it a better choice for older elementary students.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

 

 

Fever Year: The Killer Flu of 1918 by Don Brown

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Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

Image result for fever year don brown

Image result for fever year don brown

Summary:  Using a graphic novel format, Don Brown tells the story of the flu epidemic of 1918 and how it spread across the United States and around the globe.  The tale is told in three acts: January-July 1918 when the epidemic began; August-December 1918 when it raged full force; and 1919 when it came back to life, sickening, among others, President Woodrow Wilson at an important peace conference in Paris.  The text is brief, but covers many different aspects of the epidemic, including the spread and death toll, the importance and shortage of nurses, how different cities reacted when the flu hit them, and scientists’ attempts to figure out what was causing the disease.  The book concludes with recent scientists’ experiments that lead to the revival of the virus which had been preserved in the lung tissues of one of its victims, and questions as to the ethics of such work. Includes a five-page bibliography. 96 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  Don Brown packs a lot of information into fewer than 100 pages, in a format that will appeal to many readers.  Fans of Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales may enjoy this, as well as other graphic history books by Brown.

Cons:  All the reviews I saw recommended this for grades 7 and up, but I feel like there’s no reason not to suggest it to fifth and sixth grade history buffs.  True, it’s a story of disease, pestilence, and death, but nothing that I would consider inappropriate for kids 10 and up.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation by Stuart Gibbs

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Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Image result for charlie thorne and the last equation

Summary:  The CIA is desperately seeking Pandora, an equation created by Einstein that has the potential to solve all the world’s energy problems–or to take out large portions of Earth’s population.  A terrorist group may be closing in on figuring out Einstein’s super-secret location, so the CIA has decided to recruit Charlotte “Charlie” Thorne, a 12-year-old girl with the world’s highest IQ.  She also happens to be the half sister of Dante, the agent assigned to the case. In a series of nail-biting escapades, Charlie and her colleagues race against the clock to try to beat the terrorists as well as a rogue agent in solving the clues to reveal the location of Pandora.  Filled with non-stop action and narrow escapes, the story ends ambiguously for Charlie, leaving the door open for a sequel. 400 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  Stuart Gibbs fans will not be disappointed with his newest series starter.  Charlie occasionally presents as a bratty know-it-all, but then again, she does pretty much know it all, due to her astronomical IQ; she also has a fun disrespect for authority that tweens are sure to appreciate.  The pace never slows down, and readers will be propelled through the pages as fast as Charlie travels down her favorite ski slope.

Cons:  Although Stuart Gibbs’ other series are popular with my fourth and fifth graders, I’m a little hesitant to recommend this for readers younger than fifth grade.  The terrorist leader spews a lot of racist hatred, and there’s a somewhat disturbing scene where a man is burned alive. 

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Count Me In by Varsha Bajaj

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Published by Nancy Paulsen Books

Image result for count me in amazon

Summary:  Seventh graders Karina and Chris have been neighbors for years, but never friends.  When Karina’s grandfather moves in and starts tutoring Chris in math, though, the two discover they have more in common than they thought.  The three are on an outing together one day when a man attacks Karina’s Indian-American grandfather in front of the two kids, pulling a knife and hurling racist epithets.  Her grandfather ends up in the hospital, and all three are traumatized, but drawn closer together.  Karina uses her photography skills to express what she’s feeling, and before long some of her pictures have gone viral. Others in the community come together to show their support, and Karina’s #countmein tag becomes a way for people to share their own stories of how they became part of America.  171 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  With its alternating points of view and “stronger together” theme, this book reminded me a lot of Save Me A Seat by Sara Weeks.  Although it’s a quick read, there’s a lot to discuss, and most kids will find personal connections to the characters and settings.  This would make a great read-aloud or book club choice for fifth or sixth grade.

Cons:  With so much happening in relatively few pages, it felt like the characters lacked some depth.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Just Ask! Be Different, Be Brave, Be You by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Rafael López

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Philomel Books

Image result for just ask be different be brave be you

Image result for just ask be different be brave be you

Summary:  Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor begins the book by telling her own story, how she was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at the age of 7.  She sometimes felt self-conscious when she had to give herself insulin injections around others. Although she felt like other kids were curious, no one ever asked her about what she was doing.  She encourages readers to ask questions if they want to know about something they don’t understand. The book then looks at kids planting a garden; just like the plants in the garden, each child is different in some way: one is blind, one is in a wheelchair, two have different forms of autism, and so on.  Each child tells a little about himself or herself, then asks a question like, “Do you ever take medicine to be healthy?” or “How do you use your senses?” Sonia finishes up by celebrating everyone’s abilities, and how all the differences make the world a more interesting place. Her final question is, “What will you do with your powers?”  Also available in a Spanish-language edition, ¡Solo Pregunta! 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This is a great introduction to a wide range of conditions that affect many different kids.  The tone is accepting and celebrating, and it’s a nice way to encourage children to talk to each other about differences in a respectful way.  The illustrations are gorgeous, showing a diverse group of children frolicking around a beautiful garden.

Cons:  I wish there had been more specifics about how a child (or adult) should ask someone about a physical difference.

Image result for solo pregunta sotomayor

If you would like to buy the English edition on Amazon, click here.

If you would like to buy the Spanish edition on Amazon, click here.

Frank and Bean by Jamie Michalak, illustrated by Bob Kolar

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Candlewick

Image result for frank and bean jamie michalak

Image result for frank and bean jamie michalak

Summary:  Frank is enjoying a solitary camping trip, working on his writing, when Bean pulls up in his RV and starts tooting his trumpet, banging his drum, and singing.  Frank is annoyed, but Bean is so unrelentingly upbeat that the hot dog starts to unwind a bit. He enjoys one of Bean’s jelly-filled donut holes, and even secretly writes a poem about it.  When Bean discovers this, he makes up a tune to go with it, and the two new friends decide to form a band: The Chili Dogs. 48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A friendship story in the spirit of Frog and Toad, with Frank playing the straight man to Bean’s jokester.  Although the text is perfect for new readers, the chapters will make them feel like they’re reading a “real” book.

Cons:  Although this is billed as book 1, I don’t see a sequel available yet.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.