Month: October 2023

Game of Freedom: Mestre Bimba and the Art of Capoeira by Duncan Tonatiuh

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  Manoel dos Reis Machado, a.k.a. Bimba, loved capoeira, a sport involving martial arts-like moves done to musical accompaniment.  Involving predominantly Black players, the sport had been banned in Brazil by the all-White government who considered it barbaric.  In 1932, Bimba became Mestre Bimba when he opened a school to teach the art of capoeira, introducing a rigor and discipline that eventually made it appealing to a wealthier clientele.  It took twenty years of hard work, but in 1953, Mestre Bimba and his students were invited to do a demonstration for the president of Brazil.  This removed the last of the discrimination against capoeira, and although Mestre Bimba passed away in 1974, the sport is widely popular throughout Brazil today.  Includes a glossary, an author’s note, photos, and a bibliography.  48 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Illustrated in Duncan Tonatiuh’s trademark folk-art style, this fascinating biography will have readers heading over to YouTube to see some live demonstrations of capoeira.  Tonatiuh has won both the Pura Belpré Award and Robert F. Sibert Medal, and this book could be a contender for both.

Cons:  I saw some recommendations for as young as preschool, but I would say this is definitely for upper elementary and middle school kids.

Finch House by Ciera Burch

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Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Summary:  Micah is sad about her upcoming move; while it will be nice for her and her mom to have their own home, she will miss her beloved grandfather Poppop.  To escape from packing, she goes on a bike ride and ends up in front of Finch House, an old house that Poppop has repeatedly warned her to stay away from.  To her surprise, a boy her age is outside, and he introduces himself as Theo, part of the family that has recently moved into the house.  Micah finds herself strangely drawn to the house, and when Theo invites her inside, she can’t say no. But before long, the two of them begin to discover some of Finch House’s secrets, including a dark secret from Micah’s family’s past.  Micah soon realizes that she’s trapped in the house until she can break the spell that has traumatized her family for two generations.  208 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A spooky story featuring ghosts and a haunted house that delivers a powerful message about family secrets and healing the past.  The ending will leave readers wondering what will happen next for Micah.

Cons:  This wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be…the family issues took over some parts of the story and made it less suspenseful. 

In the Night Garden by Carin Berger

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Published by Neal Porter Books

Summary:  “In the night garden, you can lie on the cool grass and look up to the millions and trillions of stars.”  A girl in the night garden gazes at the sky as the text takes the reader on a tour.  You might see or hear animals like a cat on a roof, a bat swooping through the air, or a fox leading her sleepy cubs home.  The moon may be a tiny sliver or a giant harvest moon. The sounds of crickets, bullfrogs, and the wind will lull you to sleep; the last page shows the girl tucked into bed.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A beautiful bedtime story with amazing collage illustrations, each one of which would be suitable for framing and displaying as a stand-alone work of art.  I’m adding this to my Caldecott contender list.

Cons:  As I prepare for my annual Caldecott vote at school, I wish there were more contenders that tell an engaging story for my second- and third-grade listeners.

The Real Story by Sergio Ruzzier

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  “WHAT?!” shouts Cat when she sees the broken cookie jar on the floor.  Then “MOUSE!”  “Yes?” replies an innocent-looking Mouse.  When pressed, Mouse weaves some good tales about what happened to the cookies and their jar: the cookies themselves broke free; it was a slimy monster; no, it was an alien named Georgette; okay, it was actually a bug.  Finally, Cat insists that Mouse tell the truth, which is that Mouse ate all the cookies and the jar fell on the floor.  “That’s such a boring story,” says Cat.  “Can you tell me another cookie story?”  Mouse agrees, in exchange for a cookie.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  An adorable ode to the power of storytelling that is sure to be a hit as a read-aloud.

Cons:  Kind of a squishy message about telling the truth.

The Bees of Notre-Dame by Meghan P. Browne, illustrated by E. B. Goodale

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Random House Studio

Summary:  It’s springtime in Paris, and while most people are out enjoying the warm weather, Sibyle is on the roof of Notre-Dame Cathedral taking care of the bees that live up there.  They enjoy the spring weather, too, going out into the city to find the abundant flowers.  No one is expecting the fire that sweeps across the cathedral’s roof one April morning.  When the fire is finally extinguished, Parisians rally to restore their ancient treasure…working hard to rebuild, just like the bees.  Includes additional information about the bees that live on the roof of Notre-Dame and the 2019 fire at the cathedral, as well as a few photos and a list of recommended reading.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  The lyrical text and detailed illustrations of both the cathedral and the beehives introduce two topics that readers will find intriguing.

Cons:  The ending felt abrupt.

The Wishing Machine by Jonathan Hillman, illustrated by Nadia Alam

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  A boy and his mom make their usual Sunday visit to the laundromat, but this week is different.  It’s their last time, because they have to leave their apartment and move in with his grandparents in their trailer.  While he tries to look at the bright side–being with grandparents, having a dog–he’s sad to be leaving his familiar home and his friends.  He pretends the washing machine and dryer are wishing machines, and he wishes to be able to stay.  While they wait for the machines to run, he asks his laundromat friends what their wishes are: a new scooter, a green card, a cat.  Finally, the laundry is done, and there are enough coins left for a bag of cookies from the vending machine, which he shares with his friends.  As he and his mom leave, she shares her wish with him–to be together and happy–and he realizes that being with his mom is the most important thing.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A poignant story about a family facing hard times, with a resilient mom who helps her son stay focused on the good in their lives.

Cons:  Seems like pretty tough times for everyone at the laundromat.

Slime Shop created by Karina Garcia with text by Kevin Panetta, illustrated by Niki Smith

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Versify

Summary:  Bailey, Sophia, and Jayden run a successful slime shop called BSJ.  What they don’t know is that when they leave the kitchen, their slimes have a life of their own.  Those slimes have been noticing that other slimes are being shipped off to unknown destinations, and they’re determined to stay in their home.  Adding another complication is Boris, a green slime who’s always been grumpy, but has suddenly gotten worse, transforming innocent slimes into his zombie minions.  When Bailey’s off for a weekend at her dad’s house, a few of the slimes stow away in her backpack, determined to get some answers from the Original Slime, who’s rumored to live in Bailey’s dad’s garage.  The action shifts between their adventures on the road and the battle continuing to unfold back at home as the slimes get some answers and learn some important lessons about themselves in the process.  Includes slime recipes and a cast of characters guide.  208 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  I wasn’t sure I would enjoy a graphic novel featuring a bunch of slime characters, but it turned out to be unexpectedly charming and cute with a satisfying storyline.  Kids will undoubtedly enjoy heading over to Karina Garcia’s slime-based YouTube channel after reading this.

Cons:  I struggled a little to keep the slimes straight and would have appreciated the cast of characters at the beginning instead of at the end.

The Voice in the Hollow by Will Hillenbrand

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Holiday House

Summary:  Young mouse Hubert Cumberbun loves stories and can often be found at the branch (in a tree) library.  One day, a blizzard hits when he’s there, and Hubert has to find his way home through the hollow.  A kind woman appears, offering to lead him, and together they make a journey that grows increasingly spooky.  Trees and rocks appear to have faces, and a gatefold page shows a large bear with two frightened-looking cubs.  They make it to a familiar lamppost, and Hubert strikes out on his own.  When he turns back to say thank you, the woman is gone, and he can only see his own footprints.  He finally makes it home, where his family is gathered around the fire drinking hot chocolate and reading books.  “Welcome home,” says his mother.  “It looks like you have a new story for us.”  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A deliciously creepy tale with gorgeous snowy artwork and a reassuringly cozy ending.

Cons:  As I’ve no doubt mentioned before, I have mixed feelings about those fragile gatefold pages in the library.

Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Laura’s just arrived at her aunt’s house as this novel in verse opens.  Her parents are in rehab following Laura’s 911 call, and she’s trying to deal with the fallout, including guilt for having made that call.  Titi Silvia provides her with structure and a comfortable home but is emotionally distant.  When Laura finds an abandoned pit bull puppy, she resolves to train him as a therapy dog, believing this will be her ticket to getting to visit her parents.  A new friend, Benson, is struggling with sickle cell disease, but offers to help her with training as his health allows.  After Laura’s parents check themselves out of rehab, and her mom makes a disastrous unannounced visit to her school, Laura realizes that her path back home may be longer and more complicated than she first believed.  Some therapy and heart-to-heart talks with Titi Silvia help her find a greater acceptance of her new life and the new people who are trying to help her.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This follow-up to Andrea Beatriz Arango’s Newbery Honor book Iveliz Explains It All is a moving story narrated by a believable protagonist who has to navigate some pretty tough situations feeling like she is more or less on her own.  

Cons:  There was so much packed into this relatively short story–foster care, addiction, chronic illness, dysfunctional families, Laura’s Puerto Rican heritage, therapy dogs–that it felt like some of the topics didn’t get explored as fully as they could have.

Zora, the Story Keeper by Ebony Wilkins, illustrated by Dare Coulter

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Kokila

Summary:  Zora loves hearing her Aunt Bea’s stories about family members.  Aunt Bea used to teach acting, and she dresses up and acts out the tales, or reads from the pages of a family scrapbook she keeps.  Lately, though, Aunt Bea has been sick, and Zora has to help with the storytelling.  When her aunt has to go to the hospital, Zora visits and tells her the stories she remembers.  Aunt Bea doesn’t come home from the hospital.  At her funeral, people bring photos and share memories.  Later, Uncle Ralph gives Zora Aunt Bea’s scrapbook with the photos, saying Aunt Bea wanted her to have it, and together they start piecing together the story of Aunt Bea’s life.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  A beautifully illustrated book that celebrates the power of stories and family love.

Cons:  This seems like it will have more appeal for adults or older kids than for the recommended age group.