Month: June 2024

A basketball ace, a designer of space, and an ultramarathon race

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Wat Takes His Shot: The Life & Legacy of Basketball Hero Wataru Misaka by Cheryl Kim, illustrated by Nat Iwata (Lee & Low Books, 40 pages, grades 2-5). Wataru Misaka was an active child, growing up in Utah as a second-generation Japanese American, or Nisei. His father taught him the Japanese word gambatte, meaning to do your best, and Wat took the lesson to heart, pushing himself to work hard in school, on the basketball court, and later, after his father died, to help support his family. During World War II, Wat’s family escaped being sent to concentration camps, since they didn’t live on the coast, but they still faced discrimination. At the University of Utah, Wat slept under the bleachers in the gym when the segregated dorms were full. He made the college basketball team, but at first didn’t get to play and was barred from away games. When he did get on the court, spectators yelled racist slurs at him. Keeping in mind gambatte, Wat never gave up, eventually leading his team to a national championship. He was recruited by the Knicks, becoming the first player of color in the BAA (later the NBA). After being released from his contract, Wat returned to school and got his engineering degree. He excelled throughout his life, at work, in the community, and on the golf course and bowling alley. The last page shows him exchanging jerseys at a meeting with Asian American NBA star Jeremy Lin. Includes a lengthy author’s note, a photo of Wat in 2008, and a list of sources.

Basketball fans will enjoy this biography, although it’s a bit lengthy with quite a bit of historical context, making it perhaps a better choice for older kids. The history is fascinating, though, with lots of action-packed illustrations, and the lesson in perseverance is an inspiring one.

Mr. Pei’s Perfect Shapes: The Story of Architect I. M. Pei by Julie Leung, illustrated by Yifan Wu (Quill Tree Books, 40 pages, grades 1-5). As a boy in China, Ioeh Ming Pei was fascinated by the volcanic rock statues in his grandfather’s hometown of Suzhou that took shape over many years from water falling on them. His love of structure continued as he grew up, sketching buildings he saw being built in Shanghai before coming to America at the age of 18 to study architecture. He rose to fame in 1964 when Jackie Kennedy selected him to design the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. His innovative designs and ways of seeing shapes led to other famous buildings like the Louvre Pyramid and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He returned to Suzhou at the age of 90 for the installation of an art museum he had designed for the city, admiring once again the rock statues he had seen as a child. Includes a timeline and additional resources.

Although I’ve heard of I. M. Pei I didn’t know the many famous buildings he designed. His innovative way of thinking and problem solving is emphasized in the text and especially the illustrations, which show of the beauty of the modernistic architecture Pei helped create.

Daughter of the Light-Footed People: The Story of Indigenous Marathon Champion Lorena Ramírez by Belen Medina, illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, grades K-4). Lorena Ramírez has become an unlikely ultramarathon champion, competing in races wearing the traditional clothing of her Rarámuri (meaning “light-footed”) people: a skirt and rubber-soled huarache sandals. The story takes place over the course of sixty-mile race, during which she reflects on her past that has brought her to this point. Growing up in a remote corner of Mexico, she became a strong runner by herding goats and cows, playing ball games with her siblings, and walking for hours to buy food. At the end of the race, she is the first to cross the finish line. Includes a two-page note with additional information about Lorena and a list of sources.

Lorena Ramírez’s story is fascinating, the way she has become a champion in an unconventional way, holding onto her people’s traditions and honoring them in the way she dresses. The beautiful illustrations show the people, animals, and landscape of her home. I do wish books like this would give the introductory information at the beginning so the reader (at least this reader) isn’t trying to figure out what is going on throughout the whole story.

Games people play

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

The Life-Changing Magic of Chess by Maurice Ashley, illustrated by Denis Angelov (Harry N. Abrams, 40 pages, grades 2-6). Maurice Ashley, the first Black Chess Grandmaster, weaves together his own story with some basics of playing chess. The book is divided into ten tips from Ashley (#1 – It’s like being a magician, #2 – Everyone starts as a beginner), which he elaborates on in a series of two-page spreads. In addition to introducing the pieces and explaining how they move, he includes a few suggested series of plays. It’s clear that becoming a good chess player involves a lot of hard work and research, and Maurice talks about some of the setbacks he experienced on the road to Grandmaster, encouraging kids to persevere and hold onto their dreams. The last few pages include more information about him, along with several photos, and there’s also a glossary.

This new series includes The Life-Changing Magic of Skateboarding, with drumming and baking due out at the end of the summer. Although I have never understood chess nor had the inclination to play it, I found this book very engaging, and I like the way Maurice Ashley tells his own story as he explains the fundamentals of the game. The illustrations add a lot and are essential for showing how to move the pieces to start or end a game. I hope there will be many more additions to this series.

Curveball by Pablo Cartaya, illustrated by Miguel Diaz Rivas (Disney Hyperion, 192 pages, grades 3-7). Elena is an excellent baseball player, the only girl on the boys’ team, with a mother whose support borders on helicopter parenting. When Elena hurts her knee at the beginning of the summer, she’s a bit relieved to have to give up her planned baseball clinic, but she soon realizes that she has no friends outside of baseball. With nothing else to do, she starts hanging out with her younger brother and his live action role-playing (LARP) pals. Elena’s kind of forgotten how to use her imagination and have fun, but the other kids talk her through it, and before long she’s not only figured out a way to combine baseball and LARP, but she’s met a couple of sporty girls her age who have learned how to strike a balance between athletic competition and fun. Their example helps Elena find the courage to talk to her mom, who reveals how her own early disappointments have fueled her passion for Elena’s baseball playing and agrees to let Elena have more autonomy over her own life.

Part Roller Girl, part Cardboard Kingdom, this colorful graphic novel has something for everyone, with a strong Latina character (Spanish is expertly woven into the dialog), and a nice message about finding a balance in life.

Lucky Scramble by Peter Raymundo (Dial Books, 192 pages, grades 3-7). The story of the national Rubik’s Cube championship focuses on 12-year-old Tyler Gooden, an up-and-coming cuber who got his start after his dad died three years ago. The Rubik’s cube was a gift from his father, and although Tyler had never solved it, focusing on it after his dad’s death helped him with his grief. Other competitors are profiled, including egotistical champion Dirk Speedman, 8-year-old prodigy Eli Newton and his obnoxious dad who will stop at nothing to see his son win, twins Izzy and Lizzy who are learning to establish their own identities, and 1980’s great Miles Wizzinski, who’s hoping for a comeback despite his carpal tunnel syndrome. The national championship competition brings out the worst–and eventually the best–in many of the characters, as they all learn and grow on their way to fighting it out for the title.

This hybrid mix of illustrated chapter book and graphic novel is sure to be a hit with its colorful cartoon-style illustrations and intriguing, if slightly one-dimensional, characters. Watching the competitors solve the cube in record-breaking times will surely have readers seeking out winning strategies on YouTube.

Memories of China

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Growing Up Under a Red Flag: A Memoir of Surviving the Chinese Cultural Revolution by Ying Chang Compestine, illustrated by Xinmei Liu (Rocky Pond Books, 40 pages, grades 2-6). Ying grew up during China’s Cultural Revolution, with parents, both doctors, who were targeted for being part of the educated class. Her father taught her English and told her stories of his days studying in San Francisco, and the Golden Gate Bridge became a symbol of that life. Ying recalls the day her dad was forced to burn all his English books and papers, hiding his ties to the west from the government. Shortly after that, he was arrested, and life grew increasingly difficult for Ying and her mother, with food shortages and worries about the future. After Mao’s death in 1976, the family was reunited. Ying eventually moved to the U.S. to study, and the final picture shows the family eating with her father’s teacher, Dr. Smith, the Golden Gate Bridge in the background.

Born Naughty: My Childhood in China by Jin Wang with Tony Johnston, illustrated by Anisi Baigude (Anne Schwartz Books, 112 pages, grades 2-5). Imagine Ramona Quimby living in 1980’s Mongolia, and you’ll have a good idea of the vibe of Jin Wang’s lively childhood memoir. Living in a one-room mud hut with her parents and two younger brothers, Jin embraces all of life experiences, whether it’s traveling with her father to fetch the family’s precious water supply, beating the boys at tree-climbing, harvesting mushrooms and potatoes, or learning calligraphy. Real dangers are never far away, and her story of being attacked by a potentially rabid dog is harrowing. The last chapter shows the family taking a break from their demanding lives to celebrate the new year together. In the authors’ notes, Jin Wang shares more details of her life, including a 2019 trip back home that affirmed her happy childhood memories, and she and Tony Johnston relate how they met in yoga class and created this book together.

These two very different memoirs offer contrasting views of Chinese childhoods just a decade apart, one of a middle-class family dealing with government persecution and hardship, the other of a much poorer rural family facing different hardships but able to lead a freer life. Jin Wang’s memoir would make a great book club choice for second or third graders. There are plenty of similar stories for this age group that would make an interesting contrast to Jin’s childhood. While Ying’s story is a picture book, it may appeal to older students up into middle school, who might have a better understanding of the Cultural Revolution and what it meant to the people living through it.

Animals, dead and alive

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Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle, illustrated by Jason Chin (Neal Porter Books, 48 pages, grades 2-5). When a 90-year-old blue whale dies on her annual northern migration, her body slowly sinks a mile before settling on the bottom of the ocean. Scavengers like hagfish and sleeper sharks, attracted by the chemicals released to this rare source of food, start devouring the whale meat. This process can go on for years until only the skeleton is left. A second stage begins with a new set of scavengers (hello, bone-eating zombie worms), who feed on the whale remains for decades. 150 years later, the bones are still releasing chemicals that feed algae, which in turn feed krill. The krill is eaten by a pregnant blue whale, thus completing the cycle of life that includes the old blue whale and the new one. Includes additional information about blue whales, ecosystems, and the four phases of a whale fall ecosystem, as well as additional resources.

This beautiful, well-written science book is sure to be a contender for the Caldecott and the Sibert awards, both of which amazing illustrator Jason Chin has won before. The information is fascinating, with descriptions of a process and animals that exist so far under the sea that scientists are just beginning to learn about them. There’s a lot of text and scientific information, which made me wonder if the book would hold the attention of younger elementary readers. If it’s too much, you can direct them to Melissa Stewart’s Whale Fall.

I Was: The Story of Animal Skulls by Katherine Hocker, illustrated by Natasha Donovan (Candlewick, 40 pages, grades 2-5). A skull says, “I was,” as the teeth, bones, holes, and cracks help tell the story of the animal it belonged to. Each two-page spread shows a skull with the voice of the animal describing part of the skull that hints at its identity. Turn the page and see the animal as it looked when it was alive. There’s a lynx, a deer, a beaver, a hummingbird, a wolf, and an owl. The last few pages celebrate the human skull, which protects the brain that allows us to understand the world around us. Includes a labeled diagram of a human skull with additional information about different parts, more information about the animals in the book and the human skull, and a few additional resources.

The large, vivid illustrations capture both the skulls and the animals beautifully. I always enjoy a book that gives kids the opportunity to guess what’s coming next, as it makes for a more engaging read-aloud. I found the premise kind of sad, though, with dead animals describing themselves when they were alive, and I wish the name of the animal had been included with the picture.

Survival of the Fittest: Who Will Come Out on Top? by Rebecca Donnelly, illustrated by Misa Saburi (Henry Holt and Co., 112 pages, grades 2-5). A reality TV show has six animals competing for the best engineering feat, with a hermit crab serving as host and three sharks judging. A chameleon, humpback whale, gecko, elephant, peacock mantis shrimp, and diabolical ironclad beetle each make a case for why it should be the winner, showing off a unique adaptation that allows it to survive. A winner is declared in the final chapter, and additional information about each animal’s “invention” is given on the last few pages.

Billed as book 1, this looks to be the start of a graphic novel series that may appeal to fans of the Who Would Win series. It’s cute and funny, with some interesting animal information, although not nearly as much as Who Would Win provides. The winner seemed like kind of a random choice, but I guess that’s more or less in keeping with the nature of reality TV.

Poetry for scientists

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A Planet Is a Poem by Amanda West Lewis, illustrated by Oliver Averill (Kids Can Press, 40 pages, grades 2-5). An introduction explains that a planet is a poem, and a poem is a planet, setting the stage for the integration of science and poetry. There’s a poem for each planet, as well as for the sun (but, surprisingly, not the moon), the Kuiper Belt, Arrokoth (an object located in the Kuiper Belt), and one for future astronomers. Each poem is on a page that unfolds to a gatefold that contains additional information on both the subject of the poem and the poetic form, with illustrations that expand as well. It’s a clever concept that educates about both planets and poetry, but I’m hesitant to get this for my library, knowing how even one gatefold page tends to get destroyed pretty quickly. Back matter includes information about writing your own poem, with facts about Planet X to serve as possible inspiration; a glossary of space terms; and a list of sources and resources.

The City Sings Green & Other Poems About Welcoming Wildlife by Erica Silverman, illustrated by Ginnie Hsu (Clarion Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). In a dozen poems, Erica Silverman describes projects around the world where a single person or small group has made a difference with conservation. Each poem is spread over two or three pages, accompanied by colorful illustrations and a paragraph describing the project. From rewilding the playground in Los Angeles to cleaning a beach and restoring a sea turtle habitat in India to creating a bee “highway” in Norway, these projects will inspire kids to find ways to make a difference. With plenty of resources in the back, this would make a great starting place for a unit on ecology that might inspire hands-on projects.

June holidays

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They Built Me for Freedom: The Story of Juneteenth and Houston’s Emancipation Park by Tonya Duncan Ellis, illustrated by Jenin Mohammed (Balzer + Bray, 32 pages, ages 4-8). Emancipation Park in Houston, Texas tells its history, beginning on June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Texas learned that they were free. Most of the spreads begin with the words “they built me”: “They built me to celebrate,” “They built me to show they were strong,” “They built me to play.” Illustrations show Black people building a park on the ten acres they purchased, enjoying picnics and barbecues, swimming in a pool that allowed them access, and enjoying a baseball game. The park eventually fell into disrepair, but a new generation restored it and rededicated it in 2017. An afterword gives more information about the park, including a brief paragraph at the end about Juneteenth.

This lovely book celebrates Emancipation Park, and, to a slightly lesser extent, Juneteenth. Although the holiday provides the starting point, much of the book is dedicated to Black people persevering to create a beautiful park for themselves that allows them to experience joy, community, and celebration, which is captured in both the text and the illustrations. I wish the afterword were a foreword, as the book is more interesting with some background knowledge.

With Dad by Richard Jackson, illustrated by Brian Floca (Neal Porter Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). A boy reminisces about a magical camping trip he took with his father, fishing, eating the fish cooked over the campfire, and sleeping in a tent from which they can hear the hoot of an owl. The last few pages fast forward to winter, when Tim and his mother are reading an airmail letter from Dad, who is overseas fighting in a war. “I want Dad home safe and soon and warm,” Tim says, planning to pick up where they left off with another camping trip.

Wow, the end of this book just about broke me! Good picture book memoirs aren’t easy to create, and this one is phenomenal, with so many details of the camping trip that show a loving father teaching his son without ever being overbearing, all enhanced by Brian Floca’s beautiful illustrations. While not explicitly about Father’s Day, this would make a perfect gift for the holiday.

More summer reading

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Heatwave by Lauren Redniss (Random House Studio, 40 pages, ages 4-8). A child and dog seek relief from a brutally hot summer day, heading for the beach after a basketball game is cancelled. Even that doesn’t provide much respite, as a man reads a newspaper with the headline “Record heat across globe” in a nod to climate change. Then a wind blows, clouds roll in, and a single blue raindrop appears across the red page. A downpour changes the red to blue, as the sun sets, the moon rises, and the weather cools, just in time for sleeping.

I’ve been reading Doug Salati’s Hot Dog to classes recently, and this reminded me of that book, with its spare text and warm and cool colors that convey the heat of a summer day and the relief of finding coolness.

Summer Is Here by Renée Watson, illustrated by Bea Jackson (Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 40 pages, ages 3-7). A young girl takes readers through a typical summer day, personifying summer as she wakes the girl up with her early morning light. There’s swimming, double Dutch jump-roping, a cookout in the park that includes a water balloon fight, an ice cream truck, and bubbles. As the sun goes down, and the girl gets ready for bed, she whispers a wish to the moon that summer could stay.

The narrator reminded me of a young Ryan Hart from Renée Watson’s chapter book series. It’s a kinder, gentler introduction to summer than Heatwave, with both the text and illustrations capturing many joys of the season and could serve as a prompt for kids to write about their summer memories.

Summer reading

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Samira’s Worst Best Summer by Nina Hamza (Quill Tree Books, 336 pages, grades 4-7). Sammy’s hoping for some down time over summer vacation to recover from a rough seventh grade year. Painfully shy and insecure, her best times are when she’s behind a camera observing and taking pictures. When her house is toilet papered on the last day of school, she’s sure her ex-best friend Kiera is behind it, part of a campaign of cruelty that has gone on all year. Sammy’s grandmother, Umma, arrives from India to look after Sammy and her younger brother Imran, while their parents and older sister travel to India for a family wedding. Umma is loving, supporting, and also extremely outgoing, and she slowly draws Sammy out of her shell, helping her to connect with some of the neighbors, especially Alice, a new girl on the street. As Sammy and Alice work together to solve the mystery of the TP’ing and another mean prank, Sammy slowly learns to speak up for herself and to claim a new identity for herself as Samira.

Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim (Random House Graphic, 240 pages, grades 3-7). Maya’s another one recovering from a difficult school year, her only refuge being the kitchen where she enjoys whipping up delicious masterpieces. She’s not sure how she feels when her dad and his girlfriend, Charlotte, announce on the last day of school that Charlotte is moving in, but the blow is softened when she learns that Charlotte has offered to send her to culinary camp. A mix-up at the bus station lands Maya at Camp Dracula, where the other campers have fangs, drink blood boxes instead of juice boxes, and don’t have reflections. Horrified at first, she slowly begins to bond with the other campers and finds them friendlier and more accepting than the humans she’s been around recently. By the time she gets the opportunity to switch to culinary camp, Maya realizes that Camp Dracula is where she belongs.

Although these books have many differences, they are remarkably similar with introverted protagonists who have endured a grueling middle school year, and who find supportive friends and family to help them embrace their strengths and come into their own during summer vacation. I found both of them extremely engaging stories that would make for some great beach reading. Of all the vampires I’ve been forced to read about over the years, Maya’s friends may be my favorites.

A picture book potpurri

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Everyone Gets a Turn by Marianne Dubuc (Princeton Architectural Press, 60 pages, ages 4-9). When friends Bear, Mouse, Turtle, and Hare discover an egg, each one wants to take it home. The egg provides the answer: “Everyone gets a turn!” Mouse found the egg, so he brings it home first, getting to know the egg and learning how to keep it comfortable. Next is Bear, who gets a surprise: the egg hatches, and Little Bird arrives. Hare and Turtle figure out how to feed and care for a young bird, and by the time the visit with Turtle ends, Little Bird has built her own home and is ready to take care of herself. There’s a housewarming party, at which time Little Bird declares she will henceforth be known as Clara, and the five friends and neighbors “continue to grow, each in their own way.” The story could hardly be any cozier or more heartwarming, and the longer page count and graphic novel format will make it appealing to older readers as well as younger kids. I’d love to know the story of how this came to be published by the Princeton Architectural Press.

The Bicycle: How an Act of Kindness Changed a Young Refugee’s Life by Patricia McCormick and Mevan Babakar, illustrated by Yas Imamura (Balzer + Bray, 40 pages, grades 1-4). Mevan tells the story of her childhood, beginning with idyllic early years surrounded by family in Kurdistan. When the Iraqi government begins persecuting the Kurdish people, Mevan and her family are forced to flee, first to Turkey, then to Russia, and finally to the Netherlands. Mevan learns to make herself as invisible as she can. In the Netherlands, she watches people outside her window riding bicycles, but she rarely leaves the apartment herself. It feels like no one sees her, but it turns out that Egbert, the building’s handyman, has noticed her, and one day he brings her a red bicycle. His gift makes Mevan feel “a hundred feet tall,” and before long, she’s outside riding with the rest of her neighbors. An epilogue describes the miraculous reunion she had with Egbert as an adult, including a photo of the two of them, and an author’s note describes her life as a refugee, how it has made her feel like an outsider, and the miraculous power of kindness. This is a touching if bittersweet memoir with an emphasis on the power of one person’s kindness to make a difference. I like how the epilogue ends, describing the ripple effect of her story of finding Egbert: “In a world where there are many people running from war, from hunger, from hatred, people everywhere, of every age, asked themselves: What’s one kind thing I can do?”

The Elephant and the Sea by Ed Vere (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 32 pages, ages 4-8). Gabriel is an old elephant when we meet him on the first page, sitting in the harbor and remembering his younger days. Back then, he loved to visit the lifeboat crew and dreamed of helping sailors at sea, singing “Heave away, haul away, heave-HO!” But then Gabriel grows…and grows, and the other animals say he’s too big for the lifeboat. He refuses to give up his dream, though, and spends his days collecting driftwood and building. When a storm hits that’s too strong for the lifeboat crew, Gabriel is ready with his own boat that he uses to haul in the entire fleet. “Brave Gabriel, our hero!” the animals hail him. “Can we join you?” “Of course,” Gabriel replies. “But we might need a bigger boat.” And Gabriel enjoys a career of lifesaving, bringing us back to the old elephant remembering. It’s a cute story with a nice theme of perseverance and determination, with a fun “Heave away” repeating refrain. This would make a nice companion to read with Swashby and the Sea.