Author: Janet Dawson

There Is a Rainbow by Theresa Trinder, illustrated by Grant Snider

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Chronicle Books

There is a Rainbow: Trinder, Theresa, Snider, Grant: 9781797211664: Amazon.com: Books
There is a Rainbow: Trinder, Theresa, Snider, Grant: 9781797211664: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Inspired by rainbows her children hung in their windows at the beginning of the pandemic, the author starts with the statement that every story has a beginning and an end.  The illustration shows two kids drawing a rainbow on the sidewalk, also with a beginning and an end.  She then goes on to show what’s on the other side of things: on the other side of a screen is a school; on the other side of a window is a neighbor; on the other side of sadness there are hugs.  And on the other side of today is tomorrow, a tomorrow pictured here as unmasked children and their parents heading toward an open school.  Includes an author’s note.  52 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  As we keep our fingers crossed that we’re heading for the other side of the pandemic, this book really captures the emotions and experiences we’ve shared in the past year, both through the brief text and the rainbow-themed illustrations, which, I might add, are the first I’ve ever seen done by a moonlighting orthodontist.

Cons:  This book seems like it will feel dated in a short period of time.  Let’s hope so.

Facing Fear: An Immigration Story by Karen Lynn Williams, illustrated by Sara Palacios

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Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

Facing Fear: Williams, Karen Lynn, Palacios, Sara: 9780802854902: Amazon.com: Books
Interview with Children's Book Illustrator Sara Palacios – Eerdlings

Summary:  Enrique is excited when his soccer team makes it to the tournament, then disappointed when his dad says he can’t go.  The team will have to pass through a checkpoint, and Enrique’s parents and older sister are undocumented.  Enrique thinks his dad is just scared, and decides to forge his signature on the permission slip.  Before he gets a chance to turn it in, though, there’s a rumor of a round-up, and the family goes to his Tía’s house to hide. There, for the first time, Enrique hears the full story of his family’s escape to the U.S., and decides his parents are both very brave.  After telling his team he’s decided not to play, they show up at his house to tell him they’re not going either, and everyone makes plans for a father-son game the next day.  Includes an author’s note; additional information on immigration and checkpoints; a list of organizations assisting and advocating for immigrant families; and a list of recommended reading.  44 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  A compelling story about a boy forced to make a difficult decision that brings to light many of the issues faced by undocumented families.  The resources at the end provide excellent additional information.

Cons:  The story felt a bit didactic.

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

Published by Carolrhoda Books

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre - Kindle edition by Weatherford, Carole Boston, Cooper, Floyd. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.
Debbie Reese (tribally enrolled, Nambé Pueblo) on Twitter: "Did you click thru? Did you watch Floyd Cooper's video embedded in the article, of him reading from UNSPEAKABLE: THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE? Here's

Summary:  “Once upon a time in Tulsa, there was a community called Greenwood.”  Although this was a segregated community, the Black part of town thrived, with excellent schools, libraries, medical facilities, and enough businesses to call Greenwood Avenue “Black Wall Street”.  But in 1921, accusations by a young white woman that a black teenager had assaulted her ignited a series of events that ultimately left up to 300 Black people dead, hundreds more injured, and more than 8,000 homeless when their community was burned to the ground.  The town was rebuilt, but the massacre was covered up; it was 75 years before an investigation took place that revealed that police and city officials plotted with the white mob to destroy the Black community.  Includes notes from both the author and illustrator describing their connections to this event, as well as photos of Greenwood burning and the Tower of Reconciliation that stands in Tulsa’s Reconciliation Park.  32 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  With six starred reviews, this book will surely be considered for multiple awards next January.  The structure of the story is perfect, describing the amazing community of Greenwood before the massacre as a place where Black people demonstrated that they could build thriving businesses and community services.  The massacre is described in a few heartbreaking pages, and Weatherford and Cooper don’t shy away from laying the blame squarely on the white community.  Their ending notes are fascinating, particularly Floyd Cooper’s story about his grandfather who survived the massacre.

Cons:  The endpapers are before and after pictures of Greenwood.  I wish the front endpaper was a photo like the back one is, but maybe there isn’t a photo in existence of what Greenwood looked like as a flourishing community.

J.D. and the Great Barber Battle by J. Dillard, illustrated by Akeem S. Roberts

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Published by Kokila

Amazon.com: J.D. and the Great Barber Battle (9780593111529): Dillard, J., Roberts, Akeem S.: Books

Summary:  J.D. endures a tough first day of school when he starts third grade with the haircut his mom gave him.  When he decides to take matters (and clippers) into his own hands and fix things up, the results are surprisingly good.  Before long, friends are asking him for haircuts, and he’s started his own barber business in his room.  But Henry Hart, the town barber, doesn’t like the fact that J.D. is taking away his business and threatens to shut him down.  J.D. proposes a solution: have a contest where each barber cuts the hair on three heads and let an impartial judge decide who’s the better barber.  If Henry wins, J.D. shuts his business, but if J.D. wins he can stay open.  The results are a bit of a surprise, and the ending makes it clear that there will be a sequel to J.D.’s story.  128 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  Early elementary kids will enjoy J.D.’s humorous voice; the short chapters and plentiful cartoon-style illustrations are sure to attract lots of fans.

Cons:  It seemed a bit of a stretch that a third grader would become so proficient a barber in such a short time.

The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics by Susan Hood, illustrated by Christiane Engel

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Published by HarperCollins

The Last Straw: Kids vs. Plastics: Hood, Susan, Engel, Christiane: 9780062981394: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Following an introduction by 9-year-old Milo Cress, founder of Be Straw Free, this poetry collection looks at different aspects of plastic, from its undeniable usefulness in many areas to the damage it is wreaking on the environment (especially the oceans) to different ways kids and teens are figuring out to recycle and find alternatives to plastic.  Includes a two-page author’s note; a timeline of the history of plastic from 1839; alternatives to single-use plastic items; top ten plastic ocean polluters; sources, websites, and additional notes for each poem; poetry notes for each poem; three books for further reading; and additional websites for news about plastics.  48 pages; grades K-5.

Pros:  The poetry is just the beginning in this book that is jam-packed with information and inspiring stories about kids working to make a difference in the world by recycling or eliminating plastics.  The colorful illustrators add a lot to the poems, and the 13 pages of back matter, enough to satisfy even me, would make this an excellent resource for older kids.

Cons:  I was feeling so bummed after reading the first few poems that I almost didn’t make it to the more inspirational section.

I Dream of Popo by Livia Blackburne, illustrated by Julia Kuo

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Published by Roaring Brook Press

I Dream of Popo: Blackburne, Livia, Kuo, Julia: 9781250249319: Amazon.com: Books
I Dream of Popo | Livia Blackburne | Macmillan

Summary:  “I dream with Popo” begins a girl living in Taiwan, who loves spending time with her grandmother.  Each page starts similarly: “I walk with Popo”, “I bow with Popo on New Year’s Day.”  After her family moves to San Diego, with Popo staying in Taiwan, she writes “I wave to Popo” as she boards the plane, then “I hug Popo” when she returns for a visit, discovering that it is harder for her to understand Popo’s language now that she is fluent in English.  Then it is “I pray for Popo” when Popo gets sick and finally, “I dream of Popo” as the girl dreams of being with Popo once again.  Includes notes and photos from both the author and illustrator describing their connections to Taiwan and a glossary.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A beautiful story (by Livia Blackburne, who apparently is a best-selling YA fantasy author) about immigration and how relationships with loved ones change after a move.  The author’s and illustrator’s notes personalize the experiences of the girl in the story.

Cons:  Kids may need some help understanding the somewhat ambiguous ending.

365 Days to Alaska by Cathy Carr

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Published by Harry N. Abrams

365 Days to Alaska: Carr, Cathy: 9781419743801: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Rigel has lived all her life in the Alaskan bush with her parents and two sisters, thriving on their isolated, off-the-grid lifestyle.  So when her parents announce that they are divorcing and her mother is taking the girls to the home in Connecticut where she grew up, Rigel is devastated.  Her father, Bear, assures her that he just needs a year to get his life together and then she can come back and live with him.  As Rigel navigates middle school in suburban Connecticut, she silently counts down the 365 days, not telling anyone of her plans to return to Alaska.  At first her only friend is an injured crow that she discovers living behind the school, but as other kids and teachers reach out to her, she realizes she enjoys having human friends as well.  When Bear grows distant and repeatedly breaks promises, Rigel begins to realize that her year in Connecticut may not end the way she had originally planned.  272 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Fans of school and family stories and books featuring animals will enjoy getting to know Rigel and her family.  The descriptions of life in the Alaskan bush are interesting, and the family and friendship dynamics are realistic.

Cons:  Mean girl Hayden was pretty one-dimensional.

The Midnight Fair by Gideon Sterer, illustrated by Mariachiara Di Giorgio

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Published by Candlewick

The Midnight Fair: Sterer, Gideon, Di Giorgio, Mariachiara: 9781536211153: Amazon.com: Books
The Midnight Fair: Sterer, Gideon, Di Giorgio, Mariachiara: 9781536211153: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  When the fair closes down in this wordless picture book, animals come out of the forest to take over.  They start up the rides and games, enjoying the teacups, the carousel, and the cotton candy.  As the sun starts to come up, a man gets ready for the day and heads to the fair as the animals head back into the forest to enjoy their treats and get ready for sleeping.  On the final few pages, a wolf rips open the plastic bag with a goldfish inside that he won, and lets the fish free in a pond.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The illustrator of one of my favorite wordless books, Professional Crocodile, has created a visual feast of many different details of a fair and all sorts of animals enjoying it together.  Kids will enjoy poring over all the details and the fact that the animals are outwitting the humans.

Cons:  I can’t really explain why, but I found this book slightly creepy.  Maybe learning to drive bumper cars and eat cotton candy doesn’t really seem like a positive move for the animal kingdom.

Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin, illustrated by Maribel Lechuga

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Charlesbridge

Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin: 9781580899369 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books
Ten Beautiful Things: Griffin, Molly, Lechuga, Maribel: 9781580899369: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Lily’s in the back seat of Gram’s car, heading toward her new home: Gram’s Iowa farm.  To distract Lily from her sadness, Gram suggests they find ten beautiful things before they get to the house.  “There’s nothing beautiful here,” says Lily, but at that moment, there’s a breathtaking sunrise.  Every time she starts to descend back into her sadness, there’s something beautiful to see: a wind farm, a red-winged blackbird, a gurgling creek.  Finally they pull up at Gram’s farmhouse.  “We only made it to nine,” says Lily.  But Gram reaches down for a hug.  “We’re ten,” she says.  “None of this was easy.  Maybe it would never be easy.  But she belonged with Gram now.  She belonged here now.”  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  While the reader never finds out why Lily is going to live with Gram, it’s clear there’s a lot of grief behind the reason, and Gram is wise to start the hunt for beauty.  The illustrations of the sunrise and thunderstorm are pretty spectacular.

Cons:  Some kids may feel dissatisfied not to know more about Lily; on the other hand, there are many groups of kids who will connect with her situation, so the vagueness may be a good thing.

Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston by Alicia D. Williams, illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara

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Published by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston: Williams, Alicia D., Alcántara, Jacqueline: 9781534419131: Amazon.com: Books
Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston: Williams, Alicia D., Alcántara, Jacqueline: 9781534419131: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Growing up in Eatonville, Florida, Zora loved any kind of storytelling, and would hang around the general store to hear the townsfolk swapping stories.  Her father and grandmother didn’t approve, but her mother encouraged her to “jump at de sun.  You might not land on de sun, but at least you’ll get off de ground.”  Sadly, Zora’s mother died when she was 13 years old, and her stepmother didn’t encourage her dreams.  Zora was on her own at the age of 14, and she went to school as much as she could, graduating high school in her late 20’s.  A college anthropology professor encouraged her to collect Negro folklore.  She started the project in Eatonville, then moved on to other states, Haiti, and the Bahamas.  Zora spent the rest of her life back in Eatonville, typing up those stories and writing her own as well.  Includes an author’s note with additional information; a few Hurston stories recommended for children; and a list of sources.  48 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  The story of Zora Neale Hurston is told with plenty of energy in the voice of the stories she loved by Newbery honoree Alicia D. Williams.  The illustrations complement the story, with cartoon bubbles that includes snippets of those stories.  

Cons:  For such a long picture book biography, which would make a great starting point for research, there was surprisingly little back matter.