Author: Janet Dawson

A Greyhound, A Groundhog by Emily Jenkins, illustrated by Chris Appelhans

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Schwartz and Wade

Image result for groundhog greyhound goodreads

Summary:  A greyhound and groundhog chase each other and play, with the text mirroring the increasingly frantic pace of the illustrations.  It starts with “A hound. A round hound.  A greyhound.”, then moves on to “A hog. A round hog.  A groundhog.”  The two start chasing each other, and pretty soon, there are six sets of action pictures on a two-page spread with the words twisting around the illustrations, “A round hound, a grey dog, a round little hound dog.  A greyhog, a ground dog, a hog little hound dog.”  The two chase butterflies through a bog and a hollow log before finally collapsing together on the ground.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  A playful book that would be loads of fun to read out loud.

Cons:  The plot is pretty thin.

Agnes and Clarabelle Celebrate! By Adele Griffin and Courtney Sheinmel, illustrated by Sara Palacios

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Published by Bloomsbury

Summary: Agnes Pig and Clarabelle Chicken are best friends who help each other celebrate holidays.  When Clarabelle struggles with the Maypole dance, Agnes makes her feel better.  When Agnes gets stage fright at the Fourth of July parade, Clarabelle helps her out.  They also enjoy Halloween trick-or-treating and trying to stay up on New Year’s Eve together.  Each of the four chapters highlights their holiday adventures.  80 pages; grades 1-3.

Pros:  A perfect first chapter book, full of cheerful illustrations.  Part of Bloomsbury’s new Read and Bloom series for newly independent readers.

Cons:  I somehow got the second book in the series instead of the first one.  Fortunately,  I was able to pick up the storyline pretty quickly.  In the interest of full disclosure, the pages shown above are from the first book.

Egg by Kevin Henkes

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Greenwillow Books

Summary:  The first four pages have four panels showing eggs in yellow, pink, blue, and green.  Yellow, pink, and blue birds hatch out of their eggs and fly away, but the green egg remains an egg.  After a wait, the three birds return, listening to the egg, then pecking to try to release the animal within.  Finally, a baby crocodile emerges.  Frightened, the birds fly away, leaving a sad, lonely crocodile behind.  They slowly return to his back, and the four become friends, enjoying a variety of adventures.  The setting sun morphs into a pink egg, with the words “The End”, then on the final page, “maybe”, as a pink bird flies off.  40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  A simple gem, with many of the pages containing 4 (or occasionally, 16) panels, like a graphic novel.  The pastel color palette is perfect for the story, and the entire tale is told with pictures and just 15 words.  The three animals befriending a newly-hatched crocodile reminded me of Leo Lionni’s The Extraordinary Egg.

Cons:  What’s really up with that pink egg?

I’m Back!

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Happy new year!  I’ve enjoyed having the month of January off, but am ready to get back to work!  I’ve started reading 2017 books, and will start reviewing them tomorrow morning.

Thank you for all your messages!  I got many emails and comments, and it was gratifying to hear how many people out there are using the reviews on this blog to choose books for kids, whether it’s for a library, classroom, or family.

As many suggested, I may slow down the pace, possibly taking a day or two off each week, and going on an occasional vacation.

What did I read in January?  I finished up some 2016 books, like Slacker by Gordon Korman, I Am Jazz by Jazz Jennings, and Life in Motion by Misty Copeland.  I was planning on posting reviews of these, but I spilled water on my laptop, and am pretty sure the reviews I wrote are gone.  I recommend all three, although read I Am Jazz first if you’re planning to put it in a school library.

While I was gone, ALA announced all its award winners.  What did you think?  I was pretty happy overall, although I was disappointed The Wild Robot and Some Writer! didn’t get any recognition.

Well, onto 2017!  I do enjoy hearing from you, so feel free to comment or email me (jkdhamilton@gmail.com) any time.

 

 

January Hiatus

~ Janet Dawson ~ 26 Comments

I’ve been posting daily book reviews since February 20, 2015, and I’m ready for a break.  I love doing this blog, but as you can imagine, it’s time-consuming to read and review a book every day.  For the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about shutting down, but I’m not ready to call it quits for good.

I’ve decided to take the month of January off.  It’s a good time, since I’ve read and reviewed most of the 2016 books I want to, and it will be a few weeks until I can start getting my hands on 2017 books.  I’ll use the time off to decide whether or not I’ll continue reviewing in 2017, and get back to you no later than February 1.

In the meantime, I’d love to hear feedback about the blog, so please feel free to leave a comment or email me at jkdhamilton@gmail.com.  Thank you so much for reading my reviews, and I will be back in a few weeks!

Seven Favorite Graphic Novels

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Teachers, parents, and librarians may have mixed feelings about graphic novels, but they’re the most popular books in my libraries, by far.  I couldn’t get my list down to five, so here are seven from 2016 that raised the bar on both art and storylines:

I Am Pan! by Mordicai Gerstein.  Published by Roaring Brook Press.

Caldecott winner Mordicai Gerstein may have entered his ninth decade, but he’s still creating masterpieces.  This fun introduction to mythology focuses on fun-loving Pan.  We can only hope for some follow-ups.

Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke.  Published by First Second.

Jack and the Beanstalk with a lot of modern twists, from the author of the Zita the Spacegirl series.  A sequel is in the works.

The Nameless City by Faith Erin Hicks, color by Jordie Bellaire.  Published by First Second.

I haven’t had a chance to review this, since I just finished reading it about 20 minutes ago, but trust me when I say upper elementary and middle school students will love the action, political intrigue, and courageous, likeable kid characters in this first installment of a new series.

The Great Pet Escape by Victoria Jamieson.  Published by Henry Holt.

Victoria Jamieson followed up her Newbery-honor Roller Girl with this hilarious tale about three classroom pets who make a break for the wilderness.  It’s billed as part of the “Pets on the Loose!” series, so we can hope for a sequel in 2017.

Snow White by Matt Phelan.  Published by Candlewick Press.

There’s got to be at least one award in store for this dark, highly original version of Snow White that takes place in Depression-era New York City.

Dog Man by Dav Pilkey.  Published by Graphix.

I’m a tiny bit embarrassed to include this on my list, but I did love it…millions of 8-year-old boys can’t be wrong, can they?  Good news, Dog Man Unleashed was released last Tuesday.

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier.  Published by Graphix.

Fans of Smile, Sisters, and Drama will not be disappointed by Raina Telgemeier’s slightly darker story about two sisters exploring life and death in their new haunted hometown.

5 Favorite Poetry Books

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I’m neither an expert in nor a huge fan of poetry, but there was a pretty good selection in 2016.  Here were five that I really liked:

Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams brought to life by Ashley Bryan.  Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Ashley Bryan really did bring these men and women to life, using historical documents as a springboard for his imagination to create lives for each of these eleven through art and poetry.

Are You an Echo? The Lost Poetry of Misuzu Kaneko by David Jacobson, Sally Ito, and Michiko Tsuboi, illustrated by Toshikado Hajiri.  Published by Chin Music Press.

A beautifully illustrated retelling of the brilliant, tragic life of Japanese poet Misuzu Kaneko, complete with translations of many of her deceptively simple poems.

Jazz Day: The Making of a Famous Photograph by Roxanne Orgill, illustrated by Francis Vallejo.  Published by Candlewick.

The history of Art Kane’s 1958 photograph of 57 jazz musicians against the backdrop of a Harlem brownstone, told with poems in the voices of the subjects and the bystanders watching them.

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary School by Laura Shodd.  Published by Wendy Lamb Books.

Eighteen fifth graders share their hopes, dreams, and fears, as they prepare for the closing of their school in June; they use a variety of prompts and poetic forms that are explained at the end of the book.

Echo, Echo: Reverso Poems about Greek Myths by Marilyn Singer illustrated by Josee Masie.  Published by Dial Books for Young Readers.

Second verse same as the first…only backwards to completely change the meaning.  Super cool poems in two voices for Percy Jackson fans.

Six Nonfiction Favorites

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I couldn’t get it down to five; six was hard enough.  Nonfiction is my favorite.  I don’t think any of the books on this list will win awards, but they were the ones I found most interesting.

The Airport Book by Lisa Brown.  Published by Roaring Brook Press.

A boy explains each step of an airplane trip, from packing up at home to driving from the airport to Grandma and Grandpa’s house.  The pictures are as busy as LaGuardia at Thanksgiving.

Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts by Susan Cain with Gregory Mone and Erica Moroz.  Published by Dial Books for Young Readers.

The most practically helpful book I read this year.  Wish I had had it middle school.  Unfortunately, despite my enthusiastic recommendations, I haven’t been able to get any actual teens to check it out of the library.  They’re probably too embarrassed.

Their Great Gift: Courage, Sacrifice, and Hope in a New Land by John Coy, with photographs by Wing Young Huie.  Published by Carolrhoda Books.

Looking at present-day immigrants, this book puts sympathetic human faces on a group that is all too often used as pawns in political debates.

In the Shadow of Liberty: The Hidden History of Slavery, Four Presidents, and Five Black Lives by Kenneth C. Davis.  Published by Henry Holt.

American history and the Founding Fathers in a whole new light.  I couldn’t put it down.

Animals by the Numbers: A Book of Animal Infographics by Steve Jenkins.  Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Come on…you didn’t think the president of Steve Jenkins’ fan club was going to leave him off her list of favorites, did you?

Rising Above: How 11 Athletes Overcame Challenges to Become Stars by Gregory Zuckerman, with Elijah and Gabriel Zuckerman.  Published by Philomel Books.

I don’t think this book has gotten to rest on a library shelf since I bought it for my school last spring.  Even I, a non sports fan, found it extremely inspiring.

Five Caldecott Predictions

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I know the Caldecott is given for art, but I can’t help considering the story as well.  While I could appreciate the illustrations in this year’s contenders, some of them didn’t grab me as a book, and I was pretty sure wouldn’t excite kids (sorry, Philip and Erin Stead).  Here are five that I appreciated on all levels:

Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis.  Published by Candlewick Press.

With its invented language and complex insect storyline, Du Iz Tak? was hard to beat for sheer fun.  Candlewick keeps pushing the envelope, sometimes more successfully than others, but this one hit the mark.

The Night Gardener by Terry Fan, illustrated by Eric Fan.  Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers.

A gorgeously-illustrated book about making a difference through topiary?  What’s not to like?

Miracle Man: The Story of Jesus by John Hendrix.  Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers

Jesus was a man with a message, and I love how the words of some of those messages are woven into the large, occasionally dramatic illustrations.

Before Morning by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes.  Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

The brief, poetic text and scratchboard illustrations work together perfectly to capture the way a snowstorm can change the world overnight.

Radiant Child by Javaka Steptoe.  Published by Little, Brown.

Here’s the one book on the list I’d be hesitant to put in my elementary library.  The details of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s life are somewhat harrowing, but the illustrations are beautiful and pay homage to his art.

Five Newbery Predictions

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This week I’ll be rounding up the year with some lists of my 2016 favorites.  I’m starting today with my prediction of which of those favorites are likely to get  Newbery awards on January 23.  Maybe I’m getting jaded after almost two years of writing this blog, but I’m just not as excited about the field this year as I was for the 2016 awards.  Still, there were some books I loved, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll get some recognition.  After going through my reviews with the past year, here’s what I’ve got:

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.  Published by Little Brown

With its largely animal cast of characters and its meditations on friendship, community, and life, The Wild Robot reminds me a little of Charlotte’s Web.  Admittedly, the ending is darker, but there’s a spark of hope that I hope lays the groundwork for a sequel.

The Inquisitor’s Tale, or The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, illuminated by Hatem Aly.  Published by Dutton Children’s books.

If the Newbery committee doesn’t see that this 13th-century tale of prejudice, hatred, love, and redemption was one of the most timely books of 2016, they’re not really paying attention.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds.  Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Castle “Ghost” Crenshaw is one of the funniest, most likeable narrators of 2016, so easy to root for as he finds his way back from a family tragedy with the help of a heroic track coach.  A contender for the Coretta Scott King award as well.

Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet

Newbery or Caldecott?  Melissa Sweet is better known as an illustrator, but her writing here was surprisingly engaging as well.  I found it a hard book to put down, not always the case with a biography.

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk.  Published by Dutton Books.

Maybe not the most kid-friendly choice on the list, and no happy ending, but the writing is beautiful and you’ll be thinking about the story for a long time afterward.