Author: Janet Dawson

The Brilliant Ms. Bangle by Cara Devins, illustrated by K-Fai Steele

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Published by Feiwel and Friends

Summary:  Everyone’s excited about the first day of school until they discover that beloved librarian Ms. Stack has moved away and been replaced by Ms. Bangle.  The kids decide, sight unseen, that they will refuse to read with Ms. Bangle until Ms. Stack comes back.  Even when they discover that Ms. Bangle is funny and has some great books, they hold fast to their resolve.  Ms. Bangle is understanding and unperturbed, assigning them some of her library jobs while she hems a pair of pants instead of reading to the kids.  After trying to write lesson plans, sort books, and take boxes down to the basement, the kids are ready to reconsider.  They enjoy a good read-aloud, then check out books and settle down to read in the library.  A few wonder if Ms. Bangle was pretending all along, but at this point, what does it matter?  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  If you’re looking for a new book for the first day of library–or for a librarian role model–you may have found one with this entertaining book that will have kids clamoring to go to the library.

Cons:  Ms. Stack–undoubtedly one of my contemporaries–looked to be about 102 years old.

Mr. S by Monica Arnaldo

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Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  On the first day of school, there seems to be no teacher, although there’s a cup of coffee and an “impressive-looking” sandwich on the front desk.  The kids are gearing up for a day with no rules when a ruler falls loudly off the teacher’s desk.  It’s then that the students notice “Mr. S” written on the board.  “As one, the children murmured: Mr. Sandwich…”  From that moment on, the kids, under the watchful olive eyes of the sandwich, proceed with their school day as normal (with a few sandwich-y twists thrown in).  Sharp-eyed readers will notice a man outside the window dealing with a storm that first knocks a tree onto his car, then hits the car with a bolt of lightning that completely destroys it.  He finally enters the classroom, changes “Mr. S” to “Mr. Spencer,” and introduces himself as…the principal.  “And I see you’ve already met your teacher, Mr. S,” he says, indicating the sandwich.  The last page adds a final mystery, as the sandwich reveals that his name isn’t Mr. Sandwich, but a splotch of mustard on the endpapers keeps his true identity a secret.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Pretty sure this will be my back-to-school read-aloud this year.  It has the same kind of zany humor my students enjoyed in Puppy Bus (my opening selection last year), and kids will love the story the illustrations tell about the principal and his car.

Cons:  I am wracked by curiosity as to what the sandwich’s real name is.

Rise to the Sky: How the World’s Tallest Trees Grow Up by Rebecca E. Hirsch, illustrated by Mia Posada

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Millbrook Press

Summary:  The tallest living thing isn’t an animal: it’s a tree.  Trees can grow taller than the Statue of Liberty or Big Ben, closing in on 400 feet.  Amazingly, they all start as a small seed, but the ideal conditions of sunlight and water can result in lots of growth and a long life, sometimes thousands of years, with protection from their bark and roots.  From their great height, the trees send down their seeds to the ground, beginning the process all over again.  Includes additional information about trees, photos and facts about some of the world’s tallest trees, a couple of tree activities, and a list of resources.  32 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  An excellent informational book with beautiful illustrations and plenty of back matter.  Perfect for any unit on trees, plants, or seeds.

Cons:  It would have been nice to have a map showing where the tallest trees live, since they seem to be concentrated in just a few places in the world.

A Delicious Story by Barney Saltzberg

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Hippo Park

Summary:  A little mouse is looking for a story.  “Oh…I haven’t seen one,” says the big mouse, looking away.  “Wait, isn’t this a book?” asks the little mouse.  It is indeed, but there is no story.  When pressed, the big mouse admits that he ate the story AND the pictures.  It was a delicious story, and he offers to tell the little mouse a new one.  It’s a tough process, but eventually the two mice work together to create a cozy story…with a surprise ending.  80 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:  Elephant and Piggie fans will get a big kick out of this story that’s perfect for beginning readers (and listeners) and that provides a fun introduction to stories and storytelling.

Cons:  There’s not a lot of action in the illustrations.

Shakti by SJ Sindu, illustrated by Nabi H. Ali

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by HarperAlley

Summary:  Shakti’s family has moved a lot, but her moms promise that the move to Amherst, MA will be the last one for a while.  Her mother Terri is pregnant and working on a PhD at the university, while her other mother Rita is a programmer with a pretty good knowledge of magic.  Shakti has shown an inclination toward magic, but after accidentally burning down the house as a baby, she’s been forbidden from using her powers until she’s older.  Shakti makes some good friends at her new school but discovers that three of the mean girls are practicing witchcraft to bind the school to them, making all the teachers love them while neglecting the rest of the student body.  Determined to break the spell, which threatens to hurt Shakti’s new baby sibling, Shakti and her friends call on the Hindu goddesses Rita has taught her about, unleashing power that they then struggle to contain.  Shakti learns that she has to let go of her anger and focus her powers to save her family, her friends, and her town.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Witchcraft in western Massachusetts?  I knew I had to read this graphic novel as soon as I heard about it, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, from the middle school drama to the concise but detailed introductions to Hindu mythology.  Recommend this to readers looking for something a little more fantasy-oriented than the usual middle school graphic novel.

Cons:  The b-word (represented as b–) is used a few times.

Love Is Loud: How Diane Nash Led the Civil Rights Movement by Sandra Neil Wallace, illustrated by Bryan Collier

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Summary:  Growing up in Chicago, Diane Nash went to integrated schools and didn’t experience much discrimination.  When she went to Fisk University, though, she was appalled by the Jim Crow laws she encountered in Nashville.  Unwilling to accept the status quo, she overcame her fears to protest segregated lunch counters, eventually leading a movement that led to the mayor desegregating all of Nashville’s counters.  She went on to work with Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Freedom Riders to end segregation of interstate buses.  When she was sent to jail while expecting her first child, her refusal to be released on bail drew national attention.  Diane later returned to Chicago and continued her activism, losing her passport when she traveled to North Vietnam in 1966.  She’s traveled across the U.S. for decades, continuing to deliver her message that love creates change.  Includes an author’s note, an illustrator’s note, a timeline, and additional resources.  48 pages; grades 2-6.

Pros:  An inspiring story of a woman whose incredible courage led to real changes during the civil rights movement, and who has kept that work going to this day (she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022).  As usual, Bryan Collier’s beautiful watercolor and collage illustrations should be considered for Caldecott or King award.

Cons:  I found the second-person narrative (“You arrive in the spring of 1938…”) confusing when it came to describing some of the events Diane Nash was involved in.

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow by Elaine Dimopoulos, illustrated by Doug Salati

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Charlesbridge

Summary:  Butternut is part of a large rabbit family that lives in a burrow in Milkweed Meadow.  The rabbits keep pretty much to themselves, learning storytelling and safety skills from their mother and grandmother.  A chance encounter with a young robin named Piper, however, expands Butternut’s horizons, and she finds herself overcoming her many anxieties to go on adventures with Piper and a young deer named Winsome that they befriend when Winsome breaks her leg in the rabbits’ burrow.  The title’s remarkable rescue involves some orphaned coyote pups, an operation that Butternut advocates for even though they will grow up to become predators, and one that ultimately involves all the animals of the meadow.  Butternut’s newfound courage and sense of connection to other species inspire her mother and grandmother to put aside some of their own fears and to open themselves up to the meadow community.  192 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  This beautifully written and illustrated animal story shows the power of storytelling, community, and courage with enough humor to keep the messages light.  It would make an excellent elementary read-aloud or book club selection.

Cons:  I wish there had been more illustrations by Caldecott medalist Doug Salati.

Oona in the Arctic by Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by Raissa Figueroa

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Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  When a baby beluga whale appears in the warm waters where Oona the mermaid lives with her animal friends, they all embark on a journey to take the beluga back home.  They head north with a map to guide them, but a storm destroys the map, and Oona has to figure out how to keep going.  A mermaid named Siku finds them and leads them through the Arctic, where they’re offered additional assistance from a narwhal, a group of polar bears, a walrus, some humans with a dog sled, and a flock of snow geese.  Finally, the baby beluga is reunited with its family, and Oona, Siku, and their friends enjoy a magical display of the northern lights.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I’ve somehow missed the previous two Oona books about this adventurous Black mermaid and her adorable animal friends, who’s joined in this story by an Inuit mermaid.  One can never have enough mermaid stories, and this one, with its cute illustrations and page-turning excitement, is sure to be a hit.

Cons:  Oona’s scarf seemed like scant protection against the Arctic cold.

The Together Tree by Aisha Saeed, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Salaam Reads

Summary:  When Rumi joins the class in early spring, he’s quiet and keeps to himself.  At recess, a couple of the other kids, Ella and Asher, make fun of Rumi’s shoes, which he decorated with his friends back in California.  Han doesn’t think their teasing is funny, but he doesn’t say anything.  The bullying gets worse, and Rumi withdraws under a tree at recess, drawing with a stick in the dirt.  When Asher throws a pebble at Rumi and cuts his knee, Han finally speaks up, asking Rumi to play, then noticing the beautiful world Rumi has created in the dirt under the tree.  Soon the other kids are joining them, and Rumi finds himself in the middle of a happy group of kids.  When he sees Asher sitting by himself indoors the next day, though, Rumi tells the kids he wants to go inside.  The last page shows all the kids, including Asher, drawing together under the tree.  Includes an author’s note about her son’s experiences with bullying in kindergarten that inspired this book.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A moving story of how both a victim and a bystander use kindness to defuse a bullying situation, illustrated with Caldecott honoree LeUyen Pham’s bright, appealing pictures.

Cons:  There was a disturbing lack of adult supervision on the playground.

The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Dr. Morley is leading a scientific expedition to find the giant Arctic jellyfish.  Preparations are made, then the ship takes off, ready to spend months in the cold Arctic, far from home.  When they cross into the Arctic Circle, they see animals like narwhals, beluga whales, and orcas, but the jellyfish remains elusive…at least to the scientists.  Readers will notice the jellyfish on almost every page, hiding under the ship, gazing up at the northern lights, or peeking at the crew from behind an iceberg.  As time goes on, Dr. Morley and her crew begin to grow weary and think of home.  Finally, she orders the ship to turn around and head for home. “Wait.  Could that be…?” The final page shows the doctor at the rail of the ship as it sails away, and the giant Arctic jellyfish gazing back at her.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A very fun book that gives the feel of an exciting if frustrating scientific expedition.  Between the detailed cutaways of the ship, the gorgeous views of the Arctic, and the humorous antics of the jellyfish, readers will enjoy poring over the illustrations.

Cons:  I sheepishly admit that I thought this was a nonfiction book until I got to the end of it.