Author: Janet Dawson

Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Random House Studio

Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott: Rockliff, Mara, Christie, R. Gregory: 9781524720650: Amazon.com: Books

Sweet Justice: Georgia Gilmore and the Montgomery Bus Boycott: Rockliff, Mara, Christie, R. Gregory: 9781524720643: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  “Georgia Gilmore was cooking when she heard the news.”  Rosa Parks had been arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a city bus, news that came as no surprise to Georgia who had had her own run-in with a bus driver and no longer used the buses.  She was delighted when a boycott was announced and enjoyed the company of others when she walked to work.  Georgia started cooking to raise money for the drivers giving rides to those whose commute was too far to walk.  Later, she helped her friend and neighbor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by testifying in court at his trial for organizing the boycott.  King reciprocated by giving Georgia money to start her own restaurant when she was fired from her job.  Soon, the restaurant overflowed with enthusiastic diners, and Georgia was cooking once again when she heard the news that the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that segregated buses were unconstitutional.  Includes additional information about Georgia Gilmore, a list of sources, and a note about research that should be required reading for all young researchers.  40 pages; grades K-5.

Pros:  Mara Rocklin’s engaging writing style and Caldecott honoree R. Gregory Christie’s vivid illustrations bring to life this unsung heroine of the civil rights movement.  Readers will be inspired to learn how humble actions like cooking and walking to work helped bring about important changes.

Cons:  I could have enjoyed a recipe or two.

Beak & Ally: Unlikely Friends by Norm Feuti

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by HarperAlley

Beak & Ally #1: Unlikely Friends: Feuti, Norm, Feuti, Norm: 9780063021570: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Ally is an alligator minding his own business when he hears, “Fee Boo, Fee Boo.”  A new bird has landed in the swamp, and that bird wants to be Ally’s new best friend.  Beak seems a bit lacking in social skills, and Ally says he wants to be left alone.  Soon, however, Ally receives an invitation for a nest-warming party and decides he’ll go for ten minutes.  On his way, he passes a sad-looking Beak, who informs him that the party has been canceled.  Ally discovers that the new nest has been taken over by a bird called a Long-Necked Party Pooper.  Annoyed by the Party Pooper’s bullying attitude, Ally reclaims the nest for Beak, whom he refers to as his friend.  That’s all Beak needs to hear to get busy planning out adventures for the two friends.  64 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  This is a bit of a Throwback Thursday, since this book was published in 2021.  It kind of stayed under the radar with only one slightly sour review from Kirkus but was a 2022 Geisel honor book.  I found it charming and entertaining, a perfect beginning graphic novel for new readers.  Book #3 comes out in May, so there’s the 2022 connection.

Cons:  Although the title of the series is Beak and Ally, the alligator is never referred to by name in the story. The bird introduces himself as Beak, but the alligator calls him Fee Boo.

The Girl in the Lake by India Hill Brown

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

Published by Scholastic

The Girl in the Lake: Brown, India Hill: 9781338678888: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Celeste is apprehensive about spending two weeks at her grandparents’ lake house with her brother and cousins.  She’s just had a bad experience with swimming lessons and is still afraid to get in the water.  Her grandparents are big advocates of Black people learning to swim: her grandfather worked as a lifeguard, and her grandmother had a sister who drowned while trying to teach herself to swim.  Grandma and Grandad are understanding, though, not only of Celeste’s concerns but also of her brother’s reluctance to hike in the woods and her cousins’ fears of thunderstorms and driving.  Before long, though, the kids have bigger concerns as weird happenings make them begin to suspect that the house is haunted by the ghost of their great aunt who drowned, a girl who bore a strong resemblance to Celeste.  As the ghost seems to grow more menacing, the four cousins must put aside their differences and work together to survive their time in the house. Includes an author’s note that talks more about how segregation has kept Black people from learning to swim, including her own story.  224 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A ghost story with just the right amount of scare for the intended audience, with some empowering messages about overcoming fears and being on the right side of history. 

Cons:  The girl on the cover creeped me out so much I had to turn the book face-down before I went to sleep.

Hide and Geek by T. P. Jagger

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Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

Amazon.com: Hide and Geek eBook : Jagger, T. P.: Kindle Store

Summary:  Gina and her friends Edgar, Elena, and Kevin are dismissively referred to as GEEKs by a classmate.  Each one has a passion that some consider geeky: Gina’s an aspiring investigative reporter; Edgar is into theater; Elena loves science; and Kevin is a mathematician who’s running for class president.  They pool their talents to try to find a treasure rumored to have been hidden by Maxine Van Houten, inventor of the popular Bamboozler puzzle that helped her town flourish.  Since her death, the town has fallen on hard times that are affecting all four of the kids’ families.  As the GEEKs work their way through the clues left by Maxine, they start to suspect that someone is trying to beat them to the treasure.  It’s a race against time that will require all the brainpower the four of them can muster.  320 pages; grades 4-6.

Pros:  Mystery and puzzle fans will enjoy this treasure hunt story that celebrates friendship and loyalty as well as smarts.  Billed as book 1, it looks like we will be seeing more about the GEEKs.

Cons:  Readers may need to suspend their disbelief that the kids are able to solve the difficult puzzles as quickly as they do.

The Way I Say It by Nancy Tandon

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Charlesbridge

The Way I Say It: Tandon, Nancy: 9781623541330: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Rory’s starting middle school, but one thing has stayed the same: he still has to go to speech every week to get help making the /r/ sound.  As he’s gotten older, he’s become more self-conscious about his speech, and introducing himself is especially embarrassing since his name has two R’s.  Although Rory has a good group of friends, his former friend Brent is hanging out with some new kids who make fun of Rory.  When Brent suffers a serious brain injury in a car accident, Rory knows he should be sympathetic, but it’s hard for him to get past his anger.  Mr. Simms, the cool speech therapist, proves to be not only an excellent teacher, but also a mentor who helps Rory find the right way to deal with Brent.  By the end of sixth grade, Rory is well on his way to mastering both the /r/ sound and some of the trickier aspects of middle school.  Includes additional information about the /r/ sound.  240 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A realistic story that empathetically shows the difficulties of being different in middle school, both with the portrayal of Rory’s speech struggles and Brent’s slow recovery from his brain injury.  I’m thrilled for Nancy Tandon, who was an early subscriber to my blog!

Cons:  I was ready to deck Rory’s father if he used one more sports metaphor.

Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanis, illustrated by Tracy Subisak

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Published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Amah Faraway: Greanias, Margaret Chiu, Subisak, Tracy: 9781547607211: Amazon.com: Books

Amah Faraway Book Review |

Summary:  Kylie is nervous about visiting Amah in Taipei.  Even though they connect by computer every Saturday, it’s not the same as visiting in person.  At first, Amah leads the way, preparing a big dinner for extended family and sharing her beloved Taipei while Kylie hangs back.  A visit to the hot springs proves to be the turning point, and soon Kylie is comfortable enough to take the lead in exploring the city.  Everyone is sad when the visit is over, but now those online Saturday calls are more meaningful, and visits are exciting.  Includes notes from the author and illustrator and additional information about the places in Tapei that are shown in the book; endpapers include Chinese words for different objects.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A celebration of intergenerational relationships, especially those that have to overcome a geographical barrier.  Kids everywhere will relate to Kylie’s initial shyness that eventually blossoms into a contagious enthusiasm.  Chinese words are cleverly woven into the text via cartoon bubbles. The trip to the hot springs divides the book into two parts; the sentences in the first part are repeated in reverse order in the second part.

Cons:  I felt like the title of this book should have been “Amah Far Away”, which led me to the realization that I’m not clear on the far away/faraway distinction.

Where Is Bina Bear? by Mike Curato

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Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Where Is Bina Bear?: Curato, Mike, Curato, Mike: 9781250762207: Amazon.com: Books

Where Is Bina Bear?

Summary:  Tiny Rabbit is having a big party, but Bina Bear is nowhere to be found…or is that Bina with a lampshade on his head?  “No.  I am not Bina.  I am a lamp.”  Other strange objects that vaguely resemble a blue bear start appearing around the house: a table, a tree, a chair, and a bookcase.  Finally, Tiny finds Bina in the kitchen with a grocery bag on his head.  “Are you okay?” asks Tiny.  “I’m fine,” replies Bina, but when Tiny removes the bag, there’s a tear in Bina’s eye.  It turns out Bina doesn’t like parties.  “Then why did you come?” asks Tiny.  “Because I like you,” says Bina.  When the rest of the party guests head to the kitchen looking for Bina and Tiny, the only find two lamps and decide to head back to the party.  The last page shows the two lamps dancing with the rest of the group. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A fun book that will appeal to both the introverts who struggle with large social gatherings and their friends who work to understand them.

Cons:  Do not try dancing with a lampshade over your head.

Alice Waters Cooks Up a Food Revolution by Diane Stanley, illustrated by Jessie Hartland

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Paula Wiseman Books

Alice Waters Cooks Up a Food Revolution: Stanley, Diane, Hartland, Jessie: 9781534461406: Amazon.com: Books

Alice Waters Cooks Up a Food Revolution: Stanley, Diane, Hartland, Jessie: 9781534461406: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Growing up in the Garden State, Alice Waters enjoyed fresh produce from her family’s backyard.  In college, a semester abroad introduced her to the wonders of French cuisine, which she tried to duplicate for her friends when she returned home.  After graduation, she bought an old house that she fixed up and turned into Chez Panisse, a restaurant that served a single meal each night.  The restaurant was a huge success, but Alice struggled to find the fresh ingredients she remembered from her childhood and her trip to France.  She traveled through northern California, looking for small farms where food was produced in traditional ways. Using this food in her restaurant helped start the movement toward local food that is popular today.  Includes two pages of additional information, including Alice’s work with schools to produce local fresh food; a timeline, and a bibliography.  48 pages; grades K-5.

Pros:  This quirky book perfectly captures the spirit of Alice Waters’ restaurant, where the staff would dance late into the night after the diners left and a friend once cooked and ate his shoe after losing a bet.  The mouth-watering descriptions of fresh food may even entice kids to eat their vegetables.

Cons:  Like Alice, I grew up in Chatham, New Jersey and ate produce from my father’s backyard garden all summer; unlike her, I did not turn out to be a world-class restaurateur or even a particularly good cook.  

Hide and Go Beak (The Great Mathemachicken, book 1) by Nancy Krulik, illustrated by Charlie Alder

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Published by Pixel + Ink

Amazon.com: The Great Mathemachicken 1: Hide and Go Beak: 9781645950325: Krulik, Nancy, Alder, Charlie: Books

Summary:  Chirpy is an adventurous chicken, who, unlike her siblings, wonders about life outside the coop.  One day, the kids who feed the chickens leave the gate open for a minute, and Chirpy sees her chance.  She escapes from the coop and ends up following the kids on to the school bus.  At school, she’s fascinated by lessons on simple machines and counting by twos.  Returning home, she discovers that her brother Clucky has followed her lead and escaped the coop.  A fox is rumored to be on the loose, and the chickens are anxious to help Clucky get safely home.  Chirpy uses her new STEM skills to lead a team of chickens in making a fox trap.  When Clucky comes running with the fox hot on his tail, the chickens spring into action and trap the fox under a basket.  Safely back at home, they congratulate Clucky and name her The Great Mathemachicken.  Includes instructions for making a wheel-and-axle whirly-swirly toy.  96 pages; grades 1-3.  

Pros:  With 11 chapters, this will make beginning readers feel like they’re reading a “real” chapter book, yet the large font and plentiful illustrations make it a manageable task.  Chirpy is a bold heroine who proves the value of learning about STEM topics.

Cons:  I struggled to spell “mathemachicken”.

Playing With Lanterns by Wang Yage, illustrated by Zhe Chengliang, translated by Helen Wang

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Published by Amazon Crossing

Playing with Lanterns: Yage, Wang, Chengliang, Zhu, Wang, Helen: 9781542029841: Amazon.com: Books

Welcoming the New Year with a blog tour: Playing with Lanterns – Mom Read It

Summary:  Zhao Di and her friends live in northern China, where the new year is celebrated for 15 days.  A highlight is the lanterns, traditionally given by uncles, that are lit and carried through the dark nights.  The children gather each night, chasing each other, waving their lanterns, and enjoying fireworks.  On day 15, Zhao Di feels sad that the holiday is coming to an end.  The lanterns are smashed and burned.  The next night, Zhao Di misses going out with her friends, but remembers that the new year will be celebrated again next year.  Includes an author’s note with additional information about the Lunar New Year and the lantern tradition.  40 pages, ages 4-8.

Pros:  Another good resource for the Lunar New Year, this one translated from the original Chinese.  The illustrations celebrate the color and magic of the lanterns.

Cons:  The first three pages of the story are in the first person (“We spent the first day of the new year at home.”); after that it switches to Zhao Di’s third person narrative for the rest of the book, which felt like an unnecessarily awkward transition.