Nonfiction

12 books of Christmas

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Starting the day after Christmas, I’ll be posting my year-end lists of Caldecott and Newbery predictions and my favorite books in different categories. I found myself with an higher-than-usual number of books at the end of the year that I had wanted to review, but didn’t get to before time ran out. That number turned out to be twelve, so as a little Christmas gift, here is a list of my final dozen books for 2020.

Tani’s New Home: A Refugee Finds Hope and Kindness in America by Tanitoluwa Adewumi, illustrated by Courtney Dawson

Published by Thomas Nelson

Tani's New Home: A Refugee Finds Hope and Kindness in America: Adewumi, Tanitoluwa, Dawson, Courtney: 9781400218288: Amazon.com: Books

The true story of Tani Adewumi, who moved to New York City as a Nigerian refugee at the age of 6. He discovered chess, and practiced it for hours in a homeless shelter. In less than a year, he was the New York State Chess Champion. I haven’t had a chance to see this book. The publisher, Thomas Nelson, is a Christian publisher, so I’m not sure if there is any religious content to the story. 32 pages; grades K-3.

Dear Earth…From Your Friends in Room 5 by Erin Dealey, illustrated by Louisa Uribe

Published by HarperCollins

Dear Earth…From Your Friends in Room 5: Dealey, Erin, Uribe, Luisa: 9780062915320: Amazon.com: Books

The kids in room 5 begin a correspondence with Earth, learning different ways to help the planet like recycling and energy conservation. Rhyming text, letter writing, and environmental tips make this an appealing choice for Earth Day or any time of year. 32 pages; grades K-3.

Saving Stella: A Dog’s Dramatic Escape from War by Bassel Abou Fakher and Deborah Blumenthal, illustrated by Nadine Kaadan

Published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books

Saving Stella: A Dog's Dramatic Escape from War: Fakher, Bassel Abou, Blumenthal, Deborah, Kaadan, Nadine: 9781547601332: Amazon.com: Books

When Bassel was forced to flee Syria, he had to leave his beloved dog Stella behind. After settling in a new home in Belgium, he worked with friends back in Syria to create a daring plan to rescue Stella. 40 pages; grades K-5.

Rabbit, Raven, Deer by Sue Farrell Holler, illustrated by Jennifer Faria

Published by Pajama Press

Raven, Rabbit, Deer: Farrell Holler, Sue, Faria, Jennifer: 9781772781366: Amazon.com: Books

There’s a copy of this book traveling to my library right now, but I haven’t gotten a chance to see it. A boy and his grandfather enjoy a winter’s day together, finding animal tracks and identifying the animals in both English and Ojibwemowin. Sounds like a cozy winter choice. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

When You Trap a Tiger: Keller, Tae: 9781524715717: Amazon.com: Books

When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, Lily meets a tiger straight out of the Korean folklore she’s grown up on. This book won a Boston Globe/Horn Book honor and received five starred reviews. Personally, I couldn’t really get into it and only read about the first third back in the beginning of the year. Everyone else loved it, though, and it could definitely be a contender for more awards. 304 pages; grades 4-7.

Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi, illustrations by Ashley Lukashevsky

Published by Kokila

Antiracist Baby Board Book: Kendi, Ibram X., Lukashevsky, Ashley: 9780593110416: Amazon.com: Books

Ibram X. Kendi’s book How to Be an Antiracist is #15 on Amazon’s list of 2020’s bestsellers. Here he offers nine tips for being (or raising) an antiracist baby, with a note to parents and teachers at the end. Available as both a board book and a regular picture book. 32 pages; ages 0-4.

Woodpecker Girl by Chingyen Liu and I-Tsun Chiang, illustrated by Heidi Doll

Published by Reycraft Books

Woodpecker Girl: Chiang, I-Tsun, Liu, Chingyen: 9781478869559: Amazon.com: Books

A girl with cerebral palsy tells how she learned to paint with a brush strapped to her forehead. An amazing gallery of her work is included. Told in the first person, the story doesn’t shy away from the challenges she faces and the discouragement she feels, but also expresses her joy at sharing with others through her art. 40 pages; grades K-4.

Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye

Published by Greenwillow Books

Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems: Nye, Naomi Shihab: 9780063013452: Amazon.com: Books

I just got this book on December 23, so haven’t had a chance to read it. These 100 poems by Young People’s Poet Laureate Nye start with a section of poems on childhood, both her own and others. She also explores her Palestinian heritage and the need for peace, as well as an appreciation for the diversity of people in the world. 256 pages; grades 3-7.

Unstoppable by Adam Rex, illustrated by Laura Park

Published by Chronicle Books

Unstoppable: (Family Read-Aloud book, Silly Book About Cooperation) - Kindle edition by Rex, Adam, Park, Laura. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon .com.

A crow being pursued by a hungry cat and a crab who dreams of flying work together to help one another. When they add a turtle and a bear, they become UNSTOPPABLE! At least until they see a bulldozer digging up the lakefront to build a mall. Then it’s off to see the President of the United States…and Congress…and things really get zany as only Adam Rex can imagine them. 56 pages; ages 4-8.

Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Chance: Escape from the Holocaust: Memories of a Refugee Childhood (9780374313715): Shulevitz, Uri: Books - Amazon.com

Caldecott Medalist Uri Shulevitz’s memoir covers his childhood from his days in Warsaw at the start of World War II to his family’s harrowing experiences in the Soviet Union during the war and their postwar years in Paris before emigrating to Paris when he was 14. Although it’s a thick book, the print is large and filled with Shulevitz’s illustrations, making it a quick and engaging read. 336 pages; grades 4-8.

A Gift for Amma: Market Day in India by Meera Sriram, illustrated by Mariona Cabassa

Published by Barefoot Books

A Gift for Amma: Market Day in India: Sriram, Meera, Cabassa, Mariona: 9781646860616: Amazon.com: Books

Another one I haven’t gotten to see, but I love the brilliant colors of the cover (and pictures I’ve seen of the illustrations). A girl shops in an Indian market to find the perfect gift for her mother. 32 pages; ages 4-7.

Desert Diary: Japanese American Kids Behind Barbed Wire by Michael O. Tunnell

Published by Charlesbridge

Desert Diary: Japanese American Kids Behind Barbed Wire: Tunnell, Michael O.: 9781580897891: Amazon.com: Books

When Mae Yanagi was eight years old, she and her family were forced to move to Topaz Camp in Utah for the duration of World War II. She and her third-grade classmates created a diary of their daily lives in camp, filled with mundane details about school and family life, as well as descriptions of the difficulties of camp life. Michael Tunnell tells their story with plenty of photographs and excerpts from the diary. 144 pages; grades 4-7.

Sincerely, Emerson: A Girl, Her Letter, and the Helpers All Around Us by Emerson Weber, illustrated by Jaclyn Sinquett

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by HarperCollins

Sincerely, Emerson: A Girl, Her Letter, and the Helpers All Around Us by Emerson Weber, Jaclyn Sinquett, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble®

Summary: Emerson loved to write and mail letters. One day, it occurred to her that Doug, their mail carrier, was the person who made it all happen. So she wrote him a thank you letter. Doug shared that letter with some of his co-workers, they shared it in turn, and the next week Doug delivered two boxes to Emerson’s house, filled with letters from grateful postal workers all over the country, Emerson wrote back to them, and as she did, she started reflecting on all the other people–grocery store clerks, trash collectors, farmers, and many more–who keep the world going. At the end is a letter from the real-life 11-year-old Emerson to readers, encouraging them to thank the people in their lives who keep the world going. 32 pages; grades K-5.

Pros: First of all, this book reminds me of my mother who writes hundreds of cards and letters every year and who, ever since I was a child, has always known her mail carrier by name and given him or her a holiday gift. She is truly a master of both letter writing and expressing appreciation. Secondly, this book made me think of everyone who has kept the world going during this year of the pandemic: the teachers, librarians, grocery store workers, healthcare workers, election workers, municipal workers…the list goes on and on. Inspired by Emerson’s letter, allow me to say thank you for being part of my blog this year!

Cons: On Christmas Eve, after all those feel-good sentiments? No way!

Selena: Queen of Tejano Music by Silvia López, illustrated by Paola Escobar

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by little bee books

Amazon.com: Selena, reina de la música tejana (9781499811438): López, Silvia, Escobar, Paola: Books
Amazon.com: Queen of Tejano Music: Selena (9781499809770): López, Silvia, Escobar, Paola: Books

Summary:  Growing up in Texas, Selena Quintanilla was surrounded by music from an early age.  Her father taught her older siblings to play guitar and drums, and Selena soon proved herself to be a natural performer, singing and dancing to their music.  By the time she was nine years old, they were performing regularly in her father’s restaurant.  A few years later, the restaurant went out of business and the family fell on hard times.  Touring and making music seemed like the only way to make a living.  There was a demand for Tejano music, so Selena learned Spanish to perform the popular songs.  By the time she was in her late teens, Selena was an award-winning star, loved in both Mexico and the U.S.  She also was a popular celebrity, treating both her fans and co-workers with kindness and respect.  The final page memorializes Selena as a trailblazer and role model.  Includes several pages of additional information about Selena and her music, ending with a few paragraphs about her murder at the age of 23. A Spanish-language version of this book, Selena: Reina de la Música Tejana is also available. 48 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Here’s another book I’ve been anticipating for several months, as my music-loving daughter has gotten me interested in learning more about Selena.  As I imagine is true for many others, I only knew about her death, so I’m glad this book has been written to celebrate her life and legacy.  There’s a lot of text, but the story is so engaging it doesn’t feel like a lot to plow through, and the illustrations really capture Selena’s spirit.  I was even inspired to watch the official video of “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom”, which is an incredibly catchy tune.  Sadly, as the book concludes, quoting Selena biographer Joe Nick Patoski: “The debate will never cease as to what could have been.”

Cons:  This book seems to be getting recommended for the 6-9 age group, but I think older kids will appreciate it more, due to both the text-heavy story and the tragic ending.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison

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Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

RESPECT: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul: Weatherford, Carole Boston, Morrison, Frank: 9781534452282: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  The story of Aretha Franklin’s life is told in rhyming couplets, each one titled with a word written like “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” in the title.  Starting with “B-L-E-S-S-E-D”, showing a young Aretha praying while her parents watch, the story traces her life and career from singing gospel at her church to performing at President Obama’s inauguration.  In addition to her musical career, Aretha’s civil rights work is touched upon.  The final two pages celebrate both her legacy and her humility, ending with her description of her voice as “the gift that God gave me”.  Includes an author’s note with additional information about Aretha Franklin’s life and a list of her biggest hits.  48 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  The large, colorful illustrations capture Aretha Franklin’s big personality and singing voice, starting with a gorgeous pink Cadillac on the title page. This is the third book I’ve reviewed this year illustrated by the prolific Frank Morrison, and I hope he gets some recognition at awards time.  This would make a good companion to A Voice Named Aretha.

Cons:  Those who don’t know much about Aretha Franklin’s life may struggle to make sense of the brief text unless they start with the author’s note at the end.

Wild Girl: How to Have Incredible Outdoor Adventures by Helen Skelton, illustrated by Liz Kay

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Published by Candlewick

Wild Girl: How to Have Incredible Outdoor Adventures: Skelton, Helen, Kay, Liz: 9781536212860: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Helen Skelton is a British TV personality who also enjoys taking on incredibly difficult outdoor challenges, usually for charity, such as kayaking the length of the Amazon River,  bicycling to the South Pole, and running three back-to-back marathons in under 24 hours in the Namibian desert.  Each chapter covers a certain type of terrain: adventures in the snow, the sand, the water, the mountains, the countryside, and the city.  Much of the chapter is taken up with an account of her own adventure, including preparation, training, gear, and the actual experience with all of its highs and lows.  At the end of each chapter, she suggests wild adventures and extremely wild adventures, with places around the world to enjoy each.  There’s also a “Wild Girl Wall of Fame” which gives short profiles of other women’s adventures in that chapter’s terrain.  144 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  Although most of us won’t attempt Helen’s feats, she’s an enthusiastic storyteller who may inspire girls (and boys) to step out of their comfort zones.  She’s also modest about her accomplishments, frequently citing mistakes she made and encouraging readers to tune out the types of naysayers she experienced.  The book, with its plentiful illustrations, photos, and sidebars, is engaging and will be an easy sell to middle schoolers.

Cons:  Some of the stories (the marathons in the desert comes to mind) were so harrowing they actually made me want to be less adventurous.

Our Subway Baby by Peter Mercurio, illustrated by Leo Espinosa

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Published by Dial Books

Our Subway Baby: Mercurio, Peter, Espinosa, Leo: 9780525427544: Amazon.com: Books
Our Subway Baby: Mercurio, Peter, Espinosa, Leo: 9780525427544: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Peter Mercurio tells his son Kevin the story of how he came to live with their family.  When Peter’s husband Danny found a baby in a New York City subway station, it seemed at first like the little boy would be spending a long time in foster care.  The two men lived in a small apartment, and their “piggy banks were empty.”  But they had fallen in love with this tiny baby, and a sympathetic judge speeded up the process, choosing a loving family for him over common concerns at that time about whether or not two men could raise a child together.  The ruling gave them just three days to prepare, but friends and family pitched in to get them what they needed for a baby.  They brought Kevin home just before Christmas….opting, of course, to take the subway to get there.  Includes an author’s note with three photos of Kevin as an infant, a toddler, and today as a college student.  40 pages; ages 4-9.

Pros:  Talk about heartwarming.  This book is written like a love letter from a father to a son, but manages to avoid sentimentality or mawkishness.  The colorful illustrations are engaging and perfectly capture the emotions of two people suddenly thrust into the spotlight…and parenthood.  A beautiful celebration of a unique family.

Cons:  Thinking of all the things that could have gone wrong for baby Kevin.  He is one lucky kid.

Curious Comparisons: A Life-Size Look at the World Around You by Jorge Doneiger, translated from the Spanish by Iraida Iturralde and The Screaming Hairy Armadillo and 76 Other Animals with Weird, Wild Names by Matthew Murrie and Steve Murrie, illustrated by Julie Benbassat

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Published by Candlewick

Curious Comparisons: A Life-Size Look at the World Around You: Doneiger, Jorge, Chouela, Guido, Sisso, David, Setton, Marcelo: 9781536200218: Amazon.com: Books
Curious Comparisons: A Life-Size Look at the World Around You by Jorge Doneiger, Guido Chouela, David Sisso, Marcelo Setton, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble®

Published by Workman Publishing Co.

The Screaming Hairy Armadillo and 76 Other Animals with Weird, Wild Names: Murrie, Matthew, Murrie, Steve, Benbassat, Julie: 9781523508112: Amazon.com: Books
The Screaming Hairy Armadillo and 76 Other Animals with Weird, Wild Names: Murrie, Matthew, Murrie, Steve, Benbassat, Julie: 9781523508112: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  For those kids who enjoy books filled with quirky facts, here’s a double dose.  Curious Comparisons is an import from Argentina showing true-to-size photos of an eclectic mix of animals and objects.  A pound of feathers and a pound of lead; the amount of water a lion can drink at once shown in empty water bottles; a pile of thread representing an unraveled shirt: each item is shown on a white page with a fact or two and often a question.  There are a few fold out pages: glasses filled with the amount of milk a cow produces and the flowers needed for a bee to make a pound of honey.  Includes 4 pages of additional facts about each page.  64 pages; grades K-5.

Screaming Hairy Armadillo starts off with several pages explaining how animals are named, including a description of scientific classification.  From there, the 77 animals are profiled, everything from the monkeyface prickleback to the bone-eating snot flower worm.  The animals are grouped by name: funny names, fierce names, magical names, delicious names, and just plain weird names (looking at you, headless chicken monster).  Each animal gets a page of information; a sidebar telling its species, habitat, and a fun fact; an illustration; and sometimes a photo.  Includes a couple pages of awards (for different name-related categories); how to discover and name an organism; a weird and wild name generator; a glossary; a list of websites for further research; and information on conservation organizations.  176 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Books like these are almost too easy to book talk.  Just show a page or two, maybe read a fact or share a couple of weird names, and boom, kids are clamoring for them.  The photos and simple text in Curious Comparisons makes it a great choice for any elementary grade.  Screaming Hairy Armadillo will appeal to older kids, and contains a lot of great information in addition to the animal profiles.

Cons:  Curious Comparisons seemed a bit random to my well-ordered, Dewey-Decimal-trained brain.

William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad by Don Tate

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Published by Peachtree Publishing Company

William Still and His Freedom Stories: The Father of the Underground Railroad: Tate, Don, Tate, Don: 9781561459353: Amazon.com: Books
Review: William Still and His Freedom Stories - Mr. Alex's Bookshelf

Summary:  When William Still’s mother escaped from slavery, she was forced to leave her two sons behind.  She and her husband reunited in New Jersey, and they went on to have fifteen children, including William, the youngest, born in 1821.  When William was 23, he moved to Philadelphia, where he got a job as an office clerk at the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society.  He worked his way up to manager, and helped freedom-seekers by making his home a stop on the Underground Railroad.  One day a middle-aged man came to the office.  When William heard his story, he realized the man was his long-lost brother, Peter.  This inspired William to start recording the stories of every person who came through the office, thinking these records might help reunite other families.  When the Fugitive Slave Act was passed, William’s stories became evidence of crimes, and he was forced to hide them in a cemetery vault.  After the Civil War, he published many of the stories in his book, The Under Ground Rail Road.  Includes a timeline, author’s note, and bibliography.  40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  According to the author’s note, when white writers told the story of the Underground Railroad, they often made themselves heroes and left out the work of many of the black people.  This book does a fabulous job of rectifying that for William Still, who was a tireless worker for many years.  Don Tate has been a busy man this year, creating both the text and beautiful illustrations for this book, as well as the pictures for Swish!, the recent book about the Harlem Globetrotters.

Cons:  I was curious as to what happened to all the papers Sill was forced to hide in the cemetery vault.  Did they survive?  Are they still around today?  There didn’t seem to be an answer in either the story or the author’s note.

One of a Kind: A Story About Sorting and Classifying by Neil Packer

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Published by Candlewick

One of a Kind: A Story About Sorting and Classifying: Packer, Neil, Packer, Neil: 9781536211214: Amazon.com: Books
One of a Kind: A Story About Sorting and Classifying by Neil Packer, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble®

Summary:  On page 1, we meet Arvo.  On page 2, we meet Arvo’s family: a family tree going back to his great grandparents and to third cousins once removed, including the percentage of DNA each shares with Arvo.  Page 3 is Arvo’s cat Malcolm–and the family of cats, a.k.a. Felidae.  And so it goes throughout Arvo’s day.  His violin lesson is accompanied by an illustration of musical instrument classification; the car ride to the violin lesson includes vehicles and how they are grouped.  There are pages for clouds, foods, the library, and more.  When Arvo’s dad picks him up at the end of the day, though, he’s able to pick his son out of a crowd.  When Arvo asks him how, his dad tells him, “There is only one YOU!”  Includes an additional four pages giving more information on each of the classification systems.  48 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Many years ago, when I worked at the Boston Museum of Science, I looked in vain for good children’s books on classification (my co-worker and I actually tried writing one).  I wish we had had this excellent oversized book to show kids how all kinds of objects in the world are sorted and classified into groups.  Readers will want to spend a lot of time with the detailed illustrations on every page.

Cons:  This is another large book that librarians may struggle to find space for.

Tiny Monsters: The Strange Creatures That Live On Us, In Us, and Around Us by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

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HMH Books for Young Readers

Tiny Monsters: The Strange Creatures That Live On Us, In Us, and Around Us: Jenkins, Steve, Page, Robin: 9780358307112: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Maybe you don’t want to think about the tiny eyelash mites that are living on, not surprisingly, your eyelashes, but you can bet there’s some 9-year-old kid out there who does.  And that kid will also enjoy learning about bedbugs, chiggers, dust mites, and a whole host of other small creatures who live on humans, in houses, and outside.  Each spread features Jenkins’ trademark cut paper illustrations, with the actual size shown as a black silhouette (some are just a dot), the magnification of the illustration, and a paragraph of information.  The last two pages give additional information about each critter, and there is also a short bibliography.  32 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  I’m always delighted to learn that Steve Jenkins has a new book; even more so when he teams up with his wife Robin Page.  Personally, I did not find the subject of this one particularly engaging, but I just know it will be a huge hit in any elementary library.

Cons:  I feel itchy.