Picture books

Summer camp: when things go wrong

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Anna-Jane and the Endless Summer by Paige Classey (Random House Books for Young Readers, 400 pages, grades 5-8). Anna-Jane is excited to be returning to summer camp, reuniting with old friends, learning archery and improving her creative writing skills, and maybe even having her first crush. But when the 13-year-old cabin goes into town for a Friday night out, they’re spooked by the lack of people they see. On their way home, they realize their phones aren’t working. Before long, it becomes apparent that there’s a pandemic making both humans and animals ill. Many of the campers get picked up immediately, but some, including Anna-Jane, hear nothing from their parents and are stuck at camp. As the summer goes on, the campers have to increasingly rely on their own wits as they deal with a dwindling food supply, cooler weather, and a counselor who seems on the verge of leading a Lord of the Flies style revolt. The ending brings a glimmer of hope but leaves much still unresolved and uncertain.

This novel in verse pulls the reader in immediately and becomes increasingly hard to put down as the mysterious events unfold. It’s a perfect blend of 13-year-old experiences with friendships and crushes and compelling survival story. The kids really rise to the occasion, especially science fan Morgan, who starts the story as a bit of an outcast and winds up being one of the biggest heroes. This would make a great book club choice for middle school, with plenty to discuss and speculate about after the last page.

Sockflea: A Stuffie in the Wild by Laura Dockrill, illustrated by Eva Byrne (Candlewick, 40 pages, ages 3-7). The young elephant narrator insists that they don’t need to bring a stuffie on a camping trip. When their grown-up reminds the them that they may want a friend at bedtime, they reply, “I’m FIVE!” Off they go, and camping turns out to be awesome! There’s a tent, a fire, hot dogs, and even new friends. But when it gets dark, the little elephant is nervous. “I squeeze my eyes shut to sleep, but…They. Won’t. Stick. The quick-thinking–and no doubt, desperate–grown-up comes up with an idea. Two fuzzy socks tied together become Sockflea, a creature sent by the stuffies at home to keep the young elephant company. A little imagination goes a long way, and not only does Sockflea make bedtime easier, it becomes the hit of the whole camping trip. Back home, Sockflea disappears, adding to the sense that it was all magic…until the little elephant notices the fuzzy socks on their grown-up’s feet.

Thankfully, the issues on this camping trip are a lot easier to deal with than the one above, but nevertheless, there’s some real angst around bedtime and the lack of stuffies. The portrayal of the young elephant is spot-on with the daytime bravado giving way to nighttime jitters, and the grown-up’s solution is brilliant. Kids will both relate to and get a lot of laughs from both the story and illustrations.

Ocean animals

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The Octopus by Guojing (Two Lions, 48 pages, ages 4-8). A little girl and her mother are walking on the beach when they find a tiny octopus caught in some plastic rings. The girl carefully frees the octopus, then lets it go in the ocean. To repay her kindness, the creature uses a shell pendant around her neck to create magic that shrinks her down to its own size. Together they go on a magical journey through the sea, swimming with all kinds of marine animals and hiding together in scallop shells. When a sea turtle swims head first into a plastic bag, the girl frees it, then takes the bag back with her when she returns home. Back on the beach with her mom, she discards the bag and other trash she’s found into the proper receptacles, then shares her amazing story with her mother while they watch a beautiful beach sunset together. Includes an author’s note with additional information about keeping beaches clean and treating animals with respect, as well as some fun facts about octopuses.

The luminous illustrations tell the story in this wordless picture book that also imparts a lesson about taking care of the environment. Kids will be enraptured by the adorable octopus and the magical underwater scenes.

The Secrets of the Jellies: Amazing Jellyfish and Their Surprising Talents by Karen Jameson, illustrated by Marie Hermansson (Chronicle Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Inspired by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s jellyfish exhibit and live Jelly Cam, this book introduces kids to jellyfish with rhyming text and colorful illustrations portraying a variety of species that sometimes seems to glow in their marine habitat. A sentence or two on each page gives a fact about jellyfish, all of which are elaborated on in a page-by-page guide at the end. There are also thumbnail illustrations and additional information about 22 different jellyfish.

Readers will want to hop on a plane to California to see what must be a truly spectacular exhibit at the Monterey Aquarium. The book is written and illustrated in a way that will appeal to very young readers, but the additional information in the back makes it a good choice for older kids too. The only thing missing was a list of resources for further research.

The Whale’s Tale and the Otter’s Side of the Story: a book to read from front to back and back to front by Kate Messner, illustrated by Brian Biggs (Clarion Books, 40 pages, ages 4-9). A whale and an otter stand at a microphone, each one prepared to make the case about why its species is the best. Starting on the first page, the whale explains the superior ways that whales hunt, communicate, swim, and help the environment, with disparaging remarks about otters sprinkled throughout. The last page tells readers to start on the last page and read the book backwards. In this version, the exact same words are used by the otter to make the case that otters are better than whales. The author’s note explains how words can be used to create misinformation and encourages readers to consider a speaker or writer’s point of view learning something new. There’s also additional information about whales and otters, with a list of books for further reading.

This very clever book is written like Marilyn Singer’s reveso poetry, making it fun to read but also a good exercise in thinking about how the same words can be used to present points of view that are completely opposite. The illustrations are cute, with lots of humor, although I personally prefer a greater variety of colors than the mostly turquoise and black.

School’s out!

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Thank You, School by Louise Borden, illustrated by Paige Keiser (Holiday House, 32 pages, ages 4-9). As they go through their day, kids thank all the adults in their lives who help make school a positive experience for them. Dylan and Madeleine say thank you to a teacher rushing out her door at 7:15 a.m. Other kids take it from there, offering appreciation and gratitude for bus drivers, crossing guards, custodians, cafeteria workers, nurses, and all kinds of teachers. Last of all are the parents (and others) who pick their children up at the end of the day, admire work, and listen to stories about school.

Perfect for the end of the school, this book could inspire children to think about the adults in their lives who make school feel safe, fun, and interesting, and to figure out ways to express their gratitude.

Last Day Pool Party by Emma Steinkellner (Labyrinth Road, 176 pages, grades 3-7). Readers are introduced to members of the graduating eighth grade class as they walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. There’s Maya, the queen bee, and her cousin Paul, who only hangs out with his gaming friends online. Best friends Juhi and Liv have their celebration cut short when Juhi tells Liv her family is moving to London in three weeks. Rose feels invisible, as usual, when the principal skips over her name during the ceremony, and Dustin is nervous about his pool party after a humiliating incident went viral on social media. The book is divided by hour, and as the party progresses, there are surprising secrets revealed and new connections made. By the time the sun sets and the kids get ready to go home, it’s clear they’re ready to start a new chapter in their lives as they move on to high school.

This fun and lighthearted graphic novel with its summer setting is perfect for beach reading, showing kids that the end of each school year not only closes one chapter but opens a new one full of possibilities.

When history repeats itself

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Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp by Minoru Tonai and Jolene Gutiérrez, illustrated by Chris Sasaki (Harry N. Abrams, 40 pages, grades 2 and up). Minoru Tonai tells the story of his family’s imprisonment during World War II. His father was questioned as early as October of 1941 about being a spy, despite his work as a farmer and his near deafness, and was taken away shortly after Pearl Harbor. Just six months later, the rest of the family was forced to leave their farm and their dog to move to a “detention center.” For the next three years, they endured desert heat and cold, barracks living, and a constant wind that blew sand everywhere. After two years, Papa was finally allowed to join the rest of the family, and in the fall of 1945, after more than three years of imprisonment, the family was allowed to go back home to California. Includes extensive back matter with notes from the illustrator and author (Gutiérrez only, as Minoru Tonai passed away in 2023 at the age of 94), a timeline and other additional information, and a bibliography.

The spare text and stark, brown-toned illustrations capture this dark chapter in American history as seen through the eyes of a young boy. Min’s father collected rocks, and these are symbolic in the story of the strength and resilience the family needed to get through these difficult years. Min doesn’t shy away from the injustice of their situation and the pain of their many losses. His story is an extremely valuable resource for teaching kids about the experience of thousands of Japanese Americans, and the back matter gives plenty of additional information as well as opening up topics for discussion.

Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación (Red Cornet Press, 48 pages, grades 2 and up). “In this land of promise, we hoped to find a place to belong.” So begins–and ends–this reverso poem that shows a Japanese-American family in World War II and a contemporary immigrant family detained at the southern border. In both cases, families are separated, and children are imprisoned behind barbed wire. They suffer from “meager food” and dust everywhere but are also heartened by the kindnesses of strangers and other immigrants, while they try to find beauty where they can. The girl on the last page looks out at the reader as she stands next to barbed wire, with a hope–but no promise–of finding a place to belong. Includes information about Fort Sill, Oklahoma, the site of both imprisonments, as well as that of members of the Chiricahua Apache tribe in the late 19th century; reverso poems; and the author’s family’s experience as Japanese Americans during World War II.

Wow, this book is so powerful, and the reverso poem is absolutely masterful. With spare text and haunting illustrations, Mia Wenjen shows how shameful history continues to repeat itself in America. Mia, I know you are a subscriber to this blog, so congratulations to you on this beautiful book, and I hope it gets some awards recognition.

Summer fun with a dose of social and emotional learning

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Serafina Makes Waves by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Robin Rosenthal (Dial Books, 40 pages, ages 3-8). On rainy days, you can find Serafina inside with her stuffed bunny Noodles. Because Serafina hates, loathes, DESPISES water. Whether it’s the bathtub or the ocean, Serafina gives water a definitive thumbs-down. So when the “powers-that-be” (Mom and Dad) say she has to take swimming lessons, Serafina tries every trick to get out of them. But nothing works, and she finds herself one Saturday morning standing dangerously close to the pool with her friend Lennie. When Lennie gets overly excited by a ball, he accidentally knocks Noodles out of Serafina’s arms. Instinct kicks in, and the next thing she knows, Serafina is in the water rescuing her stuffed bunny. Much to her surprise (and her parents’ shock), she kind of likes it! And, Reader, nowadays you can find Serafina stomping through puddles, soaking in the tub, and snorkeling through the ocean.

Serafina’s got a lot of cat-titude, and kids will get a big kick out of her one-kitty rebellion against all forms of water. Amidst the spot-on storytelling and the hilarious illustrations, there’s a good lesson about trying new things. This would make a great end-of-the school-year story time with Judgy Bunny (below), Jabari Jumps, or a summer kickoff one paired with Matthew Burgess’s Caldecott Award-winning Fireworks.

Judgy Bunny and the Terrible Beach by Scott Rothman, illustrated by Linzie Hunter (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 40 pages, ages 30-8). What’s wrong with the beach? Everything, according to Judgy Bunny. It’s too hot, the water is yucky, and the sandcastles and kites other kids are playing with are nothing special. When JB gets bonked by a beach ball, he declares it too round until another bunny comes up to him with an apology and an invitation to join the rest of the bunnies. The judgement continues until Judgy gets hit by another beach ball and breaks it with a giant POP. That doesn’t feel great, but the other bunnies assure him they have plenty of beach balls and continue to make friendly overtures. Finally, not-quite-as-Judgy Bunny admits that he likes ice cream, sandcastles, kites, and most surprisingly, boogie boards, but he’s still not crazy about beach balls.

We’ve all been with some version of Judgy Bunny (or maybe been a version ourselves), and perceptive readers will discern that Judgy Bunny might be critical because he feels left out. As with Serafina, the story and cartoon illustrations are funny enough to be enjoyed on their own merits, but they could also start a good conversation about including others–even grumpy, judgy others.

Back to nature

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Just One Oak: What a Single Tree Can Be by Maria Gianferrari, illustrated by Diane Sudyka (Beach Lane Books, 48 pages, ages 4-9). What can one oak be? A home for all kinds of animals in all seasons, from its roots to its leaves. A provider of nutritious food, with the millions of acorns it produces over its life time. A climate regulator, slowing winds in the winter and giving shade in the summer. A single oak tree “is beautiful and bountiful to all.” Includes additional information and resources, ways to help oak trees, and an illustration of the oak’s life cycle.

The main narrative of this beautifully illustrated book tells the many amazing things an oak tree provides, while the smaller blocks of text give additional details. The information is fascinating, and this would make a great book for Earth Day as well as for any environmental educational program wanting to highlight the impact of a single tree on many areas of the ecosystem.

When the Sun Goes Down by Greg Pizzoli (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, ages 2-5). “Where do you go when the sun goes down?” This question is posed to creatures who live outside (a butterfly, an ant, and a bird), to a couple of indoor pets (fish and cat), and finally, to a child getting ready for bed. Does she go under a leaf like a butterfly? In the dirt like an ant? Curled up in a chair like a cat? No! She goes to bed, to sleep safe and sound. Good night.

Greg Pizzoli keeps cranking out fun and entertaining books for the youngest readers that they’ll be able to read along with sooner rather than later–a deceptively simple art form! This time he’s created a lovely bedtime story that slowly moves from the outside world to the inside, and finally into bed. You can pair it up with another Greg Pizzoli bedtime story, Good Night Owl. Both have nice touches of humor to make an easy transition to sleep.

American musicians

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Blues Boy: The B.B. King Story by Alice Faye Duncan, illustrated by Carl Joe Williams (Greenwillow Books, 40 pages, grades 2-5). Young Riley King’s life in Mississippi during the Great Depression gave him plenty of material for singing the blues. His mother died when he was 9; he lived with his grandmother until she passed away when he was 15. He was bullied for his stutter and had to go to work in the cotton fields at a young age. But hearing blues records as a young teen inspired him to learn guitar and eventually choose a music career over the steady paycheck of a farm worker. Making his way to Memphis, he acquired a new name of Blues Boy, eventually shortened to B.B., and had his first hit in 1951 with “Three O’Clock Blues.” Following his mother’s advice to “do good and treat folks right,” B.B. soared to success, playing his blues music across the country 300 days a year. Includes a timeline, additional information, places to visit, and lists of books and music.

This biography of B.B. King shows the influences of his early life on his music, not only his tough personal life as a kid, but the effects of growing up in the Jim Crow South. Readers will be inspired to seek out “Three O’Clock Blues” as well as the other songs suggested in the playlist.

Copland: A Story About America by Veronica Mang (Viking Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, grades 2-5). The youngest of five children born to Russian immigrants in Brooklyn, Aaron Copland grew up with the music of New York City, jazz records, the klezmer sounds of the synagogue, and his sister’s piano. He particularly loved the piano and started his studies in Manhattan, moving to Paris at the age of 21, where he learned new ways of making music and looking at the world. Returning to New York, Aaron focused on making music that sounded like America. He was inspired by jazz and folk music, as well as by the protests and social movements of the 1930’s. He believed that his compositions for movies were just as important as those performed in Carnegie Hall. Aaron’s music still invites listeners to think about their dreams for America and a better future. Includes additional information and photos, an author’s note, suggested listening for kids, and a bibliography.

This biography does a nice job of celebrating Aaron Copland’s life and his vision for creating a uniquely American music. The illustrations capture scenes from Copland’s personal life as well as the America he lived in. Both books would make great introductions before sharing King’s or Copland’s music with kids.

Three books for Earth Day

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Into the Wilderness by Haven Iverson, illustrated by August Zhang (Roaring Brook Press, 32 pages, ages 4-8). The narrator describes family backpacking trips into the wilderness that started when the child was a baby, carried in a backpack up the mountains. Later on, they are able to carry progressively bigger backpacks and heavier loads, learning to read a map and enjoy moments of solitude. The natural world makes the difficulties of school and navigating friendships seem far away, but eventually the family drives home and school begins again. The narrator hangs up their backpack, but sometimes pulls invisible gifts from it that were acquired in nature: strength, wonder, bravery, and quiet. Includes a two-page note from the author about her own experiences in the Colorado wilderness, as well as information about the 1964 Wilderness Act, original people of the American wilderness, and tips for being a good steward of the wilderness.

Kids will be empowered by the narrator’s story to go on their own nature explorations. This would be a great book to share at the beginning of camp or a family hiking, camping, or backpacking trip. I love how it shows the power of wilderness and the natural world that can be carried into the rest of life.

The Greenies by Emma Mills, illustrated by Sara Nicole Kennedy (Henry Holt and Co., 256 pages, grades 3-7). After her parents divorce and her mom gets a new job, Violet has to move and start a new school mid-year. The only kid she knows is her cousin Kris, whom she considers a bit of an oddball. Happy to meet some kids she likes, Violet goes to a secret under-the-bleachers gathering during lunch–and promptly gets caught and given detention along with the rest of the group. They’re assigned to help high-achiever Isabel who’s trying to start an environmental club. The other kids aren’t so enthusiastic and find a variety of ways to get out of doing too much work. But when their fooling around results in still more trouble, Violet and the others feel bad. She finally breaks down and admits to her mom what’s going on at school, as well as how much she misses her dad and her old friends. Together they come up with a plan that gets Violet on the right track and ultimately results in the formation of a real environmental club: The Greenies.

Another fun middle school graphic novel that’s sure to find readers from the Raina Telgemeier crowd. Mills and Kennedy do a great job creating the memorable characters that constitute Violet’s new friend group, and kids will be happy to learn that this is billed as book 1. It’s a bit of a stretch to connect it to Earth Day, but perhaps we’ll see more environmental club action in book 2.

The Vanishing Sea: The Tale of How the Aral Sea Became the Aral Desert by Dinara Mirtalipova (Chronicle Books, 40 pages, grades 1-5). In a prologue before the title page, Dinara Mirtalipova shares information about the Aral Sea and how it disappeared in just a few decades due to mismanaged irrigation projects, including two pages of maps that show this progression from 1960 until 2021. Then the brief story begins, “A long, long time ago, there was a lake so vast that the people called her Mother Sea.” At first, people are content with the fish and drinking water the lake provides, but over time they grow greedier. “Like a selfless mother, the Sea gave them ALL of her resources.” The tale ends with a question: “Can the people save Mother Sea?” An author’s note tells of her journey to the desert in a remote part of Uzbekistan, along with photos of her mother in 1963, picking the cotton that led to the sea’s destruction. There’s a brief history of the Aral Sea with a timeline from 305 CE to the present, as well as information on local and global ecological impact.

This sobering story is a good reminder of what prioritizing human greed over the environment can do. The main story, illustrated in Dinara Mirtalipova’s unique style, could be shared with primary grade students, while the additional material at the front and back of the book makes it a great resources for older kids.

How does your garden grow?

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The Weedy Garden: A Happy Habitat for Wild Friends by Margaret Renkl, illustrated by Billy Renkl (Greenwillow Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Fifteen animals plus one child enjoy a wildflower garden in all different ways: “If you’re a bumble-bee in the weedy garden, you carry grains of pollen from blossom to bloom. You’re a seed-maker dusted with magic. You’re a flower farmer dressed in gold.” Each spread contains a detailed illustration of the garden from that particular animal’s viewpoint. The child on the last page sits still in the garden, surrounded by all the creatures and observing the natural world. Includes additional information about the animals, information about planting a garden or a container garden that will attract wildlife, and a note from the illustrator about creating collage illustrations.

This is a great introduction to creating a wildlife garden that will get kids excited about seeing what kinds of animals might visit. The illustrations are rich and textured, and readers will have fun finding the animals in each one and seeing what they do in the garden. I loved the illustrator’s note, which presents the idea of creating mythical animals with collage, which would make a nice extension art project. Fifteen animals felt like a lot, and younger kids may need a few sittings to get through the whole book.

Growing Together by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Paola Escobar (HarperCollins, 32 pages, ages 4-8). A girl tells her small sunflower plant that its “new home is waiting,” and off they go to a busy community garden. They see friends and neighbors digging, weeding, composting, and watering to create colorful, tasty gardens. A variety of vegetables is introduced, along with herbs, and flowers, which not only add beauty but bring pollinators to the garden. At the end of the book, a table is set and spread with the bounty from the garden for everyone to feast on together in a joyful celebration. Includes a page showing what was grown in the garden with illustrations and a sentence or two of information.

The bouncing, rhyming text and busy, colorful illustrations introduce a wide variety of garden terms and products that will have kids begging to go outside and dig in the dirt.

A couple of cool cats

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The Rare Bird by Elisha Cooper (Roaring Brook Press, 40 pages, ages 4-8). After studying the pages of several different books, a cat decides he will spend the day as a rare bird. The Rare Bird flies through the forest, lands in the flowers, then splashes through a waterfall and a gurgling pond. The illustrations show a cat running through the living room, landing on the carpet, and splashing through the shower and into the toilet. The whole day is like that, with the Rare Bird imagining all sorts of adventures from the ordinary objects of everyday life. At the end, the cat’s little girl shows him a book about an elephant, and the cat falls asleep dreaming about the next day when he will be an Extraordinary Elephant.

Readers will love poring over Cooper’s illustrations, making connections between what the cat is doing and what he is imagining. The endpapers, depicting dolphins in the front and elephants at the end, give hints as to how the cat has spent and will spend the days on either side of this day. A cute cat story as well as an enchanting ode to the power of imagination.

Lulu Didn’t Want a Dog by Laurel Molk (Random House Studio, 40 pages, ages 3-8). Lulu the cat is dismayed when she hears a rescue dog is joining the family. Gus turns out to be everything she feared; dirty, loud, and constantly getting into trouble. Her human keeps encouraging her to give Gus another chance, but time after time, Gus lets Lulu down. One day, Lulu leaps into a tree while chasing a bird, and enjoys a rare moment to herself…until the branch she’s sitting on gives way and plunges her into the frigid pond below. Gus jumps in after her, grabs the branch Lulu is still clinging to, and swims to shore. As the two of them curl up in Gus’s dog bed that night, Lulu decides that maybe Gus is “pretty okay” after all.

The cute and funny illustrations tell much of the story as they show Gus getting into the cupcakes, having fun with a roll of toilet paper, and getting sprayed by a skunk, all while Lulu watches disdainfully from a distance. This would make a good sibling gift, as it shows the ups and downs of having a new family member while avoiding any sort of preachiness or obvious lessons.