Picture books

Martin & Anne: The Kindred Spirits of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank by Nancy Churnin, illustrated by Yevgenia Nayberg

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Creston Books

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Summary:  Born five months apart in 1929, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Anne Frank grew up in very different circumstances on different continents.  Both experienced prejudice and discrimination, though, and both loved to learn and express their ideas through writing and speaking. Although Martin lived more than twice as many years as Anne, they both had their lives cut short by hatred.  And both left legacies of peace and love that continue to this day; includes a timeline and bibliography. 32 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  This would be a perfect text to introduce a unit on people who have made a difference, or to encourage students to compare the lives of two famous people.  An inspiring book.

Cons:  An author’s note with more information about Anne and Martin would have been a nice addition.

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Beastly Puzzles: A Brain-Boggling Animal Guessing Game by Rachel Poliquin, illustrated by Byron Eggenschwiler

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Kids Can Press

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Summary:  “What animal can you make with dinosaur feet, several feather dusters, a lion-killing kick, black toenails, three billiard balls, the speed of a greyhound, and a hose?  Here’s a hint: This animal uses its wings to make sharp turns, quick stops, and zigzagging moves. But don’t look for it in the skies!” If you guessed an ostrich, good for you.  If you didn’t have a clue, you could unfold the gatefold page of this book to get the answer, plus an explanation of how all the parts help the animal. There are 13 animals in all.  The last page tells more about how early explorers described new animals that they found using parts of animals that were familiar to them (think duck-billed platypus). Includes a glossary.  32 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  This unique, beautifully illustrated book would be a fun read-aloud to get kids guessing all the animals.  Listeners will definitely want a closer look afterward to learn about the different features of each creature.

Cons:  These were tough…I only could figure out a couple without peeking.

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Lion and Mouse by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Groundwood Books

Image result for lion mouse jairo amazon

Image result for lion mouse jairo amazon

Summary:  Aesop’s famous fable is retold with a few modern twists and some attitude.  A “very lovely” lion who is “like a sun” lives in a forest with a mouse who is “a busybody and a glutton”.  One day the mouse goes into the lion’s cave; the lion almost eats him, but changes his mind. When the lion is caught in a trap the next day, it’s the mouse who frees him. But this story continues as the two continue to trade favors.  At first it’s with a feeling of obligation, but soon they are simply being kind to one another. In fact, they end up getting along so well that they live together for the rest of their lives. 32 pages; ages 4-7.

Pros:  You can never have too many versions of a classic folktale, and kids will get a chuckle out of the illustrations and tongue-in-cheek text.

Cons:  It doesn’t quite measure up to Jerry Pinkney’s version, in my opinion.

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Red Light, Green Lion by Candace Ryan, illustrated by Jennifer Yerkes

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Kids Can Press

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Summary:  “Some days are not like most days,” reads the first page, accompanied by a picture of a traffic light.  “Red light, green li-”. If you’re expecting “-ght” on the next page, you’ll be surprised to find “-on”, along with a picture of a green lion.  After that, it’s green lightning. There’s also a green lilac, a green lifeboat, some green livestock, and green library books. The message is that you can’t know what the day will bring, and it’s best to accept whatever comes along.  “Some days don’t make much sense at the beginning. But they always make sense in the end.” And, finally, the traffic light turns green. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A deceptively simple book that would make a fun read-aloud for kids to guess what “li-” word is coming up next, and then to discuss the message of the story.

Cons:  It would make a more fun guessing game to have a clue on the preceding page.

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Sandy Feet! Whose Feet?: Footprints at the Shore by Susan Wood, illustrated by Steliyana Doneva

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Sleeping Bear Press

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Summary:  As two children play on the beach, they see the tracks left in the sand by a variety of animals, beginning with their dog.  There are also prints left by a sandpiper, crab, seagull, pelican, crab, and sea turtle. At the end of the day, their own tired feet take them back home again.  The last two pages of the story show all the prints in the sand, and the two pages after that give additional information about the animals. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Read this before going to the beach to make kids more aware of the animals around them.  The illustrations do a nice job of portraying the various creatures, as well as their tracks to help kids identify them.

Cons:  It would have been helpful to show pictures of tracks next to the thumbnail photos of the different animals on the last two pages.

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Fearsome Giant, Fearless Child: A Worldwide Jack and the Beanstalk Story by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Julie Paschkis

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Henry Holt and Co.

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Image result for fearsome giant fearless child

Summary:  As they did with Cinderella in Glass Slipper, Golden Sandal and creation stories in First Light, First Life, Paul Fleischman and Julie Paschkis have created a story that weaves together elements from Jack and the Beanstalk type stories all around the world.  These are all tales in which a child–often the smallest or youngest in a family–uses courage and cleverness to outwit a villain like a giant or witch.  Each illustration identifies the country from which that particular element of the story originates. A map on the endpapers shows all the countries. Whether the hero grows to full size, becomes king, or gains the respect of his family, the story always has a happy ending.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  This book would be a perfect ending to a study of Jack and the Beanstalk tales; it’s not meant to be read as another re-telling, but rather as a way to appreciate both the variety and similarities of all these stories.  The folk art-style illustrations give it an international flavor.

Cons:  I’ve always felt that “Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman” was an awkward rhyme.  Why not “Fee-fi-fo-fan” or “Fee-fi-fo-fun”?

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The Hawk and the Dove by Paul Kor, translated by Annette Appel

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Kids Can Press

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Image result for hawk and dove kor

Summary:  The hawk, sad and tired of war, puts on a mask and gloves to become a dove, and the world begins to change: tanks turn into tractors, planes become butterflies, warships are replaced with sailboats, and bullets morph into flowers.  Alternating pages are smaller, giving a glimpse of what’s on the next page. The whole world is happy and grateful to the dove, but the dove still worries that a hawk may be lying in wait.  “Hawk or dove? Foe or friend? How ever will this story end?”  Includes two pages at the end that tell how the late Israeli artist Paul Kor was moved to create this book by his experiences in World War II as a child and in the Six Day War later on.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This unusual book could serve as a springboard to discussing war and peace, as well as an inspiration for creating paper crafts.

Cons:  Some of the rhymes are a bit too Hallmark greeting card: “The entire land is filled with light/A rainbow of colors sunny and bright.”

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Stubby: A True Story of Friendship by Michael Foreman

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Andersen Press

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Image result for stubby michael foreman

Summary:  During basic training during World War I, the soldier narrator tells how a stray dog started hanging around every time he sat down to eat.  The dog’s odd flat face and short legs earned him the name Stubby, and he became an unofficial mascot for the soldier’s division. Smuggled onto a train, then a boat, Stubby made it all the way to France, where he joined the soldier in the trenches, warning them of approaching enemy soldiers and impending gas attacks.  Severely wounded, Stubby spent time in an army hospital, but returned to the front six weeks later. Both Stubby and his soldier friend survived to the end of the war, and happily returned to a peaceful life back in the U.S. An afterword tells more about Stubby (who met Presidents Wilson, Harding, and Coolidge), and Corporal Robert Conroy, the soldier who adopted him.  32 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  Dogs and the military are always popular subjects in my schools, so this story of a cute dog who courageously served in World War I is sure to be popular.

Cons:  Stubby is always portrayed with slightly bugged-out eyes and a big grin, making him look a few cards short of a full deck.

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Home Is a Window by Stephanie Parsley Ledyard, illustrations by Chris Sasaki

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Neal Porter Books

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Image result for home is a window ledyard

Summary:  Houses can change, but home goes with you from one to another.  “Home is a table with something good and the people gathered there.  A book before you fall asleep, and a kiss afterward.” With these meditations on home, we see a family–mother, father, boy, and girl–getting ready to move, then making a day-long drive to their new house.  There’s the sadness of saying goodbye, and the excitement of exploring the new place. The family picnics together on the floor of their new house, then the little girl looks out the window to see her parents sitting with arms around each other as she gets ready for bed in her new home.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A perfect read for those who are moving, and for anyone who wants to think about what home is.  This would make a good writing prompt to explore the idea of home.

Cons:  Not everyone’s home is quite so picture-perfect.

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Sadie and the Silver Shoes by Jane Godwin, illustrated by Anna Walker

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Candlewick

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Summary:  Sadie has three older brothers, and consequently wears a lot of hand-me-downs.  The only new clothes she gets are underwear and shoes, so she is very careful about picking out her shoes.  She loves her new sparkly silver shoes, and wears them everywhere, even, unfortunately, on a family picnic. Although her mom warns her that they’ll get dirty, Sadie doesn’t care, and wears them to play in the creek with her brothers.  One shoe comes off and is washed away, leaving Sadie heartbroken. She still insists on wearing the remaining shoe (paired with another one) wherever she goes. When a new girl comes to school, she notices Sadie’s silver shoe, and says she has one just like it that she found on the beach.  Yup, it’s Sadie’s missing footwear! The girls become friends, and take turns wearing the shoes…or sometimes each wearing one. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Sadie is a winning protagonist, and the friendship story is heartwarming.  This would make a great read-aloud.

Cons:  Mom’s reaction to Sadie losing her beloved shoe–”Maybe you should have worn old shoes today”–is predictable.  Yes, Mom, we’ve all been there, but bite your tongue and show some compassion.

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