Picture books

Save the Cake! by Molly Coxe

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Bright Owl Books

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Summary:  Snails Kate and Nate try to figure out how to transport their homemade birthday cake to Grandpa Jake while avoiding a snake they’ve seen.  After missing a plane and a train, they take a boat and sail across the lake. When they get there, Grandpa Jake introduces them to his best friend–the snake!  This is part of a series that introduces kids to different phonetic sounds. In case you can’t figure it out from my description thus far, the sound featured here is the long A.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A fun and somewhat unique way to introduce and reinforce phonics.  The illustrations are photos of fabric creations that may inspire kids to try to craft their own.

Cons:  These only seem to be available in paperback and library bindings.  At $21 each for the hardcovers, I’m probably going to pass on them for my library.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Rocket Says Look Up! by Nathan Bryon, illustrated by Dapo Adeola

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

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Image result for rocket says look up adeola

Summary:  Named for a famous spaceship that blasted off the day she was born, Rocket is always looking up and loves all things space.  Her heroine is Mae Jemison, and she is counting down the days until she can see the Phoenix Meteor Shower. Her brother Jamal, though, isn’t impressed by her enthusiasm.  He prefers to look down…at his phone. Rocket’s marketing skills about the meteor shower are so good that when the night comes, half the neighborhood shows up to accompany her and Jamal to the park.  Everyone is looking up, telescopes and binoculars are trained on the sky, but…nothing. Rocket is so crushed that Jamal actually puts away his phone and looks up, too. They’re just about to give up when a big bright light catches everyone’s attention.  The shower has begun! Jamal and Rocket pour themselves some hot chocolate, lie back, and enjoy the show. 32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Rocket is a high-energy narrator (she wears an orange space suit throughout the book) who will get kids excited about space and science in general.  This could be a good introduction to the Perseid meteor shower coming up in August. The sibling relationship is a sweet addition to the story.

Cons:  No back matter on meteor showers or Mae Jemison?  Seems like a missed opportunity.  Also, I think the Phoenix Meteor Shower is fictional…why not use a real one (like Perseid) instead?

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

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Vroom! by Barbara McClintock

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Farrar Straus Giroux

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Summary:  Annie is a race car driver.  One evening she puts on her helmet and gloves, climbs into her car, and goes shooting out her bedroom window.  She explores all kinds of environments from the mountains to the desert to the forest to the city, where she encounters a traffic jam.  Speeding up, she finds herself on a race track, where she wins a race before heading home. Annie’s kind of tired from all her driving, and after roaring through her living room, she settles down for a bedtime story with her dad and little brother.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  A celebration of imagination with a strong heroine, beautifully rendered illustrations of a wide variety of settings, and a satisfying ending just right for bedtime.

Cons:  It’s not that easy to leave the traffic behind.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

I’m Trying to Love Math by Bethany Barton

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Viking Books for Children

Image result for im trying to love math amazon

Image result for im trying to love math amazon

Summary:  When an unnamed narrator declares their dislike of math, a purple three-eyed alien tries to show how interesting and useful it is.  “I know I’m not alone here. 4 in 10 Americans hate math,” claims the narrator. Alien: “Did you just use math to explain how much you don’t like it?”  It then goes on to show how math is used for things the narrator finds enjoyable, like baking cookies or making music. Math is a universal language and gives us a set of rules for measuring, traveling, and using money.  When the kid realizes they already love math, the alien’s job is done, and he returns home…to Planet Homework. 40 pages; grades 1-3

Pros:  A fun way to introduce the different ways math is used in everyday life.  It could serve as a springboard to get kids thinking about other areas where they use math.

Cons:  Those who truly struggle with math are not likely to be convinced by the arguments put forth here.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Look Again: Secrets of Animal Camouflage by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

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Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

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Summary:  Steve Jenkins and Robin Page take a tour of different habitats–coral reefs, trees, the Arctic, etc.–and show how animals blend in to hide themselves in each one.  There are two cut-paper illustrations for each animal, one against a white background and one in which the animal is camouflaged. Each page has a couple sentences of introductory text; the rest is brief captions for the illustrations.  Additional information about each of the 36 animals is given at the end, along with thumbnail illustrations. Also includes books and websites for additional research. 40 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  As you may already know, I’m a big fan of Steve Jenkins books (I’ve only reviewed nine), and this one includes many of his beautiful trademark collage illustrations.  As usual, the information is fun and accessible for primary grade readers.

Cons:  This lacked the wow factor of some of my favorite Jenkins books like Biggest, Strongest, Fastest and  Animals By the Numbers. 

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

The Pigeon HAS to Go to School! By Mo Willems and The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes, illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

This book is published by Hyperion Books for Children

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Image result for pigeon has to go to school mo willems

 

And this book is published by Nancy Paulsen Books

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Image result for king of kindergarten amazon

Summary:  Well, teachers, we’re halfway through July, and it’s not too early to be thinking about your first-day-of-school reading choices, is it?  Mo Willems has created a new pigeon book that has the pigeon resisting the first day of school: he already knows everything, he’s not really a morning guy, and most of all he’s afraid of the unknown.  But when he learns that going to school involves riding on a bus, he’s all in. The King of Kindergarten relates what his first day of school will be like, riding in a big yellow carriage to the doors of the fortress, sitting at the round table, and displaying courage by asking a classmate to play at recess.  A report of a nice teacher, new friends, and a fun recess ends the day, with anticipation of another fun day for His Royal Highness up ahead. 40 pages (Pigeon) and 32 page (King); ages 4-8.

Pros:  Two upbeat books that address kids’ concern with humor and compassion.  Either one would be a good choice for the first day of preschool or kindergarten, and the pigeon would fly in first or second grade as well.

Cons:  Parents might want to exercise caution on calling their child the king or queen of kindergarten…there’s enough entitlement out there already.

If you’d like to buy The Pigeon Has to Go to School on Amazon, click here.

If you’d like to buy The King of Kindergarten, click here.

When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita and It Feels Good to Be Yourself: A Book About Gender Identity by Theresa Thorn, illustrated by Noah Grigni

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Lee and Low Books

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Image result for when aidan became a brother

 

 

Published by Henry Holt and Co.

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Summary:  Aidan is concerned about the new baby that’s coming to his house.  Suppose his parents don’t recognize the new baby’s correct gender? That’s what happened to Aidan.  His parents thought he was a girl, and it took a few years to convince them that he was really a boy.  Finally, his mom reassures him: “We made some mistakes, but you helped us fix them. And you taught us how important it is to love someone for exactly who they are.  This baby is so lucky to have you, and so are we.” The gender of the baby is never revealed, but they are fortunate to have such a loving and accepting family. Families who may be struggling with acceptance could benefit from It Feels Good to Be Yourself, which defines the terms transgender, cisgender, and non-binary, giving examples of kids who describe themselves in each of these ways.  The conclusion here: “Your feelings about your gender are real. Listen to your heart. No matter what your gender identity is, you are okay exactly the way you are.”  32 pages (Aidan) and 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Love and acceptance is good for everyone, and these two books help create more of it for kids and families who may be working through issues of gender identity.  

Cons:  There’s a certain free-to-be-you-and-me earnestness, particularly with It Feels Good to Be Yourself, which may feel dated when different gender identities become more a part of the culture.

If you would like to buy When Aidan Became a Brother, click here.

If you would like to buy It Feels Good to Be Yourself, click here.

 

How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander, illustrated by Melissa Sweet

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by HarperCollins

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Summary:  You start with a book.  And a comfortable place to read.  “Once you’re comfy, peel its gentle skin like you would a clementine.”  Kwame Alexander’s poem encourages readers to celebrate each book, savoring every morsel they get from it, while Melissa Sweet’s collage illustrations provide a neon-colored background with children reading, all sorts of fonts, and shapes cut from an actual book (Bambi, to be exact).  The final pages: “Now sleep. Dream. Hope. (You never reach…The End).”  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A lovely introduction to the joys of reading in Kwame Alexander’s poetic voice, eye-poppingly illustrated by Melissa Sweet with beautiful collages that reminded me why I’m still bitter that she didn’t win a Caldecott for 2016’s Some Writer. 

Cons:  Although this has gotten multiple starred reviews, and I can appreciate the artistry of both the text and the illustrations, I can’t help wondering if it will be appreciated by the preschool crowd.  Given the choice, I would probably read Kate Messner’s How to Read A Story as a similar introduction for this age.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Stonewall: A Building. An Uprising. A Revolution. by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Jamey Christoph

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Random House

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Image result for stonewall christoph amazon

Summary:  Narrated by the building that became Stonewall, this story begins in the 1840’s when the original structure was created to stable horses.  There’s a brief history of the building’s other incarnations and the evolution of Greenwich Village before reaching the 1960’s when the Stonewall Inn became a club for gay men and women, as well as for “teenagers, transgender people, drag queens, veterans, businesspeople, students, people of different colors, religions, and cultures”.  The club was raided regularly, and each time some of its clientele would be arrested, while the rest would quietly go home. But on the night of June 28, 1969, the angry crowd confronted the police, who were driven inside Stonewall until they could call in reinforcements. In the 50 years since that night, people have celebrated June 28 as the beginning of the movement for LGBQT+ rights.  Includes additional history and photos of the Stonewall Inn; an interview with activist and Stonewall Uprising participant Martin Boyce; a glossary; and a list for further reading. 40 pages; grades K-5.

Pros:  An excellent introduction to the Stonewall Uprising that emphasizes the importance of inclusivity through the story as well as with the gorgeous illustrations.  Using the building as a narrator is a perfect way to relate the entire history of the place, placing the night of June 28, 1969 in context.

Cons:  A few reviews I saw felt there was not enough inclusion of trans people in this telling; since I’m not familiar with the history, I can’t say if this is true or not.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Little, Brown and Company

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Summary:  The river flows night and day, not realizing it’s a river until Bear falls into it.  He doesn’t realize he’s on an adventure until Froggy hops on his head. As each animal is added to the group, they learn something new about themselves.  Finally, they all go over a waterfall and help one another to have a fun and furious ride. “So many different animals living heir separate lives, but they didn’t know they were in it together…until…the river came along.”  Includes notes from the author and illustrator on the genesis of the book. 40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  The illustrations are gorgeous and fun (I’ve seen this book mentioned as a Caldecott contender); kids will enjoy all the animals and may even get the message about celebrating differences and working together.

Cons:  The author seemed to be trying a little too hard to push his message, even spelling it out in the author’s note.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.