Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Hector and Louie are such good friends, they want to tell you all about it, so they’re writing a book called Best Friends in the Universe.  Why are they best friends? There are five million reasons! They both want a python; their moms got them both a fish instead (that they both named Python); they both love dance parties and inventing new foods like a peanut butter toast milkshake.  They’re such good friends that they know each other’s secrets…like that Louie once wet his pants after drinking too much milkshake and that Hector likes Linda Berger. Uh-oh, they weren’t supposed to say that! Suddenly the best friends are in a fight and not speaking.  They’re even writing a book called WORST Friends in the Universe! But after awhile, the two boys realize life without a best friend is lonely. Acknowledging that they are both not the greatest at keeping secrets, they patch up their friendship. The book is over, but their friendship is not!  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Some positive messages about friendship and forgiveness, told with exuberant cartoon bubbles and illustrations that look like kids’ drawings on notebook paper.

Cons:  A peanut butter toast milkshake?

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Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  A grandfather is walking with his two grandchildren.  They notice how everything around them is busily moving: birds fly, the dog runs, a frog jumps, and dragonflies beat their wings. Grandfather suggests they sit and rest, so they find a seat on a bench under a tree.  They notice the birds have quieted down, and their dog is taking a nap. The frog is sitting on a lily pad, and the dragonflies are resting nearby. The kids notice they can think and see when they’re still, and the book concludes that “To be quiet and still is a special thing.”  32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  A simple, quiet book to encourage kids to stop and be still once in a while.  Tomie dePaola’s peaceful illustrations complement the text perfectly.

Cons:  There’s not much of a story, just a simple lesson.

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Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons

Summary:  It’s Carmela’s birthday, and her wish has come true–today she gets to go with her brother.  Riding her scooter through city streets, she sees the fenced-off repair shop, the crowded bus stop, and the home improvement store where her father used to stand around and wait for work.  The two siblings go to the laundromat, then to the market.  Carmela knows she’s annoying to her older brother, who doesn’t want her hanging around, but she doesn’t care.  They go past their old apartment building, and Carmela imagines “her dad getting his papers fixed so he could finally be home.”  Carmela finds a dandelion, and her brother tells her she’s supposed to make wishes on it.  As they head for home, she falls off her scooter, and the dandelion is crushed.  Her brother helps her up and checks that she’s okay.  Then he takes her to a magical place by the sea where there are hundreds of dandelion seeds–wishes–floating through the air.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The award-winning team that brought you Last Stop on Market Street has done it again, with a story that doesn’t seem like such a big deal the first time through, but that grows on you with each rereading.  The two kids are resilient, despite their difficult circumstances that are subtly woven into the narrative.  This would be a great mentor text for showing character development; just like in Market Street, there are believable, likeable characters who slowly reveal their true natures as the story unfolds.

Cons:  I was hoping there would be some little intersection with C.J. and his grandma from Market Street.

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Published by Groundwood Books

Summary:  A little girl tells about traveling to Haiti, her mother’s birthplace, to visit her artist Auntie Luce.  Auntie Luce shows her niece around Haiti, driving through the city before heading to her home and studio in the country.  In the studio are paintings of some of the heroes from Haiti’s past like Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Catherine Flon, and Francois-Dominique Louverture, as well as portraits of the girl’s ancestors.  When it’s her turn to sit for a portrait, she finds it’s hard to sit still for so long; Auntie Luce distracts her with stories about Haiti and its history. At the end of her visit, her aunt gives the girl her portrait telling her, “These colors, this people, this place belong to you.  And you belong to them, always.” Includes an author’s note giving a brief history of Haitian independence and a glossary. 36 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  An ode to Haiti, celebrating its history of independence and its beauty, particularly with the vibrantly colored illustrations.

Cons:  I wish there was more information about the history of Haiti in the author’s note.

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