Picture books

When’s My Birthday by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Christian Robinson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary: “When’s my birthday/where’s my birthday?/how many days until my birthday?” an exuberant child asks repeatedly as she counts down to the big day.  She anticipates eating cake and other treats, inviting friends to a party, and getting presents.  The night before her birthday, she vows to stay awake, but ultimately falls asleep, dreaming of tomorrow.  And finally…”It’s the daytime!/here’s my birthday!/happy happy! hee! hee! hee!/time for cakey/wakey wakey/happy happy day to me!”  40 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:   I’ve seen this on some Caldecott prediction lists lately.  The simple rhyming text and cheerful collage illustrations perfectly capture pre-birthday excitement for the under-ten crowd.  This would make an ideal birthday gift.

Cons:  I was pretty exhausted by the time the birthday finally arrived.

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

‘Tis the Season: Some Holiday Read-Alouds

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

If you’re looking to fill the long hours of anticipation of the next two weeks, here are some new books to add to your collection.

Merry Christmas, Peanut! by Terry Border. Published by Philomel Books

Kids will love the illustrations created from household items that tell the story of Peanut and his family as they travel to Grandma’s for Christmas dinner.  Along the way, they pick up a host of lonely characters who need a place to spend the holiday.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Little Red Ruthie: A Hanukkah Tale by Gloria Koster. Published by Albert Whitman and Company

Little Red Ruthie is bring applesauce and sour cream to go with her Bubbe Basha’s legendary latkes.  When a wolf follows her there, she has to quickly think of a way to fill him up on latkes instead of her and her Bubbe.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Waltz of the Snowflakes by Elly Mackay.  Published by Running Press.  The Nutcracker in Harlem by T. McMorrow, illustrated by James Ransome.

                 

Two stories inspired by the classic ballet.  The Nutcracker in Harlem reimagines the story in 1920’s Harlem.  Waltz of the Snowflakes is a wordless celebration of a reluctant girl’s first experience at the ballet, and how she slowly gets caught up in the magic of the tale.  For Waltz of the Snowflakes, click here.  For The Nutcracker in Harlem, click here.

 

Nativity by Cynthia Rylant.  Published by Beach Lane Books

Simple, spare text and paintings tell the story of Jesus’s birth, concluding with four of the beatitudes offered as a sample of the adult Jesus’s teachings.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares.  Published by Candlewick Press

Red the cardinal panics when the enormous tree he and Lulu call home is cut down and taken away…with Lulu still in it.  He follows the tree to New York City, where he finally finds it in Rockefeller Center, ablaze with colored lights.  Red and Lulu become city birds, settling down in Central Park after Christmas.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

 

 

 

Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth by Don Tate

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Published by Charlesbridge

Summary:  As a skinny, frail child, Friedrich Mueller loved athletics, but frequently was too sick to play.  Although he was a good student, he left university to join a circus where his career as an acrobat helped him get stronger.  When the circus folded, Friedrich worked as an artists’ model and learned more about bodybuilding.  At the age of 20, he changed his name to Eugen Sandow and launched his career as a showman.  When he beat famous strongmen Sampson and Cyclops on a London stage, he became an overnight sensation, eventually traveling to America, where his performance at the Chicago World’s Fair increased his celebrity status.  Back in London, he focused on helping others become physically strong and healthy.  He held the Great Competition, the first organized bodybuilding contest, awarding a gold statue with his likeness, a version of which is still used today.  Includes an afterword with more information, four exercises for kids to try, an author’s note about his own bodybuilding experiences, and an extensive bibliography.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  Humorous illustrations and lighthearted text combine to make this a fun biographical read.

Cons:  The fact that Sandow died at age 58 makes me question his health advice.

If you’d like to order this book through Amazon, click here.

Marti’s Song for Freedom/Marti y Sus Versos por la Libertad by Emma Otheguy, illustrated by Beatriz Vidal

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Published by Children’s Book Press

Summary:  Growing up in Cuba, Jose Marti was outraged that some of his fellow countrymen were slaves.  As he grew older, he learned that the key to ending slavery was Cuba’s independence from Spain.  In 1868, the Cuban people started a war for independence.  Marti’s newspaper articles and pamphlets about it landed him in jail.  At age 17, he was released by the Spanish government on the condition that he leave Cuba forever.  He traveled around the world, advocating for Cuban independence, and finally settled in New York.  He loved the city, but sometimes found it oppressive.  He would retreat to the Catskills, where he wrote poetry and stories for children that are still read today. In 1895, Jose went back to Cuba, where he died a few weeks later in a battle for independence.  Seven  years later, in 1902, Cuba finally gained independence from Spain.  32 pages; grades 2-6.

Pros:  Told in both English and Spanish, this is an inspiring biography of a man who never stopped fighting against the injustices he saw.  The illustrations may make it a Caldecott contender.

Cons:  Why is New York consistently referred to as Nuevo York in the English version of the story?

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

Rapunzel by Bethan Woollvin

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Published by Peachtree Publishers

Summary:  Rapunzel lives in a tower, visited only by a witch who climbs up her long hair to visit, then steals some of Rapunzel’s golden locks to sell.  When the witch leaves, she tells Rapunzel that if she tries to escape, the witch will put a terrible curse on her.  “But was Rapunzel frightened? Oh no, not she!”  She makes a ladder from her hair, and goes out to explore.  Freedom is exhilarating, and she and a new (horse) friend make an escape plan.  One day, the witch tries to climb out of the tower using Rapunzel’s hair; the girl quickly cuts her hair, and the witch falls to the ground.  Rapunzel’s equine friend is waiting, and the two ride off in bandit costumes to become witch hunters.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A quick and funny retelling of Rapunzel, casting the heroine as an independent girl with no sign of a prince in sight.

Cons:  The style of art and the yellow and black palette aren’t really my cup of tea.

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

Red Again by Barbara Lehman

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Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

Summary:  A lot has changed since 2004, but the wordless Red Again picks up right where that year’s The Red Book left off.  A boy on a bicycle finds the magical book and takes it to a cupola at the top of his house to read it.  As he studies a map of some islands, the illustrations zoom in to a girl fishing from a rowboat, a red book floating behind her.  When she opens the book, she sees the boy’s house, and eventually, the two are face to face through their books.  With the help of a loaf of bread and a pelican, she zooms through the water to meet her new friend.  In his excited rush to greet her, he drops the book.  It ends up in a snowbank, where it is picked up by…well, I can’t tell you everything.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The Red Book won a Caldecott honor, and this sequel is a worthy successor.  There is a lot to look at in the deceptively simple illustrations that celebrate books and friendship.

Cons:  Some of the connections within the book and between the two books might blow your mind a little bit.

If you would like to order this book through Amazon, click here.

Sergeant Reckless: The True Story of the Little Horse Who Became a Hero by Patricia McCormick, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

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Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  When a group of U.S. Marines was looking for a pack animal to haul ammunition in the Korean War, they ended up buying a scrawny abandoned horse from a nearby racetrack.  She was given a military rank, and became known as Private Reckless.  The men trained her to duck incoming fire and to retreat, using her insatiable appetite for just about any kind of food to get her to do what they needed.  She learned to stay calm in battle, carrying heavy loads of ammunition on her back.  In one day-long battle, she made 51 trips, totaling 35 miles up and down hills, to carry 9,000 pounds of ammunition.  That earned her a promotion to sergeant, and her Marine friends started a campaign to send her to the United States.  They were successful, and she was able to retire with full military honors and two Purple Hearts, the only animal to ever hold military rank.  An author’s note tells more of Reckless’s story, including a photo and a brief bibliography.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  Animal lovers and military history buffs will enjoy this story about a unique horse who won the hearts of the U.S. Marines with her humor, hard work, and bravery.

Cons:  Reckless’s diet of coffee, Coca-Cola, and chocolate.

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

 

The Nantucket Sea Monster: A Fake News Story written by Darcy Pattison, illustrated by Peter Willis

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Published by Mims House

Summary:  August 4, 1937: Two men claim to have seen a sea monster off the coast of Nantucket.  The local newspaper reports the story, and before long, other witnesses come forward and describe a similar monster.  A few days later, five-foot long footprints are discovered on the beach.  Scientists at Harvard and the New England Aquarium study photos of the giant prints, while newspapers across the country pick up the story.  Two weeks later, word spreads that the monster has been caught.  When people rush to see it, they can’t believe their eyes.  The “monster” is a huge rubber balloon, designed by master puppeteer Tony Sarg for the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade.  It had all been a publicity stunt, with news reporters in on the hoax from the very beginning.  The float flew in the 1937 parade and was seen by millions more people; Nantucket got tons of free publicity.  Includes a timeline and two pages on the ethics of fake news.  32 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  A fun story that also has a timely message about the responsibilities of a free press; this would be a great catalyst for a discussion about today’s fake news.

Cons:  I was skeptical that the monster could be as goofy-looking as the illustrations showed.  As you can see from the photo, it actually was.  Hard to believe.

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

Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Richard Jones

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Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Summary:  When a single snowflake lands on a fox’s nose, the fox is unsure about how to handle the coming winter.  He gathers advice from other animals, but hibernation and migration options don’t work for him for one reason or another.  At last he meets another fox, and as snow begins to fall, whirling in the wind, the other fox shows him how they can dance together.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Muted illustrations perfectly capture the feeling of late fall and early winter.  The repeating text will help kids learn more about how animals survive the cold weather.

Cons:  It would have been nice to see some back matter explaining more about animal behavior, and especially about the foxes’ dance.

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

Pizza Day by Melissa Iwai

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Published by Henry Holt

Summary:  A boy and his father spend a day at home making pizza.  They start in the garden, picking tomatoes, carrots, onions, basil, and a pepper.  Then it’s into the kitchen to make the dough and the sauce.  Both items have to rest awhile, so father and son head outside to play.  Later, the boy “wakes up” the pizza ingredients, and he and his dad put them together, add some toppings, and send their dinner to the oven to bake.  While they’re cleaning up, Mom gets home from work, and the day ends with a delicious dinner.  Includes recipes for dough and sauce, and instructions on how to assemble and bake your own pizza.  40 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:  A companion to Melissa Iwai’s Soup Day (which may be more appropriate for this time of year), this simple story celebrates family and fresh food.  The acrylic illustrations have plenty of kid appeal, and will whet appetites to try the recipes at the end.

Cons:  That pizza definitely needed more cheese.

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