Picture books

Merry Christmas, Mary Christmas! By Laurie Friedman, illustrated by Kathryn Durst

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Carolrhoda Books

Summary:  The Christmas family–Ma, Pa, Chris, Holly, Mary, and dog Rudy–love everything about Christmas, and do it in a big way.  All of them, that is, except Mary, who thinks their tree is too big (it pokes through the roof), their lights are too bright (they cause the lights on the rest of the street to go out), and their presents are too plentiful.  She consults with Santa, who tells her plenty of people would love her Christmas and that he’s sure she can find a way to appreciate it as well.  On Christmas Eve, Mary comes up with her plan, and on Christmas morning, she convinces her family to pack up the tree, lights, and gifts, and throw a huge party for the rest of the town.  Everyone in her family and the town is delighted, and when Mary settles down that night, she finally feels like she has had a merry Christmas.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Cheerful cartoon-style illustrations of garish Christmas excesses complement the story about learning to share holiday abundance with others.

Cons:  What, is my name Ebeneezer Scrooge?  Merry Christmas to all!

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

A Christmas for Bear by Bonny Becker, illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Bear has never celebrated Christmas, but his research has shown him what the most important element is: pickles.  When Mouse comes over on Christmas Eve, he can’t help searching the house for presents, even as Bear is reminding him that pickles and poetry are what will make their holiday special.  They sit down to the pickle-centered feast, and Bear begins reciting “The Night Before Christmas”.  When he gets to the line about the stockings, he repeats it several times, growing increasingly loud, until Mouse realizes there ARE stockings behind the tree, and one of them has…a present!  Mouse races outside to use his new telescope, and there, under the tree, is a sled for Bear.  Bear struggles a bit, but manages to let Mouse know that he is Bear’s best friend.  48 pages; ages 5-9.

Pros:  Another winning tale of the unlikely but sweet friendship between Bear and Mouse.

Cons:  I was sweating it out about the presents; I don’t even like pickles.

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

Stay: A Girl, A Dog, A Bucket List by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Feiwel and Friends

Summary:  Eli has been Astrid’s canine companion since she came home from the hospital.  The summer she is six, Astrid notices that Eli is getting old.  She decides to make a bucket list of things for them to do together.  Eli rides on Astrid’s bike, gets a bubble bath, and goes to a movie and to a restaurant for spaghetti and meatballs.  He enjoys it all, but finally he is too old and tired to do anything but stay home and remember their happy times together.  The last page: “Being with Astrid was the only thing left on Eli’s bucket list.  It was the only thing that had ever been on Eli’s bucket list.”  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A sweet story, both the text and illustrations.  Eli’s thoughts as he is taken from one bucket list item to the next are amusing.  Aging and unconditional love are both addressed, but with a light touch.

Cons:  If you can read that last page without choking up, you are a stronger person than I am.

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

 

Pandora by Victoria Turnbull

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Pandora the fox lives by herself in a land of broken things, but she has a talent for fixing and repurposing them.  One day, an injured bird falls into her world, and she sets about making it better.  The two become friends, and the bird builds a nest near Pandora’s bed.  Soon the bird is well enough to fly, and one day, it flies away and doesn’t return.  Pandora thinks her heart will break; while she is lying in her bed, the reader can see a plant rising from the box that held the bird’s nest.  The plant grows to cover the world outside Pandora’s house.  One day it rouses her from her bed just in time to hear the sound of birdsong and to welcome her friend back to the land of living things.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The spare text and evocative watercolor illustrations tell a moving and mysterious story that can be appreciated as both a tale of friendship and a fable about taking care of the environment.

Cons:  The story may be confusing to younger readers.

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

Round by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Taeeun Yoo

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

 

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Summary:  A little girl and her father explore what is round in the world.  Round things can hold the promise of new life, like seeds and eggs.  They can last an instant, like bubbles, or for billions of years, like stars.  Sometimes they start off sharp, like rocks, but wear down to roundness.  The girl enjoys being part of a round circle of friends, and the roundness of her father’s arms around her in a hug.  The last two pages explain in more depth why so many things in nature are round.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  A very satisfying exploration of the natural world, with a loving relationship between father and daughter conveyed through the illustrations.  This could also serve as a jumping-off point for further explorations, looking for other shapes or patterns in nature and writing about them.

Cons:  I’ve seen this book on some Caldecott contender lists; for me, the illustrations weren’t quite of that caliber.

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

The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! By Carmen Agra Deedy, illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  The village of La Paz is a very noisy place until the people, wanting some peace and quiet, fire the mayor.  The new mayor, Don Pepe, brings in peace and quiet all right, but his ban on singing makes the village as quiet as a tomb.  One day a rooster comes to town with his family, and at dawn delivers a loud, “Kee-kee-ree-kee!”  Don Pepe tries everything he can to shut up the rooster–putting him in jail, cutting off his food, and eventually threatening to kill him–but the rooster continues his song.  “A song is louder than one noisy little rooster and stronger than one bully of a mayor,” says the rooster, “and it will never die–as long as there is someone to sing it.”  The inspired townspeople burst into song, Don Pepe skulks out of town, and La Paz is a noisy, lively village once again.  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A timely message in today’s world, celebrating those who will not be shut down by bullies. Kids will enjoy the colorful rooster and exaggerated evil-villain characteristics of Don Pepe.

Cons:  While I’ve seen this book on a few Caldecott lists, I found the illustrations a mixed bag; I liked the portrayals of the rooster and Don Pepe, but not so much the ones of the townspeople.

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

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

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

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

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

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.