Picture books

A picture book potpourri

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Everyone Gets a Turn by Marianne Dubuc (Princeton Architectural Press, 60 pages, ages 4-9). When friends Bear, Mouse, Turtle, and Hare discover an egg, each one wants to take it home. The egg provides the answer: “Everyone gets a turn!” Mouse found the egg, so he brings it home first, getting to know the egg and learning how to keep it comfortable. Next is Bear, who gets a surprise: the egg hatches, and Little Bird arrives. Hare and Turtle figure out how to feed and care for a young bird, and by the time the visit with Turtle ends, Little Bird has built her own home and is ready to take care of herself. There’s a housewarming party, at which time Little Bird declares she will henceforth be known as Clara, and the five friends and neighbors “continue to grow, each in their own way.” The story could hardly be any cozier or more heartwarming, and the longer page count and graphic novel format will make it appealing to older readers as well as younger kids. I’d love to know the story of how this came to be published by the Princeton Architectural Press.

The Bicycle: How an Act of Kindness Changed a Young Refugee’s Life by Patricia McCormick and Mevan Babakar, illustrated by Yas Imamura (Balzer + Bray, 40 pages, grades 1-4). Mevan tells the story of her childhood, beginning with idyllic early years surrounded by family in Kurdistan. When the Iraqi government begins persecuting the Kurdish people, Mevan and her family are forced to flee, first to Turkey, then to Russia, and finally to the Netherlands. Mevan learns to make herself as invisible as she can. In the Netherlands, she watches people outside her window riding bicycles, but she rarely leaves the apartment herself. It feels like no one sees her, but it turns out that Egbert, the building’s handyman, has noticed her, and one day he brings her a red bicycle. His gift makes Mevan feel “a hundred feet tall,” and before long, she’s outside riding with the rest of her neighbors. An epilogue describes the miraculous reunion she had with Egbert as an adult, including a photo of the two of them, and an author’s note describes her life as a refugee, how it has made her feel like an outsider, and the miraculous power of kindness. This is a touching if bittersweet memoir with an emphasis on the power of one person’s kindness to make a difference. I like how the epilogue ends, describing the ripple effect of her story of finding Egbert: “In a world where there are many people running from war, from hunger, from hatred, people everywhere, of every age, asked themselves: What’s one kind thing I can do?”

The Elephant and the Sea by Ed Vere (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 32 pages, ages 4-8). Gabriel is an old elephant when we meet him on the first page, sitting in the harbor and remembering his younger days. Back then, he loved to visit the lifeboat crew and dreamed of helping sailors at sea, singing “Heave away, haul away, heave-HO!” But then Gabriel grows…and grows, and the other animals say he’s too big for the lifeboat. He refuses to give up his dream, though, and spends his days collecting driftwood and building. When a storm hits that’s too strong for the lifeboat crew, Gabriel is ready with his own boat that he uses to haul in the entire fleet. “Brave Gabriel, our hero!” the animals hail him. “Can we join you?” “Of course,” Gabriel replies. “But we might need a bigger boat.” And Gabriel enjoys a career of lifesaving, bringing us back to the old elephant remembering. It’s a cute story with a nice theme of perseverance and determination, with a fun “Heave away” repeating refrain. This would make a nice companion to read with Swashby and the Sea.

In which we learn what some Caldecott artists have been up to

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Being Home by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Michaela Goade (Kokila, 32 pages, ages 4-8). A family decides to move from the crowded city to the Cherokee reservation, where they can be close to nature, family, and community. The narrative begins on moving day in the city, continues through their journey, and finishes up in their new home, where they’re greeted with a feast and lots of children for the young narrator to play with. There are kid-drawn pictures showing a map of their trip, while other illustrations incorporate people, animals and symbols from the Cherokee Nation. Pink is the main color used to celebrate this family’s new life.

Both Traci Sorell’s (Cherokee) beautiful poetry and Michaela Goade’s (Tlingit) gorgeous illustrations celebrate indigenous communities that honor nature and help each other out through their connection. There’s always so much to see in Goade’s art, so be sure to take your time to appreciate how the colors she uses and shapes and figures she weaves into the main illustrations help tell the story.

Signs of Hope: The Revolutionary Art of Sister Corita Kent by Mara Rockliff, illustrated by Melissa Sweet (Harry N. Abrams, 40 pages, grades 2-5). A student narrator describes what it was like to study art with Sister Corita Kent, learning to pay attention, breaking the rules, making prints inspired by words and pictures from magazines. Sometimes the students would take field trips to museums to learn about Pop Art, or to protests, where Sister Corita’s signs spoke out about peace and justice. After studying with Sister Corita, her students were ready to go into the world to express themselves through their own art. Includes an author’s note with biographical information about Sister Corita Kent, an illustrator’s note, a timeline, and additional resources.

Melissa Stewart’s style is a natural fit to celebrate Sister Corita’s joyful, playful art. The first-person present-tense narration brings an immediacy to the story that’s as vibrant as the illustrations. The text may be a bit confusing to a reader not familiar with Sister Corita Kent, but the author’s note adds helpful details about her life. I was disappointed that Matthew Burgess’s excellent Make Meatballs Sing: The Life and Art of Corita Kent wasn’t included on the resource list.

Ursula Upside Down by Corey R. Tabor (Balzer + Bray, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Ursula is a catfish who happily enjoys the beauty of her undersea world. But her view gets flipped when a fish asks her why she’s upside-down. “Just look around,” says the fish, and when she does, Ursula realizes she’s the only creature swimming her way. She tries turning over but gets so disoriented that she leaves the water altogether. A bat comes along and rescues her, and back in the water, Ursula observes the bat hanging upside down from a tree. “Upside down?” says the bat. “Says who?” This gives Ursula the confidence to go back to her old ways, and she’s happy once again, seeing things her own way. An author’s note introduces the upside-down catfish of the Congo River Basin and asks readers to consider that we might be the ones who are upside down.

Another cute picture book by Corey Tabor that involves flipping the book around a couple of times like some of his other works. My favorite is still the Caldecott honor book Mel Fell, but I’m sure kids will enjoy getting to know Ursula (and Vern the bat), and the story delivers a nice message about doing your own thing.

Dog days

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Dog vs. Strawberry by Nelly Buchet, illustrated by Andrea Zuill (Random House Studio, 40 pages, ages 4-8). When a dog’s owner gives her a strawberry, it’s time for “the greatest race of all time!” With a sportscaster narration explaining what’s going on, the dog races around the living room, taking down a lamp and a plant before exhaustion takes over and she has to take a nap break. Meanwhile, the strawberry remains cool and collected on the living room floor. It’s anybody’s race right up until the very end when the owner returns, and–unwittingly–decides the winner.

Dalmartian: A Mars Rover’s Story by Lucy Ruth Cummins (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 48 pages, ages 4-8). When some dog-shaped aliens visit Earth to collect specimens, one of them gets left behind. Stephen, the boy living in a nearby house, discovers the alien and invites him in. Although it resembles a dog, the creature has some clear and decidedly un-doglike preferences: no dog food (bacon is good), no leashes, no fetch, and no pooping in the dog park. Once they begin to understand each other, the two bond quickly. One night, while they’re both sleeping, the spacecraft returns, and Stephen’s guest gets on board to return to the home planet. But partway through the journey, the creature realizes its mistake and turns the ship around. In the morning, the two friends are reunited, this time for good.

Finding Things by Kevin Henkes, illustrated by Laura Dronzek (Greenwillow Books, 32 pages, ages 3-6). “If you found a ball on the grass and it was there for days, you could take it home.” Similarly, flowers growing in a sidewalk crack and a box by the curb on garbage day are other treasures that can be rescued. A kitten? If it’s crying, doesn’t belong to anyone, and you get permission from everyone, then it’s yours. And that lucky kitten will have a pretty flower to look at, a ball to play with, and a box to sleep in.

Here are three dog books that preschool and early elementary readers will enjoy. Finding Things isn’t really about the dog on the cover, but it perfectly captures the childhood joy of discovering unexpected treasures and is short and simple enough for the youngest readers. Slightly older readers will get a big kick out of Dog vs. Strawberry, both the action-packed illustrations and the sportscaster-style storytelling. And you can move right on to Dalmartian, with its cute doglike character, alien storyline, and a few good bathroom jokes.

Dan Santat draws some dragons

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Roar-Choo! by Charlotte Cheng, illustrated by Dan Santat (Rocky Pond Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). When a dragon catches a cold, its phoenix friend wants to help it slow down and rest. But the dragon insists that dragons are strong and never quit. By the end, not only has the dragon come to understand that rest can be a good thing, but the phoenix realizes that being patient and cheering can also be exhausting. The last page sees them napping together. Includes an author’s note explaining that in the Chinese tradition, the dragon represents male strength and bravery, and the phoenix, female grace and generosity. She chose to write the story without pronouns to make these traits more universal.

Built to Last by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Two friends who resemble a young Minh Lê and Dan Santat meet when they’re about preschool age when they discover a mutual love of building things. As they get older their creations grow in size–and so do their failures. When they’re little, they can laugh these off, but as time goes by, that gets harder to do. When their biggest project of all doesn’t work out, they’re ready to call it quits on being friends. But remembering all their good times together leads to the reconciliation of a friendship that’s been built to last.

I wasn’t overly impressed by either one of these stories, which both seemed a bit didactic. I was a bit disappointed since one of my favorite read-alouds is the Minh Lê/Dan Santat creation Lift. But Santat’s illustrations in both books are gorgeous, and any dragon fan will be drawn to them immediately.

Oh! 2 books about H2O

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Water: Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us by Olga Fadeeva, translated from Russian by Lena Traer (Eerdman’s Books for Young Readers, 56 pages, grades 2-5). Each spread in this book asks a question about water, covering a wide range of topics from weather to oceans to pollution. How much water is there on Earth? How do rivers form? How are seas and oceans different? How powerful is water? Each question is answered with a few straightforward, engaging paragraphs and illustrated with acrylics that emphasize the blues and browns of water. This is a fun book to browse and would make an excellent addition to any elementary unit on water, although there was a sad lack of additional resources at the end.

Dive! The Story of Breathing Underwater by Chris Gall (Roaring Brook Press, 48 pages, grades 1-5). As we learned in the first book, two-thirds of the Earth is covered in water, so it’s only natural that humans would seek out ways to explore the oceans. Beginning with the ancient Greeks who used hollow reeds that allowed them to breathe while harvesting undersea sponges, Chris Gall moves on to diving bells, the bathysphere, the Aqua-Lung, and robot-controlled submersibles. He also explains what happens when humans travel deep into the ocean, and the catastrophic effects returning to the surface too quickly can have. The narrative is told through a lens of problem-solving, as various inventors sought to overcome obstacles to allow divers to go deeper and explore longer. There’s more information at the end about the oceans, how to become a diver, and the author’s personal experience with diving, as well as a glossary and additional resources. Although this has the look of a picture book and is recommended by some reviewers for kids as young as 4, there’s a lot of somewhat technical information that would most likely be more interesting for older readers.

A couple of holiday books

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Ramadan Kareem by M. O. Yuksel, illustrated by Hatem Aly (HarperCollins, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Kids around the world celebrate Ramadan from the sighting of the crescent moon that marks the beginning to the next crescent a month later that signals that it’s time for the Eid celebration. In between, some of them fast for the first time, give money and food to neighbors, enjoy feasts before sunrise and after sunset, and attend mosque to pray and study the Qur’an. Eid means family gatherings, feasting, and gift giving, as the kids look forward to celebrating Ramadan again next year. Includes additional information, as well as a glossary and a list of three resources.

This book is packed with information, as well as colorful illustrations by Hatem Aly, for whom I’ve had a soft spot since The Inquisitor’s Tale. One fun feature is that 13 flags are hidden in the pictures, showing where in the world that celebration is taking place, although I wish this had been introduced at the beginning of the book instead of the end. I also wish I had seen this book in time for Ramadan this year, but file it away as one to purchase for 2025.

Juneteenth Is by Natasha Tripplett, illustrated by Daniel J. O’Brien (Chronicle Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). A young girl shows readers how her family celebrates Juneteenth. The day starts with a parade, then continues to a big extended family gathering for a feast that features red food and drink. Grandparents remind everyone that red represents the color of suffering and give a quick synopsis of the history of the day, “the history lesson not taught in school.” At the end of the day, the family gathers for a photo, and the girl reminds readers, “Juneteenth is for all of us. We are America.” Includes information and resources on the significance of red in the celebration of Juneteenth.

Another beautifully illustrated book that serves as an excellent introduction to Juneteenth for younger readers. It’s a good mix of family fun and remembrance of the reasons for observing the day. Although the information about the significance of red is interesting, I would have liked more about the history of the holiday.

A trio of musical picture books

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The Boy Who Said Wow by Todd Boss, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh (Beach Lane Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Ronan is a boy who rarely speaks, and when Grandfather proposes a trip to the symphony, his parents are a bit skeptical. But Grandfather persists, and the two of them drive to the concert hall and find their seats. The lights go down, the music begins, and Ronan is swept away. In the moment of silence when the music ends, Ronan opens his mouth, and utters a loud, “Wow!” The audience laughs and claps, both for the orchestra and for Ronan. An author’s note shares that the story is based on an actual event that happened at Boston’s Symphony Hall in 2019. The illustrations look more like the 1950’s than 2019, but it’s a fun and interesting story with a sympathetic nonverbal main character.

Nothing: John Cage and 4′ 33″ by Nicholas Day, illustrated by Chris Raschka (Neal Porter Books, 40 pages, grades 1-5). The story opens with a 1952 performance at the Maverick Concert Hall in Woodstock, NY, where a pianist named David Tudor sits down at a piano and proceeds to do nothing for just over four and a half minutes. The word “nothing” is repeated a few times as the audience sits and wonders what is happening. The narrative then goes back 40 years to the birth of John Cage, a boy with unusually large ears and a penchant for inventing. Of all his radical compositions, his 4′ 33″ may be both the most unusual and the best-known. He wanted people to listen in the absence of sound to create their own music from what they heard around them. There’s an extensive author’s note, along with photos and a bibliography at the end.

The idea of this silent piece is fascinating and thought-provoking, stretching the boundaries of what can be considered music, and the subject is brought to life by Chris Raschka’s illustrations. The back matter seems more geared for older readers, and the concepts introduced may be a bit over the heads of the intended audience. Also, John Cage’s ears are described in a way that makes them sound freakishly large, but when I saw photos of him that seemed like an unnecessary exaggeration.

Piper Chen Sings by Philippa Soo and Maris Pasquale Doran, illustrated by Qin Leng (Random House Studio, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Piper loves to sing whenever she can, whether it’s joining the birds outside her bedroom window or performing for her stuffed animals. At school, she loves chorus, and when the teacher asks her to sing a solo in the spring concert, Piper offers an unequivocal “Yes!” But when it comes time to practice the solo, Piper gets stage fright and can’t do it. At home, she’s sad, no longer singing, until her grandmother Nai Nai has a talk with her, explaining that scary experiences can produce butterflies in the stomach, but so can exciting ones. Nai Nai is a pianist, and she tells Piper that the butterflies before a recital always settled once she started to play. Piper decides she will do the solo, and on the night of the concert, she welcomes the butterflies and feels them settle as she starts to sing. A lovely story by the Grammy-winning Hamilton actress that will show kids the importance of recognizing that fear and excitement often feel the same.

Caldecott contenders?

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Ahoy! by Sophie Blackall (Anne Schwartz Books, 48 pages, ages 4-8). As a parent gets ready to vacuum, a child is ready to set sail. “What are you playing?” asks the parent. “I’m not playing!” is the response. “Why are you shouting?” “Because there’s a storm coming!” Before long, the parent, despite protests of too much to do, is drawn into the game. Readers will enjoy watching everyday objects transform into part of the seascape then change back again when the two sailors are interrupted by an important adult phone call. There’s a storm, a shipwreck, and a daring rescue at sea that takes them to a lighthouse. Another adult appears at the lighthouse door with the question, “What are you two playing?” The answer (in unison): “We’re not playing!!” And the game continues.

Would I read it to a class? Probably, I think they would enjoy all the details from the illustrations and it’s a fun tale about using your imagination that could potentially be extended into some writing. Caldecott contender? I would never count Sophie Blackall out, but although the illustrations are amazing (of course), I don’t think it’s one of her strongest.

The House Before Falling Into the Sea by Ann Suk Wang, illustrated by Hanna Cha (Dial Books, 40 pages, grades 1-4). Kyung lives with her parents in a house near the sea in Busan, Korea. One day some strangers appear at the door, and Kyung’s parents welcome them as guests. Each day, more and more guests arrive. It’s fun when she makes a new friend, frustrating when she has to share and do extra chores, and scary when sirens sound and everyone has to hide underground. Kyung hears one of the guests tell her father that their house is the last before falling into the sea. When she asks what that means, he explains that if her parents didn’t let them into their house, the soldiers would have chased them into the sea. This makes the hardships easier, and the last page shows two older women holding hands in a modern Korean city, their friendship having endured through the years. The author’s and illustrator’s notes share stories of a mother and grandmother who lived through this time in Korea in the 1950’s.

Would I read it to a class? Not without giving a lot of historical context first. It’s a fascinating story, but one that might be appreciated more by older elementary kids. Caldecott contender? I certainly think so. Hanna Cha won a Caldecott Honor in January for The Truth About Dragons.

All That Grows by Jack Wong (Groundwood Books, 32 pages, ages 4-8). A boy explores neighborhood plants with his knowledgeable sister, who points out various fruits and flowers before getting to work in her own garden. The boy tries to help with weeding, but telling the plants from the weeds is confusing. Sometimes even the weeds are edible, like dandelion greens and the cooked fiddleheads from the market that the family eats for dinner last night. The next day, the boy discovers a plant in the garden that his sister can’t identify, and they make a plan to research it later on.

Would I read it to a class? I loved the illustrations, with their close-up and aerial perspectives, but the sister felt like an annoying walking botany textbook, and I don’t think kids would be all that interested in the facts she shares. Caldecott contender? Unfortunately, from a Caldecott perspective, Jack Wong lives in Canada.

Three books about immigration

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Finding Home: Words from Kids Seeking Sanctuary by Gwen Agna and Shelley Rotner, photographed by Shelley Rotner (Clarion Books, 32 pages, ages 4-8). Children and their families from around the world come to the United States seeking sanctuary from war, famine, natural disasters, and other dangers. Many of the photos have cartoon bubbles with kids describing in their own words how they felt when they had to leave their countries, what they miss, and the difficulties and joys in their new homes. There’s additional narrative at the end about how some of the families got to the United States, as well as resources for kids, adults, and parents, caregivers, and educators about how to make families feel welcome.

This book has some personal connections to me, because: 1. the author and photographer live near me, and I have met Shelley Rotner, 2. my Quaker meeting is part of a Circle of Care for one of the families in this book, and 3. my school in Springfield has three classes of refugee kids who have missed at least two years of school due to their circumstances. This book is at just the right level for helping kids (and adults) understand what these families have gone through and to help make them welcome in the U.S.

The Circuit: Graphic Novel by Francisco Jiménez, illustrated by Celia Jacobs (Clarion Books, 240 pages, grades 4-8). Francisco Jiménez’s memoir has been adapted as a graphic novel, telling the story of Francisco as a child, moving with his family from Mexico to California, where they became migrant workers, traveling from one farm to the next to pick cotton, strawberries, grapes, and other crops. Francisco loves to learn, but school is sandwiched between jobs, and his story is a series of losses, as he befriends kids he’ll never see again and loses his precious journal in a fire. There’s enough humor and joy to prevent the story from getting too bleak, and the story feels somewhat timeless, although I think it takes place in the 1940’s. The heart stopping cliffhanger on the last few pages will leave readers like me fervently hoping that more of Jiménez’s books will be published in graphic format.

Lost & Found: Based on a True Story by Mei Yu (Union Square Kids, 128 pages, grades 2-5). Mei Yu recounts her memories of moving from China to Canada at a young age (probably six or seven). With English words in a green font, readers can see how few words she understands at school and the scary situations that ensue: using the wrong bathroom, thinking kids are laughing at her, losing her beloved sketchbook. Mei eventually uses the sketchbook to create a collection of English words, and before long, she is able to communicate and begin to make friends. An author’s note gives more information about her experience, as well as a simple glossary of Chinese words. There’s a funny bonus story about how Mei got her beloved toy cat, who appears real to her, a la Calvin and Hobbes.

It’s a pretty simple story, but the difficulties of immigration are presented in a way that beginning readers will be able to understand, and everyone is sure to love the manga-style artwork.

Science Friday

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One Day This Tree Will Fall by Leslie Bernard Booth, illustrated by Stephanie Fizer Coleman (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 40 pages, grades K-4). “Wounded, worn, twisted, torn. One day this tree will fall and this story will end. Won’t it?” To learn the answer to this question posed on page 1, the narrative goes back to the beginning when a seed survives its journey to become a seedling. Its story could have ended before it began, and it could have also been ended by wind, ice, drought, and fire. But the tree survives, becoming a home to many creatures. Eventually, the tree does fall, but even when it’s lying on the forest floor, it provides food and homes to animals. Finally, it becomes part of the soil that supports a new tree seed. Includes additional information about trees and the interactions between trees and people, as well as a glossary and selected sources.

This Book Is Full of Holes: From Underground to Outer Space and Everywhere In Between by Nora Nickum, illustrated by Robert Meganck (Peachtree, 40 pages, grades 1-4). Maybe you haven’t thought a lot about holes, but you’ll start to notice them after reading this book. Whether tiny (a bleed hole in an airplane window) or enormous (the Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah), forming slowly (potholes) or quickly (sinkholes), mysterious (a wormhole) or annoyingly familiar (a hole in your sock), holes generally have interesting stories, many of which are told here. The last few pages cover English idioms that use the word hole (loophole, pigeonhole, a square peg in a round hole) and describe one last hole that’s not really a hole–a black hole. Includes a list for further reading.

Here are two STEM related titles for elementary readers to enjoy. This Book Is Full of Holes has a more unique premise, but I think I’d be less likely to use it as a read-aloud than the beautifully illustrated One Day This Tree Will Fall, which tells a fascinating story in a way that’s simple enough for kindergarteners and first graders to understand. This Book Is Full of Holes is a bit text-heavier and may lend itself better to reading on one’s own.