Picture books

Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush’s Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz and Amy Schrodes, illustrated by Sue Cornelison

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Published by Crown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  When Sura and her five children decided to secretly leave their home in Mosul, Iraq in 2015, another family member was hidden among their belongings: their beautiful white cat, Kunkush.  Smugglers helped them out of the country, across Turkey, and to a boat that carried them to Greece, but those smugglers would have charged them much more money to bring a cat along, so Kunkush had to stay hidden.  When the family finally arrived in Greece, the cat carrier broke, and Kunkush ran away.  The heartbroken family searched for as long as they could, but eventually had to move on.  An American aid worker found the cat months later, filthy and half-starved, and took him home with her.  She launched a search for the family via Facebook, and they were eventually located, resulting in a happy reunion with Kunkush.  Includes a note from the authors, who helped Kunkush in Greece, a map of the cat’s journey, and photographs of him and his family.  48 pages; ages 4-10.

Pros:  Mosul may seem far away, but readers will connect with this family’s loss of their beloved pet, while learning about the difficulties they encountered as refugees.

Cons:  2017 seems to be the year of the refugee in children’s literature, a sad reflection of the world situation.  

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Candlewick Press

Summary:  Jabari is full of bravado as he approaches the pool with his father and little sister, informing them that he will be jumping off the diving board today.  “I’m a great jumper,” Jabari tells them, “so I’m not scared at all.”  But when he gets to the bottom of the ladder, he has to think about what kind of special jump he’s going to do.  Then he realizes he’s forgotten his stretching exercises!  Finally, his dad tells him it’s okay to be scared and gives him some advice about how to handle it.  Take a deep breath and tell yourself you’re ready.  “Sometimes it stops feeling scary and feels a little like a surprise,” Dad says.  Jabari loves surprises!  He climbs the ladder, walks to the end of the board, takes a deep breath, and splash!  He makes a truly spectacular jump.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A great choice for summer reading, short but funny, with a bit of a lesson subtly inserted.  The illustrations perfectly capture the feelings of the pool and the diving board.

Cons:  I wish I had reviewed this when it first came out in May.  Feels like those days at the pool are numbered.

Fresh-Picked Poetry: A Day at the Farmers’ Market by Michelle Schaub, illustrated by Amy Huntington

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Charlesbridge

Summary:  A collection of 18 poems describes a farmers’ market from “Early Risers” through “Day’s End”.  The poems vary somewhat in format, including one poem for two voices, and appear in a variety of ways on the page, sometimes weaving through the illustrations.  Many of the poems are about the farmers’ produce, but there are also some about other features of the market, like the bakery, a musical duet, and Antonio’s Old-Time Sharpening, who will sharpen  your dull knife or scissors.  The last page gives five reasons to spend a day at a market, giving more information about the benefits of local food and a website to find a farmers’ market near you.  32 pages; grades PreK-3.

Pros:  Not only a rollicking look at the bounty available at the farmers’ market, but a great introduction to poetry as well.

Cons:  The rhythm of “Market Melody”, the poem about the musicians, felt a little clunky.

Jack and the Beanstalk and the French Fries by Mark Teague

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Published by Orchard Books

Summary:  The familiar story of Jack begins as usual when he trades the family cow for some bean seeds that his irate mother tosses out the window.  The huge stalk grows, but then the story veers off into a new and humorous direction.  Jack’s mother is thrilled with the free food the beanstalk provides, and Jack finds himself eating bean soup, bean salad, and other bean dishes three times a day.  When he receives a bean bag and a slice of bean cake on his birthday, he’s ready to take a hatchet to the stalk.  But the old man who sold him the seeds reappears and encourages Jack to check out what’s at the top of the huge plant.  Jack takes his advice and discovers a giant’s wife, who is cooking…you guessed it, beans.  The giant feels the same way as Jack does about beans, and the two return to Jack’s home in search of French fries.  They plant a vegetable garden, which proves to be influenced by the presence of the beanstalk, and grows a plethora of large vegetables.  Everyone–humans and giants alike–is thrilled with the new diet, which of course includes extra-large fries.  40 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  Mark Teague has produced another winning takeoff on a fairy tale.  Kids will love the funny story and illustrations, and teachers will enjoy comparing it to other versions of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Cons:  There’s no golden egg-laying goose.

Magic Spell by Julie Paschkis

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Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The Great Aziz can magically transform one thing into another with the flick of a wand and the changing of a letter.  A dish becomes a fish, a rose becomes a hose, and a wire becomes a fire, while his adoring assistant takes care of the ensuing chaos.  But when he turns her wig into a pig, she’s had enough and takes revenge by changing his hat into a bat.  When beads become bears, however, the two magicians have to work together to avert danger.  They learn to share the light each night…and everything turns out just right.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Lots of word fun, illustrated with Paschkis’s somewhat impressionistic paintings.  Kids could enjoy creating their own transformation by changing one letter to another.

Cons:  The poor assistant never gets her hair back.

Far Apart, Close in Heart: Being a Family When a Loved One is Incarcerated by Becky Birtha, illustrated by Maja Kastelic

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Published by Albert Whitman and Co.

Summary:  What does it feel like to have a parent in jail, and how do you deal with those feelings?  The children in this book all react differently to their parents’ incarceration.  They feel scared, angry, and confused.  One girl wonders if it was her fault her mom went to jail.  A boy’s mom begs him not to tell anyone about his dad, so he stops talking altogether.  Another girl’s family is torn apart when her mom gets arrested and sent to jail, just like her dad.  Kids are encouraged to share their feelings with other adults in their lives, and to try to stay in touch with their incarcerated parents through visits, or, if that’s not possible, phone calls and letters.  One mom writes to assure her daughter that, “You and I may be far apart, but you’re always close to me in heart.”  Includes an author’s note and tips for adults from the National Resource Center on Children and Families of the Incarcerated.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A useful and engaging book to help kids feel more accepting of having a parent in prison, and to learn how to deal with their feelings about it.

Cons:  With nine kids featured, there were a lot of people to keep track of in such a short book.

The Banana-Leaf Ball: How Play Can Change the World by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Shane W. Evans

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Kids Can Press

Summary:  When Deo is forced to flee his home in Burundi, he gets separated from his family and eventually ends up in a refugee camp in Tanzania.  Life there is difficult and sometimes scary, with a bully named Remy who forces the other kids to hand over their meager possessions to him.  Deo tries to make a soccer ball from banana leaves like the one he had back home, but Remy discovers it and takes it away.  One day, a man comes to camp with a leather soccer ball and starts organizing the kids into teams.  Deo and Remy end up on the same team and work together to score the winning goal.  It’s the beginning of a friendship; that and the soccer games sustain Deo until he is able to return home to his family and a chance to coach kids from his village.  Includes information and photos of the real Deo (see above); information about organizations that help kids learn how to trust each other and play together; and a paragraph called “What You Can Do”.  32 pages; grades 2-7.

Pros:  Another excellent entry from Kids Can Press’s CitizenKid series, introducing readers to other young people from around the world and showing them ways they can make a difference.

Cons:  The small font and large amount of text on each page may make this a more challenging read-aloud book.

Now by Antoinette Portis

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Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  A girl introduces the reader to all her favorites: “This is my favorite breeze.  This is my favorite leaf.  That is my favorite cloud because it’s the one I’m watching.”  Nature, eating, drinking, singing, and losing a tooth are all enjoyed as the book continues.  She concludes with “This is my favorite now because it’s the one I am having with you.”  32 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:  A simple but effective reminder or enjoying the present moment.  This goes well with the author’s book Wait from last year, which has a similar message.

Cons:  I don’t think I can really have a favorite worm, no matter how “present” I am.

Around the World in a Bathtub: Bathing All Over the Globe by Wade Bradford, illustrated by Micha Archer

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Published by Charlesbridge

Summary:  “Bath time!” says the mama.  “No, no!” says the boy.  “Yes, yes!” says the mama.  This scenario is repeated throughout the book in different countries, and with the no’s and yesses in different languages.  In Japan, family members bathe in age order in a large square tub called and afuro.  In Alaska, the family enters a steamy maqil.  Some day, a weightless mother may be chasing her floating child for a bath on board a space station.  From the Ganges River in India to the hot springs of Himalayan valleys to a muddy volcano in South America, kids resist taking baths, but often don’t want to get out once they’ve gotten in.  Includes two final pages of additional information on bathing in all the places mentioned in the text.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  An unusual geography lesson based on a universal experience kids will be able to connect with.  The illustrations feature a multicultural cast, with the bathtub scene reminiscent of a similar one in Ezra Jack Keats’ The Snowy Day.

Cons:  Naked kids on almost every page will be sure to elicit a lot of giggling at storytime.

Who Wants to Be a Princess? What It Was Really Like to Be a Medieval Princess by Bridget Heos, illustrated by Migy

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Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Summary:  For those dreaming about Disney life, this book provides a bit of a wake-up call as to what life for a princess was really like.  The author explains in her note that the “real” princess shown here is based on what life was like circa 1100-1300 in Great Britain.  Each two-page spread contrasts a fantasy princess with a real one.  Pink and purple castle?  Nope, it would have been drab stone surrounded by a moat stinking of sewage.  Beautiful gown?  Itchy brown wool was more like it  There might have been a handsome prince to marry…at around the age of 12, and that marriage would have been arranged.  The final page shows the princess falling asleep and dreaming of being “you”, the modern reader.  Includes an author’s note and a bibliography.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A clever way to teach a bit of history, using a concept that’s sure to catch the eye of certain readers.  The illustrations are kind of Disney-esque, which will add to the appeal.  There’s also a nicely subtle message about being happy with who you are.  If you’re struggling to loose your little cherub from her “Elsa” costume, this, just might do the trick.

Cons:  It’s a pretty cursory look; those wanting much information will have to look elsewhere.