Picture books

Caldecott contenders?

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

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.

Three wordless picture books

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The Last Zookeeper by Aaron Becker (Candlewick,, 40 pages, grades K-5). As he did in The Tree and the River, Aaron Becker uses a wordless story to deliver a subtle message about environmental degradation with a dollop of hope woven in. The zookeeper of the title is a large robot who looks after animals at a zoo that is spread out over several small islands. In its spare time, the robot enjoys building toy sailboats and floating them in the zoo’s waters. When drenching rains flood the area, the robot figures out a way to build an ark-like sailboat to rescue the animals. They sail through stormy seas until, exhausted, they collapse on a new group of islands. Another robot appears in a hot air balloon, loads up the whole group, and flies them away to a new paradise.

I can’t wait to share this new wordless masterpiece with the many Aaron Becker fans at my school. I know they will spot all kinds of interesting details that I’ve missed in my initial perusing of the pages. Be sure to start with Jane Goodall’s epigraph to set the tone for the story: “Only if we understand, can we care. Only if we care, will we help. Only if we help, shall all be saved.”

First Day of May by Henrique Coser Moreira (Levine Querido, 40 pages, ages 3-8). A girl, bored inside, is excited to hear a forecast for sunny weather as the calendar turns from April 30 to May 1. She rushes outside, where she encounters all sorts of delights: soaring birds, baby animals with their parents, sweet-smelling flowers, and grassy hills to cartwheel down. Finally, adult hands serve her a cup of tea and cover her with a blanket so she can take a peaceful nap in the grass.

Look no further to find a celebration of spring that will delight and engage preschoolers. The book’s small size and multiple panels is just right for the youngest readers and will encourage them to seek out signs of the new season.

One Giant Leap by Thao Lam (Owlkids, 48 pages, ages 4-8). After donning boots and gloves, a young astronaut heads out into a lunar landscape, climbing up and down hills and encountering a variety of colorful creatures. As mysterious white flakes fall from the sky, the astronaut moves inside, revealing a snow suited child entering a classroom filled with other kids who are wearing clothes that match the colors and patterns of the creatures seen on the walk. A final page shows the route taken by the “astronaut” through a snowy urban neighborhood.

I wrote the review of The Last Zookeeper a few days before the other two and have shared that book with a few classes. I’m a little disappointed that it wasn’t quite as engaging as his previous books have been, and I’m now feeling more inclined to move onto One Giant Leap. I think the surprise ending will lead kids back to the beginning to notice how the pictures that are supposed to take place on the moon give hints as to what is really going on.

You might not know it, but these two are poets

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Amazing Animals from A to Z by Cece Bell (Walker Books, 64 pages, grades K-4). In her introduction, Cece Bell writes of her love of animal albums, a collection she’s acquired through the years by scouring thrift shops and antique malls. The heyday of these albums was the 1940’s through the 1980’s, when artistic differences (and toileting issues) between the animals and their human producers led to the industry’s demise. Cece has compiled an A-Z collection of her albums, with the lyrics to a song from each, from “My Aromatic Armpit Is Astonishing to All” by armadillo accordion player Arnie Dillow to “You Snooze, You Ooze” by the Zydeco Zebras. Amazingly, a QR code allows readers to listen to a recording of every song in the book. An “About the Artists” section rounds out the collection, with a paragraph about each musician or band.

This incredibly original, creative, and funny book will have kids laughing and rocking out as they enjoy the animal musicians both on the page and on their phones. I confess that the introduction was so convincing that for a second there I thought such albums actually existed. At the other end of the book, I had a brief moment of concern when I noticed that Tom Angleberger isn’t included in the “About the Author” information, but a quick trip to Wikipedia assured me that children’s literature’s favorite wacky couple is still together.

Poetry Comics by Grant Snider (Chronicle Books, 96 pages, grades 2-5). And speaking of favorites, everyone’s favorite orthodontist-by-day-illustrator (and now poet)-by-night has produced a fun and appealing collection of poems, illustrated comic-style. Divided by season, both the poems and the illustrations are brief meditations on nature, school, and life, both funny and profound. The poems are one to two pages, divided into comic book squares, with a line or two in each box, and illustrated with simple figures and backgrounds.

These would make an excellent introduction to poetry for the primary grades. Older students, even middle schoolers, might enjoy trying their hands at poetry comics of their own. All in all, this is a fun and accessible introduction to poetry.

Birds and dinosaurs

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Brave Baby Hummingbird by Sy Montgomery, illustrated by Tiffany Bozic (Simon and Schuster, 48 pages, ages 4-8). A hummingbird tells his story, beginning with his birth when he and his sister hatch from eggs the size of navy beans. They’re fed every twenty minutes until the day their mother doesn’t return to the nest. Fortunately, they’re rescued and taken to a place where a human, known only as the Voice, takes care of them until they are old enough to survive on their own. Woven into the story are facts about hummingbirds’ food, flight, bodies, and migrations, and more information is given at the end, including the author’s experience with a hummingbird rescue and ways that readers can help these birds. This lovely book provides plenty of information about hummingbirds, illuminated with beautiful illustrations of the birds at every stage of their lives and the colorful landscapes they inhabit.

The Iguanadon’s Horn: How Artists and Scientists Put a Dinosaur Back Together Again and Again…and Again! by Sean Rubin (Clarion Books, 48 pages, grades K-4). Ever since humans first realized that dinosaurs once existed, they’ve been trying to imagine what these creatures looked like. Using the dinosaurs’ fossilized remains, artists have painted and sculpted prehistoric depictions…and generally gotten things completely wrong. A case in point is the iguanodon’s horn, which turned out to be (we think) a thumb spike. Sean Rubin goes through the evolution of ideas about the iguanodon, showing how increased scientific knowledge changed perceptions about what the animal looks like. He speculates on what the next ideas may be, emphasizing the fact that, barring time travel, we will never know for sure. The endnotes give additional information about each two-page spread.

Dinosaur fanatics will love this book, both the fascinating story of how science works and the illustrations, which are at once informative and funny (I liked the cartoon bubbles showing the comments of the various wrong iguanodon models: “I DO look pretty terrible here,” “Seriously. This is embarrassing.” I felt a little bogged down reading the repeated wrong guesses, but I suspect a true paleo fan will find them captivating.

Celebrating spring holidays

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For those who celebrate Easter (March 31 in 2024): Elijah’s Easter Suit by Brentom Jackson, illustrated by Emmanuel Boateng (Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 32 pages, ages 4-8). Every Easter, Reverend White gives a special “Hallelujah” to the congregant who’s got the most spectacular Easter outfit. Elijah’s determined to win, but the stores around town don’t have anything that looks just right. Feeling defeated, Elijah asks previous winners Mother Green and Deacon Brown for advice. They tell him that Easter’s not about winning a competition, but about new beginnings and remembering their culture. They share how when they were kids, they often wore homemade Easter outfits, not being allowed to shop in local stores. Inspired, Elijah makes an outfit from fabrics that have happy memories for him and wows the crowd on Easter morning with his colorful patchwork suit. Hallelujah!

Verdict: A definite winner with funny illustrations depicting Elijah in a variety of interesting outfits on his shopping spree, but also offering a heartwarming message about community and being true to yourself.

For those who celebrate Eid (on or around April 9 in 2024): The Most Exciting Eid by Zeba Talkhani, illustrated by Abeeha Tariq (Scholastic, 24 pages, ages 4-8). When they spot the new moon, Safa and her family start to get ready for Eid al-Fitr. Safa is excited to wear new clothes, get gifts, and get together with family. In the morning, all her wishes start to come true, and she enjoys her presents, especially a new bike. Her cousin Alissa wants a turn, but Safa doesn’t feel like sharing. Later, Safa’s mother takes her through the neighborhood to distribute gifts, and Safa realizes that sharing is one of the best parts of Eid. After a big dinner at the grandparents’, Safa is ready to go home and ride bikes with Alissa.

Verdict: A cute story that introduces several aspects of Eid, in what appears to be a Pakistani family. It definitely has a Scholastic book club vibe to it, and unfortunately, only seems to be available in paperback.

For those who celebrate Passover (April 22-April 30 in 2024): Afikoman, Where’d You Go? A Passover Hide-and-Seek Adventure by Rebecca Gardyn Levington, illustrated by Noa Kelner (Rocky Pond Books, 40 pages, ages 4-8). Kids at a seder dinner search for the elusive afikoman through every room of the house and yard. Sharp-eyed readers will see the afikoman character hiding on every busy page. He’s finally caught, everyone gets a prize, and dinner continues, but the sneaky afikoman is seen riding away in one of the cars on the last page, wishing everyone, “Happy Pesach!”

Verdict: The bouncy rhyming text and Where’s Waldo style illustrations provide a lot of holiday fun, with details about Passover included in the glossary at the beginning, as well as being woven into the story and pictures. Spell check is telling me that the correct spelling is afikomen, but both the title and the glossary of this book use afikoman.

Parks for everyone

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Cactus Queen: Minerva Hoy Establishes Joshua Tree National Park by Lori Alexander, illustrated by Jenn Ely (Calkins Creek, 40 pages, grades 1-4). Minerva Hoyt grew up in Mississippi, where she loved to play outside and was not afraid to speak her mind. She grew up, got married, and moved to Pasadena, California with her husband. When Minerva needed a break from the city, her favorite place to visit was the Mojave Desert.

Over the years, Minerva watched as people from Los Angeles slowly stripped the Mojave of its cacti, yucca, and Joshua trees to transplant (usually unsuccessfully) to their gardens. To try to preserve this ecosystem, Minerva did something similar, but for a different purpose–she gathered plants from the desert and created an exhibit at the 1928 International Flower Show to raise awareness. Later, she worked to turn some of the Mojave into a national park. There was quite a bit of resistance to this idea from those who thought the desert was a barren wasteland, but Minerva never gave up. In 1936, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the law that created Joshua Tree National Monument. Almost 50 years after Minerva’s death in 1945, President Bill Clinton established Joshua Tree National Park. There’s more information about Minerva, Joshua Tree, and national parks, as well as environmental tips and a bibliography in the back.

Tasha’s Voice by Carmen Bogan, illustrated by Floyd Cooper and Daria Peoples (Yosemite Conservancy, 38 pages, grades K-3). In this companion to Carmen Bogan’s Where’s Rodney? a young girl has a transformative experience in nature, just as Rodney does in his story. Tasha is a new girl in Rodney’s class, so shy that she can’t speak when the teacher calls on her or talk to the other kids in the class. When the class takes a field trip to the park, a ranger shows them around, then lets them explore on their own. An encounter with a small turtle helps Tasha to make two new friends and to finally find her own voice.

Be sure to read the last two pages, which include an interview with Daria Peoples who completed the artwork after Floyd Cooper passed away in 2021. There’s also a brief note about parks that includes websites for Outdoor-Afro and Latino Outdoors.

Enjoy these two books for the last part of Women’s History Month! (Although Tasha’s Voice won’t be out until April). They are a celebration of national parks, the healing power of nature, and making outdoor experiences available to groups, like women and people of color, who may not have always felt welcome there.

How to be lucky

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Lucky Duck by Greg Pizzoli (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 48 pages, ages 3-8). Susan the duck feels unlucky when the roller skates she ordered online are two sizes too big. But she feels lucky when a wolf shows up at her door to tell her she’s won a free pot. Kitchen light burns out and the pickle jar is empty? Unlucky. Free onions, celery, and carrots from the wolf? Lucky. Finally, just as Susan’s luck seems to have completely run out, the tables are turned, and all the unlucky things turn out to be the best kind of luck.

I’ve been reading this book all week to the K-2 crowd, and it’s been a big hit. I’ve paired it with Mo Willems’ That Is Not a Good Idea, another tale of duck vs. canine (fox), which also has a surprise twist near the end. If you want to dig deeper, you can talk about what’s lucky and what’s unlucky, and how those things are subject to change, sometimes depending on how you look at them.

What’s New, Daniel? by Micha Archer. In the third book about Daniel, he meets his grandpa in the park. “What’s new, Daniel?” Grandpa asks. “Um, I don’t know yet,” Daniel replies. “I’ll go find out.” As he gathers the news from his friends in the park–Rock, Blackbird, Duck, Polliwog, Snake, Squirrel, and Butterfly–Daniel remembers things that are new with him, too. He’s learned to whistle, he has a new tooth, and his legs have grown so he can run faster. Back with Grandpa, Daniel gives updates on everyone, including himself, then asks Grandpa to share what’s new with him.

This is a perfect book for spring, with all the changes taking place, and Caldecott Honor artist Micha Archer has created beautiful collage illustrations that capture the blues and greens of a sunny spring day. Kids will be eager to share what’s new with them. What’s lucky? Daniel and Grandpa getting to share this perfect day together and clearly enjoying spending time with each other.

The Book That Can Read Your Mind by Marianna Coppo. (Chronicle Books, 48 pages, ages 4-8). You may remember the trick this book employs from childhood magic sets, one that has apparently been around for hundreds of years. Marianna Coppo introduces a bunny magician (who pulls a man out of a hat) to read your mind. 36 different creatures, sitting in six rows of six, are introduced. You choose one without telling the reader, then tell the reader which row its in. Different rows go to different pages, where the same 36 characters are rearranged. Point out the row again, and you’ll be directed to another page that should reveal which character you picked. There’s an afterword that gives more information about the history of this trick.

The illustrations are adorable, and I’m sure kids will love doing the trick, then showing it to others. However, it is just that, a trick, and once the novelty has worn off, I imagine this book is not one that will enjoy multiple readings. But you’ll be lucky enough to have your mind read by a bunny magician, and then be able to turn around and become a magician yourself.

A train station, a cooking vocation, and news for a new nation

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A Grand Idea: How William J. Wilgus Created Grand Central Terminal by Megan Hoyt, illustrated by Dav Szalay (Quill Tree Books, 48 pages, grades 1-5). At the turn of the (previous) century, Manhattan was filled with the smoke of trains, not to mention the snarl of traffic they caused, at one point resulting in a crash that killed 15 people and injured dozens more. Chief engineer William J. Wilgus struggled to find a solution, finally proposing the revolutionary idea of moving the trains underground, electrifying them, and building a bigger station.

Another country might have invested some government funding, but in the U.S., the project was taken on by robber baron Cornelius Vanderbilt. Although the winning design was submitted by architectural firm Reed and Stern, Vanderbilt’s cousin owned another company that he insisted be part of the design process. This resulted in 18 months of feuding, but the new design finally emerged. The rest of the book traces the magnificent station, with its amenities that over the years included a movie theater, a hospital, and a ski slope. As planes replaced trains, Grand Central Station was used less. Demolition was on the table, until a group of citizens led by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis campaigned to save and restore it to its present glory. Includes additional information about Wingus and Grand Central Station, along with a timeline and a list of sources.

A Plate of Hope: The Inspiring Story of José Andrés by Erin Frankel, illustrated by Paola Escobar (Random House Studio, 48 pages, grades 1-5). As a child, José Andrés loved to help his parents cook for big gatherings at their home in Spain. Cooking school, a stint on a Navy ship, and a job at a Spanish restaurant prepared him for a move to the U.S., where he quickly rose to become a star chef. But he wanted his cooking to be for everyone, not just for those who could afford to eat in his restaurants.

When he was invited to help after the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, José learned to prepare large quantities of local cuisine for people who desperately needed food. This experience gave birth to World Central Kitchen, an organization that travels around the world offering humanitarian food aid. When Huracán María hit Puerto Rico in 2017, José and World Central Kitchen spent three months serving almost four million meals all around the island. They continue to travel around the world, as described in the author’s note at the end, doing work that earned José a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2019. There’s also a bibliography.

Amazing Abe: How Abraham Cahan’s Newspaper Gave a Voice to Jewish Immigrants by Norman H. Finkelstein, illustrated by Vesper Stamper (Holiday House, 40 pages, grades 1-5). Growing up in Lithuania, Abraham Cahan loved languages, learning Hebrew, Russian, and Yiddish. He became a teacher and political activist, which eventually forced him to flee to the United States. He added English to the list of languages he spoke, and gradually became fluent enough to begin writing about the experience of Jewish immigrants for American newspapers.

His first love was Yiddish, though, and in 1897, Abe founded Forverts, a Yiddish newspaper which grew to become the largest foreign-language newspaper in the country. In addition to news, the paper helped immigrants adjust to their new home, providing them with detailed instructions about baseball, how Americans set a table, and explanations of democracy and the importance of voting. The author’s note describes how the paper evolved over time, continuing as an online publication to this day. There’s also additional information about Abe and the Yiddish language, as well as a timeline and a bibliography.

I know, I know, March is Women’s History Month! But these three picture book biographies all landed on the library hold shelf for me at approximately the same time, all of them telling inspiring stories about men I knew nothing about who made significant contributions to their communities that continue to this day. All three have excellent illustrations; I particularly liked the endpapers of Amazing Abe that show laundry day in a busy NYC tenement, and the full-circle beginning and ending illustrations of A Plate of Hope that portray José Andrés as a child and an adult cooking large meals over an open fire. Readers will find plenty of additional resources in all three books to continue their research about these men.