Published by Calkins Creek 
Summary: Young Dorothea was a keen observer, often feeling like an outsider after a childhood bout of polio left her with a limp. At the age of 18 she decided to become a photographer, even though she had never handled a camera. She worked in a number of studios, first in New York, then in California, where she learned the art of taking pictures, eventually setting up her own portrait studio in San Francisco. But she felt unfulfilled taking photos of wealthy people. In the midst of the Great Depression, she took to the streets, photographing the poor and neglected, traveling across the country, and waking people up to the poverty that was sweeping the nation. Although she was plagued with ill health for many years, Dorothea continued to be a crusader with her camera, both in the United States and abroad. End matter includes several of Lange’s photographs, an author’s note, a timeline, and resources for further research. 40 pages; grades 1-5.
Pros: An interesting biography of an inspiring woman who followed her heart to do work that made a difference. The unique illustrations have an appropriately vintage feel to them.
Cons: I really liked Dorothea Lange’s quote on the bibliography page. Too bad it couldn’t have been worked into the text.
Summary: Penny is excited about the upcoming “Sleepover under the Stars” sponsored by the local recreation department. As she gets ready, though, she notices the “No pets allowed” line on the flyer, and is sad that she can’t take her dog, Jelly. She tries different ways to make a Jelly to take with her, using paper, yarn, fleece, and a host of other materials. Nothing is as satisfactory as the real thing. Finally, Penny and Jelly put their heads together and come up with the perfect solution. Penny gets on the phone and calls her friends, and they have their own sleepover under the stars in Penny’s backyard, complete with pets. 32 pages; ages 4-7.
Summary: Blobfish takes a book called The Deep Sea Book and turns it into The Blobfish Book. The original is about the deepest part of the ocean, with photographs of some of the animals that live there. Blobfish’s version has a pink cartoon of himself drawn onto the photographs, attempting to make it all about him. Finally, the book gets to the page about blobfish, but the sentence “The blobfish was once voted the world’s ugliest animal” stops the narrator in his tracks. Fortunately, the other sea creatures are paying attention, and they join forces to create a final page that celebrates Blobfish and cheers him up again. Includes more facts about the deep sea and its creatures, plus a list of additional resources. 40 pages; ages 4-8.
