Picture books

We Forgot Brock! By Carter Goodrich

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Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  Phillip and Brock are best friends.  It’s a little annoying that Mom and Dad can’t see Brock and don’t believe that he exists, but they generally don’t let this bother them.  One night, the whole family goes to the Big Fair, where they ride on the merry-go-round, the bumper cars, and the tilt-a-whirl.  Phillip falls asleep after the Ferris wheel ride, and the family heads for home, unaware that Brock is still riding the Brain Shaker.  When Phillip wakes up at home, he realizes that Brock is still at the fair.  Meanwhile, Brock is on the Ferris wheel, trying to find Phillip and his family.  A little girl named Anne and her friend Princess Sparkle Dust see him and bring him home with them.  The next day, Phillip rides his bike around, looking for Brock, and eventually finds him with Anne.  All four become fast friends, which works out great, because at least Mom and Dad can see Anne.  Ages 3-8.

Pros:  A fun take on the imaginary friend story, told with great respect for the imaginary friends.  I love the drawings of Brock and Princess Sparkle Dust.  Look for Brock’s blushing cheeks when he rides home in the back seat with the princess.

Cons:  With two swords, Brock seems to be a bit heavily armed to be going to the fair.

Aaron and Alexander: The Most Famous Duel in American History by Don Brown

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Published by Roaring Brook Press 

Summary: Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton were almost the same age.  Both grew up as orphans, fought in the American Revolution, and were key figures in early American government and politics.  Moving in the same social and professional circles, they were friends early in their careers, but later became bitter political enemies.  Hamilton helped defeat Burr in his presidential campaign against Thomas Jefferson, and again in his bid for governor of New York.  Finally, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel.  It was an illegal but not uncommon practice at the time; Hamilton had been challenged eleven times before, and Burr had had had a hole shot through his coat in a previous encounter.  On the morning of July 11, 1804, they met in Weehawken, New Jersey, stood thirty feet apart, and shot at each other.  Hamilton was hit and died the next day.  Burr survived, but was forever after despised by much of America.  Includes an author’s note and bibliography.  Grades 2-5.

Pros:  The names Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton may be familiar to kids, but they are unlikely to know much about them aside from their famous duel.  This picture book introduces both men sympathetically and gives a good overview of their lives.

Cons: The details of their political differences are a bit skimpy.

A Passion for Elephants: the real life adventure of field scientist Cynthia Moss by Toni Buzzeo, illustrated by Holly Berry

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Published by Dial Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  Cynthia Moss was never afraid of BIG things.  That’s the recurring refrain in this story of scientist Cynthia Moss, who grew up riding horses in Virginia and went on to become a journalist.  An invitation from a college friend sent her to Africa, where she got a job photographing elephants for a zoologist.  This ignited a passion, and she began to recognize individual elephants and their families.  She went on to found the Amboseli Elephant Research Project and made many new discoveries about elephant behavior.  Eventually, concerned about the decline of elephant populations caused by poaching, Cynthia became an activist, working to get a global ban on the sale of ivory in 1990.  Her work continues today, both researching and protecting the elephants she loves.  Back matter includes further information about Moss, further reading, and additional sources.  Grades K-3.

Pros:  An inspiring biography of a scientist who has made a difference.  Less well-known the Jane Goodall, Cynthia Moss’s career parallels hers, in her long years studying animals in Africa and her work around the world to protect them.  The colorful illustrations would make this a great read-aloud to share with kids.

Cons:  The most recent source listed in the additional resources is from 2010.

Two White Rabbits by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng

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Published by Groundwood Books 

Summary: A little girl and her father are making the difficult journey from Central America or Mexico to the United States. They travel first by small boat, then on the top of a freight train.  They’re delayed by soldiers, and have to run away.  Sometimes the father has to stop and work to earn more money.  The story is told by the girl, who doesn’t know where they’re going.  She passes the time counting birds, clouds, and soldiers.  She plays with a boy when her father has to work.  She wonders where they are going and how long it will take to get there.  Grades K-3.

Pros:  A fascinating and eye-opening story for children living north of the border.  The text, in the little girl’s voice, doesn’t explain many of the things going on in the illustrations, like the father grabbing his daughter and fleeing from soldiers.  There are few details given about their homeland, making the story more universal.

Cons:  It’s hard to understand what’s going on just from reading the text.  Young readers will need an adult to give the story some context.

Enormous Smallness: a story of E. E. Cummings by Matthew Burgess, illustrations by Kris Di Giacomo

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Published by Enchanted Lion Books 

Summary: Starting with his somewhat enchanted childhood in Cambridge, Massachusetts (complete with happy family, summers on a New Hampshire farm, and a large tree house heated by a wood stove), this book recounts the life of Edward Estlin Cummings. Estlin was both a poet and an artist.  From an early age, he loved spending time drawing and playing with words, and he continued with both activities for his entire life.  This book emphasizes how he responded to life with his creativity, experimenting with words and poetic forms to express what he experienced as he moved from his home in Cambridge, to Harvard, to France, where he drove an ambulance during World War I, and to 4 Patchin Place in Greenwich Village, his home for much of his adult life.  End matter includes a chronology, several poems, and an author’s note.  Grades 2-5.

Pros:  This book captures the joy E. E. Cummings experienced through his creativity, both in the writing and the illustrations, in which Estlin is consistently portrayed with a smile on his face.  The poems are well-selected to appeal to young readers.

Cons:  Despite their brevity, the poems of E. E. Cummings could be a bit difficult for elementary readers.

Mama’s Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation by Edwidge Danticat, illustrations by Leslie Staub

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Published by Dial Books for Young Readers

Summary: Saya’s mother, an immigrant from Haiti, is in jail for not having the right papers. Saya and her father visit Mama every week, but it’s not the same as having her at home.  Saya’s father writes letters every evening, contacting politicians and reporters to try to get help.  One evening, Saya decides to write her own story.  Her father sends it to a newspaper, and a few days later, a reporter comes to interview them.  As a result of the story in the paper, Saya’s mother gets to see a judge who allows her to go home while she waits for her papers to come through.  In the author’s note, Edwidge Danticat tells the story of how she and her parents were separated by immigration until she was twelve years old.  Grades K-3.

Pros: Kids will be fascinated by Saya’s story and inspired by the way she helps her mom. The illustrations are beautiful, with bold colors and symbols from Mama’s stories woven into the pictures of the family.

Cons:  Expect a lot of questions about what is going on with this family from readers unfamiliar with immigration laws.

I Am Yoga by Susan Verde, art by Peter H. Reynolds

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Published by Abrams Books for Young Readers 

Summary: A girl explains what she does when the world is spinning too fast and she wonders how to fit in. She quiets her body and mind, slows her breathing, and practices yoga poses.  Tree pose allows her to touch the sky, star pose allows her to shine.  When she’s done, she is rested and calm, the world seems just the right speed, and she fits into it just fine.  The sixteen poses shown in the book are named and described on three pages at the end.  Ages 4-8.

Pros:  A fun introduction to yoga poses for young children.

Cons:  I still struggle with downward dog.

Archie the Daredevil Penguin by Andy Rash

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Published by Viking

Summary:  On the one hand, Archie’s afraid of swimming with the other penguins because of all the strange creatures lurking in the briny deep.  On the other hand, he’s got more courage than anyone else in his attempts to avoid swimming by flying (shooting himself from a giant slingshot, leaping off an ice-brick wall with a pair of wings strapped on, etc.).  The other penguins applaud his bravery, but what they really want is for Archie to join them on Iceberg Nine for a fish fry.  The only way to get there, as far as they’re concerned, is to swim.  Finally, Archie tries firing himself over to the iceberg on a rocket, which melts the ice and strands him in the ocean.  He’s in for a few surprises out there in the briny deep, but the bottom line is, he discovers he loves swimming.  Ages 3-7.

Pros:  This would be a fun read-aloud, with its cartoon-bubble dialog and entertaining penguin characters.  There’s a good lesson about overcoming fears and trying new things.

Cons:  Archie’s rocket fuel is probably not helping the polar ice cap situation.

Swan: the life and dance of Anna Pavlova by Laurel Snyder, illustrated by Julie Morstad

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Chronicle Books 

Summary:  When Anna Pavlova was a small girl growing up in Petrograd, her mother took her to see a ballet.  From then on, she could think of nothing but dancing.  After two years of dreaming, she was finally admitted to the Russian Imperial Ballet School.  While she had natural grace and beauty, her body was very different from the sturdy, acrobatic dancers of the time.  Nevertheless, she worked hard and became a famous ballerina, best known for her role as the lead in The Dying Swan.  Always remembering her own impoverished childhood, Anna traveled the world, bringing dance to people who wouldn’t otherwise have the chance to experience it.  Sadly, at the age of 50, she was in a train accident, caught pneumonia from being outside in the cold, and died.  Grades 1-5.

Pros:  Dance fans will love this beautifully illustrated book with spare, poetic text telling the inspiring story of Anna Pavlova’s life.

Cons:  The text is spare enough that readers might be a bit confused by some aspects of the story.  Be sure to read the author’s note at the end for some clarity.

How the Sun Got to Coco’s House by Bob Graham.

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Published by Candlewick Press 

Summary: The sun is the star of this book as it travels around the world while Coco is asleep. It travels through frozen forests, across the desert, and over the mountains.  The sun is playful, joining with the wind to blow off a fisherman’s cap.  It’s patient, as it waits outside a window to be let in.  Finally, it barges through Coco’s window.  After rushing around the world, the sun has time to spend the day playing with Coco out in the snow.  Ages 4-6.

Pros:  This is a great introduction to the concept of time zones, with the sun rising in different places on earth at different times.  The watercolor illustrations beautifully capture sunrise in a wide variety of environments.

Cons:  It seems to be cold and snowy in every place on earth.