Picture books

Ice Cream Summer by Peter Sis

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  A boy writes a letter to his grandfather, assuring him that he is working hard over the summer, practicing his reading, writing, math, and history.  The pictures show that all his studies center on ice cream.  He is reading lists of ice cream flavors and solving math problems involving scoops of ice cream.  He is researching the history of ice cream, starting with its creation in ancient China and tracing it to the United States.  His grandfather rewards all his hard work with a trip to the top of Ice Cream Peak.  Ages 4-8.

Pros:  There’s nothing wrong with focusing on ice cream during the summer months (or any other months for that matter).  Award-winning author and illustrator Peter Sis has fun with the folk art-inspired illustrations.

Cons:  The story is a bit trite.

Small Wonders: Jean-Henri Fabre & His World of Insects by Matthew Clark Smith, illustrated by Giuliano Ferri

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Published by Two Lions

Summary:  Back in the early 1900’s, an eccentric old man lived in a village in France.  His neighbors observed him squatting in the sun for hours to watch beetles, and marveled that he would pay children to gather dead moles and lizards to attract flies.  Imagine their surprise when a procession of cars arrived at their quiet village one day, and out of one of them stepped the President of France!  Turns out the old man was Jean-Henri Fabre, a scientist whose lifelong passion was studying insects.  Other scientists had written about dead insects from faraway places, but Fabre was more interested in the bugs he saw in the fields and woods around him.  He liked to study the live ones to learn about their behavior.  Then he wrote about them in books so beautiful that the President of France came to his house to let him know he had been nominated for a Nobel Prize in Literature.  While Fabre is little known today outside of France, his work influenced Darwin and inspired generations of naturalists.  Grades 2-5.

Pros:  This is an engaging biography of a little-known scientist, which includes a lot of interesting information about insects.  The illustrations capture the amazing creatures Fabre loved as well as his wide-eyed wonder of them throughout the nine decades of life.

Cons:  This is long for a picture book; probably best suited to older elementary students.

A Penguin Named Patience: A Hurricane Katrina Rescue Story by Suzanne Lewis, illustrated by Lisa Anchin

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Published by Sleeping Bear Press 

Summary:  When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2008 many of the animals at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas did not survive.  Patience was the oldest of a group of 19 penguins who were rescued and sent to the Monterey Aquarium in California.  This book tells the story from Patience’s perspective, from the day she senses something is wrong to the grand re-opening of the aquarium when the penguins strut down a purple carpet to the sound of “When the Saints Go Marching In”.  The author’s note at the end provides interesting additional information.  Grades K-4.

Pros:  This is a great introduction to Hurricane Katrina and ways that people across the country reached out to help the city of New Orleans.  The large, cheerful illustrations add an upbeat note.

Cons:  The story mentions 19 penguins, and the author’s note talks about a group of 18 penguins.

Billy’s Booger: A Memoir (Sorta) by William Joyce and his younger self

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Back in the days of black-and-white TV and color Sunday comics, Billy has trouble fitting in at school.  Dubbed “my most challenging student” by his principal, Billy’s creative attempts at making math and P.E. more fun are not appreciated by his teachers.  When the school librarian announces a book-writing contest, Billy gets right to work, researching meteors, mythology, and…mucus.  The latter topic wins out, and Billy creates a book about a super booger, which is included in its entirety as an insert to this book.  When prizes are announced, Billy’s entry is overlooked, and he’s discouraged for the next several days.  Finally, whe goes to the library to return all the books he used for his research, he hears laughter.  A group of kids is gathered around a table, and they’re all reading his book!  The librarian tells him that she put all the contest books in the library, and his has been checked out the most.  Billy’s career is launched.  Grades K-4.

Pros:  This would be a great mentor text for memoir writing.  And of course, every 7-year-old boy will be clamoring to read a book entitled “Billy’s Booger”.

Cons:  The “be yourself” message is a bit heavy-handed.

Daisy Saves the Day by Shirley Hughes

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Even though Daisy loves her family and does well at school, times are tough, and she is sent out to live in a grand house and work as a scullery maid.  Her work is difficult and exhausting, but she works hard and tries to do what’s expected of her.  The two old ladies who own the house like her well enough, and when their niece comes from America, she encourages Daisy to read some of the books in the house.  All three women leave the house one day, to go see the coronation of a new king, George V.  Daisy’s left behind by herself, and decides to decorate the outside of the house with red, white, and blue clothing.  The only red she can find is the red flannel bloomers the ladies wear in the winter.  When they come home, they are horrified, and Daisy is in disgrace.  A few weeks later, though, she wakes up to the smell of smoke, and is able to put out a kitchen fire before it can do much damage, saving the house and its occupants.  As a reward, she is given enough money to be able to return home and go back to school.  Grades 1-4.

Pros:  This is a charming story about a winning cast of characters, particularly Daisy.  It has an old-fashioned feel to it, and illustrations reminiscent of Tasha Tudor.

Cons:  I looked for an historical note at the end, and was disappointed not to find one.

How to Read a Story by Kate Messner, illustrated by Mark Siegel

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  In ten easy steps, the author covers how to read a story.  Some of the steps capture the fun of reading, like finding a reading buddy and a cozy reading spot.  Others cover strategies such as predicting and using the pictures to try to figure out words you don’t know.  Readers will enjoy the story the boy reads, called The Princess, The Dragon, and The Robot, which is used to give examples of the various steps.  From finding a story to reading “The End” (and going back to the beginning if you liked it), this is a celebration of the joy of reading.  Grades K-4.

Pros:  Keep this one in mind for the first week of school to introduce reading in the primary grades.  It’s also a perfect mentor text for procedural writing.  Kids will love the cheerful illustrations.

Cons:  All good stories must come to an end.

Float by Daniel Miyares

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Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  In this wordless picture book, a boy goes out on a rainy day with a paper boat he has just made with his dad.  He floats the boat in puddles, but eventually it gets away from him.  By the end of his adventure, he’s left with a soggy piece of newspaper.  Disheartened, he returns home, where Dad dries him off and gives him some hot chocolate.  They get to work with the newspaper again, and on the last page, he is heading out the door on a sunnier day with a paper airplane.  Folding directions for a boat are on the front endpapers and a plane, on the back.

Pros:  The simple, peaceful story is reminiscent of The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats.  The illustrations are beautiful and may catch the attention of the Caldecott committee.

Cons:  My struggles to make a paper boat go all the way back to my first reading of Curious George Rides a Bike.

An Ambush of Tigers: A Wild Gathering of Collective Nouns by Betsy R. Rosenthal, illustrated by Jago.

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Millbrook Press

Summary:  “Do you ever wonder what animals do/when they gather in groups of more than two?”  If the answer is yes, get ready to learn what different groups of animals are called.  Most of us have heard about a pack of wolves or a team of oxen, but how about a bouquet of pheasants or a prickle of porcupines?  A shiver of sharks or a rumba of rattlesnakes?  The richly colored illustrations portray the various animals interacting with each other, concluding with a panoramic view of all the animals together.  A glossary at the end lists all the animal group names and gives other definitions for the terms.

Pros:  Kids will love learning the names of their favorite animal groups, and the rhyming text makes it even more fun.  This could lead to researching other collective nouns.

Cons:  An intrusion of roaches.

Pool by JiHyeon Lee

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Imported from Korea, Pool is a wordless picture book in which two children meet at a crowded pool.  Diving under everyone’s feet, they swim off together into an underwater wonderland.  They explore schools of fish and other sea creatures, and even get close up to an enormous white whale.  Finally, they return to the legs and feet.  The crowd exits from one side of the pool, and the two of them get out on the other side.  At the end they take off their goggles and smile at each other, clearly the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Pros:  A magical journey of imagination.

Cons:  Some may judge the book by its cover and decide it looks a little freaky.

Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood, illustrated by Meg Hunt

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Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  The story of Cinderella is given a few twists.  Cinderella is an expert rocket mechanic.  The family is invited to the Royal Space Parade; Evil Stepmother suggests Cinderella fix up an old spaceship and join them, but then takes off with Cinderella’s toolbox.  Luckily, the fairy godrobot saves the day, and Cinderella has a good time until she has to hastily depart, leaving behind her sprocket wrench.  The prince seeks her out and proposes marriage, but she thinks she’s too young and instead suggests that she become his chief mechanic.

Pros:  Really fun rhyming text, reminiscent of The Three Ninja Pigs and others by Corey Rosen Schwartz.  This just begs to be read aloud, and of course, fractured fairy tales are always a hit.

Cons:  It’s not exactly rocket science…or is it?