Picture books

The Case for Loving: The Fight for Interracial Marriage by Selina Alko, illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Arthur A. Levine Books

Summary:  Yes, the couple who took their fight for legalizing interracial marriage all the way to the Supreme Court was named Loving.  Richard Loving and Mildred “String Bean” Jeter were both from Central Point, Virginia.  When they decided to get married in 1958, they had to travel to Washington, D.C., because Richard was white and Mildred was part African-American and part Cherokee.  They moved back to Central Point, but a few weeks later they were jailed for “unlawful cohabitation”.  Eventually, they made a home in Washington, D.C., but they took their case to the Supreme Court.  In 1967, the Court decided it was unconstitutional to make marriage illegal based on race, and the Lovings were finally able to move back to Virginia.

Pros:  This is a fascinating story, particularly in light of recent changes in laws around gay marriage.  The illustrators are also an interracial couple, and the author’s notes about their marriage and the blending of their artwork are interesting as well.

Cons:  There’s only one photograph of the Loving family at the end of the book, and it’s kind of hard to see their faces.

Growing Up Pedro: How the Martinez Brothers Made It from the Dominican Republic All the Way to the Major Leagues by Matt Tavares

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Candlewick

In honor of Opening Day at Fenway Park!

Summary:  The book opens with this 1998 quote from Pedro Martinez: “Ramon is the biggest reason I have gotten where I am.  He is the great one in this family.  I am still Ramon’s little brother.”  Tavares then relates the story not only of pitching great Pedro Martinez, but of his older brother Ramon, also an MLB player, who inspired Pedro to work as hard as he did.  Growing up in poverty in the Dominican Republic, the brothers dreamed of playing professional baseball.  When Pedro was 12, his brother began his pro career training at the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Dominican academy.  Pedro tagged along and learned alongside Ramon.  Eight years later, both of them were playing in Los Angeles.  Pedro went on to a legendary career, including leading the Red Sox to a World Series victory in 2004, but his ties to his brother and his home in the Dominican Republic remain strong.

Pros:  Add this to Matt Tavares’ list of great baseball biographies, along with Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron, and Ted Williams.  Sports fans will be inspired by the brothers’ rags-to-riches story and will enjoy the large, vivid illustrations.

Cons:  It would be interesting to know more about what Pedro and Ramon are doing now via the author’s note.

Glamourpuss by Sarah Weeks, illustrated by David Small

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  Unlike other cats, Glamourpuss isn’t expected to catch mice or rid the closets of moths.  Her one and only job is to be glamourous, and she excels at it.  She’s shortened her “Meow” down to a single syllable, “Me”, which works nicely when she asks her mirror, “Who is the most glamourous of us all?”  Glamourpuss’s reign over the household comes to an abrupt end one day when her owner’s sister comes for a visit and brings her dog, Bluebelle.  Bluebelle’s tricks and adorable outfits charm everyone until the day Glamourpuss discovers Bluebelle in her room, devouring her cute clothes. Glamourpuss realizes Bluebelle hates these clothes and really only wants to be…glamourous.  A friendship ensues and harmony is restored for all.

Pros:  A fun and funny story with a good message about misleading first impressions.

Cons:  The glittery pink cover will probably turn off boy readers, many of whom would actually enjoy this story

Cat and Bunny by Mary Lundquist

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Published by Balzer and Bray

Summary:  Cat and Bunny have been friends since birth.  They love playing together, especially their Made-Up Game, which has rules only the two of them know.  But one day other kids want to join in, and Bunny lets them.  Cat is hurt, and goes off by herself.  A kitten comes along, and the two of them start a new Made-Up Game.  When Giraffe finds them and asks to join, Cat says, “Of course!” and before long all the kids, even Bunny, are enjoying the new game.

Pros:  This is a great introduction to friendship that is simple enough for preschoolers to understand.

Cons:  All the characters look like kids dressed up as animals except for the kitten which is…well, a kitten.  What’s up with that?

Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre

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Published by Beach Lane Books

Summary:  Gorgeous photographs illustrate simple text about the rain.  First a storm is brewing and tiny animals take cover.  Then the rain begins (“Rain plops/It drops/It patters/It spatters), and finally, it stops.  But even after the rain storm is over, the drops remain, magnifying, reflecting, revealing, until slowly they dry up in the sun.  The last two pages offer “A Splash of Science”, explaining more about some of the photographs.

Pros:  This is a fabulous introduction to rain and water.  It’s also a book that encourages the reader to slow down and observe the natural world.

Cons:  Keep a towel and umbrella handy while reading.

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena, illustrated by Christian Robinson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

Summary:  CJ and his nana have a Sunday morning routine.  After church they walk to the bus stop, board the bus, and take a ride.  The book follows them on their bus ride one Sunday.  CJ wishes he didn’t have to go.  He’s envious of his friends who have cars, and who get to go home after church.  But every time he complains, his nana points out all the good parts of their day.  The rain is giving the thirsty trees a drink.  The bus breathes fire and the friendly bus driver can pull a coin out of CJ’s ear.  The dirty city just makes the rainbow in the sky seem more beautiful.  By the time they climb off the bus, CJ is glad to be going to the soup kitchen with Nana to help serve the friends who look forward to seeing them every week.

Pros:  The text is brief, but the writing is beautifully descriptive (“The outside air smelled like freedom, but it also smelled like rain, which freckled CJ’s shirt and dripped down his nose.”).  Nana is an inspiring character who gently points out the good in everything without being annoying.

Cons:  The guy with the tattoos really should give up his seat on the bus to Nana.

My Pen by Christopher Myers

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Disney-Hyperion

Summary:  “All you need is your imagination,” declares the cover of the book.  Christopher Myers then goes on to explain all that his pen can do.  It can ride dinosaurs, put an elephant in a teacup, and tell stories in the margins of the pages.  Sometimes it makes mistakes, but it can draw a new face every morning.  “There are a million pens in the world and each one has a million worlds inside it,” concludes Myers.  “Let those worlds inside your pen out!”

Pros:  A fabulous celebration of creativity and imagination.  The illustrations may be Caldecott-worthy.  Kids will be inspired to get out their pens and see what they can do.

Cons:  If you’re expecting a story with this book, you’ll be disappointed.  It’s more of a creative jumpstart.

Counting Crows by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by Rob Dunlavey

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Crows are counted in groups of three up to twelve in rhyming text. (“One, two, three/crows in a tree/three roly-poly bugs/three ripe mangos/three for the counting crows/three, by jango!”).  When a cat counts the twelve crows tails, it’s time to fly away.

Pros:  The rhymes are very catchy, reminiscent of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.  Simple but striking illustrations, all in black, white, and red.  The groupings of the crows could be used as an introduction to multiplication as well as counting.

Cons:  Crows = kind of annoying.

New Shoes by Susan Lynn Meyer, illustrated by Eric Velasquez

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Holiday House

Summary:  When Ella Mae’s family scrapes together enough money to buy her a new pair of shoes, she is dismayed to learn that black people can’t try on shoes at the store.  She watches a white girl try on her shoes, while Ella Mae’s mother has to trace around her foot to figure out her size.  The first day she wears her shoes to school, she feels bad about her experience at the shoe store all day.  Then she and her friend Charlotte come up with a brilliant plan.  For weeks, they do chores for people, asking for payment in used shoes.  Finally, they display all the shoes in their barn, then put a sign up announcing people can buy a pair for ten cents and another used pair of shoes.  The people in their community are thrilled that they’ll never have to use the shoe store again.

Pros:  I loved this powerful story about segregation.  Instead of the girls feeling victimized by it, they come up with a solution and work hard to make it happen.

Cons:  The solution is inspiring but a bit simplistic, and a larger conversation about segregation would be helpful when reading this.

Home by Carson Ellis

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Published by Candlewick

Summary: With a single sentence on each page, Carson Ellis explores the concept of home.  Some of her homes are real (“Home is an apartment”), and some are fanciful (“Atlantians make their homes underwater”).  Each page is beautifully illustrated with many rich details.

Pros:  This book is a feast for the imagination.  Kids will enjoy poring over the illustrations. There could be many ways to extend this into activities, such as researching homes around the world, or designing homes for different people or creatures.

Cons:  There’s not a straightforward narrative, and kids looking at this book on their own might find it a little confusing.