Picture books

Autumn Peltier, Water Warrior by Carole Lindstrom, illustrated by Bridget George, foreword by Autumn Peltier

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  The narrator of this story is water, which tells how humans valued and respected it for a very long time.  As that started to change, some of the women who had traditionally cared for the water began to make their voices heard. One of those was Grandma Josephine, who walked miles around the Great Lakes to honor the water.  Her great-niece Autumn took up the work after Grandma Josephine passed on.  The last page invites readers to consider what they will do to protect Earth’s water.  Includes additional information about Josephine Henrietta Mandamin and Autumn Peltier, who began her activism at the age of 12; also, a list of resources and a glossary.  40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Poetic text and beautiful water-inspired illustrations combine to tell a story of indigenous activism that encourages kids to find ways to protect the environment.

Cons:  I found the book quite confusing before I got to the back matter.  Kids would need a pretty thorough introduction before reading this.

The City Tree by Shira Boss, illustrated by Lorena Alvarez

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Dani lives in a city apartment building with a big hole in front of it.  One day, a truck pulls up with a tree that gets planted in that hole.  The tree brings positive changes to Dani’s world, as birds’ chirping replaces traffic noise outside her window, and the sound of rustling leaves adds a calming note to the busy pace of the city.  Although Dani enjoys the bigger trees in the park, her tree is special.  It changes with the seasons and with different types of weather.  Dogs and people passing by are not always kind to the tree, so Dani and her friends learn how to help it, and in return, the tree becomes an important part of the neighborhood.  Includes additional information about how street trees help people, how people can help them, and a list of resources.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A lovely introduction to the benefits of urban trees, with brilliantly colored illustrations filled with details of Dani’s neighborhood that kids will enjoy tracking from one page to the next.  The back matter makes it a great resource for all ages.

Cons:  The tree seemed to grow at a supernaturally fast rate.

Two books about mindfulness

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Enlighten Me by Minh Lê, illustrated by Chan Chau

Published by Little Brown Ink

Slowly Slowly by Toni Yuly

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary: Binh and his family are off to a silent Buddhist retreat in Enlighten Me. During meditation times, Binh struggles with a recent memory of racist bullying at school. When he fought back, he ended up being the one to get in trouble. In between meditation sessions, a monk named Sister Peace shares stories about the Buddha with the kids that teach Binh some lessons about dealing with his issues. Those issues don’t get resolved, but by the time the family is heading for home, it’s clear that Binh is seeing things in a new light.

“When you slow down…you see more,” begins Slowly Slowly, as a child and dog explore the natural world. They observe winter turning to spring, and a persimmon tree slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly, slowly makes persimmons. With each page of “slowly”, readers can look for other changes going on in the child’s world. Enlighten Me is 140 pages; grades 4-7; Slowly Slowly is 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros: Both books focus on mindfulness through beautiful artwork and kids’ experiences. Minh Lê uses Binh’s story and love of video games to tell some tales of the Buddha while offering some kid-friendly insights Binh has about meditation and enlightenment. Readers of Slowly Slowly will want to take the time to notice all that is happening in the busy yet peaceful illustrations and to reflect on how slowing down can help us notice the world around us.

Cons: Both books are pretty spare, offering more of an opportunity for reflection than a fleshed-out story.

Two books about Christmas and teamwork

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Otto the Ornament by Troy Cummings

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

Elves Are the Worst! by Alex Willian

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary: Otto the Ornament knows his dazzling looks should earn him a front and center position on the Christmas tree. When the other ornaments try to take him down a notch, Otto goes looking for another tree. His journey into the world leaves him battered, without his former shine and glitter. A chance encounter with a familiar ornament sends Otto back home where he’s happy to find a place on the tree and simply reflect some of the holiday light onto the other ornaments.

The goblin from Elves Are the Worst! may be familiar to those who have read Alex Willian’s books declaring unicorns, dragons, and yetis as the worst. Elves, he tells the reader, may seem hard-working and perfect, but in reality, they hang out in trees baking cookies, pour bowls of the world’s loudest cereal, or just sit on a shelf all day. When he stops by the North Pole to show that a goblin can do what the elves there do, he learns that caring for reindeer and making toys are actually pretty tough tasks. Elves aren’t perfect, after all, just good at the teamwork needed to get everything ready for Santa’s big night. Both books 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros: Two fun, cartoon-style books for the holidays that deliver their message about playing well with others with plenty of humor. Kids will be delighted to find either Otto or a bunch of elves under the tree.

Cons: Probably not destined to become holiday classics.

I’m From by Gary R. Gray, Jr., illustrated by Oge Mora

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  “I come from early morning wake-ups, handcrafted blankets, knitted with memories.”  A boy goes through his day, recounting the people, places, foods, and events that make him who he is.  Some are good, like the pancakes and fried bologna for breakfast and the four square and hoop dreams on the playground.  Others, like long school days and racist comments (“Can I touch your hair?” “You don’t sound Black!”) are tougher to deal with.  At the end of the day, there’s dinner, family fun, and a cozy tuck-in: “Sleep tight and remember where you’re from…our dreams, hopes, ambitions, lionlike traditions.”  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I’m always thrilled to see a new book from Oge Mora, and this one is a beautiful meditation from poet Gary Gray in his picture book debut.  It could serve as a prompt for kids to write and/or illustrate their own “I’m From” stories. Another Caldecott contender.

Cons:  I wish I had some pancakes and fried bologna right now.

The Christmassy Cactus by Beth Ferry, illustrated by A. N. Kang

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  Tiny Cactus has a special place in her family, especially with the little girl who greets her every morning with, “Hello, my little cupcake,” and tucks her in each evening saying, “Who’s the sweetest bonbon?”  When it’s time to decorate for Christmas, Tiny Cactus is as excited as the little girl, but as the weeks go by, there are more distractions–especially the big shimmery Christmas tree–and less time for a little cactus.  Tiny Cactus wishes that she could have some sort of decorations, and she keeps making her wish as the holiday draws nearer.  On Christmas Eve, a window blows open and snowflakes swirl in on top of the cactus.  As they melt away, the cactus can still feel their magic.  The next morning, there’s a surprise…Tiny Cactus turns out to be a Christmas cactus who has found a way to make her own decorations.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A cute and slightly quirky Christmas story with a subtle message about making your own wishes come true.

Cons:  I would have enjoyed a photo of an actual Christmas cactus.

The Walk by Winsome Bingham, illustrated by E. B. Lewis

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  A girl and her granny are headed out for a walk to an undisclosed destination.  As they travel through the neighborhood, more and more people join them.  Comments give some hints about their journey: “I thought after 2008, I could skip a few of these walks. But I see we need them more than ever.”  “The walk wasn’t always this long, but folks keep making it longer.”  Finally, the group arrives at the girl’s school.  “You’re silly, Granny,” says the girl.  “There’s no school today.”  The school is closed for Election Day, but open for voting.  Everyone marks their ballots, then the group heads home, reversing the walk until it’s just the girl and her granny once again.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  An excellent read-aloud for Election Day, emphasizing the importance of voting and the attempts to limit it, particularly in communities of color.

Cons:  An unfortunate lack of back matter that could have given some context to comments made by people about the history of voting.

Good Books for Bad Children: The Genius of Ursula Nordstrom by Beth Klephart, illustrated by Chloe Bristol

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Anne Schwartz Books

Summary:  Legendary children’s book editor Ursula Nordstrom began life as an only child whose parents divorced when she was seven years old and sent her to boarding school shortly thereafter.  Unable to attend college, she began working as a clerk in the college textbook division of Harper & Brothers, eventually becoming assistant to Louise Raymond, editor in the Department of Books for Boys and Girls.  When Louise left, Ursula was promoted to head the department, and spent the rest of her career nurturing authors like E.B. White, Maurice Sendak, Margaret Wise Brown, and Laura Ingalls Wilder (who is surprisingly never mentioned in this book).  Drawing on her own lonely childhood, Ursula understood that kids have different needs, whether they feel sad, mad, or left out, and that having all sorts of books can be helpful.  Includes an author’s note with additional information about Ursula Nordstrom and a list of sources.  48 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  I’ve long been fascinated by Ursula Nordstrom and enjoyed this engaging introduction to her life. The endearing illustrations contain lots of references to the many of the classic books and authors that were part of Ursula’s long career.

Cons:  I’m not sure how many children will be interested in the topic.

Loud and Proud: The Life of Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm by Lesa Cline-Ransome, illustrated by Kaylani Juanita

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Summary:  Shirley Chisholm learned about the fight for justice by listening through her apartment walls to the union meetings her father was part of.  In college, she took the advice of a professor who told her she should go into politics and joined a variety of movements.  After graduating, marrying, and starting a teaching career, Shirley decided to run for the New York State Assembly in 1964.  A landslide victory led to four years in the Assembly before running for U.S. Representative.  She became the first Black Congresswoman and a force to be reckoned with, fighting for issues that impacted women, children, and the poor.  In 1972, she ran an impressive campaign for President, then returned to Congress for another decade before retiring in 1983.  Her tenure in politics paved the way for other women of color, many of whom are shown on the last page.  Includes an author’s note with additional information and a timeline.  48 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  This book is the latest in a recent group of biographies about Shirley Chisholm and provides a comprehensive look at her life, with illustrations that capture her energy and fighting spirit.  

Cons:  It’s long for a picture book and may work better for kids doing research than as a read-aloud.

Flat Cat by Tara Lazar, illustrated by Pete Oswald

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Flamingo Books

Summary:  How did Flat Cat get so flat?  Was he squashed by an ice cream truck or smushed in a waffle iron?  Nope, he was born flat, and he likes it that way.  He can slide under doors, fly like a kite, and hide almost anywhere.  But when he takes a nap in a laundry basket, the dryer turns him into “the most adorable puffy, fluffy, fuzzy-wuzzy feline you ever did see!”  At first Flat Cat tries desperate measures to become flat again, but he discovers that he kind of likes getting hugged and petted.  When Aunt Harriet sits on him, he’s Flat Cat once again, but he decides to go for another spin in the dryer to fluff himself up.  Now that he knows how to be flat or fluffy, Flat Cat enjoys his life, alternating between the two states.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A fun, quirky story enhanced by the funny illustrations.  Flat/Fluffy Cat embodies the introvert who also likes to socialize. Sure to be a hit at story time. 

Cons:  A flat creature that slides under doors and flies like a kite…Flat Stanley rip-off or homage?