Picture books

We Are Starlings: Inside the Mesmerizing Magic of a Murmuration by Robert Furrow and Donna Jo Napoli, illustrated by Marc Martin

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Random House Studio

Summary:  Two starlings rest on a chilly morning, then fly away with others.  They travel for days, with more starlings joining them, until thousands of them are flying as a group, called a murmuration for the sound all those flapping wings make.  The huge flock provides warmth and protection, demonstrated when a peregrine falcon tries to attack.  After surviving that, the starlings are ready for some fun, diving and swooping in spectacular formations until they find a place to land and roost together.  Includes a two-page note about starlings.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The spectacular illustrations capture the movement of the murmuration, showing the black birds silhouetted against a beautiful sky at sunrise or sunset.  The poetic text gives just enough information to intrigue readers, with more offered in the note at the end.

Cons:  No additional resources.

Simon and the Better Bone by Corey R. Tabor

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Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  Based on Aesop’s fable about the dog and its reflection, this story shows Simon, a dog who has found what he considers to be the best bone ever.  When he looks into the water, though, he discovers another dog with what looks to be an even better bone.  After a staring contest, some growling, and a few other tactics to get the dog to give up its bone, Simon dives in after it, losing his own bone in the process.  Back out of the water, he discovers a new bone and generously drops it into the water for the other dog.  Simon heads for home, feeling happy that he’s made a new friend.  40 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  This book is read from top to bottom in the style of Tabor’s Caldecott honor book Mel Fell.  The illustrations are charming, kids will get some laughs from Simon’s antics, and it could make a good intro to Aesop’s fables.

Cons:  One of my favorite parts of Mel Fell is all the funny animals Mel passes on her way down the tree and back up again. There wasn’t as much of that visual humor in this book.

Grandma’s Tipi: A Present-Day Lakota Story by S. D. Nelson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  Clara spends a summer on the Standing Rock reservation with her unci (grandmother) and cousin Juniper.  Both live there, as does Uncle Louie, who frequently comes to visit.  They set up a tipi where they learn traditions, spend time with family, and add spirit pictures of the cousins to the other artwork that decorate the walls.  Clara watches unci make a beautiful beaded dress, which turns out to be a gift for Clara when her parents come to pick her up.  Plans are made to return in the fall so that Clara can dance in the powwow wearing her new dress.  Includes a two-page author’s note with photos, providing additional information about the tipi..  40 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  There’s a lot of information about Lakota culture and contemporary life on the reservation packed into this story.  Clara’s family seems warm and loving, and her summer is lots of fun while also connecting her with her heritage.

Cons:  The text is small, and the story is long, making this perhaps a better choice for older elementary kids.

Jackie Ormes Draws the Future: The Remarkable Life of a Pioneering Cartoonist by Liz Montague

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Random House Studio

Summary:  Jackie Ormes loved drawing from an early age and captured her dreams of adventure through her art.  After high school, she took a job as a freelance reporter for the Pittsburgh Courier, a Black newspaper, and eventually created the cartoon character Torchy Brown, a fashionable nightclub star who moved from the South to Harlem.  Torchy made people laugh but also addressed issues like racism and segregation.  When Jackie and her husband moved to Chicago, Torchy’s run ended, and Jackie had the opportunity to formally study art for the first time in her life.  Several years later, she returned to the world of comics with Patty-Jo, a six-year-old girl who spoke out about current events, and who would become Jackie’s most famous creation.  Includes additional information about Jackie Ormes and Patty-Jo, including a photo of the Patty-Jo doll, described as “America’s first upscale Black play doll,” an author’s note, and a list of selected sources.  40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  A fun and insightful look at cartoonist Jackie Ormes’s life, with illustrations inspired by Jackie’s work, and an emphasis on the theme of the perseverance that led to her success.  Kids will relate to Jackie’s love of art and her determination to be successful and make a difference.

Cons:  The story ends shortly after World War II, and Jackie died in 1985; like another recent biography of Ormes, this doesn’t tell much about the second half of her life.

The High Line: A Park to Look Up To by Victoria Tentler-Krylov

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  After New York City’s elevated railroad became obsolete, a group of neighbors saw the possibility of turning the tracks into a park.  They held a competition to generate ideas and chose a proposal that created a space inspired by the old railroad.  The short section that was built was immediately popular, drawing both locals and tourists, and resulted in the “High Line effect” with new businesses opening nearby.  An unfortunate downside was the gentrification that made it difficult for the original residents to afford the new neighborhood, and when similar parks were built in other cities, efforts were made to mitigate this effect.  Today, the High Line continues to thrive in New York City and in other places around the world that were inspired by the original.  Includes an author’s note, a timeline, a selected bibliography, and endpapers showing places in the park. 40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  You’ll want to head for NYC after reading this fascinating introduction to the High Line and the similar parks it’s inspired, with colorful watercolor illustrations that capture the construction process and the beautiful finished result.  I liked that the author included the issue of gentrification that has been addressed but not completely remedied.

Cons:  No photos.

Wings, Waves & Webs: Patterns in Nature by Robin Mitchell Cranfield

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Greystone Books

Summary:  Readers are invited to find patterns in nature, beginning with simple ones like spots (a ladybug and a guinea fowl feather) and stripes (a skunk and a sunflower seed).  The patterns become increasingly complex, moving on to mirror and radial symmetry, branching, and collective motion.  Each type is accompanied by one or two illustrations that show the pattern in nature.  The final spread of a flower garden invites the reader to look for the different patterns that have just been introduced.  36 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A simple but thorough introduction to patterns that will have kids recognizing them in everyday life.  The beautiful graphics make this an eye-catching addition to STEM collections.

Cons:  I know the Oxford comma is optional, but I would have made the title Wings, Waves, & Webs.

Maribel’s Year by Michelle Sterling, illustrated by Sarah Gonzales

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  Maribel tells about her first year in the U.S. after moving from the Philippines with her mother.  Papa is still back home, and Maribel misses both him and her home.  English is confusing, and the cold, snowy weather feels unfamiliar.  But as the year goes on, there’s the promise of a new friend and exciting new experiences like learning to ride a bike, swimming at the beach, and trick-or-treating.  By the time the snow falls again, it’s time for Papa to join them, and final pages see the family celebrating Christmas together.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Maribel tells her story in verse with slightly muted illustrations showing her experiences.  The ups and downs of the immigrant experiences are well expressed, and readers will enjoy sharing the year with Maribel.

Cons:  I was curious to know if this is based on a real-life family, but there was no author’s note.

A Garden in My Hands by Meera Sriram, illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The night before a wedding, a child describes how their mother decorates their hands and arms with henna, telling them stories from the past as she weaves them into her designs.  There’s an anxious evening as the henna dries and the narrator tries not to smear the designs.  Gloves are worn to bed, and in the morning the dry henna flakes off, leaving a beautiful design to wear to the wedding.  Everyone dances and celebrates together, the henna reminding them of their faraway home and the pride they have in their heritage.  Includes additional information about henna and an author’s note describing her own memories of henna from her childhood in India.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This beautiful book with its brilliant illustrations will introduce the art of henna to some readers and be appreciated by others for its celebration of a familiar art form. 

Cons:  It was touch and go there for a while waiting to see how the henna would turn out.

A Flag for Juneteenth by Kim Taylor

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Neal Porter Books

Summary:  Huldah is excited to be turning ten on June 19, 1865.  That excitement grows when, on the morning of her birthday, soldiers ride up to the Texas plantation where Huldah and her family live and announce that all slaves are free and have been since Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier.  All around her is a celebration, and a group of women begins to create freedom flags.  Huldah takes some time for herself, climbing a tree to capture a sunbeam in a jar.  When she returns, it’s time for her birthday celebration.  Her friends and family give her her own freedom flag; later, during a moonlit walk with her family, she wraps her baby sister in the flag, and the family celebrates this day of jubilee.  Includes an author’s note about how she came to create the quilts that illustrate this book.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  With Juneteenth coming up in a few weeks, this is a great introduction for younger readers, illustrated with distinctive quilt-inspired illustrations.  Kids may want to design their own freedom flags after reading this.

Cons:  There’s not a ton of information about Juneteenth here, so you may want to supplement with some other resources.

We Are Branches by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Beth Krommes

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Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Branches may call to mind the tops of trees, but the bottoms, their roots, also have branches.  So do rivers and bolts of lightning.  Look closely, and you’ll notice branches in coral reefs and snowflake crystals.  There are branches in bodies, too: bones that branch into fingers and the veins and arteries that allow blood to circulate.  Branches are strong and brave!  Includes additional information about branching patterns.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A Joyce Sidman-Beth Krommes collaboration is always a treat, with beautiful poetic language and distinctive scratchboard illustrations.  This is a great addition to STEM collections, encouraging readers to look for patterns in nature.

Cons:  The last book on patterns this team did was Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature, published in 2011. I hope they’ll create another pattern book before another dozen years go by.