Picture books

The Three Billy Goats Gruff retold by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Jon Klassen

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Orchard Books

Summary:  Rumor has it that this is the first in a series of fairy tale retellings by the popular Barnett-Klassen duo.  The troll living under the bridge is nearly starving, living on earwax and belly button goop while waiting for the goats to cross over.  He’s a poetic sort of fellow, making up all sorts of rhymes to capture his excitement about the goats (“I love goat! Let me count the ways/A rump of goat in honey glaze.”)  The small and medium goats talk their way out of being eaten, and the big goat…well, readers are in for a surprise and will also enjoy seeing the fate of the troll.  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  One can never rule out a Caldecott for Jon Klassen, and I love how the illustrations grow from a small strip at the bottom of the first page to a full-page spread when the big goat does his thing.  Kids will love the story, too, with its funny troll and just enough disgusting details thrown in.

Cons:  Barnett and Klassen’s books never really grab me until I read them to actual children, which I haven’t had a chance to do with this one yet.  The kids’ delight makes me appreciate each book much more than when I read it on my own.

Me and Muhammad Ali by Jabari Asim, Illustrated by AG Ford

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Published by Nancy Paulsen Books

Summary:  Langston is excited when he learns that Muhammad Ali is coming to his town. Langston admires Ali as much for his poetry as for his fighting, and his mom likes that the boxer is fighting to make the world a better place.  On the day of the big event, Langston gets his Afro shaped to look just like his hero’s, listening to the men in the barbershop talk about their own athletic exploits as well as their stories of Muhammad Ali.  Finally, Langston and his mom arrive at the high school, only to be stopped by a security guard who tells them the event is only for students.  No matter how much they plead with the guard, he refuses to let them inside.  “What’s the problem here?” asks a man, and when Langston looks up, Muhammad Ali is standing right in front of them.  Ali personally escorts them inside, and Langston’s dream comes true.  Includes an author’s note about the 1975 event that inspired this story.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  It’s great to see so many Black history books for younger kids this year.  This one includes some of Muhammad Ali’s poetry, as well as poems that Langston makes up.  The illustrations do a great job of capturing the 1975 vibe.

Cons:  No list of additional resources on Ali.

Concrete: From the Ground Up by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Steve Light

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  We may not think much about concrete (I know I don’t), but it’s an amazing material that has allowed engineers to design some pretty spectacular structures beginning with the Roman Colosseum and Pantheon.  The technology was lost for centuries after the fall of the Roman Empire, but an engineer named John Smeaton rediscovered it to construct a lighthouse in 1757.  Since then, engineers have learned how to reinforce concrete with steel that has allowed them to build bridges, dams, and skyscrapers.  The final page asks the question of what may come next for concrete as the needs of humans and the planet change in the future.  48 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Answers the question “How could concrete possibly be interesting?” with engaging stories of different structures around the world and incredibly detailed drawings that feature various characters making funny comments about their circumstances and inventions.  Fans of David Macaulay books will enjoy poring over the details.  Amazon has this listed as part of a series called Material Marvels, so I am hoping there will be more books to come.

Cons:  Many readers may see the cover and think, “How could concrete possibly be interesting?”

The Perfect Tree by Corinne Demas, illustrated by Penelope Dullaghan

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Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  Bunny goes out the day before Christmas looking for a tree that is just her size.  Along the way, she meets different animals who all have ideas about what makes the perfect tree: Squirrel says it should be bushy like his tail, Mole looks for a tree with a point like a mole’s nose, Cardinal thinks color is the most important ingredient, and Skunk says that it’s smell.  Each tree Bunny finds lacks one of those characteristics.  Finally, too cold to look any further, she heads for home.  To her surprise, she discovers the perfect tree not far from where she lives.  She runs to get her saw but can’t bring herself to cut the tree down.  The animals get together and decorate their outdoor tree, then gather around it to sing carols.  32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  Kids will love this heartwarming Christmas story with its repeating text, adorable animals, and happy ending.

Cons:  The final tree doesn’t seem to fit Bunny’s criteria for being “just her size”.  

Caves by Nell Cross Beckerman, illustrated by Kalen Chock

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Orchard Books

Summary:  Addressing the reader in the second person (“You want to go in…do you dare?”), the book introduces different features of caves, then shows unusual examples of each one in seven caves around the world.  There’s the Cueva de Los Cristales in Mexico, filled with 39-foot crystals that had to be pumped dry for people to explore. And the Bracken Cave in Texas, summer home to twenty million bats.  The realistic illustrations convey the magnitude of the caves, often showing how small the human explorers are in comparison.  Includes notes from the author and illustrator, lists of cave rules and spelunking equipment, and more fun facts about three of the caves.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  The poetic text and gorgeous illustrations combine to make a nonfiction book that invites readers on an adventure, in the spirit of Candace Fleming’s Giant Squid or Jason Chin’s Grand Canyon.  I’d love to see this get some Siebert Award recognition.

Cons:  I wish that there were more fun facts about all of the caves mentioned in the book, not just three.

The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach Rebuilt Her Town in Stories and Photographs by Chana Stiefel, illustrated by Susan Gal

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  Yaffa Eliach had a happy childhood in the Jewish town (shtetl) of Eishyshok, playing with her friends and older brother and helping her grandmother in her photography studio.  But when Yaffa was six years old, German tanks rolled in and the village, along with most of its inhabitants, was destroyed.  Yaffa’s family managed to flee and lived in hiding for the next several years.  They left their possessions behind except for a few photographs Yaffa hid in her shoe.  After the war, Yaffa moved first to Israel, and then to the United States, where she became a history professor specializing in the Holocaust.  When the Holocaust Museum was built in Washington, DC, President Jimmy Carter asked Yaffa to create an exhibit to show the lives of people who were lost.  Yaffa searched all over the world for photographs of people who had lived in Eishyshok.  Over the course of 17 years, she traveled to six continents to collect over 1,000 photos that were turned into the “Tower of Life” exhibit at the Holocaust Museum.  Includes a timeline of Yaffa’s life, a bibliography, and a brief author’s note.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  An inspiring story of an amazing woman who emerged from tragedy to create a beautiful tribute that celebrates the lives of those who died in the Holocaust.  The illustrations capture those lives as well, incorporating photos into the paintings.

Cons:  I would have liked more information about Yaffa in the back matter.

Going Places: Victor Hugo Green and His Glorious Book by Tonya Bolden, illustrated by Eric Velasquez

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Published by Quill Tree Books

Summary:  Victor Hugo Green had a successful career as a mail carrier in Leonia, New Jersey, but he also liked to travel.  In the 1930’s, more people were buying cars and using them to visit new places.  Black travelers were less hassled in their cars than on trains, but they also faced Jim Crow laws that prevented them from using certain hotels, restaurants, and other establishments, and sundown laws that prohibited them from being in certain towns after dark.  Green used newspaper ads and articles and the knowledge of friends and co-workers to put together a directory of places that were safe to go.  Known as the Green Book, it started as a pamphlet in 1936, covering the New York City area, but continued to grow to cover the entire U.S. as well as Mexico and Canada.  In 1953, Victor Hugo Green retired from his postal career to spend his time running a travel agency and keeping up with the Green Book.  He died in 1960, a few years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964 made much of the Green Book obsolete.  Includes a timeline, selected sources, and a list of places to learn more about the Green Book.  40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  This fascinating look at the man behind the Green Book weaves in plenty of details about the ways racism affected Black travelers for much of the twentieth century.  The vivid oil paintings bring traveling to life with their colorful postcards, reproductions of black-and-white photos, and maps.  Worthy of a consideration for a Coretta Scott King award or honor.

Cons:  While I was hoping to see a page from the actual Green Book, the illustrations offer only tantalizing glimpses.  Guess I will have to peruse the digital editions listed in the back matter.

Bessie the Motorcycle Queen by Charles R. Smith, Jr., illustrated by Charlot Kristensen

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Published by Orchard Books

Summary:  A daredevil motorcycle rider named Bessie takes the challenge to ride the Wall of Death, fearlessly showing off with no hands and riding sidesaddle.  When she takes off her helmet, the audience is surprised by her “hidden brown face.”  The year is 1929, and a Black woman riding her motorcycle alone across the country faces potentially dangerous situations, especially in the Jim Crow south, where she outruns a truck full of angry KKK members.  But Bessie is undeterred, choosing her destinations by flipping a penny onto a US map, repairing her bike herself, and sleeping on it when she can’t get a room.  The word VROOM is repeated throughout the story as Bessie zooms off to her next location.  Includes additional information about Bessie Stringfield and a bibliography.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  The bouncy rhyming text and beautiful illustrations tell an inspiring story about this little-known woman. Although kids may need some explanations about Jim Crow laws and the KKK, this would be a good Black history read-aloud for primary grades.

Cons:  Unfortunately, not much is known about Bessie, so facts about her life like her birthdate and hometown are uncertain.


Playtime for Restless Rascals by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon

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Published by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Summary:  In this follow up to Bedtime for Sweet Creatures, a mother wakes her child up by saying it’s time to get to work…which, for the child, is play.  There is playtime indoors and out, with different types of outdoor play depending on the season and the weather.  Afternoon brings imaginary play: tea parties, trains, trucks, and cars.  By late afternoon, Mom is ready for a nap, and the two snuggle briefly on the couch, but when Daddy comes home, it’s back to the business of play.  Finally, the parents sit together, watching their child: “Your job is called play, and your daddy and I both know, you’re an expert.”  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A celebration of all types of play, empowering children to use their imaginations.  The collage illustrations add plenty of color, texture, and interest.

Cons:  It would have been nice to see some other kids join in the fun.

Standing in the Need of Prayer: A Modern Retelling of the Classic Spiritual by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Crown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Carole Boston Weatherford has created new words based on the traditional spiritual to trace the history of Black people in America.  Beginning with slavery, the verses and illustrations continue through Emancipation, the Great Migration, and the fights for integration.  The last few pages reflect the recent past and present: Florence Griffith Joyner, Colin, Kaepernick, and the Black Lives Matter Movement.  Includes additional information on each of the subjects, a list of online resources, and an author’s note.  32 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  Another beautiful resource for teaching Black history, with gorgeous thought-provoking oil illustrations.  The text, including the back matter, could serve as an excellent introduction to a variety of topics; readers can use the excellent list of online resources for further research.

Cons:  I wasn’t familiar with this spiritual and would have liked to have had the traditional words included somewhere.