Picture books

H Is for Harlem by Dinah Johnson, illustrated by April Harrison

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Christy Ottaviano Books

Summary:  An author’s note introduces Harlem, giving a little historical context before exploring the neighborhood from A to Z.  Whether historical (W for Madam C. J. Walker, X for Malcolm X) or contemporary (C for Harlem Children’s Zone, I for Impact Farm), the text and illustrations combine to bring Harlem to life as a vibrant neighborhood with a rich history.  Readers will learn of places to visit like the Apollo Theater and the National Jazz Museum and of performances like the Boys (and Girls) Choir of Harlem and the Harlem Globetrotters that they may want to attend someday.  48 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  I was ready to hop on the train and take a trip to Harlem after reading this colorful book with its lively illustrations of so many fascinating people and places that have shaped this amazing neighborhood over the years. A definite contender for a Coretta Scott King Award.

Cons:  Some additional resources, particularly websites, would have been a great addition.

Skater Cielo by Rachel Katstaller

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Published by Orchard Books

Summary:  Cielo loves to skateboard and is excited when she discovers a new park with deep pools (ramps in the shape of swimming pools) opens in her town.  She tries the biggest one, called The Whale, and ends up falling harder than she ever has before.  Her confidence shaken, she finds she can’t do her usual tricks and tearfully shoves her skateboard in a closet when she goes home.  Yet she can’t help walking past the park and watching others on The Whale.  One day a girl invites her to try again, and once again Cielo falls.  But her new friends encourage her to keep trying, and after many, many falls, Cielo finds herself flying higher than she ever has before.  Includes a glossary and an author’s note.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I’ve found skateboarding books to be popular with kids and this one delivers a great message about persistence, with lots of action-packed illustrations.

Cons:  Some of those falls looked pretty painful.

Pizza! A Slice of History by Greg Pizzoli

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Published by Viking Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Sure, everyone loves pizza, but where did it come from originally?  A pizza-loving rat guides readers through a somewhat random assortment of facts (Americans eat 350 slices of pizza every second!) to trace its history from pizza-like (but not quite pizza) foods of the ancient world to the early pizzas of Italy (it helped that Italians, unlike other Europeans, didn’t think tomatoes were poisonous).  The immigration of four million Italians to the US between 1880 and 1924 brought pizza to America, and its popularity increased after World War II when American soldiers returned from Italy.  A review of different pizzas around the US and the world rounds things out.  “Right now somewhere in the world, someone is enjoying a pizza.  Are you?”  56 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  A fun and quirky nonfiction book about a topic that everyone will enjoy.  The text draws the reader in with lots of questions and the colorful cartoon illustrations are appealing.

Cons:  Some of the text could have used a bit more context, like comparing the colors of a pizza to the Italian flag with no flag pictured.  Also, I was sad to find no back matter.

School Is Wherever I Am by Ellie Peterson

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Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  A boy introduces his school as a building where he goes to a classroom that has desks, a teacher, and his classmates.  But then he wonders if school can be in other places too.  He thinks about field trips to museums or a pumpkin patch, as well as experiences he’s had with his family like cooking and woodworking.  Sometimes school is on a computer screen.  School can even look like making a mistake, figuring out how to fix it, and apologizing.  Inside or outside, the boy decides that school is wherever he is.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A great back-to-school book that encourages curiosity, both in the traditional school setting and outside of it.  Kids can brainstorm their ideas about school before reading this.  I love the endpapers that show different sets of collections associated with places mentioned in the book.

Cons:  Flashbacks to remote learning with the teacher on the computer screen.

Hope Is an Arrow: The Story of Lebanese-American Poet Kahlil Gibran by Cory McCarthy, illustrated by Ekua Holmes

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Gibran Khalil Gibran was a shy boy growing up in Lebanon.  He loved his country, but there was unrest there, and he often escaped into nature, hiking in the woods or swimming in the ocean.  After his father was jailed, he and his mother and three siblings left for America.  They settled in Boston’s South End, where a teacher changed his name to Kahlil Gibran, and where he often saw his mother treated disrespectfully despite her hard work as a shopkeeper.  Kahlil often felt divided between his American self and his Lebanese self and began expressing himself through his poetry and art.  Studying in Beirut and losing his mother, sister, and brother in a short period of time deepened and intensified his art, and in 1923, he published his most famous work, The Prophet.  Includes source notes and additional stories from Kahlil Gibran’s life.  40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  The lyrical text and beautiful illustrations capture Kahlil Gibran’s spirit.  Many of his quotes are included (including my favorite, “Work is love made visible”) which are helpful in introducing his writing.  As usual, Ekua Holmes’s art is worthy of award consideration.

Cons:  I wasn’t crazy about the format of the source notes and additional stories, which did not seem particularly kid friendly.

Abuelita and I Make Flan by Adrian Hernández Bergstrom

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Published by Charlesbridge

Summary:  Anita is excited to be learning how to make flan with Abuelito as they prepare the treat for Abuelo’s birthday.  But before they can even get started, Anita accidentally drops the beloved glass flan plate.  She sweeps up the pieces, hoping no one will notice.  She and Abuelita have a great time working their way through the flan-making process, but at last the moment comes when it’s time to get out the plate.  Anita tearfully confesses what happened, to which Abuelita replies, “A plate is a plate, but YOU are irreplaceable.”  Turns out that Abuelo broke the first flan plate years ago, and the one Anita dropped was a replacement.  They end up using a plate Anita made for grandparents’ day, and the birthday celebration goes off without a hitch.  Includes a recipe for cheese flan and English translations of the Spanish words used in the story.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A heartwarming intergenerational story about a shared love of food and cooking.  The illustrations are appealing with their cartoon bubbles and labeling of items around the kitchen, activities Abuelita needs help with due to arthritis, etc.

Cons:  Making flan looks pretty complicated
.

Noodle and the No Bones Day by Jonathan Graziano, illustrated by Dan Tavis

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Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Summary:  Apparently Jonathan and Noodle the Pug are a TikTok sensation (don’t worry, I had no idea either), and a No Bones Day is one in which Noodle acts as though he has no bones.  He stays in his bed, not interested in playing or walking.  He does enjoy it when Jonathan rubs his belly and eats when Jonathan brings him his dish.  At first, Jonathan is concerned that he’s sick, but eventually he realizes that Noodle just needs a day of rest, snuggling in bed and eating snacks.  Inspired, Jonathan plants himself on the couch with a bowl of popcorn for a No Bones Day of his own.  Includes a brief author’s note.  32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  Pugs are always a big hit at my school, and I’m sure kids will love this story that uses cuteness and gentle humor to deliver a message about self-care.

Cons:  I was forced to go on TikTok to check out Noodle and Jonathan (@jongratz).

Kapaemahu by Hinaleimoana Wong-Kalu Dean Hamer, and Joe Wilson, illustrated by Daniel Sousa

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Published by Kokila

Summary:  This Hawaiian legend tells the story of four healers, or mahu, who traveled from Tahiti.  They were neither male nor female, but “a mixture of both in mind, heart, and spirit.”  Each one had their own healing power: spiritual, all-seeing, healing from afar, and laying on of hands.  After bequeathing their powers on the people of the island, the Hawaiians wanted to build a monument to show their gratitude.  They moved four huge boulders onto the beach at Waikiki.  Even after the mahu left, the stones remained for many centuries until more and more people arrived in Hawaii and the area was built up.  The stones have been recovered, but the true nature of the mahu has often been written out of the story.  This book (and the film on which it is based) seeks to correct that.  Includes authors’ notes, a history of the healer stones, additional information about the Olelo Niihau language, and a glossary.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  Written in both English and the indigenous Hawaiian Olelo Niihau language, this beautiful legend inspired both this book and a short film, released in 2021.  The author’s note reveals that the nature of the mahu was removed from the story for many years, due to their possession of both male and female spirits.  An excellent addition to collections of both folklore and bilingual books.

Cons:  A Google search revealed to me that the stones are popularly known as the Wizard Stones, which feels like kind of a trivialization of the true story. 

Emile and the Field by Kevin Young illustrated by Chioma Ebinama

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Published by Make Me a World

Summary:  “There was a boy named Emile/who fell in love with a field.”  Emile loves the flowers and insects he finds in the field and how the colors change with the seasons.  He wonders if the field ever misses seeing things like the sea or skyscrapers or airplanes (up close).  What he doesn’t like is when snow covers the field and other kids come to play there.  His dad reminds him that the field doesn’t belong to him, and that if other people love it like Emile does, they’ll help him take care of it so that it can be there forever.  Includes a note from Make Me a World’s Christopher Myers.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The lyrical rhyming-ish text and dreamy watercolor illustrations will help readers appreciate nature and realize that the beautiful things in the world are made for us to share.  Definitely a book for Caldecott or Coretta Scott King consideration.

Cons:  While Christopher Myers’s note is addressed to readers, it seems more directed to adults.

To Change a Planet by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  One person, one carbon molecule, one degree of warmth can all seem insignificant, but when they are multiplied, they can wreak havoc on a planet.  Likewise, one person can also feel insignificant when it comes to making positive changes to help our planet, but combined with the efforts of others, they can make a real difference.  Includes back matter with additional information about climate change and what people can do to make a difference.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A perfect introduction to climate change and the need for environmental activism.  The text is spare, just a sentence or two per page, but it really shows the impact, both positive and negative, of small changes.  The colorful illustrations help show this as well.

Cons:  I find every book about climate change anxiety-inducing.