Picture books

Out of a Jar by Deborah Marcero

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Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons

Summary:  Llewelyn the rabbit, who first rose to prominence as a collector in In A Jar, has taken to stuffing his feelings into jars and storing them in his basement.  Any time he feels an unpleasant emotion like fear or anger, he bottles it up and locks it into a closet, “and that was that”.  Even more enjoyable feelings get tucked away, like the excitement he feels at school when he’s supposed to be listening.  Finally, the closet is full, and Llewelyn isn’t feeling much of anything.  When he tries to force one more jar in, all the jars tumble out and crack open, overwhelming Llewelyn in a mix of all the emotions.  Amidst all of the feelings, he’s surprised that what he mostly feels is relieved.  From then on, whenever Llewelyn has a feeling, “he mustered up the courage to feel them.  To share them.  And when he was ready, to look each feeling in the eye, give it a hug, and let it go.  And that…was that.”  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This gorgeously illustrated book is an excellent tool for teaching kids how to deal with strong emotions.

Cons:  I couldn’t figure out why Llewelyn felt like he had to store away his feelings of joy.

Puppy Bus by Drew Brockington 

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  It’s the first day of school for a boy who’s just moved to a new town, and wouldn’t you know it, he ends up on the wrong bus.  This bus is heading to Leroy’s Puppy School, and is, naturally, filled with puppies.  The boy’s pretty unhappy at first: the subjects they learn are weird, lunch is terrible, and the bathroom is…unconventional.  But the puppies are friendly, there’s outdoor recess, and by the end of the day, the boy is ready to return.  He’s excited the next morning to board the bus…only to find out, it’s the Kitty Bus.  40 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  No need to look any further for a book to read on the first day of preschool, kindergarten, or first grade.  The humor and comic-style illustrations will have the whole class feeling right at home in no time.

Cons:  Is Old Yeller really the best choice for a class read-aloud at puppy school?

Happy Sloth Day! by April Pulley Sayre with Jeff Sayre

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Published by Beach Lane Books

Summary:  Follow a sloth through its day in the rainforest as it eats, climbs, rests, and hides.  The photos mostly tell the story, along with a few short sentences.  Longer side bars on every other page add additional information.  The story ends with “the changing of the sloths” as the diurnal three-toed sloth falls asleep and the nocturnal two-toed sloth awakens.  Includes additional information about sloths and a list of four resources “for more leisurely chewing.”  48 pages; ages 4-10.

Pros:  April Pulley Sayre’s photos never disappoint, and these capture sloths doing all kinds of interesting things.  The short text and photos make this a good read-aloud for preschoolers, while the sidebars and back matter make it just as good a choice for older kids.

Cons:  A book about sloths is not a thrilling page-turner.

Tomatoes In My Lunchbox by Constantia Manoli, illustrated by Magdalena Mora

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Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  The narrator feels uncomfortable at school after moving from another country.  The teacher and other kids have trouble pronouncing her name, and the whole tomato in her lunchbox is different from what the other kids are eating.  She’s surrounded by girls with names like Emma, Olivia, and Chloe, but she can’t figure out how to make friends with them.  One day Chloe asks her where her name is from, and the girl tells her it was her grandmother’s name.  The next day, they learn that they both have the same favorite color, yellow.  When Chloe forgets her lunch, the narrator shares her tomato, and the friendship is sealed.  Includes an author’s note about her family’s move from Cyprus to England that was the inspiration for this story.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  An immigrant story that will help readers build empathy for kids who are new at school, and whose name, language, and food may be unfamiliar to others.  Emphasizes the importance of friendship and reaching out.

Cons:  Those tomato stains seem like a nuisance.

Pigeon & Cat by Edward Hemingway

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Published by Christy Ottaviano

Summary:  Cat lives alone in a box in a vacant lot, only leaving home to scavenge for food.  If another cat tries to enter the lot, Cat hisses and shows his claws.  One day, he finds an egg, which, much to his surprise, hatches into a pigeon.  For the first time, Cat cares about another animal, feeding her and letting her sleep with him in his box.  Pigeon grows up and starts flying around the city.  Cat worries about her leaving the safety of the lot, but when Pigeon brings back bits of chalk, Cat passes the time by creating art on the walls around him.  One day, though, Pigeon doesn’t come back.  Cat is so heartbroken that he decides to venture out into the city to find her.  He’s so anxious to track down his friend that he starts to reach out to other animals for help.  He draws pictures around the city, hoping Pigeon will recognize them and find him.  One day, a flock of birds unexpectedly leads him back to his own lot where Pigeon is waiting for him.  Pigeon has opened up the lot to other strays, and it becomes a beautiful place that is welcoming to everyone.  40 pages; ages 4-8.  

Pros:  A heartwarming story about the transformative powers of love, friendship, art, and community.

Cons:  Too bad humans aren’t better at learning some of those lessons.

I Forgive Alex: A Simple Story About Understanding by Kerascoët

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Published by Random House Studio

Summary:  Recess begins with different groups of kids doing different things: running, stomping in puddles, and hanging out with friends.  One boy pulls out his artwork and displays it for his friends. Alex is bouncing a basketball around the playground, teasing other kids who are trying to get it away from him.  When he throws it, it bounces on the bench where the art is set up, sending the papers into a nearby puddle.  The artist is sad, and his friends take his side, ostracizing Alex.  This continues until the next recess, when Alex tentatively smiles and waves at the boy, who walks over to him.  The two of them talk, then shake hands, and everyone joins in a friendly game of basketball.  The next day, Alex greets his new friend and gives him a drawing of the boy dunking the basketball while Alex cheers him on.  Includes a page with tips for handling similar misunderstandings for kids who have hurt someone, kids who have been hurt, and adults who are helping them.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The creators of I Walk With Vanessa (look for Vanessa and her friend in the illustrations) have produced another wordless masterpiece perfect for SEL education.  Kids will enjoy figuring out what’s going on in the story, and the backmatter makes it a useful tool for parents and educators.

Cons:  The title is kind of didactic.

One Boy Watching by Grant Snider

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Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  At 7:00 a.m., one boy boards school bus number 4 to begin his 50-minute journey to school.  Along the way, he sees things out the window: one tree, three deer, four cars, seven sunflowers.  Gradually, the 28 seats in the bus fill up until there are 48 kids “packed like crayons in a crayon box.”  Finally, they arrive at school.  The day passes, and at 3:00 p.m. the boy stares out the classroom window, daydreaming about what he will see on his journey home.  60 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A quiet story of kids not often represented in picture books–those who live in rural communities.  There are lots of numbers in the story, which would make it a fun one to read to children who are just learning how to count.  The beautiful colors make for eye-catching illustrations from orthodontist-by-day-artist-by-night Grant Snider.

Cons:  100 minutes on a school bus every day.

If You’re a Kid Like Gavin: The True Story of a Young Trans Activist by Gavin Grimm and Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by J Yang

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  There are some choices kids get to make and others they don’t.  Gavin Grimm didn’t choose to be a boy or a girl, but as a transgender kid, he chose to talk about it, to tell his family he was a boy, and to start high school as a boy with a new name.  At school, though, he didn’t have a choice about what bathroom to use; he had to use the bathroom in the nurse’s office.  As months went by, and no one seemed to care, Gavin started to use the boys’ room.  A teacher objected, and kids started bullying.  So Gavin decided to speak up.  When this didn’t work at his school, he went on the news and to the ACLU and has continued to fight for his rights and those of other trans kids.  And “since you’re a kid like Gavin Grimm, you can always decide to believe in yourself and fight for what you believe in.”  Includes notes from both authors and a link to the ACLU’s webpage for students about their rights.  40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Kids will relate to Gavin’s personal story which lays out his choices in terms that are understandable for an elementary audience.  An excellent resource for trans kids and those who work or go to school with them.

Cons:  A list of resources (besides the ACLU site) would have been useful.

Pineapple Princess by Sabina Hahn

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Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  “I am deeply, deeply misunderstood,” says the narrator, standing in front of a wall “decorated” in red crayon.  “I know I am a princess, but no one believes me.”  A crown is in order, she decides, eyeing the top of a pineapple.  One messy kitchen later, she’s outside with her pineapple crown, which is soon surrounded by her subjects…flies.  She tries being kind and compassionate, then moves on to imprisoning some “subjects” with a glass jar and executing others with a flyswatter.  Finally, she gives up, tossing the crown into the garbage.  “I never wanted to be a princess anyway.”  Soon she has moved on to become a warrior queen, with her unsuspecting cat about to be lassoed.  “My queendom for a horse!”  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Those who enjoy Fancy Nancy and Ladybug Girl will get a kick out of the pineapple princess and her attempts to rule her subjects.  I’d love to see another story about the warrior queen.

Cons:  Wearing part of a sticky pineapple and all those flies.

Ali and the Sea Stars by Ali Stroker, illustrated by Gillian Reid

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Published by HarperCollins

Summary:  Ali is a young girl who dreams of someday singing and dancing on stage.  She shares her ambitions with others around Breezy Beach until one day Kate the lifeguard asks her why she’s waiting for “someday”.  That inspires Ali to organize a performance of Peter Pan, recruiting friends and family for different parts and casting herself in the lead.  On the day of the big show, everything is ready when a sudden rain shower drenches the sets and the cast.  Undeterred, Ali decides that the show must go on and improvises new sets and props.  The play is a smash hit, and the Sea Stars Theater Company is born.  Includes an author’s note about her real-life inspiration for the story. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Tony Award-winning actress Ali Stroker makes her picture book debut, once again showing that being in a wheelchair does not limit one’s possibilities.  The bright cartoon-style illustrations perfectly capture the high energy of the story.

Cons:  I think I would have chosen The Little Mermaid for a seaside production over Peter Pan, even though Ali dismisses it as “too obvious”.