Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  As a mother awaits her baby’s arrival, she gathers items for a medicine bundle: an eagle feather, cedar and sage, a handmade star blanket, and a stone.  When the baby is born, the mother presents the different items: the feather as a reminder of beauty all around, cedar and sage to keep the spirit strong, and a stone to remember the stories from the land and from within.  The blanket is to wrap the baby, as the mother whispers, “I loved you before I met you.  Before I held you in my arms, I sang you down from the stars.”  Includes notes from the author and the illustrator.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade has created some spectacular illustrations, with what she refers to in her artist’s note as “swoosh” around each depiction of the mother and baby.  She writes that the swoosh depicts “a flow of energy that connects all living things on a metaphorical level and connects from one page to the next on a literal level.”  As the baby is given each gift, visual references are made to the illustrations when the mother gathered each item.  The author’s note tells how the story connects to her Inniniwak Nation.  An excellent and unique gift for a new baby.

Cons:  The story may appeal more to parents than to children, at least at first.

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The narrator loves fishing from a neighborhood dock that no one else uses but him.  Returning home one day, he finds his parents and neighbors preparing for an impending hurricane.  The family hunkers down when the storm hits, and the illustrations show flooding and fallen trees.  The weather is calm and sunny by the next morning, but when the boy goes to the dock, he finds it has been almost destroyed.  Unable to get help from the adults who are busy with repairs and cleanup, he decides to try to fix the dock himself.  He makes a valiant attempt, but after several days he is ready to give up.  At that moment, his parents and neighbors show up, and everyone works together to rebuild the dock into a place for the whole community.  It’s still the boy’s favorite place, but now there are others around to enjoy it with him.  Includes front endpapers showing how a hurricane forms and back ones with the parts of a dock.  Also a photo of a note from 6-year-old John Rocco informing his parents that he is off to go fishing.  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  John Rocco’s books are always fun to read to kids (Blizzard is one of my go-to reads for winter), and this one has illustrations that will particularly appeal to young engineers, with detailed information about hurricanes and dock building.  

Cons:  Key parts of the endpapers were covered up by the taped-down dustjacket of my library copy.

Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  “Inside cat knows many windows/finds a view wherever it goes.”  Although this cat never leaves the house, it knows all sorts of things from gazing through the windows of its home, from the bottom levels to the top.  It sees amazing things like a crane digging, a helicopter flying, and parade floats passing by.  Even the windows are interesting: cracked, covered in soapy bubbles, stained glass.  The inside of the house is portrayed all in light blue on a white background, while the outside is filled with brilliant colors.  Just when Inside Cat thinks it has seen it all, it discovers an open door–and a whole new world in front of it.  40 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  In this follow-up to the Caldecott Honor book They All Saw A Cat, Brendan Wenzel has created bouncy rhyming text and the interesting perspective of an indoor cat seeing the world only through windows.  The final page inspires a sense of wonder that there is always something new. Could be a Caldecott contender as well.

Cons:  I couldn’t really warm up to that bug-eyed, slightly scruffy cat, but then again, I’m more of a dog person.

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  Isaac’s excited to be at Grandpop’s house, but he’s a little less certain about sleeping over.  “I’m not sleepy,” he says as bedtime approaches.  “Then stay awake,” replies Grandpop, “But it’s time to put the house to bed.”  They move slowly and quietly around the house, turning off lights and pulling shades.  When Isaac hears noises, Grandpop patiently explains what’s causing them: Snuffles the dog, the swingset creaking in the wind, the house making sleepy sounds.  Finally, Isaac and Grandpop snuggle in a chair to read a bedtime story.  Grandpop invites Isaac to tell him what’s happening in the pictures, then promptly falls asleep in the chair.  Isaac takes one more good-night tour around the house, then settles himself in.  The last picture shows the two of them and Snuffles snoring.  32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  A cute and reassuring bedtime story that could start a new nighttime routine of putting the house to sleep.  More power to Grandpop;  after a whole day with his grandson, he still has enough patience to take the time to make bedtime relaxed and happy.

Cons:  “Snuffles” seems like kind of a sad name for a dog.