Picture books

Welcome Home, Whales by Christina Booth

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Blue Dot Kids Press

Welcome Home, Whales: Booth, Christina: 9781733121286: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  A child hears a voice calling from the bay, a voice that the adults are unable to hear.  The voice grows loud, sometimes joyful and sometimes full of sorrow.  A whale is telling the story of how she wants to come home but feels unsafe, knowing that other whales have been hurt or sent away.  Then one morning, the whale appears in the bay with her baby.  People gather on the shore to watch and to hear her call, which others beside the child can finally hear. Includes two pages of additional information about right whales and four things people can do to help whales.   32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros: The gentle voice of the text and beautiful watercolor illustrations provide a compelling introduction to whales and their endangered status.  

Cons:  There were no additional resources about whales listed.

Trillions of Trees: A Counting and Planting Book by Kurt Cyrus

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Trillions of Trees: A Counting and Planting Book: Cyrus, Kurt, Cyrus, Kurt: 9781250229076: Amazon.com: Books
Trillions of Trees | Kurt Cyrus | Macmillan

Summary:  When the narrator’s sister calls the nursery to order “a trillium, please”, the worker there hears “a trillion trees”.  Before long, the first installment–a thousand saplings–is delivered to their house.  The whole family races to plant the trees all over town, identifying many of them as they go.  Exhausted, they return home, only to face the next delivery arriving.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This follow-up to Billions of Bricks has the same fun rhyming text and big numbers incorporated into the story.  There’s some good information on trees here as well as plenty of humor tied to the impossibility of the family’s tree-planting situation.

Cons:  The lack of back matter about trees and/or large numbers.

Daisy by Jessixa Bagley

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Neal Porter Books

Daisy: Bagley, Jessixa: 9780823446506: Amazon.com: Books
Daisy* – Books of Wonder

Summary:  Daisy is a warthog named for her mother’s favorite flower. “They seem plain, but when you look closer you see their beauty,” Mom tells her.  Unfortunately, Daisy’s classmates don’t bother to look closely, laughing at her instead and calling her “Thistle”.  Consequently, Daisy keeps her head down a lot.  She discovers there are treasures to be found that way, though, and keeps her broken cups, abandoned birdhouses, and old pots and pans in a secret tree fort.  One day she discovers a broken crystal candy dish at the fort’s entrance, and before long, treasures are popping up in other familiar places.  Then she makes a discovery that leads to the greatest treasure of all–a new friend and kindred spirit.  40 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  A tender ode to the introverts of the world, as well as a celebration of friendship and finding a soulmate.  This would pair nicely with Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes in a girls-named-for-flowers-who-come-to-embrace-their-identities story hour.

Cons:  The mean girls never get their comeuppance.

Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Loren Long

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Dial Books for Young Readers

Someone Builds the Dream: Wheeler, Lisa, Long, Loren: 9781984814333: Amazon.com: Books
Someone Builds the Dream: Wheeler, Lisa, Long, Loren: 9781984814333: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  “All across this great big world/jobs are getting done/by many hands in many lands./It takes much more than one.”  An architect designs a building, but other workers build it.  Likewise for engineers, scientists, authors and illustrators: their ideas are just the beginning, and it is up to thousands of other workers to make the dream a reality.  “So when you see a bicycle, a playground, house, or shoe, remember all the someones who helped make a dream come true.”  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros: The rhyming text and beautiful illustrations show a diverse group of workers who provide the hands-on skills necessary to plan and execute someone’s vision.  This would make a great book for Labor Day to celebrate all kinds of workers.

Cons:  Seems like the creative minds are generally valued more than the hands-on builders. (I guess that’s why Lisa Wheeler wrote this book).

Ramble Shamble Children by Christina Soontornvat, illustrated by Lauren Castillo

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Published by Nancy Paulsen Books

The Ramble Shamble Children: Soontornvat, Christina, Castillo, Lauren: 9780399176326: Amazon.com: Books
The Ramble Shamble Children: Soontornvat, Christina, Castillo, Lauren: 9780399176326: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Five children live in the ramble shamble house, taking care of the garden and chickens, apparently without any adult supervision.  At night, they pile into the same bed, where Merra, the oldest girl, tells them stories.  One day they find a book in the attic with a picture of a “proper home” and set about transforming their own house from ramble shamble to proper.  But it doesn’t quite feel like home, and worst of all, baby Jory goes missing.  Finding him helps them realize that ramble shamble is the perfect style for them, and they stay up late, enjoying the stars and celebrating their family.  32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  The Newbery-Caldecott team of Soontornvat and Castillo have created a fanciful tale of happy children enjoying their own home and life in a story that feels like a little bit of a throwback to the Boxcar Children era.  Sure to spark kids’ imagination and have them imagining their own ramble shamble homes and families.

Cons:  Happy childhood fantasy or dark post-apocalyptic dystopia? 

Peace by Baptiste Paul and Miranda Paul, illustrated by Estelí Meza and Walking Toward Peace: The True Story of a Brave Woman Called Peace Pilgrim by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Annie Bowler

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by North South Books

Peace | Book by Miranda Paul, Baptiste Paul, Estelí Meza | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster
Peace: Paul, Miranda, Paul, Baptiste, Meza, Estelí: 9780735844490: Amazon.com: Books

Published by Flyaway Books

Amazon.com: Walking toward Peace: The True Story of a Brave Woman Called Peace Pilgrim (9781947888265): Kathleen Krull, Annie Bowler, Annie Bowler: Books
Walking Toward Peace: The True Story of a Brave Woman Called Peace Pilgrim – Mutually Inclusive

Summary: These two books arrived in the library for me from interlibrary loan land on the same day. Walking Toward Peace is the story of Mildred Lisette Norman, who had a vision of walking across the U.S. advocating for peace in the aftermath of World War II. She changed her name to Peace Pilgrim, and from 1953 until her death in 1981, walked through all 50 states, handing out flyers and talking to people about ending war and living in peace. Remarkably, she never carried any money with her, relying on her knowledge of outdoor living and, to a great extent, the kindness of people she encountered on the road.

Peace draws on Baptiste and Miranda Paul’s experiences growing up in war-torn Mozambique. With simple rhyming text (“Peace is pronouncing your friend’s name correctly/Peace means we talk to each other directly”) and pictures of kids and animals living harmoniously, the book offers concrete actions for fostering peace. The authors’ note explains how war affects not only humans, but animals and the natural world as well. Both books are 40 pages and recommended for ages 4-8.

Pros: I’ve heard about Peace Pilgrim for years, so I was happy to learn about this new book. Her story is sure to intrigue both children and adults, and is a moving testimony to following your own path in life (literally, in her case). Peace would make a great follow-up book to read, with its emphasis on how peace is important to animals as well as humans, something that will resonate with a lot of kids. I loved the simple actions described, and the illustrations, especially the beautiful tree on the endpapers, with the word “peace” written in different languages on its leaves.

Cons: It seems like an ironic bummer that Peace Pilgrim was killed in an accident while riding in a car at the age of 72, and did not live to see the end of the Cold War.

ESTELÍ MEZA | Amie's Book Reviews

First Friend: How Dogs Evolved from Wolves to Become Our Best Friends by Kersten Hamilton, illustrated by Jaime Kim

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Published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

First Friend: How Dogs Evolved from Wolves to Become Our Best Friends: Hamilton, Kersten, Kim, Jaime: 9780374313432: Amazon.com: Books
First Friend | Kersten Hamilton | Macmillan

Summary:  The narrative begins long ago when nomads traveled through Europe and Asia, fighting wolves for their prey.  A girl meets a young wolf and they play together until the pup gets older.  This cycle is repeated throughout history, with the bond between child and pup growing, and the certainty that their friendship can’t last becoming less.  In the last iteration, the human group packs up and leaves the area, the boy calls to his wolf friend, “and Dog left the wolf pack to follow his boy away.”  The last spread shows a contemporary girl and puppy meeting for the first time.  Includes two pages of back matter giving additional information on how dogs became domesticated and a bibliography.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Dog lovers will be intrigued by the progression of domestication over thousands of years.  The illustrations seem simple with cartoon-inspired characters, but also include gorgeous backgrounds portraying the natural world.  The back matter adds to the research value and will make the book more interesting to older kids.

Cons:  The process of domestication is very simplified.

Doggo and Pupper by Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Charlie Alder

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Published by Feiwel and Friends

Amazon.com: Doggo and Pupper (Doggo and Pupper, 1) (9781250620972): Applegate, Katherine, Alder, Charlie: Books
Doggo and Pupper | Katherine Applegate | Macmillan

Summary:  Every night, Cat asks Doggo how his day was, and he responds, “Same old, same old.  Could have been worse.”  His comfortable routine is interrupted one day when Pupper arrives.  Pupper is full of mischief and has millions of questions.  When the humans decide to send Pupper to charm school, Doggo is relieved.  But school changes Pupper, and one night Doggo finds himself missing the old Pupper.  A sleepy human hands over the car keys, and the two dogs head off on a memorable road trip.  The final page lists Doggo’s guide to puppies, which includes “Puppies need lots of play.”  96 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  Beginning readers will have fun with this first chapter book that features funny illustration (that cover is irresistible!) and only a brief sentence or two of text on each page.  It’s called book 1, so we can hope there will be more Doggo and Pupper adventures ahead.

Cons:  Cat seems like a fun character who deserves a bit more time onstage.

There Goes Patti McGee! The Story of the First Women’s National Skateboard Champion by Tootie Nienow, illustrated by Erika Medina

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Published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

There Goes Patti McGee!: The Story of the First Women's National Skateboard Champion: Nienow, Tootie, Medina, Erika Rodriguez: 9780374313999: Amazon.com: Books
There Goes Patti McGee! | Tootie Nienow | Macmillan

Summary:  The first time Patti McGee saw a group of boys on skateboards, she mounted a board on her roller skate wheels, and took off down the tallest hill in her neighborhood.  She was hooked, but the wheels kept falling off her board, and a real skateboard was expensive.  When she heard about a new skateboarding team starting up, with a free board as part of the deal, she practiced even harder.  Making the team inspired her to enter a competition, where she showed off her best trick: a handstand on a moving board that she held for six seconds.  Her perfect score won her the championship and launched a skateboarding career.  Includes a page answering the question “Where Is She Now?”, an author’s note, a photo of Patty performing her handstand, and a list of sources.  48 pages; grades K-4.

Pros:  Patti’s enthusiasm and determination (particularly on the page that shows her applying multiple band-aids to her bleeding arms and legs) will be an inspiration and introduce kids to a little-known sports star.  

Cons:  Missed Women’s History Month by that much.

Home Is In Between by Mitali Perkins

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Published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Amazon.com: Home Is in Between (9780374303679): Perkins, Mitali, Naidu, Lavanya: Books

Home Is in Between | Mitali Perkins | Macmillan

Summary:  Shanti leaves her village (in India) to go to her new town (in the United States).  In the village, she enjoys the food, language, and traditions; in town, she learns a new language, tries new foods, and makes new friends.  It’s exciting to have new experiences, comforting to fall back on the old ones, and sometimes exhausting to travel between the two.  Finally, she needs a rest, and she takes one in the in-between that bridges the two worlds.  Refreshed, she realizes she can make any place feel like home, including that space between her two cultures.  Includes an author’s note about her experiences that inspired Shanti’s story and a glossary of Bangla words.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  There are many books that tell kids’ immigration stories, but this one more than most captures the experience of living in two cultures, both the difficult and the valuable aspects.

Cons:  One of my pet peeves: the glossary is on the back end papers, which means approximately 30% of it was covered up by the taped-on dust jacket of my library copy of the book.