Picture books

The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver by Gene Barretta, illustrated by Frank Morrison

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Katherine Tegen Books

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Summary:  Born into slavery in 1864 (his father died before he was born; he and his mother were kidnapped when he was a baby, and she was never seen again), George Washington Carver showed an early love of plants and nature.  Unable to go to school, he decided to teach himself all he could from the woods. He started a secret garden to study plants and soon developed a reputation for his ability to grow things and restore sickly plants to health.  Later, he was able to go to school and became the first black graduate of Iowa Agricultural College. He was hired by Booker T. Washington to teach agriculture at Tuskegee Institute, and became well-known for his work with peanuts as a crop to replace cotton.  He also traveled to farms to teach people how to improve their crops and their own health. Carver preached the lessons he had learned in his garden as a child: “Regard nature. Revere nature. Respect nature.” Includes a timeline, a bibliography, and a list of books for further reading.  40 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  This beautifully-illustrated biography of George Washington Carver opens in 1921 with him testifying to U.S. Congress on the many uses of the peanut, then goes back to show his amazing journey to reach that point.  There’s a fair amount of detail for a picture book, making this an engaging story as well as a good tool for elementary research.

Cons:  I would have liked to see a few photos included at the end.

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In a Jar by Deborah Marcero

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers

In a Jar: Marcero, Deborah, Marcero, Deborah: 9780525514596: Amazon.com: Books

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Summary:  “Llewelyn was a collector.  He collected things in jars.”  This young rabbit collects flowers, stones, feathers, and more, keeping them in jars to remind him of “all the wonderful things he had seen and done.”  One night, Llewelyn goes to the beach at sunset, scooping up several jars filled with red water. He gives one to Evelyn, a girl bunny who happens to be there at the same time, and the two become friends.  They collect together, moving to collect “things you might not think would even fit in a jar” like rainbows and the sound of the ocean. Then one day, Evelyn moves away. Llewelyn is terribly lonely, until one night, unable to sleep, he collects a meteor shower in a jar.  He sends it to Evelyn, who reciprocates with her own filled jars. As Llewelyn ventures outside to fill some more jars, he finds a little boy named Max who is eager to help him. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A lovely meditation on memory, friendship, and finding ways to keep in touch across the miles.  The illustrations seem worthy of Caldecott consideration.

Cons:  Being something of a minimalist, it makes me shiver to think of having all those jars around, gathering dust.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Where Lily Isn’t by Julie Paschkis, illustrations by Margaret Chodos-Irvine

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Henry Holt and Co.

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Summary:  “Lily ran and jumped and barked and whimpered and growled and wiggled and wagged and licked and snuggled.  But not now.” A young girl deals with the empty places of losing her dog. Lily’s no longer at the side of her bed when she wakes up.  She’s not at the table, waiting for food to fall on the floor, or at the door, barking at the mailman. She’s not begging to go outside when the girl goes to the park, or waiting eagerly at the door when the girl returns from school.  “The house is full of all the places where Lily isn’t. But here inside me–that’s where Lily is and where she always will be,” the girl concludes, surrounded by the pictures she has drawn of herself and her dog. 32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  Anyone who has ever lost a pet will recognize the emptiness in the house that is left behind.  A perfect choice for a young child experiencing that loss.

Cons:  I seem to have forgotten to write any cons, and now I have returned the book to the library.  So Lily gets a pass.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Earth Hour: A Lights-Out Event for Our Planet by Nanette Heffernan, illustrated by Bao Luu

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Published by Charlesbridge

Image result for earth hour nanette heffernan

Image result for earth hour nanette heffernan

Summary:  All over the world, people use energy to light up the nighttime.  Kids and their families are shown enjoying this illumination at the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower, the pyramids of Egypt, and other places around the globe.  “Energy is a wonderful resource from Earth–a gift from nature we respect and conserve.” To honor this, people around the world observe Earth Hour at 8:30 p.m. in late March, when they turn off their lights for 60 minutes.  “Alone we are one…but together we have power. United, we are Earth Hour.” Includes additional information about Earth Hour, and how our energy use is leading to climate change; also, an author’s note about how she came to write this book.  32 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  A simple but effective introduction to an event I was not aware of.  I like how the illustrations portray kids and their families at famous landmarks around the world to show that Earth Hour and energy conservation are global concerns.

Cons:  There were no additional resources listed or websites to find out when Earth Hour is this year (it’s March 28, 2020).

 

Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale With A Tail by Lesléa Newman, illustrated by Susan Gal

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Charlesbridge

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Summary:  While a boy celebrates Passover with his family, a little white kitten waits outside the family’s house.  Inside is light, laughter, and food. Outside is darkness, silence, and nothing to eat. The boy enjoys all the parts of the Seder dinner, eating each food and singing, while the kitten waits in the darkness.  Finally, it’s time to welcome Elijah. When the boy opens the door, the kitten is there waiting for him. “And that’s how Elijah found a home.” Includes an author’s note with additional information about Passover.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A fun introduction to Passover, and cute illustrations portraying the multicultural family celebration and the adorable kitten.

Cons:  It might have been nice to have an activity or some additional resources about Passover.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Being Frog by April Pulley Sayre

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Published by Beach Lane Books

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Image result for being frog april pulley sayre

Summary:  “A frog is a being./It is watching./It is seeing.”  The rhyming text follows a frog as it sits on a log, hunts for food, cools off in the water, and leaps into the air.  Questions are asked: does a frog remember its tadpole days? Does time move fast or slow for the frog? No one knows; the text simply concludes: “A frog has a life./A frog is a being.”  Includes a two-page author’s note in which Sayre talks about fictional frogs and how real frogs are different. She discusses things she imagines about the frogs she observes at a local pond (a favorite frog responds to her) versus what science teaches us about frogs.  Also includes resources for further exploration. 32 pages; ages 3-8.

Pros:  It’s always a pleasure to discover a new science book by April Pulley Sayre, with her gifts for photography and rhyme.  I particularly liked her author’s note introducing kids to various topics dealing with science and scientists.

Cons:  There’s not enough information to use this as a research resource.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Black Is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy, illustrated by Ekua Holmes

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Roaring Brook Press

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Summary:  A girl looks at the colors in her crayon box and in a rainbow, and realizes there’s no black in rainbows.  But her color is black, and she looks at what else is black: a feather in the snow, her best friend’s hair, her bicycle tires.  From there, she moves to the black in Black culture: Thurgood Marshall’s robe, birds in cages that sing, raisins and dreams left out in the sun to die.  Finally, she moves on to the history, family, memory, and love that are all part of her and her community. “So you see, there is no black in rainbows.  No black in green or blue.  But in my box of crayons, Black is a rainbow, too.”  Includes an author’s note; a playlist of 11 songs; two pages with further information on some of the allusions in the main text; 3 poems; a timeline of black ethnonyms (words that have been used to refer to Black people) over the course of American history; and a bibliography.  40 pages; ages 4 and up.

Pros:  This beautiful poem with its stunning illustrations (they reminded me of stained glass) is a deceptively simple introduction to Black culture and history.

Cons:  Most sources recommend this book for ages 4-8, but the references in the main text and the extensive back matter could make this a useful resource for any age and would be even more meaningful for older kids.

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Beehive by Jorey Hurley

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Published by Simon and Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books

Image result for beehive jorey hurley

Image result for beehive jorey hurley

Summary:  With only one word per page, Jorey Hurley’s illustrations portray the steps of creating a beehive and making honey.  The bees swarm and explore until they find a large hollow tree where they can build their hive.  Eggs are laid, the larvae are fed, and eventually new workers join the hive. They collect nectar from flowers in a nearby field, pollinating as they go, then return to the hive to make honey.  A final page explains what is going on in the illustrations, with each word from the story in all caps to show how it fits into the narrative. 40 pages; ages 3-7.

Pros:  Jorey Hurley’s distinctive books introduce the scientific world to kids in a way that is understandable for even the youngest readers.  The Photoshop illustrations are beautiful, with a distinctive palette that repeats throughout the book. The simple one-word pages convey a surprising amount of information.

Cons:  There are no additional resources listed.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Fred’s Big Feelings: The Life and Legacy of Mister Rogers by Laura Renauld, illustrated by Brigette Barrager

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

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Image result for fred's big feelings amazon

Summary:  As a sickly child, Fred Rogers often felt alone and misunderstood.  He appreciated his grandfather’s unconditional love and acceptance, and learned to express himself through music and playing with puppets.  He planned to attend seminary to become a minister, but when he saw a children’s TV show filled with pranks and gags, he was inspired to try to do better.  Beginning with a local show in Pittsburgh, Fred’s show eventually grew to the universally loved Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood on PBS.  Recalling his own childhood, he acknowledged children’s feelings and accepted and loved them for being themselves, using music and make-believe to get his message across.  When Congress threatened to cut funding for public television, Fred went to Capital Hill and used a similar message to convince a Senate panel of the importance of his show. He continued to produce his show for more than 30 years, airing almost 900 episodes.  Includes a lengthy author’s note. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Similar in scope to You Are My Friend, this picture book biography emphasizes feelings, italicizing the different emotions that Fred Rogers experienced over the years.  This book includes Mister Rogers’ testimony to Congress that helped preserve PBS funding. Young fans of the show are sure to enjoy learning more about their favorite neighbor.

Cons:  Still socially unacceptable to say anything bad about Mister Rogers.

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A Ride to Remember: A Civil Rights Story by Sharon Langley and Amy Nathan, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

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Summary:  Sharon Langley recounts the story of how her neighborhood amusement park slowly became desegregated thanks to nonviolent protests in July of 1963.  On the Fourth of July, groups of protesters stood outside the park holding signs and singing songs. When some members of the group tried to buy tickets, they were arrested.  After a second protest three days later, the media coverage became so intense that the owners of the park were forced to agree to let everyone in. Sharon and her family became the first African-Americans to enter the park on August 28, 1963, the first day it was open to all.  Just one month shy of her first birthday, Sharon was photographed with her father, riding the carousel. The day was memorable for another civil rights milestone: the March on Washington and Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The carousel now stands on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., with Sharon’s name on one of the horse’s saddles and horseshoes.  Includes two pages of additional information, photos, a timeline, and a bibliography. 40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  I love how this book connects the civil rights movement to something kids will relate to: going to an amusement park.  Coretta Scott King Award winner Floyd Cooper does a masterful job of portraying all the characters in the story, including the carousel horses.

Cons:  I found the first couple pages a little confusing, until I realized who Sharon was and that she was telling her own story.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

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