As you may or may not know, I have a certain schedule I follow each week with my reviews: Middle grade Monday, Third Grade Thursday (for early chapter books…not enough to do one every Thursday, unfortunately), Factual Friday, and Storytime Sunday. This year, I’m introducing a new one: Small Press Saturday. In an effort to celebrate the creativity and courage of small presses who go up against the Big Five publishing industry, I will review a book published by an independent press each Saturday. My biggest challenge here will be getting my hands on the books, which aren’t always available at my local library. I’ve reached out to a number of small presses, but if any of you has any connections, please feel free to let me know.
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12 books of Christmas
Starting the day after Christmas, I’ll be posting my year-end lists of Caldecott and Newbery predictions and my favorite books in different categories. I found myself with an higher-than-usual number of books at the end of the year that I had wanted to review, but didn’t get to before time ran out. That number turned out to be twelve, so as a little Christmas gift, here is a list of my final dozen books for 2020.
Tani’s New Home: A Refugee Finds Hope and Kindness in America by Tanitoluwa Adewumi, illustrated by Courtney Dawson
Published by Thomas Nelson
The true story of Tani Adewumi, who moved to New York City as a Nigerian refugee at the age of 6. He discovered chess, and practiced it for hours in a homeless shelter. In less than a year, he was the New York State Chess Champion. I haven’t had a chance to see this book. The publisher, Thomas Nelson, is a Christian publisher, so I’m not sure if there is any religious content to the story. 32 pages; grades K-3.
Dear Earth…From Your Friends in Room 5 by Erin Dealey, illustrated by Louisa Uribe
Published by HarperCollins
The kids in room 5 begin a correspondence with Earth, learning different ways to help the planet like recycling and energy conservation. Rhyming text, letter writing, and environmental tips make this an appealing choice for Earth Day or any time of year. 32 pages; grades K-3.
Saving Stella: A Dog’s Dramatic Escape from War by Bassel Abou Fakher and Deborah Blumenthal, illustrated by Nadine Kaadan
Published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
When Bassel was forced to flee Syria, he had to leave his beloved dog Stella behind. After settling in a new home in Belgium, he worked with friends back in Syria to create a daring plan to rescue Stella. 40 pages; grades K-5.
Rabbit, Raven, Deer by Sue Farrell Holler, illustrated by Jennifer Faria
Published by Pajama Press
There’s a copy of this book traveling to my library right now, but I haven’t gotten a chance to see it. A boy and his grandfather enjoy a winter’s day together, finding animal tracks and identifying the animals in both English and Ojibwemowin. Sounds like a cozy winter choice. 32 pages; ages 4-8.
When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers
When Lily and her family move in with her sick grandmother, Lily meets a tiger straight out of the Korean folklore she’s grown up on. This book won a Boston Globe/Horn Book honor and received five starred reviews. Personally, I couldn’t really get into it and only read about the first third back in the beginning of the year. Everyone else loved it, though, and it could definitely be a contender for more awards. 304 pages; grades 4-7.
Antiracist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi, illustrations by Ashley Lukashevsky
Published by Kokila
Ibram X. Kendi’s book How to Be an Antiracist is #15 on Amazon’s list of 2020’s bestsellers. Here he offers nine tips for being (or raising) an antiracist baby, with a note to parents and teachers at the end. Available as both a board book and a regular picture book. 32 pages; ages 0-4.
Woodpecker Girl by Chingyen Liu and I-Tsun Chiang, illustrated by Heidi Doll
Published by Reycraft Books
A girl with cerebral palsy tells how she learned to paint with a brush strapped to her forehead. An amazing gallery of her work is included. Told in the first person, the story doesn’t shy away from the challenges she faces and the discouragement she feels, but also expresses her joy at sharing with others through her art. 40 pages; grades K-4.
Everything Comes Next: Collected and New Poems by Naomi Shihab Nye
Published by Greenwillow Books
I just got this book on December 23, so haven’t had a chance to read it. These 100 poems by Young People’s Poet Laureate Nye start with a section of poems on childhood, both her own and others. She also explores her Palestinian heritage and the need for peace, as well as an appreciation for the diversity of people in the world. 256 pages; grades 3-7.
Unstoppable by Adam Rex, illustrated by Laura Park
Published by Chronicle Books
A crow being pursued by a hungry cat and a crab who dreams of flying work together to help one another. When they add a turtle and a bear, they become UNSTOPPABLE! At least until they see a bulldozer digging up the lakefront to build a mall. Then it’s off to see the President of the United States…and Congress…and things really get zany as only Adam Rex can imagine them. 56 pages; ages 4-8.
Chance: Escape from the Holocaust by Uri Shulevitz
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Caldecott Medalist Uri Shulevitz’s memoir covers his childhood from his days in Warsaw at the start of World War II to his family’s harrowing experiences in the Soviet Union during the war and their postwar years in Paris before emigrating to Paris when he was 14. Although it’s a thick book, the print is large and filled with Shulevitz’s illustrations, making it a quick and engaging read. 336 pages; grades 4-8.
A Gift for Amma: Market Day in India by Meera Sriram, illustrated by Mariona Cabassa
Published by Barefoot Books
Another one I haven’t gotten to see, but I love the brilliant colors of the cover (and pictures I’ve seen of the illustrations). A girl shops in an Indian market to find the perfect gift for her mother. 32 pages; ages 4-7.
Desert Diary: Japanese American Kids Behind Barbed Wire by Michael O. Tunnell
Published by Charlesbridge
When Mae Yanagi was eight years old, she and her family were forced to move to Topaz Camp in Utah for the duration of World War II. She and her third-grade classmates created a diary of their daily lives in camp, filled with mundane details about school and family life, as well as descriptions of the difficulties of camp life. Michael Tunnell tells their story with plenty of photographs and excerpts from the diary. 144 pages; grades 4-7.
Donors Choose
As I wrote about in March, my position as the K-8 district librarian for the Hampden-Wilbraham school district was eliminated for the 2020-2021 school year. I was fortunate to get hired a few months later as the librarian for the Rebecca Johnson Elementary School in Springfield. It’s been an exciting challenge for me, because the school hasn’t had a librarian or new books for quite a few years, but the principal is committed to having an excellent library and has been generous with funding.
Springfield schools are remote through April 8, and I’ve been working hard to bring the library back to life so that students will be excited to visit when they return. Rebecca Johnson is one of the largest schools in Springfield, with almost 800 students, and is located in one of the lowest-income parts of the city.
Following the example of other teachers and librarians I’ve met in my new job, I’ve started two Donors Choose projects. Hooked on Books is to get funding for some of the books that I know will be in high demand by our students, and Bring Dr. Seuss to Our Library! will allow me to purchase a new set of books by Dr. Seuss, who is especially beloved by our students since he grew up in Springfield.
As readers of this blog, you know how much I love to promote books to kids, and I am excited to start reading and book talking the new books to Rebecca Johnson students. I admit to feeling quite uncomfortable asking for money, so please do not feel under any obligation to donate! I appreciate the support of all those who read and follow this blog, and thank you for reading and considering my requests.
Amazon affiliate no more
Due to ethical considerations, I’ve decided to end my association with Amazon. I will no longer put a link to Amazon at the end of my posts, and I’ve closed my affiliate account so the links on previous posts won’t result in a commission for me. Support your local bookstores!
We Will Live In This Forest Again by Gianna Marino
Published by Neal Porter Books
Summary: A deer tells her experience surviving a wildfire. The forest has always been her home, and when the fire gets close, she doesn’t notice it at first. But soon it is roaring in, and she and other animals are running for their lives. She sees a fierce mountain lion’s fur burning, and realizes he is as fragile as she is. After the fire is gone, the forest is blackened and smoky, but soon the animals return, rain falls, and green shoots start growing. The conclusion? “We will live in this forest again.” Includes an author’s note on her experience of the 2017 California wildfire, wildfire facts, and books and websites for further reading. 40 pages; ages 4-8.
Pros: Marino’s beautiful watercolors give an impressionistic view of the fire, with the colors changing from green to yellow, orange, and red, to black, and back to green again. The extra information at the end ups its value to older kids.
Cons: The picture of the mountain lion with a small flame on its head and the implication that it died in the fire was a little disturbing (although obviously realistic).
The Brave by James Bird
Published by Feiwel and Friends
Summary: Collin has never met his mother, but when he gets in a fight at school, his father is frustrated enough to send him away to live with her. Collin has a disorder that compels him to count up and say the number of letters in anything anyone says to him. This has resulted in bullying and misery for him that his dad doesn’t know how to deal with. When Collin moves in with his mother on the Ojibwe reservation in Minnesota, he slowly begins a journey of discovery about his past and who he is. He becomes close with Orenda, the girl next door, and is crushed to learn about her terminal illness. He discovers his own strength and spirituality as he falls in love with Orenda, learns about his late older brother, and comes to terms with his own disability. When his father reaches out to him a few months later, Collin is able to tell him that he has found happiness and peace in his new home. 320 pages; grades 5-8.
Pros: This beautifully-written debut novel explores the mysticism of the Ojibwe people while keeping the story firmly rooted in reality with a down-to-earth narrator who is reluctant to believe in magic. Filled with memorable characters, romance, and heartbreak, this will undoubtedly appeal to many middle school readers.
Cons: I’m not a fan of the Fault In Our Stars/Bridge to Terabithia ill-fated romance with the amazingly wise doomed teen (as I may have mentioned once or twice before…maybe even three times), so I didn’t love the Orenda storyline.
If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.
Back to school with books
Whatever plan your school is going with this year, it’s going to be unfamiliar territory. It seems impossible to escape the first-day jitters this year, even if you’re a 30-year veteran. Here are ten of my favorite back-to-school books from this blog to help get you through those first few days.
Our Favorite Day of the Year by A. E. Ali, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell
Published by Salaam Reads
Musa’s teacher tells the class that the first day of school is her favorite day of the year. She invites them to share their favorites as they go through kindergarten, resulting in a celebration of holidays, foods and cultures all year long. Click here to buy on Amazon
Mae’s First Day of School by Kate Berube
Published by Abrams
Mae would rather sit up in a tree all day than face the uncertainties of the first day of school. When others join her, including her new teacher, she realizes she’s not the only one feeling nervous. Click here to buy on Amazon.
Monkey Not Ready for Kindergarten by Marc Brown
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Monkey worries about all the ways he might not be ready for kindergarten. A simple tale with a reassuring ending. Click here to buy on Amazon.
Lena’s Shoes Are Nervous by Keith Calabrese, illustrated by Juana Medina
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Lena’s shoes are nervous about starting school. So are her socks. It’s up to her headband to remind them that they’ve tried out new things before that turned out well. By the end, the shoes are joined by the friendly sneakers, shoes, and boots of the other kids. Click here to buy on Amazon.
Camp Tiger by Susan Choi, illustrated by John Rocco
Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
A boy who’s worried about starting first grade meets a tiger on an end-of-summer camping trip with his family. Is the tiger real or imaginary? Either way, he helps the boy to find courage for a new beginning. Click here to buy on Amazon.
A New School Year by Sally Derby, illustrated by Mika Song
Published by Charlesbridge
Six kids from grades K-5 tell about their first day of school in a series of poems that takes from the night before to the end of the first day. Click here to buy on Amazon.
School’s First Day of School by Adam Rex, illustrated by Christian Robinson
Published by Roaring Brook Press
Even though the janitor assures him that he’ll do fine, the new school building is worried about school starting. The first day brings its share of ups and downs, but overall, School is pretty happy and ready to move on to the rest of the school year. Click here to buy on Amazon.
Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro, illustrated by Dream Chen
Published by Sterling Children’s Books
Mom calls Rosie’s nerves on the first day of school “butterflies in your stomach”. Whenever something good happens at school that day, a butterfly flies out of her mouth. She even sees one come out of another girl’s mouth! By the end of the day, the butterflies are all gone. Click here to buy on Amazon.
Nana Akua Goes to School by Tricia Elam Walker, illustrated by April Harrison
Published by Schwartz and Wade
Zura’s worried about bringing her Ghanaian grandmother to school for Grandparents’ Day, because she’s seen people stare at Nana Akua’s facial tattoo. But Nana knows the secret for helping people feel comfortable, and the visit is a huge success. Click here to buy on Amazon.
The Pigeon HAS to Go to School by Mo Willems
Published by Hyperion Books for Children
The pigeon has a long list of reasons why he shouldn’t have to go to school…until he sees that he gets to ride there on a bus. Click here to buy on Amazon.
Tweet, tweet
What do Donald Trump and I have in common? That’s right, we’re both on Twitter! This week, I started a new account as a companion to this blog. It’s taken me just a little more than 14 years to catch up with exciting new social media platform. Not for nothing do my kids describe me as “technologically cutting edge” (just kidding). Anyway, if you want to take a look, go on over to @kidsbookaday. If you are a more sophisticated Twitter user than I am–and really, just about everyone on Twitter is–feel free to offer feedback on how I can improve my account.
Listening
In the early stay-at-home days of Covid-19, I heard people saying they were having trouble focusing enough to read a book. I was grateful not to have that problem. Sure, it’s a stressful time, but I feel like it’s finite. A vaccine, herd immunity…eventually life will get back to normal. (That’s just my experience; I am not invalidating anyone else’s!).
But in the last week, I haven’t been able to read for more than a few minutes at a time. There’s no vaccine coming for racism. And it seems like every few years, that racism leads to explosions of violence and burning cities. With the pandemic, getting back to normal is my greatest wish. With racism, it’s my greatest fear.
I’ve been to a couple of protests this week, and one of my biggest takeaways is that white people need to stop talking and listen. I’m giving myself a few days off of reading and blogging, and I invite you to listen to some authors and illustrators who have taught me a little bit about what it’s like to be Black in America (Based on my blog. Forgive me for any omissions):
Dapo Adeola, Roda Ahmed, Jacqueline Alcantara, Kwame Alexander, Troy Andrews, Derrick Barnes, Melba Pattillo Beals, Daniel Bernstrom, Becky Birtha, Keturah A. Bobo, Tonya Bolden, Jo Ann Allen Boyce, Vanessa Brantley-Newton, Ashley Bryan, Howard Bryant, Nathan Bryon, Grace Byers, Tami Charles, R. Gregory Christie, Lesa Cline-Ransom, Brandy Colbert, Bryan Collier, Floyd Cooper, Jerry Craft, Nina Crews, Christopher Paul Curtis, Ken Daley, Junot Diaz, Sharon Draper, Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Alice Faye Duncan, Zetta Elliott, Tonya Engel, Shane Evans, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Laura Freeman, Nikki Giovanni, Ebony Glenn, Xia Gordon, Eloise Greenfield, Nikki Grimes, April Harrison, Ekua Holmes, John Holyfield, Rita Lorraine Hubbard, Gordon C. James, Veronica Miller Jamison, Angela Johnson, Jade Johnson, Varian Johnson, Angela Joy, Vivian Kirkfield, London Ladd, Francie Latour, E. B. Lewis, Mariama Lockington, Kelly Starling Lyons, Kekla Magoon, Torrey Maldonado, Janae Marks, Bre McCoy, Breanna J. McDaniel, Patricia McKissack, Michelle Meadows, Tony Medina, Sharee Miller, Daniel Minter, Oge Mora, Frank Morrison, Ibtihaj Muhammad, Walter Dean Myers, Kadir Nelson, Marilyn Nelson, Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, Vanessa Brantley Newton, Baptiste Paul, Daria Peoples-Riley, Andrea Davis Pinkney, Brian Pinkney, Jerry Pinkney, Connie Porter, Sean Qualls, Lisa Moore Ramee, James E. Ransome, Jason Reynolds, Jewell Parker Rhodes, Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, Faith Ringgold, Christian Robinson, Chris Sasaki, Connie Schofield-Morrison, Ilyasah Shabazz, Margot Lee Shetterly, Nikki Shannon Smith, Ronald L. Smith, Javaka Steptoe, Nic Stone, Shadra Strickland, Karen Strong, Don Tate, Quevenzhane Wallace, Charles Walters, Renee Watson, Carole Boston Weatherford, Alicia D. Williams, Rita Williams-Garcia, Sherri Winston, Brenda Woods, Jacqueline Woodson, Elizabeth Zunon
Support independent bookstores!
I’m sure Amazon is thriving during our time at home, and I’ve placed a few orders there myself in the last few weeks.
But let’s remember that there are independent bookstores all over the country that we love and want to stay alive until they can open their doors again. One of my favorite local bookstores is the Odyssey Bookshop in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Not only do they have thousands of great titles, but they are an amazing community resource, hosting all sorts of author visits, book clubs, and other programs. I think their owner, Joan, is a subscriber to my blog, so I hope she is reading this!
To support the Odyssey, I’m going to temporarily stop posting my Amazon Affiliate links, and instead post a link to order from their online bookstore. They are still filling web orders, complete with free media mail shipping. If you don’t order through this link, I encourage you to support your local independent bookstore now and in the future. If you aren’t in the market for any books now, consider ordering a gift certificate from them.
Take a look at The Odyssey Bookshop and give a shout-out to your own favorite bookstore(s) in the comments!
A Kids Book A Day 