The Real Santa by Nancy Redd, illustrated by Charnelle Pinkney Barlow

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Random House Books for Young Readers

The Real Santa: Redd, Nancy, Barlow, Charnelle Pinkney: 9780593178140: Amazon.com: Books
The Real Santa: Redd, Nancy, Barlow, Charnelle Pinkney: 9780593178140: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  “I love, love, love Santa,” says the narrator, whose house is filled with Santas as Christmas gets closer.  When Grandma and Grandpa arrive on Christmas Eve, they have a present for the kids to unwrap.  It’s another Santa for the collection, this one holding a list that includes the names of both the boy and his sister.  When Grandpa recounts how their mom tried to stay up and take a picture of Santa, the boy gets the idea to try that himself.  He falls asleep and gets carried off to bed by someone dressed as Santa.  Too tired to take a picture, he sneaks a quick peek and sees that Santa is just like he hoped, because “Santa looks just like me.”  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  The Christmas portrayed in this book will generate plenty of excitement:  lots or presents, a big tree, gingerbread cookies, and lots of Santas, all of whom have brown skin.  Black children (and their parents and teachers) will welcome this story that shows them that Santa looks just like them.

Cons:  The storyline of trying to wait up for Santa and falling asleep isn’t really a new one. 

Nina: A Story of Nina Simone by Traci N. Todd, illustrated by Christian Robinson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons Books

Nina: A Story of Nina Simone: Todd, Traci N., Robinson, Christian: 9781524737283: Amazon.com: Books
Nina: A Story of Nina Simone: Todd, Traci N., Robinson, Christian: 9781524737283: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Eunice Waymon was a precocious musical talent, playing at her mother’s church from the age of 3.  Her daddy taught her some jazz, she learned gospel at church, and her piano teacher taught her classical.  After studying at Julliard, Eunice was rejected by Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music, a disappointment that she suspected was because she was Black and female.  She almost gave up on music, but heard about a job performing in an Atlantic City club.  Not wanting her religious mother to find out what she was doing, Eunice Waymon became Nina Simone.  Her fame was growing during the years of the civil rights movement, and Nina began adding words to her music to express the anger, frustration, and fear she felt.  “And when she sang of Black children–you lovely, precious dreams–her voice sounded like hope.”  Includes additional information about Nina Simone and a bibliography.  56 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  This well-written biography is sure to be considered for a Caldecott or Coretta Scott King award.  Christian Robinson’s acrylic and collage illustrations cleverly incorporate scenes from the civil rights movement into illustrations of Nina’s performances.

Cons:  The ending felt a bit abrupt.

Let Me Fix You a Plate: A Tale of Two Kitchens by Elizabeth Lilly

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Published by Neal Porter Books

Let Me Fix You a Plate: A Tale of Two Kitchens (Hardcover) - Walmart.com

Summary:  A girl narrates her family’s annual trip to visit both sides of her family West Virginia and Florida.  In West Virginia, her father’s family hosts them at their home in the mountains, feeding them toast with blackberry jam and sausage for breakfast and some sort of banana pudding for dessert.  Three days later, they visit her mother’s Puerto Rican family where they eat tostones, arroz, and flan.  There’s a big party for the whole family before they head back home.  The girl misses her extended family, but feels better when her parents whip up some waffles, then tuck her and her two siblings into bed.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Although this book looks like it takes place in the summer, it would make a great Thanksgiving read to get kids thinking about their families and the food they like to eat.  Readers will enjoy poring over the richly detailed illustrations; I loved the endpapers, depicting West Virginia in front and Florida at the end.  

Cons:  It seemed like the story should have been divided evenly between West Virginia and Florida, but Florida got more coverage.

The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Eugene Yelchin

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Candlewick Press

The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain: Yelchin, Eugene, Yelchin, Eugene: 9781536215526: Amazon.com: Books
The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain: Yelchin, Eugene, Yelchin, Eugene: 9781536215526: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Eugene Yelchin tells the story of his early years in 1960’s Leningrad, living with his mother, father, older brother, and grandmother in a single room with a communal kitchen and bathroom.  His brother is a figure skating star, but Yevgeny’s talents prove elusive until his father discovers his sketches on the underside of their big table.  He’s declared an artistic genius and begins taking art lessons.  As Yevgeny matures, he slowly starts to learn the truth about why his mother was never able to have the ballet career she dreamed of, why his grandfather has been cut out of all the family photos, and why his family is often the target of anti-Semitic slurs.  Despite a family tragedy, the end of the story finds Yevgeny feeling optimistic about the future, leaving the reader with a sense that there may be a sequel in the future.  208 pages grades 4-8.

Pros:  There’s plenty of humor in both the text and the many illustrations of this memoir, but the fear and poverty of Cold War Soviet life is seamlessly woven into the story.  Definitely a Newbery contender.

Cons:  Many readers will be unfamiliar with the setting and may need some help in understanding what’s going on in Yevgeny’s life.

Inside Cat by Brendan Wenzel

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Published by Chronicle Books

Inside Cat: 9781452173191: Wenzel, Brendan: Books - Amazon.com
Amazon.com: Inside Cat: 9781452173191: Wenzel, Brendan: 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.

A Soft Place to Land by Janae Marks

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Published by Katherine Tegen Books

A Soft Place to Land: Marks, Janae: 9780062875877: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Joy’s father has recently lost his job, and the family has been forced to sell their house and move into a small apartment.  Joy misses her beloved home, and doesn’t like the thin walls of the new apartment and having to share a room with her little sister.  She’s happy to meet Nora, who quickly becomes a friend, and even more excited when Nora shows her the Hideout, a secret room in the building where Nora and her friends hang out.  The kids like to write on the walls, and one day Joy notices a new message from someone who seems to be in pain.  Joy writes back, but the writer stops responding before she can figure out who it is.  Before she can solve the mystery, a series of crises occurs with Joy’s family, her new friendship with Nora, and the discovery of the Hideout by the parents.  With the threat of changes to her family and friendships, Joy realizes how much she’s come to value the community of her new apartment building, and has to work hard and be creative to figure out a way to set things right again.  288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  In her follow up to From the Desk of Zoe Washington, Janae Marks again proves herself an excellent storyteller.  Joy is a believable sixth-grade narrator, the other characters are well-developed, and the different plotlines hum along at a pace that will keep the reader moving quickly through the book.  Plus, I’m a sucker for a happy ending.

Cons:  I thought the revelation of who the anonymous wall-writer was and the reason for the messages was going to be a bit more dramatic.

Time for Bed, Old House by Janet Costa Bates, illustrated by A.G. Ford

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Published by Candlewick

Time for Bed, Old House: Bates, Janet Costa, Ford, A.G.: 9781536209983: Amazon.com: Books
Time for Bed, Old House: Bates, Janet Costa, Ford, A.G.: 9781536209983: Amazon.com: Books

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.

The People Remember by Ibi Zoboi, illustrated by Loveis Wise

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Balzer + Bray

The People Remember: Zoboi, Ibi, Wise, Loveis: 9780062915641: Amazon.com: Books
The People Remember: Zoboi, Ibi, Wise, Loveis: 9780062915641: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  This illustrated poem recounts the history of African Americans, beginning with their capture in Africa and continuing through enslavement, emancipation, the Great Migration, the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Power movement, the Hip-Hop era, the election of Barack Obama, and the Black Lives Matter movement.  There are mentions and depictions of many famous Black writers, entrepreneurs, musicians, and artists.  Each section embodies one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa and concludes by naming it.  Includes a two-page author’s note with additional information about Kwanzaa and her connection to it, a four-page timeline with additional information about the events in the book, and a list for further reading.  64 pages; grades 1 and up.

Pros:  This amazing book traces the history of African Americans with concise but beautiful language that will inspire readers to dig more deeply into the events and people named.  The vibrant illustrations portray what’s going on in the text realistically but with a touch of imaginative fantasy.  There aren’t nearly enough Kwanzaa books, and this one would make an excellent resource; it could be read all at once or spread out over the seven days of the holiday.

Cons:  Some reviewers recommended this for ages 4-8.  It’s a long book with lots of information, which I think would be more appreciated by older readers of any age.

Sprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United States by Louisa Jaggar and Shari Becker, illustrated by Floyd Cooper

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Published by Crown Books

Sprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United States: Jaggar, Louisa, Becker, Shari, Cooper, Floyd: 9781984847621: Amazon.com: Books
Sprouting Wings: The True Story of James Herman Banning, the First African American Pilot to Fly Across the United States: Jaggar, Louisa, Becker, Shari, Cooper, Floyd: 9781984847621: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  From the time he was a child, James Banning dreamed about flying, pursuing that dream during trips to the library and on a visit to see a real flying machine in 1911.  As an adult, he became a car mechanic, but was always looking for an opportunity to learn to fly.  He finally got a pilot’s license, then set his sights on becoming the first Black person to fly across the United States.  Teaming up with mechanic Thomas Cox Allen, he set off in a dilapidated plane with a 14-year-old engine.  That engine died quite a few times along the way, but on October 9, 1932, the two men flew their plane around the Statue of Liberty.  That night they celebrated with some of the stars of Harlem, having become stars themselves with their achievement.  Includes an author’s note and a list of sources.  48 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  A little-known aviation pioneer gets his due in this beautifully illustrated book that celebrates James Banning’s life and accomplishments.  Although Floyd Cooper passed away in July, his work continues to inspire and will hopefully receive some award recognition.

Cons:  It’s a long book if you’re planning to read it out loud.  Also, I was wondering why the British spelling “aeroplane” was used throughout the book.

The Beatryce Prophecy by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Sophie Blackall

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Published by Candlewick

The Beatryce Prophecy: DiCamillo, Kate, Blackall, Sophie: 9781536213614: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Brother Edik discovers Beatryce in the barn, cradling the monastery’s ornery goat Answelica.  Beatryce is sick and bloodied, and when she wakes up, the only thing she can remember is her name Soon Brother Edik has discovered a disturbing fact about Beatryce: she knows how to read and write, something unthinkable for a girl.  He disguises her as a small monk and is determined to keep her safe, aided by Answelica and a local boy named Jack Dory.  When the king’s men come looking for the girl, the four are forced on a dangerous journey, during which Beatryce’s memory gradually returns and she learns who she is and how she is part of a prophecy to “unseat the king and bring about a great change.”  Through the powers of storytelling and love, this prophecy eventually comes true, and a happy ending is in store, at least for those characters the reader has come to care about the most.  256 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  This book has the feel of a medieval fairy tale, beautifully illuminated with illustrations by Caldecott illustrator Sophie Blackall.  The characters are memorable, with a timeless feel to the story and the setting.  Seems like a shoo-in for another Newbery medal or honor for Kate DiCamillo.

Cons:  Why not color illustrations?  I know they’re more expensive, but I’m sure this book is already a big seller.