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).

The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold

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Published by Versify

The Year I Flew Away: Arnold, Marie: 9780358272755: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  As if immigrating from Haiti isn’t hard enough, Gabrielle has to move to America by herself, her parents promising to join her soon, but admonishing her not to get into any trouble lest she get sent back.  Her aunt and uncle make her feel welcome, but Gabrielle gets bullied because of her accent and other connections to Haiti.  When she meets a witch who promises her three wishes to help her fit in, it’s hard to say no.  Of course, there are always strings attached to such propositions, and when Gabrielle wishes to speak flawless English, she loses her ability to speak Haitian Creole.  Gabrielle’s new friendships with Carmen, a Mexican-American girl in her class, and Rocky, a talking rat who wants to be a rabbit, help her to feel stronger.  When the witch threatens to take away Gabrielle’s family and her essence, she has to find the courage to fight back and to express who she really is.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  What starts as an ordinary middle grade novel about immigration quickly takes a detour into some fun magical realism.  Plenty of readers will relate to Gabrielle’s middle-school wish to blend in, and the ending will show them that being yourself is more important than being popular.

Cons:  The whole be yourself/find your voice message got a little heavy-handed toward the end.

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.

The One Thing You’d Save by Linda Sue Park, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Clarion Books

The One Thing You'd Save: Park, Linda Sue, Sae-Heng, Robert: 9781328515131: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  “Imagine your house is on fire.  You’re allowed to save one thing.  Your family and pets are safe, so don’t worry about them.”  With this assignment, a class starts thinking about what’s important to them: a handknit sweater, a photo, a lock of hair, a collection.  The kids express themselves in poems inspired by the ancient Korean poetry form sijo.  Their presentations spark comments and debate among their classmates as they contemplate what they value…and even get their teacher to change her mind.  72 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Not quite long enough to be a novel in verse, this illustrated collection of poems is easy to read, but not simple, and will surely engage students in conversation long after they’ve turned the last page.  I loved Linda Sue Park’s final statement in her author’s note about sijo: “Using old forms in new ways is how poetry continually renews itself, and the world.”

Cons:  It would have been helpful to have the speaker in each poem identified.

The In-Between by Rebecca K. S. Ansari

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Published by Walden Pond Press

The In-Between: Ansari, Rebecca K.S.: 9780062916099: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Cooper’s had to deal with a lot of difficult changes in his family over the last few years; in the opening pages, he’s in the yard venting his anger.  The new girl next door sits on a swing and watching him…as usual.  Her odd behavior leads Cooper and his sister Jess to investigate, and they learn that the crest on the jacket she wears has been found on clothing at disasters going back to the nineteenth century.  Strangest of all is the fact that only Cooper, Jess, and Cooper’s new friend Gus seem to be able to see the girl or the renovations done to the derelict house that she’s moved into.  As they get deeper into the mystery, they discover a supernatural world called the In-Between and learn that they may all be in danger.  Can the three of them solve the mystery in time to avert the next disaster? 320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A well-crafted spooky tale with plenty of plot twists that will keep readers guessing right up until the end.  The family issues of divorce, an absent father, and Jess’s diabetes add some depth to the story.

Cons:  I saw some reviews that recommended this for kids as young as 8, but the complicated plot and somewhat creepy story would probably make it a better choice for older readers.