Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero by Kelly J. Baptist

October 5, 2020 ~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Crown Books for Young Readers

Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero: Baptist, Kelly J.: 9780593121368: Amazon.com: Books

Summary: Isaiah, his mother, and 4-year-old sister are living in what he has dubbed the Smoky Inn, a run-down motel that they’ve moved to after losing their apartment. Ever since Isaiah’s dad died suddenly from a heart attack, his mother has been spiraling: drinking more, not working, and often neglecting her children. Isaiah tries to help out by starting a candy-selling business with his friend Sneaky and getting a job at a barbershop. But when the family is evicted from the hotel and ends up sleeping in their car, Isaiah begins to realize he has a problem that’s too big for him to solve. Fortunately, he has some caring adults in his life, a talent for writing, and his dad’s notebooks full of stories about superhero Isaiah Dunn. His mom is smart enough to finally seek help, and the end sees the family reunited at a surprise event Isaiah has planned to honor his dad. 208 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros: Based on an award-winning story that was included in Flying Lessons and Other Stories, this book would make an excellent choice for an elementary book club, due to its relatively short length and 10-year-old protagonist with a humorous take on his difficult circumstances. He really does turn out to be a hero and is instrumental in keeping his family together during a pretty dark time for all of them.

Cons: Isaiah’s frenemy Angel seems like she has an interesting story to tell, and I wanted to know more about her. Maybe a sequel?

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

Sun Flower Lion by Kevin Henkes

October 3, 2020May 10, 2021 ~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Greenwillow Books

Sun Flower Lion - Kindle edition by Henkes, Kevin, Henkes, Kevin. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Summary: Divided into six chapters, each one only a page or two, this book introduces the sun, which is as bright as a flower; a flower which looks a little like a lion; and finally, the lion. The lion falls asleep and dreams that the flowers are cookies. When he wakes up, he is hungry and runs home to his family. The final page shows him resting, happy and well-fed, with his parents and siblings. 40 pages; ages 2-5.

Pros: There’s a lot to look at in this simple story, and kids will have fun comparing the shapes of the sun, flowers, and lion (and maybe trying to draw them themselves). The simple text and yellow, gray, and black palette make this a perfect choice as a first picture book or a first reader.

Cons: The plot’s a little thin…

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

A Thousand Glass Flowers: Marietta Barovier and the Invention of the Rosetta Bead by Evan Turk

October 2, 2020 ~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

A Thousand Glass Flowers: Marietta Barovier and the Invention of the Rosetta Bead - Kindle edition by Turk, Evan, Turk, Evan. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

A Thousand Glass Flowers: Marietta Barovier and the Invention of the Rosetta Bead: Turk, Evan, Turk, Evan: 9781534410343: Amazon.com: Books

Summary: Marietta Barovier grew up in fifteenth-century Murano, an island near Venice, where her father and brothers worked as glassblowers. She wanted to learn the craft, but it wasn’t something girls did. She persisted, though, hanging around the shop, and finally her father showed her how. One day, she and her father took a trip to Venice to visit a wealthy patron. Marietta discovered a small glass bowl covered with flowers, and was told that the technique for making such glass had been lost. Years later, she remembered the bowl when she tried a new technique, layering different colors of glass together to make beads. These rosetta beads became valuable currency and spread throughout the world. Includes an author’s note with additional information about Barovier and her beads, and a note about the art. 48 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros: Evan Turk’s dazzling illustrations were inspired by Renaissance and Impressionist artists, with hues of yellow, gold, and orange that capture the fiery heat of glassblowing and the light and energy of Venice. The story of Marietta is fascinating (although slightly fictionalized, since records about her are sparse), and could make a nice addition to an art curriculum.

Cons: Although there are a couple photos of Evan Turk learning to blow glass and sketching in Italy, I would have liked to have seen some of the beads.

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

Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns: A Mesoamerican Creation Myth by Duncan Tonatiuh

October 1, 2020 ~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Feathered Serpent and the Five Suns: A Mesoamerican Creation Myth - Kindle edition by Tonatiuh, Duncan. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Summary: Before the present time, there were four tonatiuhs or suns. During each one, the gods created humans, but something always went wrong. First, the humans were too big, so they were turned into mountains. Then they were too small, so they became fish. Finally, after the fourth tonatiuh, the gods gave up, and handed off the sacred bones to the lord of the underworld. But one of the gods, Quetzalcóatl, or Feathered Serpent, didn’t want to give up. He decided to travel to the underworld in search of the bones. His journey was long and dangerous, but his cleverness and strength helped him to overcome all the obstacles, and to recover the bones once again. He and the other gods created humans that are still alive today, the time of the fifth tonatiuh. Includes an author’s note, glossary, and bibliography. 40 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros: Award winner Duncan Tonatiuh uses his distinctive style of illustration to bring to life this Mesoamerican tale filled with interesting mythological creatures and plenty of adventure. The author’s note gives more details about the story, making this an excellent resource for older readers.

Cons: You will definitely want to do a practice run-through before trying to read this aloud and encountering words like Itzcuintlán and Mictlantecuhtli.

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

Agent Moose by Mo O’Hara, illustrated by Jess Bradley

September 30, 2020September 30, 2020 ~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Feiwel and Friends

Agent Moose - Kindle edition by O'Hara, Mo, Bradley, Jess. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Summary: Agent Anonymoose is recovering from the failure of what would have been his 100th case (he thought the moon was missing, but it was really a lunar eclipse). When he hears that his rival Camo Chameleon has just solved his 100th case, it just rubs salt in the wound. But then a chipmunk arrives with an important message: a key witness in Camo’s last case has disappeared. Agent Moose and his wise sidekick Owlfred head to the chameleon’s 100th-case celebration to investigate. There are adventures and red herrings a-plenty before the two of them manage to crack the case. The mystery is solved, but the villains make a last-minute escape, setting up a second adventure for Agent Moose and Owlfred. 128 pages; grades 1-3.

Pros: Fans of Dog Man and Inspector Flytrap, rejoice! This is sure to be a hit with the many readers who love graphic novels with plenty of action and zany humor.

Cons: There were a lot of characters to keep track of.

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

Your Place in the Universe by Jason Chin

September 29, 2020September 29, 2020 ~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Neal Porter Books

Your Place in the Universe - Kindle edition by Chin, Jason. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Summary: An eight-year-old is about five times as tall as this book…but only half as tall as an ostrich. The ostrich is half as tall as the tallest land animal, the giraffe, but the giraffe is 20 times shorter than the tallest living thing, a redwood tree. The journey continues outward: skyscrapers, mountains, outer space, all the way to the very edges of the universe. It then comes back to Earth, and that group of eight-year-olds, who are capable of looking into the sky and imagining their place in the universe. Includes additional information on Earth, the solar system, the universe, and making maps and models, as well as notes on the text and the illustrations, and a list of selected sources. 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros: Although this sort of journey has been shown before (Cosmic View: The Universe in 40 Jumps or Powers of Ten), Jason Chin brings his own deft touch to it. As always, Chin’s illustrations are amazing in their details, colors, and realistic renderings (I was particularly awed by the panoramic view of Mount Everest showing a juxtaposition with the tallest skyscrapers). The simple comparisons make this accessible to early elementary kids, but the back matter makes it hefty enough for older readers. Sure to be a contender for another Sibert award.

Cons: I’m feeling pretty insignificant right now.

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

The Brave by James Bird

September 28, 2020September 28, 2020 ~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Feiwel and Friends

The Brave - Kindle edition by Bird, James. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

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.

I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, illustrated by Sydney Smith

September 27, 2020October 4, 2020 ~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Neal Porter Books

I Talk Like a River: Scott, Jordan, Smith, Sydney: 9780823445592: Amazon.com: Books

Summary: A boy tells of his struggles with stuttering, the sounds that get stuck in his mouth like C, P, and M. He tries not to talk much, but when his teacher calls on him to tell about his favorite place in the world, he’s forced to make an attempt. His classmates look at him like there’s something wrong with him. At the end of the day, his dad picks him up. “It’s just a bad speech day,” Dad says, and takes him to the river where it’s quiet. As they walk along the water, his father can tell he’s sad. Dad points to the river and says, “See how that water moves? That’s how you speak.” The boy thinks about how the water bubbles, churns, crashes, and then becomes calm and smooth, and that helps him to feel okay about the way he talks. The next day, he tells the class about his favorite place in the world: the river. Includes an author’s note about his own experience with stuttering. 40 pages; grades K-4.

Pros: There aren’t a lot of children’s books that address stuttering, and this one does it with poetic text and beautiful illustrations. The kids in the class are blurry, but the boy, his father, and the river are sharp and clear. The author’s note adds a nice personal touch.

Cons: While the boy is fortunate to have such a kind dad who helps him move toward self-acceptance, it seems like he needs more support at school.

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