Published by West Margin Press

Summary:  Based on a true story, this tale is narrated by Odin, a Great Pyrenees dog charged with looking after the goats on a small California ranch.  When wildfires threaten the ranch, owner Roland and his daughter escape in their truck.  Odin’s sister goes with them, but Odin refuses to leave the goats.  He watches the house and barn burn, desperately seeking a safe refuge.  He finally notices some boulders, and leads the goats there, where they are eventually joined by a few fawns.  When Roland returns a few days later, he is stunned to see Odin and the goats, alive and well except for some burned whiskers and scorched paws.  Includes an author’s note about the actual event in October, 2017, with several photos of the dogs, goats, humans, and house before and after the fire.  36 pages; grades K-5.

Pros:  A story narrated by a dog featuring a based-on-a-true-story survival of a wildfire?  That’s almost too easy to book talk!  Readers of all ages will fall in love with Odin, and admire his devotion to duty in the face of danger.  They will enjoy poring over the author’s note and photos to learn more about the real people and animals.

Cons:  You might want to throw in some advice to kids about following directions in a fire, as not doing so doesn’t usually result in Odin’s happy outcome.

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Published by Schwartz and Wade

Summary:  When Zura’s teacher talks about the class’s upcoming Grandparents’ Day, the other kids are all abuzz about bringing their grandparents to school.  But Zura is quiet.  When she gets home, readers get to meet Nana Akua, Zura’s “favorite person in the whole universe”.  So why is Zura nervous about Nana Akua visiting her school?  When Nana Akua was a baby in Ghana, her parents tattooed marks on her face to show her tribal family and to represent beauty and confidence.  Zura has overheard Nana being called “scary” and seen people act nervous around her.  When Zura confides her concerns, her grandmother suggests they take Zura’s quilt to school.  Nana made the quilt, using the Adinkra symbols of her people in Ghana.  On Grandparents’ Day, Nana Akua sensibly addresses the issue of her facial markings right away, then offers to let the kids choose which Adinkra symbols they would like painted on their faces.  This proves to be such a hit that the other grandparents line up for face painting as well, and Zura and Nana Akua conclude the day with a big hug.  Includes a glossary, sources, and Adrinka symbols and their meanings on both sets of endpapers.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This warm and tender story celebrates differences and also acknowledges that sometimes those differences can be a little scary if you don’t understand them.  You get the feeling that Nana Akua has lived a full life and has the gift at putting anyone at ease.  The colorful illustrations, with lots of interesting prints and details, reminded me of Patricia Polacco.  

Cons:  My usual beef about interesting endpapers that get covered up by taped-down dust jackets on library books.

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Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Iris loves to push the button on the elevator to her parents’ apartment.  So she feels betrayed when her toddler brother takes over her job, and reacts angrily by pushing all the buttons at once…which breaks the elevator.  While she and her family wait as someone from maintenance fixes it, Iris spies a broken button being tossed into the trash.  She retrieves it, tapes it to the inside of her bedroom closet, and begins to have magical adventures in her own private elevator.  Later, an evening with a babysitter gives Iris an opportunity to bond with her brother, and when she wakes up the next morning, she decides to include him in her next adventure.  The book ends with them in an unfamiliar landscape based on the book they read the night before.  56 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Here’s a Caldecott contender for sure, by the team that brought you Drawn Together.  There’s just enough text (in Iris’s voice) to keep the story going, making this a book that pre-readers can enjoy from the amazing illustrations alone.  A sure-fire winner for a wide range of readers (probably well beyond my 4-8 recommendation).

Cons:  I was confused as to why Iris’s brother’s stuffed tiger was also named Iris.

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Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  Jack the goat keeps to himself, passing his days at Open Bud Ranch watching the other animals from a safe distance.  When Charlie the horse arrives, he ends up tripping right over Jack, which doesn’t make the goat too happy.  But he learns that Charlie is blind in one eye.  Charlie’s a friendly sort, but he has trouble getting around.  After watching him for a while, Jack gets up the courage to lead him to his favorite field to graze.  Jack never goes in the barn with Charlie and the other animals, having apparently suffered some kind of trauma in a barn before arriving at Open Bud.  Eventually, Charlie loses his vision completely and becomes more dependent on Jack.  Charlie tries to convince Jack that they should play with the other animals, but Jack refuses.  Then one day, Jack and Charlie get themselves into a dangerous situation, and it’s up to Jack to find a way out.  Can he overcome his fears to ask the other animals for help?   Includes an author’s note about the real-life inspiration for this story.  40 pages; ages 4-8. 

Pros:  From the team that brought you  Ida, Always comes another based-on-a-true-story tale of animal friendship with super cute illustrations.  Pretty irresistible.

Cons:  I would have liked to have learned more about the true story…maybe with some photos?

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