I’ve been reviewing books on this blog for over three years now. What have I learned? Find out on today’s Nerdy Book Club post.
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
Published by Dial Books
Summary: Nishal has a relatively happy life in India with her doctor father, twin brother, and grandmother. Her mother died in childbirth, so when Nishal receives a diary for her twelfth birthday, she uses it to write letters to her mom. Soon there is plenty to write about; it’s 1947, and India has just won its independence from Great Britain. The country has been partitioned into two countries: Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India. Although Nishal’s mother was Muslim, her father is Hindu, and the family lives in the area that has become Pakistan. They are forced to leave their home with almost nothing, and to undertake a dangerous journey to Jodhpur, India. Almost dying of thirst along the way, witnessing fighting and killing between the two factions, Nisha draws further into herself, going from being a shy, introverted girl to completely mute. In their new home, though, she begins to recognize the courage and strength she had to make the journey, and the ending promises a hopeful future for her and her family. Includes an author’s note with more historical information and a glossary of words used in India and Pakistan that appear in the story. 272 pages; grades 3-7.
Pros: Excellent historical fiction told by a sympathetic character kids will relate to; I learned quite a bit about 20th-century history of India and Pakistan. The refugee story is a universal one that is still being lived by millions of people today.
Cons: The unfamiliar time and place may make this a hard sell to elementary kids.
What If… by Samantha Berger, illustrated by Mike Curato
Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Summary: A young girl loves to create stories and pictures with her pencil. But what if the pencil disappeared? She’d create by folding the paper. If that was gone? She’d carve up the table and chair to make something new. And so it goes, her creativity unstoppable even if her tools aren’t available anymore. The second to last page reads, “If I had nothing, but still had my mind…” with a close-up of her face on a foldout page that opens to an imaginative spread of her riding a pink unicorn, then continues: “If I know nothing but one bit of fate…As long as I live, I will always create.” The final page shows her working in her apartment window; other windows portray her neighbors playing music, dancing, decorating a cake, and pursuing other creative endeavors. A note from the author and illustrator tells how Samantha Berger was inspired to write this book after a flood forced her to evacuate her apartment with only her dog and her sketchbook. 40 pages; ages 4-8.
Pros: Maybe Mike Curato will finally win a well-deserved Caldecott for this beautiful meditation on creativity and the ability to make something new in any situation.
Cons: The pink unicorn and rainbow on the foldout page felt a little clichéd.
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Published by Candlewick
Summary: When Alma Sofia Esperanza Jose Pura Candela complains that her name is too long, her father tells five stories about the different family members for whom she is named. Each one connects to her in a special way. Her sixth name, Alma, is just for her. “You are the one and only Alma,” her father tells her. “You will make your own story.” The author’s note tells the story of her own full name, Juana Carlota Martinez Pizarro, and how it reminds her of her roots in Peru. Also available in a Spanish edition, Alma y Como Obtuvo su Nombre. 32 pages; ages 4-8.
Pros: A lovely story by award-winning illustrator Juana Martinez-Neal that invites readers to learn and tell the stories of their own names.
Cons: Alma may struggle with all those names when filling out online forms.
Click to buy on Amazon: the English edition or the Spanish edition
The Triumphant Tale of the House Sparrow by Jan Thornhill
Published by Groundwood Books
Summary: As she did in The Tragic Tale of the Great Auk, Jan Thornhill tells the story of the interaction between birds and humans. This one has a happier ending, though, as house sparrows have proven to be incredibly adaptable, often becoming pests that feed on agricultural grains. The birds have spread around the globe with humans, traveling on ships with Roman soldiers to Great Britain and being introduced to the United States by homesick immigrants. Despite their peskiness, sparrows also eat a lot of insects, as Chairman Mao discovered in 1958; his campaign against the Eurasian Tree sparrows led to a devastating famine in China. In the early 1980’s, the population of sparrows began to fall, and the author offers several theories–all of them based on human factors–for this decline. In some places, this is starting to level off, offering hope that the house sparrow’s adaptability is helping it to survive in a changing world. Includes a map showing where the house sparrow lives; its life cycle; a glossary; and additional resources. 44 pages; grades 3-6.
Pros: Beautifully illustrated and engagingly narrated, this informational book will help students learn more about animal adaptation and the relationship that exists between humans and animal species.
Cons: I’ve always thought sparrows were kind of cute, and didn’t realize they are considered “the most despised bird in human history.”
Bigfoot and Little Foot by Ellen Potter, art by Felicita Sala
Published by Amulet Books
Summary: Hugo lives with his Sasquatch family and friends in the North Woods. He’s curious about the outside world, especially humans, and one day he sends a toy boat into a stream to have an adventure. When the boat returns with a plastic human figure inside, Hugo can’t resist replacing it with a tiny wooden Sasquatch and sending it back out again. Before long, he and human boy Boone are exchanging notes. Finally, against all the Sasquatch rules, Hugo goes in search of Boone, and the two become friends. Sworn to secrecy, Boone comes back and meets Hugo’s Sasquatch community. Their adventures will continue in book 2, due out in September. 144 pages; grades 2-4.
Pros: Beginning chapter book readers will love Hugo, Boone, and the rest of the Sasquatches. Hugo faces some pretty typical 8- or 9-year-old problems, often with a lot of humor, and there are plenty of illustrations to help those just transitioning to longer books.
Cons: It’s hard for me to believe Boone won’t ever tell anyone about his Sasquatch sighting.
Whatshisface by Gordon Korman
Published by Scholastic Press
Summary: Army brat Cooper is used to being the new kid in school, and tries to fade into the background as much as possible. As consolation for the family’s most recent move, his parents have gotten him a top-of-the-line smartphone, but it seems to have some bugs. Then one day, an oddly-dressed boy named Roddy appears on the screen and starts talking to Cooper in Shakespeare’s English. Coincidentally, Cooper’s new hometown, Stratford, is crazy about Shakespeare, and every year the seventh grade puts on one of the Bard’s plays. This year, it’s Romeo and Juliet, and although Cooper would love to be Romeo to his crush Jolie’s Juliet, he’s relegated to the part of second watchman. But Roddy has some personal knowledge of William Shakespeare, particularly Romeo and Juliet, and he’s not about to let Cooper get sidelined. The two of them work together to capture Jolie’s heart, reveal the true author of Romeo and Juliet, and make this year’s production the most memorable Stratford has ever seen. 240 pages; grades 3-7.
Pros: Gordon Korman fans won’t be disappointed by this fast and funny middle school story; Roddy’s old English interpretation of the 21st century is laugh-out-loud funny.
Cons: The first few chapters were kind of flat. I like the way Korman often tells stories from different characters’ perspectives, but this was all third person from Cooper’s point of view.
Eat This! How Fast-Food Marketing Gets You to Buy Junk (and how to fight back) by Andrea Curtis, illustration by Peggy Collins
Published by Red Deer Press
Summary: If you’ve ever chuckled at the antics of Ronald McDonald or felt a kinship when your favorite movie star drank a Diet Coke, you’ve been the target of junk food marketing. This book explains how kids are a big market and how food companies try to get inside their young heads to persuade them to purchase their products. From cartoon characters to apps and online games to signs around your favorite stadium, advertising is everywhere. The author helps kids, parents, and teachers understand the insidious ways of the marketers so that they can have an awareness of what is being sold to them and make informed decisions. Includes a list of activities, glossary, sources, and an interview with the author. 40 pages; grades 4-7.
Pros: Liberally illustrated with photos (ironically, many look mouth-wateringly delicious), this is an effective message for kids and their parents and teachers to use, and gives them tools to make healthier choices when it comes to food.
Cons: The pages are pretty text-heavy, so this may be used more for research than for browsing or recreational reading.
Smart Cookie by Elly Swartz
Published by Scholastic Press
Summary: Frankie’s got a few secrets. She’s posted a profile of her widower father on a dating site and is interviewing potential candidates. She and her friend Elliot are investigating the possible existence of a ghost at the Vermont B&B that Frankie’s family runs. It seems only right to have some secrets, though, since the people around her seem to be keeping their own. Her dad and grandmother have both been away a lot lately, and Gram has taken to uncharacteristically wearing lipstick and perfume. They’ve been squabbling over Gram’s possessions, which are threatening to take over the B&B. Frankie’s overheard a few conversations that make her think her father may be in some financial difficulties that could force them out of their home. And Jessica, Frankie’s former best friend, may have some valid reasons for her recent cold behavior. There’s a lot going on, but by the end Frankie’s learned that keeping things secret usually doesn’t help the problem, and that the people who love her extend well beyond the walls of the B&B. 288 pages; grades 3-7.
Pros: A heartwarming story of family and friendship, told with humor and a lot of tasty-sounding cookie descriptions.
Cons: There are a lot of characters and subplots to keep track of.
A Most Unusual Day by Sydra Mallery, illustrated by E. B. Goodale
Published by Greenwillow Books
Summary: Caroline’s day is unusual from the moment she wakes up. Her usually organized family is forgetful, and Caroline’s grandmother sends her to school without socks or a lunch. She’s distracted during the day, accidentally knocking a friend’s loose tooth out, playing with her food at lunch, and drawing an airplane on the wall at the end of the day. When her parents arrive to pick her up, she notices that her father’s glasses are taped and her mother is wearing mismatched socks. Then her mom reaches into the back seat, and brings out…Caroline’s new baby sister! The family is adopting a little girl. “This baby made everything, every usual thing, unusually new and perfectly right.” 40 pages; ages 4-8.
Pros: Older siblings will appreciate this story, no matter how the new baby at their house got there. The illustrations are nicely diverse, both in their portrayals of Caroline’s classmates and her family.
Cons: Young readers may not realize the new baby is adopted, as this has to be inferred from the story and pictures.
A Kids Book A Day 