Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors, illustrated by Barbara Fisinger

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  Gizmo is a self-identified Evil Genius guinea pig.  Wedgie is a self-identified superhero (“Super Wedgie) Corgi.  In alternating chapters, the two tell the story of the early days of a blended family: Gizmo belongs to Elliott, whose father recently married the mother of Jasmine, Jackson, and Wedgie.  Gizmo is constantly suspecting evil plots, most notably keeping an eye on Abuela, a native of Peru, where he hears guinea pigs are considered fine cuisine.  Wedgie just wants to herd everyone in his pack together and keep them happy.  Human dialogue is inserted into the animals’ narrative, making readers more aware of what’s going on in the family when Wedgie and Gizmo are too self-absorbed to accurately report it.  By the end of the story, Wedgie, Gizmo, and their humans are well on their way to becoming a family, setting the scene for two sequels due out next year.  179 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Each animal has his own distinctive voice and point of view, which will have readers laughing and nodding with recognition if they are pet owners.  The illustrations add to the fun, and the human dynamics give the story a little more depth.

Cons:  As a former guinea pig owner, I’m pretty sure the exercise wheel Gizmo uses is actually dangerous for guinea pigs.

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

The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Farrar Straus Giroux

Summary:  On the afternoon of November 4, 2013, Sasha, a white agender teen, and Richard, a 16-year-old African-American boy, ended up on the same Oakland bus.  For reasons that remain unclear, Richard used a lighter to set Sasha’s skirt on fire as they were sleeping.  The results were third-degree burns on Sasha’s legs and arrest for Richard.  The 57 Bus traces the stories of the two teens, the events that brought them to that fateful day, and what happened to each of them afterward.  It was a hate crime without the hate, a spur-of-the-moment, unthinking prank carried out by a boy who believed he had a good heart.  Friends, parents, and teachers share their experiences with Sasha and Richard, and readers will learn that the distinctions between male and female, victim and criminal, and good and evil are not always as clear as they may seem to be.  320 pages; grades 7+.

Pros:  So much to think about and discuss in this story.  Dashka Slater (who also wrote this year’s beautiful picture book The Antlered Ship) doesn’t flinch from looking at both teens’ stories, but also is compassionate in her descriptions.  Richard could have been portrayed as a monster, but instead he emerges as someone who is as much or more of a victim, born to a single teen mom (who seems pretty awesome), raised in poverty, and facing prejudice in the criminal justice system.  He shows strength and maturity as he carries out his sentence, and I found myself rooting for a happy ending for him as much as Sasha.

Cons:  I’m on the fence about whether to get this for my middle school library.  Aside from the subject matter, the f-word is sprinkled throughout, as well as other language.

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

 

When’s My Birthday by Julie Fogliano, illustrated by Christian Robinson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary: “When’s my birthday/where’s my birthday?/how many days until my birthday?” an exuberant child asks repeatedly as she counts down to the big day.  She anticipates eating cake and other treats, inviting friends to a party, and getting presents.  The night before her birthday, she vows to stay awake, but ultimately falls asleep, dreaming of tomorrow.  And finally…”It’s the daytime!/here’s my birthday!/happy happy! hee! hee! hee!/time for cakey/wakey wakey/happy happy day to me!”  40 pages; ages 3-6.

Pros:   I’ve seen this on some Caldecott prediction lists lately.  The simple rhyming text and cheerful collage illustrations perfectly capture pre-birthday excitement for the under-ten crowd.  This would make an ideal birthday gift.

Cons:  I was pretty exhausted by the time the birthday finally arrived.

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

The Real McCoys by Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr

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Published by Imprint

       

Summary:  Moxie McCoy is at a crossroads in her fourth-grade life.  Her best friend has moved away, and she is shopping for another one, specifically one who can help her solve mysteries.  She is also taxed with the job of making sure her younger brother Milton is doing okay while their scientist mother is away hunting insects.  In the midst of all this, the school’s beloved owl mascot goes missing, and Moxie takes it upon herself to solve the case.  This involves multiple trips to the principal’s office to report on her findings, which are mostly confident, if mistaken, declarations of who the real culprit is.  As the day goes on, Moxie finds herself working more and more with Milton, whom the reader will notice has some traits, like patience and thoughtfulness, that Moxie occasionally lacks, even if she is three years older.  Working together, the siblings solve the case, and Moxie even gets a lead on a new best friend, paving the way for book #2.  Includes “Moxie’s Official Debrief” (some questions to help the reader think critically about the story), Moxie’s Dictionary, and an excerpt from one of Moxie’s favorite girl detective stories that she refers to throughout the book.  336 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Kids will love Moxie, Milton, and the format of this book, with the illustrations woven seamlessly into the text.  Cartoon bubbles and different fonts make the dialog come alive.  Readers will keep rooting for Moxie as she refuses to give up on the case or her friends and family.

Cons:  Readers will occasionally groan at Moxie’s cluelessness.

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

‘Tis the Season: Some Holiday Read-Alouds

~ Janet Dawson ~ 4 Comments

If you’re looking to fill the long hours of anticipation of the next two weeks, here are some new books to add to your collection.

Merry Christmas, Peanut! by Terry Border. Published by Philomel Books

Kids will love the illustrations created from household items that tell the story of Peanut and his family as they travel to Grandma’s for Christmas dinner.  Along the way, they pick up a host of lonely characters who need a place to spend the holiday.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Little Red Ruthie: A Hanukkah Tale by Gloria Koster. Published by Albert Whitman and Company

Little Red Ruthie is bring applesauce and sour cream to go with her Bubbe Basha’s legendary latkes.  When a wolf follows her there, she has to quickly think of a way to fill him up on latkes instead of her and her Bubbe.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Waltz of the Snowflakes by Elly Mackay.  Published by Running Press.  The Nutcracker in Harlem by T. McMorrow, illustrated by James Ransome.

                 

Two stories inspired by the classic ballet.  The Nutcracker in Harlem reimagines the story in 1920’s Harlem.  Waltz of the Snowflakes is a wordless celebration of a reluctant girl’s first experience at the ballet, and how she slowly gets caught up in the magic of the tale.  For Waltz of the Snowflakes, click here.  For The Nutcracker in Harlem, click here.

 

Nativity by Cynthia Rylant.  Published by Beach Lane Books

Simple, spare text and paintings tell the story of Jesus’s birth, concluding with four of the beatitudes offered as a sample of the adult Jesus’s teachings.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

Red and Lulu by Matt Tavares.  Published by Candlewick Press

Red the cardinal panics when the enormous tree he and Lulu call home is cut down and taken away…with Lulu still in it.  He follows the tree to New York City, where he finally finds it in Rockefeller Center, ablaze with colored lights.  Red and Lulu become city birds, settling down in Central Park after Christmas.  If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

 

 

 

 

Strong as Sandow: How Eugen Sandow Became the Strongest Man on Earth by Don Tate

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Published by Charlesbridge

Summary:  As a skinny, frail child, Friedrich Mueller loved athletics, but frequently was too sick to play.  Although he was a good student, he left university to join a circus where his career as an acrobat helped him get stronger.  When the circus folded, Friedrich worked as an artists’ model and learned more about bodybuilding.  At the age of 20, he changed his name to Eugen Sandow and launched his career as a showman.  When he beat famous strongmen Sampson and Cyclops on a London stage, he became an overnight sensation, eventually traveling to America, where his performance at the Chicago World’s Fair increased his celebrity status.  Back in London, he focused on helping others become physically strong and healthy.  He held the Great Competition, the first organized bodybuilding contest, awarding a gold statue with his likeness, a version of which is still used today.  Includes an afterword with more information, four exercises for kids to try, an author’s note about his own bodybuilding experiences, and an extensive bibliography.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  Humorous illustrations and lighthearted text combine to make this a fun biographical read.

Cons:  The fact that Sandow died at age 58 makes me question his health advice.

If you’d like to order this book through Amazon, click here.

Marti’s Song for Freedom/Marti y Sus Versos por la Libertad by Emma Otheguy, illustrated by Beatriz Vidal

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Published by Children’s Book Press

Summary:  Growing up in Cuba, Jose Marti was outraged that some of his fellow countrymen were slaves.  As he grew older, he learned that the key to ending slavery was Cuba’s independence from Spain.  In 1868, the Cuban people started a war for independence.  Marti’s newspaper articles and pamphlets about it landed him in jail.  At age 17, he was released by the Spanish government on the condition that he leave Cuba forever.  He traveled around the world, advocating for Cuban independence, and finally settled in New York.  He loved the city, but sometimes found it oppressive.  He would retreat to the Catskills, where he wrote poetry and stories for children that are still read today. In 1895, Jose went back to Cuba, where he died a few weeks later in a battle for independence.  Seven  years later, in 1902, Cuba finally gained independence from Spain.  32 pages; grades 2-6.

Pros:  Told in both English and Spanish, this is an inspiring biography of a man who never stopped fighting against the injustices he saw.  The illustrations may make it a Caldecott contender.

Cons:  Why is New York consistently referred to as Nuevo York in the English version of the story?

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

Rapunzel by Bethan Woollvin

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Published by Peachtree Publishers

Summary:  Rapunzel lives in a tower, visited only by a witch who climbs up her long hair to visit, then steals some of Rapunzel’s golden locks to sell.  When the witch leaves, she tells Rapunzel that if she tries to escape, the witch will put a terrible curse on her.  “But was Rapunzel frightened? Oh no, not she!”  She makes a ladder from her hair, and goes out to explore.  Freedom is exhilarating, and she and a new (horse) friend make an escape plan.  One day, the witch tries to climb out of the tower using Rapunzel’s hair; the girl quickly cuts her hair, and the witch falls to the ground.  Rapunzel’s equine friend is waiting, and the two ride off in bandit costumes to become witch hunters.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A quick and funny retelling of Rapunzel, casting the heroine as an independent girl with no sign of a prince in sight.

Cons:  The style of art and the yellow and black palette aren’t really my cup of tea.

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

The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag

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Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Aster lives in a magical community where boys are expected to become shapeshifters, and girls, witches.  He is fascinated with witchcraft and has no interest or ability in shapeshifting, much to his family’s chagrin.  Spying on the witches’ classes, he learns as much as he can, practicing spells on Charlie, a non-magical girl who lives nearby.  When a monster begins stealing kids from Aster’s community, he realizes he is the only one who can help rescue them.  Assisted by Charlie, he makes a daring journey, and is able to reveal to his community the monster’s true–and surprising–identity.  This revelation uncovers some family secrets about some who have also not always conformed to the gender roles of magic, and gives Aster the permission to be himself and explore the magical powers he possesses. 224 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This highly engaging graphic novel creates a magical world that will draw readers in immediately, and conveys messages about gender roles and being yourself that will resonate with kids.

Cons:  The messages about gender were a little heavy-handed.

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

Better Off Undead by James Preller

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Published by Feiwel and Friends

Summary:  Adrian Lazarus often feels like an outsider in his seventh grade class.  Not only is he one of the only African American kids in a mostly white school, but he is dead.  Following a bike accident over the summer, he’s mysteriously become a zombie, and he’s not happy about it.  His nose falls off in the middle of class, and he has to drink formaldehyde smoothies to keep the decay in check.  Much to his happy surprise, he makes some new friends at the beginning of the year, including Talal a tech genius, and Gia, a girl who received mysterious powers after she was attacked by a swarm of bees.  The story takes place in the not-too-distant future, when ecological crises are raging around the world.  Many of these disasters are being caused by a couple of tycoon brothers who take a sudden interest in Adrian.  When he is kidnapped and taken to the brothers for possible experimentation, it’s up to his friends to plan his rescue and defeat the bad guys.  As Adrian overcomes one obstacle after another, he finds himself getting physically stronger as well, and a budding romance with Gia may mean a happy ending for him after all.  288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  I was surprised by the substance to a story I expected just to be silly.  The zombie aspect was funny, but also poignant, and led to some interesting explorations about what it means to be human.  There were also some environmental messages throughout, with an acknowledgement to Bill McKibben and his ecological activism from the author at the end.

Cons:  I was a little confused on a few details, including exactly what happened at the end.

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