Two books about birds

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

How to Bird by Rasha Hamid

Published by Free Spirit Publishing

How Birds Sleep by David Obuchowski, illustrated by Sarah Pedry

Published by minedition

Summary: These two books about birds encourage kids to be curious about the world around them. In How Birds Sleep, the author and illustrator explore the unusual ways birds slumber, including sleeping while flying, hanging upside down, or standing on one leg. Each page or spread has an illustration of the resting bird, labeled, with a few sentences of text. The back matter includes additional information about birds’ sleep, the effects of climate change, and how the book came to be written. While there hasn’t been a lot written on the topic, there are three additional resources listed.

How to Bird is a bright, colorful celebration of birding, illustrated with photos of kids getting out in the city to observe the birds. Different birders have different superpowers, such as keen observation, good listening, and fast counting. The emphasis is on the fun and easy accessibility of birding, which requires little more than being curious and getting outside. Includes an author’s note, a list of questions to think about, birding words with definitions, and additional resources. Both books are 40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros: I love how both authors encourage kids to go outside and look at the world around them. The illustrations in both books are eye-catching and add to the appeal of birds and birdwatching, and the additional information at the end makes them both great resources for older readers.

Cons: I was curious as to how long birds sleep each night, but that wasn’t covered.

Secret of the Ravens by Joanna Cacao

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Published by Clarion Books

Summary:  Elliott and Liza are orphaned twins who survive by selling the trash they find at the dump.  When they see a friend trap a raven with magic, they’re intrigued.  They learn that the ravens will give their captors a quest, rewarding them with money if they fulfill it.  The twins start participating, gradually getting bigger and more dangerous quests until Liza gets attacked by a giant serpent during one of them.  A magician’s apprentice, Seb, rescues them, taking them to a mysterious old woman who is rumored to be a healer.  She sends Seb and Elliott on a dangerous mission to gather ingredients for the antidote, taking them to the castle where they learn some unsettling secrets about the kingdom they live in.  Eventually, the old woman reveals her identity, and Elliott must make a huge sacrifice to save his sister, setting the stage for a sequel.  Includes a spell glossary and early versions of some of the illustrations.  272 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  An excellent fantasy adventure graphic novel with interesting characters and world-building, and plenty of plot twists.  

Cons:  I see no sign of a sequel…I hope we will not be left forever wondering what happened to Elliott.

Mock Caldecott 2024 on Teachers Pay Teachers

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As I’ve done the last couple of years, I’ve put together a slideshow with 20 Caldecott contenders to use for a mock Caldecott activity. It includes an introduction to the award, a round-up of last year’s winners, and a slide about each of the books with information about the illustrator and what to notice about the art in each book. The slides are editable so you can take out ones you don’t want to use, add others, or change the information. I’m selling it on Teachers Pay Teachers; if you’re interested, here is the link. If you do buy it, I hope you’ll send me some feedback, or leave a review on TPT!

These Olive Trees by Aya Ghanameh

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Published by Viking Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Oraib and her family live in a refugee camp with olive trees nearby.  As she watches her mother curing and brining the olives, she wonders how people first came to eat the bitter fruit.  The trees also provide wood and oil for those living in the camp.  One day, Oraib sees her mother packing olives and learns that war has come to the region. The family must once again pack up and move, just like her parents did when they were forced to leave their home before Oraib was born.  Before leaving, Oraib plants an olive pit, promising that one day she’ll return to harvest the olives.  An author’s note tells about her grandmother, the inspiration for Oraib, whose family was displaced from their home in Palestine.  Includes photos of the family.  40 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  Beautiful illustrations and a moving story bring to life the plight of a refugee Palestinian family during the 1950’s.

Cons:  I was struck by how much this photo in today’s New York Times looks like Oraib’s camp.


Wintergarden by Janet Fox, illustrated by Jasu Hu

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Published by Neal Porter Books

Summary:  A girl describes the process of creating an indoor winter garden, growing parsley, oregano, and greens.  She contrasts the cold she feels when she goes outside to the coziness of warm, lighted shops and her home, where the plants have begun to sprout.  When they’re big enough, the whole family enjoys their crunch and flavor, eating them until they’re gone, and they need to buy more seeds and start the process once again.  Includes instructions for growing your own winter garden and a list of books for further reading.  40 pages 4-8.

Pros:  It’s always nice to find a non-holiday book about winter, and this is a perfect introduction to growing an indoor garden and getting some fresh herbs and greens during the cold winter months.  The language is spare, but beautifully describes the smells, feel, and taste of growing and eating plants.

Cons:  I have a feeling my plants wouldn’t turn out quite as well as the ones shown here. 

The Boo-Boos of Bluebell Elementary by Chelsea Lin Wallace, illustrated by Alison Farrell

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Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Miss Peatree arrives at school before the kids, wiping down the office and checking supplies. She’s ready when Mabel arrives before the first bell, complaining of being hungry.  As the day goes on, Miss P. is busy with one student after another.  She keeps a log, shown on the left-hand side of each page, showing each kid’s name, ailment, and status (“hungry”, “mortified”, “eager”).  Even the principal comes to the nurse’s office with a boo-boo!  Miss P. deftly handles everyone, dispensing band-aids, snacks, advice, and comfort.  At the end of the day, she rides her bike home, where her loving dog is there to take care of her, for a change.  60 pages; grades K-3.

Pros:  It’s about time the school nurse got her own book, and this one celebrates nurses with rhyming text and lots of humor.  Anyone who’s spent time in an elementary school will recognize the list of ailments; the running log is a nice touch to keep track of everyone.

Cons:  If blood and vomit are not your things, better move on.

What Your Ribbon Skirt Means to Me: Deb Haaland’s Historic Inauguration by Alexis Bunten, illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Christy Ottaviano Books

Summary:  At the end of the school day, Pia is excited to go to the Native American Center.  Everyone is gathered around the TV to watch the inauguration of Deb Haaland as Secretary of the Interior.  After the ceremony, there’s a potluck feast, then the adults help the kids make ribbon shirts or ribbon skirts, like the one Auntie Deb wore on TV.  As they work, they talk about the significance of the ribbon skirt.  When her skirt is done, Pia decides to give it to Jasmin, a new girl at the center, to help her feel welcome.  Includes additional information about Deb Haaland, with a photo of her swearing-in ceremony, as well as more about ribbon skirts and suggestions for writing a letter to the government about preserving the environment.  40 pages; ages 4-8.  

Pros:  Details about Turtle Island indigenous culture (food, prayers, clothing) are woven into this story which also does a good job of introducing Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland.  I liked how the back matter encourages kids to take action.

Cons:  It would take me a lot longer than the time shown here to put together a ribbon skirt.


Duel by Jessixa Bagley, illustrated by Aaron Bagley

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Sixth-grader Lucy is dreading being in middle school with her older sister GiGi. When GiGi trips Lucy in the cafeteria on the first day of school, Lucy challenges GiGi to a duel.  The two girls were trained in fencing by their late father, and GiGi is the star of the middle school fencing team.  As they prepare for the bout, each girl is plagued with insecurities, both of them dealing with the grief of having recently lost their father.  Their mother, barely holding it together as she processes her own grief while trying to keep the family functioning, is not much help.  The whole school gets involved in the match, and the pressure becomes too much for both girls.  On the big day, they finally open up and confess their feelings to each other and to their mother, allowing themselves to move toward healing.  The duel still takes place, but it’s a friendly match now, resulting in a surprising and satisfying outcome.  Includes an author’s note telling of her experiences that inspired the book.  320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This middle school graphic novel by a husband-and-wife team explores grief and sibling rivalry sympathetically.  The artwork cleverly helps tell the story with color-coded boxes showing each girl’s thoughts and blue pages to indicate flashback scenes.  A page from their father’s fencing manual begins each chapter, with the fencing information reflecting what’s going on in the story.

Cons:  Although I appreciated the fencing manual chapter openings, I found myself skipping them after the first few chapters.

The Apartment House on Poppy Hill by Nina LaCour, illustrated by Sònia Albert

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Ella and her two moms live in an apartment at 1106 Wildflower Place, a Victorian house on Poppy Hill in San Francisco.  There are four other apartments in the house, and Ella is good friends with all the residents except the mysterious and reclusive Robinsons who live on the top floor.  The book is divided into three sections: New Neighbors, in which the newest couple is welcomed into the building; Tea at Ten O’clock, where a series of interruptions delay Ella’s tea date with her neighbor Matilda; and The Greatest Mystery of All Time, which is solved when Ella finally gets to meet the Robinsons.  There’s a feel of more adventures ahead, so be on the lookout for a sequel. 132 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  A warm and inviting early chapter book with plenty of illustrations.  With two gay couples, two straight, a single woman, and a pretty quirky main character, the story exudes acceptance and community.

Cons:  I found Ella kind of annoyingly precocious.

How to Eat in Space by Helen Taylor, illustrated by Stevie Lewis

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  You can’t eat everything in space, but the options have improved considerably since the early days of space travel.  It’s a whole different experience from Earth eating, though, and this book gives lots of good tips.  Water is at a premium and can’t be poured.  Burping in space can have some pretty unpleasant consequences.  Floating crumbs can become a menace on board the spaceship. From cooking to doing dishes to growing your own food, there are plenty of details here that are sure to intrigue kids.  Includes three pages of additional information, along with additional resources and a list of sources.  40 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  Life in space is a fascinating topic, and this book provides a wealth of interesting information presented with a chatty tone and appealing illustrations.

Cons:  Reading this made me realize how much I take gravity for granted.