Bunny and Tree by Balint Zsako

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Enchanted Lion Books

Summary:  The prologue of this wordless book shows a seed flying through the air, landing on the earth, and sprouting to eventually become a full-grown tree.  In Act One, the tree watches as a wolf chases a pack of rabbits.  Turning itself into a monster, the tree scares away the wolf and offers refuge to one of the rabbits.  Bunny asks Tree for help finding the rest of its pack, and the two set off on a wondrous journey.  After Bunny digs up Tree and puts it in a little red wagon, Tree is able to transform into a train, a boat, and a plane to carry them into the mountains where they at last find the rest of the rabbits.  The tree is transplanted and enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the bunnies, offering them food and shelter in exchange for fertilizer and friendship.  184 pages; ages 7 and up.

Pros:  This incredible wordless story unfolds over the course of nine acts and an epilogue, celebrating a wondrous friendship as well as the magic of the changing seasons.  

Cons:  I didn’t completely understand the beginning of the story until I read some of the book reviews.

Ghost Book by Remy Lai

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Published by Henry Holt

Summary: July has “yin-yang eyes”, meaning that she can see ghosts, but she feels as invisible as a ghost most days.  Her mom died when she was born, her dad is too preoccupied with work to pay much attention to her, and teachers and kids at school often overlook her.  Desperate for a friend, she tries to summon a ghost.  William shows up instead–a boy who is in a coma, and whose spirit is wandering around trying to figure out if he is dead or alive.  As the two kids do some investigating, they discover that they have a life-long connection, and that only one of them is meant to be alive.  Their explorations take them into the underworld, where they hope to change fate so that they can both live.  There, they are pursued by a variety of spirits bent on their destruction, but their friendship saves the day and helps them to figure out a way forward for both of them.  320 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  I’m a big fan of Remy Lai’s graphic (and semi-graphic) novels, and her latest one does not disappoint.  Part ghost story, part friendship story, part adventure, this will keep kids turning the pages until the surprising but totally satisfying conclusion.

Cons:  This is a bit darker than Lai’s previous books.

A Long Time Coming: A Lyrical Biography of Race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama by Ray Anthony Shepard, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

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Published by Calkins Creek

Summary:  Six Black Americans are profiled in five chapters: Ona Judge, Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass together, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Barack Obama.  Their stories are told in verse, weaving together scenes from their lives to paint engaging portraits of their work, their dreams, their discouragements, and their successes and failures.  Each section begins with an illustration and a bit of personal history from the author, connecting his life to his subjects’.  Includes a timeline, additional resources, a bibliography and source notes for each section, and an index.  336 pages; ages 12 and up.

Pros:  Ray Anthony Shepard has written a masterful poetry collection, telling stories that will immediately engage readers.  He doesn’t shy away from telling both the terrible events his subjects witnessed and the less-than-great choices they sometimes made to fully portray their humanity.  Definitely deserving of some serious Coretta Scott King Award recognition.

Cons:  I wish there had been some information on the poetry and poetic forms used.

Remembering by Xelena González, illustrated by Adriana M. Garcia

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  The narrator is grieving the loss of her dog.  As she and her family remember him, she gathers his favorite things to create an ofrenda, or offering, for him.  Each photo she looks at reminds her of a time she and her beloved pet shared. She makes his favorite meal and pours him a bowl of water.  When everything is ready, the family celebrates their dog together on Día de Muertos.  Includes notes from the author and illustrator about the loss of their pets and additional information about Día de Muertos and how to make an ofrenda.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I’m adding this beautiful book to my list about grief and loss.  The simple text and realistic illustrations capture the bittersweet experience of grieving the loss of a pet and provide an excellent introduction to Día de Muertos.

Cons:  Keep the Kleenexes handy.

Stickler Loves the World by Lane Smith

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Published by Random House Studio

Summary:  Stickler, an eight-eyed creature who appeared in Lane Smith’s 2022 book A Gift for Nana, loves sticks.  And everything else he sees around him.  “Oh, to see it all anew!”  He gets that chance when he finds a space alien that’s just arrived to Earth (or so Stickler thinks; readers will realize it’s actually a bird with a can stuck on its head).  Stickler gives the creature a tour of all the things he loves: flowers, the ocean, the wind, rocks.  The can finally comes off to reveal Stickler’s friend Crow, who thanks Stickler for opening up her eyes to the wonders of the world.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Lane Smith’s textured illustrations gorgeously celebrate the natural world, and Stickler and Crow humorously present a message of mindfulness and appreciating the beauty all around them.

Cons:  Adults may appreciate the message more than younger readers.

Water Day by Margarita Engle, illustrated by Olivia Sua

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Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Summary:  A young girl describes the excitement of water day, when a man comes to her Cuban neighborhood to deliver water.  The family needs water to bathe, cook, drink, and flush the toilet. Bisabuelita (great-grandmother) remembers her childhood when rain fell every day, filling the water tanks. “What changed? Everything. Weather. Rivers. Groundwater. Lakes.” After the water man arrives and fills their blue tank, the fish lady shows up, selling tiny fish to eat the mosquitoes that come to the water, carrying malaria and other diseases.  The girl says good-bye, knowing she will see the water man and fish lady in another five days.  Includes an author’s note with additional information about the global water crisis and mosquitofish.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Cuba’s water crisis is described succinctly and quite matter-of-factly by the young narrator who sees it as part of her life.  The colorful illustrations add a cheery note to a pretty dire topic.  The additional information helps flesh out what is going on in the story.

Cons:  I was thirsting for a list of additional resources, but the well was dry.

See the Ghost: Three Stories About Things You Cannot See by David LaRochelle, illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka

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Published by Candlewick

Summary:  The dog and cat from See the Cat and See the Dog are back for this trio of tales about things you cannot see: namely, a scary ghost, a strong wind, and a mischievous fairy.  The animals get scared, blown away, and transformed by the invisible beings. In the end, all is to put to rights, and a fun and happy day is had by all, both those you can see and those you cannot.  64 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  This delightful series needs no introduction. I don’t usually review sequels, but I loved this one enough to make an exception.  This is one of the most popular early reader series in my library, and I can’t wait to introduce fans to the newest entry, perfect for fall.  See the Cat won a Geisel award, and I would love to see the same for See the Ghost.

Cons:  I thought the fairy’s transformations of the dog and cat could have been milked a bit more for humor.

When You Can Swim by Jack Wong

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Published by Orchard Books

Summary:  Adults show children the wonders of what awaits them once they learn how to swim.  Oceans and lakes beckon, with the beauty of nature and the adventures of jumping into the water and diving beneath the surface.  There’s diversity in the types of water and landscapes, the swimming experiences, and the people who are enjoying the water.  “When you can swim I’ll take you there,” a parent tells a child standing by the side of the pool.  “So swim, little one!”  Includes an author’s note about his own mixed experiences with learning to swim that were influenced by the experiences of his parents and grandparents.  48 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  I learned about this book when I saw that it won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for best picture book.  It’s a beautiful meditation on the glories of swimming, perfectly complemented with gorgeous illustrations that capture the light and shadows of the water.  You could pair it with one of the other books about swimming from this summer: Our Pool or Together We Swim.

Cons:  Because it is more of a meditation than a story, it may not hold the attention of every child.

Ways to Play by Lyn Miller-Lachmann, illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo

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Published by Levine Querido

Summary:  When Bossy Older Cousin Violet comes over, she doesn’t hold back in her opinion: Riley is playing with toys the wrong way and needs to be shown the right way.  Riley can play all day with a pile of newspapers, and instead of having dolls and stuffies to a tea party like Violet does, Riley likes to line them up by size.  Riley creates art by sharpening crayons and making little spirals with them.  Fortunately, Riley’s dog Charlie is more understanding than Violet is, and all the kids enjoy playing fetch and running around the yard with him.  “See,” Riley tells Violet, “There are lots of ways to play with toys.  And everyone’s way is the right way.”  Includes an author’s note about her personal childhood experiences, similar to Riley’s, and how she got some answers when she was diagnosed with autism as an adult.  32 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  A charming story that will appeal to many kids, both those who are neurodivergent and those who simply enjoy doing their own thing.

Cons:  Cousin Violet.

The Museum of Lost and Found by Leila Sales

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Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  Vanessa is mourning the loss of her friendship with former best friend Bailey when she discovers an abandoned museum near her house.  She decides to create an exhibit about Bailey to try to discover what went wrong between the two of them.  Although Vanessa tries to keep her museum a secret, before long her older brother and a few of her friends discover it and want to set up their own exhibits.  The group begins to bond as they create a map, admission fees, and a security system, and start inviting other kids to see their museum.  The most popular item on display is a mysterious painting Vanessa found in a back room of the museum.  Through some detective work, she eventually tracks down the artist, a move that ends up exposing the museum to adults.  This means the end of the museum as Vanessa has known it, but also an interesting new beginning.  Before long, other kids are creating their own museums all over town, including Bailey, who shows Vanessa her own take on their friendship that leads to the beginnings of a reconciliation.  304 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Whew! I didn’t even touch on Vanessa’s trichotillomania, a disorder she discovers she has near the end of the story, or her active-duty military father with whom she has a complicated relationship.  There are a lot of issues explored, but Leila Sales does it with grace and plenty of humor, creating an imperfect but lovable protagonist in Vanessa and delving into a myriad of topics that will resonate with middle grade readers.

Cons:  Vanessa’s disorder takes the form of picking at her skin, especially her cuticles, which kind of made me cringe every time I read about it.