Rosemary Kiladitis

Fiction, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Tween Reads

Tales from the TBR: Realia by Ulric Alvin Watts

Posted on July 25, 2024July 23, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Realia, by Ulric Alvin Watts, (Oct. 2020, Smashwords), $2.99 (e-book), ISBN: 9781005273897

Ages 8-12

Graeme Pendlebury is the smartest kid in his fifth grade class, which means he’s got to be the smartest kid in his K-5 school, right? He sees himself going to MIT after high school, because that’s where “high-tech, cuttingedge, things that obviously very smart people must have worked on”, and he’s very interested in robots, solar-powered race cars, new personal computing technology, and the Internet. Set in the late ’90s, Watts’s young hero is a child prodigy who’s ripe for a sci-fi adventure, and he finds one during a trip to the Computer Museum at MIT, where he receives a valuable gift and meets a mysterious new teacher at school whose classes are strange at best. Once Graeme’s blissful fog brought on by his good fortune clears, he realizes that there is a something very strange going on, and it’s up to him to save the human race. Kirkus sums it up best by calling Realia “Isaac Asimov meets a sci-fi version of Goosebumps”. There are aliens, conspiracies, and space and time travel, all set in a time before social media and starring a fifth grade boy who’s ahead of his class and possibly, his time. It’s a relatively short and quick read that sci-fi fans will enjoy. Currently, it’s available as an ebook; if you have Libby/Sora/e-book readers, consider a purchase.

picture books, Preschool Reads

Tales from the TBR: Akash and Mila and the Big Jump

Posted on July 25, 2024July 23, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Akash and Mila and the Big Jump, by Anthony C. Delauney/Illustrated by Chiara Civati, (Apr. 2024, Mascot Kids), $18.95, ISBN: 978-1637558607)

Ages 4-6

“Dadvisor” Delauney’s back with another story of overcoming fears and supporting one another. Akash and Mila are two friends excited to start their first gymnastics class, but Akash falls during a springboard jump. He’s embarrassed, which leads Mila to feeling self-doubt. Neither want to continue participating until their classmate, Dash (readers of Delauney’s books will recognize the character) comforts them by telling them he felt the same when he started gymnastics, and introduces them to his friend, Lulu. Together, Lulu and Dash provide encouragement to Akash and Mila, telling them that ““Making mistakes is okay. / We know they’re never planned. / But now you get to choose. / Do you want to try again? / We’ll support you no matter what happens in the end”. The two friends try again and receive cheers from their friends as they succeed. Civati’s illustrations are colorful and cheerful, with diverse characters. The rhyming text is appealing to younger readers. A good additional purchase for collections.

Early Reader, Fiction, picture books

A story to garden by: The Soil in Jackie’s Garden by Peggy Thomas & Neely Daggett

Posted on July 24, 2024July 23, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Soil in Jackie’s Garden, by Peggy Thomas/Illustrated by Neely Daggett, (May 2024, Feeding Minds Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781948898164

Ages 5-8

Jackie is a little girl who gets a group of friends together to garden and celebrate the fruits of their labor in this fun cumulative story that is loaded with fun, easily readable facts about gardening, composting, plant life cycles, and more. The group is inclusive and diverse, encouraging readers to see themselves doing the work in a community garden. The verses play with language, inviting readers to join in and squirm like a worm, smack their lips, and buzz like bees, while callout boxes on each spread expand on the verses with factual text: “These are the worms – squirrrm! / that stir the soil in Jackie’s garden” is accompanied by a fact box with two sentences about worms. Readers familiar with stories like The House That Jack Built will easily recognize the format, and new readers will love the familiarity of having repeat verses, giving them familiarity with the story. Back matter includes information on the soil cycle and how to make a compost pile. Create a great gardening display with Kalee Gwarjanski’s Miss MacDonald Has a Farm , Lois Ehlert’s Planting a Rainbow, and Anna McQuinn’s Lola Plants a Garden!

Intermediate, Non-Fiction, picture books

Colossal vehicles keep the world moving

Posted on July 24, 2024July 22, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Colossal: Heavyweights of the Vehicle Universe, by Stéphane Frattini/Illustrated by Studio Muti, (Aug. 2024, Twirl Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9782408052478

Ages 5-8

Learn about the world’s largest vehicles and machines in this oversized book filled with facts and figures. There are 28 different machines included in here, including Cadillac One, trusted with carrying the President of the United States, Bagger 293, an excavator and heaviest land vehicle, and the International Space Station. Detailed illustrations are accompanied by interesting, easy-to-read facts and diagrams to show scale and detail. Did you know that Bigfoot 5, the biggest monster truck, weighs about the same as two elephants Or that a cruise ship like Harmony of the Seas has 18 decks, a helipad, and 20 restaurants, cafes, and snack bars? Colorful drawings feature cross-sections to show interior areas like the inside of a passenger airliner and spacecraft crew module, and readers will be amazed scaled illustrations that show a tractor and 30 cars weighing the same thing on a scale. An exciting addition to elementary nonfiction collections.

Colossal is the companion to Incredible: Stars of the Plant World by Benjamin Flouw and Spectacular: Miracles of Nature by Philippe Nessmann and Alex Asfour.

Intermediate, Non-Fiction, picture books

When Beavers Flew: Geronimo!

Posted on July 23, 2024July 20, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

When Beavers Flew: An Incredible Story of Rescue and Relocation, by Kristen Tracy/Illustrated by Luise Uribe, (July 2024, Random House Studio), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593647523

Ages 5-8

In 1948, the town of McCall, Idaho was growing and coming up against beavers. They were everywhere. Idaho Game Warden Elmo Heter came up with a plan to relocate the beavers to an area where they could develop a wetlands habitat unmolested. After multiple attempts to transport the animals via horse and mule, he landed on a solution: parachute-drop the beavers in boxes made to pop open when they hit the ground. Tracy’s narration is light, even playful; sensitive to animal lovers by concentrating on Heter’s desire to relocate the beavers to a place where they will flourish and the care he took to create boxes that would keep them safe. Digital illustrations are soft, with earthy colors and include sketches of Heter’s journal entries. Back matter includes an author’s note, sources for additional reading, and a photo of Heter. A positive story about a little-known moment in conservation and environmental history.

picture books, Preschool Reads

Scorch, Hedgehog of DOOM, is fierce (and cute)!

Posted on July 22, 2024July 20, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Scorch: Hedgehog of Doom, by Cate Berry/Illustrated by Margherita Grasso, (July 2024, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645678670

Ages 4-7

An adorable class pet wants everyone to think she is ferocious, but Class 402 just thinks she’s so darn cute! No matter what she does: sink her fangs into a mango; wields an apple slice like a sword; or storm her little cliff to squeak at her observers, it doesn’t matter; everyone loves to coo at Scorch. When she accidentally finds herself in the snake tank next to hers, she’s got to rely on being both adorable and ferocious to earn everyone’s respect. Author Berry wrote Scorch’s story with the hope that readers will see themselves in her: a flexibility that allows for multiple aspects of a personality – and the self-awareness to embrace those aspects. Grasso’s digital illustrations show a spirited, tiny hedgehog with a determined expression: she clutches her fists; she sees herself consumed by flames of energy; she gnashes her little teeth, and still manages to be the cutest thing in the room. Endpapers depict classroom drawings of Scorch and her slithery neighbor. An all-around fun read that kids will enjoy for multiple readings.

Scorch: Hedgehog of Doom has a starred review from Publishers Weekly.

Toddler Reads

Check out this high-contrast board book series that grows with your baby!

Posted on July 20, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Kane Miller has the inside line on a board book series that grows with your baby: author Lily Murray and illustrator Jane Foster have new, high-contrast board books made for cuddle time. Originally released in the UK, the publisher has brought them to the U.S. Let’s take a look.

Jane Foster’s Baby’s First Stories (0-3 Months), by Lily Murray and Jane Foster, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $10.99, ISBN: 9781684649105

Ages 0-12 months

Four rhyming animal stories make up this first board book: an elephant uses her trunk to sing a special song; a panda snoozes and spends a day at play; a playful whale spends the day with under-the-sea friends, and a bunny spends the day exploring before retiring to her burrow for bedtime. Developed for babies 3 months old and younger, the high-contrast black-and-white illustration work is perfect for baby’s developing brains. The animal illustrations include contrasting shapes and patterns to help babies develop visual focus, and the simple rhyme is easy and soothing to read: “Little whale dives through the seas, / Where turtles swoop and glide. / She meets a friendly starfish / Who asks to hitch a ride”.

Jane Foster’s Baby’s First Stories (3-6 Months), by Lily Murray and Jane Foster, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $10.99, ISBN: 9781684649112

Ages 0-12 months

As baby gets a little bigger, Foster adds a splash of color to her illustrations and Murray includes fun activities in the storytelling to engage baby and caregiver: “Now here comes an octopus / Tickling your tummy. / Tickle, tickle everywhere / Tickling’s so funny!”; “There’s Panda! Smiley Panda, / Waving back at me. / I see Panda! Hello, Panda! / And Panda sees me”; “Little Elephant, stomp your feet. / Little Elephant, waggle your nose. / Little Elephant, flap your ears. / Little Elephant, touch your toes!” Caregivers will enjoy tickling and identifying noses, feet, and ears during lap time and cuddle time. The animals from the Baby’s First Stories 0-3 months return, providing comfortable continuity, and the rhymes incorporate movement, questions, and answers while adding blue backgrounds and details to the black and white images and patterns help developing eyes grow stronger and continue creating neural networks.

Jane Foster’s Baby’s First Stories (6-9 Months), by Lily Murray and Jane Foster, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $10.99, ISBN: 9781684649129

Ages 0-12 months

The animal friends celebrate baby’s new milestones with stories about daily routines: Panda goes through a morning routine of waking, washing up, and getting dressed; Bunny enjoys a tasty lunchtime; Elephant has a bath after playing in the mud all day, and Whale gets ready for bed. As baby reaches 6-9 months, these rhymes parallel a baby’s busy day and include questions like, “Have you finished, Little Bunny? / Let’s clean you up, don’t wait!” and playful phrases like, “Gently, gently, with a towel, / Rub-a-dub-a-dub! / All clean, Little Elephant… / …till the next time you find mud!” A cheery splash of orange joins the blue, black, and white illustrations and makes the animals’ patterns stand out, easily recognizable. An adorable way to go through the day’s activities and teach babies about routine.

Jane Foster’s Baby’s First Stories (9-12 Months), by Lily Murray and Jane Foster, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $10.99, ISBN: 9781684649129

Ages 0-12 months

New friends, additional color, and more complex stories await developing babies and toddlers. Murray and Foster introduce new animal friends, including a tortoise and a duck, all sporting vibrant, high-contrast patterns. Playful text and question and answer formats make reading interactive, inviting readers to search for Bunny, help cheer Panda up and scratch his nose, find Elephant’s missing clothes, and guess where Whale’s friends are hiding. Active phrasing and rhyming text keeps babies engaged, and fun wordplay allows for playful storytimes: “Who’s this coming now, / Creeping oh so slow? / Plod-plod-plod! It’s Tortoise! / Where did Bunny go?”

Each book is easily read and enjoyed by a variety of ages while offering a grow-as-you-go approach to the special milestones of baby’s first year. Bold, high-contrast artwork and fun, rhyming text that becomes more complex keeps baby’s attention while assisting development. The series is an excellent addition to early childhood collections and makes a great gift for a new baby.

picture books, Preschool Reads

Happy Book Birthday, Somewhere in Between!

Posted on July 16, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Somewhere in Between, by Laan Cham, (July 2024, Random House), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593651568

Ages 4-7

Once upon a time, a child fell from the sky and make two friends who didn’t get along. Pink, a little girl, arrives in a bright, colorful placed called the Land of Sunshine, where a friendly creature named Fireball welcomes her and shows her around, but cautions Pink never to visit the nearby glacier; he tells her it’s “full of trolls”. Pink’s interest piqued, she finds a way onto the glacier where she meets Snowball, a friendly snow-person, and sets off on a day of play until Fireball sees her and begins arguing with Snowball. Determined to make her new friends get along, Pink creates her own Pink Land and invites the two new friends to visit, where they discover that they enjoy playing together after all. A playful story about friendship, jealousy, and conflict resolution, kids will easily relate to Pink’s dilemma as she tries to negotiate friendship with two bickering parties. Cham incorporates word bubbles and graphic novel-like panels into her narrative storytelling, giving readers multiple points of interest. The chibi-like digital illustrations are colorful and adorable; immediately eye-catching for readers and varying size fonts convey emotion and emphasis. Endpapers include extra details, including Pink’s explosive arrival and later, band-aids crossed over her entry point as she frolics with Snowball, Fireball, and her little rock friends. Kids will clamor for this sweet story.

Laan Cham is a first-generation Singaporean-British-American illustrator from New Jersey who currently lives in Vancouver. Somewhere in Between is her author-illustrator debut, and she is the illustrator of the forthcoming chapter book series Camp Scream.

picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

The Elephant and the Sea is a love letter to rescuers

Posted on July 4, 2024July 3, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Elephant and the Sea, by Ed Vere, (May 2024, Doubleday Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780525580904

Ages 3-7

Gabriel the Elephant looks back on his younger years in this story that salutes sea rescuers. As a young elephant, Gabriel wanted desperately to join the lifeboat crews; “he wanted to be brave like them – “rowing into danger, helping sailors in trouble at sea, singing as they went” – but first, he was too young to join them; then, too big to fit in the boat. Undeterred, Gabriel researched, planned, practiced, and ultimately made his own boat – and just in time, when a big storm hits and Gabriel has to save the fleet and the rescue boat! Vere blends an inspiring story of determination and spirit with an adventure to create a tribute to “all the brave people who risk their lives to save others”, as mentioned in his dedication. Use of the repetitive phrase “Heave away, haul away, heave-HO!” comes in handy for an interactive readaloud, and Vere’s illustration, heavily outlined and set on what looks like aged paper, adds the real feeling of an old document. Don’t miss this one. Download a free Elephant activity here!

The Elephant and the Sea has starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly.

picture books, Preschool Reads

The Secret Elephant… based on a true story!

Posted on July 3, 2024 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Secret Elephant: Inspired by a True Story of Friendship, by Ellan Rankin, (Apr 2024, Random House Studio), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593703267

Ages 4-8

Inspired by the true story of Denise Weston Austin and Sheila the Elephant – a female zookeeper and her young charge, whom she kept safe during the bombing of Belfast in World War II – The Secret Elephant is a story that animal lovers of all ages will love. Told from Sheila’s point of view, we learn that Austin and Sheila were very close before the War, and that the young elephant was terrified and alone during the bombings, prompting Austin to stay with her and calm her. Weston had the idea to hide Denise at her own home after the Zoo closed for the day, allowing Sheila to live in her home, safe and comforted. When she was discovered, she had to go back to the Zoo, but Austin stayed with her, refusing to leave her friend alone. Rankin’s storytelling is warm, charming, and emotional; she uses brief sentences and evocative language to help readers empathize with the frightened elephant. Rankin’s brush illustrations provide texture and look like paintings with slight aging, letting readers feel the passage of time. Details include photos of Austin and Sheila in Sheila’s enclosure, and before-and-after moments show the chaos of living with a growing elephant: photos are askew, rugs bunched up. Rankin also shows the love between animal and person, as she shows Sheila playing with Austin’s yarn as she knits; Austin holding Sheila’s trunk as she leads her home; the hug between Sheila and Austin, reunited years down the line, both with “a few more wrinkles now”. An author’s note is smartly written as a series of newspaper articles, adding more texture to the story and engaging reader interest. Readers will love this story of light in a dark time of history.

Weston and Sheila’s story was made into a 2017 film, Zoo. You can find photos of Austin and Sheila at WartimeNI.