Club Microbe, by Elise Gravel, (Apr 2024, Drawn & Quarterly), $17.95, ISBN: 9781770467026
Ages 5+
Elise Gravel makes some of the most fun science series: Club Microbe joins the ranks of Mushroom Fan Club and The Bug Club, making adorable cartoons out of subjects kids would normally scrunch their noses up at. Club Microbe is all about microorganisms: viruses, algae, bacteria, you name it, Gravel is fascinated with them. Gravel convinces readers that microbes get a bad rep because of a few creeps, like the coronavirus and rabies lyssavirus; there are loads of good microbes, like the bacteria that makes yogurt, or the germs that live in our intestines and help us digest our food (and make a little body music). There are microbes that help fight climate change, and microbes that help form snowflakes. Microbes are found everywhere on the planet – even volcanoes! – and without them, we’d be a dead planet. Gravel warms to her subject; her enthusiasm shines through, and her illustrations make expressive, brightly colored blobs of all sizes and shapes. A fun introduction that will delight any reader. Get a free virus printable and other science printables at Gravel’s author website.
It’s always a good day when I get to review Easy Readers! They’re so much fun, I can still read (most of) them at storytime, and I hardly get to review them. This new series, Tow on the Go!, is part of the Ready-to-Read series, and is all about vehicles – which, as I’ve said in the past, is an insta-win with my Corona Kids.
Tow on the Go! The Mambo Rescue!, by Patricia Lakin/Illustrated by Chiara Galletti, (Aug. 2023, Simon Spotlight), $4.99, ISBN: 9781665920063
Ages 4-6
Tow Truck Mo is a happy yellow tow truck who’s ready to pull his friends out of a jam – just give him a sec to play mambo music, because mambo makes Mo go! In this first Tow on the Go! adventure, Mo zooms through the snow to help 10 cars who have gotten stuck. How does he do it? Mambo, baby! Once he gets his friends grooving to the mambo beat, they’re able to get moving… right out of the snow. Adorable rhymes make this a great readaloud, with lines like “Mambo music does the trick. / It will free you super quick!” This is a great excuse to get the kidlings up and moving during storytime, too. Happy anthropomorphic trucks sport bright colors and big expressions; Mo is a happy tow truck ready to help. Large font helps emerging readers get the hang of reading and recognizing loads of sight words.
Tow on the Go! The Splish-Splash Puddle Dance!, by Patricia Lakin/Illustrated by Chiara Galletti, (Dec. 2023, Simon Spotlight), $4.99, ISBN: 9781665920094
Ages 4-6
The more recent Tow on the Go! book has a new character: Race Car Ro is having a great time splish-splashing in puddles after the rain, but he accidentally gets stuck in a hole and needs some help: it’s Mo to the rescue once again! What happens when Ro is too ticklish for Mo’s hook and his lasso won’t catch? Time to mambo free! This sweet series is all about looking on the bright side, and finding new solutions: “Can you mambo just like me? Dancing just might set you free!” Friendly-faced, bright cars and rhyme make these a delight to read out loud and gets kids – and grownups – moving. I hope readers get to meet more cars and trucks as Mo dances a mambo through more books.
Chef Edna, by Melvina Noel/Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera, (Apr. 2023, Abrams), $18.99, ISBN: 9781951836399
Ages 5-8
Have you ever heard of Chef Edna Lewis? You will now. Raised in Freetown, Virginia, in a town founded by her grandfather and other freed slaves, Chef Edna grew up on a farm and cooked with her mother, Mama Daisy, learning to measure out ingredients with coins: “A quarter’s worth of baking powder. A dime’s worth of salt”. She eyeballed, listened, and watched as her meals took shape; as her community gathered ’round to enjoy food together. But her parents passed, and Edna headed to New York to find work to help support her family; she took jobs answering phones and as a seamstress, making beautiful clothes for movie stars, but her real talent lay in creating food to bring people together, just like her life in Freetown. Eventually, that is exactly what she did: beginning with dinner parties and catered events, word spread and Edna’s Southern meals generated buzz and gained popularity, and Miss Edna eventually became Chef Edna, co-owner of an Upper East Side restaurant in Manhattan, where luminaries of all stripes came to eat Southern food. Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Honoree Cabrera creates gorgeous spreads with deep colors to evoke the clean feeling of a country kitchen and the warmth of a family gathering. A spread showing Chef Edna’s Manhattan clientele reveals some familiar faces, including Salvador Dalà and Eleanor Roosevelt; older readers who recognize certain celebrities will enjoy the secret reveal and can clue younger readers in. Back matter includes an author’s note, a biscuit recipe, and further sources for more reading. The cover is a beautiful illustration of Chef Ednea holding a table full of people in her arms, illustrating the connection between food and community. Endpapers bookend her life, showing a farm and a woman wearing a colorful floral dress, holding a bag of fresh food and flowers, crossing a street in the city. A wonderful celebration of a life well-lived, Chef Edna is an excellent add to picture book biographies.
Visit the Edna Lewis Foundation for more information about Chef Edna, her books, and a scholarship in her name that funds study for young, upcoming Black chefs.
The Fire of Stars : The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of, by Kirsten W. Larson/Illustrated by Katherine Roy, (Feb. 2023, Chronicle Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781452172873
Ages 6-9
This picture book biography on astronomer and astrophycsicist Cecelia Payne charts the birth of a star with Payne’s rise – also the birth of a star, albeit in the astrophysics and astronomy fields. Born in the English countryside and moved to London at an early age, Cecelia Payne is fascinated with nature and science. Pencil and ink illustrations, digitally colored, show Payne as she grows from curious child to focused, science-mined young woman, alongside the celestial creation of a star; the descriptive text mapping to moments in Payne’s life. After graduating Cambridge, Payne traveled to America, where she ultimately discovered that stars are composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. Back matter includes more about Payne and being a woman in the sciences and a deeper dive into the panels illustrating a star’s creation. There is also a timeline of Payne’s life and a bibliography. It’s a beautifully illustrated book that marries its subject with the phenomenon she helped further define. An excellent selection for STEAM and STEM collections and biography collections.
The Queen of Chess : How Judit Polgár Changed the Game, by Laurie Wallmark/Illustrated by Stevie Lewis, (July 2023, Little Bee Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781499813067
Ages 6-9
As a child, Judit Polgár watched her parents teach her older siblings to play chess; at the age of five, it was her turn to learn. The Queen of Chess, the picture book biography of chess prodigy Polgár, chronicles her rise and dedication to the game. Stevie Lewis beautifully communicates Polgár’s intensity, beginning with the cover illustration, where Polgár stares intensely at a chessboard – and possibly, the reader? – hands folded in concentration. The Queen of Chess is a love letter to chess without necessitating knowledge of the game. Wallmark tells the story of Polgár’s passion for the game and determination to attain the rank of grandmaster; Lewis creates illustrations that communicate both Polgár’s intensity and her joy: she smiles as she and her sister go over patterns and play “blind chess”, where they sat back to back, announcing their moves to one another. Wallmark writes of Polgár’s “ferocious” and “fearless” game while noting that checkmating her opponents made her giggle and smile. Lewis captures a moment where Polgár lies on her bed, holding a book on chess positions, smiling with her eyes closed. Polgár wrote copious notes on her opponents and is well aware of the mental game involved in chess. Her determination won her medals and championships and made her the youngest grandmaster in history at the age of 15. The Queen of Chess will inspire and excite readers, possibly introducing another generation to the game. Back matter includes a timeline of Polgár’s life and a note on the mathematics of chess. An excellent choice for biography collections.
Visit the Judit Polgár Chess Foundation for more information on supporting chess programs for children. Judit Polgár’s website includes fun facts, photos, and appearances. ChessKid is a site that includes teaching materials for children who want to learn chess.
Potatoes for Pirate Pearl, by Jennifer Concepcion/Illustrated by Chloe Burgett, (Sept. 2023, Feeding Minds Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781948898157
Ages 4-8
Pirate Pearl and Petunia, her trusty parrot sidekick, sail the seas aboard the Jolly Oyster, but there’s a problem: all they have to eat is hardtack, and Pirate Pearl is sick of it! They make land and set off to find some better food, only to encounter Farmer Fay, who teaches Pearl all about potato farming. This informative, fun adventure uses pirate puns and bright, playful illustration to instruct learners on how to plant, grow, and harvest potatoes – and all the delicious ways to enjoy them. At the end of the day, Pearl and Petunia set sail, having made a new friend, and with a new food that’s just as easily grown on her ship as it is in Farmer Fay’s field. Back matter includes potato facts and recipes, with a heads-up from Pirate Pearl herself about having an adult help with any preparation and cooking. A charming and informative story for kids, and a great accompaniment to a STEAM or gardening program or lesson. Download a free activity kit from publisher Feeding Minds Press.
Halloween is my favorite holiday! I get to be spooky and goofy and dress up, encouraging everyone around me to do the same. Halloween storytimes are also my favorite, for the same reasons. I’ve got a few Halloween books to book-shout, but let’s start with the wee ones first, shall we?
Peekaboo: Pumpkin, by Camilla Reid/Illustrated by Ingela P Arrhenius, (July 2023, Candlewick Press), $9.99, ISBN: 9781536229813
Ages 0-3
Any time I get to enjoy Ingela P Arrhenius’s artwork is a good day. Peekaboo: Pumpkin is the latest in the Peekaboo series from Reid and Arrhenius, taking little readers through a series of rhyming words and accompanied by sliding panels, surprises, and adorable illustration. Sliders let little fingers explore a pumpkin’s shifting eyes, light candles, enjoy a game of peekaboo between a ghost and a cat, a frog and a spider, and other delightful pairings. A mirror reveals itself at the end, inviting a game of lapsit peekaboo. Arrhenius’s illustrations have expressive, cheerful characters, colors pop off the page. The pages are sturdy and the sliding panels will hold up to a great deal of exploring. This one’s a keeper for collections.
Holiday Magic: Happy Halloween!, by Harriet Stone/Illustrated by Giovana Medeiros, (Aug. 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684646401
Ages 0-3
Blend a fun Halloween rhyme with Venetian window panels and playful illustration, and you have a great interactive board book. Happy Halloween features shifting panels and clever cut-outs to create a rhyme about how vampires, mummies, werewolves, and black cats all get ready for Halloween, letting each friendly character change before a reader’s eyes: “This mummy’s tangled bandages are startingto undo! / Underneath, a skeleton jumps up and shouts out, BOO!” Perfect for a Halloween storytime, kids will delight in seeing a vampire morph into a bat, a mummy into a skeleton, a little boy into a werewolf, and a black cat into a witch in front of their eyes. The characters are friendly, never scary, and use of purples and dark blues, plus gratuitous smiling spiders, pumpkins, and other Halloween touchstones set a playful stage for Halloween. Buy a copy for your storytime reference, as the shifting panels may get worn out by curious learners who will open and close the book repeatedly to see how the change takes place. Holiday Magic: Happy Halloween! is a holiday companion to the Animal Magic series from Kane Miller, which includes In the Jungle, In the Ocean, In the Night, and In the Snow, all of which employ Venetian paper design. (And there will be a Merry Christmas book, too!)
See the Ghost: Three Stories About Things You Cannot See, by David LaRochelle/Illustrated by Mike Wohnoutka, (July 2023, Candlewick Press), $9.99, ISBN: 9781536219821
This is one of the best Easy Reader series in recent years. If you loved See the Dog and See the Cat, you’re going to go bananas for See the Ghost, which brings Dog and Cat together with a Ghost and a Fairy for three hilarious stories. Each story can be read as a standalone, but they also build upon one another to create a laugh-out-loud trilogy. The first story, “See the Ghost”, has Ghost scaring Dog and Cat… and eventually, themselves! In “See the Wind”, the Wind gets a bit carried away, blowing everything off the page: including the words to the story! “See the Fairy” introduces Trixie, a fairy “so small that you cannot even see me”. Trixie is a playful fairy with a mischevious streak, and Dog, Cat, and Ghost have to teach Fairy how to play so that everyone has fun. Easy-to-read sentences make this a great book to give emerging readers, and large fonts and colorful, playful illustration makes for an easy readaloud. Spreads use an omniscient narrator and word bubbles; sentences get tossed to an fro with the wind, playing with format.
See the Ghost has starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist. Download fun activity sheets and a teacher’s guide at publisher Candlewick’s website.
To celebrate the release of Destiny Finds Her Way by Newbery Honor winner Margarita Engle, blogs across the web are hosting guest posts from Margarita as well as the book’s photographer, Sam Trull, who is also the co-founder and Executive Director of the Sloth Institute — a sloth rescue organization based in Costa Rica. Join us for a journey behind the scenes of how these two amazingly talented women teamed up to bring this inspiring, true story to readers everywhere and learn more about sloths and the work being done to protect them.
Rewilding Means Survival
by Margarita Engle
As a botanist, I have visited Costa Rica and other tropical rain forest regions at various times, beginning in the 1980s. As a Cuban American, I have loved tropical forests since my childhood visits to the island during the 1950s and early ‘60s, with many return trips since 1991.
There is no substitute for the protection of forests and planting of additional native trees. Every breath we inhale has passed through a green leaf. Every living species is dependent on the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide. Tropical forests are one of the essential sources of global balance. By protecting trees, we can slow climate change and avoid catastrophe.
Costa Rica has protected so much of its forest that it can be viewed as a role model for the rest of the world. Along with trees, wildlife survives. Sloths, monkeys, tapirs, jaguars, toucans, macaws, and other amazing species all benefit from rewilding. What is rewilding? It’s simply the return to a natural state. In other words, a forest or other habitat is restored by protecting existing trees from logging, and by replanting trees on previously logged areas. In a truly rewilded habitat, all the native animals are protected too. Orphaned and injured ones are rescued, healed, and returned to the wild. Balance is restored, and species survive.
Destiny is just one inspiring example of the work accomplished by scientists dedicated to preserving biodiversity.
(ages 4-8, Hardcover Picture Book, National Geographic Kids Books)
Newbery Honor winner Margarita Engle and photographer and Sloth Institute Executive Director Sam Trull team up to bring the inspiring and true story to life of how Destiny, a motherless baby sloth, sightless in one eye and rescued by Sam in the Costa Rican rain forest, defies the odds, overcomes her obstacles of limited sight and learns the skills she will need to return to her wild, forest home.
Without her mother to protect her or teach her, Destiny is found and taken to a rescue center in Costa Rica. The little sloth soon befriends other orphaned sloths. Her poor eyesight, however, makes it hard for her to keep her balance. Eventually Destiny begins to use all of her senses to explore the world around her. But can she learn to climb? Can she master the other skills she needs to survive on her own? And will Destiny be brave enough to return to her wild, forest home?
In addition to learning about Destiny and her journey, readers are immersed in the world of sloths and sloth rescue in this uplifting story about overcoming obstacles and believing in yourself.
Margarita was born in Los Angeles, but developed a deep attachment to her mother’s homeland during childhood summers with relatives on the island. She studied agronomy and botany along with creative writing, and now lives in central California with her husband.
Sam Trull has been a photographer and a wildlife biologist for decades. After many expeditions to Madagascar, West Africa, and Central America, in January 2013, she settled in Costa Rica, where she co-founded and is the executive director of the Sloth Institute. Her first photo book, Slothlove, was published in April 2016.
The Sloth Institute (TSI) is a nonprofit organization located in Costa Rica with the mission to enhance and expand the welfare and conservation of sloths through rescue, rehabilitation, release, research, and education. In addition, TSI works on targeted conservation projects to improve the safety and quality of sloth habitats and teaches other rescue centers how to better care for and release their sloths. TSI believes that all sloths were born to be wild and deserve that second chance at freedom.
NatGeo Kids once again rocks my nonfiction section with a new series for younger readers. So Cool/So Cute is perfect for preschoolers through first graders who love animals, whether they’re cool, like dinosaurs, or cute, like puppies. Filled with facts, amusing side commentary, and color artwork and photos, they’re a great add to displays and small enough to fit inside a backpack or Mom’s bag.
So Cute! Puppies, by National Geographic Kids, (Feb. 2022, National Geographic Kids), $6.99, ISBN: 9781426339066
Ages 3-5
Readers who love puppies will love this adorable collection of puppy facts and photos. They’ll come away with fun facts: did you know that playtime is just as important for puppies as it is for kids? It is! Playtime “teaches young pooches important lessons in how to make friends – and keep them”. They’ll learn a little bit about some of the over 400 dog breeds out and about, and how some puppies look very different at birth, like the Dalmatian, born without spots. Clearly labeled photos introduce kids to different dog breeds, and fun word bubbles give the puppies a say in the dialogue-based text. A perfect Dad joke ends this volume and will give readers a giggle.
So Cool! Dinos, by National Geographic Kids, (Feb. 2022, National Geographic Kids), $6.99, ISBN: 9781426339042
Ages 3-5
Puppies are so cute, but dinosaurs? They are SO COOL. This little book is filled with dino facts and colorful artwork, with humorous commentary to keep kids laughing while they learn. An armored Ankylosaurus warns readers, “You wouldn’t want to mess with this”, while a peevish Pterosaur gripes that they wouldn’t “want to be a dinosaur anyway”. Readers will find out ways that scientists learn more about dinosaurs, and yes, there is a mention of dinosaur poop (coprolite), to keep them entertained. There’s information about dinosaur descendants that live in our world today, dino babies, and different-sized dinos. Clearly labeled pictures also offer phonetic pronunciation, making dino researchers out of every reader. The ever-present Dad joke closes this volume.
Red Comet Press debuted a new Easy Reader series that is great for preschoolers and kindergarteners and SEL collections. Really Bird is a round, blue bird that lives in a city park and spends time with friends Cat and Pup. Really Bird is REALLY enthusiastic about things: “They call me Really Bird because when I’m happy, or sad, or thirsty, or scared, I’m REALLY happy, or REALLY scared… or REALLY thirsty!” Sound familiar? If you’ve spent any time around young kids, it should! The first two books hit shelves in April; let’s take a peek inside.
I Really Want a Bigger Piece! (A Really Bird Story), by Harriet Ziefert/Illustrated by Travis Foster, (Apr. 2022, Red Comet Press), $12.99, ISBN: 9781636550190
Ages 4-7
Really Bird, Cat, and Pup are having a blueberry pie picnic, but each has different ideas on how big a slice they should get. Pup feels like slices should be in size order; Really Bird is starving, so he wants a really big piece, and Cat is frustrated that his piece is messy and missing crust. Can the friends figure out how to share the pie to make everyone happy? The story is laid out in similar fashion to popular Easy Readers like Elephant and Piggie, the Ballet Cat books by Bob Shea, and Cece Bell’s Chick and Brain books, with the narration taking place as dialogue between the characters. The friends state the problem – how to figure out sharing the blueberry pie – and offer different steps to solve the issue, with pluses and minuses (plus – dog gets the biggest piece; minus – Really Bird gets the smallest!); the characters work together to resolve the problem, and all is well at the end! Discussion questions and an activity help kids reflect on what they’ve read and apply it to their experiences. Cartoony characters with bold colors and outlines make this an eye-catching book that makes for a great read-aloud, read-along, or read together.
I Really Want to Be First! (A Really Bird Story), by Harriet Ziefert/Illustrated by Travis Foster, (Apr. 2022, Red Comet Press), $12.99, ISBN: 9781636550183
Ages 4-7
Really Bird and friends are together again! Really Bird is usually last when the friends walk together, but decides today’s the day he’s going to be first! Now that Really Bird is the leader, he takes his friends on a hike that isn’t really easy if you aren’t a bird! Cat and Pup help one another down from a tree, and Really Bird is so focused on being first, he’s ready to start an argument over it. Thankfully, cooler heads prevail and the day is saved. Really Bird is a recognizable voice for young children who are still working on social skills and taking turns, and the story illustrates equity and equality through taking turns and in going on an adventure that isn’t always fair to everyone – all three can climb the tree, but it’s certainly going to be easier for friends with wings! Discussion questions prompt conversation and insight. The story has the comforting familiarity of starting out in the same way: an introduction to Really Bird, the park where he lives, and the origin of his name, along with an introduction to the book’s topic: “Today I REALLY want to be First!” versus “Today I REALLY want a bigger piece!”
I’ve got two fun books for dinosaur fans: one fiction, one non-fiction, both adorable.
I Am Hatzetgopteryx (I Am Preshistoric), by Timothy J. Bradley, (Nov. 2021, Arbordale Publishing), $10.95, ISBN: 9781643518213
Ages 3-7
Look at that brilliant beak! Look at that impressive wingspan! I Am Hatzetgopteryx introduces readers to a pterosaur they may not have heard of – yet. Everyone knows pterodactyls, but Hatzegopteryx is a more recent discovery (2002). I Am Hatzetgopteryx is an early reader that uses repetition and simple, factual sentences to teach readers about this pteranodon. A Hatzegopteryx chick hatches and goes through life, flapping and leaping, dodging and chasing, giving readers a glimpse into the prehistoric world. Artwork is colorful and the Hatzegopteryx’s bright orange and black beak jumps off the page, as does the pteranodon’s often colorful prey.
Never Teach a Stegosaur to Do Sums, by Rashmi Sirdeshpande & Diane Ewen, (Jan. 2022, Kane Miller), $12.99, ISBN: 9781684643424
Ages 3-7
Imagine what would happen if you could teach a dinosaur to do math? The little girl who almost caused a dinosaur uprising by teaching a T. Rex to read is back with a new dinosaur friend in a companion book to Never Show a T. Rex a Book (2021). Here, she teaches a stegosaurus to do math, leading to delicious baked goods, coding, even building a rocket ship to go to the moon! But wait! What happens when you can do math so well that you accidentally create a possible robot uprising? Never Teach a Stegosaur to Do Sums is a celebration of all things mathematics, with fun illustration details including cameos from our T. Rex friend and his storybook. The cartoon artwork portrays a young girl of color exploring all the things math lets you do, with exciting moments like opening a book and unleashing a whirlwind of numbers, pie charts, and bar graphs; unlocking codes and recipes; engineering bridges, and building rockets and robots. A poster of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson graces the girl’s bedroom wall, and rocket ship curtains frame her window; a dinosaur blanket covers her bed. The light, fun storytelling inspires kids to love math by illustrating its presence in our everyday lives. Pair with its companion book or with another fun dinosaur, like my old friend Dexter T. Rexter, for a fun dinosaur storytime: and don’t forget the Laurie Berkner soundtrack (and book)!
Fen’s Drop of Gray, by Brian Wray/Illustrated Shiloh Penfield, (Nov. 2021, Schiffer Kids), $16.99, ISBN: 9780764362194
Ages 5-8
A hedgehog named Fen loves to paint with bright colors, but one day, a drop of gray gets into her paints and colors her entire world: her paintings and everything around her lose their color, slowly turning gray and adding to her sadness. It’s not like Fen doesn’t want color in her world: she looks through her mother’s art books and tries to find rainbows in the rain, but the gray persists until her mother gives her new, colorful paints. With the color back in her life, Fen takes back her happiness and knows that when the gray tries to take her colors away again, she’ll be ready. A gentle story about how depression can sneak up on us, Fen’s Drop of Gray is Brian Wray and Shiloh Penfield’s latest intuitive story about managing emotions. Using the metaphor of a drop of gray finding its way into our colorful worlds is a great way of explaining those unexplainable “sads” that can show up unexpected, stripping the color in our lives. Try as she might, Fen can’t find her colors and she doesn’t know how to ask for help. Sometimes, all we need is someone – in Fen’s case, her mom – to reach through the gray. It’s not a cure-all, but knowing that someone is there to listen and help is the important message. It’s also important that Fen knows the gray may try to come back, and creates her own coping mechanisms for when that happens.
An important acknowledgement of childhood depression, Fen’s Drop of Gray is another must-have to put into your social-emotional collections and a good starting point for discussion.
Club Microbe, by Elise Gravel, (Apr 2024, Drawn & Quarterly), $17.95, ISBN: 9781770467026
Mom Read It 