Category: Intermediate

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction, picture books

Else B. in the Sea: A Naturalist’s Picture Book Biography

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Else B. in the Sea: The Woman Who Painted the Wonders of the Deep, by Jeanne Walker Harvey/Illustrated by Melodie Stacey, (June 2024, Cameron Kids), $19.99, ISBN: 9781949480283

Ages 5-8

Scientific artist Else Bostelmann’s story begins in 1930, when she ventures into the sea off the coast of Bermuda to discover the world underwater. Charged with painting what scientist William Beebe may have seen from his bathysphere, Else discovers an entire world below; fascinated, she dedicated herself to finding ways to accurately depict the colors and sights she encountered. Using a microscope, Beebe’s notes, and her talent as an artist, she brought these creatures to life on the page. Harvey tells Bostelmann’s story in verse, with Stacey’s watercolor, gouache, pastel, and pencil illustrations giving new life and bringing a new audience to Bostelmann’s work. Stacey captures Bostelmann, clothed in her red swimsuit and diving helmet, sitting underwater while Harvey explains the process: “Her weighted palette with dabs of apint / and attached brushes / floated within reach”. Back matter includes an author’s note, photos, and samples of Else’s paintings, with notes on the underwater color spectrum and sources for more reading. An excellent addition to picture book biographies and artist collections. Else B. in the Sea has a starred review from Booklist.

The Smithsonian Magazine has an article on Bostelmann. Author Jeanne Walker Harvey has a variety of free downloadable resources to extend a lesson or reading of Else B. in the Sea available on her website.

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction

Dogs Do Science: a graphic nonfiction series for intermediate readers

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

This is such a fun series with recurring characters and fun, smart science know-how. For readers that may be a little young for Science Comics, Dogs Do Science fits the bill nicely. Read on for more.

Dogs Do Science: Sound, by Anna Claybourne/Luke Séguin-Magee, (March 2024, Kane Miller), $12.99, ISBN: 9781684647804

Ages 7-10

Meet Professor Pooch: a learned and fluffy Bichon Frisé, they’re also the main character fo the Dogs Do Science graphic novel series. In Dogs Do Science: Sound, Professor Pooch is here to explain how sound works, using dogs and their superior hearing as examples for readers. Explained through a series of graphic novel sections featuring different breeds of dogs, readers will love the fun comics and easily understandable explanations of sound: why do dogs go berserk when the postman arrives? Why do our dogs come running when we think we’re shaking that food quietly? Why do chihuahuas have that sharp little bark? It all comes down to science! (By the way: tiny dogs have tiny vocal cords, hence the squeaky barks.) A “Sound Roundup” and pop quiz in the back matter help summarize and test readers’ knowledge. Cartoon illustrations keep things moving.

 

Dogs Do Science: Forces, by Anna Claybourne/Luke Séguin-Magee, (March 2024, Kane Miller), $12.99, ISBN: 9781684647798

Ages 7-10

This volume is all about force: “pushes, pulls, and other forces make things move – or stop, or change direction, or fall over”, as Professor Pooch puts it. A trip back in time with Dr. Whoodle the Poodle introduces readers to Sir Isaac Newton and a discussion on gravity; other comic strips teach readers about centrifugal force, air pressure, and intertia. A section called Spot the Spaniel’s “Spot the Difference” offers a fun activity where readers can search before and after pictures for signs of gravity. A “Force Roundup” and pop quiz summarize and reinforce readers’ knowledge.

 

 

Dogs Do Science: Light, by Anna Claybourne/Luke Séguin-Magee, (March 2024, Kane Miller), $12.99, ISBN: 9781684647811

Finally, we have Light, which starts off with the bright shiny thing that comes through the windows and wakes our dogs up every morning… and sometimes, shiny things blink outside the window. Professor Pooch and their amusingly dull  Doberman assistant are here to help, shedding light on the mysteries behind shadows, reflections, and how dogs see colors differently from humans. A recurring “Dogs in Space” comic takes how light travels in space. Spot the Spaniel has a fun shadow matching activity, and Professor Pooch’s Light Roundup and Poodle’s Pop Quiz complete the volume.

All in all, the Dogs Do Science series is fun, and works well with graphic novel collections where nonfiction is helpful and popular, aka History Comics and Science Comics.

Posted in Fiction, Intermediate

A new Nate the Great adventure!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Nate the Great and the Star Spangled Parrot, by Andrew Sharmat/Illustrated by Olga and Aleksey Ivanov, (June 2024, Delacorte Press), $14.99, ISBN: 9780593805558

Ages 6-9

Nate the Great’s back on the case, and this time it’s a double whammy: first, his friend Pip asks for Nate’s help locating his drone parrot, Penelope. The next day, his friend Claude asks for help finding his “brand new” friend, a drone named Baxter. It’s up to Nate to put the pieces together and figure out where the drone went, and get it back to the original owner. Andrew Sharmat, son of the original Nate the Great author Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, turns in another fun whodunit with Nate’s trademark wry sense of humor and keen ability to figure out a mystery. The hardcover-bound edition will hold up to multiple reads and circulations, and the color illustrations will keep readers engaged and delighted. The story centers on a July 4th picnic, so add this to your July 4th displays, too.

Want an activity to extend reading? SuperTeacher Worksheets has character matches and word searches for free! Want to incorporate Nate the Great into Summer Reading? Create your own detective mystery (it can be a scavenger hunt; I love those) and invite your sleuths to help!

 

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

Another kids’ classic goes graphic: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel, by Paula Danziger/Illustrated by Victoria Ying, (May 2024, G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers), $9.99, ISBN: 9780593615706

Ages 7-10

Full disclosure: I don’t think I’ve ever read any of the Amber Brown novels, which is insane, considering I’m a kids’ librarian. That said, I thoroughly enjoyed the graphic novel adaptation of Amber Brown is Not a Crayon, illustrated by Victoria Ying, who also wrote and illustrated last year’s YA graphic novel Hungry Ghost. Ying captures Amber Brown’s playful, quirky spirit and the close friendship she has with Justin, who is moving to Alabama, where his father has relocated for a better job. Ying uses bright, happy colors for Amber’s storytelling, with moody, purplish and green washes to denote painful memories: Amber’s parents arguing; her father leaving; Justin’s family packing up their home. Frustrated at trying to communicate her feelings, she and Justin have a falling out over a shared ball of gum, but reconcile right before the move; Justin confesses to having a hard time talking about his feelings, too. The art is appealing and the story stays relatable: themes of friendship, separating, and talking about our feelings will resonate with kids. Kids who love The Baby-Sitter Club and The Baby-Sitter’s Little Sisters will gobble these up.

Amber Brown is Not a Crayon: The Graphic Novel has a starred review from Kirkus.

 

Posted in Fiction, Intermediate, Non-Fiction, picture books, Preschool Reads

It’s AANHPI Month!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

What’s AANHPI? It’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and May’s dedicated to recognizing the contributions and influence of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders have and continue to have on American culture and history. Here are some books to think about when putting together collections and displays.

If Lin Can, by Richard Ho/Illustrated by Huynh Kim Liên & Phùng Nguyên Quang, (Apr 2024, Charlesbridge Publishing), $18.99, ISBN: 9781623543723

Ages 7-10

Posed as both a narrative and a series of thought-provoking questions, this picture book biography of basketball star Jeremy Lin touches on the obstacles Lin encountered on his way to becoming the first Taiwanese American to play in the NBA and inspiring “Linsanity” among fans. The story emphasizes Lin’s perseverance over racism and those who underestimated him, paralleled with Asian-presenting children encountering similar obstacles and connecting with Lin, who they see on TV or in the newspaper: “Have you ever tuned in to a radio, / turned on a television, / or opened a newspaper, / and discovered someone who looks like you?” Liên and Quang’s expressive illustrations show Asian-presenting children being ignored or bullied by light-skinned children, adjacent with Lin’s similar experiences. An inspiring addition to sports biographies and picture book biographies.

Read more about Jeremy Lin at the Jeremy Lin Foundation webpage, his Basketball Reference page, and his Instagram.

 

 

Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding, by Mitali Banerjee Ruths/Illustrated by Parwinder Singh, (Apr 2024, Charlesbridge Publishing), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623544188

Ages 4-8

The second Archana (her nickname is Archie) story focuses on Archie and her family preparing to celebrate her Uncle Poppy’s wedding to Julie. Archana, an Indian girl, helps acclimate Julie’s niece Emma, to the excitement of an Indian wedding and helps calm Julie. Emma is a stand-in for the reader, who Archie guides through the wedding celebration, explaining food, clothing, henna painting, and customs like the ceremony and stealing the groom’s shoes. Vibrant art captures the lively atmosphere, and Emma and Archie become friends as they become cousins after the wedding. A fun additional purchase for picture book collections, Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding is the companion to Archie Celebrates Diwali (2021). An author’s note about Indian weddings and a glossary complete the book.

Raising World Children has more fun facts about Indian weddings.

 

 

Other books to display/read/purchase:

 

Continental Drifter, by Kathy MacLeod,
(Apr. 2024, First Second), $14.99,
ISBN: 9781250813749

 

 

Fried Rice & Marinara, by Mike Yam/Illustrated by Laura Dong,
(Apr. 2023, VOOK Books), $17.99,
ISBN: 9781737726951


Pie in the Sky, by Remy Lai,
(May 2019, Henry Holt & Co), $21.99,
ISBN: 978-1-250-31410-9


Jhupli’s Honey Bee Box, by Achintyarup Ray/Illustrated by Shivan Choudhary
(Oct. 2023, Amazon Crossing Kids), $17.99,
ISBN: 9781662514678

 


Anni Dreams of Biryani, by Namita Moolani Mehra/Illustrated by Ghaaya Prabhat,
(Sept. 2022, Two Lions), $17.99,
ISBN: 9781542030410

Posted in Fiction, Fiction, Graphic Novels, Intermediate, Middle Grade

Winnie the Pooh gets the graphic novel treatment!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Winnie-the-Pooh, by A.A. Milne & Travis Dandro, (Apr. 2024, Drawn & Quarterly), $29.95, ISBN: 9781770466968

Ages 7+

PEN Graphic Novel Award winner Travis Dandro introduces a new generation of readers to the Hundred Acre Wood and its most famous inhabitants in his graphic novel adaptation of A.A. Milne’s classic, Winnie the Pooh. Winnie the Pooh entered the public domain in 2015, allowing for a graphic novel retelling. And what a perfect time for it! Graphic novels are more popular than ever, and Pooh’s stories are ready to speak to a new audience while revisiting old friends and readers. Faithful to Milne’s storytelling, Dandro lays out each story in black and white art, giving a soft comic book feel to the characters.  Features are softer, rounder, and Fans of the original stories will love Dandro’s interpretation. Removing the omniscient narrator, he gives characters dialogue and uses spreads and playful panels to tell the stories, adding amusing moments like Rabbit’s 11-step plan to “capture Baby Roo”, showing Rabbit reading from a sheet of paper while the list is laid out in enumerated detail. Endpapers show a map of the Hundred Acrew Wood and key locations from the stories. Dandro also created a brand-new story exclusively for the new volume. There are some lump-in-the-throat moments, beautifully interpreted and reimagined, and the famous moments – Pooh getting stuck in the “tight place” and Owl’s discovering Eeyore’s tail, for a couple – all here to enchant new readers. A lovely addition to graphic novel and classics collections.

Posted in Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction, picture books

More Earth Day Reading!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

There’s more Earth Day reading to be discovered!

Water : Discovering the Precious Resource All Around Us, by Olga Fadeeva, Translated by Lena Traer, (April 2024, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780802856227

Ages 8-13

Never let it be said that beautiful picture books are only for younger readers. This informative book about water has beautiful illustrations and is loaded with information about water: how much of it is on Earth; why it rains; why it’s so powerful, even how we get the water for our tea (or coffee!). Touching on the scientific and historical, Fadeeva answers questions with direct, easy-to-read factual text and backs it up with numbers that will put things into context: for instance, letting a faucet run while you’re brushing your teeth? That wastes about 2.6 gallons (10 liters) of water per minute! Jellyfish are composed mostly of water: 99%, to be exact, while a watermelon is 96% water. Fadeeva takes great care to make readers aware that we need to protect this amazing resource for our future: only 3% of the world’s water is fresh, unsalted water; of that, 1% of the world’s fresh water is accessible for human use. Fadeeva offers tips for conserving water and discusses issues impacting our world’s water supply, like microplastics and climate change. Colorful acrylic illustration accompanies the text and keeps readers tuned into the pages. Water is a companion book to Wind: Discovering Air in Motion (2023) and includes characters from the book.

Home, by Isabelle Simler, Translated by Vineet Lal, (March 2024, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780802856203Ages 5-9

Visit the homes of 27 different animals in this gorgeous book. From the comet moth’s silky apartment to the common tailbird’s haute couture bedchamber, Simler adds wit and playfulness to her subjects, each animal describing their dwelling in verse. The red ovenbird says, of their Mud Bungalow, “I sculpt it, layer by layer, like a potter. / And hidden under its clay dome you’ll find its distinctive feature”, while the carrier snail delights in its shell-covered shelter: “The exhibition’s taking place on the outside. / My cabinet of curiosities can be visited at any time”. Lush digital illustrations have deep natural colors and incredible texture, and back matter includes a glossary and recommended resources. This is the Architectural Digest of the animal world, complete with endpapers boasting blueprints of companion human dwellings. This one is a delightful choice for nonfiction collections.

Home has starred reviews from Booklist and Shelf Awareness.

 

 

Lola Meets the Bees, by Anna McQuinn/Illustrated by Rosalind Beardshaw, (Apr. 2024, Charlesbridge), $16.99, ISBN: 9781623543839

Ages 3-6

A new Lola book in time for Earth Day! This time, Lola and her mom are off to meet Zora, a friend of Lola’s mother, who is also a beekeeper! The three have lunch together as Lola watches the bees go from flower to flower, and then it’s time for Lola to don a special suit so that Zora can give her an up-close look at the hive. Beardshaw’s cheerful illustrations pair with McQuinn’s simple and engaging narrative, giving readers an introduction to beekeeping and bee colonies; as Zora gives Lola seeds to plant and create a “small wild place” for bees of her own, McQuinn raises awareness of a major problem facing bee colonies: the growing lack of wild spaces where they can live and proliferate. Lola Meets the Bees is another wonderful Lola story and a terrific Earth Day selection.

Anna McQuinn’s website has a section dedicated to Lola’s activities with flowers, if you need extension ideas for Earth Day or Lola storytimes.

 

Posted in Early Reader, Intermediate, Non-Fiction, Non-Fiction

Elise Gravel turns her microscope to Club Microbe

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

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.

 

 

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

Batter Up: Books for Baseball Season!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The baseball season just started earlier this week, and the kids in my library are loving it (we’re stops from CitiField, so we’ve got a lot of Mets fans here – and we even have a Mets library card). What else happens during baseball season? Baseball books! Let’s take a look at a few recently out.

Closet of Dreams, by Mark Ukra and Tara Mesalik MacMahon/Illustrated by Donna Dyer, (March 2024, Booklogix), $22.99, ISBN: 978-1665301664

Ages 8-12

Child is a nine-year-old boy who loves baseball. He’s got a wicked fastball and wants desperately to be on the Little League team, but the bullies targeting him aren’t making things easy on him. After confiding in his grandmother, he visits the Closet of Dreams: a place Gamma created for Child to seek refuge from his fears. Between the Closet of Dreams and the retired circus animals at the Kids Park where Gamma works, Child begins discovering an inner strength he never realized he had. Talking animals and a reassuring and loving intergenerational relationship makes this a good additional purchase to consider.

Closet of Dreams is the first in “The Adventures of Child and Gamma”, a new chapter book series.

 

 

Extra Innings, by Fred Bowen, (Feb. 2024, Peachtree Publishers), $16.99, ISBN: 9781682634110

Ages 7-11

The latest in Fred Bowen’s Sports Story Series is all about baseball – Mike is a 14-year-old kid who loves being a pitcher on his baseball team and he’s good at it. While his team depends on him to help bring the wins, Mike’s dad is a little worried that he’s concentrating too much on baseball and not enough on school or other responsibilities. Extra Innings is all about Mike and his father finding a balance. The main character is a teenager, making the book accessible to hi-lo readers as well as intermediate readers; themes of responsibility, parental relationships, and finding a work-school-life balance will appeal to tweens and teens alike. A good addition to chapter book collections where sports interest is high.

Visit Fred Bowen’s author page for more about his books and sports columns; he also has free resources available, including guided novel studies, discussion questions, and writing prompts.

 

Warrior on the Mound, by Sandra W. Headen, (March 2024, Holiday House), $18.99, ISBN: 9780823453788

Ages 8-12

It’s 1935 in North Carolina, and 12-year-old Cato wants to play baseball and meet his hero, Satchel Paige: the best player in the Negro Leagues. Cato and his friends are accused of damaging the new, whites-only ballfield in their town; an event that sparks racial unrest that threatens to burn out of control. Cato begins learning more about the relationship between field owner Luke Blackburn, a white man who was friends with Cato’s deceased father, but no one wants to speak about what happened the night Cato’s dad died. Themes of historical racism and violence power this book through a gripping narrative and conclusion, with a strong backbone of family, community, and sports. Back matter includes an author’s note, historical notes, timeline, resources, and further reading. An outstanding work of historical fiction and social commentary that belongs on shelves.

Warrior on the Mound has starred reviews from School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews. The Heritage Mom blog has an excellent review of the book and resources on Negro Leagues Baseball.

Posted in Non-Fiction, picture books, Preschool Reads

Funky Flamingos? But of course!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis
Flamingos are Pretty Funky: A (Not So) Serious Guide, by Abi Cushman, (June 2024, Greenwillow Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063234444

Ages 4-8

Abi Cushman has a companion book to Wombats are Pretty Weird (2023), and it’s all about flamingos. Friendly Joey the Snake is back as our guide through the world of flamingos, with more amusing commentary (we find out who he was named for this time). Cushman fills Flamingos with fun facts and entertaining dialogue from the birds themselves, especially the “Lesser Flamingo” who is not really thrilled with their name. You may have heard that flamingos get their pink pigmentation from their food, but did you know that during mating season, a gland near their tail provides an oil that they can use as DIY makeup? Or that their nests look like little volcanoes? You may also not want to wade out in water to catch a better look at a flamingo: they can withstand water that’s boiling hot or corrosive chemicals. Yikes! Side-bars and cartoon art, speech balloons and labeled pictures all facilitate learning, and informational backmatter, including glossary, make this a good addition to your animal collections. Visit Abi Cushman’s author webpage for some free downloadable resources!

Want a fun extension activity? This flamingo craft from Simple Mom Project is easy to print and assemble.