Category: picture books

Posted in Fiction, Intermediate, picture books

Blog Tour: Jhupli’s Honey Bee Box by Achintyarup Ray and Shivan Choudhary

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Amazon Crossing Kids has a list that gets stronger with every book release! This time around, we have a story originally released in India in 2022:

Jhupli’s Honey Bee Box, by Achintyarup Ray/Illustrated by Shivan Choudhary,
(Oct. 2023, Amazon Crossing Kids), $17.99, ISBN: 9781662514678
Ages 6-9

Jhupli is a child living in India, where she waits and worries about her father when he goes into the jungle to gather honey. There are dangers in the forest, and not everyone who walks in comes out. Why does Baba have to go to the jungle, she asks? He needs to gather honey, he tells her: “We get money by selling all that, and with that money, we buy rice, we buy dal. That’s how we have something to cook”. Jhupli, desperate to keep her father safe, starts looking into a way to keep her father safe, and has an idea: can’t the forest department give people honey bee boxes? She brings her idea to a teacher, who brings it to the honey gathering families and the forest department. Jhupli and the Honey Bee Box is about the love of a child for their father, about resourcefulness, and about the sometimes harsh realities of life in the jungle. Digital illustrations present gorgeous, honey- and grass-colored landscapes. Poignant moments run throughout the book, as when Jhupli stands at the riverbank, waiting for her father’s return, her shadow stretching long behind her. Tender moments show the love between parent and child: Jhupli’s father’s hand holds a piece of honeycomb to her upturned, eager face. A good purchase for picture book collections and for collections where there is an international focus.

“The tender tone and softly smudged illustrations lend the tale a gentle, dreamlike quality sure to delight young readers. A sweet story about harsh realities, laced with hope.” ―Kirkus Reviews

Achintyarup Ray lives in Calcutta, a large city in India, but his mind lies in the village where he spent many early years of his life. He works as a journalist. His passions are reading, writing, and translating the books he loves. He has a special interest in people and the environment. Jhupli’s Honey Bee Box is his first book for children. Follow him on Instagram @achintyarup.

Shivam Choudhary is a visual artist who lives in Chhattisgarh, in Central India. He can mostly be found sitting under a tree, painting pictures; pondering ideas; and chasing sunsets. He tries to observe and absorb the mundaneness of his surroundings and take pleasure in the little joys of life. Follow him on Instagram @bhukkkad.

Posted in Early Reader, Non-Fiction, picture books

Lives to learn about: Picture Book Biographies

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

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 Dalí 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 Fire of Stars has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and Kirkus. Learn more about Cecelia Payne at Physics World, the American Museum of Natural History, and Britannica.com.

 

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.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

It’s a Small World after all…

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Now more than ever, kids need – we ALL need – books with diverse points of view, and books that introduce readers to different cultures. Here are a couple I’ve enjoyed.

Sari-Sari Summers, by Lynnor Bontigao, (Apr. 2023, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536226140

Ages 4-7

Nora loves visiting her Lola – her grandmother – in the Philippines, where she also helps at her Lola’s sari-sari store. The store has everything, from candy to hair clips, mung beans to toys, and Nora cleans, organizes, and helps measure out dry goods for Lola’s customers. When a heat wave hits and Lola’s customer base dries up, Nora comes up with a creative idea: use the ripe mangoes in the tree outside the sari-sari store to make ice candy! Together, grandmother and granddaughter save their business in the yummiest of ways. Sari-Sari Summers is a warm intergenerational tale that introduces readers to Filipino culture with a great relationship between a grandparent and grandchild. Omniscient narration keeps the story’s pace while word balloons add new vocabulary and context to the tale. Digital illustrations show bright, warm colors; the endpapers show gold mangoes over a Lola’s green tablecloth. Nora delights in her job at the store, pictured smiling at the shelves of products and displaying childlike determination as she measures beans into a customer’s bag, one eye squinted closed and her arms tightly drawn in to prevent spills. Back matter includes a recipe for a tasty ice candy recipe that readers can make with their grownups. Delightful and upbeat, this is a great addition to storytime collections. Download Teacher Tips from publisher Candlewick’s webpage.

Education.com has a Philippines flag coloring page to hand out as an extension activity. Raise Curious Kids has a whole Philippines preschool unit with facts, crafts, and videos.

 

 

Rivka’s Presents, by Laurie Wallmark/Illustrated by Adelina Lirius, (July 2023, Random House Studio), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593482070

Ages 4-8

Rivka is a young Jewish girl living in the Lower East Side in 1918, the year of the Great Flu. Although Rivka wants to go to school, her father is ill and her mother must work; Rivka has to stay home and watch her baby sister, Miriam. To pass the time, Rivka turns to her neighbors to help her learn: from the grocer, to read and write; from the tailor, mathematics; from elderly Ms. Langholtz, who is studying for citizenship, Rivka learns about America. She trades chores for knowledge, and when her father is feeling better, Rivka’s family and neighbors have a celebration in store. A moving story about an immigrant community and how everyone watched out for each other, Rivka’s Presents touches on the impact that the Great Flu of 1918 had on an immigrant community, while providing a slice of life look into day-to-day life in the Lower East Side. Mixed media provides color spreads of tenements and pushcarts; of families living in one room and of small businesses who knew their neighbors by name. After every lesson, a spread shows Rivka, framed by her window, practicing what she’s learned, embracing the joy that learning inspires. While in color, illustrations appear to have a sepia overlay, giving a vintage feel to the artwork. Endpapers show a colorful mix of flowers, packages, letters, and numbers. Back matter includes an author note on 1918 and the Lower East Side and a glossary of English and Yiddish words that show up in the story. A wonderful look into a difficult time, Rivka’s Presents is an excellent addition to collections. Author Laurie Wallmark and Illustrator Adelina Lirius created a teachers guide, available at Wallmark’s website.

To talk to kids about tenement life and the Lower East Side, the best place to go to is the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. They’re one of my favorite museums. The National Archives has great resources about life on the Lower East Side, as does the Jewish Women’s Archive.

Posted in Early Reader, Fiction, picture books, Preschool Reads

Garrrrr! Pirate Pearl needs Potatoes!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

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.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Halloween Picture Books for Spooky Fun Read-Alouds

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Vlad the Fabulous Vampire, by Flavia Z Drago, (Sept. 2023, Candlewick Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781536233322

Ages 3-7

Flavia Z Drago returns to the world of Gustavo the Shy Ghost (2020) and introduces readers to Vlad, a vampire whose passion is fashion – but he’s so worried that his friends will discover that – GASP! – he has rosy pink cheeks that make him look “horribly alive”! He tries to design fabulous fashion to disguise his cheeks, but he know that deep inside, he isn’t being honest to himself or his friends. One day, he discovers that Shelley, his best friend, has been keeping a secret of her own, and the two form an even stronger support system that inspires them to love their unique qualities and encourage uniquene in others. Mixed-media illustrations and folk-art illustrations bring this story to life, with positive, affirming storytelling. Readers will love spotting Drago’s other characters, Flavia and Gustvavo. A delightful addition to picture book collections. Download a free activity kit at publisher Candlewick’s page!

 

 

 

There Was a Young Zombie Who Swallowed a Worm, by Kaye Baillie/Illustrated by Diane Ewen, (June 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645787

Ages 3-6

In this Halloween-y take on There Was an Old Lady… a young zombie gobbles up everything around him with amusing consequences. Young zombie, a green-skinned kid with head bandages, a torn green shirt and bright red ragged pants, munches his way through a bevy of creepy crawlies and ghouls, from the titular worm through bats, ghosts, and trolls until his tummy finally gives out. A fun seasonal take on the cumulative favorite, the rhyme scheme makes for a fun readaloud, with phrases like, “He swallowed the bat to catch the worm. / I don’t know why he swallowed the worm. / It made him squirm” and “He swallowed the troll to bother the beast, / Who grizzled and grumbled at being his feast”. As the story continues, kids wll be able to chime in with some passages they remember, and there are plenty of chances to get readers up and squirming, fluttering and flapping, giggling, and cackling. Colorful, expressive characters are cartoony, never scary, and endpapers show everyone who ends up in the Young Zombie’s hungry maw. A fun additional purchase for holiday collections.

There Was a Young Zombie Who Swallowed a Worm was originally published in 2022 in the U.K.

 

 

Billy and the Beast, by Nadia Shireen, (June 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645893

Billy is a little girl who can think fast – and she needs to, because she and her trusty sidekick, Fatcat, have to thwart a big, hairy beast from eating some adorable forest friends… and Fatcat! Billy is a girl of color, out on a stroll with her feline friend, saying hello to a Hedgehog, a Fox, some mice, and bunny rabbits, when they come across a big, blue, hairy Beast who’s making a “big pot of TERRIBLE soup” and needs “all sorts of unusual ingredients”. A quick look at the recipe, and Billy realizes that those ingredients include the animals she and Fatcat just encountered on their walk! Her quick mind and resourcefulness helps her come up with ways to keep the animals safe from the Beast, but when he reveals his final ingredient, Billy decides to enact some old-school fairy tale justice in a laugh-out-loud resolution. Cartoon artwork and expressive facial expressions make this a great read-aloud choice. Pair this with Alyssa Satin Capucilli and Tom Knight’s Bone Soup (2018) for a snacky storytime.

Billy and the Beast was originally published in the UK in 2018, and has two companion books, Billy and the Pirates and Billy and the Dragon.

 

The Pumpkin Who Was Afraid of the Dark, by Michelle Robinson/Illustrated by Mike Byrne, (June 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684647286

Ages 4-7

Boo is an adorable pumpkin who doesn’t like Halloween: she isn’t scary and she doesn’t want to be! All the other spooky pumpkins in Boo’s patch are chosen, but poor Boo sits all by herself. She doesn’t have scary cutout eyes or a wicked smile; she’s round, has big, friendly eyes, and a sweet smile. It turns out that she’s the best pumpkin choice for a brother and sister who venture into the patch: the little boy, dressed as a bat, is afraid of scary things! Told in rhyme, this sweet story takes the spookiness out of Halloween and talks about the fun: being with family, dressing up, and choosing the perfect pumpkin from the pumpkin patch; a pumpkin that will softly glow and keep the creepy stuff away. The brother and sister are brown-skinned, with expressive faces; Boo is softer than her fellow Jack-0-lanterns. She’s round and softly outlined; she’s a colorful orange with slightly more orange cheeks and bright green stringy arms, legs, and hair. A fun rhyming readaloud for holiday collections and a great opportunity to hand out pumpkin crafts!

The Pumpkin Who Was Afraid of the Dark was originally published in the UK in 2022.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: Willow and Bunny, by Anitra Rowe Schulte/Illustrated by Christopher Denise

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

A bunny who needs a home, a welcoming willow tree, and the power of kindness. This is the moving story of Willow and Bunny.

Willow and Bunny, by Anitra Rowe Schulte/Illustrated by Christopher Denise,
(Oct. 2023, Two Lions),
$17.99, ISBN: 9781542025690

Ages 4-7

 

A Bunny finds home in the loving branches of a willow tree, who keeps him warm and safe. When a stormy spiral tears through the forest, terrified animals run in search of shelter and find it within Willow’s embrace. With Bunny to help soothe them, Willow holds and protects all the animals from the storm, holding steady and strong in the face of the storm’s rage. After, when the animals discover the disastrous effect the storm has had on Willow, they come together to help her heal, and to spread her love. Using soft natural colors, Caldecott Honor artist Denise creates cozy settings using a soft, maternal glow of sunlight against the backdrop of warm greens and browns, creating the embrace of nature taking in the lone Bunny. Willow appears massive compared to the tiny bunny, but never overpowering; she is welcoming, beckoning, protective of her new charge. Schulte’s story weaves itself around the reader, creating a tale of mutual love and respect, of community, and empathy, while describing the chaos and terror of a disaster and the hopeful aftermath as members come together to heal and rebuild. This is a Giving Tree for a new generation, where everyone contributes to the benefit of all.

 

“This tale provides a vehicle for conversations both about weather catastrophes and, more generally, about strong bonds that endure through change.” —Publishers Weekly


“The cozy, kindhearted story is beautifully told, mixing moments of sweet simplicity and light peril with a gentle hand. . . . A gratifying glimpse of generous friendship.” —Booklist

Anitra Rowe Schulte is the author of Dancing with Daddy, which won the Christopher Award and the Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award. She has worked as a journalist for The Kansas City Star and the Sun-Times News Group, as a staff writer for Chicago Public Schools, and as a publicist. She lives in the Chicago area with her husband and their three daughters. Visit her at http://www.anitraroweschulte.com or @anitraschulte on Twitter.

Christopher Denise wrote and illustrated Knight Owl, a 2023 Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestseller. He is also the illustrator of many critically acclaimed children’s books, including Anika Aldamuy Denise’s Bunny in the Middle, Alison McGhee’s Firefly Hollow, and Anne Marie Pace’s Groundhug Day, as well as several in Brian Jacques’s award-winning Redwall series. Christopher lives with his family in Rhode Island. Visit him at http://www.christopherdenise.com and @christopherdenise on Instagram.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Nibbles goes to bed… or does he?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Nibbles: The Bedtime Book, by Emma Yarlett, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $16.99, ISBN: 9781684644933

Ages 4-7

Nibbles, my favorite book-nibbling monster, is back at bedtime in this latest adventure. After a long day of escaping into libraries and eating his way through all the books, it’s finally bedtime and Nibbles is in crate… but a quick lift of the flap shows readers that he isn’t: he’s off on another book-nibbling escapade, hilariously chomping his way through bedtime stories like The Ugly Duckling, Cinderella, and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. Will Nibbles finally slow down and get tired? Will fairy tales ever be the same? Flaps and die cuts reveal Nibbles’s adventures to readers, and the bright yellow monster pops off the quieter, darker backgrounds, letting readers easily spot him. A little bit of rhyme, mixed with exasperated storytelling and fractured fairytales, give readers a little something for everyone. A delightful addition to fairy tale collections.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Memo and the Unexpected Gift delights!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Memo and the Unexpected Gift, by Funda Özlem Şeran & Ezgi Keleş/Illustrated by Ezgi Keleş, Translated by Amy Marie Spangler, (Sept. 2023, Amazon Crossing Kids), $17.99, ISBN: 9781662512926

Ages 3-7

A lonely young boy named Memo lives with his grandmother and adopts an unlikely pet in this adorable story, translated from the original Turkish and available in the U.S. Memo loves his grandmother and tries to help her around the house, but she can’t see very well and gets tired very quickly, so Memo’s alone a lot of the time: until he finds a small kitten outside his house on a rainy night. He quietly moves the kitten into their home – Grandma can’t see it, right? – and cares for it, and the kitten grows strong and healthy. And BIG. In fact, Memo realizes, he hasn’t adopted a cat: he’s found a lion! As much as Memo loves his new friend, he also knows that a little cottage in a small town is nowhere to live for a lion, so he makes a decision that will bring unexpected, sweet surprises. Adorably narrated, with gentle and colorful illustration that show slice-of-life moments that become increasingly more humorous, this is a story that will win giggles and “awwwwww”s aplenty during readalouds. An unexpected hit for collections.

 

Funda Özlem Şeran is a Turkish author. Born in Istanbul in 1984, Funda received both her BA and MA degrees in political science and international relations from Marmara University. Her published works include horror anthologies, adult urban-fantasy novels, sci-fi novellas, and various children’s books. Her short stories have won several national awards, and she is published in Italian and Dutch anthologies. Follow her on Instagram: @fundaozlemseran

Ezgi Keleş is a Turkish author and illustrator. She was born in Istanbul in 1984. Ezgi graduated from the Department of Graphic Design at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and has worked as an art director at several advertising agencies. Now she writes and illustrates children’s books and magazines. She is a mom to one child and one cat. See more of her art on Instagram @ezgikeles.

Amy Marie Spangler is cofounder of the AnatoliaLit Agency in Turkey and the commercial and literary translator of numerous books and short stories. From 2007 until 2015, she headed the fiction-translation group of the Cunda International Workshop for Translators of Turkish Literature, and she has taught in the translation-studies departments at Boğaziçi University and Istanbul Okan University.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: The Light Within You, by Namita Moolani Mehra and Kamala Nair

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Light Within You, by Namita Moolani Mehra/Illustrated by Kamala Nair, (Aug. 2023, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542039123

Ages 4-8

A young girl named Diya is looking forward to visiting her Nani during her family trip to India for the Diwali celebration. She doesn’t yet feel at home in her new country, but when she returns to India, it’s the most wonderful sort of homecoming: the community, the preparations, all of the joy of home wraps Diya in warmth as she spends time with her Nani, where she imparts loving wisdom about Diwali and embracing her inner light: “Your inner light is your special spark! It will bring you joy and brighten the world around you”. With Nani’s guidance, Diya thinks of ways she can share her light – and her culture – with her American friends. As Diwali concludes and Diya prepares to return back to the States, Nani shares loving moments with Diya one last time, and Diya returns, renewed and ready to share herself and make new friends. Warm digital illustrations show expressive, gentle characters whose body language speaks volumes with loving embraces, leaning toward one another, and sharing smiles and deep conversation. Spreads show colorful bazaars and cultural clothing that flows and displays gorgeous patterns; Indian treats, like jalebi and laddoos, decorate the tables and mentions in the story. New vocabulary is bolded in the text and explained in a glossary at the end of story, where readers will also discover an author’s note that explains the religious history of Diwali, and a poem. There is a beautiful glow to lights throughout the illustration, and Diya’s time in India is swathed in shades of warm violets and pinks. The glow stays with Diya when she returns to the states, letting readers share her inner light. A celebration of Diwali, family, and home that readers will turn to again and again, The Light Within You is a must-purchase for holiday collections.

The Light Within You has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

 

★“Nair’s jewel-toned illustrations, sprinkled with dots of light, reinforce the text’s essential themes and its core bond between two family members who share a special connection and light each other up.” ―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

★“Mehra and Nair are exhaustive in creating the atmosphere. . . . There is a little something for all readers.” ―School Library Journal (starred review)

 

 

Namita Moolani Mehra is a children’s book author, cookbook author, and food and parenting writer. She wrote the picture book Anni Dreams of Biryani, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat, and the children’s cookbooks The Magic Spicebox and Superfoods for Superheroes. Namita also runs a social-impact business called Indian Spicebox that helps fund hot meals for underprivileged children in India. Namita was born in a remote village in Nigeria, grew up in the UK and India, studied in Chicago, and worked in New York for over a decade. She currently lives in Singapore with her husband and two children. Learn more at www.namitamehra.com, and follow her on Twitter @namstwit.

Kamala M. Nair grew up in Kerala, a small state on the southwestern coast of India surrounded by exotic wildlife, stunning beaches, lush green hills, and turquoise backwater. She is a professional architect and a children’s book author and illustrator. She recently illustrated The Way Champs Play, written by tennis champion Naomi Osaka. Kamala loves to travel and be immersed in the beauty of culture, architecture, and people around the world. She currently lives in Kerala. Follow her on Instagram @kamala_nair.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Meet Skeletina!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Skeletina is an adorable skeleton girl who lives in the in-between world. Her stories are inspired by Mexican culture, and what time of year is better to introduce Skeletina than Hispanic Heritage Month – and with Halloween and Día de los Muertos on the horizon? Come meet Skeletina and her friends!

Skeletina and the In-Between World / Skeletina y el Entremundo, by Susie Jaramillo, (Sept. 2022, Roaring Brook Press), $18.99, ISBN: (Eng.) 9781945635465 (Spa.) 9781250851055

Ages 3-6

Skeletina’s first book is an introduction to the spunky young girl and her world. She lives in the in-between, “the one place where the dead and living come together”; the living can vist there in their dreams, and the dead can wrap up any unfinished business. Skeletina visits with some of her friends, accompanied by her skeleton dog, Pancho, and seems to be in charge of keeping the in-between happy for everyone: she catches bugs that turn fears into nightmares, soothes the noisy prankster Rattles, and plays music to calm the nervous Sombra. Graphite and color pencil artwork beautifully creates an otherworldly feel. Skeletina and her friends are inspired by calavera artwork and Mexican folk art touches brighten and enliven the spreads. Endpapers show all of Skeletina’s friends, whom we can expect to meet in future books, all inspired by Mexican culture, made child-friendly. La Llorona, pictured here as a weeping ghost, “always makes things worse”, while Rattles (Matraca, or Rattles, in Spanish), “shakes everything” and looks like a collection of clattering surfaces. Easily readable and enjoyable for all ages, this is a series to keep on your shelves and in your storytime collections.

Skeletina and the In-Between World / Skeletina y el Entremundo is available in both English and Spanish.

 

 

 

Skeletina and the Greedy Tooth Fairy / Skeletina y el Hada Marada, by Susie Jaramillo, (Sept. 2023, Roaring Brook Press), $18.99, ISBN: (Eng.) 9781250872012 (Spa.) 9781250872005

Ages 3-6

Skeletina helps a young girl get her teeth back from Hada Marada, the Tooth Fairy’s greedy sister, in this second Skeletina story. As Skeletina spends time with her dog, Pancho, on a rainy day in the in-between, she discovers a crying girl, distressed because her teeth are falling out! Skeletina immediately knows who’s behind things, and sets off, with Olivia – the crying girl – to fetch those missing teeth. But Olivia learns that Hada Malvada grows stronger with every lie a child tells, so she has to own up to her fibs in order to restore her pearly whites. Graphite and pencil artwork is vibrant, providing a dreamlike landscape with giant horseflies, colorful fairies, and giant chocolate statues. Jaramillo beautifully makes black and white live separately with full color illustration. Cultural details are present in the background spreads, laying a rich Mexican tapestry to the story. Skeletina gently delivers a message about honesty and being true to onesself within a playful story about a mischevious fairy. Endpapers feature Skeletina, Pancho, and Señor Tic Toc peeking out of openings in the in-between house. Available in both English and Spanish, this is a delightful story for readalouds. Find more books and animations on the Encantos app.