picture books – Page 25

Non-Fiction, picture books, Women's History

Dressing Up the Stars: A picture book biography with style

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Dressing Up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head, by Jeanne Walker Harvey/Illustrated by Diana Toledano , (Sept. 2022, Beach Lane Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781534451056

Ages 4-8

Famed costume designer Edith Head may be a new name to many younger readers, but Harvey and Toledano’s story about the little girl who grew up dressing up her pets for tea parties and creating dollhouse furniture from scraps will appeal to readers with a creative bent. The story follows Head from her childhood in a Nevada mining town to her move to Los Angeles, where she lost herself in the magic of movies; from her beginnings as a sketch artist who didn’t know how to draw, to her rise as the definitive Hollywood costume designer, Dressing Up the Stars focuses on Head’s resolute determination to create her own movie magic. Back matter includes an author’s note on Edith Head’s life and career. Mixed media artwork creates a variety of textures, and colorful illustration stands out against the pale backgrounds, much like Edith Head, who famously dressed in grays, whites, and blacks so that “the movie stars could imagine themselves in their roles”. A very good addition to picture book biography collections. If you have maker programming at your library or in your classroom, Dressing Up the Stars is an especially essential purchase for your collection.

Download a free Dressing Up the Stars activity kit from Jeanne Walker Harvey’s website. Encyclopedia Britannica has an entry on Edith Head, and online magazine supplement The Cut has an article featuring 30 of Edith Head’s designs that you may be interested in sharing with readers.

Jeanne Walker Harvey has had many jobs, ranging from working as a roller coaster ride operator to an attorney for high-tech companies to a writer of magazine articles to a teacher of Language Arts and writing workshops at a public middle school. She has also been a longtime docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. She is the author of several books for young readers, including the picture book biographies Dressing up the Stars: The Story of Movie Costume Designer Edith Head, Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas, Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines and My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey. Jeanne studied literature and psychology at Stanford University. She lives in Northern California. Visit her online at www.jeanneharvey.com.

Twitter: @JeanneWHarvey

Pinterest: @JeanneWalkerHarvey

Check out the many resources here at Jeanne Walker Harvey’s website!

Diana Toledano is the illustrator of picture books including One Snowy Day by Diana Murray and the Polly Diamond series by Alice Kuipers. She grew up in Spain and now lives in Sacramento with her husband and their young daughter. Learn more at Diana-Toledano.com.

Instagram: @dianatoledano

Facebook: Diana Toledano

Pinterest: Diana Toledano

Intermediate, picture books

A piece of Candy gets her big shot in Digestion: The Musical

Posted on October 30, 2022October 29, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Digestion: The Musical, by Adam Rex//Illustrated by Laura Park, (Oct. 2022, Chronicle Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9781452183862

Ages 5-8

Publisher Chronicle Books calls it “The Magic School Bus: Inside the Human Body meets Hamilton”, and how can you top that description? Digestion: The Musical is a look at digestion, set as a musical: a small-town piece of candy desires to be something important and a chorus of mini-carrots guide readers through all the action. Cameos from body parts, including an explosive appendix, kidneys, and intestines, and an old piece of swallowed gum add to the hilarity. Kids are going to laugh out loud reading this one (there’s an entire disco number dedicated to Number Two) and guaranteed, they’ll remember all about the digestive process after reading this one. An illustrated glossary defines terms. Endpapers highlight a cast of food characters sitting in the audience and working backstage. Digital illustrations are vibrant, colorful, and cartoony and will win readers over.

If you have felt foods left over from a storytime, get them out and invest in some more felt to create your own digestive system and take your storytime to another level.

Digestion! The Musical has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.

Need to know what this book would sound like set to music? Ponder no longer:

picture books, Preschool Reads

Sleepy Happy Capy Cuddles loves all the ways to cuddle!

Posted on October 29, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sleepy Happy Capy Cuddles, by Mike Allegra/Illustrated by Jaimie Whitbread, (Oct. 2022, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645675594

Ages 4-8

The rainforest is alive with squeaks and squawks, grunts, grows, and hisses, until the day a cheerful capybara shows up and introduces cuddles to all the animals. Some animals aren’t so sure about the full-on cuddle: turtle’s worried it will make their shell less tough, and hugs make green iguana uncomfortable, but capybara assures everyone that a cuddle can take whatever form makes you comfortable: it’s just about being together! One animal after another FLOOFS along with the capybara, making the rainforest a friendlier, cuddlier place than ever before. Cheerful storytelling illustrates the power of a hug while reassuring readers who may be uncomfortable with full-on contact that cuddles can take whatever form makes them feel happy, secure, and loved. An author’s note touches on the book’s inspiration (Capybaras really do FLOOF!), and endapapers reveal a lush rainforest setting. Pleasant cartoony animals are cute and will appeal to readers; shades of yellow, green, and brown give the artwork an earthy feel. This will make a good readaloud for preschool and kindergarten classrooms, when kids are still learning their boundaries, and the boundaries that others feel comfortable with.

Visit the Sleepy Happy Capy Cuddles book detail page on Page Street Kids’s website to download a free activity kit, complete with capy facts and an activity on consent.

picture books

Internet Personality Peet Montzingo’s picture book story

Posted on October 25, 2022October 24, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Little Imperfections: A Tale of Growing Up Different, by Peet Montzingo & Rockwell Sands, (July 2022, Ginger With a Soul LLC), $19.99, ISBN: 979-8986283616

Ages 4-7

TikTok personality Peet Montzingo tells his story of growing up different in his rhyming picture book autobiography. Peet grew up in a family where he was different: his father, mother, sister, and brother are all little people. Little Imperfections looks at Peet’s life: his family’s health concerns; his fractured relationship with his father, his troubled teen years when he acted out, and his ADHD diagnosis. Montzingo addresses dwarfism, physical and mental health, love, and acceptance. Back matter includes an author’s note and a link to a video adaptation of Little Imperfections. Colorful artwork is eye-catching and vibrant.

Peet Montzingo is a multi-faceted artist with a curious and kind heart, whose talents span creating original content, singing, comedy, and so much more. Through his fascination with the local mysteries of his neighborhood to his deep bond with his mother and family, Peet skyrocketed to internet fame, gaining more than 20 million followers across social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, who find themselves deeply engaged and supportive of his endeavors.

Peet struggled in a traditional school environment as he was diagnosed with ADHD when he was a young child, yet he has harnessed his creative abilities to expand into the world of music, acting, and creating videos on social media platforms. His large following on social media has opened the conversation on being more educated on dwarfism and shown people how to approach life and adversity in a humorous light.

He grew up as the only “normal” sibling in a little people family but has used his personal experiences and open personality to encourage and brighten other people’s lives. Peet often raises awareness for dwarfism with a lighthearted and charming presence, shining a loving light on his mother and siblings, all of whom are little people.

Find him at @peetmontzingo

Rockwell Sands is an author, musician, and entrepreneur. On top of composing the original score for the visual portion of ‘Little Imperfections’ alongside Peet, he has written songs that have received worldwide radio airplay and have been featured in several forms of media, from Netflix original series to car commercials. Rockwell lives in Brooklyn and has been close friends with Peet for over ten years.

Find him at @rockwellsands

picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour and Giveaway: IT’S NOT THE THREE LITTLE PIGS! by Josh Funk

Posted on October 24, 2022October 23, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

I know, two blog tours in one day! Josh Funk’s latest It’s Not… fairy tale is here, and his poor, beleaguered narrator is back, this time trying to tell the classic tale of…

It’s Not the Three Little Pigs, by Josh Funk/Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor,
(Nov. 2022, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542032438

Ages 4-7

The narrator shares duties this time with a fourth pig: Alison, the storyteller of the family. As the three pigs go off into the world, Alison changes up the story, leading to hilarious interactions with the omniscient narrator. There are fun STEAM elements to the story this time out, with each pig’s home showing off blueprints and comments on architectural and engineering elements (and one lament over bathroom placement that will leave readers giggling). There’s a Wolf at the door this time, too – but whether he’s big or bad remains to be seen. Narration broken up with comic dialogue and played for laughs; change up your voice during readalouds or invite a reader or two to join in. A spot-the-character ending will give readers the opportunity to chime in on who they can discover. Bright, playful cartoon artwork grabs readers’ attention, and endpapers show a host of objects from the story set off against a bright blue background.

Readers will love this addition to a fun series that never disappoints. An excellent addition to your fairy tales/fractured fairy tales collections.

“Those who love to make up their own stories will be inspired, and readers who march to the beats of their own drums will be delighted. Will leave readers as happy as a pig in mud.” ―Kirkus Reviews

Like the characters in his books, Josh Funk doesn’t like being told how stories should go―so he writes his own. He is the author of a bunch of picture books, including My Pet Feet, illustrated by Billy Yong; the popular Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series, illustrated by Brendan Kearney; How to Code a Sandcastle, illustrated by Sara Palacios; and Lost in the Library: A Story of Patience & Fortitude, illustrated by Stevie Lewis. He lives in New England with his wife and children. Learn more about him at www.joshfunkbooks.com and follow him on social media:

Facebook: Josh Funk Books

Instagram: @joshfunkbooks

Twitter: @joshfunkbooks

Edwardian Taylor is the illustrator of multiple children’s books, including Hey, You’re Not Santa!, written by Ethan T. Berlin; Goldibooks and the Wee Bear, written by Troy Wilson; the Toy Academy chapter books, written by Brian Lynch; and the It’s Not a Fairy Tale books, written by Josh Funk, among other titles. He lives in Texas with his partner and their three dogs. Learn more about him at www.edwardiantaylor.com and follow him on Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter @edwardiantaylor.

Two Lions is offering a giveaway of TWO titles from Josh Funk’s It’s Not a Fairytale series: It’s Not the Three Little Pigs and It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood (U.S. and Canada addresses). Check out the Rafflecopter giveaway!

picture books, Preschool Reads

Big Bear, Little Fish, Great Friends

Posted on October 22, 2022October 22, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Big Bear and Little Fish, by Sandra Nickel/Illustrated by Il Sung Na, (Sept. 2022, Carolrhoda Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781728417172

Ages 4-8

Bear goes to a carnival hoping to win a giant teddy bear, but wins a goldfish instead. Worried that she is too big to play with, feed, or love the tiny fish, she stays as far away from it as possible, lamenting the fact that she’s saddled with this little fish instead of a big teddy bear. Fish helps Bear discover that the two are not so different after all. With a sweet look at relative size and ability, Big Bear and Little Fish is a story of looking past the surface and snap judgements to get to the heart of a situation. It’s a wise story of friendship and kindness that reads beautifully for a young audience and gives slightly older readers food for thought. Cartoon illustrations endear the animals to readers; cool shades of blue against a bright white background provide depth and texture; warm browns and golds on the animals add a warmth to the narrative. Sentences are brief and to the point, letting newly independent readers enjoy the book on their own or as part of a storytime. A good selection for storytime collections.

A free educator kit on the Lerner Books website offers discussion questions and activities.

picture books, Preschool Reads

When Molly Ate the Stars… A Tale of Kindness

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

When Molly Ate the Stars, by Joyce Hesselberth, (Sept. 2022, Chronicle Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781797209401

Ages 3-5

On a starlit night, a girl named Molly decides to taste a star; its taste is so delicious, she gobbles them all up, leaving a dark, starless night. As Molly walks through the night, friends invite her to spend time with them, but she declines until she realizes that the world is a darker, gloomier place. Freeing the stars, she rejoins her friends to fill her with warmth and light. Molly’s dress looks like a cage, complete with lock and key, that she uses to hold and eventually free the stars; a cool purple and blue palette is a lovely contrast to the warm, redheaded Molly and her starlit body, illustrating her leeching the light and warmth of the night sky from her surroundings. A gentle reminder that we draw our strength and our inner light from the connections we make in our lives, When Molly Ate the Stars is a good choice for storytimes and collections where fables and fairy tales are popular.

Visit Joyce Hesselberth’s webpage for free printable activities!

picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: Lily and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work

Posted on October 17, 2022October 16, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

“Dadvisor” Anthony Delauney has a new book in his series of children’s books on financial literacy: Lilly and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work is a rhyming story about why parents go to work.

Lilly and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work, by Anthony C. Delauney,
(Oct. 2022, Mascot Books), $16.95, ISBN: 978-1-63755-292-6

Ages 4-7

Sisters Lilly and May cry after seeing their father head off to work, and Mom is there to explain: we have to work so that we have money to give our kids everything they need, from a home and food, to clothes and utilities. Money really does make the world go ’round, too: our money pays for other people’s jobs, from teachers and scientists to people who perform day-to-day services that keep our lives moving, like construction workers and firefighters. Mom explains all the reasons we earn and save money, and playful rhyme makes for a fun readaloud. Digital illustrations make for cheerful characters. The family appears biracial; Dad is lights-skinned, Mom is brown-skinned, and Lilly and May are light brown-skinned. Endpapers show a variety of people in different jobs. Back matter includes a fun matching game for children.

Visit Anthony C. Delauney’s website, Owning the Dash, for free financial literacy resources for children and parents.

picture books

Sloth’s Treehouse Inn is getting a little crowded!

Posted on October 12, 2022October 11, 2022 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sloth’s Treehouse Inn, by Carrie Hasler/Illustrated by Christina Wald, (Oct. 2022, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781943198139

Ages 4-8

Deep in the Amazon rainforest, Santiago the Sloth is the innkeeper at The Treehouse Inn; it’s a place where residents of the forest can go to relax, hang around, and take long naps. As humans encroach on the rainforest, more and more animals find themselves seeking shelter at The Treehouse Inn, and Santiago worries that he’ll run out of room. Luckily, out of the destruction, a spark of hope shines through: Santiago sees humans working together to plant new plants and trees, to grow new trees and plants and give back some of the land taken away. Inspired by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and conservation partners working together to study and rejuvenate the Amazon rainforest, Sloth’s Treehouse Inn is a gentle story about a very real danger facing our planet: the decimation of our natural resources. Back matter includes a note on the work being done to save the rainforest, and information on how kids can help. Front endpapers list Amazon animal fun facts printed on giant leaves; back endpapers show animals of the rainforest on a picture taken from inside the story. Realistic artwork has a touch of cartoon softness to endear Amazon residents to children; deep natural colors dominate the scenery. Storytelling personifies the animals and creates investment in the plight of the rainforest and the animals who live there; by showing people working together to reinvest in the natural resources, readers understand that humans have the ability to help – it’s not a lost cause! A good selection for animal collections and an excellent choice for rainforest and biome collections for younger learners.