Category: Uncategorized

Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Teen, Tween Reads, Uncategorized, Young Adult/New Adult

Graphic Novels catchup!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I fell a bit behind from reviews between life and the fact that I have trouble turning anything down (it’s really hard to Read All the Books! no matter how much one wants to), but I am giving it a college try. So here’s a catchup of some graphic novels that are already out, but that you may not have been able to check out yet.

 

The Blue Stars: Mission One: The Vice Principal Problem, by Kekla Magoon & Cynthia Leitich Smith/Illustrated by Molly Murakami, (March 2024, Candlewick Press), $22.99

Ages 8-12

A new middle grade series from middle grade powerhouses? Yes, please! Magoon and Smith take on social issues with a sensitivity and voice that middle graders will appreciate. Riley Halfmoon and Maya Dawn are cousins who move to Urbanopolis to live with their activist grandma. Riley isses her Muscogee cousins, and Maya misses her parents, but at school, they each join clubs and start getting into the swing of things just as their school culture is threatened. Using their talents, the two decide to join forces and go after the bad guy. Taking aim at money, power, and corruption, Magoon and Smith make their protagonists relatable and likable; they value family and community, and have rich diversity around them. An excellent pick for graphic novel collections, Blue Stars is the first in a new series. Visit The Blue Stars website for author information and tour dates and a free downloadable discussion guide.

The Blue Stars: Mission One has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.

Winx Club Vol. 1: Welcome to Magix, by Iginio Straffi (Created by) & Rainbow S.p.A., (Jan. 2024, Papercutz), $14.99, ISBN: 9781545811375

Ages 7-12

I have fond memories of Winx Club back in the early 00s; my older sons loved the show when it was on Nickelodeon! It was bright and cheery with a lot of action, and they were here for it, so seeing it some years later brought back some nice memories. That said, this book is an insta-hit with the kids at my library. They love anything magical girl, and this take on the Japanese magical girl subgenre is colorful, upbeat, and a lot of fun. Originally created by Italian animator Straffi, the show had some popularity with American audiences and is looking at a 2025 reboot, so it’s a good time to introduce readers to the series.

Volume 1: Welcome to Magix does not assume readers have any prior knowledge of the Winx universe, so you’re good. It’s the origin story, where Bloom, a fairy warrior, goes to Magix Fairy School , and meets a group of besties with superpowers of their own. They take on monsters and witches, and learn about themselves through their adventures and their developing friendships. The action is fast-paced and readers are going to gobble it up. If you’re looking for anime and manga-adjacent books for younger readers, consider Winx Club for your collections. Talk this up to your W.I.T.C.H. readers!

 

School for Extraterrestrial Girls ,Vol 2: Girls in Flight, by Jeremy Whitley/Illustrated by Jamie Noguchi, (Nov. 2023, Papercutz), $12.99, ISBN: 9781545806968

Ages 8-12

We finally have a sequel! Four years ago, Whitley and Noguchi released the first School for Extraterrestrial Girls and it was so good. I am so happy that a second volume is on shelves, because this is such a good story. When we last left Tara, Misako, Summer, Kat and friends, the school had been destroyed in the big final battle. Taking place immediately on the heels of Volume 1, Girls in Flight has the students moving to a new, hidden school where they will wait out their school’s reconstruction. The location: The School for Extraterrestrial Boys! The girls are staying in summer lake cabins while the boys stay in the castle where classes are held, and we get some romances in the story. We also get creepy Headmaster Stokes, who has a creepy obsession with Tara and her people. Whitley delves into burgeoning crushes, representation and diversity, and, naturally, a nefarious plot or two. The art is fantastic, with color and movement throughout. It’s another great story, and I hope school isn’t out of session for too long before we get a Volume 3. Give this to your fantasy readers; best for middle school, while some elementary kids will love the fantasy aspects.

 

Aya: Claws Come Out, by Marguerite Abouet & Clément Oubrerie, Translated by Edwige Dro, (Feb. 2024, Drawn & Quarterly), $24.95, ISBN: 9781770467019

Ages 14+

This is a YA and New Adult graphic novel series set in the Ivory Coast; a slice-of-life look into the lives of a group of people living in middle-class Africa. Aya is a college student and new intern at Solibra, a beer company. She finds herself at odds with the head of human resources, while her friend, Moussa is desperate for his CEO father’s attention. Her friend Albert has to find a new place to live after being outed, and his ex, Inno, discovers that the life of an undocumented immigrant in France can be difficult. Didier just wants to take Aya out to dinner, but Aya doesn’t seem to have the time, and Bintou discovers soap opera stardom comes with drawbacks. Translated from French and set in the 1980s, Claws Come Out is an interesting look at life in Africa at the time, but without reading previous Aya books, readers may be lost. Pacing and panel placement can feel disjointed. Purchasing all 6 books may be an expense in this budget crunch, but if you are interested in testing the title, try one or two of the first books in the series and see how they do before purchasing others.

The Inventor: The Dangerous Discovery, by Lars Henrik Eriksen, (Jan. 2024, Papercutz), $12.99, ISBN: 9781545811481

Ages 7-12

You know I can’t go long without recommending a STEM/STEAM book. The Inventor is that book. This first volume introduces readers to Cobalt Cogg and his grandfather, Alfred. The two live on the island of Mata-Mata, and Cobalt wants to be an inventor just like Alfred. There’s a problem when Cobalt and his friend Linnea get into an accident with one of Alfred’s inventions, and Cobalt must find a way to recover and move past his grief with the help of his friends and family. Touching on themes of grief and loss, tinkering and Alpha-Energy, Eriksen creates a tale that is interesting and touching. The look and feel is Miyazaki-influenced, so consider booktalking this to any Miyzaki fans you may have.

Volume 2 is due out in September, so your readers won’t have to wait too long if you invest them in the series now!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Saving Delicia: A Story About Small Seeds and Big Dreams

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Saving Delicia: A Story About Small Seeds and Big Dreams, by Laura Gehl/Illustrated by Patricia Metola, (Apr. 2024, Flyaway Books), $19.00, ISBN: 9781947888449

Ages 3-7

Kari and her dog Cookie sit in the shade of a delicia tree, listening to Old Otis tell stories about his youth, when delicia trees grew in abundance and he would eat fruit after fruit, the juice running down his chin. Blight has killed off all but one tree, but Kari holds hope. She saves the seeds after she eats the fruit, and asks Otis if he thinks she could bring the trees back. Moved to action, Kari learns about freezing and preserving seeds; her friends join her, and they create “Kari and Otis’s Seed Bank”, delighting Otis. Sadly, Otis and the last delicia tree die shortly after, but the following year, scientists solve the blight problem and Kari puts her seed bank to use. An older Kari sits among a delicia orchard, sharing stories with the children who cannot believe there was a time when there was only one delicia tree. A moving story of empathy, environmental stewardship, and intergenerational friendship, Saving Delicia is an excellent choice for Spring storytimes, and if you have a seed library (like my library!) or a gardening program, this is a must read. A note from the author expands on the importance of seed banks and biodiversity. The colorful illustrations are cheery, filled with hope, and show the incredible beauty of the many seeds that give life to beautiful and necessary plants: “So many seeds that could grow into brilliant bouquets or towering forests”. An essential for picture book collections.

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads, Uncategorized

New Earth Day Reads!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Earth Day is right around the corner! There are some great new books to have ready for a great readaloud. Let’s take a look.

Miss MacDonald Has a Farm, by Kalee Gwarjanski/Illustrated by Elizabet Vuković, (March 2024, Doubleday Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593568163

Ages 3-7

It’s a new spin on an old favorite! Miss MacDonald has a farm, and she loves to grow her own food in this ode to farm-to-table food. Kids are going to love this easy-to-learn song, with repetitive phrases like “Miss MacDonald has a farm. / She loves things that grow” and “E-I-E-I-GROW”. Miss MacDonald grows all sorts of yummy food, like tomatoes and green beans, sweet corn and pumpkins, and she “shuck-shucks” and “thrish-thrashes” her way through her fields, planting and harvesting her wares to bring to a farmer’s market and feasting at a community table with a diverse group of neighbors. It’s a fun way to illustrate where our food comes from and how it gets to the table, with colorful and appealing illustrations that show a young female farmer of color growing and harvesting her food. Back matter includes vocabulary that explains the steps in getting food to grow from seed to table, and a recipe for a harvest vegetable bake included in the story. I sang this story to a pre-k class during a school visit this week, and they loved it! This is a great story for anyone who’s doing flannel storytimes, too – get those colorful sheets out and make yourself a vegetable garden.

Chicken Soup for the Soul KIDS: The Sunshine Garden: Being a Team Player, by Jamie Michalak/Illustrated by Jenna Nahyun Chung, (March 2024, Charlesbridge), $14.99, ISBN: 9781623542863

Ages 4-7

The Sunshine Squad returns in this sweet story about kindness, teamwork, and gardening. The Sunshine Squad are six friends who loves to pretend they’re superheroes, and do some pretty great everyday superhero stuff. Mia, one of the Squad, learns that her grandma’s friend, Mr. Angelo, is sick and unable to tend to his community garden and steps in to help… but it’s a much bigger task than she realized. The rest of the Sunshine Squad step in and use their “superpowers” to get the job done and save the day! It’s a sweet story about helping one another and being kind, while showing kids that kindness can be a superpower. Back matter includes tips on being part of a team, with suggestions that work nicely within an Earth Day setting. It’s a good additional add to picture book collections, especially where Chicken Soup for the Soul books do well.

 

 

You Are a Little Seed, by Sook-Hee Choi, Translated by Jieun Kiaer, (March 2024, Charlesbridge), $15.99, ISBN: 9781623544287

Ages 2-5

Originally published in Korean in 2013, this is a gentle story that reads like poetry, describing seven types of flowers that bloom from different types of seeds and became beautiful flowers: “A seed, a seed blowing / in the wind… / took root in / the wild and bloomed / as a dandelion”. Children show up in the flowers as seeds and fully bloomed, showing readers that we can bloom under all sorts of conditions. A soft color palette creates a soothing setting, and the flower illustrations are breathtaking. A wonderful metaphor for how we grow and our beauty in diversity. My only concern is a pssage that describes a seed as “ugly and wrinkled”, which reads more like the author is referring to the child as unsightly; I’m hoping it was more of a moment where the child may feel that way but blossoms into themselves? Other than that, You Are a Little Seed is lovely.

You Are a Little Seed has starred reviews from Kirkus and Foreword Reviews.

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 picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

I Try encourages resilience

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I Try: Resilience for Little Ones, by Susie Brooks/Illustrated by Cally Johnson-Isaacs, (Dec. 2023, Kane Miller), $13.99, ISBN: 9781684645688

Ages 3-6

Kids show that humans can learn a lot about resilience from the animal kingdom in this sweet story about resilience. An inclusive and diverse group of children work together to try new things, as animals act as teachers: beavers show a group of children how to work as a team to build a tent, and penguins encourage a group of ice skaters to keep going, marching together in the coldest of weather. When a spider’s web breaks, it makes a new one, and when a boy’s baby brother tips his toy tower over, he takes a deep breath and starts over. Brooks touches on calming techniques. teamwork, and joy to get her message across, and Johnson-Isaacs creates gently colored illustrations with friendly animals and children to show readers that teamwork makes the dream work. A good additional purchase for social-emotional focused collections.

I Try is the companion to Brooks & Johnson-Isaac’s I Breathe: Yoga Poses for Little Ones (2020).

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

STEM Books to Explore

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m back with some new books to explore fun STEM concepts. I really miss having a Discovery Club at my library… maybe I’ll use these as a way to gauge some interest again.

Tree Spirits (2nd Ed., Revised), by Louise Wannier/Illustrated by April Tatiana Jackson, (Sept. 2023, True Roses Books), $24.95, ISBN: 9780990997658

Ages 3-8

This book was published in September of last year, but I’ve just seen a copy and wanted to include it here. Incorporating nature and art, Wannier creates fun rhymes that encourage readers to think and wonder at different photos of trees. The repeated questions invite readers to look at each photo, considering the swirls and bumps, shapes and bends of the featured trees. The author offers her point of view, and Jackson, with a turn of the page, offers an overlaid illustration of an animal in the tree. Color photos are crisp, with texture and detail. The rhyming text incorporates different emotions, making this a helpful inclusion in social-emotional collections as well as nature science and STEM/STEAM collections. A nice additional purchase.

 

Tree Spirits is an interactive picture book that encourages creativity, social-emotional intelligence, and seeing the world with fresh eyes. With 25 color photographs of trees, the rhyming text asks, “What do you see when you look up at this tree?” inviting a child to use their imagination. Turning the page reveals an illustrated overlay of a charming animal inspired by the lines and shapes of the tree bark. Each animal introduces a different emotion, helping children understand their inner spirit and feelings.

All About Color, by Elizabeth Rusch/Illustrated by Elizabeth Goss, (March 2024, Charlesbridge Publishing), $17.99, ISBN: 9781623543532

Ages -8

Rusch gets into deep stuff in this exploration of color, telling readers right off the bat that “Color doesn’t exist. The sky is not blue”, giving a few additional examples before explaining that we perceive color when light sends messages to our brains. Rusch discusses how color helps us in our day-to-day lives: they can describe emotions, like “seeing red” and “feeling blue”; they can warn us, as illustrated by the bright red triangle on a black widow spider; they can let us know when to stop and go, as with a traffic light. Goss’s boldly outlined illustration offers bright color washes to communicate Rusch’s succint explanations. Rusch uses simple sentences to allow emerging readers to enjoy this book on their own or as part of a readaloud. A good introduction to the science of color. All About Color is the companion title to All About Nothing (2023), an introduction to negative space.

 

 

Hands on Science: Motion, by Lola M. Schaefer/Illustrated by Druscilla Santiago, (Feb. 2024, Charlesbridge Publishing), $16.99, ISBN: 9781623542450

Ages 4-8

This introduction to the science of motion is too much fun! Enter the Physics Lab and let the narrator take you on an interactive journey where you can poke, tilt, and push the book to learn about gravity and friction: poke a dollop of whipped cream to discover how your finger’s force can change its shape, and guide a marble through a series of inclines to see how it changes its path. Scientific terms are bolded for easy reference, and colorful illustrations keep readers engaged. Caregivers and educators will love these easy experiments: no muss, no fuss! If you have a Science Club, you may even want to set up similar experiments to guide scientists through during a readaloud. Schaefer includes examples of journaling observations and predictions; back matter includes additional ways we use forces every day, and an experiment for readers (and their grownups!) to conduct at home. This is the third entry in the Hands-On Science series by Schaefer and Santiago. A very good addition to STEM collections for emerging readers. Download the free Hands-On Science activity kit at the Charlesbridge Publishing website.

 

 

 

Posted in Uncategorized

Happy New Year!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hello, all! After a great holiday season, I’m back and refreshed and I hope you are, too. Posts returning shortly as I get the reviewing machine that is my brain up and running in 2024 mode. In the meantime, please check out the CYBILS Finalists for 2023 – I was a Round 1 Judge on Graphic Novels and there was an unbelievable number of great graphic novels published last year.

In the meantime, get the scoop on January middle grade releases here at Reading Middle Grade and Teen Librarian Toolbox. I’m excited about The Misfts! Read Brightly has a good rundown of picture books coming in the first six months of the year. Find January YA at Confessions of a YA Reader.

Sit back, relax, and grab a book. It’s going to be a good year.

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 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 Uncategorized

Update: Not blog-fading!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hi, all. I know it’s been weeks since you’ve seen an update, and the posts have been fewer and farther between for a while. I’m still kind of learning to juggle life and work these days, so I’ve been posting less, but I am still here, I’m still figuring things out, and I’m still loving to read and share kidlit.

The big news: I was promoted to manager of my branch a few months ago. Hence, the figuring out juggling workload and lifeload. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be; I love my library, my community, and the people I work with.

Other big news: My Kiddo is now a middle schooler! He’s graduated from picture books (Nibbles, we hardly knew ye) to manga. He’s also taking on a preteen (GAH!) schedule, so that’s contributed to the juggle.

And honestly, I just needed a little bit of a break. So I’ve had little breaks, I’ve been doing the juggle, and now it’s time to get back to the posting and booktalking. Thanks for taking this ride with me.