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CYBILS Judges Announced!
The CYBILS judges for the 2016 awards have been announced, and I made the cut! I’ll be a second round judge for the Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction category, and I’m thrilled! Go to the CYBILS main page for links to the judges in each category and discover some great blogs.
Your turn is coming! Nominations open on October 1, and we want to know what you think are the best children’s and YA books you’ve read this year! Rules for nominating are here.
2016 Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction Judges:
First Round
Sherry Early
Semicolon http://www.semicolonblog.com
Kristen Harvey
The Book Monsters thebookmonsters.com
Brandy Painter
Random Musings of a Bibliophile http://randommusingsofabibliophile.blogspot.com/
Charlotte Taylor
Charlotte’s Library http://charlotteslibrary.blogspot.com
Brenda Tjaden
Log Cabin Library http://logcabinlibrary.blogspot.com
Second Round
Mark Buxton
Say What? http://buxfantasy.blogspot.com
Monica Edinger
Educating Alice http://medinger.wordpress.com
Heidi Grange
Geo Librarian http://geolibrarian.blogspot.com
Rosemary Kiladitis
MomReadIt https://momreadit.wordpress.com
Tasha Saecker
Waking Brain Cells wakingbraincells.com
Benny and Penny Say Goodbye to a Friend
Benny and Penny in How to Say Goodbye, by Geoffrey Hayes (Sept. 2016, TOON Books), $12.95, ISBN: 978-1-935179-99-3
Recommended for ages 4-8
While playing outside, Penny discovers Little Red, a salamander, has died. She’s upset, but her brother, Benny, seems more irritated by Little Red – and Penny’s grief – than anything else. Penny and her friend Melina bury Little Red and hold a little ceremony for him, which stirs up mixed feelings for Benny.
This latest book in the Benny and Penny early graphic novel series takes on the tumultuous emotions that death can stir up: grief being one, and guilt being another. These feelings are often overwhelming to adults; to children, they must feel like a tidal wave. Benny remembers times he was unkind to Little Red, which triggers his grief. Benny’s guilt motivates him to take part in Little Red’s memorial, and Mr. Hayes gives Benny, Penny, and readers a bright spot to end on.
There are some great books on dealing with grief and loss with children: most recently, Margaret Wise Brown’s The Dead Bird and Ida, Always, by Caron Levis. Each book speaks beautifully to children, and each handles grief differently – just like people do. How to Say Goodbye is a sensitive look at dealing with strong feelings in the wake of loss. An important addition to graphic novel collections and readers advisory lists.
There will be an educator’s guide closer to the book’s publication. Keep an eye on the Benny and Penny TOON Page for details.
Benny and Penny is an award-winning early graphic novel series. Benny and Penny in the Big No-No received the 2010 Theodore Geisel Award.
Real or Fake? Wacky facts and far-out fib from NatGeo!
Real or Fake? Far-Out Fibs, Fishy Facts, and Phony Photos to Test for the Truth, by Emily Krieger, (May 2016, National Geographic Kids), $7.99, ISBN: 978-1426324055
Recommended for ages 7-12
What a fun way to get kids learning – give them the craziest stories, and show them that truth is truly stranger than fiction. Real or Fake? is loaded with news stories – some are real, some are made up, but can readers figure out which is which? Answers are explained on a following spread, and a meter icon shows readers whether the story is “Honest Abe”, “A Little White Lie”, or a “Big Ol’ Whopper”. Fun Facts are sprinkled throughout the book – did you know it’s illegal to throw away food in Seattle? – and Real or Fake flash challenges, where kids are presented with a handful of fast facts that they have to call real or bogus on, round out the book. Crazy, funny collage art punches up the fun factor in this little book that’s packed with information.
I’m going to use some of these in a trivia contest with the kids at my library. Takeaway fact from this book: The stinky smell of blue cheese and sweaty feet is caused by the same bacteria. You’ll never look at your socks the same way again, and I can’t wait to introduce that tidbit at my next Discovery Club. Unsee that, kiddos!
Know Before You Grow: 100 Things to Know Before You Grow Up
100 Things to Know Before You Grow Up, by Lisa M. Gerry, (March 2016, NatGeo Kids), $9.99, ISBN: 9781426323164
Recommended for ages 8-12
It’s a NatGeo week this week, because their publicists were kind enough to send me a bunch of books to check out for my blog (and, by extension, my library collection). Today, I’m looking at one of the latest in their 100 Things series, 100 Things to Know Before You Grow Up, by Lisa M. Gerry. Think of it as a life skills primer: there are icons coding each of the 100 things, related to attitude (curiosity, responsibility, empowerment), skills (observation, communication, collaboration, problem-solving), and knowledge (our human story, our living planet, critical species, and new frontiers). Together, all of these things help readers become well-rounded, responsible teens and, eventually, adults.
There are fun skills, like making snow ice cream, how to fold origami, and how to create papier mâché; practical skills, like pumping gas, doing laundry, and writing checks, personal growth explorations like being tolerant, resolving conflict peacefully, and apologizing. Whether you see this as a summer challenge for your kids or patrons (complete any five skills for a prize this summer!), a bucket list for your pre-adolescence, or just a good guide to being the best person you can be, there are some great tips in here, combined with beautiful photos and interesting facts.
100 Things to Know Before You Grow Up is a good grad gift for elementary and middle schoolers, and it’s a good add to tween collections.
Just. One. Book.
I”m giving this a boost and hoping anyone, everyone, can help this library out. One book at a time; that’s how libraries are built. Please help if you can.
Just. One. Book.
I live in a town of 1200 people in the Northern Sierra Nevada –where it meets the Cascade Range near Mt. Lassen National Park and about two hours drive northwest of Reno, NV. Two hundred of that population is students. Over the years as the population dwindled after mines closed, then mills–nothing except tourism and retirement have emerged as ‘industries.’ Many businesses have closed down and with it many things we take for granted—like libraries.
The local junior/senior high school has not been able to purchase new books since the 90s. Some of the “check outs” for old books are in the 1980s. There are no books by people of color in the library. Hardly any books by women are in the few book cases except your standard Austen and Lee. It’s an uninviting place. There hasn’t been a librarian for nearly a decade. And volunteers weren’t allowed. The…
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Meet Claude in the Country!
Claude in the Country, by Alex T. Smith (Apr. 2016, Peachtree Publishers), $12.95, ISBN: 9781561459186
Recommended for ages 7-10
Claude is a beret-wearing housedog, living with his human family, Mr. and Mrs. Shinyshoes, and his best friend, a red striped sock named Mr. Bobblysock. One day, they decide to go on a walk in the country and find themselves at Woollybottom Farm. Spending the day helping Mrs. Cowpat, the farmer, turns into quite an education for Claude as he washes pigs (giving them quite the pampering), checks out competitive vegetable competitions, and his chased by a bull! Will Claude and Mr. Bobblysock go country, or will they go back home when the day is done?
The Claude books by Alex T. Smith were originally published in the UK; the first, Claude in the City, was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2012. I’m always happy to see a good intermediate series hit bookshelves, so I’m thrilled that this series is coming to US audiences. I received my ARC from the Peachtree Publishers booth at PLA, where the rep talked the book up so much, I couldn’t help but fall in love with it. Claude’s adorable, and seems to have a habit of meandering into situations where he happily dives into new experiences. Mr. Bobblysock is there as a companion, but tends to be pretty sleepy, so Claude takes the lead.
Animal fiction always does well for me, as does humor, so the combination of the two, with the adorably cartoony two-color art from Alex Smith, seals the deal. I just found out that Disney Junior UK has picked up Claude for an animated series, so let’s see how he fares on our shores, and maybe we’ll get some more Claude in our future. This is a fun beginner chapter book series for kids who are ready to start testing the waters beyond Easy Readers. Booktalk them and display them with your Mercy Watson and Leroy Ninker books; pit Claude against Bad Kitty to see whose adventures are more hilarious!
Check out more of Alex T. Smith’s art on his author webpage, including an adorable 90th birthday wish for the Queen of England.
Zaria Fierce returns in the Dragon Keeper’s Golden Shoes!
Zaria Fierce and the Dragon Keeper’s Golden Shoes, by Keira Gillett, (Jul. 2016, Keira Gillet Books), $14.99, ISBN: TK
Recommended for ages 10-13
Keira Gillet’s Zaria Fierce trilogy comes to a huge conclusion with the final book in her adventure, Zaria Fierce and the Dragon Keeper’s Golden Shoes. Picking up where Zaria Fierce and the Enchanted Drakeland Sword left off, Zaria and her friends need to rescue the Stag King’s son, Hart, stop Koll and his fellow dragons, and save Zaria’s birth mother, Queen Helena. No pressure, Zaria.
Zaria also feels the crushing weight of these responsibilities – and the part she played in them, when tricked by the dragon, Koll – and it’s taking its toll on her. Thankfully, her friends aren’t going to let her confidence flag; they’re there for an adventure, and they’re not going to let anyone, be it a dragon that personifies fear, or a fierce water-wyvern, stop them.
That’s the great thing about the Zaria Fierce trilogy: adventure is fast, furious, and loaded with Norse mythology, but the friendship between Zaria and her group of friends is the heart that drives this story. They won’t give up on Zaria, even when she’s ready to give up on herself; in turn, she will do anything to keep her friends safe. Even fight a dragon.
There are so many wonderful moments in this book, but to start talking about them would lead to spoilers. Suffice to say that Keira Gillett takes us on a hero’s journey, in the guise of a young girl whose entire life is upended one morning as she crosses a bridge to get to school. Zaria Fierce and the Dragon Keeper’s Golden Shoes brings us to the end of one story, and a wish to return to this universe soon.
Recommended for middle grade collections where fantasy is popular. I’d book talk this with other hero’s journey tales like CS Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia and Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson/Magnus Chase series; they’ll have a firmer frame of reference when you present the series with these popular fantasy tales. Talk up Zaria as a strong female character who overcomes her fears and self-doubts to outwit monsters, and save herself and her friends!
Cuddle your kids all over the world with How Far Do You Love Me?
How Far Do You Love Me?, by Lulu Delacre, (2013, Lee & Low Books), $11.95, 9781600608827
Recommended for ages 4-8
Based on a bedtime game the author played with her daughters, “How Far Do You Love Me” takes readers all over the world, comparing their love to the 13 breathtaking sights and locations in the modern world. “I love you… to the place where the eagle is lost gliding along the rim of the sky”, reads one spread, with a parent holding a child above her head, the Peruvian mountains of Maccu Picchu surrounding them. Each spread takes readers to a different locale and illustrates adults and children together, enjoying the natural beauty around them and each other’s company.
This is a great bedtime book, and paired with a similar “I love you” book like Sam McBratney’s Guess How Much I Love You, gives kids a loving sense of security and a wink and nudge to their competitive nature. My little guy and I have extended our game to the planets these days: he loves me to Pluto and back, and I love him three times around the sun and back. We name the planets we encounter along the way, adding a little bit of science to our I Love You game. You can bring in a similar game here, going further around the world, naming famous places (“I love you to the Empire State Building… I love you to the Grand Canyon!”), states, or countries.
The art is colorful, with a spread for each location. The colors are bright but subdued, realistic, and with shadowing that gives each landscape a breathtaking depth. A nice addition to bedtime stories and books about the world around us.
Lee & Low offers a comprehensive teacher’s guide for How Far Do You Love Me?, including discussion questions, ELL activities, and ways to expand on the story.
Lulu Delacare also authors the Raffi y Rosi easy readers series. Her author webpage contains information about author visits, her books, and links to educator guides for several of her books.
Spotlight On: Our Love Grows, by Anna Pignataro
I adore Our Love Grows; it’s a perfect read-aloud for growing boys and girls (who will never be too big for a loving lap, right?). Enjoy this spotlight from the publisher, Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, and please wander over to my review if you want more info.
Our Love Grows, Written and Illustrated by Anna Pignataro (April 5, 2016; Hardcover, ISBN 9781492634188)
Title: Our Love Grows
Author: Anna Pignataro
Release date: April 5, 2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Praise for Our Love Grows
“[Pignataro] creates delicately ethereal landscapes for the pandas to traverse—forests dense with pine and bamboo, snowy hillscapes—while showcasing a playful tenderness in their explorations and interactions… Pitch perfect in its spirit of cozy reassurance.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review!
“A sweet story for parents to share with their young children. The theme is straightforward and told in rhyme. The book conveys a similar message to Sam McBratney’s Guess How Much I Love You, and the engaging artwork greatly enhances and complements the story. The pen and paint illustrations have a soft tone and will give readers a warm feeling.” —School Library Journal
About the Book
Like the sky, and the trees and the child she holds… A Mother’s Love Grows.
In the deep green forest, Pip asked,
“Mama, when will I be big?”
Pip is an adorable, roly-poly little panda who sees the world changing and growing. But Pip is feeling a bit left behind. Luckily Mama is there to show playful and curious Pip that, like the trees in the forest and the stars in the sky, he’s growing and changing too. And no matter how much Pip grows, the one thing that will never change is how much Mama loves him!
Our Love Grows on Goodreads
Buy the Book:
About the Author
Anna Pignataro is the creator of the bestselling books Mama, How Long Will You Love Me? and Mama, Will You Hold My Hand? Her works have been translated into eleven different languages, and she has won numerous awards including the Crichton Award for Illustration. She lives in Australia with her family.
Connect with Anna Pignataro:
Website: http://annapignataro.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annapignatarobooks/
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