Category: Uncategorized

Posted in Post-apocalyptic/Dystopian, Toddler Reads, Uncategorized

Tactile Board Books for Little Hands

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bedtime Kisses, by Élisabeth de Lambilly/Illustrated by Mélisande Luthringer, (Feb. 2025, Twirl Books), $10.99, ISBN: 9791027613267

Ages Birth-3

A group of babies get bedtime cuddles in this adorable graduated, die-cut board book. Baby squirrels, monkeys, kangaroos, whales, and humans all run through a bedtime routine with their parent: a soothing hush from Mama Squirrel, closing eyes with Papa Monkey, tickles, cuddles, and kisses from Daddy Kangaroo, a warm snuggle with Mommy Whale, and a loving hug and kiss from a human parent to child. The board books are sturdy and pages get larger in size with each mammal; die cuts are chunky and the shapes allow for little fingers to trace and explore. This book will hold up to multiple readings and the gentle illustrations are warm and show affection between caregivers and babies. Colors are soft and cheerful. A very cute addition to board book and bedtime story collections.

 

Look! What is That?, by Tristan Mory, (Feb. 2025, Twirl Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9782408056018

Ages Birth-3

There is so much to enjoy about this interactive board book! A baby wanders onto the scene, with no idea that they’re being watched! A mouse, bear, rabbit, bird, pig, and wolf all wonder aloud and take guesses as to what this strange little creature could be until a parent arrives on the scene, answering the question. Sturdy pull-tabs pop up from the top and right side of the book, making for a fun interactive storytelling and solo play. A fun introduction to animal descriptions as the animals puzzle things out: “…it doesn’t have a beak… and it has no feathers! It’s not a bird”. The characters’ expressive eyes draw readers’ attention right away, and the bright illustrations keep readers engaged. The pull tabs and pages are sturdy and will hold up nicely. Developing motor skills and teaching readers about animals? Look! What is That? is a fun addition to collections that readers will ask for again and again.

 

My Hand is the Sun, by Christine Naumann-Villemin/Illustrated by Géraldine Cosneau, (Feb. 2025, Twirl Books), $14.99, ISBN: 9782408056025

This is a board book that’s begging for an art storytime activity. A narrator considers different things their hands can be: an apple tree, a hen, an octopus, a lion, a flamingo, a butterfly, a garden, or a heart. Handprints form the basis for the illustrations, with a glossy allowing readers to touch and glide their own hands over the book’s, and place their hands over the illustrations to see how their own hands fit. Thoughtful illustration shows readers how to add to their initial handprint to create, for instance, a flamingo’s long neck or an octopus’s waving arms. Fun sound effects for each spread allows for an interactive storytime where readers can crunch apples, cluck like chickens, bloop like an octopus, or roar like lions. This book is another great addition to storytime and board book collections: it’s a program and book, all in one!

Extend the storytime with a handprint craft: if you don’t want to bring out paints to do handprints, you can always trace and cut handprints on colorful paper. Simple Everyday Mom has some fun ideas, or you can take inspiration from My Hand is the Sun.

Posted in picture books, Uncategorized

A new generation meets Edward Gorey!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

As Edward Imagined: A Story of Edward Gorey in Three Acts, by Matthew Burgess/Illustrated by Marc Majewski, (Sept. 2024, Knopf Books for Young Readers), $19.99, ISBN: 9781984893802

Ages 4-8

Edward Gorey was everywhere when I was a kid. If you watched PBS at all, you saw his artwork during commercials for Mystery!; his illustration seemed to be everywhere, and I still have my copy of The Gashlycrumb Tinies, a macabre abcedary that absolutely contributed to my love of the cozy ghastly. A picture book biography brings the sweeter side of Gorey to life for a new generation of readers who, like me, enjoy looking at life a little differently. Dividing Gorey’s life into “three acts”, Act I introduces readers to Gorey; a quirky child who taught himself to read at age three, stalking his father’s library shelves “like an inquisitive cat, pawing this and reading that”, and who painted his toenails green and “strutted down a fancy street” barefoot. Act II follows Gorey to New York City, where he attended nearly every New York Ballet performance for over 20 years and discovered professional success while still reveling in his joyful individuality. In Act III, we see Gorey living in Cape Cod, making art and surrounded by his beloved cats and collections. A genuinely kind story about a talent who enjoyed and lived life on his own terms. Touching on his love of Dracula and his eventual set design for the 1970s Broadway run of the play brings things full circle, and playful descriptions of him as a “tall, bearded man in a long fur coat and tennis shoes and plenty of clinking rings” makes him all the more endearing. Bright illustrative artwork brings joy and color to Gorey’s life; those familiar with his stark blacks and greys with splashes of color will recognize the departure. Display this one with your Lemony Snickets, your Dracula stories, and your goth and goth-adjacent novels for Halloween.

As Edward Imagined has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.

Posted in picture books, Uncategorized

Tales from the TBR: The Bone Wars by Jane Kurtz & Alexander Vidal

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Bone Wars, by Jane Kurtz/Illustrated by Alexander Vidal, (Nov. 2023, Beach Lane Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781534493643

Ages 5-8

The Bone Wars! It’s a tale of friendship gone wrong! With dinosaurs! And exploding fossils! Kurtz writes history with a sense of humor that will catch a reader’s attention, describing the 19th-century race between two paleontologists – O.C. Marsh and Edward Cope – who go from friends to rivals. Marsh and Cope were besties – like Taylor Swift-level besties, writing letters to one another and naming dinosaurs after each other until the fateful day when Marsh deightedly poined out big mistake in a paper Cope had published. After that, they were DONE. Never, ever, ever getting back together. And thus began the Bone Wars: a race between the two paleontologists to make the next big discovery; and there were no punches pulled. Marsh and Cope pulled every dirty trick they could to get ahead. Spy on each other’s workers? Check. Leave fossils from different animals in the hopes of messing up a discovery? Yup. Blowing up smaller bones so the other team couldn’t have them? Yessireee. Did a final winner emerge from the Bone Wars? Yes: the public, because generations of people have benefitted from all of these discoveries, but the besties never made up. Kurtz gives readers the facts behind one of the more interesting rivalries in natural history, with wry commentary and reactions – “Hoo boy!”  – is a favorite – when discussing some of the duo’s darker moments. Vidal’s digital illustrations are cartoon realistic and easily move between history and modernity. Back matter includes notes from the author and illustrator and selected sources and reading. This is a fun addition to biography and natural history collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

The Elephant and the Sea is a love letter to rescuers

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Elephant and the Sea, by Ed Vere, (May 2024, Doubleday Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780525580904

Ages 3-7

Gabriel the Elephant looks back on his younger years in this story that salutes sea rescuers. As a young elephant, Gabriel wanted desperately to join the lifeboat crews; “he wanted to be brave like them – “rowing into danger, helping sailors in trouble at sea, singing as they went” – but first, he was too young to join them; then, too big to fit in the boat. Undeterred, Gabriel researched, planned, practiced, and ultimately made his own boat – and just in time, when a big storm hits and Gabriel has to save the fleet and the rescue boat! Vere blends an inspiring story of determination and spirit with an adventure to create a tribute to “all the brave people who risk their lives to save others”, as mentioned in his dedication. Use of the repetitive phrase “Heave away, haul away, heave-HO!” comes in handy for an interactive readaloud, and Vere’s illustration, heavily outlined and set on what looks like aged paper, adds the real feeling of an old document. Don’t miss this one. Download a free Elephant activity here!

The Elephant and the Sea has starred reviews from Kirkus and Publishers Weekly.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

The Digger and the Dark is ready for bed… maybe

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Digger and the Dark, by Joseph Kuefler, (June 2024, Balzer + Bray), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063237933

Ages 3-7

A group of trucks are all ready for bed after a busy day, but a playful group of raccoons have other plans. Surely they can play for a minute, right? The latest book in Kuefler’s Digger series is a cheerful wink to kids who want to play “for one more minute” at bedtime. Digger and friends indulge the raccoons, only to be exhausted the next day; when it’s time for sleep again, though, the raccoons reappear, ready to play. The trucks can’t keep up this momentum, and even poor Digger is “delirious”, declaring “I am ready to play… I am wide awake!” Thankfully, the raccoons see the other trucks asleep and help Digger get ready for a good night’s sleep… “just for a minute”. The story is charming, with short sentences that work great for emerging readers and readalouds. Parents and kids alike will relate to both the trucks and the raccoons: trying to keep up with a nonstop, energetic playmate and the manic frenzy that kicks in when one is overtired is familiar on both sides of the aisle. Kuefler has a deep blue background to denote the nighttime, and the primary colors of the trucks pop against the background, as do the gray and black raccoons, who manage to be here, there, and everywhere on each vehicle. An adorable bedtime story that will enchant truck fans.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Stitching together memories: Poppy’s Family Patterns

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Poppy’s Family Patterns, by Lauren Semmer, (June 2024, Crown Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593710609

Ages 4-8

A little girl learns about the patterns connecting her family when her doll’s dress tears during playtime. Poppy is distraught when Bunny’s dress is torn, but Mom has a cache of fabric scraps ready for the rescue. Going through the scraps, she tells Poppy about a special memory attached to each: a piece of Poppy’s grandfather’s tie; a swatch of Poppy’s father’s t-shirt; even a bit of Poppy’s mother’s wedding veil! As Mom recalls her happy memories, Poppy remembers, too; through the fabrics, Poppy thinks of how fabric patterns come together, just like her family. Mom has a special project for both Poppy and Bunny, bringing everything full circle. By illustrating that tactile memories are just as substantial as, say, browsing a photo album, Semmer tells an intergenerational story of family and connectedness. Memories encompass all the senses, as Poppy recalls the smell of cherry tomatoes in her grandmother’s garden, the fuzziness of chevrons in her aunt’s scarf. Readers can spot each pattern within the memory, like dancing inside a paisley curl with her grandfather or the gate of her grandmother’s garden maching her grandmother’s dress. Semmer also addresses throwaway culture by focusing on repairing Bunny’s dress; by having a box of swatches with which to create and repair clothing, rather than discarding something for being torn. Digital collage illustrations look quiltlike, pieced together with vibrant colors and bold lines. Endpapers show a variety of sewing materials and a pieced together quilt; back matter includes a pattern library with labeled fabrics and an author’s note. Poppy and her family are brown-skinned, with different pigmentations. Under the book jacket, the hard cover shows a series of Poppy’s memories. A moving story about time well spent and memory.

Visit Lauren Semmer’s author website for free downloadable goodies, and more information about her books.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Uncategorized

Cute Toot salutes the poot!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Cute Toot, by Breanna J. McDaniel/Illustrated by Olivia DeCastro, (April 2024, Henry Holt & Co), $18.99, ISBN: 9781250881298

Ages 3-7

What starts as a game of hide-and-seek between two sisters turns into a hilarious farting contest! Big Sis and Baby Sis are playing away a rainy day in an attic when Baby Sis’s tummy gets a little rumbly… and there it is: “Just a cute little toot”. But one toot leads to another; no matter where Baby Sis goes, she announces where she is with a “pft”, much to Big Sis’s delight. Before you can say “cabbage”, Big Sis lets one slip, sending Baby Sis into a fit of giggles, and the two are off on a gas-powered competition! When the smoke clears, there’s Momma, ready to show them who the champ really is. A laugh-out-loud story that will keep kids giggling, this fart-powered story is filled with laughs as the sisters try to contain themselves, only to let it all go. The bold artwork is punctuated with green clouds and bold white fonts for sound effects. Another book made for read-alouds, make sure to be as dramatic as possible (and possibly make a few felt clouds to include in your storytelling). Cute Toot is a fun family story with laughs and love. The characters are brown-skinned.

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.