Posted in Conferences & Events

BookExpo/BookCon 2018: The Authors!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

What a BookExpo/BookCon! I fangirled hard as I wandered the Javits Center on May 31 and June 1. My Queens Library girl gang and I squealed over Jen Calonita as she signed her new Royal Academy book, Rebels, and we all name-dropped our friend’s name as Fangirl Extraordinaire (a title I do not lightly bestow) Sam Maggs signed our spanking new advanced reader copies of Girl Squads.

Sam Maggs and me, barely holding onto my chill.

All semblance of cool was lost as I saw that Kwame Alexander was about to sign a sampler for his new book, Swing; I’ve adored him since I first read The Crossover and was blown away by his storytelling and what he had to say. There was no chill, my friends. I was relieved that publisher reps were writing our names down on Post-Its for him to personalize, because I was not holding onto the power of speech well at all. I may have blurted out a few “your books are amazing”-type words, or maybe I just stood there and gave him Puss ‘N Boots eyes, but somehow, I came away with his autograph and a semblance of a clue that I met him and didn’t cry. So Mr. Alexander, if you’re reading this or someone tells you they read this, I’m sorry; you’re a literary rock star and I was completely in awe of you. And thank you for the autograph!

My photo of Kwame Alexander didn’t do him justice, with my shaky-hand photo taken while he was in the middle of a conversation, so here’s his poster, featuring the smile that made me lose the power of speech.

I told my friend Malia that I’m never going to a book conference without her, because she is the goddess of author spotting and knowing where the signings are happening. We’d be engaged in a conversation when all of a sudden, she’d stop, and I’d recognize the look (she’s much taller than I am, so she sees more). “WHO?” She casually pointed out Ransom Riggs walking by (so very tall), and had a Marie Lu spotting that led us to Penguin pavilion to see if we could get a copy of Wild Card, her Warcross sequel (they were out). I stood on line with her to meet Laurie Forest and Julie Kagawa, and get signed ARCs for The Iron Flower, Forest’s sequel to The Black Witch, and Julie Kagawa’s Shadow of the Fox.

 

Katie Cook! I love Katie Cook’s artwork! Turns out she had a signing for her book, Drawing Cute with Katie Cook. She even drew each of us (author spotter Malia and I) a Radish, from her Nothing Special webcomic. Squee!

I saved my personal favorite for last. Pink is for Boys author Robb Pearlman was doing two signings: one for Pink is for Boys, and another, for his Star Trek book, Search for Spock. Robb signed a copy of Pink is for Boys for my kiddo, and posed for pictures with me and his marvelous hubby.

More round-ups to come as I dig through my boxes o’books.

Posted in Toddler Reads

Adorable board books: actions, feelings, and opposites

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

This board book trio from author Ruth Austin and illustrator Kanae Sato is just adorable: Wiggle Jump Tickle looks at action words; Hide Seek Stinky Sweet – one of the best board book titles ever – introduces readers to opposites; and Happy Grumpy Loved is all about feelings. Let’s dive in.

Wiggle Jump Tickle, by Ruth Austin/Illustrated by Kanae Sato, (June 2018, Compendium), $12.95, ISBN: 978-1946873095

Recommended for readers 0-3

A young boy and an egg demonstrate cause and effect using action words in this adorable board book. The boy sees and egg, and reaches for it; grabs the egg, and it wiggles; as the egg hatches, he and his new friend play together, introducing words like play, stomp, dance, and wiggle to new readers. The illustrations are bright and bold, emotive, joyfully playful, and loaded with action and movement. It’s a celebration of discovery and new friendship, perfect for developing readers and listeners.

 

 

Hide Seek Stinky Sweet, by Ruth Austin/Illustrated by Kanae Sato, (June 2018, Compendium), $12.95, ISBN: 978-1946873088

Recommended for readers 0-3

A young girl and her black cat introduce children to opposites in this fun little book. At the start of the day, the girl is asleep, until Kitty decides it’s time to give some morning kisses to awaken her. Throughout their day, the girl gives a piece of candy to the cat, who decides to take her slipper; the girl takes out the stinky garbage, while the cat smells the sweet flowers. Where the Wiggle Tickle Jump illustrations are set against a blue background, Hide Seek Stinky Sweet has bold illustrations set against a bright yellow background. The characters are cheerful; two friends enjoying a day together, and the bright, bold words pop off the page and make for easy reading.

 

 

Happy Grumpy Loved, by Ruth Austin/Illustrated by Kanae Sato, (June 2018, Compendium), $12.95, ISBN: 978-1946873071

Recommended for readers 0-3

A boy, a girl, and their alligator demonstrate words to describe feelings in Happy Grumpy Loved. The children and alligator frolic their way through a bright red/pink background, introducing kids to words like friendly and shy; embarrassed and worried; pleased and excited. There’s movement, expressive body language, and a slew of great new words to get little ears used to hearing. The words map wonderfully to the illustrations, helping readers learn nonverbal communication, and develop empathy. The friendly girl waves at a dog, a big smile on her face; her friends hang back, heads cast down and the boy hiding behind the alligator, because they are shy. The dog barks, causing the alligator to leap into the air, surprised; he runs away, scared.

 

These books are absolute fun and loaded with teachable moments. They teach children to put words to feelings, actions, and concepts, and they encourage empathy by allowing children to experience cause and effect from an onlooker’s perspective. In Happy Grumpy Loved, the boy is jealous that the girl and alligator play together without him; he reacts by becoming grumpy, and destroying the structure the two friends built. In the next spread, he continues to throw the blocks, because he is angry; then, when the smoke clears, he is sad. The alligator helps him rebuild the structure, which makes him pleased, and together, the two friends are excited at their new creation.  Each book follows a story path, using the words to introduce readers to new vocabulary, while relying on the illustrations to tell the story.

The books are especially sturdy, too. They’ll hold up under multiple reads, and kids will want to return to these again and again. Put these books on your board book shelves and give them to your toddlers to enjoy. These pair nicely with Todd Parr books like The Feelings Book and Big and Little, and Leslie Patricelli’s board and picture books like Higher, Higher, Yummy Yucky, and Huggy Kissy.

Posted in Uncategorized

BookExpo Day!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It’s like my Christmas and birthday rolled into one. I’ve got my comfy Doc Martens on, and hitting the floors of the Jacob Javits Center, in search of the best upcoming kidlit. So far, I met Brian Selznick, who’s done the art for the updated covers fornthe Harry Potter series, and I only fangirled a little bit.

I dropped by Capstone’s booth to say hello to Saadia Faruqi, author of Here’s Yasmin!, which I adore and will gush over in a separate review. She was away, but I’ll be back, because I’m dying to tell her how much I love her book.

Jen Calonita signed her new Misfits book; she’s interested in coming back to my library, so I need to start nudging my program department ASAP. Squee!

There are great books coming our way in the Summer and Fall. More as I go!

Posted in History, Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction

Welcome to the #Dinosaurium!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Dinosaurium, by Lily Murray/Illustrated by Chris Wormell, (April 2018, Candlewick), $35.00, ISBN: 9780763699000

Recommended for readers 7-12

This gorgeous volume from Candlewick imprint Big Picture Press’ “Welcome to the Museum” series is part museum, part archive. Dinosaurium gives readers a tour of the prehistoric world, from the breakup of Pangea, through the dinosaur/prehistoric non-dino eras, to the mass extinction and the survivors.

Dinosaurium presents readers with six galleries and a library (whoo hoo!). Laid out like a museum plan, we enter the book and see a two-page spread of the dinosaur family tree, illustrating how various dinosaurs are related; maps present us with views of the world through each era, and dinosaur exhibits – the artwork – are breathtaking color illustrations, with a view of the dinosaur as it looked when it roamed the earth, and, where applicable, fossil artwork.

I’ve been a Christopher Wormell fan for a while: his Teeth, Tails & Tentacles was on the heavy duty reading rotation when my now 14-year-old was a toddler and preschooler, and I fell in love with his woodcut artwork. Here, his digital engravings lend a museum-like quality to the work; paired with author Lily Murray’s kid-friendly, detailed text, Dinosaurium becomes a book that dino fans will return to again and again. It’s an oversized book, really allowing the illustrations to breathe and take up the space we expect from dinosaurs. The forest-like endpapers give you that “stepping into a primeval forest” feel that comes with walking into a museum exhibit. There’s an index, a word on the curators of this project (author Lily Murray, illustrator Christopher Wormell, and consultant Dr. Jonathan Tennant), and a list of resources for further research and reading.

Dinosaurium is a great gift for dino fans, and a nice add to dinosaur collections. It was originally released in the UK in 2017.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Pink is for Boys… and an interview with author Robb Pearlman!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Pink is for Boys, by Robb Pearlman/Illustrated by Eda Kaban, (June 2018, Running Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9780762462476

Recommended for readers 3-7

For those of us who are tired of the “blue is for boys, pink is for girls” madness, Robb Pearlman is here! Pink is for Boys is a lovely and fun concept book about colors that delivers the wonderful message that ALL colors are for EVERYONE. Spreads alternate between introducing colors and what else they’re popular for. In the first spread, a boy and a girl are getting ready for a party; he wears a pink shirt and bow tie; she’s got a pink dress with a long ribbon. The text reads, “Pink is for boys. And girls.” In the next spread, boys and girls wearing different shades of pink dance in a pink room, festooned with pink balloons and banners, and the text notes, “And bows on fancy clothes.” Each color is featured in the text and in the art, and shows boys and girls enjoying a game of baseball; playing royalty; enjoying nature and racing a go-kart; enjoying the summertime, teddy bears, pets, and most important of all, unicorns! Unicorns are for boys and girls! The text is decisive: all colors are for everyone. Period.

The art is adorable! Eda Kaban gives readers a diverse group of friends having fun together. Their faces are expressive and the body language between characters shows engagement and excitement. Make sure you look twice at the child on the unicorn; at the end of the book, you may become a little teary-eyed. Pink is for Boys is a fun summer reading addition to concept book collections and storytimes. Ask kids what they imagine when they think of different colors!

Pink is for Boys made Out Magazine’s list of 18 Essential LGBTQ Children’s Books for Every Age. Go, Robb!

I was lucky enough to be able to ask author Robb Pearlman a few questions about Pink is for Boys, writing, and a favorite subject to both of us, Star Wars:

Q: The most obvious question first: what prompted you to write Pink is for Boys?

Robb: I was prompted to write Pink is for Boys after attending a children’s birthday party at an ice skating rink. All of the children, including the boys, were required to wear pink wristbands to indicate that they were part of the group. One little girl decided to tease one of the boys for wearing something pink. He didn’t quite understand why wearing any color should be a source of embarrassment, and she was as disappointed that her attempt to anger him had failed. I, on the other hand, was delighted and inspired.

Q: Do you write every day, or does inspiration just strike you and get you started?

Robb: As much as I’d like to write every day, most of my writing is done on the weekends when I can devote chunks of dedicated time to it. I’ll sometimes write on my phone or iPad during my commute, too, if I’m in the middle of something that I can’t stop working on. But I’m constantly writing notes to myself about ideas, stories, or sometimes even just names to work on at a later time. Sometimes those notes are half sentences or just one word prompts, so it may take me a little while to remember what I was thinking in the first place.

Q: There’s a unicorn in Pink is for Boys! Any chance we’ll get a unicorn story out of you one day?

Robb: I’m a huge fan of unicorns because UNICORNS! I wrote a book for grown-ups, called 101 Ways to Use a Unicorn a few years ago, and I do have some half-finished stories for kids that I’ve been working on.

Q: Who would rock pink better: Han Solo or Chewbacca?

Robb: It’s hard to say! I think bright pink bandoliers would really pop against Chewie’s honey brown hair and make a statement of intergalactic proportions. But then again, Han would certainly rival Lando’s swagger if he sported a pink leather, instead of basic black, vest. I don’t see why they both can’t give themselves over to the pink side, but if I’ve learned anything, it’s “Let the Wookiee win,” so let’s go with Chewbacca.

Posted in Uncategorized

Just an update and a coming soon…

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hi all, I know it’s been six whole days since I’ve updated. I haven’t run out of books – exactly the opposite; I’ve got tons of them to get to. Life’s gotten a little hectic – it’s that time of year – and I’ve got BookExpo tomorrow and Friday, so expect some posts about all the great new books we’re going to be seeing over the next few months.

 

 

I have so much I want to write, and so little time for the next few days. Bear with me!

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

When the World is Full of Friends, it’s a pretty great place

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

When the World is Full of Friends, by Gillian Shields/Illustrated by Anna Currey, (Feb. 2018, Bloomsbury USA), $16.99, ISBN: 9781681196268

Recommended for readers 3-6

The rabbit family from When the World Was Waiting for You and When the World is Ready for Bed returns in this sweet book about play and discovering new friends. Siblings Albert, Tom, Flossie, and Pipkin love to play, and wish they had more friends to play with. They see a squirrel family across the stream, and put their heads together to figure out how to cross the stream to play together, turning the experience into a fun game in itself. The takeaway? “Playing with friends was wonderful!”

This is a great bedtime, quiet time, or circle time story. It’s got a calm pace, with soft watercolor and ink art. The messages of friendship and working together to play together reinforce positive lessons, and the opening and closing rhyming verses beautifully bookend the story narrative. Add this one to your storytime collections.

Posted in picture books

Catalina and the King’s Wall helps explain current events

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Catalina and the King’s Wall, by Patty Costello/Illustrated by Diane Cojocaru, (May 2018, Eifrig Publishing LLC), $19.99, ISBN: 9781632331052

Recommended for readers 5-8

Who says cookies don’t solve problems? In a fairy tale that speaks to present-day events, a king decides he doesn’t like the people in a neighboring kingdom and plans to build a wall that will keep them out. Catalina, the king’s baker, has family in the neighboring kingdom and is upset by the news, but she’s got a plan. The king loves her delicious snacks, so she encourages him to build a wall using ingredients like icing, sprinkles, and cookie dough. The first two wash away, but that cookie dough holds fast – until the king finds it irresistible, and eats his way through the whole wall! Catalina cheerfully reunites with her family, and the king never bothers anyone ever again.

Catalina was fully funded through a Kickstarter earlier this year and published earlier this month, and it’s a smart, tongue-in-cheek fairy tale that makes explaining what kids are seeing on the news a little easier to understand. At once parody and social commentary, adults will get subtle winks at lines like, “The king’s face turned from orange to red” and at the king’s framed Time magazine photo in his royal chambers (hey… did he really make the cover of Time?). We’ve got a king obsessed with having his will carried out, and a bright heroine who figures out how to work around his myopia. The watercolor artwork is colorful and bright; the king is not orange-skinned, but does wear orange hose and has a suspiciously familiar curl to the back of his blonde hair; Catalina’s mother wears a hijab.

Pair this one with The Emperor’s New Clothes, get some pre-made cookie dough, and build your own edible wall for Summer Reading. Catalina and the King’s Wall is available online and via the author’s website, which also has an events calendar.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Lola Dutch is just TOO MUCH!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Lola Dutch, by Kenneth and Sarah Jane Wright, (Jan. 2018, Bloomsbury USA), $17.99, ISBN: 9781681195513

Recommended for readers 3-7

Lola Dutch is a little girl whose life motto may well be, “Go big or go home”. She starts her day by sliding down the bannister of a grand stairway, landing on her cushy friend, Bear’s, belly. She is bursting with ideas, and this is going to be an AMAZING day. She has grand ideas for breakfast, which turns into a several course meal for Lola and her animal friends, Gator, Pig, and Crane; a trip to the library for some “light reading” yields a Herculean amount of books. Lola’s inspired to create art, and begins producing work that the masters would be cowed by, including a Sistine Chapel-esque work on her ceiling, starring Lola and friends. At bedtime, seems overwhelmed. Everything’s quiet for the night, but Gator’s got cold feet, Pig is snoring, and Crane kicks in her sleep. Frazzled, Lola cries out, “This is ALL TOO MUCH!” and wants something simple and comforting: a hug from Bear.

We all have a little Lola in us, don’t we? I know I get those moments where I want to READ ALL THE BOOKS and end up reserving 5 books, which will sit on the pile I have at home; from there, I’ll want to straighten up all my bookshelves, and to do that, empty all the shelves on the floor so I can go through them, which will inevitably end up with me, sidetracked, coming back hours later to just shove everything on the shelves until the next time I get inspiration. Lola’s friend Bear is her guardian, and knows his charge too well: he takes a deep breath at breakfast, and often repeats the phrase this book is built on: “you are a little bit much”. At the end of the day, though, it’s a warm hug that’s all Lola really needs.

Lola Dutch is cute, if a bit manic; she just has a lot of energy to devote to each day. The pencil, gouache, and watercolor artwork is soft, largely pink, and has lots of kid appeal. Endpapers spotlight Lola sitting on the windowsill, reading (under Bear’s watchful eye, below) and using a telescope, and the cover of the book converts into a dollhouse that kids can play with; the back flap comes with paper dolls of Lola and Bear to cut out and play with. There are great extras on the Lola Dutch webpage, including paper dolls of Crane, Gator, and Pig; a coloring sheet, and a book hunt challenge and certificate (psst… good for Summer Reading programs at the library).

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Dork Diaries’ co-author Erin Danielle Russell tries to trick the Tooth Fairy!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

How to Trick the Tooth Fairy, by Erin Danielle Russell/Illustrated by Jennifer Hansen Rolli, (May 2018, Simon & Schuster Aladdin), $17.99, ISBN: 9781481467322

Recommended for readers 3-7

Erin Danielle Russell, co-author of the Dork Diaries, brings us a prank war on an epic level in her new picture book, How to Trick the Tooth Fairy. Kaylee is an adorable little girl with wild brown hair and a twinkle of mischief in her eye, and she’s all about a good prank. But see, so is the Tooth Fairy. In fact, the Tooth Fairy is THE ruling prank princes, and she’s got “more tricks in her bag than teeth”. The prank battle begins when Kaylee leaves a fake frog for the Fairy, rather than a tooth; the Fairy retaliates with a bunch of real frogs; pranks escalate until the unthinkable happens: TOPSY-TURVY TOOTH FAIRY TROUBLE! The two foxhole friends hide under a table and survey the damage in the aftermath, help each other clean up, and decide to join prank forces for future fun.

This is such a fun story, and not overly gooey or sweet. This is a prank war between two bright young ladies, one of whom happens to be the Tooth Fairy. As kids know, pranks can escalate and feelings can get hurt, and that’s what happens here: once that happens, the girls see the humor in what happened – sprinkles in the Fairy’s hair, a banana peel and water dripping off Kaylee’s – and work it out in a way that makes everyone happy. Well, except for future prank victims.

The oil paint illustrations are done on brown craft paper, giving a great feel to the spreads, and the characters are expressive, with winks, shouts, and smirks aplenty. This is a fun book about childhood mischief that kids everywhere will get a kick out of. I hope we get some more adventures with Kaylee… maybe we’ll see how she celebrates a birthday? Visit the How to Trick the Tooth Fairy webpage to learn more about our tricksters, view a trailer, and get updates.