Posted in Fiction, Historical Fiction, Intermediate, picture books, Realistic Fiction

Mamie Tape Fights to Go to School – historical fiction based in reality

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Mamie Tape Fights to Go to School, by Traci Huahn/Illustrated by Michelle Jing Chang, (May 2024, Crown Books for Young Readers), $19.99, ISBN: 9780593644027

Ages 4-8

Mamie Tape was an 8-year old Chinese girl who fought, alongside her family, to attend school during a time when America was openly hostile to Chinese immigrants – while they labored to build the country. Mamie played alongside the white children in her San Francisco town, but was not allowed to attend the all-white school. Defining her struggle with on the Chinese proverb, “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, Traci Huahn and Michelle Jing Chang bring Mamie and her family to life on the page. Huahn tells Mamie’s story and does not shy away from the virulent racism of the time, noting that the school principal told her, “Your kind is not welcome here”; that a preacher in favor of educating Chinese children had his home vandalized; that newspapers of the day resorted to using words like “heathen”, “barbarian”, “trouble”, and “disaster” to refer to children. Chang’s illustrations show the Chinese community in protest, the disappointed faces of the Tape family, and the determination of young Mamie Tape, who made the decision to continue pushing forward to attend school. Back matter includes an epilogue to the Chinese Primary School, which opened in 1885 and where Mamie and her brother Frank attended; an author’s note on the Tape family, complete with photos, and a selected bibliography. Endpapers continue the story by showing Mamie staring out the window of her home, and eventually running, with her brother, dressed for school. A very good study of American attitudes toward the Chinese community and a good addition to historical picture book collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Duck Goes Meow is great storytime reading

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Duck Goes Meow, by Juliette MacIver/Illustrated by Carla Martell, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $12.99, ISBN: 9781684648962

Ages 3-6

Rhyming, onomatopoeia, and an adorable cast of animals make Duck Goes Meow a storytime essential. Cow leads a group of animals singing their animal sounds, and everyone is on track – Dog says “Woof!”, Cow says “Moo!”, Hen says “Cluck!” – until Duck chimes in with a confident “Meow.” The animals all pitch in to help Duck try again and again, to no avail; the reason is charming. A fun animal story that invites plenty of participation, Duck Goes Meow is an unexpected and sweet adoption story, too. Animal sounds are bold and contained in word bubbles, making it easy to cue younger readers to be part of the fun during a read-aloud. Colorful, bold illustrations make this an excellent choice for younger learners. Read this one with Jules Feiffer’s classic, Bark George, for an animal sounds storytime. Endpapers show duck tracks crossing paths with kitten tracks, giving readers a hint to the story. Originally published in New Zealand in 2023, Duck Goes Meow is inspired by the true story of a mother cat adopting a duckling; tell families for extra squeals of joy. Download free discussion questions at Kane Miller’s website, on the Duck Goes Meow book detail page.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Night Blooming Jasmine: An evening walk brings discovery

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Night Blooming Jasmine, by Diane de Anda/Illustrated by Kendra Binney, (June 2024, Star Bright Books), $17.99, ISBN: 978-1-59572-976-7

Ages 4-8

A young girl named Jasmine is fast asleep with the night-blooming jasmine vine outside her window calls to her, inviting her to go outside and discover the world that comes to life outside at night. Encountering frogs and crickets, sleeping dogs and hungry opossums, Jasmine explores the world that wakes up when we go to sleep. Written in occasional rhyme, the verses illustrate the quiet wonder of night, with a playful view, as seen through the eyes of a child: “The spotted hound lies on his back; / his feet run in the air. / Deep in his sleep he’s rousting birds / and chasing down a long-eared hare”. Parallel to the plant with whom she shares a name, Jasmine heads back to bed to “end her nighttime bloom”. Soft, blue-hued illustrations set a calming stage for bedtime reading; Jasmine sets herself apart from her world as she wears a pink nightgown. Back matter includes animal facts on the various nocturnals that appear in the story. A bedtime story that promises dreamy adventures, Night Blooming Jasmine is a great choice for collections.

Posted in Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Pattern fun with Yellow, Red, Green-GO!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Yellow, Red, Green-GO!, by Ellen Mayer/Illustrated by Ying-Hwa Hu, (July 2024, Star Bright Books), $7.49, ISBN: 978-1-59572-979-8

Ages 0-3

Explore patterns the fun way! This playful board book takes a mom and young child on a bike ride through their neighborhood to grandma’s house, where they encounter all sorts of patterns: a dog’s “bow-wow-woof”, the layout of toys in the toy store, and the eponymous “yellow, red, green” of the traffic light. Mom models how to make learning on the go a joy for adult and child readers alike as she talks the child through what the lights on the traffic light mean and points out patterns as they ride along. Part of Ellen Mayer’s Small Talk Books series, the focus on beginning math concepts is just right for toddlers and preschoolers and includes notes to parents, encouraging them to explore patterns with their children. The family presents as multicultural.

Yellow, Red, Green-GO! is also available in Spanish. The book detail page on Star Bright Books’s website includes a link to an original song, My Favorite Things, that explores patterns.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: The Boy Who Found His Voice

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Teen artist and activist Tyler Gordon tells his story in this inspirational picture book. From a kid who once had trouble with words, Tyler painted with his mom, learned to be patient with himself, and became…

The Boy Who Found His Voice, by Tyler Gordon
(June 2024, Farrar Straus Giroux), $18.99, ISBN: 9780374389673

Ages 4-8

The story begins with Tyler, who has all the words right in his head: he’s got jokes, he’s got rhymes, he’s got cool things to talk about, but when he tries to speak, he gets STUCK. Tyler’s mom knows how “frustrated, frazzled and in a funk” he becomes, and helps calm him with breathing excercises, positive self-talk, and painting with him. Eventually, it is artwork that helps Tyler find his voice: he presents his art to his classmates, receiving wild acceptance and praise. Gordon illustrated his story with expressive characters and bright colors. He incorporates pastel watercolor and thought bubbles into his scenes, letting his work pop against a bright white page. Bright and bold fonts emphasize emotions and interactions with Tyler’s mom. Tyler has a multicultural group of classmates and Tyler has brown skin and natural hair. Kids will love Tyler’s self-portrait, included in the story, and a note from the author goes into more detail about how Gordon found his voice through art and the support from those around him.

 

Tyler Gordon is a teen artist and activist. You can follow him on Instagram and visit his Linktree for more info. He also has a page on VR platform where you view his artwork and enjoy a virtual exhibit.

Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Intermediate

The Smurfs Celebrate the Olympics

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Smurfs Olympic Special, by Yvan Delaporte & Peyo, (June 2024, Mad Cave Studios), $3.99, ISBN: 601947046061 – 00111

Ages 7-10

This is another single comic book release – I know, I don’t normally do these – coming out tomorrow (New Comic Book Day, y’all!). Papercutz/Mad Cave releases this 1979 Smurfs story to celebrate the Olympics, so you may have seen or read this before. Hefty Smurf loves sports, and creates his own Smurf Olympics to get the others to play along with him. The top prize is a kiss from Smurfette, so all the other Smurfs are in: the only problem is that no one wants Hefty on their team! Hefty makes his own team, which causes a lot of uproar and leads to a lot of laughs. If you have budget money that you can use to pick up a few issues of this one, and you have readers who enjoy the Smurfs, it would be a fun way to start talking about the Summer Olympics, which start next month. It’s a 32-page story, and with some adhesive covers to keep the comics safe, you can put these into circulation (check with your catalogers first, though).

Mad Cave included some coloring pages this time around, so make sure to print up and put some out.

Posted in Graphic Novels, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Three generations of women tell their stories in Age 16

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Age 16, by Rosena Fung, (July 2024, Annick Press), $24.99, ISBN: 9781773218335

Ages 12+

Fung’s story reminds readers that 16 isn’t always sweet. Set in three areas of the world in three different decades, Age 16 tells the stories of a grandmother, a mother, and a daughter at age 16: In 1954, Mei Laan dreams of getting out of Guangdong, China. An arranged marriage may be her ticket to Hong Kong, and a better life. In 1972, 16-year-old Lydia wants desperately to dance and enjoy her life. Her critical mother never looks on the bright side of anything, and it’s hard not to be brought down by her harsh criticisms, particularly about her weight. Maybe if she heads to Toronto, things will be better? In 2000, 16-year-old Roz lives in Toronto, struggles with her weight and self-image. When her mother lets her know that her grandmother is coming to visit, Roz is taken aback – her mom and grandmother aren’t that close. When Mei Laan arrives, dour and full of criticism, everyone feels off-center. Through flashbacks, readers understand each woman’s struggles; through conversations and interactions, the characters ultimately peel away the layers of emotion and trauma. Age 16 brings home how some issues facing women never seem to change, while new challenges constantly emerge: physical beauty and value is a major theme running through the book, with Mei Laan constantly commenting Lydia’s, and later, Roz’s weight; Mei Laan’s own value to her family is through her marriageability. Both Mei Laan and Lydia are single mothers; Mei Laan uses this as another point of judgement against Lydia. Roz stresses about her body image, where Lydia embraces a more free, accepting attitude; most likely as protection and pushback against her mother. Rosena Fung skillfully blends three individuals across three generations to tell a powerful story about women and generational trauma. She tells each character’s story in a different color, allowing for a smooth change in narrative that won’t disrupt the reader. Mei Laan’s story is told with a green-blue wash; Lydia’s, in an orange wash, and Roz, in a purple wash. The illustration work is bold and filled with pop cultural details that will enhance reading. Back matter includes historical notes and resources for further reading. Age 16 is indispensible reading and belongs on every library’s bookshelf.

Age 16 has a starred review from Publishers Weekly and is an Indie Next choice. It is also one of Ms. Magazine’s Most Anticipated Feminist Books of 2024.

Posted in Animal Fiction, Graphic Novels, Tween Reads

Jump in the Time Machine, Biker Mice from Mars is back!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I usually post more about graphic novels and collected trade paperbacks, but I could not resist when I saw the latest email from Oni Press – Biker Mice from Mars – which readers of a certain age (and those with kids of a certain age) may remember from the early ’90s animated show and video game – is back! Brought back as part of the Nacelle Verse, Biker Mice joins other vintage TV series in a shared universe. Other titles include Robo Force, The Great Garloo, Sectaurs, and Power Lords. My eldest was a Biker Mice fan when he was little; he even had the game for his Nintendo DS. What a trip in the time machine, right?

From the press release: “Best friends Throttle, Modo, and Vinnie were just three anthropomorphic, motorcycle-riding mice who called Mars home . . . and were always bad to the bone. But when the ruthless Plutarkian races stage a mass invasion to strip their planet of its precious resources, their antiauthoritarian streak is going to turn into a full-blown insurgency. Only the Biker Mice from Mars can prevent the mass destruction of Earth’s nearest neighbor . . . and the freedom of our entire solar system may just hang in the balance.

Leading into the upcoming animated series by executive producers Brian Volk-Weiss, Cisco Henson, Matt Kravitsky, Michael Goodman, Gavin Hignight and Matt Lawton from Nacelle Company, Maximum Effort’s Ryan Reynolds, George Dewey, Kevin Hill and Ashley Fox, as well as Fubo’s David Gandler and Pamela Duckworth, the summer’s most anticipated return pushes the action into the red as a never-before-told chapter of Biker Mice history stands revealed!

Featuring covers from adrenaline-racing artists Dustin Weaver (Avengers, Paklis.) Juan Gedeon (DC: The Jurassic League), Roger Cruz (X-Men: Age of Apocalypse), Ramon Villalobos (Nighthawk, America) and Francis Portela (Green Lantern), the first shot in the Biker Mice’s “Mars War” starts here on July 17th, only in BIKER MICE FROM MARS #1!”

Learn more about Oni Press’s Nacelle Verse comics here.

Biker Mice from Mars #1 releases on July 17th. I’m telling you, keep an eye out for a collected trade somewhere down the line; if you have Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles fans, introduce them to this. Check out some of the covers and interiors here.
Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Humor, Intermediate

This Book Will Self-Destruct! Can you help save the day?

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

This Book Will Self-Destruct (Agent Harrier), by Ben Sanders, (May 2024, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684648979

Ages 6-10

A new graphic novel series starring a dog – or is he a wolf? – secret agent, This Book Will Self-Destruct is loaded with puns and breaks the fourth wall, making sure that readers can share in the fun. Agent Woof – ahem, Wolf – Harrier gets a call from his spy boss, Top Dog, with a critical message: the book is going to self-destruct unless Harrier can stop it! With the Narrator by his side, Harrier sets out to unravel the threads and find the bomb before the book goes boom. There’s something really odd about the Narrator, though, so Harrier will need help from readers to unscramble some clues. Readers will laugh out loud at the back-and-forth between characters, and the stark red and black illustration work makes everything pop against the stark white pages. Harrier is a fun character and his mission is easy enough to follow for newly confident readers moving on from picture books and easy readers. Endpapers show an inside view of Harrier’s briefcase, filled with all sorts of punny spy goodness like a “gadget watch: for everything except telling the time”, “Truthing Gum: one stick for sticky situations”, and a glass eye: “just because”. This is the first in a new graphic novel series, so get in on this from the beginning. The book includes a fun poster; if you’re buying this for your circulation, hang it up and promote the series!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Measuring Me tallies our numbers

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Measuring Me, by Nicola Kent, (March 2024, Kane Miller), $19.99, ISBN: 9781684647873

Ages 4-8

We are made up of all kinds of numbers, and Measuring Me is a great place to start when explaining some of those numbers to young learners. Using an “average five-year-old child in the Western World”, we learn that kids featured in the book are as tall as about 10 tin cans, with the ability to smell about 50,000 different smells, and with enough energy to power a light bulb. Using our bodies as a measuring stick, Kent gives readers information they can visualize, allowing them to play with numbers and their place in this world. Kids will develop a comfort with numbers and their own bodies through the fun facts and pictures. Colorful illustrations look child-drawn and feature an inclusive and diverse group of kids illustrating concepts. Endpapers feature a ruler running along the side of the page – inches in front, centimeters in back – with a wealth of items that appear throughout the book. Playful and easy to read, kids will love coming up with ways to use the world around them to come up with new ways to measure: how many board books high are you? Do you weight as much as a frozen turkey? There is a lot of fun to be had here; readers will want to come back to this one. The book comes with a double-sided height chart inside, measuring – you guessed it – with tin cans, and fun facts like, “A giant panda’s shoulder height is almost equal to seven cans”. One side is colorful and includes the fun facts; the other side is black and white, letting readers color in their own cans and fill in personal information to make it a keepsake. If you’re using your copy in the library or a classroom, you can include the height chart as part of a storytime and have readers see how they measure up.