Posted in Fantasy, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

YA Dark Fantasy meets Fairy Tale: The Byways by Mary Pascual

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Byways, by Mary Pascual, (June 2023, SparkPress), $17.95, ISBN: 9781684631902

Ages 13+

Cece is a neurodivergent high school student who doesn’t feel like she fits anywhere: when she defends herself against her tormenters, she ends up in the principal’s office. When she’s overwhelmed by the noise and chaos of school, her teachers single her out and try to shame her. The final betrayal comes when her best friend insinuates that her other friends may think Cece is behind some missing money for a school fundraiser; Cece takes off and finds herself in the Byways, a world of the forgotten, full of alleys that change and confuse, with magic and dark figures with dark purposes. Desperate to find her way home, Cece meets some people who want to help her, and some who want to keep her for their own uses. A dark, urban reimagining of Alice in Wonderland, The Byways is full of familiar characters, but with a new spin. Themes of political unrest, bullying, homelessness, and drug abuse run throughout. A good additional purchase for collections where YA fairy tale reimaginings are popular.

Posted in Middle Grade, Non-fiction

Our Story Media Group introduces overlooked historical figures

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It is galling that so many people who have made incredible contributions go overlooked. Our Story Media Group is working on changing that. Debuting last June, the Our Story book series “introduces young readers to influential historical figures, many of whom are overlooked in Western curriculums”. The publisher also includes a partnership with the educational nonprofit CAMFED, which supports empowering and education young women. The first two bios are available. Let’s take a look.

Mansa Musa: The Richest Man in History, by Our Story Media/Illustrated by Emanuel Colban, (June 2023, Our Story Media), $11.49, ISBN: 979-8399082608

Ages 8-10

The richest person in the history was Mansa Musa, an Emperor of Mali between 1312 and 1337. The book covers his Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah and the riches he brought with him, and the people he met along the way. Upon returning to Mali, Musa commissioned the construction of mosques and educational institutions – schools and libraries – to educate and improve the lives of his people. Colorful and textured illustrations and vibrant, bright pages with text hold a reader’s interest. Bolded words in the text are defined in a glossary of terms at the end, and a pronunciation guide helps readers sound words out. There are thought-provoking questions for discussion and an easy-to-make African Fabric Collage craft in the back matter. An interesting look at an historical figure in African history and worth an additional purchase for biography collections.

 

 

Fatima Al-Fihri: Founder of the World’s Oldest University, by Our Story Media/Illustrated by Emanuel Colban, (June 2023, Our Story Media), $11.99, ISBN: 979-8387041402

Ages 8-10

Born around 800 CE in Tunisia, Fatima Al-Fihri was the daughter of a wealthy merchant who imbued his daughters with a strong sense of community. Al-Fihri and her family migrated to the city of Fes; a thriving community, but a community that needed a larger mosque. Many refugees fled to Fes to escape conflict in their home lands, and Al-Fihri and her sister, with the riches inherited from their father, built mosques in several cities and ultimately founded The University of Al-Qarawiyyin. She assured that education would be without cost and attracted scholars from all faiths and backgrounds, including the Jewish philosopher and physician Maimonides and the Muslim historian Ibn Khaldun. The artwork here is lovely; similar to Mansa Musa, the illustrations appear to be mixed media. Back matter here also includes thought-provoking questions and an exercise; a glossary and pronounciation guide, and a Moroccan lantern craft. Well worth a look and purchase for biography collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Space Pirate Bears to the rescue!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hi, all! I know I said I was back, but then I gave myself a panic attack by seeing the giant TBR I’ve accumulated. I’m just jumping in, so please forgive the delay and get ready to get caught up. Here we go!

Space Pirate Bears, by Alastair Chisholm/Illustrated by Jez Tuya, (Dec. 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684647361

Ages 4-7

The storytelling family from The Prince and the Witch and the Thief and the Bears and The Tale of the Valiant Ninja Frog are back! In this latest installment, Dad is working from home on a rainy day and siblings Jamie and Abby are BORED. Luckily, it’s not too difficult to tear Dad away for a quick story! This time, the awful Doktor Drab is using his horrible Boron Beam to make the whole universe as dull as he is. What to do when the usual heroes fall victim to the beam? Call in the Space Pirate Bears! There’s one problem, though: Jamie and Abby can’t agree on whether the Space Pirate Bears are unicorn doctors, secret agents, or ninjas, and the whole universe hangs in the balance! This fun adventure is all about compromise and teamwork, and makes for a fun read-aloud. Colorful illustrations are eye-catching, with fun details for readers: the siblings’ toys are characters in the story, and readers familiar with the previous entries will recognize some familiar faces. Endpapers show the space pirate bears in a variety of action poses. A fun additional purchase for storytime collections.

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

Blog Tour: Nona’s Nerves by Modello Brown (Def Jam series)

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve got a blog tour for you today! The second book in Modello Brown’s Hip Hop Littles series is out today, and it’s all about tackling nerves. With a great message and a hip-hop rhyme beat, I give you Nona’s Nerves!

Nona’s Nerves, by Modello Brown, (Dec. 2023, Bookbaby), $19.95, ISBN: 979-8350919639

Ages 3-7

Nona’s a little girl who’s been practicing for the school talent show. She’s been working so hard, and she’s ready! But the day of the talent show, when she and her other Hip-Hop Littles are all together, Nona feels a little bit of stage fright coming on. Everyone is just so good… what if she can’t match up? No way, say her friends! When the other Hip-Hop Littles see Nona having a moment of doubt, they gather ’round and remind of her of times that they felt anxious, too. Jordan talks about being afraid that no one would talk to him on his first day of school, and Rian tells Nona that he was afraid of taking the bus. Each of the Littles shares a time they felt scared and anxious, and how another friend stepped in to help: “Anxiety and nervousness are normal things to feel. / But with friends all around you soon enough your hurt will heal”. Supported by her friends, Nona goes on stage and sings her heart out, and her friends are there to celebrate together at the show’s end.

With expressive, colorful cartoony illustration and a catchy rhyme, this multicultural group of friends has lessons to teach. The first story, Jordan’s First Day, is all about that moment Jordan recalls in Nona’s Nerves. Filled with positive messages about friendship and resilience, the Hip-Hop Littles explain that feelings of anxiety and worry are normal and nothing to be ashamed of – and that they can be overcome. A good series for Pre-K and Kindergarten audiences, and a good suggestion for social-emotional learning collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Wombats are Pretty Weird… and pretty awesome!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis
Wombats Are Pretty Weird : A (Not So) Serious Guide, by Abi Cushman, (May 2023, Greenwillow Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063234437

Ages 4-8

This fun book is all about the wombat; a cute marsupial primarily known for pooping cubes. Wombats are Pretty Weird gives kids the full scoop on these marsupials, with some laugh-out-loud moments, usually to do with the aforementioned cubic poop. Joey the Snake is a comic sidekick to the wombats in this story, acting as a self-insert character for readers. There are loads of interesting facts: a wombat’s teeth never stop growing, and they have backward-facing pouches, unlike a kangaroo. They also have very tough behinds, made of cartilage, to protect their hind quarters from predators!

Kid-friendly with fun sidebars, cartoon art, narration and speech balloons, this is a good addition to animal nonfiction collections and early nonfiction collections. Backmatter includes a glossary and more facts about the three types of wombats.

Visit Abi Cushman’s author webpage for some free downloadable resources, including a Wombats are Weird activity guide!

Posted in picture books

Beulah Has a Hunch! – a salute to STEMinism!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Beulah Has a Hunch! : Inside the Colorful Mind of Master Inventor Beulah Louise Henry, by Katie Mazeika, (Oct. 2023, Beach Lane Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781665903639

Ages 6-9

Beulah Louise Henry may be one of the coolest inventors we haven’t heard of. Born in North Carolina in 1887, Henry had both hyperphantasia – she saw things in extreme detail in her mind – and synesthesia – words, numbers, and music all manifested as color in her brain. This all sounds like the perfect conditions to create the perfect backdrop for an inventor, but not so for “young ladies” of the time; Mazeika describes her parents’ frustration at Beulah’s “daydreaming” and taking household gadgets apart to discover their inner workings. Henry’s desire to learn and discover pushed her to invent a multitude of devices; she updated parasol technology and bath toys, baby dolls and ice cream makers. Called “Lady Edison” by a patent office, Henry’s brain was hard-wired to create. Mazeika’s illustration uses bright swirling colors to denote Henry’s synesthesia and brings in different perspectives to allow readers to look over Henry’s shoulder as she creates technical drawings. Back matter includes photos and more notes on Henry, a timeline of her inventions, and sources for further reading. A good addition to picture book and STEM/STEAM biographies.

The U.S. Patent Office’s kids’ website has a page on Henry, and an expanded page in their Learning and Resources section.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour and Giveaway: Simon Says Good Night by Orit Bergman

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

An adorable game of bedtime Simon Says awaits in this adorable book, translated from the original Hebrew.

Simon Says Good Night, by Orit Bergman/Translated by Annette Appel, (Dec. 2023, Amazon Crossing Kids),
$17.99, ISBN: 9781662514289
Ages 3-7

A bedtime ritual sets the stage for this sweet game of Simon Says. Beginning with the bedtime preparation that Daddy puts forth – “Daddy says: Brush your teeth. Daddy says: Clean your ears” – things are flipped once young Simon is in bed for the night. Wearing his bright yellow crown (a bit reminiscent Where the Wild Things Are‘s playful scamp, Max), Simon lines up his dog and toys for his own game of Simon Says. Starting with the basics, the game heads into imaginative spreads with Simon & Co fly, become giants, and ride wolves into the mountains. And what happens if you complete a task without hearing Simon Says? You’re out of the game for a round! A fun way to teach a classic game to audiences that may not have learned it yet and a great way to make bedtime fun. Mixed media illustration has a charming vintage feel to it and combines narration with comic book word balloons and panels.

A playful addition to storytimes and collections – I’d display my copy with nursery rhyme and fingerplay-friendly picture books like those by Jane Cabrera and Annie Kubler.

Orit Bergman is an Israeli author and illustrator. She was born in Jerusalem and lives and works in Kerem Maharal, Israel. She writes and illustrates children’s books, adapts her stories for the theater, and frequently meets children across the country. Her books have been published in Israel, France, China, and the United States. She studied at the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem, where she now heads the illustration-studies department. Learn more about the author at www.oritbergman.com.

Annette Appel is a translator of books for young readers and truly enjoys the challenge of making stories written in Hebrew accessible to English speakers. She recently translated Bear and Fred: A World War II Story, by Iris Argaman and illustrated by Avi Ofer. Annette grew up in Oak Park, Michigan, and now lives with her family on a kibbutz in northern Israel.

 

One lucky winner will receive a copy of Simon Says Good Night, courtesy of Amazon Crossing Kids (U.S. and Canada addresses). Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here!

Posted in picture books

The story behind Tate’s Bake Shop® Cookies!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Cookie Queen : How One Girl Started TATE’S BAKE SHOP®, by Kathleen King & Lowey Bundy Sichol/Illustrated by Ramona Kaulitzki, (July 2023, Penguin Random House), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593485668

Ages 4-8

You’ve seen the green cookie bags, now read the book! Cookie Queen is the story of how Kathleen King’s determination and love for baking led her to create the Tate’s Bake Shop cookies so many of us know and enjoy: at the age of 11. King would wake up early to cook for herself and her siblings, especially when her parents worked late, but one morning, she decided to do what she really loved: bake. Her dad had told her that she could sell cookies at the stand and keep the money to buy herself clothes for school, so she whipped up some cookies and took them to her family farm stand, but they weren’t quite perfect yet. King visited other stands and played with her recipe until she finally hit on the perfect cookie; then she made them BIG. Cookie Queen incorporates trial-and-error, research, and determination into a story that inspires kids – and includes King’s own Molasses Cookie recipe to start kids off. Digital illustrations concentrate primarily on King and her father, moving between interior baking scenes and outdoor farm and market spreads. Endpapers show a variety of cookies dance across the spreads. A smart story that shows entrepreneurship has no minimum age.

Pair in a Cookie-ish display with books like Mo Willems’s The Duckling Gets a Cookie!?, Jory John’s The Smart Cookie, and Laura Numeroff’s If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Fried Rice & Marinara and VOOKS!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’ve been catching up on emails, and have been chatting with a publicist who sent me the cutest book link on an app called VOOKS. Have you heard of this? I swear, being away from day-to-day children’s librarianship, I feel so out of the loop (one of the reasons I still fight to keep working on my blog!). VOOKS is a storytime app with animated, read-along narration. It’s adorable! There is a subscription fee for the app, but you can also watch videos for free on their YouTube channel; that’s how I enjoyed Fried Rice & Marinara, a VOOK original story by NFL Network anchor Mike Yam.

Fried Rice & Marinara, by Mike Yam/Illustrated by Laura Dong, (Apr. 2023, VOOK Books),
ISBN: 9781737726951 ($17.99 for a hard copy available)

Inspired by Yam’s cultural heritage: growing up with a Chinese immigrant father from Hong Kong and an Italian mother, this rhyming story celebrates diversity and family. Young Mikey Yam’s fourth birthday is coming up, and he’s got a big choice to make: what kind of food should he have at his party? He loves all the delicious Italian foods on his mom’s side of the family, but there’s also such amazing Chinese food on his dad’s side! What’s it going to be: “Ravioli or Dumplings? Linguine or Lo Mein? All of these options were hurting his brain.” He asks his grandmothers, Bahboo and Nonna, but he’s still not arriving at an easy answer until the most delectable decision of all comes to him: why choose just one? The animation and rhyming narration is fun to listen to, and kids will love the expressive cartoon artwork. The story depicts a multicultural, multigenerational family and friends that come together to celebrate and cook together – Mikey’s friends help create the final dish – and celebrate Mikey’s party and everyone’s rich cultural differences.