Mom Read It

Help Babysaurus find Mamasaurus!

Posted on December 30, 2015August 24, 2019 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Mamasaurus, by Stephan Lomp (March 2016, Chronicle Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9781452144245

Recommended for ages 3-6

Babysaurus is out and about with Mamasaurus one day, snacking on leaves and hanging out on Mamasaurus’ back, when WHOOPS! He slides off, and can’t find her! Reminiscent of P.D. Eastman’s Are You My Mother, Babysaurus asks everyone he can find if they’ve seen his Mamasaurus, and they compare her to their own moms: does she fly the highest, like Ptero’s mom? Is she the loudest, like Rexy’s mom? No, but she’s Mamasaurus, and she’s the best Mamasaurus in the jungle.

Mamasaurus has been there all along, by the way – you know, like when your little one “loses” you in the department store, when you’re two steps away. And that’s what makes this story such a great read-aloud. It’s relatable to both parents and little ones. They’ll know what it’s like to lose Mom in public, and they’ll know that each Mom is the best Mom there is, because she’s their Mom. I loved this story so much, and so did my 3 year old, who snuggled up in my lap while I read it with him. The artwork is adorable; the dinos have huge eyes and friendly faces, cartoony and lovable, appealing to little ones. The white font jumps off the page, making it an easy storytime read.

Author and illustrator Stephan Lomp is a German illustrator and comic book artist. Check out some more of his artwork on his website.

Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, mythology, Tween Reads

Loki’s stirring up trouble in Secrets of Valhalla…

Posted on December 29, 2015December 29, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Secrets of Valhalla, by Jasmine Richards (Dec. 2015, HarperCollins), $16.99, ISBN: 9780062010094

Recommended for ages 9-13

Buzz doesn’t have the easiest home life. His mother disappeared six months ago, his scholarly father is distant and cold, and a kid at school is a jerk who happens to be on the opposing soccer team at school. He meets up with Mary, the new girl at school who happens to be a little… different, and the two discover that Sunna, the Norse goddess of the sun, is taking up residence in a local weatherwoman’s body – just before she’s kidnapped by Loki, the infamous Norse god of mischief. Since Sunna is also the goddess in charge of Sunday, Saturday’s now on a repeating loop, and Buzz and Mary need to go on a quest to find the Runes of Valhalla, which will lead them to the day guardians – seven gods and goddesses who keep time in order – before Loki gets to them. It’s a race against time to save the world!

I know mythology books get a lot of play, and I love it. I can’t get enough of the new takes on these mythic tales, and considering that I still can’t find a library copy of Rick Riordan’s Sword of Summer, not to mention the fact that the Percy Jackson series still flies off my shelves, neither can middle grade readers. Secrets of Valhalla is a fun spin on the Norse myths that incorporate the Greek and Roman pantheon, too. It’s a quest novel, it’s a friendship novel, and it’s a family novel. While kids are waiting for their copy of Magnus Chase to come in, give them this book. Display with K.L. Armstrong’s Blackwell Pages and Kate O’Hearn’s Pegasus series (and she’s got her own Norse book, Valkyrie, coming out in February), have a mythological read-aloud, and ask the kids to choose which day guardian they’d like to be (I’m thinking Sigyn should have been a day guardian, but that’s just me). The ending is tied up nicely, so I’m not sure if we’ll see a sequel, but never say never…

Jasmine Richards’s first novel, The Book of Wonders, is also full of fantasy and magic. Her author webpage has a bio and contact info, plus reviews on her first book.

Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction

Kid Athletes makes sports legends accessible to all!

Posted on December 29, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Kid Athletes: True Tales of Childhood from Sports Legends, by David Stabler/Illustrated by Doogie Horner, (Nov. 20156, Quirk Books), $13.95, ISBN: 978-1-59474-802-8

Recommended for ages 8-12

The author and illustrator of Kid Presidents are back, this time with 20 true stories from famous athletes’ childhoods. From Babe Ruth to Tiger Woods, there’s a story for everyone here; there’s a great range of sports, spotlights on both male and female athletes, and featuring a multicultural spread of personalities, including Jackie Robinson, Yao Ming, Gabby Douglas, Bruce Lee, and Muhammad Ali. There are some great stories to tell: Babe Ruth grew up in an orphanage after his parents gave him up; soccer player Lionel Messi was teased for being small; Gabby Douglas and Jackie Robinson experienced racism from her own peers. Each profiled athlete provides inspiration for young readers on meeting and conquering challenges in their personal and professional lives. Kids will recognize many of the challenges – racism, poverty, sexism – faced by the athletes and be moved by the humanity behind the legendary personalities.

Doogie Horner’s colorful illustrations throughout the book add to each profile, infusing the biographies with color and personality.

Kid Athletes is a hit, with bite-sized bios on sports figures past and present, that will work for quick reads and quick class assignments. Get this one on your shelves, hopefully right next to your copy of Kid Presidents.

Intermediate, Middle Grade, Non-fiction, Non-Fiction

Physics for Everyone! Professor Astro Cat’s on the Case!

Posted on December 28, 2015August 24, 2019 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Professor Astro Cat’s Atomic Adventure, by Dominic Walliman/Illustrated by Ben Newman (May 2016, Nobrow Press), $24.00, ISBN: 9781909263604

Recommended for ages 7-12

Think you’re too young to understand physics? Professor Astro Cat is here to show you how awesome the science of matter and energy is. Using language and examples that beginning learners will understand, with retro-futuristic illustrations that will catch kids’ eyes, this is a great start for kids who want to go a little bit beyond the basic states of matter and find out more.

This is the second Professor Astro Cat book – the first, Professor Astro Cat’s Frontiers of Space, looked at our planets, solar system, gravity, and extraterrestrial life – and is a great addition to libraries that want STEM books available to all readers. I’ve got maker books, I’ve got robotics books and LEGO books, but physics was an area I’ve typically shied away from for the children’s room (mainly, because most of my personal physics knowledge comes from Big Bang Theory episodes). Professor Astro Cat and his friends are patient, though, and never talk down to their audience. With direct language and discussions on subjects like why snowshoes help you walk on snow, rather than sink into it, and why rainbows appear when it rains during the daytime, kids will be excited about science – and that’s what we want!

Author Dr. Dominic Walliman has a Ph.D. in Quantum Device Physics, and has taught physics to all levels of students – and has even taught at festivals. Ben Newman is an award-winning illustrator who also did the artwork on Astro Cat’s app. Newman’s website is loaded with his amazing retro art and book trailers – go check it out! And check out some more of Professor Astro Cat’s Atomic Adventure, right here!

History, Middle Grade, Non-fiction

What Was It Like, Mr. Emperor? A Brief History of Chinese Emperors

Posted on December 28, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

What Was It Like, Mr. Emperor? Life in China’s Forbidden City, by Chiu Kwong-chiu and Eileen Ng (translated by Ben Wang)/Illustrated by Design & Cultural Studies Workshop, (Oct. 2015, China Institute in America), $12.95, ISBN 978-0-9893776-6-9

Recommended for ages 8-13

Kids learn about the U.S. Presidents, some European royalty (usually Ferdinand and Isabella in Spain, Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, and King George III in England), and current heads of state, but Chinese emperors and ruling dynasties isn’t something that’s normally found on the curriculum. The China Institute in America is taking this dilemma on with the book, What Was It Like, Mr. Emperor? Life in China’s Forbidden City. One of four We All Live in the Forbidden City books, Mr. Emperor introduces kids to China’s emperors, with brief biographies and answers to questions like, “How was the emperor chosen? What was school like? Who were his friends?” We learn a little bit about each emperor – princes who fought off rebel invasions, princes who didn’t do a whole lot during their reign, one emperor who ruled twice, and the roles of other members of court life, including the palace maids, the dowager empresses, and the many advisors to the rulers.

There’s a lot of information packed into these beautifully illustrated pages, and it’s a great companion for an elementary unit on China. It brings the history to kids with questions that they’ll be interested in, and easily digestible facts illustrated by artist Chiu Kwong-chiu. The We All Live in the Forbidden City website is loaded with activities and resources to expand the discussion.

The original book and content have been developed in Hong Kong in consultation with the Forbidden City’s Palace Museum in Beijing, ensuring authentic content and resources.

Early Reader, Preschool Reads

Bowls of Happiness is a lovely introduction to Chinese culture!

Posted on December 26, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bowls of Happiness, by Brian Tse/Illustrated by Alice Mak (translated by Ben Wang), (Nov. 2015, Simon & Schuster), $12.95, ISBN: 9780989377645

Recommended for ages 3-8

Part short story, part discussion of Chinese art and culture, Bowls of Happiness tells us a short story about Piggy, a little girl whose mother loves her so much that she makes a special porcelain bowl just for her. As her mother creates the bowl, Piggy finds herself in the world being painted on the bowl’s exterior, learning about the animals and artwork that adorn the bowl and many other bowls in Chinese culture. Accompanied by photographs of porcelain artwork found in the Palace Museum’s collection, Bowls of Happiness is a beautiful introduction for young readers to Chinese culture. Brian Tse and Alice Mak, two well-known children’s book artists, create a story with artwork reminiscent of beautiful watercolor paintings, with a sweet story about maternal love that adults and kids alike will enjoy. A concluding poem about two palms coming together to form a bowl is a perfect way to end a storytime, and a sweet way to say goodnight at the end of the day (my 3 year-old loves it).

Have your little readers draw bowls of their own as a fun add-on to extend the story. Give them a cheat sheet on symbolism in Chinese art so they can apply the story to their art!

Animal Fiction, Fantasy, Fiction, Intermediate

The Dragonsitter is adorable fantasy for young readers!

Posted on December 24, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Dragonsitter, by Josh Lacey/Illustrated by Gary Parsons (Sept. 2015, Little, Brown), $15, ISBN: 978-0316298964

Recommended for ages 6-10

Eddie’s got a huge problem. He and his mother agreed to watch Uncle Morton’s pet dragon, Ziggy, while he was away, but the dragon is causing all problems – the curtains are on fire, the neighbor’s cats are under attack, and let’s not even talk about the poop. Eddie’s trying to get in touch with Uncle Morton to find out what to do, but he’s not hearing back – and Eddie’s mom is getting fed up! Will Uncle Morton have any advice that can save the day? Will he even get in touch with Eddie?

Told via e-mails (mostly Eddie’s), The Dragonsitter is an adorable beginning chapter book for readers ready to graduate from easy readers. It’s a sweet introduction to fantasy, with a churlish pet dragon and a hapless young petsitter who’s doing his best. The tone of the e-mails goes from nervous to frustrated to exasperated, with more and more laughs as the story progresses, and the black and white illustrations by Gary Parsons add even more humor to the story. We get steaming piles of dragon poop, angry mom holding up receipts for the damage Ziggy’s causing, and profile photos on the emails flying back and forth that tell a lot more of the story.

The Dragonsitter is the first in the Josh Lacey’s Dragonsitter series. You can check out Josh Lacey’s author page for information about the other books in the series, including a sixth one that will come out in 2016!

Early Reader, Fiction, Toddler Reads

Vocabulary the Dickens Way – Cozy Classics’ Great Expectations

Posted on December 22, 2015December 21, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Cozy Classics: Great Expectations, by Holman Wang and Jack Wang (March 2016, Chronicle Books), $9.95, ISBN: 9781452152431

Recommended for infant-3 years

The brothers behind one of my favorite board book series, Star Wars Yarns, is back with their Cozy Classics series, this time, tackling Charles Dickens. But seriously, don’t sweat it – they’re teaching our wee ones vocabulary, using their adorable felted yarn figures and words related to the Dickens’ tale. Words like “boy”, “help”, “manners”, and “old”, set against the backdrop of the Victorian epic, give extra feel to the words. I particularly love Pip – the “boy” – standing on the first page of the story. Parents will love it, kids will think it’s something cool (because it is). “

Miss Havisham illustrates the word “old”. With her tattered dress and her worn expression, young readers will see that old takes on many meanings – the dress is old, Miss Havisham is old, and are those cobwebs surrounding her in that picture? Explain that cobwebs form when something hasn’t been moved or dusted in a while.

Naturally, Estella is “pretty”. See Pip staring at her from behind the wall? That speaks volumes – she’s pretty, and Pip has a crush on her.

There are about 12 illustrations and words in Cozy Classics: Great Expectations, with great words that aren’t sight words – it’s a real chance to expand kids’ vocabulary. The Wang brothers’ art is amazing – my Star Wars Yarns books are never on the shelf here at the library – and I think it’s time to bring some Cozy Classics to my home and work libraries.

I love this classics to teach concepts trend. BabyLit does it, Cozy Classics does it, and Mini Myths teaches kids Greek myths on a level that makes complete sense in today’s world. The books make for great storytimes, and you can get moms, dads, and caregivers to pick up a grown-up book, too – pair up your board books with their companion grown-up titles for a heck of a list!

Early Reader, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Mexican Folk Art and Concepts meet with Animal Talk!

Posted on December 22, 2015August 24, 2019 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Animal Talk: Mexican Folk Art Animal Sounds in English and Spanish, by Cynthia Weill/Art by Rubi Fuentes and Efrain Broa (March 2016, Cinco Puntos Press), $14.95, ISBN: 9781941026328

Recommended for Infants-5

Animals talk in all sorts of languages! Animal Talk translates animal sounds in Spanish and English, using beautiful folk art to illustrate the concepts. It makes sense that different languages would interpret animal sounds differently, after all – when an English speaker hears a cat meow, a Spanish speaker hears a cat miau. A rooster greets the dawn in the U.S. by hollering, “cock-a-doodle-doo!”, and in Spanish countries, he calls out, “ki-kiri-ki!” It’s a wonderful way to see how sounds are the same, yet different, between two cultures.

I love this series. Doctor Cynthia Weill has written several concept books featuring Mexican folk art, including Opuestos, Colores de la Vida, and ABeCedarios. Animal Talk is her fifth book in this series, and it’s a fantastic addition for a library like mine, in a neighborhood densely populated with Central and South American families, and it’s a great library addition to any library where you have little ones ready for a storytime. The artwork is breathtaking. Mexican folk art is vibrant, lively, and bright – eye-catching to little eyes and minds! Animal sounds make for great storytimes; teaching animal sounds in different languages makes for even more fun. It lends itself to a great interactive experience!

The books themselves are works of art; not even an exaggeration. Craftsman Rubí Fuentes and Efraín Broa from the Mexican state of Oaxaca create these beautiful images, and you’ll want to buy an additional book just to frame the artwork in here.

One thing I desperately need is for these books to come out in board book. They’re beautiful hardcovers, but I’ve got lots of little hands that would get even better use out of them if moms, dads, and librarians didn’t have to worry about torn pages so much.

Put this in your animal storytime, and throw in a round of Old MacDonald Had a Farm while you’re at it – and make the animal sounds in both languages!

Cynthia Weill’s author webpage features a video about the artists who made the wood carvings for her book, Opuestos. Show this video to your older patrons and students to show them the work that goes into these beautiful books. Take a look at more of the gorgeous art from Animal Talk right here!

Fantasy, Fiction, Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Steampunk, Tween Reads

Alistair Grim and Grubb are Back!

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Rosemary Kiladitis

Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum, by Gregory Funaro (Jan. 2016, Hyperion), $16.99, ISBN: 9781484700075

Recommended for ages 9-12

Grubb, the foundling chimney sweep-turned-apprentice to magician/genius Alistair Grim is back, and he’s got the whole Odditorium gang with him! The relationship between Grim and Grubb is more fully realized, but still shrouded in mystery as they try to unravel what happened to Grubb’s mother, and why she’d have abandoned her baby boy. Alistair Grim is still on the run after the events of the first book, Alistair Grim’s Odditorium, which left the general public convinced that Grim is a madman bent on destruction. The Odditorium inhabitants know that Prince Nightshade is the real villain, and Grim has a plan to bring him down. All he needs is the legendary sword, Excalibur. No big deal, right?

Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum picks up right where the Odditorium leaves off: we’ve got enchanted armor, magical eggs, the legend of King Arthur’s Avalon, fairies, banshees, and enchanted samurai. It’s fantasy with a steampunk bent wrapped up with Arthurian legend and prophecy. Fantasy lovers will devour this book as quickly as they did the first, and the story leaves off with a promise that we’ll see Grubb and friends again.

The character development continues in this second installment, really concentrating on the relationship between Grim and Grubb, but extended characters enjoy some more depth, too; particularly, Cleona the Banshee and Nigel Stout. My review copy didn’t have illustrations, but if they’re anything like the first book’s, they will add to the breathtaking scope of the book. Just look at the cover – I want to see more of that!

I’ve already ordered my library’s copy of Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum. Don’t make your kids wait for yours! In the meantime, check out Gregory Funaro’s author page for updates about the Odditorium and latest author news. (Psst… hey, Disney, time to give the Odditorium its own webpage.)