Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Everything Changes helps kids cope with divorce

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Everything Changes, by Clare Helen Welsh/Illustrated by Åsa Gilland, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684644940

Ages 4-7

A family – mom, dad, child – are enjoying a summer vacation at the beach when the parents break the news: they will not be living together any longer. The child goes through a storm of emotions as his parents lovingly explain that they will both always love him. As the seasons change, the boy spends time with both parents, his thoughts and emotions churning; his parents lovingly reassure him each time: while sledding with his mother, sharing hot cocoa with his father, even meeting his mother’s new partner. At the boy’s birthday party, both sides of the family are there as he celebrates his day. Welsh’s validations will reassure readers experiencing similar challenges: “I know things won’t always be easy… but they won’t always be so hard”. The seasons changing show a passage of time that acts as a comfort, reinforcing change as a constant and that love endures. Dad appears brown-skinned, Mom is light-skinned, the child has light-rown skin and curly hair. A helpful book to have handy for collections.

Sesame Workshop has a helpful webpage with resources for dealing with divorce.

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Tiny Jumper: A picture book biography of a female daredevil

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Tiny Jumper : How Tiny Broadwick Created the Parachute Rip Cord, by Candy Dahl/Illustrated by Maithili Joshi, (Oct. 2023, Little Bee Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781499813944

Ages 4-8

Just when you think you’ve read the all coolest biographies of female innovators, Candy Dahl and Maithili Joshi prove you wrong. In 1893, Georgia Ann Thompson was born, weighing only 3 pounds, but her impact is still felt today. Nicknamed “Tiny” because of her diminutive size, she set out to climb up: up tobacco leaves and cotton mill machinery in her childhood jobs; up trees as she dreamed of getting away from tobacco fields and cotton mills; and up, up, up into the air as an aeronaut, after seeing Charles Broadwick rise up in a hot-air balloon and parachute to the earth. Tiny learned from Broadwick and became famous, touring the country and performing daring feats. Pushing the envelope, she became the first woman to parachute from an airplane and created the parachute ripcord when one of her jumps encountered problems. Dahl uses quotes from Broadwick to allow readers to step into her shoes and experience the excitement and the bumps and bruises of the aerialist: “I had broken bones an dislocated shoulders… I loved it. I loved the excitement” and how women were treated at the time: “It burned me up having to dress like a baby doll and having that name tacked on me!” An author’s note provides further detail on Tiny’s life; a bibliography provides more resources for further reading. The State Archives of North Carolina provides a lesson plan on Broadwick and publisher Little Bee offers downloadable activity sheets on their webpage. A good addition to picture book biographies!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Wild Blue: Taming a Big-Kid Bike, by Dashka Slater and Laura Hughes

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Wild Blue, by Dashka Slater/Illustrated by Laura Hughes, (Feb. 2023, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536215670

Ages 3-7

A little girl named Kaya loves her pink pony – a pink tricycle – when Daddy tells her it’s time for a new bike. She’s outgrown pink pony, he tells her, as he takes her to the bike store to “wrangle a new one from the herd”. Told from Kayla’s point of view, bicycles become horses in a metaphor that’s expertly delivered in a combination of storytelling and illustration. Kayla names her new two-wheeler Wild Blue, and Wild Blue is a little ornery; she bucks Kayla off a few times, and despite Dad’s telling her to “show her who’s boss”, it’s not until Kayla and Wild Blue share a moment of calm together in the park, watching the other bikes zoom by, that girl and bike come together, united in purpose, and ride. Has Wild Blue been tamed? Nah: “She’s still wild… But so am I”. Slater beautifully pairs the experience of learning to ride a bigger bike and learning to ride a horse, seamlessly blending the two experiences into a story that readers will enjoy time and again. Hughes’s acrylic illustrations bring Slater’s words to life, with moments like Kayla seeing herself in the mirror, donning a cowgirl hat, as she puts on her bike helmet; visuals shift between a blue bike and a strong, determined blue horse. An open field shows Kayla in the forefront, hand on Wild Blue, as to her left, groups of bike riders ride a trail; to her right, a herd of riders and horses gallop. A great story to have in collections and great for readers tackling those big “firsts”.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Jumper treats readers to a spider’s world

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Jumper : A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider, by Jessica Lanan, (Apr. 2023, Roaring Brook Press), $19.99, ISBN: 9781250810366

Ages 4-8

Have a look at a day in the life of a backyard jumping spider in this informative and playful story that is sure to capture readers’ hearts. Jumper is a spider in a community garden frequented by people and animals in the neighborhood. Driven by a thought-provoking narrative that asks questions – “What if you were very small?” “What if you could sense tiny vibrations through your elbows and knees?” “What if you could jump five times your body length?” – and responds with all the ways Jumper moves, feels, or jumps, giving readers the chance to think about how they experience their world and how Jumper experiences her world. Ink, watercolor, and gouache illustrations  use shifting perspectives to move from close-ups of Jumper as she hides from a wasp or avoids a chickadee, to aerial views that capture large spreads, including a fold-out in the middle of the book. Back matter includes noteson spider physiology and behavior, a glossary, and notes on finding and identifying spiders. Superbly illustrated and written to inform and delight an audience, Jumper is an essential for collections. Pair this with Bethany Barton’s I’m Trying to Love Spiders (2019) for a fun, spidery STEM storytime.

Jumper has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and School Library Journal.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Farm Boots teaches kids about the seasons on the farm

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Farm Boots, by Lisl H. Detlefsen/Illustrated by Renee Kurilla, (March 2023, Feeding Minds Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781948898119

Ages 3-6

An enjoyable rhyming look at farming and the seasons using the different boots farmers and farm workers use for different tasks at different times of the year. Colorful pages show diverse families lacing up work boots, slipping on rubber boots, and getting ready for a day of work and play. Rhyming verse keeps the story fun and upbeat – “On rainy days, / use boots for puddles. / Feed newborn friends, / get cozy cuddles” – as the seasons progress. Young farmers help milk cows, show their prized animals at fairs and ride horses and muck out stables, harvest pumpkins and cranberries, all showing off the many different types of boots it takes to get the jobs done. Short sleeves give way to sweatshirts and flannel, then puffer jackets and hats, back to rolled-up jeans and t-shirts; farm chores go from outside chores to keeping sheep safe and warm in a barn, sipping cocoa, and harvesting a tree for the holidays. Back matter includes an illustrated glossary of the different types of boots appearing in the story, with descriptions to provide further context. A fun readaloud for all that pairs well with books like Clothesline Clues to the Jobs People Do (2012) by Kathryn Heling, Deborah Hembrook, and Andy Robert Davies and Julia Cook’s What Shoes Will You Wear? (2014).

Download an educator guide and coloring sheets at Feeding Minds Press’s website. Add some farm coloring pictures from JustColor.net for a fun storytime extension activity.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Holiday Reads: Eight Nights, Eight Lights by Natalie Barnes & Andrea Stegmaier

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

How was everyone’s Thanksgiving? I hope all who celebrate had a wonderful gathering. Now, it’s time for the winter holiday to kick into high gear! Here’s my first pick for holiday books this season: Eight Nights, Eight Lights.

Eight Nights, Eight Lights, by Natalie Barnes/Illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier, (March 2023, Kane Miller), $14.99, ISBN: 9781684644414

Ages 4-8

A thriving community celebrates Chanukah and readers enjoy each night through a new set of eyes in this story that explores the feeling of community, history, and embracing differences. A young boy named Max rushes home with his grandfather to light his family’s heirloom menorah; a young girl named Lara, alongside her father, shares homemade jelly donuts with neighbors. Families welcome visitors, share food and play games, give gifts, and gather at the synagogue for the story of Chanukah. Children think upon the Biblical king’s determination to force the Jewish people into giving up their religion in mature pondrance: “People can be scared when they see differences in other that they don’t understand. But we are all different… that’s what makes everyone special”. Songs and fireworks close out the last night of the celebration. Sharp-eyed readers may notice Christmas trees in the street scenes, a nod to two dovetailing holidays. Note the London Eye in the background on the final spread – Eight Nights, Eight Lights was first published in Great Britain in 2022. A helpful guide to the menorah on the verso gives readers more context, and endpapers feature menorahs on a background of blue. A great introduction to the holiday for readers.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Manolo and the Unicorn embraces the magic

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m pushing to get my review TBR read and posted by the end of the year. Stay with me! Today, I’ve got a gentle story about magic and our world through a child’s eyes: Manolo and the Unicorn.

Manolo & the Unicorn, by Jackie Azúa Kramer & Jonah Kramer/Illustrated by Zach Manbeck, (Apr. 2023, Cameron Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781951836528

Ages 5-7

Manolo is a young boy who dearly loves unicorns. His belief infuses his world with magic and wonder, communicated by Manbeck’s gentle, colorful illustration, using deep and soft color to create soft lighting around Manolo and his world, making unicorn shapes out of nature. A teacher announces a school project, where everyone will dress like their favorite animal in a Wild Animal Parade, and Manolo’s desire to be a unicorn brings laughter and derision, turning his world to sepia. The magic has been leeched from Manolo’s world until he encounters a unicorn after all, bringing deep greens and blues back to life. The unicorn inspires Manolo to share his magic with his friends, bringing color and magic to their worlds. A story that assures readers that there is magic left in our world, Manolo & the Unicorn brings surreal and beautiful illustration, paired with a narrative that reaches in and encourages the spark in each of us to endure. A gorgeous story for readalouds and picture book collections. Pair this with Bethanie Deeney Murguia’s Do You Believe in Unicorns? for a fun, unicorn-centric storytime. Don’t forget to print out unicorn masks for your storytime circle!

Manolo and the Unicorn was an Indie Next pick.

Posted in picture books

Better late than never blog tour & giveaway: Chimpansneeze by Aaron Zenz

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bear with  me on the title of this post: I missed a blog tour date, which I’ve been fighting hard against doing since I’ve been rededicating to my blog. But life happens, and sure enough, the 13th came and went with nary a post about this adorable book. I couldn’t let that go, so please, enjoy this hilarious rhyming, cumulative tale of consequences. I give you…

The Chimpansneeze, by Aaron Zenz, (Nov. 2023, Two Lions), $15.99, ISBN: 9781662518225

Ages 6-8

Two friends go for a walk in the beginning of this zany story of cumulative disaster: “A chimpanzee and a kinkajou / took a walk one day through the wild. / The kinkajou spotted buttercups, / so he plucked them up and smiled.” Sounds like a sweet friendship story, right? Hold on: those buttercups that Kinkajou is holding sets off an allergy attack for poor Chimpanzee, who lets loose with a thunderous chimpansneeze that sends poor Kinkajou flying… and then the fun really begins! Filled with rhyming animal disasters that get progressively funnier and wackier, this is a first-class readaloud choice that will keep readers in stitches. Colored pencil illustrations show cartoony animals in various stages of chaotic distress, with flying loaves of bread, poodles slipping in mustard, and so much more. Brilliant wordplay and a catchy rhyme scheme will keep this book in high demand at storytime. A great add to collections and a heck of a feel-good book. The Chimpansneeze is a companion book to Aaron Zenz’s Hiccupotamus (2012).

Aaron Zenz used up forty-nine colored pencils and broke eighty-one pencil tips during the making of The Chimpansneeze. He is the author and illustrator of more than forty-five children’s books. He wrote and illustrated the Amazon bestseller The Hiccupotamus, as well as Chuckling Ducklings, Monsters Go Night-Night, and Little Iffy Learns to Fly. He has also illustrated books written by other authors, including The Spaghetti-Slurping Sewer Serpent by Laura Ripes and Orangutangled by Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen. He lives with his large family in a small town in West Michigan. Learn more about him at http://www.aaronzenz.com, and follow him on Instagram @AaronZenz.

‘Tis the season, right? This time, I’ve got a TWO BOOK giveaway: One lucky winner will receive a copy of The Chimpansneeze along with its companion The Hiccupotamus, courtesy of Two Lions (U.S. and Canada addresses). Enter the Rafflecopter giveaway here!

Posted in picture books

It’s that time of year: I’m Trying to Love Germs

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I’m Trying to Love Germs, by Bethany Barton, (Nov. 2023, Viking Books for Young Readers), $18.99, ISBN: 9780593326725

Ages 4-8

As I sit here riding out the first head cold of the season, I’ve got a good read for your STEM and health collections: I’m Trying to Love Germs. The newest book in Bethany Barton’s I’m Trying to Love…series, I’m Trying to Love Germs is all about understanding germs: they’re not all bad! Sure, there are the germs that give us runny noses, bellyaches, and fevers, but there are germs that help us, too! If you like cheese and yogurt, or mushrooms, or use antibiotics when you get sick, you’ve experienced the good kinds of germs. Written in accessible terms with loads of fun, anthropormorphic microbes, Barton uses comic book art, word bubbles, and paneling to teach younger readers about staying healthy, safe, and smart. An excellent first purchase for collections. If you have a science club, consider adding some coloring sheets or worksheets as an extension activity; there are some good ones on Education.com.

I’m Trying to Love Germs has a starred review from School Library Journal.

Posted in Fiction, Middle Grade

Historical Adventure: The Adventures of the Flash Gang

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Adventures of the Flash Gang : Episode One: Exploding Experiment, by S.J. Waugh & M.M. Downing, (March 2023, Fitzroy Books), $9.95, ISBN: 9781646033225

Ages 9-12

It’s 1935 and 11-year-old Lewis Carter is homeless and hungry. His scientist father has disappeared and the landlady put him out on the street; now he just has his wits and his dad’s “recipe” – a little something Lewis pulled together from his father’s research. The Recipe is a mixture that, when activated, causes a flash and leaves behind a lingering stink. When he needs to steal some food, he uses the Recipe, leading the newspapers and wagging tongues to make up stories about the villainous Flash Gang. It’s all good for Lewis: who would suspect the quiet, asthmatic kid? Someone knows something, though, because Lewis is kidnapped and his Recipe is taken from him; rescued by a tutu-wearing girl named Pearl Alice Clavell, who seems to think she’s living in a serial movie, Lewis has to figure out what really happened to his father, and what information Pearl may have that can help him. This first entry into a new series reads like a classic adventure serial, with fast-paced banter between hero and heroine and exaggerated baddies aplenty. The Depression-era Pittsburgh setting gives texture to the overall story, and the science-based subplot makes this a fun suggestion for STEM/STEAM reading lists.