Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

The Gilmore Girls go to the picture books!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Gilmore Girls: At Home in Stars Hollow, by Micol Ostow/Illustrated by Cecilia Messina, (Sept. 2023, Insight Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9798886631449

Ages 4+

Spreading the Gilmore Girls love to a new generation, The Gilmore Girls: At Home in Stars Hollow joins luminaries such as Parks & Rec, The Office, The X-Files, and Charmed in the picture book ranks. At Home in Stars Hollow introduces mother-daughter pair Lorelei and Rory, who look back on their lives after arriving Stars Hollow, from their beginnings in the small shed behind the Independence Inn to Lorelei’s promotion to running the Inn. Popular characters from the show make an appearance, like Melissa McCarthy’s memorable chef, Sookie, and Rory’s friend, Lane. Friendly cartoon art includes series touchstones that will delight fans of the show and intrigue newcomers to the series. Ostow brings the warmth of the series to the printed page by giving the reader a sense of Stars Hollow’s coziness and friendliness; Ostow and Messina together bring the love between mother and daughter, Lorelei and Rory, to the forefront. It’s a great trip back in time for readers, as Ostow herself states in the story: “Once upon a time—back when every schoolchild had a Trapper Keeper and the Go-Go’s ruled the radio—there was a very special place called Stars Hollow”. An essential add to pop culture storybook collections.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Hervé Tullet keeps ’em moving with Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance!, by Hervé Tullet, (May 2023, Chronicle Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9781797221465

Ages 2-6

The master of the interactive storytime book, Hervé Tullet, is back with a new readaloud that’s meant to get fingers and hands moving. With bold, bright primary colors, handprints, and shapes, Tullet leads readers through a hand dance where little hands can tap, whoosh around pages, jump across dots and swirls, and make loop-the-loops to their heart’s delight. With smaller storytime groups, I’ve let them put their hands on the book and follow Tullet’s illustration; with larger groups, get the fingers in the air and let your circle time twirl, hop, and jump in their spots. This could work as a fun Scarf Storytime or a Flannel Storytime; it’s really about the space you’re working with and the numbers in your room. Tullet’s fun instruction is a joy to read out loud and the bold paint scribbles and smears are so much fun to look at. Can your storytime kids come up with their own moves to add? Now’s the time to find out. Every Tullet book is a delight between two covers. Add this one to your collections.

Tap! Tap! Tap! Dance! Dance! Dance! has a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly.

Posted in Teen, Uncategorized, Young Adult/New Adult

Chilling Dystopian YA: The Chaperone by M Hendrix

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Chaperone, by M Hendrix, (June 2023, Sourcebooks Fire), $11.99, ISBN: 9781728260006

Ages 13+

I thought I’d burned out on dystopian YA, but the premise of The Chaperone sounded so plausible, so very close to where we balance these days, that I picked it up. I was rewarded. In New America, things are very different for young women; they have rules: “Deflect attention. Abstain from sin. Navigate the world with care. Give obedience. Embrace purity. Respect your chaperone.” From the moment a girl begins menstruation, men – including fathers – can no longer show affection, treating their female family members as commodities. A chaperone moves in with the family to keep the young woman “safe” at all times, and keep them from sin. The girls learn different from boys and college is a pipe dream. They are here to marry and breed. Stella, a teen living in New America, loves her chaperone, Sister Helen; she’s closer to her than her own mother. Sister Helen’s sudden, violent death sends her into a tailspin, and when her new chaperone, Sister Laura, moves in, Stella is initially reticent to open up. Sister Laura is different. She takes Stella to secret self defense classes. Gives her books that she isn’t supposed to read. Asks her provocative questions. Leaves her by herself in public. As Stella begins seeing the world with new eyes, she starts questioning her life in New America. And when her father starts pushing her into a marriage of his choice as graduation approaches, she knows she has big decisions to make, and soon. A taut thriller set in a frighteningly possible near future, The Chaperone has elements of Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, but puts greater emphasis on Stella and her growth throughout the story. Readers will appreciate the complex relationships Stella has with her parents and the conflicting loyalties to Sister Helen, her first chaperone, and Sister Laura, her latest chaperone. The Chaperone has an optimistic, empowering viewpoint that encourages young women to stay in the fight.

The Chaperone has a starred review from Booklist.
Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction

Kids Ask About Bears

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Bears (Kids Ask About), by Christopher Nicholas/Illustrated by Pedro Julio Gonzalez, (Jan. 2023, Sequoia Kids Media), $20.99, ISBN: 9798765400319

Ages 7-10

This intermediate nonfiction series takes the big questions that come up and intersperses fun facts. There are lots of questions about bears: Where do they live? Which bear is the biggest? Which one is the smallest? What’s up with the koala: is it really a bear? Presented in a question-and-answer format, Kids Ask About: Bears is illustrated in full-color, with realistic images and photos of bears throughout. Questions and answers show up in speech bubbles; bulleted lists and callout speech bubbles provide additional facts. Colorful fonts are eye-catching and the facts are brief and easy to read and remember. A table of contents allows readers to go directly to questions they want to read about: “Where do polar bears live?” “How do sloth bears get their name?” “Do all bears eat animals?” Very user-friendly and kid friendly, the Kids Ask About series is a nice addition to your nonfiction collections. Visit the Sequoia webpage for printable companion worksheets, activity sheets, and coloring pages.

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction

Do You Know: Boats and Water Transport and Musical Instruments

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Do You Know: Boats and Water Transport, by Laurence Muguet, (Apr. 2023, Twirl Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9782408042554

Ages 5-8

The most recent Do You Know? book in the Twirl series is a good summer reading choice: it’s all about boats and water transportation. Originally published in French in 2021, the English translation reads easily for intermediate readers and introduces them to all sorts of watercraft. Beginning with the basics: “What is a boat?”, informative text and labeled illustrations take readers through different kinds of watercraft and where they dock, including shipyards, ocean liners, and riverboats. Thought-provoking questions invite discussion. There is an easily searchable index, fun facts run throughout the book, and the writing is clear and easy to undertand. This a good purchase for intermediate nonfiction collections.  Originally published in France, Do You Know: Boats and Water Transport seamlessly translates into English.

 

 

Do You Know: Music and Musical Instruments, by Julie Delas, (Aug. 2023, Twirl Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9782408042530

Ages 5-8

The newest Do You Know? book is all about music and musical instruments, and is a fun and informative read. Originally published in French (2020), the translation is flawless and easy to read. Bright illustrations show a variety of people singing and playing instruments together. Music instruments and history cover a global scale, from medieval times to today’s popular music like rap and K-Pop; instruments featured include the Australian didgeridoo, Senegal’s kora, and the Inuit qilaut drum from Canada. The book covers jobs in music, venues, and dance, making this a helpful volume to have in your 700s. Fun facts, prompts for discussion, and review sections round this volume out. A full index makes for easy searching. This may be my favorite Do You Know? yet.

Posted in Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

New sibling kit: Just One Me

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Just One Me: A Big Sibling Kit, by M.H. Clark/Illustrated by Chelsea Bianchini, (June 2023, Compendium), $36.95, ISBN: 9781957891019

Ages 3-7

This is an adorable gift idea for new big siblings. A cuddly koala is the star of the show in Just One Me, a sweet baby book for older siblings to record thoughts, hopes, and notes about themselves and their new sibling. Gentle illustrations of the little koala and prompts run throughout the book, with spaces for recording notes about what the two siblings can share and what the older sibling may want to keep for themselves; ways big sibling can help parents; and brag space for the big sibling to write about the things they can already do and what they loves as babies. It’s a sweet keepsake and a way for the older sibling to share their feelings about the new baby, encouraging them to claim their own space. It is a sweet way to celebrate an elder child’s accomplishments while welcoming a new little. A soft plush koala comes with the set.

 

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction

Mini Doodles: Fun prompts and activities

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Gina Perry, who has written one of my most popular storytime books (Small, 2017), has turned her illustration talents to activity books. Normally, if it doesn’t circ, I pause before blogging about it, but these books are adorable and they’re super handy to have around if you want to have a program that calls for some creativity. At 8 bucks a pop, you can put some budget money in and pick up a few of these to have on hand.

Let’s Draw Dinosaurs, by Gina Perry, (June 2023, Bushel & Peck Books), $7.99, ISBN: 9781638192022

Ages 4-8

How adorable are these dinosaurs? Gina Perry’s illustration is playful and kid-friendly, and her suggestions and prompts are so much fun; it’s like she’s standing there, encouraging kids to be their creative selves: “Now, let’s just get some teeth on these dinos, what you do you think?” Some prompts are original: “Write your name in bones”, complete with bone alphabet to help provide a frame of reference. Her instructions are clear and simple, and her line illustrations are bold, clear, and easy to follow. Let’s Draw Dinosaurs is sure to make budding artists out of kids (and adults: you know you want to make an Apatosaurus valley).

 

Let’s Draw Magical Creatures, by Gina Perry, (June 2023, Bushel & Peck Books), $7.99, ISBN: 9781638191612

Ages 4-8

If dinosaurs leave you wanting more, Gina Perry also has magical creatures to play around with. Let’s Draw Magical Creatures is all about drawing unicorns, dragons, mermaids, fairies, and more. Easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions show readers how to create their drawings, and fun prompts offer readers the chance to engage their imaginations and put their drawings in different settings: put gnomes on stumps, have a dragon face-off, or have unicorns gallop across a field en masse. Adorable creatures, fun prompts, easy-to-read and easy-to-follow instructions: it’s all in this series.

If you’re looking to circ these, try putting those “please do not write in book” strips across the cover (we do it with our test prep books with some success). Want more Gina Perry? Visit her website, where she has activity kits and drawing sheets in the spirit of the Mini Doodles series!

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads, Toddler Reads

Two books for Back to School

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I know, I know, don’t throw things at me! It’s only July and our kids have practically just started summer vacation (as my own Kiddo has told me when he sees school supplies on sale), but you want to have your books ready to greet the kiddos when they get back to school, right? Here are three good additions to your back to school collections.

The Wild Guide to Starting School, by Laura & Philip Bunting, (Aug. 2023, Kane Miller), $15.99, ISBN: 9781684646081

Ages 3-6

This Australian import (2022) is about to hit U.S. shelves and it is a hilarious guide to the first day of school, starring a cast of Australian animals starting preschool. Taking readers through an entire day from wake-up to bedtime, the book, written in guide format, provides hilarious and heartfelt steps for getting through that first day of school. Readers will laugh out loud at the suggested – and not recommended – suggestions for waking up, getting dressed, school essentials, and ways to go to school. A sweet section on drop-off farewells include such suggestions as the “Bil-Bye”, when parent and child bilbays interlock tails and the “Butt Bump”, where parent and child wombats… well, bump butts.  The section on bathroom use will bring the shrieks and giggles, and parents will recognize the responses to “What did you do at school today?”, provided in bar chart form. Mixing humor with helpful suggestions, The Wild Guide to Starting School is a fun addition to back-to-school storytimes that answers questions while providing some relaxing laughter.

 

 

Yenebi’s Drive to School, by Sendy Santamaria, (June 2023, Chronicle Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781797216294

Ages 4-7

Yenebi and her sister, Melanie, wake up at 4 a.m. every morning and get ready to leave for school. Mami waits for them in the car, and they begin they drive across the border. As they sit in traffic for up to three hours, the family orders breakfast from vendors who walk up and down the road, selling everything from food to clothing and jewelry. Yenebi is in good spirits, delighted by all she can buy and see from Mami’s car window, and Melanie sleeps until it’s time to eat; Mami savors her coffee and enjoys the family time with her girls. The story of life in a border town, Yenebi’s Drive to School shows the hardships of families waiting in La Linea – the traffic waiting to cross the border – and the dedication of parents who will do anything in their power to give their children the best they can. Spanish vocabulary and phrases throughout the book thread through the English text. Digital illustrations bring the vibrancy and color of a border town to life. Endpapers show a variety of pigeons sitting on barbed wire; some with pencils, some with coffee, some with backpacks. An author’s note provides deeper context to the story. Yenebi’s Drive to School published simultaneously in Spanish; both are essential purchases for collections.

Yenebi’s Drive to School has starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus.

 

 

Welcome to Preschool, by Maria Carluccio, (July 2023, Chronicle Books), $16.99, ISBN: 9781797210841

Ages 2-4

What a cute way to welcome children to preschool! An introduction to a day at preschool, Welcome to Preschool has an all-animal cast of characters and sturdy pull tabs that let little explorers pull and push a character per spread across the page, allowing student to hang up a coat, play with trains, fingerpaint, push a book cart, reach for the sky, and head home for the day. Mixed media watercolor provides soft colors; rhyming text makes for a soothing read, and the sturdy board book will hold up to multiple uses. Each spread makes Pre-K look like a wonderful place to be, with a friendly teacher who leads her charges through the school day and a friendly group of students who play together. A very cute addition to board book collections.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Tales from the TBR: Picture Books about Animals

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

It’s another installation of Tales from the TBR, and this time, I’ve got some fun books about animals for your collections! Enjoy.

Holey Moley, by Bethan Clarke/Illustrated by Anders Frang, (Aug. 2023, Kane Miller), $15.99, ISBN: 9781684645497

Ages 4-8

This hilarious story is full of wordplay, rhymes, and laughs. Gus the Goat meets Mavis the Mole and proceeds to start guessing where Mavis lives, adding his own rhyming flair: “A mole in a hole. A moley in a holey. A holey moley!” Mavis weathers Gus’s insistence on coming up with rhyming places where Mavis lives, to the reader’s delight. The back-and-forth dialogue is fast-paced, with illustrations that bring Gus’s imagination to life in the silliest of ways. A supporting cast of animal characters provide an audience for Gus. Originally published earlier this year in Great Britain, Holey Moley is a good addition to stories that engage readers with creative wordplay.

 

 

Just a Worm, by Marie Boyd, (March 2023, Greenwillow Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9780063212565

Ages 4-8

After being called “just a worm” in the most squeamish of reactions, Worm sets off through a garden to discover ways to prove people wrong. Some garden denizens are friendly, some are a little standoffish, but every0ne in the garden – including worm – has something important to contribute. An engaging narrative about recognizing one’s worth, Just a Worm is also a STEM story about how spiders, dragonflies, ladybugs,, bees, caterpillars and butterflies, and worms are the best neighbors a garden can have. Paper-quilling art adds an extra dimension of texture; back matter includes instructions on making a quilled paper butterfly that is sure to delight readers. Earthworm facts and a glossary complete this story that will find a home on fiction and STEM shelves.

 

 

Fish and Crab, by Marianna Coppo, (March 2023, Chronicle Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781797204437

Ages 4-8

Best friends Fish and Crab live together in an aquarium, where they share a bedroom. When it’s time to go to sleep, Fish has a lot of worries: what was that sound? What if aliens abduct them? What if it rains frogs? Crab brews a cup of herbal tea and hears Fish out, with some hilarious commentary. An adorable bedtime story with some chuckles in store, Coppo creates a sweet story about friendship and the importance of having a person you can turn to with all your worries and fears – no matter what time of day or night. The back-and-forth dialogue moves quickly, and the tempera and pastel illustrations move from bright colors to grey and black to denote nighttime conversations. Parents will get a kick out of this one, too; they’ll see themselves in this scenario. Endpapers add to the story, with black endpapers and a wide-open pair of eyes to denote who’s left awake in the beginning and end of the story. A storytime choice your readers will want to hear again and again.

 

 

The Fastest Tortoise in Town, by Howard Calvert/Illustrated by Karen Obuhanych, (Apr. 2023, Candlewick Press), $18.99, ISBN: 9781536228359

Ages 3-7

A charming story that acts as a prequel to a beloved fairy tale, The Fastest Tortoise in Town is the story of Barbara Hendricks, a “regular leopard tortoise” whose owner and best friend, a little girl named Lorraine, has entered her in a race. Barbara is nervous about her chances – she’s a tortoise, after all – but Lorraine encourages her and helps her build stamina by taking her for walks every day. When Barbara is frustrated at how slow she is compared to assorted toddlers, remote-controlled vehicles, and Lorraine’s grandfather, Lorraine is there to keep Barbara’s spirits high. Calvert spins an adorable story of friendship and perseverance, told in the first person from Barbara’s point of view, and touches on facing and overcoming fears. Obuhanych’s enjoyable, colorful mixed media illustrations show expressive animal and human characters; the panel-by-panel scenes from the actual race will have readers giggling as they enjoy the unlikely competitors. The story’s end leads into a well-known fairy tale; have some of the many versions available! A very cute addition to storytime collections.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

A time capsule for generations: The Red Tin Box

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Red Tin Box, by Matthew Burgess/Illustrated by Evan Turk, (Apr. 2023, Chronicle Books), $17.99, ISBN: 9781452179735

Ages 3-5

A young girl named Maude secures her treasures in a red tin box and buries it by a dogwood tree. Years pass, and Maude, now a grandmother, takes her granddaughter, Eve, to the same spot. This moving intergenerational story delights in the sharing and preservation of memories. Maude and Eva’s relationship celebrates the love between grandparent and grandchild and the excitement of uncovering a treasure, while celebrating the bittersweet memories that our childhood treasures can bring. It is a moving moment when Eva witnesses her grandmother’s emotional recollection; when Maude passes the red tin box on to Eva, there’s a wonderful sense of continuity and responsibility. Gouache illustration in pinks, reds, and violets exude warmth and feeling. An outstanding storytime choice and a perfect way to start discussions with grandparents and elders. Maude and Eva are brown-skinned. Maude raises her family with her brown-skinned, female partner.

The Red Tin Box has a starred review from Kirkus.