Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour and Giveaway: IT’S NOT THE THREE LITTLE PIGS! by Josh Funk

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

I know, two blog tours in one day! Josh Funk’s latest It’s Not… fairy tale is here, and his poor, beleaguered narrator is back, this time trying to tell the classic tale of…

It’s Not the Three Little Pigs, by Josh Funk/Illustrated by Edwardian Taylor,
(Nov. 2022, Two Lions), $17.99, ISBN: 9781542032438

Ages 4-7

The narrator shares duties this time with a fourth pig: Alison, the storyteller of the family. As the three pigs go off into the world, Alison changes up the story, leading to hilarious interactions with the omniscient narrator. There are fun STEAM elements to the story this time out, with each pig’s home showing off blueprints and comments on architectural and engineering elements (and one lament over bathroom placement that will leave readers giggling). There’s a Wolf at the door this time, too – but whether he’s big or bad remains to be seen. Narration broken up with comic dialogue and played for laughs; change up your voice during readalouds or invite a reader or two to join in. A spot-the-character ending will give readers the opportunity to chime in on who they can discover. Bright, playful cartoon artwork grabs readers’ attention, and endpapers show a host of objects from the story set off against a bright blue background.

Readers will love this addition to a fun series that never disappoints. An excellent addition to your fairy tales/fractured fairy tales collections.

 

“Those who love to make up their own stories will be inspired, and readers who march to the beats of their own drums will be delighted. Will leave readers as happy as a pig in mud.” ―Kirkus Reviews

Like the characters in his books, Josh Funk doesn’t like being told how stories should go―so he writes his own. He is the author of a bunch of picture books, including My Pet Feet, illustrated by Billy Yong; the popular Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast series, illustrated by Brendan Kearney; How to Code a Sandcastle, illustrated by Sara Palacios; and Lost in the Library: A Story of Patience & Fortitude, illustrated by Stevie Lewis. He lives in New England with his wife and children. Learn more about him at www.joshfunkbooks.com and follow him on social media:

Facebook:  Josh Funk Books

Instagram: @joshfunkbooks

Twitter: @joshfunkbooks

 

Edwardian Taylor is the illustrator of multiple children’s books, including Hey, You’re Not Santa!, written by Ethan T. Berlin; Goldibooks and the Wee Bear, written by Troy Wilson; the Toy Academy chapter books, written by Brian Lynch; and the It’s Not a Fairy Tale books, written by Josh Funk, among other titles. He lives in Texas with his partner and their three dogs. Learn more about him at www.edwardiantaylor.com and follow him on Tumblr, Instagram, and Twitter @edwardiantaylor.

 

Two Lions is offering a giveaway of TWO titles from Josh Funk’s It’s Not a Fairytale series:  It’s Not the Three Little Pigs and It’s Not Little Red Riding Hood  (U.S. and Canada addresses). Check out the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Posted in Middle School, Teen, Tween Reads

Blog Tour: PIECE BY PIECE by David Aguilar

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

David Aguilar was born with half a right arm; he calls it his “diff-ability”. With the love and support of his family – and a knack for creating – he built his first prothesis from LEGO bricks when he was nine, and continues creating and innovating in ways to make change happen and make others’ lives better.

Piece by Piece : How I Built My Life (No Instructions Required), by David Aguilar and Ferran Aguilar/Translated by Lawrence Schimel, (Oct. 2022, Amazon Crossing Kids), $9.99, ISBN: 9781662504266

Ages 10-14

Written by David and his father, Ferran Aguilar, and translated from the original Spanish by author Lawrence Schimel, Piece by Piece is heartbreaking and funny. David’s voice clearly emerges from the page to take readers into his world; never evoking pity, David is pragmatic about his limb difference, explaining it by asking readers if they miss an eleventh finger they never had: “Whoa! You don’t know what that feels like, right? I count to five. You count to ten. I am not missing anything. Neither are you”. The Aguilars inspire their readers to expand their world view, to innovate, to try, to keep going. A color photo insert called “The Tale of Hand Solo” (inspired by the name of the award-winning documentary about him) introduces readers to Aguilar’s life. Piece by Piece is absolute perfection for middle school reading. This should be a part of every LEGO Robotics team’s reading. An essential first purchase for library collections.

“Humorous and uplifting…While readers needn’t be LEGO fans to admire David’s ingenuity, fellow builders may be inspired to dream up their own inventions.” ―Kirkus Reviews

David Aguilar and his father, Ferran Aguilar, are from Andorra, in Europe. David was born missing part of one arm. At the age of nine, he designed his first prosthesis with LEGO bricks, and in high school he built the next generation, which he named the MK-1. David’s father encouraged him to make a video about his prosthesis and the huge role that LEGOs played in his life, and posted it on social media, where it went viral and changed both of their lives. In addition to telling his story in this book, David is also the protagonist of the Spanish documentary Mr. Hand Solo, which won the award for best documentary at the Boston Science Fiction Film festival. David is currently developing his own brand, Hand Solo, which will aim to benefit various organizations for the disabled and fight against the stigma of “diff-ability,” as he calls it. Follow David and Ferran on Twitter @Handsolooficial and @AguilarFerran.

Instagram: @handsoloofficial

Lawrence Schimel is a bilingual author who writes in both Spanish and English, with more than one hundred books to his credit. He is also a prolific literary translator, into English and into Spanish. His translated books include Wanda Gág’s Millions of Cats; George Takei’s graphic novel They Called Us Enemy; and Some Days, written and illustrated by María Wernicke; among many others. He lives in Madrid, Spain. Follow him on Twitter @lawrenceschimel.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Big Bear, Little Fish, Great Friends

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Big Bear and Little Fish, by Sandra Nickel/Illustrated by Il Sung Na, (Sept. 2022, Carolrhoda Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781728417172

Ages 4-8

Bear goes to a carnival hoping to win a giant teddy bear, but wins a goldfish instead. Worried that she is too big to play with, feed, or love the tiny fish, she stays as far away from it as possible, lamenting the fact that she’s saddled with this little fish instead of a big teddy bear. Fish helps Bear discover that the two are not so different after all. With a sweet look at relative size and ability, Big Bear and Little Fish is a story of looking past the surface and snap judgements to get to the heart of a situation. It’s a wise story of friendship and kindness that reads beautifully for a young audience and gives slightly older readers food for thought. Cartoon illustrations endear the animals to readers; cool shades of blue against a bright white background provide depth and texture; warm browns and golds on the animals add a warmth to the narrative. Sentences are brief and to the point, letting newly independent readers enjoy the book on their own or as part of a storytime. A good selection for storytime collections.

A free educator kit on the Lerner Books website offers discussion questions and activities.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

When Molly Ate the Stars… A Tale of Kindness

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

When Molly Ate the Stars, by Joyce Hesselberth, (Sept. 2022, Chronicle Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781797209401

Ages 3-5

On a starlit night, a girl named Molly decides to taste a star; its taste is so delicious, she gobbles them all up, leaving a dark, starless night. As Molly walks through the night, friends invite her to spend time with them, but she declines until she realizes that the world is a darker, gloomier place. Freeing the stars, she rejoins her friends to fill her with warmth and light. Molly’s dress looks like a cage, complete with lock and key, that she uses to hold and eventually free the stars; a cool purple and blue palette is a lovely contrast to the warm, redheaded Molly and her starlit body, illustrating her leeching the light and warmth of the night sky from her surroundings. A gentle reminder that we draw our strength and our inner light from the connections we make in our lives, When Molly Ate the Stars is a good choice for storytimes and collections where fables and fairy tales are popular.

Visit Joyce Hesselberth’s webpage for free printable activities!

 

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Blog Tour: Lily and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

“Dadvisor” Anthony Delauney has a new book in his series of children’s books on financial literacy: Lilly and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work is a rhyming story about why parents go to work.

Lilly and May Learn Why Mom and Dad Work, by Anthony C. Delauney,
(Oct. 2022, Mascot Books), $16.95, ISBN: 978-1-63755-292-6

Ages 4-7

Sisters Lilly and May cry after seeing their father head off to work, and Mom is there to explain: we have to work so that we have money to give our kids everything they need, from a home and food, to clothes and utilities. Money really does make the world go ’round, too: our money pays for other people’s jobs, from teachers and scientists to people who perform day-to-day services that keep our lives moving, like construction workers and firefighters. Mom explains all the reasons we earn and save money, and playful rhyme makes for a fun readaloud. Digital illustrations make for cheerful characters. The family appears biracial; Dad is lights-skinned, Mom is brown-skinned, and Lilly and May are light brown-skinned. Endpapers show a variety of people in different jobs. Back matter includes a fun matching game for children.

Visit Anthony C. Delauney’s website, Owning the Dash, for free financial literacy resources for children and parents.

Posted in Fantasy, Teen, Young Adult/New Adult

Go read Rust in the Root RIGHT NOW!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Rust in the Root, by Justina Ireland, (Sept. 2022, Balzer + Bray), $18.99, ISBN: 9780063038226

Ages 14+

Justina Ireland’s new historical fantasy is everything that other historical fantasy about magicians in the 1920s and 1930s should have been. Set in 1937, Laura Ann Langston arrives in New York, from her small town in Pennsylvania. She wants to earn her mage’s license so she can become a baker to the stars, but fate has a curve ball waiting. She takes a she applies for a job with the Colored Auxiliary of the Bureau of the Arcane’s Conservation Corps: magic exists in this history, and like everything else at the time, it’s segregated. Ireland expertly weaves U.S. history into her fantasy to give us an incredible story where white Necromancers and Mechomancers – magic with metal – threaten the world’s structure; the Auxiliary, made up with different areas of magic users, use natural means to combat them. Sent into the Ohio Deep Blight – an area of Ohio under attack from Necromancy – and Laura, now known as the Peregrine, ventures into the Blight with her mentor, the Skylark, and a group of apprentices. When they arrive in Ohio, they discover a deep, evil purpose behind the disappearance of the previous team sent out, and that their own lives are in danger. Justina Ireland views American history through a social lens and brings to life a fantasy that makes perfect sense. Black and white photos run throughout, with wry observations from Peregrine; missives from the Skylark will keep you guessing until the end. Incredible storytelling and world-building make this one of the best books I’ve read this year. Read this, booktalk this, and give it to history and fantasy fans alike.

Rust in the Root has starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, Booklist, School Library Journal, and Kirkus.

Posted in picture books

Sloth’s Treehouse Inn is getting a little crowded!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Sloth’s Treehouse Inn, by Carrie Hasler/Illustrated by Christina Wald, (Oct. 2022, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Press), $17.99, ISBN: 9781943198139

Ages 4-8

Deep in the Amazon rainforest, Santiago the Sloth is the innkeeper at The Treehouse Inn; it’s a place where residents of the forest can go to relax, hang around, and take long naps. As humans encroach on the rainforest, more and more animals find themselves seeking shelter at The Treehouse Inn, and Santiago worries that he’ll run out of room. Luckily, out of the destruction, a spark of hope shines through: Santiago sees humans working together to plant new plants and trees, to grow new trees and plants and give back some of the land taken away. Inspired by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and conservation partners working together to study and rejuvenate the Amazon rainforest, Sloth’s Treehouse Inn is a gentle story about a very real danger facing our planet: the decimation of our natural resources. Back matter includes a note on the work being done to save the rainforest, and information on how kids can help. Front endpapers list Amazon animal fun facts printed on giant leaves; back endpapers show animals of the rainforest on a picture taken from inside the story. Realistic artwork has a touch of cartoon softness to endear Amazon residents to children; deep natural colors dominate the scenery. Storytelling personifies the animals and creates investment in the plight of the rainforest and the animals who live there; by showing people working together to reinvest in the natural resources, readers understand that humans have the ability to help – it’s not a lost cause! A good selection for animal collections and an excellent choice for rainforest and biome collections for younger learners.

 

Posted in Uncategorized

Learn all about HAIR

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Hair: From Moptops to Mohicans, Afros to Cornrows, by Katja Spitzer, (Sept. 2022, Prestel Junior), $14.95, ISBN: 9783791375281

Ages 5-7

A fun dive into the history of hair and we express ourselves through hairstyles, Hair is filled with facts and cultural profiles and stories behind hair culture, going from wealthy 18th century women whose giant hair styles would be considered a health hazard today, to British punks who made the Native American Mohawk look a hair icon, hair is the easiest way for many people to create an identity. Spitzer looks at the historical and cultural issues around hair: red-haired people were considered to have magical powers because of the rarity of their color hair; Black hair pride, thanks to leaders like Martin Luther King and Angela Davis; Indian women who offer their hair at a temple to receive the gods’ help. Clear, easy-to-read text and fun facts, paired with boldly outlined and bright, retro artwork make this an eclectic add to nonfiction collections. A page at the end asks readers to draw their favorite hairstyle: it will be a good idea to scan and print copies of that page, and ask readers not to draw in the books, if you’re putting this one into circulation.

Originally published in Germany, the German edition of Hair was longlisted for the World Illustrations Award 2021.

 

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

My Dog, Hen embraces the chaos and joy of a new puppy

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

My Dog, Hen, by David Mackintosh, (Oct. 2022, Prestel Junior), $16.95, ISBN: 9783791375359

Ages 4-8

A boy and his family adopt a new pet and discover the fun – and the pandemonium – that a new puppy can bring. The family brings the Hen, a mixed breed dog, home and sets about making him as comfortable as possible, but all Hen wants to do is chew on everything: furniture, his bed and toys, even the “indestructible” toys that the boy buys from the pet store. Grandma arrives and sews a toy that even Hen can’t destroy, leading to a conversation about what’s considered disposable, from Dad’s mended socks to Hen himself: “Why should we get a brand new dog when Hen is as good as new to us?” “Why get new socks if Gran can make old ones as good as new?” High-contrast artwork incorporates negative space to make a visually interesting story, and Mackintosh’s simple and to-the-point storytelling, narrated by a child, delivers a thought-provoking message about the throwaway society we are turning around. A good purchase for storytime collections. Pair with Cary Fagan’s Little Blue Chair for a storytime with a message; encourage kids to craft with materials from other projects, whether they be scraps of fabric, old socks, and scraps of paper from previous projects.

 

Posted in Intermediate, Non-Fiction, picture books

Reading for Indigenous People’s Day? Add these to your list.

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

October 10th is designated as Indigenous People’s Day, when we honor Native American history and culture. It is a holiday that has been a long time coming; consider spending the day learning from the best resources.

Dr. Debbie Reese’s American Indians in Children’s Literature website is an excellent resource, with analyses on books and resources on indigenous people in literature: Dr. Reese provides insight on the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.

If you are interested in research the indigenous land you occupy, and you are in the United States, you can text your zip code or your city and state to a number that will respond with the names of the Native lands that correspond to your region. I live and work on land taken from the Canarsie, Munsee Lenape, and Matinecock nations. Thanks to Code for Anchorage and Native Land for this service.

Support Indigenous presses. Highwater Press was kind enough to send me two beautiful picture books from their Sk’ad’a Stories Series, which I’ll be talking about below. Highwater is an imprint of Portage & Main Press and they publish stories by Indigenous writers and illustrators.
Returning to the Yakoun River, by Sara Florence Davidson & Robert Davidson/Illustrated by Janine Gibbons, (Sept. 2022, Highwater Press), $21.95, ISBN: 9781774920213

Ages 6-8

Returning to the Yakoun River is based on author Sara Florence Davidson’s childhood memories of a Haida fish camp. Seen through the eyes of a young girl, a family travels to the Yakoun River to fish for salmon and spend time with their Tsinii (grandfather). The artwork unfolds like a dream; the art appears to be oil painting; Haida artist Janine Gibbons draws from nature for her palette, with early morning blues and grays moving into cool weather steel blues and and greens; food and cheerful faces warm up the spreads. Endpapers show a calm river scene in the early morning. Sara Florence Davidson, a Haida/Settler Assistant Professor in Indigenous Education, draws heavily on themes of family and connection to the ancestors in her work. Her father, co-author Robert Davidson, is of Haida descent and is one of the most respected and important contemporary artists in Canada. The story is a peaceful meditation on intergenerational relationships and family and on recognizing the importance of ritual and connection. A gorgeous book for collections and an excellent purchase.

 

 

Dancing With Our Ancestors, by Sara Florence Davidson & Robert Davidson/Illustrated by Janine Gibbons, (Sept. 2022, Highwater Press), $21.95, ISBN: 9781774920244

Ages 6-8

A potlatch is an important ceremony to First Nations in the Northwest and parts of Canada. In Dancing With Our Ancestors, Sara Florence Davidson remembers the last time she danced with her late brother, all the while bringing the importance, excitement, and joy of a potlatch to younger readers. What most stands out in the narrative is the determination to continue tradition in the face of adversity: “Unlike our father, we were born after the laws that outlawed our culture practices were changed. The potlatch ban did not exist during our time, so we grew up dancing and singing side by side”; “They wanted us to stop being Haida”; “Today we dance with our children so our culture cannot be stolen again”. Joy and pain live side by side in the storytelling. Davidson beautifully describes the excitement and anticipation, with attendees arriving by boat, plane, and cars and RVs; the community makes “mountains of food” and set up the gym where the event is being held. Janine Gibbons’s illustrations show a crowd that spans generations, with bold, vibrant regalia and a sense of wonder that comes through. Endpapers show bold, colorful crests and masks, proudly displayed during the potlatch. An author’s note provides context to the story and a note on Ben Davidson, the author’s brother, is a lovely tribute. An absolutely essential purchase.

 

For the complete Sk’ad’a Stories Series list, visit Highwater’s page. Highwater also sells a Teacher’s Guide available for working with the Sk’ad’a Stories on their website.