Shelf Awareness--Our Violent Ends

YA Review: Our Violent Ends

Our Violent Ends by Chloe Gong (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 512p., ages 13-up, 9781534457720)

Our Violent Ends continues the satisfying, high-stakes tale of forbidden love that began in These Violent Delights. Chloe Gong brings the duology to a close amid a culture of moral decay and an ever-increasing body count.

This sequel picks up four months after the "monster of Shanghai" was killed, and the madness associated with it has abated. But even as citizens celebrate, the bloody gang war between Scarlets and White Flowers rages on. Confrontations between Communists and Nationalists heat up as well and, in the emerging political landscape, both Scarlets and White Flowers stand to lose all their hard-won power and territories. Scarlet heir Juliette Cai hasn't seen ex-lover and White Flower heir Roma Montagov since she saved his life by pretending to shoot one of his closest friends. In the ensuing months, Roma, certain Juliette betrayed him, has become a bitter, angry killer intent on vengeance. But now the pair must work together again to track down a blackmailer who demands payment in exchange for the city's safety: while only one monster caused chaos and destruction before, "I have five," the blackmailer's note warns. "Do as I say, or everyone dies."

Chloe Gong revisits Romeo and Juliet--"one of Shakespeare's best plays" Gong states in her bio--and sets it in the "uproarious decadence" of an alternate 1920s Shanghai in political and social turmoil. At the heart lies the smoldering romance between Roma and Juliette, which simultaneously threatens to blaze into deadly violence and amorous love at any moment. Against such a ruthless backdrop, with loyalties tested, how can true love possibly win out? --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Discover: This sequel to These Violent Delights continues a satisfying, high-stakes tale of forbidden love set amid a culture of extreme decadence and an ever-increasing body count.

December Recommendations

Picture Books:

When EVERYBODY IN THE RED BRICK BUILDING begins, the inhabitants of said building are all sound asleep. Until… Baby Lizzie goes “WaaaAAH!,” Rayhan’s parrot goes “Rraak! WAKE UP!,” Benny, Cairo, and Miles “pitter, patter STOMP!” and so on!! This wonderful story builds cumulatively to a car alarm’s “WEEYOOOWEEEEYOOOOO!!!! before the sounds soften “shhhh shhhh” for the sleepy finish. Anne Wynter’s text is clever and fun to read, and is accompanied by Oge Mora’s exceptional collaged art.

FARM LULLABY by Karen Jameson, illustrated by Wednesday Kirwan, is a stunning bedtime book from two very fine creators. Rhyming lines will soothe even the most active readers as night falls on the farm, and finally “moonbeams shine on evening blush/Nighttime’s blanket settles. Hush.” Jewel-toned illustrations of animals “settling in, hoof to chin” will invoke many a classic bedtime tale.

CAT DOG, by Mem Fox and Mark Teague, is perfectly silly book that features a “scary dog, right?” Nope. But there is a cat who narrates this book that’s full of contradictions. Cat and Dog sleep and pounce their way through a series of questions which are usually followed by “Yes!” or “No!” And, whatever the answer, the pictures often show that the opposite is closer to the truth. The acrylic paintings bring fun perspectives, a great color sense, and a knack for neatly depicting both the truth and the fiction described within these pages. Kids should love it!

THE LOST PACKAGE, written by Richard Ho and illustrated by Jessical Lanan, describes how, after a package is lovingly packed, sealed, and “given a personal touch,” it’s processed at the post office and loaded onto a truck bound for the airport. But along the way, it falls out of the truck and is “LOST.” A boy and his mom find the now “tattered and muddy” package and serendipitously deliver it to its intended destination across the country. The book has a strong narrative arc, plenty of emotional heft, and also manages to explain how mail is processed! Lanan’s watercolor illustrations deftly enhance Ho’s rich text.

¡VAMOS! LET’S CROSS THE BRIDGE, by Raúl the Third, with colors by Elaine Bay, is another installment in this exuberant look at border life. “Today is the big celebration! ¡La gran celebración!” and Little Lobo has packed up his new truck with “piñatas, cakes, rockets,” etc. for the party that’s “across the river in another country.” When they get stuck in a huge traffic jam on the bridge, it looks like Little Lobo and his friends will miss the fun. But, never fear, with all those party fixings, they have a great time celebrating right where they are. The art is so colorful and complex, it’s worth poring over with many, many readings. In fact, the whole thing is the height of madcap fun, tells a terrific story, and “Beep! Beep!” is a celebración for everyone!

MISTER WATSON’S CHICKENS, written by Jarett Dapier and illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi, is the silly-sweet and wonderfully-told tale of Mr. Watson and Mr. Nelson and their expanding chicken population. What begins as a very sensible “handful of chickens,” soon grows—and grows—to an astounding collection of 456, including one named Aunt Agnes who sings very loudly. Something must be done!

--Lynn

December's Book of the Month--A House

December’s Book of the Month is the deceptively simple A HOUSE, created by picture book wizard Kevin Henkes.

A HOUSE consists of a series of graphic renderings of said house, accompanied by pertinent questions.“Where is the door? What color is it?” and “Where is the window? What shape is it?” Seems basic enough, but there’s a lot going on here: “Where is the sun? Is it up? Where are the birds? Are all of them flying?…Where is the moon? Does it look like a window? Where are the stars? How many are there?”

Small changes to the image will have readers conjuring up questions of their own. But then the book takes an emotional turn when the narrator exclaims “Look! Here comes a dog. Here comes a cat. Here comes some people.” And we learn that, actually, we have not been studying a house. Rather, we have been studying a home.

Henkes’s gentle, perceptive questions encourage readers to think deeply on what constitutes a house, including how it relates to the things around it. And, more importantly, how it relates to the things that are in it. Using an art stye reminiscent of his lovely book WAITING, with brown ink, watercolor paints, and colored pencils, the author/illustrator has created a(nother) surprisingly perfect picture book.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--The Secret of the Magic Pearl

PB Review: The Secret of the Magic Pearl

The Secret of the Magic Pearl by Elisa Sabatinelli, trans. by Christopher Turner, illus. by Iacopo Bruno (Red Comet Press, 92p., ages 6-10, 9781636550060)

The Secret of the Magic Pearl is a warmhearted tale of wonder, imagination and love for the sea, enhanced by fabulous, surreal illustrations.

Hector wants to be a deep-sea diver just like his dad. The boy's family used to run the marina, a place where "divers from up and down the coast came to meet," but Amedeo Limonta, "the bad guy in this story," built a rival complex next door and forced Hector's family out of business. When Hector turns eight, his dad takes him on his first deep-sea expedition, which is "like being on another planet." On the seabed, Hector notices a flashing light--the legendary Pearl, or "soul of the sea." His family decides to share this elusive beauty by exhibiting it for a time, but they understand they will eventually "have to take the Pearl back to the sea." Greedy Amedeo Limonta, however, wants it as his own.

Christopher Turner's translation of Elisa Sabatinelli's original Italian text is a fanciful ode to sailors, divers and the wonders of the sea that includes a touch of intrigue, a satisfying tale of friendship and a welcome caution against greed. Iacopo Bruno's lavish, colorful full-page and spot illustrations provide a visual feast, adding extraordinary elements to the text. There is even beauty hidden beneath the dust jacket, a fitting touch for a book that so nicely celebrates beauty beneath the sea. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger and children's book author.

Discover: In this warmhearted, beautifully illustrated tale, a boy finds the legendary Pearl on his first deep-sea dive and must keep it safe from a greedy rival.

Shelf Awareness--Across the Rainbow Bridge

MG/YA Review: Across the Rainbow Bridge: Stories of Norse Gods and Humans

Across the Rainbow Bridge: Stories of Norse Gods and Humans by Kevin Crossley-Holland, illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love (Candlewick, 96p., ages 10-17, 9781536217719, December 7, 2021)

Across the Rainbow Bridge: Stories of Norse Gods and Humans by Kevin Crossley-Holland and illustrated by Jeffrey Alan Love offers five bewitchingly told, dramatically illustrated tales featuring gods and ghosts who insinuate themselves into the affairs of Midgard, "the world inhabited by human beings, giants, and dwarfs." Crossley-Holland's superb storytelling is perfectly paired with Love's powerful acrylic paint, ink and pencil-on-board art, which invokes the outsize effect the inhabitants of these other worlds have on the people of Middle Earth. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger and children's book author.

November Recommendations

Novels:

In PLAYING THE CARDS YOUR DEALT, by Varian Johnson, ten-year-old Ant is looking forward to playing in the annual Oak Grove spades tournament, so he can have a redo to replace the memory of last year’s disastrous match. But when best friend and partner Jamal gets grounded, new girl Shirley (don’t say “girlfriend”) steps in. Now Ant’s got serious trouble with Jamal, plus what’s going on with his dad, anyway?? Johnson (The Parker Inheritance, Twins) is a terrific middle grade writer, and this does not disappoint.

ALONE, by Megan E. Freeman, is a captivating novel in verse which describes how, after plans for a secret sleepover fall through and her town is evacuated due to an “imminent threat,” Maddie must survive on her own for more than three years with no one but “a big, smelly/ Rottweiler who farts/ and hogs the covers” for company. She learns to deal with loneliness, looters, and getting her period, among a myriad of other pressing problems. It’s nicely done!

Picture Books:

In BLUE FLOATS AWAY, words by Travis Jonker and pictures by Grant Snider, one day, when an iceberg living near the North Pole with his parents—CRACK—floats away, he’s determined to get back to his family. But even as Little Blue makes plans, he gets “smaller /and smaller/ and smaller/ until he disappear[s].” Blue is transformed, though, not gone, and he learns new things until he is able to “set a course for home.” This charming narrative of one iceberg’s journey introduces kids to the water cycle, though they’ll probably only know they’re learning science if they read the Author’s Note at the end. The cut paper, colored pencil and white ink art is bright and colorful and simply wonderful.

“circle under berry/ berry over square/ circle over berry/ under orange/ over square…” So begins the rhythmically beautiful CIRCLE UNDER BERRY, by Carter Higgins, a wholly imaginative look at colors, shapes, animals, and patterns. Colorful illustrations, collaged and digitally assembled, stand out cleanly on the white background, highlighting the objects being named. Read this “puzzle/ full of/ colors/ shapes/ and words” aloud, and then read it aloud again!

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A FLOWER, by Shawn Harris, is a stunningly offbeat picture book. After asking readers “Have you ever seen a flower? I mean really….seen a flower?” Harris takes a deep dive into what that might feel like, sound like, look like. Brilliantly colored pencil and colored pencil art makes this book sing. Now, “have you ever been a flower?”

In A TREE FOR MR. FISH, by Peter Stein, one morning, Bird and Cat meet in a tree. But Fish thinks that since he has “crawled, rolled, slithered, and wiggle-waggled” to get there, it is his tree. Even though, as Cat puts it, “a fish in a tree is really weird.” Then, Mr. Fish tells them a story, and things get even weirder. The deadpan humor is absolutely superb. Pen and ink linework, colored digitally, perfectly illustrates the text.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--There's a Ghost in this House

PB Review: There's a Ghost in this House

There's a Ghost in this House by Oliver Jeffers (Philomel Books, 80p., ages 4-8, 9780593466186)

There's a Ghost in this House is a treasure of a picture book that invites readers to turn semi-transparent overlays to reveal a "Fraid of Ghosts" ("the collective noun for a group of ghosts") all hiding in plain sight.

A child with green skin and blue hair invites readers to come into their home and asks for help with a problem. Though they've heard "there's a GHOST in this house," they have yet to find one. They've been told ghosts are "white with holes for eyes," but these particular spirits remain "very hard to see." As the child plays tour guide around the house, readers will spy the adorable apparitions everywhere: on the stairs, behind the couch, atop the chandelier, in the attic. Cleverly used vellum sheets are included after almost every page turn so that, once the sheets are flipped, ghosts appear! Although the narrator is "not even sure what a ghost looks like," readers will have no trouble describing these mischievous beings.

The illustrations are splendid. Jeffers (A Child of Books; Here We Are) chose images from "old architectural reference books and furniture catalogues" and used "digital compositing magic" finished with "a bit of paint and a belief in ghosts" to compose his slightly spooky home. His sense of humor is spot on, and the joke refuses to get old. Even the ghosts are laughing along! Although the oblivious tour guide may never find one, readers will have plenty of fun locating the playful spirits inhabiting these pages. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger and children's book author.

Discover: In this standout picture book, a child invites readers into their haunted home and asks for help finding ghosts.

November's Book of the Month--Merci Suárez Can't Dance

November’s Book of the Month is MERCI SUÁREZ CAN’T DANCE, by Meg Medina.

In this follow-up to Medina’s Newberry-winning MERCI SUÁREZ CHANGES GEARS, Merci has made it through sixth grade and now she’s back for more, navigating school and family in her own inimitable way in this multi-layered story about friendship, love, and growing up.

When Merci is assigned to manage the supply closet-sized school store with Wilson, she’s not pleased about having to work closely with him, mostly because of the way seventh-grade boys make “annoying jokes about farting and body hair.” (Definitely don’t say “chicken breast sandwiches in front of them!”)

But Wilson turns out to be okay, and so does the job, until Miss McDaniels insists that the pair sell tickets for the school’s Heart Ball, which is being run by bossy Edna Santos. At home, Merci has to watch her rambunctious twin nephews more than ever, Lolo’s Alzheimers is getting worse, Merci’s “crazy smart” older brother Roli is away at college, and Tía is dating! Nothing makes sense like it used to, and Merci’s not sure who she can talk to about any of it.

Medina dedicates the book to “the Merci fans who wanted to know what happened next…” so give this sequel to anyone who has read the first story. They won’t be disappointed, and neither will readers new to Merci. MERCI SUÁREZ CAN’T DANCE is a wonderful, heartfelt novel that has it all—including a main character worth rooting for. I would dive right in if I were you!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--The 1619 Project: Born on the Water

PB Review: The 1619 Project: Born on the Water

The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson, illus. by Nikkolas Smith (Kokila/Penguin, 48p., 9780593307359, November 16, 2021)

The 1619 Project: Born on the Water is both a joyful and painful ode to Black Americans whose history did not begin with the whips and chains of enslavement, but rather with a "proud origin story."

When a girl must trace her roots for an assignment at school, she tells her grandmother she is ashamed that she can track down only three generations of her family. Her grandmother gathers the family to explain. What follows is a tale of the people who, before they arrived here 400 years ago, "had a home, a place, a land"--who, before they were enslaved, were free.

When the girl's ancestors spoke, they had "their own words/ for love/ for friend/ for family." They were "good with their hands... good with their minds" and they had rich lives filled with industry and joy. "And the white people took them anyway." As her grandmother explains, this is not an immigrant story with "promises, whispered from mouth to ear,/ of seeing each other soon." The people were taken from their home and allowed "no things." But they had their "histories and bloodlines/ and drums pulsing in their veins." Packed as they were "in dark misery," kidnapped "strangers chained together," they realized that the strangers "were their people now." Thus, a new people was "born on the water," forebears of those who are fighting now for progress so that the U.S. may "live up to its promise of democracy."

Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson (Love Is a Revolution; Ways to Make Sunshine) employ a series of stirring free-verse poems that uplift as much as they devastate. Their moving words successfully shape Hannah-Jones's 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winning The 1619 Project into a picture book accessible to all ages. Artist Nikkolas Smith uses a broad range of Central West African details to craft illustrations full of movement and expansive emotion. Smith's paintings respond to the individual poems with, in his words, "a visual representation of the infectious joy, heartbreaking struggles, and triumphant legacy of my ancestors." The three creators have together produced an unflinching look at the people who were stolen from their lives, lost so much and, though repeatedly beaten back, survived in a new land. It's a story vital to the U.S.'s survival as a nation, because what the grandmother tells her family regarding their ancestors is true for everyone who lives in the U.S. today: "Their story is our story." And it needs to be heard. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Talker: This picture book account of the rich, proud origin story of Black Americans, adapted from the 2020 Pulitzer Prize-winner, is both profoundly joyful and deeply painful.

October Recommendations

Novels:

PAX: JOURNEY HOME, by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Jon Klassen, picks up the tale of the fox Pax, and his boy Peter, which was told in the first PAX book. Now on his own, Pax and his mate have three little kits. Peter, badly hurt, conflicted, and full of guilt over abandoning Pax and letting down his father, decides he’ll never let anyone or anything get close to him again. But when Peter joins the Water Warriors to clean up rivers and streams after the recent war, he finds it’s not nearly as easy as he thought to cut all ties. Don’t miss this completely engaging, heart-wrenching, love-affirming sequel.

THE MANY MEANINGS OF MEILAN, by Andrea Wang, is the story of how Meilan Hua must leave the comfort and security she’s always known in Boston’s Chinatown, because after her beloved grandmother dies, her parents, aunts, and uncles can’t seem to do anything but fight. They sell their bakery, and Meilan’s Bàba packs up Meilan, her mother, and her grandfather into their car. Their journey ends in a small town in Ohio, where Meilan finds adjusting to her new and very different life a real struggle. When the school principal renames her Melanie, she begins to question who she really is. It’s a strong and enjoyable middle grade read.

Easy Readers:

CHARLIE AND MOUSE, LOST AND FOUND, written by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by Emily Hughes, tells of how Mouse loses his blanket and Charlie helps him find it, how the two of them find a dog named Silly, but lose it again because isn’t a stray, and how they find a dog named Boop, who really and truly belongs to them. Sweet, engaging story and art!

Picture Books:

In AND THEN CAME HOPE, by Stephen Savage, when the boats in the harbor aren’t feeling well (“Barge got bonked” and “”Ferry felt feverish” etc.) they know who to call. Hope, “with her team of tugboats at her side,” saves the day. It’s a charming, perfectly age-appropriate introduction to the hospital ship dubbed the S. S. Hope, a state of the art floating medical center, now retired. Bold, blocky digital art is sure to please.

TOUGH LIKE MUM, by Lana Button and Carmen Mok, is the heartfelt story of a child dealing with poverty and a depressed parent. Even though Kim is pretty tough, some days are more difficult than others. But there are also the times they can snuggle together in bed telling silly stories. Caring adults can make a difference. Expressive gouache, colored pencil, and Photoshop art helps make the text relatable and enhances how this sweet book can also pack an emotional wallop.

THAO, a picture book by Thao Lam, describes a particular frustration the author/artist felt as a young child. With a name that’s not easy for classmates to say, she gets called many things, some of them not nice at all. But by the end of her story, she embraces her name and heritage in a way that’s perfect for a picture book audience—with excitement over her mom packing her favorite lunch. The art looks to be collage, but may well have a digital component. The story has a nice tight arc, and is a creative approach to building empathy.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Vespertine

YA Review: Vespertine

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson (Margaret K. McElderry Books, $18.99 hardcover, 400p., ages 13-up, 9781534477117)

Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson (An Enchantment of Ravens) is a splendidly dark story of a reclusive young woman struggling to control a powerful revenant.

Artemisia, like all Sighted people, is vulnerable to possession. As a child she was controlled by a spirit which left her so badly scarred--physically and emotionally--she wants only a cloistered life in the convent, "tending to the dead." There she and the other novices are tested for their ability to sense ghostly entities and Artemisia discovers she has "an extraordinary talent for wielding relics." When possessed soldiers attack, Artemisia is tasked with watching over the convent's "greatest weapon": the holy relic of Saint Eugenia, a finger joint from the Sister of the Gray Lady of Death who martyred herself to "bind a Fifth Order spirit to her bones." To save the Sisters now, Artemisia takes the bone's fettered revenant into her body. She is able to wield it successfully, despite its great power, and decides she must use it to learn why a rising number of Dead are attacking the living. Artemisia is forced to trust the revenant, a dangerous--and sarcastic--entity she has no idea how to control.

Rogerson's third YA novel contains a wonderfully ghastly mythology, and a plot that crackles with tension. Reluctant "Saint" Artemisia charges forth in her quest to solve the mystery and save humanity, even as her beloved solitary existence is wrenched from her grasp. At its heart, Vespertine is a satisfying friendship story about the ability to trust other people--and revenants--enough to share one's burdens. Vespertine is an excellent bet for fans of Robin LaFevers's Assassin Nuns and Garth Nix's Old Kingdom. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Discover: Reclusive novice Artemisia struggles to control a spirit of great power to vanquish rising hordes of the Dead in this darkly splendid novel.

Interview with Nicole Magistro and Alice Feagan

Nicole Magistro and Alice Feagan are the author and illustrator, respectively, of READ ISLAND, a warm invitation for readers to journey to a story time taking place on a whimsical “island made of books.” All sorts of friends race to arrive “before the tale unfolds.” Readers, too, will find a “world of stories, safe and true,” along with these fine words to remember: “Books can take you anywhere.” The rhyming text is beautifully brought to life with mixed media collaged art.

Welcome, Nicole!

Congratulations on your lovely book! Where did you get the idea for it?

Books and nature are everything to me. When I set out to write a children’s book about the joy of reading, I knew it had to take place outdoors and not inside a classroom or a library. Books take us to amazing places, right? My lightbulb moment was connecting the real Read Island – our family’s favorite place to visit every summer – to that idea. Then, during the pandemic when we couldn’t travel to British Columbia, except in our imaginations, my 9-year-old son and I “visited” as often as we could through meditation. During one of these mental journeys, the symbolism of the place name became the story.

Why did you decide to self publish it?

After owning a bookstore for 15 years, I knew I wanted to spend more time on writing in the next phase of my career. But I also wanted to stay connected to the business of the book world, and I felt that I would learn an immense volume of things if I took the path to independent publishing. I’m ever an entrepreneur, and so I guess, rather than waiting for someone else to tell me that I could make a great book, I tried it myself.

Can you tell us about that process?

I believe there is a lot of opportunity for small presses to make books that matter and bring them to market more quickly than the traditional houses. Also, as a store buyer, I know that so many books get lost in big lists. To that point, I focus on making a book that is competitive on the shelf and in the category. Read Island had to stand up against picture books from Candlewick and Scholastic and Penguin Random House. And then when the reader opened it, the quality of the story and illustrations had to be excellent. Even better than excellent! I worked with an amazing group of experts along the way – Alice, of course, plus editors, designers, consultants, printers, publicists, and booksellers. Our team learns every day about the challenges of the supply chain and book marketing and kid lit. I’m really loving it.

Do you have any other books on the horizon?

Yes! But let’s not put the cart before the horse. I want to make sure this one is a success first.

And, welcome, Alice!

Why did you decide to illustrate this book?

Nicole was busy running her independent bookstore, The Bookworm, when I met her back in 2016. The Bookworm hosted a book launch event for a book I had recently illustrated and she and I casually talked about maybe someday down the road collaborating on something. Fast forward to 2020 and she approached me with this new manuscript. While I had not illustrated an independently published book before, I could immediately see some of the spreads and how my illustrative style could work well with her lyrical writing. We've worked very collaboratively together from start to finish and it's been a fun, exciting, and high educational experience!

Can you tell us how you made the art?

All of my books begin with hand drawn spreads which I then scan into the computer. I build the art in layers in Photoshop, first creating the shapes and then applying collage to them with clipping masks. The collage materials come from a large collection of papers, textures, and (in this case) many classic children's stories all of which I have amassed over the years. Sometimes I add depth and detail with paints, markers, crayons, etc. The approach and materials are slightly different for each project depending on the tone and content of the story.

Are you working on anything else?

I'm in the very early stages of editing a manuscript for a new picture book I'm pretty excited about. I'm also wrapping up some work for Boston Children's Hospital. Along with my projects, Nicole and I are always tossing around new ideas.

Thank you, Nicole and Alice!

For those in Colorado, here are a couple of scheduled story time events:

• Wandering Jellyfish, Niwot, CO – November 4
• Second Star to the Right, Denver, CO – November 8

Nicole Magistro is a professional reader and amateur mother who lives in the mountains of Colorado. She owned a bookstore for 15 years, wrote thousands of book reviews and memorized a few too many bedtime stories. Her favorite place in the world is the real Read Island, which inspired this story. Magistro is also a mentor, journalist, consultant, and community leader. She was the longtime proprietor of The Bookworm of Edwards, Colorado. During her tenure, she was the recipient of the ABA's Entrepreneurial Excellence Award, WNBA's Pannell Award and James Patterson indie bookseller grant. Magistro judged the Kirkus Prize for Fiction with Colson Whitehead and Megan Labrise, and has served various nonprofits including the American Booksellers Association, The Literacy Project, The Mountains and Plains Independent Booksellers Association and Vail Mountain School. She received a Masters from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and has written for regional and national publications.

Alice Feagan is a children's book creator known for her distinct cut-paper collage style in The Collectors and School Days Around the World. Her lifelong love of storytelling and art making led her to the world of picture books where she creates playful illustrations for children's books, magazines, apps, educational products, and games. When she is not making picture books, Alice can be found reading them with her two young sons. She lives in Edwards, Colorado and is responsible for all of the art within these pages.

October's Book of the Month--The Little Wooden Robot and the Log Princess

October's Book of the Month is an extremely entertaining, original fairy tale, THE LITTLE WOODEN ROBOT AND THE LOG PRINCESS, written and illustrated by Tom Gauld.

A king and queen, the happy rulers of “a pleasant land,” can’t have children, so one night the king goes to the royal inventor, who builds him a “wonderful, intricate little wooden robot,” while at the same time the queen goes to a clever witch, who brings to life “a perfect little log princess.”

All is good, but the princess has a secret—when she falls asleep at night, she turns back into a log, only to awaken if the magic words are spoken. The robot says the magic words every day, until the morning a circus comes to town and, in his haste to see it, the robot forgets to wake his sister. A maid sees the “plain old log, lying in the princess’s bed” and tosses it out of the window! It promptly rolls down a hill to the village, gets picked up by a log-collecting goblin, and put on a barge. The robot searches for his log sister while the barge sails for the frozen North. Adventures of many kinds ensue, as the devoted robot tries to do the best that he can for the princess, who in turn does the same for him. With some help from a family of beetles, a mouse, a bird, a rabbit, a fox, and the clever old witch, they all mange to save the day.

This fairly tale feels both familiar and fresh at once. It’s got shades of William Steig’s Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, maybe crossed with The Toy Brother, but it should also appeal to fans of Barnett and Klassen’s are recent Extra Yarn. And anybody else who loves a good, earnest, creative picture book. The art certainly adds to the appeal. It feels like a graphic novel/picture book hybrid, with lots of fun details, fresh design, and very appealing soft-but-dynamic color palette.

Kids of all ages should love it!

--Lynn

Interview with Karen Jameson, and a GIVEAWAY!

My good friend, the multi-published lullaby—and non-fiction—picture book expert Karen Jameson has a new book coming out this month, and it’s a real beauty! I’m proud to present this interview with her as she prepares for the release of FARM LULLABY this month.

Karen, huge congratulations on your wonderful new picture book, FARM LULLABY, illustrated by the talented Wednesday Kirwan. Can you tell us a little bit about the book?

Thanks, Lynn! FARM LULLABY is a lyrical bedtime book just right for little ones. Listen in as the horse sings a neigh-a-bye, the sheep sings a baa-a-bye and the rest of the animals follow suit. Here’s what the jacket copy says:

"From the largest horse to the smallest mouse, every animal on the farm has a sweet, sleepy bedtime ritual. Curl up like a soft lamb, snuggle like a warm chick, and settle in like a cozy calf, letting this soothing farm lullaby lull even restless little dreamers into a deep and peaceful sleep."

FARM LULLABY is the second of three bedtime “lullaby” books you’re doing with Chronicle. Can you talk a little about how you met your editor, and knew she was the right fit for your work?

I met my editor, Naomi Kirsten of Chronicle Books, at the 2017 SCBWI Golden Gate Conference at Asilomar. Such a lovely wooded setting along the beach in Pacific Grove, California! I knew it was the perfect place to share WOODLAND DREAMS, my bedtime book featuring adorable woodland creatures. After hearing the story during an editor’s panel, Naomi’s excitement bubbled over. She loved the lyrical style and had a beautiful vision for the book. Such serendipity! It was acquired shortly afterward!

Did she agree to publish all three books at once, or was her acquisition of your work more gradual?

The process was more gradual. My agent, Kathleen Rushall, suggested waiting until WOODLAND DREAMS was underway before sharing my other two bedtime books. This proved wise, as FARM LULLABY was acquired the next year, in 2018, followed by WHERE THE WEE ONES GO, in 2019.

You also write non-fiction, and have a number of non-fiction picture books in the pipeline with other publishers. Can you tell us how the process of writing non-fiction is different from writing your bedtime books?

For both kinds of books, my prewriting process is much the same – brainstorming and more brainstorming! While I’m generating ideas, I consider potential hooks and play around with different angles or structures. Though I do a good amount of research for my nature themed bedtime stories, my non-fiction research is more rigorous and includes looking at how my subject fits into the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) curriculum for my intended age group. Adding in layers with informational sidebars and back matter is another piece of the non-fiction puzzle. Look for TIME TO SHINE: Celebrating the World’s Iridescent Animals (Groundwood Books) on April 5, 2022 and DOUBLE TAKES (Running Press Kids, Winter 2023).

I also want to mention that you have a fourth book coming out with Chronicle in Spring 2024, a companion to WOODLAND DREAMS, illustrated by Marc Boutavant.

Yes, I’m super excited about this one! Marc Boutavant is such a treasure and I’m thrilled at the opportunity to create a new picture book together. WAKE UP, WOODLANDS brings us back to the forest for a springtime celebration of animals waking to a glorious new season. I can’t wait!

I am so impressed with how beautifully and uniquely each of these books is illustrated, and how well they stand out on the shelves of bookstores and libraries everywhere! Congratulations on finding the right fit for your vision at Chronicle!

Thank you, Lynn! Naomi Kirsten did an amazing job of matching the perfect artist to each lyrical text. Wednesday Kirwan brings a beautiful vintage style to FARM LULLABY! The jewel toned colors in the art are so evocative of the farm setting. Marc’s painterly art in WOODLAND DREAMS is simply gorgeous. Next up, be sure to look for Zosienka’s dreamy style in WHERE THE WEE ONES GO (April 26, 2022).

Karen Jameson is the author of the lyrical picture books MOON BABIES, WOODLAND DREAMS and FARM LULLABY. More stories are in the works, including TIME TO SHINE (Groundwood 2022) and WHERE THE WEE ONES GO (Chronicle 2022). A retired teacher and active member of SCBWI, she holds a master’s degree in education. Lover of books, wildflowers, farmers’ markets and everything chocolate, Karen writes from sunny Southern California.

Wednesday Kirwan is an award- winning artist who has been illustrating and writing books for children for more than a decade. She lives in the Santa Cruz Mountains, in California, with her husband and daughter.

Karen has generously offered to give away a copy of FARM LULLABY to one person who leaves a comment below or on Twitter! Deadline is October 5.

And please join Karen and fellow author Dianne White in a virtual book launch through The Writing Barn in November. Details can be found here.

To order a copy:
Barnes and Noble
Indie Bound
Amazon
Website

September Recommendations

Novels:

In MIRROR’S EDGE, by Scott Westerfeld, Frey returns to Shreve to rescue her closest ally, Boss X, and to “shore up the alliance between the rebels and the free cities.” But, she’s also there to oust her father, who “rules with force and lies.” Book 3 of 4, with a great cliffhanger to set up the finale, is set in the same world as the fabulous Uglies series. (MG/YA)

Graphic Novels:

THE OKAY WITCH AND THE HUNGRY SHADOW, by Emma Steinkellner, is an excellent followup to the first Okay Witch book. Moth is still having trouble fitting in at school, so when she comes across a charm that “may transform its wearer into a bolder, more self-assured version of themself with increased powers of persuasion and magnetism,” she can't resist! It’s an engaging story illustrated with engaging art. (MG)

Picture Books:

In BRIGHT STAR, Yuyi Morales uses “the most beautiful things she can find,” including drawings, painted paper, hand-dyed wool yarn, and words—both English and Spanish—to depict her story of a desert borderland, tough yet teeming with life, and a migration stopped by a barbed wire fence. It is a story of love for a child who is learning to find their voice. It is exquisite.

MIMIC MAKERS: BIOMIMICRY INVENTORS INSPIRED BY NATURE, written by Kristin Bott Nordstrom and illustrated by Paul Boston, delivers a fascinating look at how human ingenuity can be inspired by the natural world. Among others, we see how Nakatsu Eiji redesigned Japan’s bullet train after watching kingfishers “plunge like an arrow into the water.” And Yueh-Lin Loo studied the wrinkles and folds of a maple leaf to create a better solar cell. Clear and colorful digital illustrations will help young readers make the connections.

In NORMAN DIDN’T DO IT! (YES, HE DID.), by Ryan T. Higgins, porcupine Norman and his best friend Mildred (a tree) do everything together. From baseball to birdwatching to checkers, it was always “just the two of them.” Until the day another tree shows up. Life isn’t the same, and something just has to be done… Bold, cartoony, digital art shows Norman humorously hitting rock bottom before he figures things out. Kids will love it.

ORIGINAL CAT, COPY CAT, by Sarah Kurpiel, is the appealing story of Pineapple, an only cat whose “sweet routine” is hijacked when Kiwi joins the family. Everywhere Pineapple goes, everything Pineapple does, and every spot Pineapple loves now include Kiwi, in “fast,” “loud,” and “exhausting” ways. But when Pineapple sets this little kitty straight, the quiet of his old routine now has him worried… An uncluttered text and fun, stylized digital illustrations help keep the topic fresh with their Cree translations. The delicate, pastel and pencil illustrations, composited digitally, are brimming with whimsy. It’s a lovely book.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Take Me with You When You Go

YA Review: Take Me with You When You Go

Take Me with You When You Go by David Levithan and Jennifer Niven (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 336p., ages 12-up, 9780525580997)

The captivating Take Me with You When You Go deftly relates the difficult but ultimately uplifting story of a brother and sister who, although they don't have parents they can count on, do have each other--even when one of them unexpectedly runs off.

One morning, 15-year-old Ezra Ahern wakes up to find his sister, Beatrix, gone. She's made her bed ("an exquisite f*** you" to her mom and stepdad) and taken off with money Ezra hid in his room. She's left behind everything else, including Ezra, who must now singlehandedly deal with the rage and abuse from their mom and stepdad. But 18-year-old Bea felt she had to leave; even with high school graduation only two months away, the constant worrying about whether she's "smart enough, brave enough, nice enough, pretty enough, funny enough, enough-enough" became too much. Except now she's alone on the streets, messaging a Mystery Guy and pinning all her hopes on him for the new life she wants so badly.

Levithan (Every Day; The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S.) and Niven (All the Bright Places; Holding Up the Universe) have written a compelling, contemporary portrait of a brother and sister who rely on their love for each other to survive. The novel, told entirely through e-mails between Ezra and Bea, suspensefully and urgently delves into the nuances of parental abuse and the toll it takes on its victims. This novel about a supremely troubled family still somehow manages to remain almost unfailingly optimistic, as the two siblings never stop fighting for each other and for the life they truly deserve. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author

Discover: Younger brother Ezra is left behind to deal with his abusive parents after his 18-year-old sister Bea runs away from home in this compelling, captivating YA novel.

September's Book of the Month--Raybearer

September’s Book of the Month is RAYBEARER, by Jordan Ifueko.

Tarisai has been raised in isolation at Bhekina House. It’s the home of her mostly-absent mother (The Lady) in the realm of Swana, the second largest region of the vast Arit empire.

Tarisai learns early on that fairies exist and magic is “capricious.” Sneaking off to the savannah one night, she finds that her father is an “alagbato”—a fairy—ensnared so The Lady may have three wishes. First, The Lady demands a stronghold and, second, a child with the alagbato. This child will carry out her third and final wish: this child (Tarisai) will fall in love with the prince of Arit—and kill him.

But Tarisai is strong-willed like her mother, and determined to choose her own path. She has much to learn about her place in the world outside Bhekina House and the politics of a disharmonious empire, but she enjoys the love of good friends and a magical gift from her father. Intrigue, corruption, secrets—and magic—abound.

RAYBEARER is an exceptional fantasy and a pure pleasure to read. It features a strong voice, compelling characters, and intricate world-building. The best thing yet? The second book in the duology, REDEMPTOR, is already out, so no waiting!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Eyes of the Forest

YA Review: Eyes of the Forest

Eyes of the Forest by April Henry (Holt, 272p., ages 12-up, 9781250234087)

Eyes of the Forest by April Henry (The Lonely Dead) is a suspenseful, captivating look at what may happen when a fantasy world becomes too real for some of its fans.

When 10-year-old Bridget's mom was dying of cancer, Bridget spent hours reading aloud from R.M. Haldon's Swords and Shadows series to ease the pain for them both. At 12, red-headed and "milk-pale" Bridget impressed the fantasy writer at a signing with her "encyclopedic knowledge" of his books and was hired to keep track of the myriad details for him. Now 17, Bridget still works for him, using her own database to keep everything straight. But Bob Haldon has writer's block and, despite clamor from readers, the series finale isn't forthcoming. Then Derrick, a LARPer and Haldon's "biggest fan," meets his idol, whom he finds drunk and despondent. Derrick and Bob hatch a plan to get the author writing again but things go "horribly wrong," and Bob ends up "in an isolated cabin, injured, shackled. No one but his captors [knowing] where he [is]." Bridget becomes increasingly worried and, since no one takes her fears seriously, begins an investigation of her own.

Henry's engaging and often thrilling narrative is told from multiple points of view, allowing readers close access to the motivations of all her main characters. She expertly examines the darker side of the culture of fandom, including pressures it puts on creators, and how fans themselves get out of hand. Ultimately, it's Bridget who, though completely submerged in the world of Swords and Shadows, manages to save the day by acting IRL. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Discover: Seventeen-year-old Bridget must leave fantasy behind when her favorite author is kidnapped by an overzealous fan in this suspenseful story.

Shelf Awareness--Kaleidoscope

MG/YA Review: Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope by Brian Selznick (Scholastic, 208p., ages 10-up, 9781338777246, September 21, 2021)

Kaleidoscope, a transcendent offering by the Caldecott Medal-winning Brian Selznick (The Invention of Hugo Cabret; Wonderstruck; The Marvels), is infused with different kinds of seemingly ordinary magics: time and space, friendship and love, science and fairy tale. Selznick's eighth work as an author and illustrator is formatted as a collection of 24 interconnected, nonlinear stories in which the whole vision is far greater than the sum of each of its gorgeous parts.

In the opening story, the first-person narrator turns 13 years old and makes off with a ship. They and their friend James sail "past the pillars of Hercules into the West Ocean." A fierce storm carries the pair to the moon, where they're enlisted to help the king in his battle against the sun. After "fighting among the stars for centuries," the narrator returns to Earth alone (James remains behind as the new King of the Moon), to find that only a few days have passed on Earth and they are being blamed for James's death. In the second story, the narrator is a giant who forms a friendship with the human boy James, a person "no bigger than the end of my finger." Though they don't speak the same language, the pair bond over books. And in the third, the narrator is a winged creature exiled to an island 300 years ago. When the narrator rescues a shipwrecked boy, they give the boy access to their personal library, where the boy finds that "everything that happens can be found" in one of the books. The boy learns that the island is really a "heartbroken giant" who "died at the edge of the sea... and for a hundred years the wind blew salt, and sand, and soil, and seeds across his giant body until it became a mountain."

As Selznick himself says in his author's note, "certain themes and images... reappear... gardens and butterflies, apples, angels, fires, trees, friendships, islands, keys, shipwrecks, grief, and love." With them, the author has created a magical place where everything changes except, of course, those few things which stay constant. The relationship between the narrator and James is at the heart of all, and the deeply connected pair love--and are in love--in various ways throughout. Selznick's signature meticulous and heavily cross-hatched pencil illustrations, both abstract and realistic, grace the beginning and end of each brief story. This lovely, ethereal work hopefully makes a case for what the King of the Moon wisely proclaims: "without dreams, everything dies." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Talker: Caldecott-winner Selznick offers a spellbinding, nonlinear portrait of intense friendship and love that transcends time and space.

August Recommendations

Novels:

In the middle-grade novel JOSEPHINE AGAINST THE SEA, by Shakirah Bourne, the only thing ten-year-old Josephine loves more than playing cricket (or watching a good match) is sliming her daddy’s girlfriends with fish guts to scare them away. So far, with the help of her best—and only—friend Ahkai, she’s been successful. But when strange and beautiful Mariss arrives on the scene, Josephine finds herself up against a foe she thinks might be more sea spirit than human. Bourne juggles multiple plot threads with ease, creating a story that’s full of heart and humming with magic.

Chapter Books:

JO JO MAKOONS: THE USED-TO-BE BEST FRIEND, by Dawn Quigley with illustrations by Tara Audibert, features perky main character Jo Jo, who lives on a fictional Ojibwe reservation. Jo Jo has a best friend at home (Mimi, her cat) and a best friend at school (Fern, who isn’t saving her a seat at lunch anymore). When Jo Jo sneaks Mimi to school in her backpack, Mimi helps Jo Jo learn to rhyme (with such gems as “Mimi went pee-pee in the tipi,” which—yes—actually does happen). Jo Jo and Mimi make it home without being discovered, but there is still plenty to learn about, including Jim/Gym and making art that doesn’t insult your classmates. This is great chapter book fun!

Picture Books:

NO PANTS! by Jacob Grant, stars a little boy who is very excited for Party Day. He does everything he’s told—eats oatmeal for breakfast instead of pancakes, puts his bowl in the sink, brushes his teeth, uses the potty, washes his hands—but when it’s time to get dressed, he loudly and determinedly proclaims “NO PANTS!” His dad tries to convince him pants are necessary. Charcoal, crayon, pencil, and cut paper art that’s colored digitally works perfectly, and please make sure to check under the dust cover. This funny book felt completely relatable (at least to my family)!

SOMETHING’S WRONG! written by Jory John with illustrations by Erin Kraan, is another book about leaving home in your underwear. As Jeff the Bear goes about his morning, he’s got a feeling that something’s wrong. He greets deer, frog, and other animals in the forest, yet he remains sure that “something’s…off.” His friend Anders the Bunny helps him rectify the situation, and soon Jeff has his dignity back. This story about the very best kind of friendship is told completely in dialogue, aided by illustrations (which look to be digitally manipulated woodcuts) that pop with personality.

THE RESCUER OF TINY CREATURES, by Curtis Manley, illustrated by Lucy Ruth Cummins, is Roberta, who does a job “nobody else seems to care about.” From bugs on their backs to worms stranded on the sidewalk, these “tiny creatures need friends who can rescue and understand them.” There are downsides, like people who don’t like earthworm slime or snails in their garden, and there’s the occasional dragonfly bite. But Roberta’s ingenuity shines through and eventually she wins herself a classroom full of fans and one likeminded friend. The bold, cartoony art, made with gouache, colored pencils, charcoal, and markers finished digitally, are full of heart.

WE ALL PLAY, by Julie Flett, takes readers on a gentle, alliterative romp with a variety of wild animals, pointing to the interconnectedness of the natural world. Come “chase and chirp…slip and slide…rumble and roll” because “animals play. And we play, too: kimêtawânaw mîna.” There’s a list of all the “hoppers and wigglers and wobblers and wanderers” included near the end, along with their Cree translations. The delicate, pastel and pencil illustrations, composited digitally, are brimming with whimsy. It’s a lovely book.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Small Favors

YA Review: Small Favors

Small Favors by Erin A. Craig (Delacorte Press, 480p., ages 12-up, 9780593306741)

In Small Favors, a gloriously dark fairy tale that's perfectly enhanced with a romantic through line, Ellerie Downing is the "reliable one," the eldest daughter who won't let her family down. Usually she helps Mama, but with her twin brother, Samuel, "sneaking off all summer," she's begun tending the beehives with Papa.

At 18, Ellerie is ready to find her own place in the "wide and wondrous world" beyond Amity Falls. But there are "giant beasts in the woods" that are believed to have killed everyone on the recent supply train headed for the city. Soon the Falls will be cut off, with monsters and winter snows ensuring no one leaves until spring. When a charming stranger--"too attractive by half"--shows up, Ellerie thinks the future she's hoped for may be about to begin. Then tragedy strikes and Papa must get Mama through the woods to a doctor in the city. Ellerie is left behind to protect what's left of her family. With supplies dwindling and townsfolk at each other's throats, the nightmare is only beginning.

Erin A. Craig (House of Salt and Sorrows) has conjured a spellbinding tale of magic and horror. Her formidable protagonist, Ellerie, is a young woman fully capable of carrying her own troubles on her back--and then some. While it enriches the story, Ellerie's romance never derails her own sense of purpose. She's not immune to the darkness but she fights it harder than most. As the town of Amity Falls, which began full of rules and righteousness, deteriorates in the face of a powerful magic, readers may well wonder who the real monsters are in this story. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Discover: When her town is threatened by monstrous creatures, 18-year-old Ellerie must defend her family in this standout blend of fantasy and horror.

August's Book of the Month--Before the Ever After

August’s Book of the Month is BEFORE THE EVER AFTER, by the incomparable Jacqueline Woodson.

It’s the compelling middle grade novel in verse about Zachariah Johnson Jr. (ZJ), whose Super Bowl winning, NFL star-of-a-dad is the neighborhood hero. But, to ZJ, his dad is so much more:

“he’s not my hero,
he’s my dad, which means
he’s my every single thing.”

ZJ, his mom, and his dad

“lived happily
before the ever after.”

Now, “Zachariah 44,” who “probably holds the Football Hall of Fame record for the most concussions,” has hands that shake, and headaches all the time. ZJ is beyond worried about his dad, whose mood swings are baffling, heartbreaking, and seem to have no end and no cure. But ZJ is also worried his friends will stay away now that his dad is acting so strangely.

This is a story about learning to live through the tough times. It’s about making do, finding your allies, feeding your strengths, and hoping tomorrow will be better.

It’s a story that flows so effortlessly, readers may want to gobble it up in one sitting. I sure did.

--Lynn

Notifications Moving to Twitter

 Hi all,

As you may have heard, Google is no longer going to support email notifications for Blogger. A huge thank you to everyone who's been reading my blog posts via email! 

Starting August 1, please follow me at @LynnBBooks (yep, two "B"s) on Twitter. You'll get notified every time there's a new blog post, plus see other fun content about books and writing. Thanks again, and hope to see you all there!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Six Crimson Cranes

YA Review: Six Crimson Cranes

Six Crimson Cranes by Elizabeth Lim (Knopf, 464p., ages 12-up, 9780593300916)

Magic abounds in this mesmerizing YA fantasy based on East Asian folklore and fairy tales.

When the "troublemaking" youngest child and only daughter of Kiata's emperor, Princess Shiori, jumps into the Sacred Lake, she meets a dragon and misses her own betrothal ceremony. Shiori eventually will have to marry Lord Bushian's son, a "barbarian lord of the third rank," and be banished to his home in the North. This, she believes, will mark "the dismal end of [her] future." As for the dragon... magic is forbidden in Kiata--at the bequest of the humans' gods, the dragons sealed it, along with thousands of demons, inside the Holy Mountains. But Shiori has a talent for magic, and (unbeknownst to the princess) her stepmother does, too. Shiori spies on her stepmother and the powerful sorceress turns Shiori's brothers into cranes, then sends the young woman to a faraway island. If Shiori speaks, her brothers will die. The princess, struggling to free her brothers from their terrible curse, receives help from the dragon Seryu, Kiki, a paper bird she brought to life, and Takkan, the thoughtful and kind "barbarian" to whom she is betrothed.

Elizabeth Lim's richly wrought world, filled with myth and magic, is delightfully complex. Her plotting is suspenseful: many twists and turns come full circle by the end, while others leave room for a sequel. Shiori's ingenuity and escapades should win her many fans--this is one novel lovers of fantasy and fairy tale retellings will not want to miss. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Discover: When Shiori's stepmother transforms her six brothers into cranes and banishes her to a remote northern island, she's determined to break the curse in this entrancing YA novel.