May Recommendations

Novels:

THE WAY BACK, by Gavriel Savit, is a whip-smart and wondrously dark adventure which follows a boy named Yehuda Leib and a girl named Bluma as they journey through a Far Country populated by demons and the dead. They encounter sorcery, make pacts with monsters, and declare war on the Angel of Death. It’s a fantastic tale based on Jewish folk tradition.

In THE GREAT GODDIN, by Meg Medina, an unnamed narrator and somewhat extended family arrive for their annual, usually predictable beach house vacation. But this year two guests are coming to stay. When the “golden Greek statue of a youth” Kit Godden and his “bony and awkward” brother Hugo show up, what ensues is a summer full of angst that leaves the entire family reeling for years to come. This riveting novel of love and betrayal is deftly and elegantly written, and a joy to read.

Picture Books:

In THE BEAR IN MY FAMILY, by Maya Tatsukawa, the main character describes how awful it is to live with a bear who’s “really loud, really bossy, and always hungry.” But, this may not be such a bad thing, after all. Digital art with handmade textures bring this simple but effective story to life.

BEAR ISLAND, by Matthew Cordell, is the tender story of how Louise copes with the death of her beloved dog, Charlie. When she rows to a nearby island to mourn, Louise discovers butterflies, deer—and a bear! When she realizes the bear is sad like her, she returns over and over, until “both Louise and Bear became better.” But one day, Bear goes to his den for winter, which makes Louise sad again. Will this be an ending, or a new beginning? Expressive pen, ink, watercolor, “and sometimes gouache” illustrations from Caldecott medalist Cordell are exquisite.

In FOLLOW THAT FROG, written by Philip Stead and illustrated by Matthew Cordell, when someone comes knocking on Aunt Josephine’s door, she hunkers down in bed and begins relating her life’s story, beginning with how, when she was nine and “cataloguing amphibians,” she caught the eye of the admiral’s son, who was eaten by a giant frog. And things only get weirder from there. It’s great fun, but who’s that knocking at the door??? Cordell’s illustrations are full of life and motion, perfect for this story.

THE BLUE HOUSE, by Phoebe Wahl, tells the story of Leo and his dad, who live in an old blue house with peeling paint and a mossy roof. In the winter Leo loves “its hiding places and cozy spaces,” and in summer he loves the garden and the yard, where he can play until the sun goes down. The house is theirs and they love it. Until it’s sold and they have to move. When the blue house is packed up it feels empty, and so does their new house when they move in. But, little by little, they make this new house into their home. What sets the book apart are the quirky details of this father-and-son family, which come across in the text, and ever so much more in the colorful, detailed watercolor, gouache, collage, and colored pencil illustrations. It’s a wonderful story about coping with change.

--Lynn