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