October Recommendations

PRUNELLA, written by Beth Ferry and illustrated by Claire Keane, is the story of a girl born with a purple thumb. Her parents, with their green thumbs, are puzzled, but all soon becomes clear. Prunella loves cactuses and Venus flytraps, bat flowers and fungi. Her parents “[don’t] always understand Prunella’s choices,” but they wholeheartedly fuel her passion. Unfortunately, the neighborhood kids are “not only nervous but nauseated” at Prunella’s pinching, poking, reeking garden. So Prunella, growing ever more prickly herself, befriends bugs, bees, and her teddy bear cholla, rather than humans. But—eventually—a small Venus Flytrap-loving boy plants a “tiny, hopeful friend-shaped seed” in her heart. This is a quirky, hopeful story about finding your own “peculiar,” if need be, tribe. Offbeat, energetic, digital illustrations are a nice match to the story. (Make’s a nice companion/counterpoint to Millie Fleur’s Poison Garden, by Christy Mandin!)

WOLFGANG IN THE MEADOW, by Lenny Wen, is worthy of a read or three, even though it features yet another adorable ghost who wants to do more than be spooky. Wolfgang lives in the meadow and, like the other supernatural beings who live there, he practices plenty of spooky-haunty things. But he also enjoys hugging trees, picking wildflowers, and gazing at clouds and stars with his (bunny and bird) meadow friends. Wolfgang works hard to achieve his dream of becoming the “mightiest spookish” being who gets to haunt the Dark Castle, but along the way he loses track of his non-spooky side. Now, even thought Wolfgang is living his dream, he finds himself growing weaker and weaker, until one of his bird friends from the meadow is able to remind him of the power of what he’s lost. It’s a terrific story about learning to embrace all of what makes you special, with beautiful illustrations that incorporate graphite, closed pencils, gouache, and acrylic gouache into the final digital images.

In SMALL THINGS MENDED, written by Casey Robinson and illustrated by Nancy Whitesides, Cecil lives a quiet life on his own until neighbor Lily needs her watch fixed. After Cecil mends it, and is rewarded by Lily’s “biggest smile,” Lily’s friend Alfred shows up with a broken music box (“without the music, it’s just a box”). Cecil mends that, too, and when he sees how delighted Alfred is, Cecil hangs a sign announcing he will open a shop to fix neighborhood “trinkets and treasures, doodads and thingamajigs.” He works long and hard, but when Eleanor brings her stuffed elephant Daisy, who has a broken heart, Cecil isn’t at all sure he can help. He tries and tries, until the welcome presence of Daisy at his table gives him an idea. As Cecil opens his heart—and his table—to neighbors and friends, more than one heart is mended that day. Such a delightful story, with the perfect soft, expressive gouache, crayon, pencil and digital media illustrations to bring it to life!

NOODLES ON A BICYCLE, written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Gracey Zhang, beings “when the deliverymen set off in the morning,” observed by a group of children. The deliverymen leave on bicycles, with stacks of noodles in “famous house broth,” trays and trays of soup bowls and wooden boxes, balancing one on top of another, “towers on their shoulders.” Beep, beep, honk, honk, deliverymen zip all over the city as hungry customers wait. They are “acrobats, whizzing past other bicycles, soaring around curves, cresting hills, avoiding potholes and the black smoke of motorcycles.” And when night falls and the children are hungry, who delivers their own meal? Papa, of course, bone-tired but always ready to tuck in his kids with a kiss. The vivid, lyrical text is full of energy, as are the ink and gouache illustrations, with their loose style and perfect palette of golds and greens, pinks and purples.

STILL LIFE, written by Alex London and illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, is a fun, tongue-in-cheek romp wherein an artist describes what a still life is in no uncertain terms: “This is a still life. It is a painting of objects sitting still. In a still life, nothing moves.” But, as the artist gets specific about exactly which elements in this still life don’t move—they do. “Eager mice” peek out from behind a cloth, a dragon and a knight appear, and, when chaos erupts, a queen saves the day. It’s playful fun—who wouldn’t appreciate a painting disobeying an artist’s overly-strict rules?—and it all ends with a silly sneeze. The voice is perfectly pedantic and the black pencil and digital art does a nice job of keeping the actual painting separate from the living that’s subverting the narration.

In THE YOWLERS, written by Stacey Lynn Carroll and illustrated by Molly Ruttan, grumpiness is “a way of life.” The monster family shrieks and brawls, shouts and wails, and the baby’s yowling is heard day and night, “in every corner of the neighborhood.” But when a new family, the Nicelys, shows up “doing something weird with their teeth” (erm, they’re smiling), the Yowlers don’t know what to make of it. The Nicely boys teach the Yowler girls how to play soccer—and it’s fun! So is dealing with stuff “without any tantrums.” The astounded Yowler parents are worried, but there are cookies, baked by the Nicelys, and before long even baby Yowler learns how to laugh. The text is lighthearted and relatable, and kids should enjoy figuring out the secret behind the Yowlers’ monstrousness, while the playful art, done in charcoal, pastel, acrylic, and digital media, cleverly illustrates the transition from nasty to nice!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Rory the Remarkable Dragon

PB Review: Rory the Remarkable Dragon

Rory the Remarkable Dragon by Kathryn Rammell (Orchard Books, 40p., ages 4-8, 9781339043159)

Rory the Remarkable Dragon is the lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek tale of a small, white chicken in a big dragon world.

Rory, a "remarkable dragon," attends the Dragon Academy with "all the other remarkable dragons." On her first day, the students "take a loooong look at her..." because, well, clever readers will immediately notice that Rory is not a dragon--she's a chicken. Even though Rory's flight lessons and Pyro PE go poorly, she's embraced by her classmates and teacher, and becomes "the most popular dragon in the school." But the suspicious principal feels that something isn't right. When Rory doesn't eat the roast chicken served for lunch, the principal growls, "I knew from the start something was afoul with you! You're not a 'remarkable dragon.' You're a.../ VEGETARIAN DRAGON!" Rory's great discipline means she is ready to become the "youngest treasure guard in dragon history!"

Debut author/illustrator Kathryn Rammell presents an amusing tale of mistaken identity, and the fact that Rory is so clearly a chicken should make it easy for little ones to be in on the joke. Digitally created characters are full of personality: Rory's mismatched eyes somehow manage to convey multiple feelings without really changing; her orange teacher over-emotes; and the principal, with her oversized pink glasses and matching lipstick, is grumpily suspicious. Prominent text bubbles advance the waggish text and the fun-yet-valuable message that being true to yourself means you get to guard the treasure--or, actually, that simply being yourself is the greatest treasure of all. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

October's Book of the Month--The Ofrenda That We Built

October’s Book of the Month is THE OFRENDA THAT WE BUILT, written by Jolene Gutiérrez and Shaian Gutiérrez, and illustrated by Gabby Zapata.

This sweet picture book is a rhyming look at the way one family builds an ofrenda for Día de Muertos. Included, among other things, are “cloth, embroidered by Amá,” “candles, glowing and bright,” tamales “that Papi prepares for the spirits to eat,” and “photos, reminders so dear.” Step by step, THE OFRENDA THAT WE BUILT weaves together all the many items this family gathers with care and tenderness to honor their “loving abuelo, who’s no longer here.”

Clever, cumulative text based on The House that Jack Built is enriched by vibrant, colorful, cartoony art which brings the complex scenes to life. There’s plenty of backmatter, too. It’s a joyful, heartfelt tribute to family and tradition that’s beautifully done!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord

YA Review: We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord

We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord by Garth Nix (Scholastic Press, 240p., ages 9-12, 9781339012209, October 15, 2024)

Garth Nix's We Do Not Welcome Our Ten-Year-Old Overlord is highly believable, edge-of-your-seat science fiction, perfectly crafted for a middle-grade audience, in which one boy's too-smart-for-her-own-good 10-year-old sister finds an alien object capable of mind control in "an alternate version" of 1975 Canberra, Australia.

Most evenings, 12-year-old Kim Basalt and his best friend, Bennie Chance, along with their younger sisters Eila and Madir, ride bikes to a nearby lake. One night, after the sun disappears "for a fraction of a second," Eila wades into the water and pulls out a perfectly round, golden globe covered in mud. Kim tries to wrestle the object away from Eila, but he's zapped by the "horrible sensation that somethingwas entering his brain," at the same time a voice in his head insists "let me in." Kim resists ("heck no!") and breaks free, but Eila, bossy and "super, super smart," pronounces the object to be a friend, and Madir worshipfully agrees it's "perfectly safe." Kim knows the globe is dangerous and threatens to tell their parents, but the globe disguises itself as a "harmless and ordinary" basketball by the time the kids get home.

Kim can't stop worrying about the globe, but Eila assures him Aster--"she is a person, not a 'globe thing' "--will listen to her and "can help." Eila sneaks out of the house one night and Kim follows to find Eila illuminating a massive ant nest with the globe; the next morning, the ants that had been touched by the light are dead. Later, Kim notices a "thin, perfectly circular layer of cloud directly above them, covering the city." When Bennie's parents start getting along, a sick neighbor is suddenly healed, and Kim's parents buy the color TV they never wanted, Eila finally admits to Kim that Aster is interfering with minds.

Nix (The Old Kingdom Series; The Lefthanded Booksellers of London) brings his consummate skill with speculative fiction to this captivating piece of alternate history. His introduction of a seemingly innocuous object with the potential to throw the known world into chaos is a familiar device, but in Nix's hands it's particularly effective. The ever-increasing tension should keep readers mesmerized, as they struggle with the question at the heart of this clever book: whether mind control is ever okay, even if it brings about "good" changes. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness Pro.

Shelf Awareness--No More Señora Mimí

PB Review: No More Señora Mimí

No More Señora Mimí by Meg Medina, illus. by Brittany Cicchese (Candlewick, hardcover, 32p., ages 4-7, 9781536219449)

Newbery Medal winner Meg Medina's No More Señora Mimí is a tender portrayal of a significant change and is every bit as entertaining as it is heartfelt.

Every morning, Mami drops Ana at señora Mimí's apartment. Today, Ana is excited because Abuela is coming to live with them. This means no more señora Mimí watching Ana while Mami is at work. Ana is thrilled that she won't need a babysitter anymore--no more "vamos, Ana... we're almost out of time" when Ana is tying her shoes or being told "there's no time to play" when there are leaves to kick on the way to school. But when classmate Tynisha points out how lucky Ana is, Ana begins to worry: Does no more babysitter mean "no more señora Mimí?" Ana is afraid she won't be able to tell her caregiver the best and worst parts of her day or buy peanuts with her to feed the squirrels. Luckily, señora Mimí understands and assures Ana that they will still be neighbors. Indeed, even better than that, Ana, Abuela, and señora Mimí "can all become good friends."

Medina (Merci Suárez Changes Gears) crafts an earnest text that unfolds in present tense and delivers a clear, compassionate storyline about dealing with change. Illustrator Brittany Cicchese (The Kitten Story) features warm brown skin tones, tons of textures, thick outlines, and vibrant yellows, blues, purples, and greens in her digital art. Cicchese depicts expressive faces and body language and uses lighter, less distinct backgrounds, keeping the visual focus on the characters. The result is a sweetly affectionate depiction of a child's deep bond with her caregiver. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

Shelf Awareness--One Last Chance to Live

YA Review: One Last Chance to Live

One Last Chance to Live by Francisco X. Stork (Scholastic Press, 320p., ages 12-up, 9781339010236)

One Last Chance to Live by Francisco X. Stork (I Am Not Alone) reveals the thoughtful, moving account of a life on the edge through the journal entries of a young man debating whether to follow in the footsteps of his mentor, who was recently found "dead from a heroin overdose in a hotel room in Queens."

Seventeen-year-old Nico wants to be a great writer, so he signs up for Mr. Cortazar's English class with the "insane requirement" that he journal "at least five hundred words every single day." Rosario, the girl he loved and admired, also wanted to be a great writer. Now she's dead. Nico has dreams of his own funeral, in which his mother, Julia, and brother, Javier, are "previously departed," and Rosario is trying to tell him something important. Upon waking, Nico becomes increasingly obsessed with whether Rosario, not a known drug user, died "on purpose or by accident." When his mother is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and Javier falls in deeper with the X-Teca gang, Nico fears his dream was prescient. As his hope for the future wanes, he wonders if this is how Rosario felt right before she died. If so, what's stopping him from taking the same way out?

Stork's nuanced dive into suicidal ideation is written in a close, achingly honest voice. The private journal entries are a flowing confessional, and readers witness the toll "the crappy part of living" takes on the young man. Underlying all is the profound and believable hope that Nico will overcome his obstacles and be able to recognize his writing--and his life--for the precious gifts they are. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author. Originally printed in Shelf Awareness.

BUTTERNUT & THE FLYING BUTTER: Interview with Author Jill Dana and a Giveaway!

BUTTERNUT & THE FLYING BUTTER is the third book in Jill’s Butternut series, and this time around Butternut learns to manage his fears with the help of his supermarket friends.

When it’s time for the Spring Plant Show (“a berry nice time,” according to the blueberries), Butternut really wants to go, but he’s afraid of the supermarket’s sliding glass doors closing on him, smooshing him, or trapping him outside his home.

But Butternut really wants to see the Flying Butter perform at the show, so he asks his BFF Buttercup to help. Together, Butternut and Buttercup gather their friends Dragonfruit, Horseradish, and Elderberry, and all work hard to settle Butternut’s nerves. They give him strategies, like singing and counting, and on the big day, Butternut visualizes his success, recites his affirmations, and gives it a go.

And, when a butterfly is accidentally trapped in the Supermarket, Butternut knows just what to do!

The useful backmatter includes discussion questions and a guide to butterfly gardening.

Jill has generously agreed to donate a copy of BUTTERNUT & THE FLYING BUTTER to one lucky winner who comments below!

Hi Jill, thank you for joining me on the blog to talk about your new book, the third in your Butternut series, called BUTTERNUT & THE FLYING BUTTER! So how did you begin writing about veggies, anyway?

My first story about produce was actually in film school. I made a 1-minute stop-motion movie about a little lost pear. I’ve always loved nature and plants. Fruits and vegetables come in so many shapes, colors, sizes, and many have interesting names.

Later I was inspired by my elementary school students. Many of them didn’t know where food comes from. Many didn’t know what produce looks like in whole form or about different varieties of produce. There were many inspirations.

Did you always think of the Butternut books as a series?

I did always think of it as a series. It was a dream, of course, that I didn’t know would become a reality. I wrote the first full manuscript of Butternut in 2013. I had ideas for other books in the series, especially the potential titles of books. I also wrote a different version of Butternut that was an early highly-illustrated chapter book version.

When I submitted the manuscript to Marshall Cavendish, they were looking for early chapter book series. I submitted that version but mentioned in my query letter that I also had a picture book version. The editor requested the picture book manuscript. She preferred that version and the rest is history.

Can you tell us about your path to publication?

As noted earlier, I attended film school. After film school, I wrote stories that I realized seemed suited to the children’s book world. I researched children’s book publishing and discovered the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. I joined SCBWI. In 2009, I attended my first SCBWI Florida regional conference. There I met many wonderful book creators and I really embarked on my children’s book writing and illustrating journey.

I worked on my craft and submitted manuscripts. I received many rejections, but kept learning, meeting other book creators, and refining my craft. In 2014, my first book, HER PINK HAIR, was published by Guardian Angel Publishing. I both wrote and illustrated HER PINK HAIR and its companion book, HER BROWN HAIR. Both books are very special to me. They’re not currently available (since Guardian Angel Publishing is no longer in business), but I hope to re-release them someday (or find a new home for them with another traditional publisher).

You share a lot of kid—and adult—friendly food facts on social media. Do you compile them on your website, or is there another way readers can access them?

I love learning food facts. I focus on food facts about fruits and vegetables. Some are produce that are also fictional characters in the Butternut books. They’re all available on my Instagram page @JillDanaBooks. Plus, if you search the hashtag #FunFoodFactsFriday, a bunch should pop up on your search page. That’s another way to find them. I post weekly. Follow my page if you enjoy learning facts about foods too.

Any other books on the horizon? What are you working on now?

Yes, there are other Butternut series books in the works. The illustrator of BUTTERNUT & THE FLYING BUTTER (book three of the series), and later Butternut books, Anusha Santosh, and I can’t wait to share them with readers of all ages. The fourth Butternut book is called BUTTERNUT & BOBO. We’re so excited to introduce readers to Bobo, a new character in the series.

There’s also another picture book, BERNARDO, which is about a dog (not part of Butternut’s supermarket world), that’s far along in the illustration process. (The illustrator is Renate Potter.) He’s an adorable character. I’m a huge dog lover, so I’m super excited for that book too. Follow me on social media to stay updated on all my book news.

I’m also writing and revising other manuscripts.

Finally, I gotta ask—what’s your favorite fruit or vegetable? And would you rather have that — or dessert???

I love fruits and vegetables. I don’t really have one favorite. One of my favorite fruits is apples. I especially like apples that are crispy. While researching apples for #FunFoodFactsFriday, I learned that there are 7,500 varieties of apples worldwide.

One of my favorite vegetables is the artichoke. I discovered many really interesting facts when researching artichokes too.

I also enjoy desserts. Do I have to choose? Fruit can be a delicious dessert also. If I picked a non-fruit-based dessert and wanted to be extra extravagant, I’d choose crème-brulee boba tea.

Thanks for interviewing me, Lynn! Your questions were fun to answer. And thank you for introducing the Butternut series to readers of your blog!

Jill Dana loves gardens, especially the garden in her backyard. She loves to discover new blooms and little creatures. Jill hopes the BUTTERNUT books plant the seeds for joy, creativity, and compassion in readers of all ages. Jill holds a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Television Production and a Master of Education in Elementary Education plus TESOL. She is a member of @PictureBookGold, @PBSunrays, SCBWI, and a Rate Your Story judge. Learn more about Jill at www.JillDanaBooks.com and @JillDanaBooks.

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