April Recommendations

IMAGINE YOU AND ME, by Benson Shum, is the sweet story of Randall and Parker, who together enjoy summers filled with ice cream, “visiting magical worlds,” and “lifting each other up when needed.” When they’re disturbed by a sloth of bears, Randall (a bear) is initially worried, but Parker (a girl) encourages her friend to overcome his shyness and ask the others to play. Everything goes well, except that the other bears can’t see Parker. But she’s there to coach Randall through his insecurities, and the bears are kind. More and more, Randall plays with the bears, and less and less with Parker, until one day Randall can’t find Parker anywhere. Earnest characters are beautifully described with spare text and sparely-colored, cartoony illustrations. An earnest, heartwarming atmosphere permeates this gentle—imaginary—friendship story.

In LIGHTS OUT: A Movement to Help Migrating Birds, written by Jessica Stremer and illustrate by Bonnie Pang, a flock of sparrows begin their journey south for the winter, flying by night, with “a map made of stars” to guide them. In the city, bright lights cause the map to fade, and the sparrows become confused. Many find their way, but one is left behind until a girl’s “helping hands” rescue it. The girl learns that “people all over the city” can make a difference by turning off their lights ”so the birds can see the starry map.” Lyrical text combines with the rich palette of the digital illustrations to create this uplifting, kid-friendly call to action inspired by the Lights Our movement.

HOW TO FIND A BIRD, written by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Diana Sudyka, describes some of the many ways readers might seek out these wonderful creatures. Perhaps, young birdwatchers will blend in, or move slowly, or sit quietly and look. Not just up, but down, where birds forage, sneak snacks, splash, and/or nest. And straight ahead, where they blend in. And up, too, where they can be found flying, sitting—and murmuring! Readers can give them a home and feed them. And they can close their eyes and listen. Thoughtful, informative text and completely stunning watercolor and digital illustrations include fun onomatopoetic bird calls and labels for the many birds depicted within these pages. Back matter adds practical ways for kids to begin birdwatching in earnest.

In IF YOU WANT TO RIDE A HORSE, written by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Gael Abary, there are questions to answer. Will your horse be “Black or bay?/ Dappled like a starry sky, or gray?” or white? or wild? What will you call her? There are steps to follow, like brushing her coat and—yep—scooping her poop. And there are secrets to ponder, such as how it might feel “if your horse is out of sorts.” But ultimately this story is about how, if you want to ride a horse, “all you have to do is close your eyes.” The poetic text canters smoothly along, accompanied by delicate mixed media art, and, together, both will surely instruct and inspire readers.

PARTLY CLOUDY, by Deborah Freedman, stars two very different bunnies who are looking at clouds. Where bunny number one sees “cotton candy,” the other sees “a cumulus cloud.” Where one sees a “cozy blanket,” the other sees a “stratus cloud.” And on they go: “cotton balls” vs. “altocumulus,” “pea soup” vs. “fog” until a scary storm shows how much each bunny has learned from the other! Gentle, uncluttered watercolor illustrations introduce two bunnies with plenty of personality, and showcase lots of cloud-related science and whimsy.

EVERGREEN, by Matthew Cordell, is a longer picture book with chapters. It’s the sweet story of Evergreen, a scaredy-squirrel whose mother asks her to take an acornful of magic soup to Granny Oak. But Granny Oak lives on the other side of the Buckthorn Forest, which would be “a scary place—even if you weren’t squirrel named Evergreen.” Still, Evergreen takes a deep breath and heads off. Along the way, she has many adventures, including rescuing a rabbit, getting carried off by a hawk, rescuing a young toad—GROAK—meeting new friends and dodging a few enemies, until she encounters “the loudest, scariest, ground-shaking-est noise of the day”… and after all this time the soup nearly spills! Timeless text is supported by the Caldecott Medalist’s dramatic, expressive, scratchy pen and watercolor art, and it’s a lot of fun to follow along as Evergreen understands she can be both afraid and brave.

--Lynn

April Books of the Month

Two of my longtime critique buddies, Dianne White and Karen Jameson, have three inspiring, wonder-filled books newly out in the world: FINDING GRATEFUL, IT'S YOUR TIME TO SHINE, and WAKE UP, WOODLANDS!

“Mama says you don’t need a map to find grateful.” In Dianne White and Faith Pray’s FINDING GRATEFUL, after their car breaks down, a child relates how her mama encourages her to notice "this thing/that thing/anything, really.” The child realizes she can find grateful in a smile, or “a cold spray on a hot day.” She pays attention to wiggling toes, and the smell of honeysuckle, indeed, to all the wonder of the here and now. The uplifting, lyrical prose will sweep readers along, and it’s deftly illustrated in an appealing, fully-rendered yet sketchy style that conveys movement and enthusiasm. This child’s eye view of mindfulness is a lovely and comforting read.

IT'S YOUR TIME TO SHINE, also written by Dianne White and this time illustrated by Nanette Regan, is an inspirational, board book take on growing up and becoming your best self. Opening verses (“There’s a time to begin/and a time you will wait./A time when you're early./A time when you're late.”) are accompanied by an infant in a crib and a toddler learning to walk, followed by the child aging up and growing her life experiences. “There’s a time for inside/and a time to go out./Small moments of quiet./Big moments of SHOUT!” The text is smooth and song-like and begs to be read aloud, while illustrations, loose and evocative, are active or contemplative in turn. IT'S YOUR TIME TO SHINE, with its gentle push for this child to “show the world who you are: confident, courageous, a bright rising star!” is sweet and lovely. This book would be a terrific gift for new parents, or graduates of any age!

WAKE UP, WOODLANDS, written by Karen Jameson and illustrated by Marc Boutavant, is the rhyming, beautifully illustrated follow up to 2020’s WOODLAND DREAMS, created by the same talented team. As a group of kids emerges from a cabin to celebrate the end of winter, the text calls out to a succession of sweetly nicknamed critters to do the same:

Wake up, Tiny Whiskers.
No more storming
Woods are warming
Sweep your sleepy dreams away.
Scamper out to meet the day.

Smoothly written stanzas “croon a song” of spring, and bright, bucolic illustrations showcase children and animals alike, as they make their way across these colorful pages. WAKE UP, WOODLANDS works as a lovely companion to WOODLAND DREAMS, a story about bedding down for winter, or on its own as a paean to spring.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--Being Home

PB Review: Being Home

Being Home by Traci Sorell, illus. by Michaela Goade (Kokila, 32p., ages 4-8, 9781984816030, May 7, 2024)

Family and finding one's own rhythms lie at the heart of this striking new picture book by two-time Sibert Medal honoree Traci Sorell (Mascot) and Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade (We Are Water Protectors). The collaboration, much like its dynamic characters, moves with a compelling, powerful beat.

A Cherokee child lives with their etsi (mother) in a city where "cars rush" and "crowds collect." Etsi says this is not their rhythm, so they are moving to the Cherokee Nation Reservation. The pair are excited to be leaving a place where, as more houses are built, "fewer animal relatives visit" and "family is too far away." With a "see you later, house" and a "gotta go, swing," the exuberant child and Etsi pack up the car and head home. The drive is long ("Are we there yet?") but the destination promises to be sweet--"singing,/ shell shaking,/ storytelling,/ stickball playing,/ all offer different beats" than the ones in the city they leave behind.

Indeed, when the child and Etsi arrive, family surrounds them, hugging and helping them to unpack. The child finds animal relatives, a new swing, and plenty of wonders to explore on ancestral land, including "room to run, ride, or roll along" and the "cool and constant" creek. Now, there are "no more busy streets" and "no more faraway family." The child and Etsi are "close enough to gather, eat,/ laugh, dance, and share" with their people--the wonderful "rhythm of being home."

Sorell's poetic text focuses on the deeply felt reasons that drive the child and their etsi's move from city to reservation. The author beautifully expresses core themes of family and the importance of full self-realization on ancestral land; in doing so, she echoes the oh-so-important rhythms which animate her characters. Goade's mixed-media art is at once delicate and strong, with spirited, sparkling colors and a keen sense of motion that reinforces the text's rhythm and energy. A jaunty pink is prominently featured while deep greens, blues, and browns ground the images. Well-placed spreads from the child's perspective help keep this picture book focused on its young protagonist, and the child's naïve-style art adornments and handwritten words are sprinkled throughout, providing even more variety and vigor to the scenario. Alive with movement, Being Home is an exceptional offering, emphasizing the inherent rhythms and motions of life. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Awareness--Tiny Wonders

PB Review: Tiny Wonders

Tiny Wonders by Sally Soweol Han (Bloomsbury, 40p., ages 4-8, 9781547614561)

Tiny Wonders is the inspirational story of how one girl, channeling her grandmother's wisdom, teaches her fellow citizens to stop and smell the dandelions.

April thinks the people in her town are too busy and she wonders how she might "help them all slow down." Her grandmother used to say that, in the secret language of flowers, "dandelions mean happiness." But the gardener says that "dandelions are a weed," the bus driver says they make him sneeze, and the shopkeeper says she hasn't "seen a dandelion in years." April thinks that dandelions might be exactly the "magic" her town needs and, after she wishes extra hard, seeds float down to her from the sky. April secretly sows all her seeds and tries to be patient. She remembers Grandma telling her that "good things take time" and, sure enough, "bit by bit," the seeds grow. Happiness blooms as the gardener, the bus driver, the shopkeeper, indeed "everyone" now cheerfully cast wishes "for more tiny wonders to grow."

Sally Soweol Han has created an enchanting, lasting story which shows small acts having a big impact. Her sweet, uncluttered text feels energetic and endlessly optimistic, while gouache, colored pencil, and soft pastel illustrations are dynamic, bright, and sprinkled with whimsy. Backmatter provides illustrations of a wide variety of flowers and what they mean, such as the daffodil ("I'm proud"), lavender ("let's never forget"), and the yellow rose ("let's be friends"). Tiny Wonders is a delightful peek into the magic and language of flowers. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

March Recommendations

CALL YOUR MOTHER, written by Tracy Gold and illustrated by Vivian Mineker, is a lilting, heartfelt story of the strong bond between a girl and her mother throughout the years. Beginning with a baby crying, readers see her grow through potty training, first days of school, soccer games, and dating, until the girl has a crying infant of her own. Told in smooth, rhyming text—“when you’re hungry, when you’re sad,/when you don’t know why you’re mad”—embellished with distinctive calls for help, this is a sweet read. Illos are dominated by soft greens, golds, and oranges that give off a comforting vibe. It’s a tender circular tale of multigenerational love that should inspire hugs all around.

In SEA SMILES, by Bonnie Kelso, a child losing a tooth serves as a springboard to learning when they open a book called “Sea Smiles.” Out pops a perky, young wolffish, followed by, among others, a baby penguin, a narwhal, and a sea snake. Together, this quirky group finds out many of “the good the bad and the ugly” things about their teeth—the different kinds they have, how they lose them, number of teeth, and other kid-friendly science facts about their important choppers. Conversational text and cartoony digital art help make learning fun!

In OLD TO JOY, written and illustrated by Anita Crawford Clark, Joy’s Grandmama is old. So is her street, with its trees that “shimmy and shake,” and so is her house, with its “rickety-rockety” chairs on the “crikety-crockety” porch. Even the way Grandmama says words like “mosey” feels old to Joy. But bubbles dance in the air when Joy and Grandmama do dishes the old-fashioned way, Grandmama’s garden is glorious, and, when they mosey up to the attic, the old-fashioned hats Joy finds there are amazing! Both text and art are buoyant and expressive, and the ending is satisfyingly sentimental.

and coming soon is MONARCH BUTTERFLIES, UP, UP, AND AWAY, written by Marta Magellan, illustrated by Mauro Magellan, and with photos by James Gersing, delves into the migration of this “most studied, tracked, and recognized of all butterflies.” Every year, millions of monarchs fly south to escape cold winters. They use “the position of the sun and the earth’s magnetic fields to find their way.” But, in a fascinating twist, it takes “three or four generations” or “several life cycles” to make it back. Confused? All is clearly explained in the informative text, in concert with vibrant charts, illustrations, and photographs. Extensive back matter points out actionable steps we all can take to help these wonders of nature survive. This is a smart and beautiful science book!

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--The Bad Ones

YA Review: The Bad Ones

The Bad Ones by Melissa Albert (Flatiron, 400p., ages 13-up, 9781250894892 )

The Bad Ones, a stand-alone title by Melissa Albert, author of the Hazel Wood series, seductively conjures a haunting, wintry world where the darker side of make-believe becomes real.

Palmetto High School junior Nora Powell is concerned when she gets a weird text from her estranged "soul mate," the "heather-eyed and autumn-haired" Becca Cross. Nora rushes to Becca's house in the "snow-dusted" night but finds no trace of the girl. She does, however, find cryptic messages from Becca about the goddess game, a "fucked-up" rite of passage based on local legend. According to the story, a girl died at the high school and her friends invented "a ritual that would bring her back to life." And it's not only Becca who has disappeared--three other town residents have also mysteriously gone missing. Nora investigates by traveling into the forest where she and Becca played as children, imagining their own powerful deities; looking around the darkroom where Becca spent so much time on her art; and questioning their teachers and not-so-innocent classmates. Becca's voice and a "back-of-the-neck feeling of dread" spur Nora on. As the teen probes further, she discovers multiple similar "spooky" disappearances from the past, all with the goddess game at their heart.

Albert's silky prose transports readers in and out of time and possibility by including enigmatic remembrances of important moments from the past that relate to Nora's first-person narrative. Each memory gives more information and context, helping lead to the explosive climax and aftermath. In The Bad Ones, the author has created a menacing, mythic place with an intoxicating, "off-kilter, Wonderland vibe." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Awareness--Sheine Lende

YA Review: Sheine Lende

Sheine Lende Darcie Little Badger, illus. by Rovina Cai (Levine Querido, 400p., ages 12-up, 9781646143795, April 16, 2024)

The gritty, luminous Sheine Lende, a prequel to Darcie Little Badger's acclaimed first novel, Elatsoe, features stouthearted Shane (grandmother to Elatsoe's Ellie) who uses the family's ability to raise ghosts to find three people, one of whom is her own mother.

The women in 17-year-old Shane Solé's Lipan Apache family line know how to reach deep into "the world Below" to "raise the ghosts of animals." Shane and her mother, Lorenza, are known for their tracking abilities; they and their two living bloodhounds, along with a single shimmering ghost dog, are often called upon to find missing people. Although Shane knows her small family would benefit from being paid for these services--just a few short years ago, they lost their home, father, and grandparents in quick succession--Lorenza "never charge[s] people money for rescue jobs."

When 16-year-old Donnie and 10-year-old Bobby go missing, Lorenza is called to help. Then Lorenza herself disappears. Shane, her younger brother, Marcos, and her grandpa Louis rush to help locate what has become three missing people. The unconventional band of trackers find an abandoned cabin with a "circle of ash-gray ground" outside. Grandpa Louis identifies it as a "mimic" fairy ring, a hazardous phenomenon that is capable of transporting humans to undisclosed locations using "extradimensional magic."

Shane is too late to realize she is standing inside a "well-hidden, hula-hoop-sized circle." She's whisked several hundred miles away, where she finds a bedraggled and grateful Donnie. Shane sends up a flare, whereby the girls are rescued, and while they wait for Grandpa Louis to come for them, Shane and Donnie suspect that Bobby may have been transported to the underworld. Shane determines to solve the linked mysteries of the mimic rings, where Bobby has gone, and her mother's disappearance.

Little Badger's beguiling novel includes stories within stories that enrich the main narrative, telling tales whose monumental purposes are "to be shared and remembered." She entices readers by creating a world where monsters and "powerful magics" exist alongside actual history. Rovina Cai once again gracefully illustrates Little Badger's work with delicate line drawings that act as chapter headings. Intergenerational relationships (with relatives both alive and Below) form the basis of this wonderful novel, as does Shane's sense that her family--and their ghost animals--are looking out for her. Here's hoping readers will receive more sequels, prequels, or spin-offs that take place in this fresh, compelling world. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

March Books of the Month

PEDAL, BALANCE, STEER: ANNIE LONDONDERRY, THE FIRST WOMAN TO CYCLE AROUND THE WORLD, written by Vivian Kirkfeld and illustrated by Alison Jay, is a bright and engaging biography of a strong woman who vows “to do something no other woman had done before.”

Annie isn’t afraid of hard work. She bustles here and there, caring for her family and selling ad space to newspapers. She’s never ridden a bicycle, but when she learns that “two rich businessmen” will pay ten thousand dollars to “the first woman who pedal[s] around the world,” she knows she will try. She has no end of hardships, including learning how to ride, leaving behind her three children, and sleeping on “stony ground” some nights with little to eat.

But, PEDAL! BALANCE! STEER! Annie perseveres! She battles time, injuries, and bandits. She lectures, sells photos, and cuts wood. And when Annie finishes her race fourteen days early, she proves that “a woman ha[s] the right to determine her own path in life.”

Vivian Kirkfeld’s lively, well-researched storytelling is a joy to read, and Alison Jay’s signature illustrations, rendered with oil paint on paper, impart the perfect, old-fashioned flavor to dynamic, attention-grabbing layouts. This picture book of a woman who “stepped up” to a challenge, and “stepped out of the role society envisioned for her” is an inspiration.

ACCIDENTAL HERO: A MOSTLY TRUE WOMBAT STORY, written by Laura Roettiger and illustrated by Debbie Palen, is an entertaining, kid-friendly account of the way “animals ranging from wallabies to skinks to echidnas” survived the 2020 bushfires in Australia “by sheltering in wombat borrows.”

“G’day, Australia!” As bushfires rage through New South Wales, caused by “the driest year on record,” animals “that can’t be found anywhere else on earth” are in danger, report Koala and Emu in their live newscast on WMBT. Scenes of animals fleeing make way for an interview with Wombat, who has “become something of a real hero to the locals.” It seems that when Wombat headed out from her burrow, she was overcome by wind, fire, and smoke. She heard cries for help from those animals whose homes were already lost and who needed “shelter from the heat and smoke.” What’s a kind-hearted wombat to do? Echidnas, skinks, “a mama rabbit and her fluffle,” and wallabies all learn “what real friendship is all about,” as the animals cuddle in Wombat’s cozy underground home, safe and sound. Back matter includes information about animals of Australia, facts about forest fires, and tips to help prevent them.

Cleverly formatting her story as a television newscast, Laura Roettiger takes a frightening event and makes it completely accessible to younger readers. She underscores her work with themes of kindness and hope in the face of tragedy. Debbie Palen’s illustrations are a treat, with endearing, expressive, cartoony animals imparting just the right amounts of drama and cheerfulness to match their situations. This imaginative offering should inspire kids to create their own newscasts or might be readily adapted into classrooms as reader’s theater.

--Lynn

Shelf Awareness--The Invocations

YA Review: The Invocations

The Invocations by Krystal Sutherland (Nancy Paulsen Books, 400p., ages 12-up, 9780593532263)

The Invocations is a delightfully dark and haunting tale that follows three young women grappling with a supernatural witch-killer while trying to exorcise their own demons.

Emer's entire coven was murdered at their family home in Ireland when she was seven and, 10 years later, she's still "frantic and afraid that she [is] being hunted." She hides among college students at Oxford, where the Bodleian library has all the books on protolanguages, sigils, runes, and dead languages a witch could want, to write the perfect spell for vengeance. Seventeen-year-old Jude is struggling to survive with three demons inside her. Her father's billions can't save her, so Jude searches for a talented witch to fix her "rotting flesh" and "necrotic" soul. Gray-eyed, blonde Zara, also 17, is desperate to raise her murdered sister from the grave. Zara's thirst for knowledge about necromancy leads her to Jude, and to a murder victim with a missing patch of skin. Together, the girls find "cursewriter" Emer. The murder victim--a witch and former client of Emer's--is only the first in a series of magic-working victims with a connection to Emer. The teens band together in a desperate hunt for the impossible, "abomination" of a serial killer.

Krystal Sutherland (House of Hollow) skillfully delivers a bewitching tale of "curses and demons and tethers," one where young women are prey, and magic has gone dreadfully wrong. Her solidly crafted world features a riveting mystery that matches her ravishing prose. Themes of misogyny, power, and vengeance, plus a dash of queer romance, make this sometimes grotesque, always sublime novel a captivating read. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

February Books of the Month

We’re going with three Books of the Month for February!

TADPOLES, by Matt James, is a gorgeous ramble of a picture book, wherein one boy touches on, among other things, two-headed frogs, ponds, clouds, rain, “neat old junk” that includes a rusty bike and a piano, swear words, love, and… tadpoles. James’s art is so stunning, I’m always willing to see where he takes me, and the unexpectedness of this particular journey is gently and surprisingly affecting. The boy’s dad has moved out of their home, but that’s not the focus—the focus is on the magic of the world and the time they spend together. Plus, there’s some non-fiction that includes frog spawn, froglets, and ephemeral ponds to enrich the whole thing.

In DIM SUM PALACE, by X. Fang, Liddy is too excited to fall asleep because tomorrow she and her family will go to Dim Sum Palace. When a delicious smell wafts into her bedroom, she follows it to an actual dim sum palace. There, she finds “baos, buns and bowls of congee! Dumplings, shumai and lots of sweet treats!” Liddy falls into a bowl of dumpling filling, and after some folding and pinching, Liddy meets—and avoids being eaten by—an empress, stays for delicious dim sum, then falls asleep “on a warm bun.” When she wakes, Liddy is hungry again and ready to go to the real Dim Sum Palace. Using graphite on paper and digital color, X. Fang’s blocky, stylized art is full of personality, as is Liddy herself. Shades of Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen, help DIM SUM PALACE to serve up a veritable feast for a reader’s imagination.

In GRAVITY IS BRINGING ME DOWN, by Wendell Van Draanen illustrated by Cornelia Li, all of Leda’s fumbling and stumbling, slipping and tripping, splattering, slopping, and tipping, are due to the fact that “gravity [is] in a bad mood. Again.” Alas, Zero-G isn’t an option. Ms. Jameer teaches Leda’s class some fun facts about gravity, then Mom takes Leda to a science discovery center. It’s only then that, finally, “Leda and gravity [seem] to have declared a truce.” Leda is able to hop and skip, dance, whirl, and leap, until gravity manages to “bring her down” safely into her bed. Van Draanen’s got a terrific premise here, and she manages to work the science into the plot smoothly enough to not feel forced. Cornelia Li’s analog and digital art is active, buoyant, and perfectly suited. It’s fun!

--Lynn

Shelf Awarenesss--Big Babies

PB Review: Big Babies

Big Babies by Patrick O'Brien (Charlesbridge, 32p., ages 3-7, 9781623543662)

Big Babies uses skillful artistic renderings and a whole lot of imagination to playfully explore what dinosaurs might have looked like before they became the fearsome, grown-up behemoths of prehistoric times.

Readers likely know that dinosaurs are the largest beasts to ever stomp the Earth, but--like all animals--these massive creatures began life much smaller. The Seismosaurus, or "earthquake lizard," was a "lumbering leaf-eater" who "could weigh as much as fifteen elephants." But, as shown on the book's first double-page spread amid tons of white space, the toddler Seismosaurus is only about twice as big as a toy backhoe. The adult "tyrant lizard king" Tyrannosaurus rex "was a top predator"; but as a fuzzy, green-feathered hatchling, it may have been "about the size of a goose." While most of the book focuses on briefly introducing these adorable youngsters and showing how they measure up, back matter includes additional useful information on the different kinds of dinos, plus a height chart comparing the babies to a four-year-old (human) child.

O'Brien cleverly pairs his succinct text and endearing digital illustrations of the young reptiles with modern objects (like a rubber ducky, donuts, and an inflatable kiddy pool) to augment his points about size. A variety of entertaining facial expressions and layered textures go a long way toward bringing these fearsome cuties to life. O'Brien offers enough dinosaur facts to satisfy, while cleverly using the tiny toddlers as an entry point. Because apparently even giant dinosaurs were once "pint-sized" kids, too! --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Awareness--Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem

PB Review: Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava

Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava by Gary Golio, illus. by E.B. Lewis (Calkins Creek, 48p., ages 7-10, 9781662680557)

Author Gary Golio and Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Ward-winning illustrator E.B. Lewis collaborate again (Dark Was the Night) for Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem, an artful picture book that is a loving snapshot of photographer Roy DeCarava (1919-2009), who saw Harlem in an "old crumpled soda can" and the spray of a fire hydrant; saw it mirrored in the eyes of the people "passing each other on the street."

Work is over, and "Roy's time is his own now." Equipped with a camera and a fresh roll of film, he takes to the streets of Harlem, dreaming of "all the treasures he'll find." SNAP! Roy captures the grin of a boy drawing with chalk on the sidewalk. SNAP! Roy admires the love he sees in the eyes of a boy looking at his mother. And SNAP! Roy photographs the hush of a young girl in a long white dress who stands in an empty lot. He knows to keep his eyes wide open, because "unexpected treasures are waiting to be seen, if you just take the time to look."

Golio has penned an elegant ode to a notable photographer, filling his narrative with sensory details and enriching it with quotations from Roy himself. Lewis's stunning watercolor art showcases the people and the neighborhood, offering a variety of perspectives to reflect the vision and work of DeCarava. Backmatter gives more details about the extraordinary man who worked many different jobs, but made use of "his free time... to record the beauty of what he saw around him." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

Shelf Awareness--Somewhere in the Deep

YA Review: Somewhere in the Deep

Somewhere in the Deep by Tanvi Berwah (Sourcebooks Fire, 384p., ages 13-up, 9781728247656)

In the gripping YA fantasy Somewhere in the Deep, impressive monster-fighter Krescent Dune agrees to guard an underground expedition from myriad "creatures of the dark" in exchange for having her debts cleared. Once the disaster-prone mission is complete, Kress will be free to leave the miserable "island of blood and storm" that passes for home.

Now that the Landers rule over Kar Atish and own the valuable zargunine mines, lower caste Renters are forced to toil below ground "for food, water, and clothes. Or die." But Kress's parents are Kinkillers, "miners who killed other miners," which makes her an outcast. Her only option for survival has been battling monsters in Badger's "playground of death" for the entertainment of a bloodthirsty audience. When she's offered a dangerous protection job deep within the mines, the pay is too good to refuse. But mission leader Beyorn is keeping secrets, and the appearance of a group of cave-dwelling Shadefolk challenges the group's understanding of their world. Amid spiraling tensions, injuries, and death, Kress must bring the company--and herself--to safety.

Tanvi Berwah (Monsters Born and Made) ratchets up the tension with every step the outmatched expedition takes underground. Kress battles "monsters and madness," childhood enemies, and her own complicated origins while striving to do her job. Though action-based, the dramatic novel also touches on oppression and colonization, along with matters of the heart, to produce a wonderfully readable, well-rounded survival novel that's a clash of misers, mining, gods, and apocalypse. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.

January's Book of the Month--Fire Flight: A Wildfire Escape

January’s Book of the Month is FIRE FLIGHT: A WILDFIRE ESCAPE, written by Cedar Pruitt and illustrated by Chiara Fedele.

A wildfire moves swiftly through a California forest, “crunching dry branches, bark, and heartwood,” and stranding one little owl. There is “nowhere to go, but the owl [can’t] stay.” It bursts out of the trees, spies “a fellow flier” (a fire-fighting helicopter), and soars “right through the helicopter’s open window!” The story generates plenty of suspense but, as the flames die down, so does the intensity, and readers will land, with “a beautiful glide,” back home amid the now-burnt branches of the forest.

Based on an actual event, Pruitt’s focused, poetic text brings the chaotic scene to life with terse sentences and plenty of onomatopoeia, including the “beat-beat-beat” of the owl’s wings, the “chop-chop-chop of a fire-fighting helicopter,” and the “drip-drip-drop of water quenching flames.” Pairing perfectly with the text are the vivid colors, dramatic angles, and close perspectives of Fedele’s art, which pull readers through smoke and flames, and right into the helicopter to experience the uneasy alliance between fellow fliers. An author’s note at the end adds context to this dynamic offering.

Having myself been forced to flee from a California wildfire (the Buckweed fire of 2017), this gripping story really hit home for me!

--Lynn