tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11591166052926723232024-03-29T00:00:34.220-07:00Lynn Becker Books BlogChildren's book recommendations, reviews, and more!Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.comBlogger412125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-56362974812388778912024-03-29T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-29T00:00:00.146-07:00Shelf Awareness--Being Home<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKF-DCiRX8oKIApku2TnbZvujrYNKjO7pp3r2CUf8s_0BRlIHJcXRnI-Pm-JWsOXDHOgsSbfGUnlbJ6RpKn2nzMKNgBoS2VPibfA-71J_Fwyd9wnVYz_rOKfC6DPOa6PvlaJB0jnnczsjB7EDKi2iBzssZQTiahKFesx9ALfPLTBIn7LezJIHYrwksFi9x/s1500/beinghome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1499" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKF-DCiRX8oKIApku2TnbZvujrYNKjO7pp3r2CUf8s_0BRlIHJcXRnI-Pm-JWsOXDHOgsSbfGUnlbJ6RpKn2nzMKNgBoS2VPibfA-71J_Fwyd9wnVYz_rOKfC6DPOa6PvlaJB0jnnczsjB7EDKi2iBzssZQTiahKFesx9ALfPLTBIn7LezJIHYrwksFi9x/s320/beinghome.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>PB Review: Being Home</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Being Home</i> by Traci Sorell, illus. by Michaela Goade (Kokila, 32p., ages 4-8, 9781984816030, May 7, 2024)</span><br />
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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 (<i>Mascot</i>) and Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade (<i>We Are Water Protectors</i>). The collaboration, much like its dynamic characters, moves with a compelling, powerful beat.<br />
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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.<br />
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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."<br />
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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, <i>Being Home</i> is an exceptional offering, emphasizing the inherent rhythms and motions of life. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-49360127307041222752024-03-27T11:42:00.000-07:002024-03-27T11:42:41.090-07:00Shelf Awareness--Tiny Wonders<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6pIaZzwTZTP82CxzYDRlhCoFoPQa02PXX87YRhHA_VEtJbR_QgqQ4gnSej_1lngx4N04TqynoXY3afrhyphenhyphenvAWegGApUf2QVpz0WkwcImO_0xMU71Uq7-dMuMCxVH0VHNOMLLeMNrlDyTuHwpj5sNelM5B5fvTHRb187c0vmddt-pNZ4JS5wY9O1xR4k8v/s1500/tinywonders.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1190" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEim6pIaZzwTZTP82CxzYDRlhCoFoPQa02PXX87YRhHA_VEtJbR_QgqQ4gnSej_1lngx4N04TqynoXY3afrhyphenhyphenvAWegGApUf2QVpz0WkwcImO_0xMU71Uq7-dMuMCxVH0VHNOMLLeMNrlDyTuHwpj5sNelM5B5fvTHRb187c0vmddt-pNZ4JS5wY9O1xR4k8v/s320/tinywonders.jpg" width="254" /></a></div>PB Review: Tiny Wonders</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Tiny Wonders</i> by Sally Soweol Han (Bloomsbury, 40p., ages 4-8, 9781547614561)</span><br />
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<i>Tiny Wonders</i> is the inspirational story of how one girl, channeling her grandmother's wisdom, teaches her fellow citizens to stop and smell the dandelions.<br />
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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."<br />
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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"). <i>Tiny Wonders</i> is a delightful peek into the magic and language of flowers. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-87482790099881258182024-03-21T13:02:00.000-07:002024-03-21T13:02:51.879-07:00March Recommendations<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCG58CKbvOsDFNa1_DkGQeGaav6u3tiJG-L2xH6Dd6onUHxqALM9wxAfvG6sINzxljM8UlZjgMU7QrUPD4RZ69dioz_QN9ubjqwBUuM7Vbq4SJtC-zwdmMzmwX-3kUgwxbtrogUnuKItMioxwlHoOIYjBA2VjwyfWqcxGlJI1MMtG-MUqvBUuu2MEBxAU/s1500/call.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoCG58CKbvOsDFNa1_DkGQeGaav6u3tiJG-L2xH6Dd6onUHxqALM9wxAfvG6sINzxljM8UlZjgMU7QrUPD4RZ69dioz_QN9ubjqwBUuM7Vbq4SJtC-zwdmMzmwX-3kUgwxbtrogUnuKItMioxwlHoOIYjBA2VjwyfWqcxGlJI1MMtG-MUqvBUuu2MEBxAU/s320/call.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNO0nIUinTf8vjbMUEeZd7R4TbYsvSUYS1ls_ZF4IopEyZnzu82AokuowSsaAJ0UyRgLlzAqZ9onZLuPH4kYG3aDRfyi_JlPhqLl4f9d_3W0iluXdbX8tfxLDhLUHR2XqH6sC1lpWtPZ78D0zKyNUufhA1mTZKd80TjvK4evXbHWR3W19WesPRnYn0JVDd/s1500/seasmiles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNO0nIUinTf8vjbMUEeZd7R4TbYsvSUYS1ls_ZF4IopEyZnzu82AokuowSsaAJ0UyRgLlzAqZ9onZLuPH4kYG3aDRfyi_JlPhqLl4f9d_3W0iluXdbX8tfxLDhLUHR2XqH6sC1lpWtPZ78D0zKyNUufhA1mTZKd80TjvK4evXbHWR3W19WesPRnYn0JVDd/s320/seasmiles.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHCCOigZH1DPya4mXdykYwxooPSFVtUlvfILfsSAX2iGeuoPIQjxjVRpGMIoklTSVDc2E_V2HG9CSZ8Rg2LsjSUMy2X33LlydFngPm15dtSMo22yzRiXP2oJbH-Xnt7sC2quBpl9j_CJeTxw2de0zfJzNdm3smhN9vT_cMBDmyR2FrtKa3kdpkho5Dl71/s1500/old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1458" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHCCOigZH1DPya4mXdykYwxooPSFVtUlvfILfsSAX2iGeuoPIQjxjVRpGMIoklTSVDc2E_V2HG9CSZ8Rg2LsjSUMy2X33LlydFngPm15dtSMo22yzRiXP2oJbH-Xnt7sC2quBpl9j_CJeTxw2de0zfJzNdm3smhN9vT_cMBDmyR2FrtKa3kdpkho5Dl71/s320/old.jpg" width="311" /></a></div>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.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1c28wnb0ChLHj4c6TlOMHelkqTiubeOiyMN6fN13XKzH2IFfJuoHiU_eHRIGBAEJM_TJMzZcjMoO5_OD6t1Rojpu8rVpIUwuFsvJ0eH2ztuymXOgj6RbCXCxKs_JW0TaUehNByAZ5zctT7N6BHpdnhJYwrXUmEYOgJvp81pH29EqFoLQmBFRKQgHA6ukY/s1032/Screenshot%202024-03-21%20at%202.00.43%20PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1014" data-original-width="1032" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1c28wnb0ChLHj4c6TlOMHelkqTiubeOiyMN6fN13XKzH2IFfJuoHiU_eHRIGBAEJM_TJMzZcjMoO5_OD6t1Rojpu8rVpIUwuFsvJ0eH2ztuymXOgj6RbCXCxKs_JW0TaUehNByAZ5zctT7N6BHpdnhJYwrXUmEYOgJvp81pH29EqFoLQmBFRKQgHA6ukY/s320/Screenshot%202024-03-21%20at%202.00.43%20PM.png" width="320" /></a></div>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!</div>
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--Lynn</div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-27422525598652033292024-03-12T00:00:00.000-07:002024-03-12T00:00:00.250-07:00Shelf Awareness--The Bad Ones<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVTftMesWILbV77f_BgklDhBgYaNUyLeBpSOJWPr3fv-njhRLUdVndHNurTxR8U-MzRy-Hxox9mddqwS7ip0wbCsD45K98ZmWfekzQXMFuCA4B0Yj3GblMLY9q5bpKr10ozU5eaqH_jZgLECPBePcpZmOPLe8cGRRM6AxsBNhK8yj9yZWc88wURquVApF/s1500/badones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="971" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJVTftMesWILbV77f_BgklDhBgYaNUyLeBpSOJWPr3fv-njhRLUdVndHNurTxR8U-MzRy-Hxox9mddqwS7ip0wbCsD45K98ZmWfekzQXMFuCA4B0Yj3GblMLY9q5bpKr10ozU5eaqH_jZgLECPBePcpZmOPLe8cGRRM6AxsBNhK8yj9yZWc88wURquVApF/s320/badones.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>YA Review: The Bad Ones</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>The Bad Ones</i> by Melissa Albert (Flatiron, 400p., ages 13-up, 9781250894892 )</span><br />
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<i>The Bad Ones</i>, 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-11047995507976746722024-03-08T12:40:00.000-08:002024-03-08T12:40:06.160-08:00Shelf Awareness--Sheine Lende<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMUWJrTiOXPhPzIbPxdlrF4MDgTk8TelX9LA2No03LwUzUI1AFln0euZoQuByV1z8AixRFM6ntp2pFXPqLNNyn3JaQ3NeTkCVePVpYh3K-9cOcU_LnaPDGf1uHByQ1GJLOUqDhIZvjuRwIQlhscTSVKF0nmW1sJyQz3dAq5af-fwEig3mJvz5DnBfV_lJ/s1500/sheine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1008" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMUWJrTiOXPhPzIbPxdlrF4MDgTk8TelX9LA2No03LwUzUI1AFln0euZoQuByV1z8AixRFM6ntp2pFXPqLNNyn3JaQ3NeTkCVePVpYh3K-9cOcU_LnaPDGf1uHByQ1GJLOUqDhIZvjuRwIQlhscTSVKF0nmW1sJyQz3dAq5af-fwEig3mJvz5DnBfV_lJ/s320/sheine.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>YA Review: Sheine Lende</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Sheine Lende</i> Darcie Little Badger, illus. by Rovina Cai (Levine Querido, 400p., ages 12-up, 9781646143795, April 16, 2024)</span><br />
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The gritty, luminous <i>Sheine Lende</i>, a prequel to Darcie Little Badger's acclaimed first novel, <i>Elatsoe</i>, features stouthearted Shane (grandmother to <i>Elatsoe</i>'s Ellie) who uses the family's ability to raise ghosts to find three people, one of whom is her own mother.<br />
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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."<br />
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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."<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-377292468721309142024-03-05T13:37:00.000-08:002024-03-05T13:37:46.562-08:00March Books of the Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGH_PWlF6InITNhPeXX2DuqFIxToVfJylEl9jQkziMYVLTAImzWj18JZtgNSWw1XRuiBrQrdMCg5zsV_jhvZK-nLoCX4zgV0BMlF-9Hi-pNyBn1UCP9D5PG5_W77U1fFhWEGRyDVn5C2gyEU6s15QqiepOB8FwsFOMKlGKgrF-32jutsXfxAtIR50DK70y/s1500/pedal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGH_PWlF6InITNhPeXX2DuqFIxToVfJylEl9jQkziMYVLTAImzWj18JZtgNSWw1XRuiBrQrdMCg5zsV_jhvZK-nLoCX4zgV0BMlF-9Hi-pNyBn1UCP9D5PG5_W77U1fFhWEGRyDVn5C2gyEU6s15QqiepOB8FwsFOMKlGKgrF-32jutsXfxAtIR50DK70y/s320/pedal.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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.”<br />
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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.<br />
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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.”<br />
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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.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitP5dvF0Vt-rQPCX_Jlp9XLgwOYETcW34bO-mQEr44XJvZSbswCKduUW1QryS9HmBT3XKOd3XBjgdc6Ev6bRFQJpU2-nFWtrg5ldT9Zf49-0UJMfnghPQQlEVtHviU3lmbEmlc5F_E2nIK5KwOJHSjGLnoG45VFUyynwE3J4l8efc1aecdOAl2NnN3lDJ9/s1500/wombat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1214" data-original-width="1500" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitP5dvF0Vt-rQPCX_Jlp9XLgwOYETcW34bO-mQEr44XJvZSbswCKduUW1QryS9HmBT3XKOd3XBjgdc6Ev6bRFQJpU2-nFWtrg5ldT9Zf49-0UJMfnghPQQlEVtHviU3lmbEmlc5F_E2nIK5KwOJHSjGLnoG45VFUyynwE3J4l8efc1aecdOAl2NnN3lDJ9/s320/wombat.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>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.”<br />
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“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.<br />
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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.<br />
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--LynnLynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-40115991863321914432024-02-23T13:00:00.000-08:002024-02-23T13:00:23.576-08:00Shelf Awareness--The Invocations<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDe-34WkwgoO2MATK4QdS6Nr4rJX6eYKx3xOsYpE1jxodkkJadeizgiiD_h5Ppup6Lf5C0Myj1PSCeCZKzgO5aVZsYueZjc8EdNJruzQvl97ykNZt5uKnal4NDEIx5SOR57xpgj_owWQ4-7I9pX5lB9YqV8paQrAo1fx_YZQ2jx8B0E3kPK5Ox5lq23bPp/s1500/invocations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="993" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDe-34WkwgoO2MATK4QdS6Nr4rJX6eYKx3xOsYpE1jxodkkJadeizgiiD_h5Ppup6Lf5C0Myj1PSCeCZKzgO5aVZsYueZjc8EdNJruzQvl97ykNZt5uKnal4NDEIx5SOR57xpgj_owWQ4-7I9pX5lB9YqV8paQrAo1fx_YZQ2jx8B0E3kPK5Ox5lq23bPp/s320/invocations.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>YA Review: The Invocations</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>The Invocations</i> by Krystal Sutherland (Nancy Paulsen Books, 400p., ages 12-up, 9780593532263)</span><br />
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<i>The Invocations</i> 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Krystal Sutherland (<i>House of Hollow</i>) 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.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-15935893879173708872024-02-01T09:41:00.000-08:002024-02-01T09:41:32.612-08:00February Books of the MonthWe’re going with three Books of the Month for February!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M5cF3zQCBoEJpv1mZe8-GZ5D54rIA-Ubgig4dcqJbBacuudxd4I6vk_FdZSurgYsDXlwogJszP6SkYUURE0sxmPVe3YeTfAZDqkARE1AQv4Stvl6V3naiYptHBa_BJJ7aTO2vOn_BcovcktEaPPmYI_lqvP7QaYWbKnZ2nHbyFjP9PQCa6D_SR6_u3ZF/s1500/tadpoles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1228" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8M5cF3zQCBoEJpv1mZe8-GZ5D54rIA-Ubgig4dcqJbBacuudxd4I6vk_FdZSurgYsDXlwogJszP6SkYUURE0sxmPVe3YeTfAZDqkARE1AQv4Stvl6V3naiYptHBa_BJJ7aTO2vOn_BcovcktEaPPmYI_lqvP7QaYWbKnZ2nHbyFjP9PQCa6D_SR6_u3ZF/s320/tadpoles.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>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.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46pDOEPlnpIocs47qo_brKYiTsI1TlRe63BCEUuPna-TYoVZQGOW_N-VtKGWzvlrf81yZfKcmudJn0Q-UV081Ff9dCAkK_wVLOW1qnmtFBA_VJqwGrNPZ1-U7W1gco1rSzoou7WdjI1Zw8wPypb2jMMCVuonpjrDklu8KYa7rbPZtXcZDU9Elx9DCo7c7/s1500/dimsum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1177" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh46pDOEPlnpIocs47qo_brKYiTsI1TlRe63BCEUuPna-TYoVZQGOW_N-VtKGWzvlrf81yZfKcmudJn0Q-UV081Ff9dCAkK_wVLOW1qnmtFBA_VJqwGrNPZ1-U7W1gco1rSzoou7WdjI1Zw8wPypb2jMMCVuonpjrDklu8KYa7rbPZtXcZDU9Elx9DCo7c7/s320/dimsum.jpg" width="251" /></a></div>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.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3BExNxO0nQf-OTwfpRUgASYdMeIau463O9vigDQlWaRcWgRfRvgPVlT_zZjgeFcWBQ1KV4i8-3-Tl63LO1yz5eVbNne_Jf-oJcIcV-b9UeN1EthFECpssNfqTDMagMiVQtif1KaLRNQPBD9wlI8fxNotZu9z30FE1Cb_OVZc6JS5GO89VPmETjg56Gvb/s1500/gravitydown.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1166" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX3BExNxO0nQf-OTwfpRUgASYdMeIau463O9vigDQlWaRcWgRfRvgPVlT_zZjgeFcWBQ1KV4i8-3-Tl63LO1yz5eVbNne_Jf-oJcIcV-b9UeN1EthFECpssNfqTDMagMiVQtif1KaLRNQPBD9wlI8fxNotZu9z30FE1Cb_OVZc6JS5GO89VPmETjg56Gvb/s320/gravitydown.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>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!<br />
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--LynnLynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-16676779299121689232024-01-29T09:33:00.000-08:002024-01-29T09:33:01.603-08:00Shelf Awarenesss--Big Babies<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLBD7fFwZ1IhMYDsiMPZPYGKRetvRe0bEHaX2a3Gch9oHFp9IoaraVyw9FNR8zueAERwv1rgISnQls9m5Mo7k1q1Evrby0jNQk73errd3C_qxwzrTv1gqFObd3Ox3uzXY2ItLNUrC_LD9EknJJl4SC6ypyu8F3TMfdO4yJ5ws3OsYbscI_eT2sRl7Zvy-/s1401/big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1401" data-original-width="1400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLBD7fFwZ1IhMYDsiMPZPYGKRetvRe0bEHaX2a3Gch9oHFp9IoaraVyw9FNR8zueAERwv1rgISnQls9m5Mo7k1q1Evrby0jNQk73errd3C_qxwzrTv1gqFObd3Ox3uzXY2ItLNUrC_LD9EknJJl4SC6ypyu8F3TMfdO4yJ5ws3OsYbscI_eT2sRl7Zvy-/s320/big.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>PB Review: Big Babies</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Big Babies</i> by Patrick O'Brien (Charlesbridge, 32p., ages 3-7, 9781623543662)</span><br />
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<i>Big Babies</i> 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-18083372752340988972024-01-23T12:55:00.000-08:002024-01-23T12:55:26.010-08:00Shelf Awareness--Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFoj1ZTmwRae3_DtWk5JsPuD7hhdq6OiEse69TV_d73HaNy_RD_f9QquyppDWx_gR0-DA4bNoi755yaId5YUue2NGXo-5VA951cuNquBwHOiNoay13EI_Uj-dVGASm7ze4kNat-LC2-Rns1UEM3pfEQWcXWxxAVpH7-NZwM82CADNHTZl_KRQL-t4V9Ja/s1500/harlem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1296" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicFoj1ZTmwRae3_DtWk5JsPuD7hhdq6OiEse69TV_d73HaNy_RD_f9QquyppDWx_gR0-DA4bNoi755yaId5YUue2NGXo-5VA951cuNquBwHOiNoay13EI_Uj-dVGASm7ze4kNat-LC2-Rns1UEM3pfEQWcXWxxAVpH7-NZwM82CADNHTZl_KRQL-t4V9Ja/s320/harlem.jpg" width="276" /></a></div>PB Review: Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem: The Vision of Photographer Roy DeCarava</i> by Gary Golio, illus. by E.B. Lewis (Calkins Creek, 48p., ages 7-10, 9781662680557)</span><br />
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Author Gary Golio and Caldecott Honor and Coretta Scott King Ward-winning illustrator E.B. Lewis collaborate again (<i>Dark Was the Night</i>) for <i>Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem</i>, 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."<br />
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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."<br />
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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.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-84162714935808368202024-01-12T13:12:00.000-08:002024-01-12T13:12:58.339-08:00Shelf Awareness--Somewhere in the Deep<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCDaRNMOmRivc-yX2boyvcUJqcTtEzEvMlDjvQZvSGIqG0Brbp8ptkSF2Kz_O0t1jOCd7KS2YtXnkqsoDTNbFiPDs9y1DegAty6irjno3r8DwhZQLbZ2kPasHaFg0A-o8Vi0xhRYRlBPkNaUBol-nPVx63LdHz9-gXsDwg0-C-uPdSA_0-eeiVgcHTo1J/s1500/deep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="988" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGCDaRNMOmRivc-yX2boyvcUJqcTtEzEvMlDjvQZvSGIqG0Brbp8ptkSF2Kz_O0t1jOCd7KS2YtXnkqsoDTNbFiPDs9y1DegAty6irjno3r8DwhZQLbZ2kPasHaFg0A-o8Vi0xhRYRlBPkNaUBol-nPVx63LdHz9-gXsDwg0-C-uPdSA_0-eeiVgcHTo1J/s320/deep.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>YA Review: Somewhere in the Deep</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Somewhere in the Deep</i> by Tanvi Berwah (Sourcebooks Fire, 384p., ages 13-up, 9781728247656)</span><br />
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In the gripping YA fantasy <i>Somewhere in the Deep</i>, 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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Tanvi Berwah (<i>Monsters Born and Made</i>) 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.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-86504266942159259252024-01-01T00:00:00.000-08:002024-01-01T00:00:00.137-08:00January's Book of the Month--Fire Flight: A Wildfire Escape<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHBwe3aoQZt-sVN90XI9I-krEQ_M5cqHoSI3M4cIoY5ZOjzFp8fnxZIi5o9UP4Z7VxmKVgo17RTGhNQiI3LQgMaOq-nnEZqZr6-c9WPTt3FGmtD3dss5X92iC6kK9NOTFejFImUC6oj0Ryv4hjVA1aNfycmEmlmnA1mEDMCzn7HMoOD_m8rAsKyWJVNme/s1500/A1FxHiYhPwL._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1207" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKHBwe3aoQZt-sVN90XI9I-krEQ_M5cqHoSI3M4cIoY5ZOjzFp8fnxZIi5o9UP4Z7VxmKVgo17RTGhNQiI3LQgMaOq-nnEZqZr6-c9WPTt3FGmtD3dss5X92iC6kK9NOTFejFImUC6oj0Ryv4hjVA1aNfycmEmlmnA1mEDMCzn7HMoOD_m8rAsKyWJVNme/s320/A1FxHiYhPwL._SL1500_.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>January’s Book of the Month is FIRE FLIGHT: A WILDFIRE ESCAPE, written by Cedar Pruitt and illustrated by Chiara Fedele.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Having myself been forced to flee from a California wildfire (the Buckweed fire of 2017), this gripping story really hit home for me!<br />
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--LynnLynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-65753964195846231552023-12-19T15:02:00.000-08:002023-12-19T15:02:34.375-08:00December's Book of the Month--Thank You, Moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r-UCck07OrL5NGr0rY20OV3Dlgclvpsw25QfsguCsLhZGs37nV4pOpKD34ym7R4Bq6VioVM5fOW6O13ggKjVBk8y1gp00E3cduAKlIikcxyxK0RSDJlY8q8s_mnHoMvZGeNCTElvMMbqNyeQ9GoF-z1usXWzmkEwsXLLL0i1yDyFciv6bXb0fXcBDmrS/s1500/A1Ua39vRM0L._SL1500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1499" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r-UCck07OrL5NGr0rY20OV3Dlgclvpsw25QfsguCsLhZGs37nV4pOpKD34ym7R4Bq6VioVM5fOW6O13ggKjVBk8y1gp00E3cduAKlIikcxyxK0RSDJlY8q8s_mnHoMvZGeNCTElvMMbqNyeQ9GoF-z1usXWzmkEwsXLLL0i1yDyFciv6bXb0fXcBDmrS/s320/A1Ua39vRM0L._SL1500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>December’s Book of the Month is the lyrical, informative, beautifully-rendered THANK YOU, MOON, written by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Jessica Lanan.<br />
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I love books about the moon! I have two full shelves devoted to picture books which feature Earth’s magnificent nightlight. So when I heard about this book, I immediately knew I would seek it out.<br />
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From “guiding tiny turtles to the sea,” to “giving lions a chance to feed their families,” to its “ever-changing beauty, night after night,” THANK YOU, MOON pays tribute to some of the ways the moon’s illumination benefits us. Stewart’s text introduces species of wildlife who live and forage under the moon, and depend on it for safety, as well as basic science about the moon itself. Lanan’s stunning watercolor and colored pencil illustrations are steeped in nighttime blues as they dramatically portray the animals in their habitats—and always, the bright, white light of the moon.<br />
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Read it once for the beautiful, lyrical language and art, a love poem to our moon. Read it a second time for all the explanatory science embedded within the lines. And, finally, turn to the back matter for an even more complete picture of what’s being discussed. It’s a fine, multi-layered look at the wide-ranging effect our moon has on Earth and its inhabitants.<br />
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--LynnLynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-68323474863561585182023-12-12T10:38:00.000-08:002023-12-19T15:05:09.753-08:00Interview with Gina Soldano-Herrle<div>
<i><b>I met Gina Soldano-Herrle shortly after I moved to Colorado, where we are both active members of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the SCBWI. Gina’s energy and passion for all she does shines through in her writing. She’s released NIA’S RESCUE BOX recently, and I’ve invited her here to talk about it!
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAuT1PTkpNE0gGSIo7LLnjq95beMj0KHYEyHMMO2xFhGw_OhydzotIgHnXCTIQUVp8EeiAPmqtSic3ro4iaV0DIEhr3MBh_C2pr1Nnf8ypTqj4o7I_C6ynKLsgb2LHteY5bs6HGowC-itPxKdjmdigyLCjHDdjOixo6hQc9ww9qk0aBn8cj5V9zENb_Rl/s3000/pastedGraphic_1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTAuT1PTkpNE0gGSIo7LLnjq95beMj0KHYEyHMMO2xFhGw_OhydzotIgHnXCTIQUVp8EeiAPmqtSic3ro4iaV0DIEhr3MBh_C2pr1Nnf8ypTqj4o7I_C6ynKLsgb2LHteY5bs6HGowC-itPxKdjmdigyLCjHDdjOixo6hQc9ww9qk0aBn8cj5V9zENb_Rl/s320/pastedGraphic_1.png" width="256" /></a></div><br />First, a synopsis of her story:</b>
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Young Nia’s tummy roars as she thinks about her empty refrigerator back home. Here at the food rescue, an organization devoted to “fighting back against food waste,” shelves are lined with donated items which would otherwise end up in a landfill. Nia picks up a box of graham crackers, but she’s too embarrassed to take it. Her cardboard box stays empty as she races past “the juicy peaches, past the giant sesame seed bagels, even past the chocolate cake with curling words, “Happy Birthday, Clara!” But Nia comes to realize that maybe this food needs to be rescued as much as she needs a good meal!</i><br />
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<b>What was the inspiration behind Nia's Rescue Box?</b><br />
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Nia's story was inspired by my own. I visited my first food rescue at the end of summer 2021. I waited in line, walked through with my cheeks feeling aflame (much like Nia's) and hardly took anything they had to offer.
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<br /></div>Later I came back as a volunteer and came to more deeply understand the purpose of the rescue, <a href="https://www.vindeketfoods.org/about">Vindeket Foods</a>, and the role "shoppers" played in preventing food waste in our community. I grew up in a community that frowned upon "handouts." I still remember how I felt when one of my elementary school friends bullied me for wearing shoes I got from Goodwill. There are still similar attitudes out there, however, it is so heartening to see the rise of thrift stores, vintage, and understanding among today's youth.
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<br /></div>And I truly believe NOBODY should ever have to go hungry. The United States has astronomical amounts of food waste. According to <a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/our-work/reduce-food-waste#:~:text=How%20much%20food%20waste%20is,food%20thrown%20away%20each%20year.">Feeding America</a> it's around 119 billion pounds of food wasted in the U.S. annually. Last year, the food rescue where I gave my time as a service participant prevented 1 million pounds of food waste. Not only that, the food was given to those who experience food insecurity. They revalue people and food. It's a symbiotic relationship. So, based on that experience I had when I first visited, I wrote Nia's story hoping to spread the word about food rescues which differ greatly from food pantries and hopefully inspire some people out there to open more of them.<br />
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<b>What did the publication process look like?</b><br />
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Publication was...harrowing. After writing the first draft in November 2022 and making many, many edits, I tried the traditional route and found some interest among agents and editors. But, in the end each one said they weren't passionate enough about the story to take it on.
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Since the book itself is about so much more than the story, I decided to crowdfund and self publish it. Which looked a lot easier in my head than in reality.
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<br /></div>Vindeket and I put out a contest to find the illustrator. Everyone who participated made a spread based on the logline for the book. That's how I found Abi Joy Eaton who did a phenomenal job using found materials to illustrate <i><a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/nia-s-rescue-box-gina-soldano-herrle/20736772">Nia's Rescue Box</a></i>. By April 2023 I started the Kickstarter and we closed with full funding in May.
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<br /></div>Over the summer Abi and I exchanged emails about the book. In August she sent me the first full draft with illustrations. We went back and forth a few more times and the final art was finished around the end of September. After that, I had to figure out digital formatting and I am so grateful Abi was kind enough to help when we ran into a couple technical glitches!! It was officially published October 26, 2023. <br />
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<b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWBAezfixQcaKHNjMj07q0vujwONNKcpZTA4gr_Uko3pRjpclEKGw3jWD4bKCDofIuvrAz01mdOq8mRvh75lXBO8QXvVQuOSbzcAo04BEsPWcxkvdl4k1TDR48Lc3THREn-Z5vvQ9Q2_f6_D-Syfe8vUP9YrrhZwbnrfF9-mywr3FT1vpF6OSwHNJwH_T/s3000/pastedGraphic_2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="2400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiWBAezfixQcaKHNjMj07q0vujwONNKcpZTA4gr_Uko3pRjpclEKGw3jWD4bKCDofIuvrAz01mdOq8mRvh75lXBO8QXvVQuOSbzcAo04BEsPWcxkvdl4k1TDR48Lc3THREn-Z5vvQ9Q2_f6_D-Syfe8vUP9YrrhZwbnrfF9-mywr3FT1vpF6OSwHNJwH_T/s320/pastedGraphic_2.png" width="256" /></a></div><br />Who has been your biggest inspiration (as a writer or otherwise)?</b><br />
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I get inspired a lot by other writers and the things I read. One of the biggest sources is Rachael Herron. She has a podcast called "How Do You Write?" and listening to other writers talk through their process, stumbling blocks, and inspirations has often brought me out of a writing slump.<br />
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<b>What role did the writing community play in the creation of Nia's Rescue Box?</b><br />
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A big one! I'd be nowhere without my friends in SCBWI and other writing groups that gave feedback on drafts and connected me with resources about publishing.
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I'd like to mention my friend Parker Milgram, in particular, who more than once walked me through the self publishing process after having done it themself in September 2023 for their book <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/I-Live-Sun-Parker-Milgram/dp/B0CFCY7GR2">I Live for The Sun</a></i>. We met through an SCBWI virtual conference and they've been a friend ever since.<br />
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<b>What are you working on now?</b><br />
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Now? Too many things! I have a handful of picture books in various stages of completion that I'm seeking representation for through the traditional publication route. There's also a middle grade fantasy rough draft I finished over the summer. A couple memoirs I've been working on throughout the past few years and...new ideas that pop into my head and join the endless "miscellaneous ideas" document in my Google drive. Haha!
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Right now, I'm focusing on giving Nia's Rescue Box as much of my time as I can so the story gets in front of as many readers as possible. When I need a break, I switch it up with a different manuscript. I might self publish more of my books in the future, but for now I'm taking a beat to settle in, both writing-wise and literally because my family just moved cross country. <br />
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<b>NIA’S RESCUE BOX, written by Gina Soldano-Herrle and illustrated by Abi Joy Eaton, is available at <a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144280599">Barnes and Noble</a>, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/nia-s-rescue-box-gina-soldano-herrle/20736772?ean=9798989212606">Bookshop.org</a> and on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nias-Rescue-Box-Gina-Soldano-Herrle/dp/B0CLX1VBHR">Amazon</a> in print and ereader.
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50% of all profits from the book are going back to Vindeket Foods in Fort Collins, CO to further fund their growth.</b><br />
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<i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmKfjiSUw6Xu21rzmPQAMa2pHeHOgkXoB3QdZQ2wraBQuj0QXuut4tmCz9elNUF63CjXtZEKFXs6CZlaYzVP0V1qarpLWRf70Xl44IXyUL6KxoFh9YnPDesvUp52-FNUUVGjnYDOJZmzY86biuzUAJQn7AM0IP-kaKKwIhs4mVZLQJSEAgb4JR5r_Cete/s4032/pastedGraphic.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAmKfjiSUw6Xu21rzmPQAMa2pHeHOgkXoB3QdZQ2wraBQuj0QXuut4tmCz9elNUF63CjXtZEKFXs6CZlaYzVP0V1qarpLWRf70Xl44IXyUL6KxoFh9YnPDesvUp52-FNUUVGjnYDOJZmzY86biuzUAJQn7AM0IP-kaKKwIhs4mVZLQJSEAgb4JR5r_Cete/s320/pastedGraphic.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />Gina Soldano-Herrle has been a professional ghostwriter and author since 2019. As a member of SCBWI and The 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, she's very active in the writing community. You can find her debut picture book, Nia's Rescue Box, at most online booksellers and read her interviews with other authors on her website.</i><br />
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<b>To order a copy:</b><br />
<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/nia-s-rescue-box-gina-soldano-herrle/20736772" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a><br />
<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/book/1144280599" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nias-Rescue-Box-Gina-Soldano-Herrle/dp/B0CLX1VBHR" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
</div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-1282420646198963852023-12-06T15:14:00.000-08:002023-12-06T15:14:33.218-08:00Shelf Awareness--Angela's Glacier<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jZauASJH0UopcwpCOA99ja_XvP2dspQkfwtpeqtmZxB3aDhjXO_Hfxnn1_DgCE0Baa1PR87VNgCGnhi7iagpBoA9BHb1DTIMYtk4uJrAmUJCkoCwy8r225JKLMmYptyX-pfdOPq96iV-wkP6CX8lt_o1RSE7-dt0k1CNGdbQPX56PqMffiTBJ0XFQhyp/s1500/glacier.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1496" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4jZauASJH0UopcwpCOA99ja_XvP2dspQkfwtpeqtmZxB3aDhjXO_Hfxnn1_DgCE0Baa1PR87VNgCGnhi7iagpBoA9BHb1DTIMYtk4uJrAmUJCkoCwy8r225JKLMmYptyX-pfdOPq96iV-wkP6CX8lt_o1RSE7-dt0k1CNGdbQPX56PqMffiTBJ0XFQhyp/s320/glacier.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>PB Review: Angela's Glacier</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Angela's Glacier</i> by Jordan Scott, illus. by Diana Sudyka (Neal Porter Books, 32p., ages 4-8, 9780823450824, January 2, 2024)</span><br />
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Angela's Glacier is an evocative, expressive tale of how the bond between a child and her father--and their shared love for the "ancient blue" of a frigid landscape--leads the girl to find her own heartbeat in the gentle, familiar sound of "a glacier's music."<br />
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Angela's glacier, "covered in clouds" before she is born, suddenly "bloom[s] under the milky Arctic sunlight" when Angela makes her appearance. Her father wraps her in a blanket so they can go outside and listen to the "whispers of ancient ice fill[ing] Angela's birthday morning." Before she can walk there herself, her father carries her "to the glacier's ice-blue heart," where Angela listens contentedly to a "universe of sound." Angela's father teaches her the glacier's name, Snæfellsjökull, as they go. As Angela grows, she begins visiting on her own. Step by step, "SNÆ (left foot) FELLS (right foot) JÖ (left foot) KULL (right foot)," Angela hikes to the glacier "to feel and listen."<br />
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Eventually, Angela "walk[s] away from her glacier." She becomes busy with "school, friends, violin, soccer, bike rides, homework," and no longer shares her secrets with Snæfellsjökull. That's when she realizes her heart "sound[s] strange." Her father advises her to visit Snæfellsjökull, so she does. Only then, once again, is she able to find the true rhythm of her heart, as it beats over and over: SNÆ FELLS JÖ KULL.<br />
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As he did with the text of the magnificent I Talk Like a River, Jordan Scott makes use of elements of the natural world to explore the art of staying grounded. In Angela's Glacier, Scott fashions a story about a girl and the glacier she adores that's surprisingly accessible. Rhythmic, melodious language conjures a kinship for the harsh and beautiful landscape, which includes the "coldest of cold" heart of the book: Snæfellsjökull. Diana Sudyka's (Little Land) dazzling gouache and digital illustrations effortlessly imbue sky, land, water, humans, and animals alike with vitality and elan, her lushly colored world singing with the glacier's sound. This inspiring picture book celebrates the wonder of "staying still" and listening to "ourselves [and] to each other," as well as "to the ecosystems and their inhabitants who sustain us." An endnote points to the fragility of nature, and the tragedy that Snæfellsjökull itself is projected to be extinct in 15 to 20 years due to global warming. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-43580253138685625312023-11-29T12:33:00.000-08:002023-11-29T12:33:23.762-08:00November Recommendations<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xpwg0eiwzoWQMoNZjZN6TlcAJw-BwfK5RiTKOXSoKhFsAk7Eee0k_PC6432T0zuGdVUZnGMVXYmYQ_2KuqcuIL6cbukTM2eVmKca2oEd5O9TxLALvcI9AcNGguK8XdDVbG9qxr7L6FHIvUKlr4y2CFnG4oAVUKlhsNJ8PHa_0OfbPP8IKLJCE0UM9APL/s1500/bridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1347" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7xpwg0eiwzoWQMoNZjZN6TlcAJw-BwfK5RiTKOXSoKhFsAk7Eee0k_PC6432T0zuGdVUZnGMVXYmYQ_2KuqcuIL6cbukTM2eVmKca2oEd5O9TxLALvcI9AcNGguK8XdDVbG9qxr7L6FHIvUKlr4y2CFnG4oAVUKlhsNJ8PHa_0OfbPP8IKLJCE0UM9APL/s320/bridge.jpg" width="287" /></a></div>THE BRIDGE, written and illustrated by Eva Lindström, is currently a huge favorite of mine. A wolf stops a pig who’s driving north by relating that the bridge ahead is closed. The pig has places to be, but accompanies the wolf home to wait out the inconvenience. Coffee is served and conversation is enjoyed, until the wolf informs the pig that “the bridge should be ready now.” The wolf wishes the pig “safe travels," and the pig drives off. But where is the bridge? Text is quirky and enigmatic, as are the gouache and watercolor illustrations, and the overall effect is vaguely unsettling and absolutely wonderful.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJrz5lOmlBPhQKRzF9-GguPsULH8Il_MVrHWDT21cyY5cfWv2Ipxk_b5vUYYQO-igfGdzHaE2Aw3CLMcsL2vmaCNcjvYaM74nTSuFvmFeikTvz66RjO7f8jQFyZxjhN-riif5uy9wIms22vKifsIV7GrRGqt7yaVz4PUj-ZFg3VbZZ6YERSm1YS1WEN-w/s1500/grayday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1170" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJrz5lOmlBPhQKRzF9-GguPsULH8Il_MVrHWDT21cyY5cfWv2Ipxk_b5vUYYQO-igfGdzHaE2Aw3CLMcsL2vmaCNcjvYaM74nTSuFvmFeikTvz66RjO7f8jQFyZxjhN-riif5uy9wIms22vKifsIV7GrRGqt7yaVz4PUj-ZFg3VbZZ6YERSm1YS1WEN-w/s320/grayday.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>NOTHING EVER HAPPENS ON A GRAY DAY, written and illustrated by Grant Snider (One Boy Watching), describes how a kid might spend a day when “even the rain is too bored to fall.” A girl rides her “rickety bike” across town to the “lonely seesaws” and “sad merry-go-round” of the playground. But, “beyond the fence… a winding path”… and a private adventure turn this gray day into a more colorful one, where “anything can happen!” This lovely paean to exploration, observation, and imagination sings with a lyrical text and fluid colored pencil and marker illustrations that become more vibrantly yellow, blue, and red/pink as the day comes alive.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz952ilrRfFC7QkceynNIMwgZqvImjWgWhyphenhyphenKBpHnTpj-izDky3420OPllYB0oQnI7ZtD7oe9hpavS90XBLGsLjQmL3OjITdq44boaddOz-SDIYkA1cCLMkLuZMCzxAuJqXp79qfk2XCutsTJwdOfxp7q032A4-tESmLV3iCz_-SpichHohIPApn_2O3SL/s1500/beingcat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1166" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIz952ilrRfFC7QkceynNIMwgZqvImjWgWhyphenhyphenKBpHnTpj-izDky3420OPllYB0oQnI7ZtD7oe9hpavS90XBLGsLjQmL3OjITdq44boaddOz-SDIYkA1cCLMkLuZMCzxAuJqXp79qfk2XCutsTJwdOfxp7q032A4-tESmLV3iCz_-SpichHohIPApn_2O3SL/s320/beingcat.jpg" width="249" /></a></div>BEING A CAT: A TAIL OF CURIOSITY, written by Maria Gianferrari and illustrated by Pete Oswald, invites readers to “be like a cat,” which includes “watching, wondering, wandering,” as well as perching, lurking, trilling, and preening, preening, preening. Cats explore, discover, and “stop and smell the flowers—nip, flip, tip!” The spare, poetic text does a nice job of getting to the heart of catness, while back matter defines felines a bit more scientifically. (A companion book, BEING A DOG, gets to the heart of dogness.)</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3h_g3nbbDRsMpbZ8JXLRp5OKLnEEueNNhBnMogWIkOzuOwvdYvY7BL4p4EIIzUGEfE7jUf7lxEfrAlDaf3f8R5mXGEzI6BUuReSvm-ZY8xSVb2P80s1MF5qCZAfWk_j5-fSTt7M8CGzZ_ZpigV3c92pgzI8Epj3zJmobIBHsSBoeX3NMEaXkVMA_vNrKF/s1500/jackiebooks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3h_g3nbbDRsMpbZ8JXLRp5OKLnEEueNNhBnMogWIkOzuOwvdYvY7BL4p4EIIzUGEfE7jUf7lxEfrAlDaf3f8R5mXGEzI6BUuReSvm-ZY8xSVb2P80s1MF5qCZAfWk_j5-fSTt7M8CGzZ_ZpigV3c92pgzI8Epj3zJmobIBHsSBoeX3NMEaXkVMA_vNrKF/s320/jackiebooks.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>JACKIE AND THE BOOKS SHE LOVED, written by Ronnie Diamondstein and illustrated by Bats Langly, nicely showcases former First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy’s lifelong love of books, beginning with how she “learned to read at an early age” and “filled the shelves” her own small library as a child. She was also a writer, creating stories and poems, submitting essays to magazines, and taking a job as a journalist when she was an adult. She helped JFK write his award-winning book and introduced him to voters thorough her newspaper work. After JFK died, Jackie “made her mark as an editor.” This charming picture book adds welcome depth to popular perception of this iconic First Lady, who let “a love of literature [guide] her life.” Appealing illustrations and the author’s note, timeline, and bibliography further expand the view.</div>
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--Lynn</div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-80549046024837056002023-11-24T13:52:00.000-08:002023-11-24T13:52:05.154-08:00Shelf Awareness--Her Dark Wings<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC873kA6GU_diyjdfbGekV7N-X2nqygP7RmY8xylCZUq-z-1OsWzgP4HWGEcQSpNPWxi6_PDyKCQEknMQqNPKFZJ66SRbM5P1K717rvHee4eveRLHM_J6NO1Xkd_WVWAnWMKjuy9a4TUIDeM2a5oSWHz4s2jxhWim0oKGDmarbV3ve93byEmoqDLBxiWQ_/s1500/herdarkwings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1000" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC873kA6GU_diyjdfbGekV7N-X2nqygP7RmY8xylCZUq-z-1OsWzgP4HWGEcQSpNPWxi6_PDyKCQEknMQqNPKFZJ66SRbM5P1K717rvHee4eveRLHM_J6NO1Xkd_WVWAnWMKjuy9a4TUIDeM2a5oSWHz4s2jxhWim0oKGDmarbV3ve93byEmoqDLBxiWQ_/s320/herdarkwings.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>YA Review: Her Dark Wings</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Her Dark Wings</i> by Melinda Salisbury (Delacorte Press, 336p., ages 13-up, 9780593705582, December 12, 2023)</span><br />
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Her Dark Wings is a fierce and fanciful tale wherein a spurned young woman's accidental interaction with Hades causes a mythically sized shift in her life as well as massive changes in the Underworld.<br />
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Corey Allaway has been betrayed. It's always been "Bree-and-Corey, Corey-and-Bree," but the summer they're 17, Bree cuts Corey out of the picture and takes up with Corey's ex-boyfriend, Ali. Corey, hurt, humiliated, and extremely angry, kisses a "random" boy at a bacchanal to honor Demeter while wishing with her "whole heart" that Bree would be "dragged to the Underworld and left there to rot." When shortly thereafter, Bree's body is found in the lake "flirting with the weeds," Corey feels confused, outraged, and completely without closure.<br />
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Then Corey looks "over [her] left shoulder, out to the west." This, legend says, is a way to catch a glimpse of the Underworld. Not only does Corey see into that forbidden place, but she also observes Bree's shade with "impossible, awful" Hades himself. The king of the Underworld sends messenger-god Hermes to warn Corey to forget she's seen the afterlife but, when Corey learns the "random" boy she kissed is Hades himself, she realizes her desperate wishing may have caused Bree's death. Though Corey would like nothing more than to be left alone to process her feelings, she is dragged to the Underworld, where three winged Furies want her to join them in their "inhumane" punishment of "guilty" shades. Corey, who is still furious with Bree, must fight to keep her anger in check, as she struggles to keep from becoming a monster.<br />
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Her Dark Wings is a feisty, compelling modern-day retelling of the Persephone myth. Melinda Salisbury's riveting plot may serve as an excellent entry point for readers not overly familiar with the Greek pantheon: Hades, Hermes, the Furies, the Boatman, and Hecate all populate these pages and stealthily impact the humans they encounter. Salisbury (The Sin Eater's Daughter series) smoothly shifts between Corey's unlikely, god-filled present and her recollections of the lies and betrayals she suffered at the hands of her two exes. These deceptions continue to shape her future as she navigates harsh and unforgiving landscapes in the Underworld. There are gods and magic, yes, but above all looms the question of what it means to be human. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-90412440667198040862023-11-21T16:18:00.000-08:002023-11-21T16:18:41.710-08:00Shelf Awareness--Big<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXYaWcZnjW-ji_PRO0-485glV7F5DLlXVHeMm_tK_D4Pz2f8rD2bHNOE0-2C7IZrN0HnmlpzSkSlia5X_GeX4-KLyAvfpbbqp919x-rm_SM0e8Xu0PYMi2se_zvJess5IICMwn-J2N5joyOgNXBS507GUG88Ctvrd4cvMHTk50oUUHAeRutRomGQrtuTT/s1500/big.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1290" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXYaWcZnjW-ji_PRO0-485glV7F5DLlXVHeMm_tK_D4Pz2f8rD2bHNOE0-2C7IZrN0HnmlpzSkSlia5X_GeX4-KLyAvfpbbqp919x-rm_SM0e8Xu0PYMi2se_zvJess5IICMwn-J2N5joyOgNXBS507GUG88Ctvrd4cvMHTk50oUUHAeRutRomGQrtuTT/s320/big.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>PB Review: Big</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Big</i> by Vashti Harrison (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 60p., ages 4-8, 9780316353229)</span><br />
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The inspiring and deeply moving picture book Big tells the story of a Black child "with a big laugh and a big heart and very big dreams." She is praised by caring adults for being "a big girl," and this is good--until it's not. Suddenly, big means getting stuck in a swing, being teased by other kids, and finding herself belittled by adults. It means feeling "out of place, exposed, [and] judged." Until, finally, powerfully, this wonderful girl begins to "shake off" the words of others, to "see things more clearly," and to "make more space for herself." Little Leaders series creator Vashti Harrison's succinct text is emotionally resonant and gracefully executed, as are her beautifully rendered digital and chalk pastel illustrations, both of which keep the focus clearly on the child and her rewarding journey to self-love. The gatefold at the heart of the book is stunning, as the child remembers who she is... and it's good! --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-11953109662906180072023-11-15T11:39:00.000-08:002023-11-15T11:39:56.097-08:00November's Book of the Month--The Scariest Kitten in the World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisolrdt5yq3i3Qus65LVMKRSACjeptR4_DqEbaUud-PNqqLRiSp7Kg30sGFkls6hHwzQrFNIIwUCuR0e4jeisKq_ES-1tTBuVayNuSf9X1aaRZaxKTRjw4Cg7I-iAJLLW7Jda9VXyKUAVJGDIjXvC_T4XH0n1CGEwZCZ99nb5Tan_U9W6ainKPKJoI-YHB/s1500/scarykitten.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisolrdt5yq3i3Qus65LVMKRSACjeptR4_DqEbaUud-PNqqLRiSp7Kg30sGFkls6hHwzQrFNIIwUCuR0e4jeisKq_ES-1tTBuVayNuSf9X1aaRZaxKTRjw4Cg7I-iAJLLW7Jda9VXyKUAVJGDIjXvC_T4XH0n1CGEwZCZ99nb5Tan_U9W6ainKPKJoI-YHB/s320/scarykitten.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>Once upon a time, on one of those infamous dark and scary nights, you’ll read THE SCARIEST KITTEN IN THE WORLD, by Terrifying Kitten (with help from Kate Messner) and illustrated by Mackenzie Haley, and you’ll howl with laughter!<br />
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In a “TERRIFYING HAUNTED HOUSE,” behind a “ragged old door—all splintery and creaky,” our narrator strongly warns readers NOT to turn the page because, if they do, they'll find “the fiercest, most horrifying creature.” And “SNARL! GROWL! ROARRRRRR!” it’s… a cute little kitty, who spends the rest of the book trying to keep us from turning any more pages because surely we will be scared silly. Helped—sort of—by a houseful of adorable critters, the kitten exposes us to one—ahem—terror after another.<br />
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The short text is narrated by this most fearsome kitty, with conversational asides by animal cohorts which include a chick, a sloth, and a hedgehog. Spooky! The cartoony art, with its strong yellows, blues, pinks, strikes just the right tone—scary and sweet, as the text commands. Perfect for wee scares and humongous giggles all year long.<br />
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--LynnLynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-69944174886008917872023-11-07T15:15:00.002-08:002023-11-07T15:15:42.988-08:00Shelf Awareness--Rock Your Mocs<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVLD-TpL-DcuAd4ZXhh56vqebJ9LpTUECAZ47kZ4bOBDX-I4tSyDG3yYEiMJzfFj7Pq1k4TEDVFlYyygrOIgoN3Q7qulOdhFsBL7j81yyfbtlZtPvWJ_mqzKcPfzi5gTJ89nJZVc8XsSsS-RXA0xUzDoHHHqDjM90Fd4dThtPLei3hlEK6Yfi70Fbi6vi/s1500/rockmocs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1207" data-original-width="1500" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaVLD-TpL-DcuAd4ZXhh56vqebJ9LpTUECAZ47kZ4bOBDX-I4tSyDG3yYEiMJzfFj7Pq1k4TEDVFlYyygrOIgoN3Q7qulOdhFsBL7j81yyfbtlZtPvWJ_mqzKcPfzi5gTJ89nJZVc8XsSsS-RXA0xUzDoHHHqDjM90Fd4dThtPLei3hlEK6Yfi70Fbi6vi/s320/rockmocs.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>PB Review: Rock Your Mocs</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Rock Your Mocs</i> by Laurel Goodluck, illus. by Madelyn Goodnight (Heartdrum, $19.99, hardcover, 32p., ages 4-8, 9780063099890)</span><br />
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Rock Your Mocs joyfully invites readers to take part in a "wonderful celebration of Native and First Nations cultures" as Indigenous children show their Native pride on November 15--and perhaps every day--by "stepping out" with "beauty on [their] feet."<br />
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"There's a celebration beginning," and it's time for children of Indigenous Nations to be "kicking it up" wearing traditional footwear. These "vibrant expression[s] of tribal pride and individual style" are created with deer, elk, moose, or seal, as well as with "love, stories, and laughter." Beaded and fringed, shimmering and shining in a "blend of colors and shapes," moccasins are crafted with "skilled hands and knowledge passed down." The mocs themselves can be passed down, too, or they can be new ones that are "traced to fit," thereby honoring "deep-rooted traditions, while adapting to [the] sacred present." Children of all clans--Yurok, Osage, Seminole, and many more--boldly rock their mocs with pride and style, because these exuberant creations are precious gifts, works of art, and symbols of community.<br />
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Author Laurel Goodluck's graceful, buoyant text beautifully honors the proud connection between moccasins and "history and identity," as well as how they can be a meaningful way of "stepping into the future." Madelyn Goodnight's energetic, festively colored digital illustrations likewise take care to focus as much on the lifestyles, passions, and communities of the children as they do on their moccasins, further communicating how integral the footwear is to linking Indigenous children with the best version of themselves. Indeed, Rock Your Mocs encourages readers to celebrate their very best selves, each and every day. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-28972824509682808812023-11-03T14:10:00.004-07:002023-11-03T14:10:37.551-07:00October Recommendations<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj782yBuaEjEezPhwTI_A48Onf4eQovBsWLgo8hHrcgeZ70vas-NboAKPZS83fhwhoxfV3vJo1D_6GB6V26CX5BBV431lS10fehkqB7hYY32BriMzvopxW5ELDp_tDXNHHeYVOTDwsNS4OYqtdDenWhRz-UA1L2hJxGfICxgFJTvXAYxpSUYVkHM52j6kpa/s1500/noise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1206" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj782yBuaEjEezPhwTI_A48Onf4eQovBsWLgo8hHrcgeZ70vas-NboAKPZS83fhwhoxfV3vJo1D_6GB6V26CX5BBV431lS10fehkqB7hYY32BriMzvopxW5ELDp_tDXNHHeYVOTDwsNS4OYqtdDenWhRz-UA1L2hJxGfICxgFJTvXAYxpSUYVkHM52j6kpa/s320/noise.jpg" width="257" /></a></div>BEAUTIFUL NOISE: THE MUSIC OF JOHN CAGE, written by Lisa Rogers and illustrated by Il Sung Na, delves into what’s behind the music of this avant-garde artist who tried to use “all the sounds” in his compositions, as well as “curlicues and dots and more curlicues and squiggles” rather than musical notes, and “stuck erasers and bolts and screws” inside a piano, and “composed a piece of piano music without any notes,” and set his pants on fire during a concert, and… By framing this book as a series of “what if” questions, the text encourages readers to think, explore, and listen. Art uses “shapes and colors to represent each sound,” and back matter provides more context. It’s an excellent, kid-friendly intro to Cage and to nurturing your own unique vision.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ltWsVTNdqrCyXMloi3ZG9OxNukDjSbYaH8duw0NOI1hv7a_x5TGiVnGSRy6sy1dnsjW3XZyTzOs2RuIQmdlWXDQVOdJKK8kulws7YnBYQCOIYE52_D1uTaTWebl81IbE0V-IlUDQwvrcq-mswO4lQ9FnpWpebR6377uU9ExK4gPOT8SSWZbrQnPqesor/s1500/bucket.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1156" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ltWsVTNdqrCyXMloi3ZG9OxNukDjSbYaH8duw0NOI1hv7a_x5TGiVnGSRy6sy1dnsjW3XZyTzOs2RuIQmdlWXDQVOdJKK8kulws7YnBYQCOIYE52_D1uTaTWebl81IbE0V-IlUDQwvrcq-mswO4lQ9FnpWpebR6377uU9ExK4gPOT8SSWZbrQnPqesor/s320/bucket.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>A BUCKET OF QUESTIONS almost answered by Tim Fite (the “wiki-wonky, giggly-googly, jingly-janky, and 100% pooky-pooky” person who wrote and illustrated this picture book) resists following the usual rules and instead creates something new. We begin with a bucket full of questions, and proceed to answer and/or evade them completely. “Why do seals clap?” “Why do kids lose their teeth?” “What are hot dogs (actually) made of?” It’s random unless it’s not. It’s also fun, so give it a try!</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIM7spebr9gVhzMHrTtf9rGAtGBbb4-3acur3Bq-YdtLmQ03LXbiDM3b42Zh3dOlBDLiLTdfPsJML445HnCdV_425xeAHCHdIFuSbCaseJzjsZ1yDD2kngWvH6QWCKWQ6c6jJo_NmfdLsJECJoQSlLdUUixjDN8A4hX2ueruhqjahKow4eyTIKhmFhEyOE/s1500/lastflight.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1214" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIM7spebr9gVhzMHrTtf9rGAtGBbb4-3acur3Bq-YdtLmQ03LXbiDM3b42Zh3dOlBDLiLTdfPsJML445HnCdV_425xeAHCHdIFuSbCaseJzjsZ1yDD2kngWvH6QWCKWQ6c6jJo_NmfdLsJECJoQSlLdUUixjDN8A4hX2ueruhqjahKow4eyTIKhmFhEyOE/s320/lastflight.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>LAST FLIGHT, written by Kristen Mai Giang and illustrated by Dow Phumiruk, vividly describes the tension-filled experience of living in Saigon during the Vietnam War, and rushing to get out on the last American plane to leave the city before the North Vietnamese marched in. “As the war close[s] in” around one young girl and her family,” they navigate all kinds of difficulties until ultimately “the plane race[s] for [their] lives down that runway.” This highly personal account is an evocative recollection of the author’s escape from Saigon, with illustrations that perfectly communicate both the drama and hope in the situation.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2PujnRi88Rek8jEYkF_Y-P1lttv5q7PkOQMcZF3hm9e8XH0HlwFF1GECfk4FdVtTZO9LX9WkyQae-gsU87Nurx1Vctl4KIuUnC_ssSc6ZtGjWL0dNIYeHtiVT1GuyOxLk_3_v5TmrojfnQ0UkaJPgVpL9AkrAJSd6DUTQQ7sjjUR_6Cfr3LrfwWWISFj/s1500/welcome.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1241" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz2PujnRi88Rek8jEYkF_Y-P1lttv5q7PkOQMcZF3hm9e8XH0HlwFF1GECfk4FdVtTZO9LX9WkyQae-gsU87Nurx1Vctl4KIuUnC_ssSc6ZtGjWL0dNIYeHtiVT1GuyOxLk_3_v5TmrojfnQ0UkaJPgVpL9AkrAJSd6DUTQQ7sjjUR_6Cfr3LrfwWWISFj/s320/welcome.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>In THE WELCOME HOME, by Amy June Bates, Mr. and Ms. Gargleson-Bittle are “missing something.” They want a “soft,” “waggy,” and “lick-your-face-play-fetch-roll-over-rub-its-belly-and-chase-its-tail” sort of thing, so they get… a snail. Which they love, but they want “something more.” And more. And more, until their house fills up, with a whale and a cat and some goldfish and “a tiny armadillo named Cauliflower,” and on and on until one more something shows up on their doorstep and everything is perfect. This is a warm, fuzzy, inclusive kind of a book that’s sweet and silly and feels just right.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDoiY1_hs4_aZALVT65ZpDyaoeZQjt3K8sXXWQNGfPr2DfjmcmLHBkfcbiKUEogqEBX_g9UlIDDnjf1aavKylAfMDS0hKdZWlGBYqJVaCFgU6CvU8swc6cTg_D3q056ii3UsLQMdgWOqoR_H5B5e-az1vE3ZyT1agH7jHYmYVwog7vkJe-k52PQEGpUrD/s1500/petstore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglDoiY1_hs4_aZALVT65ZpDyaoeZQjt3K8sXXWQNGfPr2DfjmcmLHBkfcbiKUEogqEBX_g9UlIDDnjf1aavKylAfMDS0hKdZWlGBYqJVaCFgU6CvU8swc6cTg_D3q056ii3UsLQMdgWOqoR_H5B5e-az1vE3ZyT1agH7jHYmYVwog7vkJe-k52PQEGpUrD/s320/petstore.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>In THE PET STORE WINDOW, written by Jairo Buitrago, illustrated by Rafael Yockteng, translated by Elisa Amado, a girl finds a puppy and brings him to the pet store where she works. Every evening, Ana goes home, and the now-grown-and-unsold dog wonders why he’s not “walking down the street” with her. Until the uncaring owner of this “very small store” tells Ana the store will be sold, and even though Ana and her grandmother can’t afford it, they take in the leftover pets: the dog, a rat, and a hedgehog—because “it’s good to be together.” This creative duo has produced some noteworthy books (including Afterward, Everything was Different, and Drawing Outdoors) and this one should satisfy, as well.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiuBGpCEvZTCjdrC7enICOk2U_AXYYpgff2sR0-Oeq0c8oYGXddKEBQP4jYM_Ghw54yKSUtIBCzFjNotHHVq5nJvOXOJn93kQ_XSbtPBjD7NohrwdCa_AvZZbWJy-lQ7EGIHqT9h7ZXFnVYzSXv16XpduVi18zp6f03EkvFVLHzDx6zhqb5gUNF2ryIrB/s1500/china.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1456" data-original-width="1500" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtiuBGpCEvZTCjdrC7enICOk2U_AXYYpgff2sR0-Oeq0c8oYGXddKEBQP4jYM_Ghw54yKSUtIBCzFjNotHHVq5nJvOXOJn93kQ_XSbtPBjD7NohrwdCa_AvZZbWJy-lQ7EGIHqT9h7ZXFnVYzSXv16XpduVi18zp6f03EkvFVLHzDx6zhqb5gUNF2ryIrB/s320/china.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>CHINA, written by Songju Ma Daemicke and illustrated by Jam Dong, is a delightful board book (in the Barefoot Books Our World series) which welcomes the youngest of readers to spend a day in China. From “a fluffy kiss on my cheek,” through dumplings for breakfast, kite-flying, paddle-boating and fruity treats, then on to ink-grinding, dinner, and a sweet bedtime, CHINA is a lovely treat for little ones. The text is bright and cheery, and so is the art!</div>
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--Lynn</div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-51799407049654633502023-10-24T09:34:00.002-07:002023-10-24T09:34:53.995-07:00Shelf Awareness--Curious Tides<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplPPWMs07sYTGvtZ-G3DphAmMoWd-R8EcprcNRxsVNTS0Sx1whF3Mbo9Al_exi2bVJ-TFH4baC7NH2Dw-A3NKioN7Ulah-8tnaC8VcU2fo8PagXU6O3HSLSCebV0QeSCgtexg8HW0xfZ9nZs9aKIrsWyd0rpfa0kiFZiIQxonZiawxNbzmLjMkyg3j-zl/s1500/curioustides.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="994" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiplPPWMs07sYTGvtZ-G3DphAmMoWd-R8EcprcNRxsVNTS0Sx1whF3Mbo9Al_exi2bVJ-TFH4baC7NH2Dw-A3NKioN7Ulah-8tnaC8VcU2fo8PagXU6O3HSLSCebV0QeSCgtexg8HW0xfZ9nZs9aKIrsWyd0rpfa0kiFZiIQxonZiawxNbzmLjMkyg3j-zl/s320/curioustides.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>YA Review: Curious Tides</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>Curious Tides</i> by Pascale Lacelle (Margaret K. McElderry Books, 544p., ages 13-up, 978166593927)</span><br />
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Complex world-building and original lunar lore help make this debut fantasy, the first in a planned duology, an impressive standout.<br />
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"Mousy" blonde-haired Emory Ainsleif, with "storm-colored" eyes, is a second-year student in House New Moon at Aldryn College for Lunar Magics. She is returning to school despite the horrific night last semester when she, best friend Romie, and seven other students went into the mystical sea cave called the "Belly of the Beast" to perform an arcane ritual. Emory--the sole survivor--washed ashore on the banks of the Aldersea with "a spiral burned in silver" on her wrist. Now, one of the eight students thought to have drowned that night four months ago washes back with the tide. As Emory calls on her Healer magic to help the nearly dead student, she accesses rare, new powers and enlists the aid of Romie's brother, Baz, to teach her how to control her magic. Eager to help is entitled, "dapper," chestnut-haired Keiren, a fellow student privy to surprising secrets. Emory, trying to understand the ritual and learn what killed her friend, is determined to find answers within Aldryn's secret, cult-like society.<br />
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Magic and an original mythology propel the engrossing dual narratives of Emory and Baz, each differently motivated but equally compelled to investigate Aldryn's dark underbelly. Ambition, power, magic for benevolent-vs.-selfish motives are all on display in this arresting and imaginative escape to a complex fictional world infused with tantalizing lunar magics. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-89572329848141503652023-10-18T12:16:00.001-07:002023-10-18T12:16:22.684-07:00October's Book of the Month--A Walk in the Woods<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XYfETd2zGtfMEda6ib56JgV2OVIl_hubdU1yQ2NuIMaeXsaZTcx6gssTCAmSIoqcDpIzPF1vNPCHFdWDlQEHFaK-caRgRkfiOIXLysD3Ik-QWd3loCStwU1fGhtNDtPlaitOi3SHo98pEsJICCkqHgvqZuqYtvd0bBOJHSdZe9eGffD7I21xTUivrtbV/s1500/walkwoods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1228" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-XYfETd2zGtfMEda6ib56JgV2OVIl_hubdU1yQ2NuIMaeXsaZTcx6gssTCAmSIoqcDpIzPF1vNPCHFdWDlQEHFaK-caRgRkfiOIXLysD3Ik-QWd3loCStwU1fGhtNDtPlaitOi3SHo98pEsJICCkqHgvqZuqYtvd0bBOJHSdZe9eGffD7I21xTUivrtbV/s320/walkwoods.jpg" width="262" /></a></div>October's Book of the Month is the luminous/transcendent/superlative picture book, A WALK IN THE WOODS, written by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney and Brian Pinkney.<br />
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“A week after the funeral,” a boy opens an envelope his dad left for him. Rather than “a letter, some special advice, a secret even,” he finds a “stupid” treasure map. The boy reluctantly laces up his boots and stomps into the woods. There, he is able to slow down, breathe deeply, and “drink in the quiet,” as “the hurt inside [his] heart pounds less, and less.” Eventually, he finds a box which holds drawings of wildlife his dad did years ago in these very woods, along with an “unfinished story scrawled beneath each sketch.” The story is shared with readers, as are the sketches, and they are all breathtaking. And the boy feels his dad’s “hand on [his] shoulder, light as leaves.”<br />
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Written in both prose and poetry, this book is seriously wonderful. Nikki Grimes and Jerry Pinkney wanted to do a book together, and decided on A WALK IN THE WOOD, based on the artist’s daily walks in the woods. Both had “noticed the rarity of children’s books that feature African American characters engaging with nature.” When Jerry died, his son Brian, another acclaimed picture book artist, was able to take his dad’s sketches, add his own paintings—“impressionistic swirls of color and form”—and the art was merged digitally. The result is sublime. Please read it!<br />
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--LynnLynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-71188704273827392152023-10-13T00:00:00.003-07:002023-10-13T00:00:00.144-07:00Shelf Awareness--The Siren, the Song, and the Spy<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvC8yUtsgkf4sQ5mUeHusaqIhedghNwfWZD2Wp8VKlDEprUEKusAuIK7p32adKs2iTU04Jy8nU1bRSbMT91SZX7lV18cR6g99jvHGLwqAgPZPjiUowpt6JL4ITiZ5fJpyFqMSz9Yu9KsNegJbbbFKpGVjx4xg0Y8zu0W7LocTF8wQqLegDrFmiMS70NKMB/s1500/siren.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="994" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvC8yUtsgkf4sQ5mUeHusaqIhedghNwfWZD2Wp8VKlDEprUEKusAuIK7p32adKs2iTU04Jy8nU1bRSbMT91SZX7lV18cR6g99jvHGLwqAgPZPjiUowpt6JL4ITiZ5fJpyFqMSz9Yu9KsNegJbbbFKpGVjx4xg0Y8zu0W7LocTF8wQqLegDrFmiMS70NKMB/s320/siren.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>YA Review: The Siren, the Song, and the Spy</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>The Siren, the Song, and the Spy</i> by Maggie Tokuda-Hall (Candlewick, 320p., ages 12-up, 9781536218053)</span><br />
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<i>The Siren, the Song, and the Spy</i> is a welcome companion to Maggie Tokuda-Hall's ethereal <i>The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea</i>, and brings to a head the long-simmering conflict between the Resistance and the greedy Nipran Empire.<br />
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Imperial operative Genevieve has not died. The pirate ship Dove exploded while under attack but, by the grace of the Sea, Genevieve has landed safely on the Red Shore. She was trained by "the Emperor's greatest spy," but in her weakened state she's taken prisoner by two warriors, brother and sister Koa and Kaia, whose mother rules the Wariuta people. Black-haired, sunburnt-pink Genevieve can speak many languages so, despite Kaia's hatred for her, Genevieve is considered useful. When Imperial Commander Callum comes with a proposal for peaceful occupation, Genevieve encourages the Wariuta to accept. But Callum's soldiers massacre the islanders, and Genevieve must reckon with her complicity in the Empire's brutal agenda. Though the various factions of this splintered world try to come together through shared hatred of the Emperor, it might take a mythical First Dragon from the deepest depths of the Sea to turn the tide.<br />
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Tokuda-Hall writes elegantly and uses numerous points of view, such as Genevieve's childhood voice (when she was called Thistle), and those of Koa, Kaia, and even the Sea. Magical prose flows smoothly and brings a sense of enchantment to the story. This strong offering about imperialist aggressions, rebels, and reprisal should effortlessly sweep readers into its realms as it makes a compelling plea for pacifism. --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159116605292672323.post-19212059539236618832023-10-10T12:15:00.002-07:002023-10-10T12:15:31.714-07:00Shelf Awareness--My Grandfather's Song<span style="color: #0b5394;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43wgk4RwnK3USOUt-J8Cl8Z1ZClTLDpzwTHpJCe_0ga-i3X1GfauJT4UXo9utXbZHCSkyzCIFnk7g2aaSiNr6K7kZMiXbSZRxFsKf4dyAxA9Lez5r4cKtEsOBHFgA-u-XbfLPw4_-8Gy8sPqq8dYylV2apcyHehA7Hmt8CsLYr6nVN6wtF1vaw2mDtBn8/s1500/grandfathers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1465" data-original-width="1500" height="313" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi43wgk4RwnK3USOUt-J8Cl8Z1ZClTLDpzwTHpJCe_0ga-i3X1GfauJT4UXo9utXbZHCSkyzCIFnk7g2aaSiNr6K7kZMiXbSZRxFsKf4dyAxA9Lez5r4cKtEsOBHFgA-u-XbfLPw4_-8Gy8sPqq8dYylV2apcyHehA7Hmt8CsLYr6nVN6wtF1vaw2mDtBn8/s320/grandfathers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>PB Review: My Grandfather's Song</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><i>My Grandfather's Song</i> by Phùng Nguyên Quang, illus. by Huỳnh Kim Liên (Make Me a World, 40p., ages 4-8, 9780593488614, October 17, 2023)</span><br />
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The satisfying and thoughtful <i>My Grandfather's Song</i> uses the lyrical voice of a grandchild to relate the story of how their forebear, an early "pioneer... to the south of Vietnam," learned to find the music in his new home and use it to coexist with nature. Back matter deepens the takeaways by elaborating on the story's relevance to Earth's current climate crisis.<br />
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The grandchild, spending the day working alongside Grandfather, describes how the man journeyed to a new land in a tiny boat across water that was "gentle as a lullaby." The looming jungle the pair visits early in the morning is home to unseen voices, which Grandfather calls a song that must be learned. Likewise, the bamboo they cut is "a melody we raise high as a roof"; the earth is an instrument that, with time, will provide "a harmony of plenty." Even when sounds are frightening--"a rustle, a creak, a slither through darkness"--finding the song eases the fear and a new song follows, one of fish and ocean and forest. Years pass and the now-grown grandchild has learned the "symphony of generations," which they share with new families, who add additional voices to the "chorus of our song."<br />
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The inspiring text is passionate and emotive, and the extended metaphor of nature speaking through music proves a powerful tool. Dynamic digital illustrations beautifully convey the wild landscape, their impact emphasized by the horizontal length of the book. Bright, bold colors and a surreal sensibility dramatically evoke the animal spirits--including a giant monkey and oversized turtle--who reside within the jungle and the pages. Water and sky also come alive in swirling, layered currents of color and texture.<br />
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In-depth back matter explains that Phùng Nguyên Quang and Huỳnh Kim Liên created this story as a tribute to "the very first pioneers" who lived in a land and time when "humans had to pay respect to Mother Nature and her creatures in order to settle there." Now, this same land is home to modern cities where nature remains both "generous and dangerous"--we should "be thankful for the things we have taken from the earth." My Grandfather's Song gently suggests the potential benefits humans may reap in rethinking our relationship to the earth, to the climate, to the world. Because when "we listen... the land responds with gifts." --Lynn Becker, reviewer, blogger, and children's book author.<br />
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<br /></div>Lynn Beckerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643867356114054556noreply@blogger.com0